Efficiency of rice bran for removal of organochlorine compounds and benzene from industrial wastewater

Rice bran was found to effectively adsorb several organic compounds, such as dichloromethane, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, and benzene. Equilibrium adsorption isotherms conformed to the Freundlich type (log-log linear). The adsorption of dichloromethane and chloroform by rice bran was observed over the range of pH 1-11. Therefore, rice bran is applicable for treatment of wastewater over a wide pH range. Dichloromethane was successfully removed from water samples with an average removal efficiency of 70% after 60 min when rice bran was added to water samples containing from 0.006 to 100 mg/L dichloromethane. The removal of these organochlorine compounds and benzene by rice bran was attributed to the uptake by intracellular particles called spherosomes. Here, we report the results of a fundamental study of the efficiency of rice bran for removal of organochlorine compounds and benzene using a batch system on the laboratory scale, and describe elucidation of the mechanism of removal of these compounds by rice bran.     

Novel biological properties of Oenothera paradoxa defatted seed extracts: effects on metallopeptidase activity

In this study, for the first time, we used the in vitro metallopeptidase model for the identification of a potential novel activity of defatted evening primrose seed extracts. Prepared extracts of different polarity (aqueous, 60% ethanolic, isopropanolic, and 30% isopropanolic) at concentrations of 1.5-100 microg/mL exhibited a significant and dose dependent inhibition of three tested enzymes. The 50% inhibition of enzymes activity showed that aminopeptidase N (APN) was the enzyme affected to the greatest extent with IC50 at the level of 2.8 microg/mL and 2.9 microg/mL for aqueous and 30% isopropanolic extracts, respectively. The activity of neutral endopeptidase (NEP) was quite strongly inhibited by the extracts as well. The HPLC-DAD analysis and bioguided fractionation led to the identification of four active compounds: (-)-epicatechin gallate, proanthocyanidin B3, oenothein B, and penta-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucose (PGG). Oenothein B has been shown previously to inhibit metallopeptidases. The three other compounds are known to inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), but they have not been previously reported to inhibit the NEP and APN activity. PGG and procyanidins with different degrees of polymerization, as the dominating compounds in O. paradoxa seeds, seemed to play a role in the crude extract activity.     

Studies on lignin removal by soil perfusion technique

Studies were carried out using a soil perfusion apparatus for the removal of lignin from waste water. It was observed that when a medium (pH 7.0) with lignin having about 1200 color units was perfused through a soil column, perfusate contained only 250 to 300 color units after three days of perfusion and pH was reduced to less than 5.0 with 70 to 80% reduction in Total Organic Carbon (TOC). With a sterile soil column the color was not removed and there was no change in TOC content. When the medium was buffered at pH 7.0, there was no reduction in color units. When the pH of the perfusate reduced to less than 5.0, it was also observed that the nitrate content had increased considerably. These results indicated that due to microbial activity lignin molecules might have been biotransformed and adsorbed on the soil column at lower pH. The major group of microorganisms were also isolated from the soil and their significance is discussed in this paper.     

Long-term preservation of egg and tissue homogenates for determination of organochlorine compounds: freezing versus freeze-drying

Storage of wet egg homogenates at temperatures from -18 degrees to -28 degrees C was more suitable for long-term preservation than freeze-drying. Changes in residue levels of heptachlor epoxide, oxychlordane, dieldrin, hexachlorobenzene,p,p'-DDE, mirex, and PCBs were not significant over a 3-year period in fresh herring gull egg homogenates stored at -18 degrees to -28 degrees C. Compounds with gas chromatographic retention times shorter than hexachlorobenzene vaporized during freeze-drying at a rate proportional to their volatility. Evaporative losses of components with vapor pressures less than hexachlorobenzene did not occur in naturally contaminated herring gull eggs after storage at room temperature for up to 1 year. Higher losses of all compounds, up to 25% for p,p'-DDE, occurred in freeze-dried whole-body herring gull homogenates. Easily dehydrochlorinated compounds were rapidly degraded in freeze-dried chicken egg homogenate at room temperature: The half-life of p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDD was about 20 days, and that of alpha- and gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane was much less than 16 days. About one-third of oxychlordane in herring gull eggs was lost in 1 year under these conditions, but none was lost after freeze-drying when the homogenate was stored at -18 degrees to -28 degrees C.     

