Constructed wetlands for the treatment of organic pollutants

Background  Constructed wetlands (wetland treatment systems) are wetlands designed to improve water quality. They use the same processes that occur in natural wetlands but have the flexibility of being constructed. As in natural wetlands vegetation, soil and hydrology are the major components. Different soil types and plant species are used in constructed wetlands. Regarding hydrology surface flow and subsurface flow constructed wetlands are the main types. Subsurface flow constructed wetlands are further subdivided into horizontal or vertical flow. Many constructed wetlands deal with domestic wastewater where BOD and COD (Biochemical and Chemical Oxygen Demand respectively) are used as a sum parameter for organic matter. However, also special organic compounds can be removed. Objective  The objectives are to summarise the state-of-the-art on constructed wetlands for treatment of specific organic compounds, to the present the lack of knowledge, and to derive future research needs. Methods  Case studies in combination with a literature review are used to summarise the available knowledge on removal processes for specific organic compounds. Results and Discussion  Case studies are presented for the treatment of wastewaters contaminated with aromatic organic compounds, and sulphonated anthraquinones, olive mill wastewater, landfill leachate, and groundwater contaminated with hydrocarbons, cyanides, chlorinated volatile organics, and explosives. In general the removal efficiency for organic contaminants is high in all presented studies. Conclusion  Constructed wetlands are an effective and low cost way to treat water polluted with organic compounds. There is a lack of knowledge on the detailed removal pathways for most of the contaminants. Removal rates as well as optimal plant species are substance-specific, and also typically not available. If a constructed wetland provides different environmental conditions and uses different plant species the treatment efficiency can be improved. Recommendations and Outlook  There is a great need to lighten the black box ‘constructed wetland’ to obtain performance data for both microbial activity and the contribution of the plants to the overall removal process. Also genetic modified plants should be considered to enhance the treatment performance of constructed wetlands for specific compounds.     

Development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for bisphenol a using chicken immunoglobulins

Bisphenol A was coupled, after derivatization into a suitable hapten, to bovine serum albumin and ovalbumin in order to produce immunizing and coating antigens. The immunizing antigens were injected into chickens, which allowed the isolation of specific bisphenol A immunoglobulins from the egg yolk. These antibodies were used in an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the determination of bisphenol A in aqueous solutions. Various parameters, influencing the assay sensitivity, were evaluated. The applicability of the assay for the determination of bisphenol A in milk was also studied. The assay was not as sensitive as other analytical techniques used in bisphenol A analysis, since typical I(50) levels of 2.5 microM were reached in aqueous solutions. This study nevertheless illustrates the usefulness and the potency of chicken antibodies in the analysis of migration residues from packaging materials using immunochemical techniques. In addition, the assay showed to be quite specific for bisphenol A as well. Only for bisphenol A analogues, cross reactivities of about 40% were reached, enabling the use of the antibodies for the screening of bisphenol A and alike compounds.     

不同基质中栽培的樱桃番茄在夏季热应激下的反应比较

该文旨在比较研究不同栽培基质(土壤、泥炭、泥炭／珍珠岩(1／2)、珍珠岩和营养液循环系统)中生长的樱桃番茄在夏季受热应激时的反应。试验于2002年7、8、9月进行，番茄分别移植到3个温室中，温度设置为：25/20℃，35/25℃，>35/>25℃，分别在番茄不同生长阶段进行。测试分析了温室内环境因子的变化和气体交互作用：温室内温度与湿度(R²：0.894～0.972)、温度与CO₂浓度(R²：0.668～0.786)之间呈线性关系。测定了番茄的生长率，表明茎伸展与栽培基质密切相关。用叶水势来反映受热应激下番茄的水分状况，表明方差分析显示无论是黎明前还是正午，栽培基质和热应激对叶水势的变化有重要的作用。实验结果可正确确定热胁迫影响的生育时期，并为选择夏季番茄生产的适宜栽培基质提供依据。     

Herd-level risk factors for Neospora caninum seroprevalence in dairy farms in southern Brazil

A cross-sectional study was used to test the relationship between herd seroprevalence to Neospora caninum and various potential herd-level risk factors in 60 dairy farms located in two distinct regions in southern Brazil. Thirty farms were randomly selected from within each region. A questionnaire was designed to summarize each farm's production system as it might relate to N. caninum transmission. The questionnaire contained 105 closed questions relating to general characteristics of the farms, farm facilities, management, source of food and water, herd health, environment and biosecurity, which included questions relevant to N. caninum transmission, including presence and number of dogs and other animals, purchase of animals and contact with man. Serum samples were collected from 40% of animals in each farm and N. caninum antibodies were detected by immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT). The association between potential risk factors and the probability of an animal being seropositive was modeled using a generalized estimation equations (GEE) logistic regression model. The model accounted for multilevel correlation of data from multiple animals within herds. The mean (+/-S.D.) number of animals in the 60 herds was 64.5 (+/-45.6), ranging from 20 to 280 females. Blood samples were collected from 1549 animals. The size of the farms varied from 4 to 100 ha (mean 30.1+/-25.9 ha). At least one dog was found in 57 of the 60 dairy farms (95%). The mean number of dogs was 3.1 (+/-1.9), ranging from 0 to 10. All females were raised on pasture. For all cattle sampled, N. caninum seroprevalence was 17.8%. Overall, 93.3% of herds (56/60) had at least one seropositive animal identified. Four variables were significantly associated with N. caninum sero-response in the 57 dairy farms, which were included in the final multivariable model: the number of dogs on the farm, farm area (hectares), feeding pooled sources of colostrum and region. The odds of a cow being seropositive increased 1.13 times for each additional dog present on the farm (P=0.021). Cattle from farms that fed calves colostrum pooled from multiple cows had 1.79 times greater odds for being seropositive for N. caninum (P<0.003). The probability of being seropositive was inverse to the area of the farms, such that cattle had 0.92 times the odds to be seropositive (P=0.014) for each additional 10 ha of farmland. Finally, cattle from farms in region one had 0.71 times the odds to be seropositive than cattle from region two (P=0.035). Results of this study suggest that several risk factors may explain why dairy cattle in Brazil may become exposed to N. caninum. However, further investigation of these factors is necessary because the purpose of this study was to refine and generate hypotheses on N. caninum transmission.     

Cloning and characterization of an 11S legumin, Car i 4, a major allergen in pecan

Among tree nut allergens, pecan allergens remain to be identified and characterized. The objective was to demonstrate the IgE-binding ability of pecan 11S legumin and characterize its sequential IgE-binding epitopes. The 11S legumin gene was amplified from a pecan cDNA library and expressed as a fusion protein in Escherichia coli. The native 11S legumin in pecan extract was identified by mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Sequential epitopes were determined by probing the overlapping peptides with three serum pools prepared from different patients' sera. A three-dimensional model was generated using almond legumin as a template and compared with known sequential epitopes on other allergenic tree nut homologues. Of 28 patients tested by dot blot, 16 (57%) bound to 11S legumin, designated Car i 4. MS/MS sequencing of native 11S legumin identified 33 kDa acidic and 20-22 kDa basic subunits. Both pecan and walnut seed protein extracts inhibited IgE binding to recombinant Car i 4, suggesting cross-reactivity with Jug r 4. Sequential epitope mapping results of Car i 4 revealed weak, moderate, and strong reactivity of serum pools against 10, 5, and 4 peptides, respectively. Seven peptides were recognized by all three serum pools, of which two were strongly reactive. The strongly reactive peptides were located in three discrete regions of the Car i 4 acidic subunit sequence (residues 118-132, 208-219, and 238-249). Homology modeling of Car i 4 revealed significant overlapping regions shared in common with other tree nut legumins.     

Optimum Level of Nitrogen and Phosphorus to Achieve Better Papaya (Carica papaya var. Solo) Seedlings Growth and Mycorrhizal Colonization

An experiment under greenhouse conditions was carried out to evaluate the best level of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), which promote the growth of papaya (Carica papaya L. var. Solo) seedlings without affecting the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) activity. Seedlings of papaya were transplanted to pots inoculated or not with Gigaspora margarita spores at four levels of N (0, 50, 100, and 200 ppm) and P (0, 25, 50, and 100 ppm). P was amended at the same time of pot filling up with substrate but N was applied weekly. The experiment was harvested after 100 days and plant dry weight together with AMF colonization was measured. The major response on the plant dry weight and height was from the fertilizers (N and P) where it proportionally increased. For the dry weight, at low amounts of nutrients the effects of AMF were greater, but as much as the fertilizer level in soil increased this response decreased. The colonization decreased as the nutrient levels increased, especially the P. The best combination of N and P for plant growth and AMF colonization could be at 50 and 25 ppm, equivalent to 5 and 2.5 kg/10a, respectively.     