Effects of food materials on removal of Allium-specific volatile sulfur compounds

Effects of food materials were investigated on removal of several kinds of thiols, sulfides, and disulfides, which arise from vegetables of Allium species during food preparation and eating. Methanethiol, propanethiol, and 2-propenethiol were captured by raw foods such as fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms or a mixture of their acetone powders and phenolic compounds. The odor of diallyl disulfide was remarkably reduced by kiwi fruit, spinach, cutting lettuce, parsley, basil, mushrooms, and, particularly, cow's milk, raw egg, boiled rice, and bovine serum albumin (BSA). This suggests that the removal of diallyl disulfide could be caused by a physical and chemical interaction between the disulfide and foods. Furthermore, milk and BSA captured propanethiol, 2-propenethiol, dipropyl sulfide, diallyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, and dipropyl disulfide very well. An enzymatic degradation of diallyl disulfide by spinach and asparagus was also observed. These results demonstrate that the deodorization with foods is achieved by multiple actions including physical and chemical interaction between volatile sulfur compounds and foods, enzymatic degradation of disulfides, and addition of thiols to polyphenolic compounds, catalyzed by polyphenol oxidases or peroxidases.     

The influence of seed size and shape on their removal by water erosion

Under semiarid environments where surface runoff takes place, the role of water erosion in the removal of seeds and then in the plant establishment and distribution is unknown. Within the scientific literature, data about the size and shape of seeds exist, but little information can be found about the susceptibility of seeds to be removed by water erosion processes. These data are important not only from an eco-geomorphological point of view, but also for afforestation strategies in order to improve the selection of species to develop the recovery of vegetation on degraded environments. Eighty-three seed species were selected from Southeastern Spain. Variables related to size, such as weight (M), length (L), width (W) and height (H) of these seeds, were measured. From this information, other variables such as the surface (S), volume (V), density (D) and the ratio S/M were calculated. Seed shape was characterised by the Flatness Index (F.I.=L+W/2H) and the Eccentricity Index (E.I.=L/W). Laboratory rainfall simulation experiments at 55 mm h⁻¹ during 25 min on 26×26 cm plots with slope angle equal to 11° were performed with five lots of 50 seeds of each species. Results demonstrated that size is the main factor explaining seed removal, whereas the shape becomes important only when the seeds are larger than 50 mg. Seeds for vegetation recovery planning should have a mass between 10 and 50 mg to avoid removal by water erosion.     

基于制度变迁的我国种子行业发展分析

根据制度变迁理论证明了种业向市场经济制度转变的必要性与可行性,得出种子行业制度变迁的方式为强制性、渐进式的供给主导型,为种业政策制定提供参考.     

大花紫薇种子发芽特性研究

利用赤霉素(GA)、ABT6号生根粉和自来水(对照)对大花紫薇种子进行12h浸种，再将处理后的种子分别置于室温和25、30、35℃恒温箱内进行发芽试验。结果表明，大花紫薇种子发芽速度随温度升高而加快，发芽率随温度上升而提高，30℃是大花紫薇种子发芽的最佳温度；赤霉素对提高种子发芽率有显著的促进作用。     

Phosphorus removal from swine manure supernatant: Precipitant efficiency

In the absence of long term solutions for the management of swine manure, the present study proposes an emergency remedial measure aimed at reducing the eutrophic load of the supernatant of swine manure when discharge in the aquatic environment is unavoidable. Phosphate removal appears to be a temporary solution to the reduction of manure fertility for the aquatic environment. The efficiency of three phosphate precipitants, namely, alum (Al₂(SO₄)₃), lime (Ca(OH)₂), and zirconium tetrachloride (ZrCl₄) was evaluated in 60 L experimental tanks. Alum yielded the best efficiency, both for the chemical precipitation of P and for algal growth potential reduction determined with the green alga Selenastrum capricornutum. Zirconium tetrachloride was also very active, but for a shorter period of time. Finally, lime was relatively less efficient.     

Occurrence and distribution of persistent organochlorine compounds in U.K. sewage sludges

A total of 444 sewage sludges, sampled from sewage treatment works in the U.K., were analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and the organochlorine insecticides γ-Hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH), aldrin, dieldrin and endrin. PCB, γ-HCH and dieldrin were found to occur more frequently and at higher concentrations in sewage sludges than aldrin and endrin. In order to investigate the temporal variation of these compounds in sewage sludge, three sewage treatment works were sampled at monthly intervals over an 18 mo period. PCB, γ-HCH and dieldrin were again the most frequently detected compounds. Concentrations of aldrin and endrin were only sporadically detected. The results of a serial correlation analysis of these data indicated that some short term correlation of PCB and dieldrin concentrations above and below the mean value was evident. The data acquired in the course of this survey have been compared with the results of similar work conducted previously in the U.K. and other countries. The possible implications of the presence of persistent organochlorine compounds in sewage sludges which are disposed to the environment are discussed.     

Composition and protein efficiency ratio of meat samples partially defatted with petroleum ether, acetone, or ethyl ether

Freeze-dried beef samples were partially defatted with either petroleum ether, acetone, or ethyl ether before determination of protein efficiency ratio (PER) to study the extraction effects on the composition and protein nutritional quality of the extracted beef. Defatting a protein source, such as meat or a meat product, may often be necessary to produce a test diet that contains 10% protein and 8% fat. Amino acid, carnosine, anserine, creatine, creatinine, inosine, and proximate compositions were determined on the extracted samples. Resulting data were compared to the composition and PER data of the beef that had no solvent treatment. Although the chemical analysis data from the study showed some variation between the proteins and other nitrogenous components of the unextracted and the extracted beef, these variations were too small to affect the protein nutritional quality of the beef as measured by PER.     

Transfer and accumulation of persistent organochlorine compounds from bovine dams to newborn and suckling calves

The maternal-fetal and neonatal transfers of polychlorinated dibenzo- p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in the blood and milk of dams and in the blood of newborn and suckling calves. Calf blood toxic equivalent quantities (TEQs) were drastically increased by suckling. Blood concentrations of individual congeners were greater in suckling calves than in newborn calves, excluding octachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin (O 8CDD); O 8CDD did not readily transfer to milk but was readily absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract and remained in systemic circulation longer than other congeners. Congener concentrations in milk were correlated with maternal blood levels, and those in suckling calf blood were dependent on their concentrations in milk. These results suggest that neonatal calves absorb more lipophilic organochlorine compounds than prenatal fetuses, that those compounds that are transferred from dams to calves are associated not only with lipid transport but also with other carriers, and that the distribution of congeners is structure-dependent.     

Studies on the preparation of biodiesel from Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim seed oil

To reduce the cost of biodiesel production, the feasibility of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim seed oil (ZBMSO) was studied to produce biodiesel. A methyl ester biodiesel was produced from ZBMSO using methanol, sulfuric acid, and potassium hydroxide in a two-stage process. The main variables that affect the process were investigated. The high level of free fatty acids in ZBMSO was reduced to < 1% by an acid-catalyzed (2% H2SO4) esterification with methanol to oil molar ratios of 20-25:1 for 1 h. A maximum yield of 96% of methyl esters in ZBMSO biodiesel was achieved using a 6.5:1 molar ratio of methanol to oil, 0.9% KOH (percent oil), and reaction time of 0.5 h at 55 degrees C. Further investigation has also been devoted to the assessment of some important fuel properties of ZBMSO biodiesel produced under the optimized conditions according to specifications for biodiesel as fuel in diesel engines. The fuel properties of the ZBMSO biodiesel obtained are similar to those of no. 0 petroleum diesel fuel, and most of the parameters comply with the limits established by specifications for biodiesel.     

Studies on amino acids generated from rape seed cake in the soil

Among the several kinds of seed cakes, the cake made from rape seeds has been most widely employed for tobacco cultivation. Numerous investigations have been conducted by many workers, on the mineralization of organic nitrogen in rape seed cake applied to the soil and on the absorption of inorganic nitrogen degraded from the seed cake in soil by tobacco plants (8,9). However, little has been known about the organic nitrogen compounds which are generated through the process of decomposition of the seed cake. Recently, it has been believed that the plant roots are able to absorb the organic nitrogen compounds such as amino acids (10,11, 12). Therefore, it is considered that these organic nitrogen compounds produced by mineralization of the seed cake applied to the soil would have some effects upon the yield and quality of some crops such as tobacco plant with their physiological effects on plants. This paper deals with the changes in amino acids produced by the mineralization of rape seed cake in the soil.     

Use of beer bran as an adsorbent for the removal of organic compounds from wastewater

Beer bran was found to effectively adsorb several organic compounds, such as dichloromethane, chloroform, trichloroethylene, benzene, pretilachlor, and esprocarb. Equilibrium adsorption isotherms conformed to the Freundlich isotherm (log-log linear). Adsorption of these organic compounds by beer bran was observed in the pH range of 1-11. At equilibrium, the adsorption efficiency of beer bran for benzene, chloroform, and dichiloromethane was higher than that of activated carbon. The removal of these organic compounds by beer bran was attributed to the uptake by intracellular particles called spherosomes. The object of this work was to investigate several adsorbents for the effective removal of organic compounds from wastewater.     

Apical bud removal increased seed yield in hemp (Cannabis sativa L.)

In plants, apical dominance prevents the development of lateral shoots. It can be overwhelmed by apical bud defoliation, allowing numerous lateral buds to develop into more lateral branches carrying more fruits and possibly increasing seed yield. This study tested this hypothesis on five hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) cultivars in a 2-year field experiment. In comparison to the intact ones, the defoliated plants developed several lateral shoots. The hemp seed yield was significantly influenced by the year of production, the apical bud removal, and the cultivar. The average two-year seed yield of the defoliated plants (715?±?47?kg/ha) was significantly higher than the yield of the intact plants (568?±?35?kg/ha). Absolutely the greatest effect of apical bud removal on the seed yield was observed for the cultivar ‘Novosadska konoplja’, where increase was 225?kg/ha (25%); a slightly smaller difference occurred for the cultivar ‘Uniko-B’ (183?kg; 30%), followed by ‘Juso-11’ (140?kg/ha; 27%) and ‘Bialobrzeskie’ (128?kg/ha; 29). Cultivar ‘Beniko’ presented the smallest difference with apical bud removal – 58?kg/ha (15%) yield increase We maintain that hemp producers can achieve a larger seed yield not only by selecting an appropriate cultivar and row distance but also by removing apical buds.     

Solids removal efficiency of primary settling tanks in municipal wastewater treatment plants

Solids removal efficiency of circular primary settling tanks was correlated, on the basis of several literature data, with overflow velocity, solids concentration in incoming flow and the ratio between settling tank diameter and height. Also the reliability of other correlations proposed in the literature was checked by the available data.     

Simple sensitive technique for detecting organochlorine pesticides on thin layer chromatograms.

Chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides can be quickly detected using commercially available thin layer chromatographic plates dipped in an acetone solution of silver nitrate. The limits of detection are functions of the pesticide, adsorbent, developing system, and concentration of the silver nitrate in acetone solution. On exposure to ultraviolet light, 0.002 microgram 2,4,5-T produced clear darkening within 30 min on precoated silica gel plates (polyvinyl alcohol binder) coated with a solution of 0.1% silver nitrate in acetone. For this system, a 60-min detection period was necessary for a 0.05% coating solution. On the silica gel plates (polyvinyl alcohol binder, 0.1% silver nitrate), 0.02 microgram lindane is detected within 75 min. For alumina plates (polyvinyl alcohol binder, 0.1% silver nitrate), 0.025 microgram aldrin is detected within 10 min. Darkening of this plate prohibits the detection of 0.012 microgram aldrin. On silica gel plates (polyvinyl alcohol binder, 0.1% silver nitrate), 0.015 microgram aldrin can be detected within 45 min. The method described provides sensitivities equal to or exceeding literature values.     

Spatial heterogeneity effects of Zn/Cd-contaminated soil on the removal efficiency by the hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii

Purpose

We aimed to examine the effects of spatial heterogeneity on Zn/Cd removal efficiency by the Zn/Cd hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii grown on agricultural soil contaminated with mine waste.

Materials and methods

Field-collected metal-contaminated agricultural soils were arranged in pots either homogeneously or heterogeneously in “half” or “quarter” patterns. Young shoots of S. alfredii were grown on these substrates in a greenhouse.

Results and discussion

The efficiency of Zn and Cd removal from soil by S. alfredii was highest in the “quarter” pattern heterogeneous treatment, in which the percentages of total soil Zn and Cd extracted were 8.02 and 7.27, respectively. Comparing the two heterogeneous treatments, the amounts of Zn and Cd accumulated in S. alfredii shoots were significantly greater in the “quarter” pattern heterogeneous treatment than in the “half” pattern treatment.

Conclusions

We concluded that the efficiency of Zn/Cd removal increased as the scale of spatial heterogeneity decreased from “half” to “quarter”. These results may have important implications for the efficiency of phytoremediation by hyperaccumulators in the field.