Network establishment of arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphae in the rhizospheres between citrus rootstocks and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paspalum notatum</Emphasis> or <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vulpia myuros</Emphasis> grown in sand substrate

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to examine the favorable effects of sod culture system with bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flügge.) and Vulpia myuros (L.) C. C. Gmel. intercropped with citrus trees on the establishment of the network of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus hyphae in their rhizospheres. Special acrylic root boxes with three compartments were used for the experiment. Four types of citrus rootstock seedlings, trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata Raf.), sour orange (Citrus aurantium L.), rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri Lush.), and Citrus natsudaidai Hayata, were separately transplanted into one outer compartment in each box, and the seedlings of bahiagrass and V.myuros were separately transplanted into the other outer compartment. An AM fungus, Gigaspora margarita Becker and Hall, was inoculated in the center compartment of each box. Some boxes with both outer compartments without plants and with some plants in only one outer compartment were also prepared. The box with bare × bare had very low density of AM hyphae. There were a few hyphae in bare compartments in the boxes of trifoliate orange × bare, sour orange × bare, rough lemon × bare, and C. natsudaidai × bare. The density of hyphae in the compartments with citrus seedlings and grasses, however, was significantly higher than in every bare compartment, and the hyphae in the compartments with plants penetrated deeply into the sand. In particular, the density in the compartments of citrus seedlings increased when bahiagrass or V. myuros was transplanted as a neighboring plant. The percentage of AM fungus colonization in every plant root was high. New spore formation was observed in compartments with plants, whereas there were few spores in every bare compartment. In particular, the spore formation in bahiagrass compartments was superior to that in other compartments with plants. Our results suggest that the network system by AM hyphae is easily discernible in the rhizospheres between citrus rootstocks and bahiagrass or V. myuros, but bare ground severely inhibits the formation and development of AM hyphal network and reduces the number of AM spores in the soil.     

Assessment of cardiac output measurement in dogs by transpulmonary pulse contour analysis

Objective – To determine if metatarsal artery pressure (COmet) is comparable to femoral artery pressure (COfem) as the input for transpulmonary pulse contour analysis (PiCCO) in anesthetized dogs, using the lithium dilution method (LiDCO) as a standard for cardiac output (CO) measurement. Design – Prospective randomized study. Setting – University research laboratory. Animals – Ten healthy purpose‐bred mixed breed dogs were anesthetized and instrumented to measure direct blood pressure, heart rate, arterial blood gases, and CO. Interventions – The CO was measured using LiDCO and PiCCO techniques. Animals had their right femoral and left distal metatarsal artery catheterized for proximal (COfem) and distal (COmet) PiCCO analysis, respectively. Measurements were obtained from each animal during low, normal, and high CO states by changing amount of inhalant anesthetics and heart rate. Measurements were converted to CO indexed to body weigh (CI_BW=CO/kg) for statistical analysis. Agreement was determined using Bland and Altman analysis and concordance correlation coefficients. Measurements and Main Results – Thirty paired measurements were taken. The LiDCO CI_BW (± SD) was 68.7 ± 30.3, 176.0 ± 53.0, and 211.1 ± 76.5 mL/kg/min during low, normal, and high CO states, respectively. There was a significant effect of CI_BW state on bias and relative bias with COmet (P<0.001 and P=0.003, respectively). Bias of the COmet method (± SD) was ?116.6 (70.5), 20.1(76.4), and 91.3 (92.0) mL/kg/min at low, normal, and high CI_BW, respectively. Bias of the COfem (± SD) was ?20.3 (19.0), 8.6 (70.9), and ?2.9 (83.0) mL/kg/min at low, normal, and high CI_BW, respectively. The mean relative bias for COfem was ?6.7 ± 44% (limits of agreements: ?81.2 to 67.9%). Conclusion – Compared with lithium dilution, the pulse contour analysis provides a good estimation of CO, but requires femoral artery catheterization in anesthetized dogs.     

Multiresidue pesticide analysis of agricultural commodities using acetonitrile salt-out extraction, dispersive solid-phase sample clean-up, and high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A multiresidue method analyzing 209 pesticides in 24 agricultural commodities has been developed and validated using the original Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) procedure and high performance liquid chromatography-positive electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. Using solvent-only calibration standards (SOCSs) and matrix-matched calibration standards (MMCSs), it was demonstrated that a minimal concentration of 5-10 μg/kg (part per billion, ppb) of analytes in matrix is required for the consistent identification of targeted pesticides with two MRM transitions. Method performance was validated by the precision and accuracy results obtained from fortification studies at 10, 25, 100, and 500 ppb and MMCSs. The method was demonstrated to achieve an average recovery of 100 ± 20% (n = 4) for >75% of evaluated pesticides at the low fortification level (10 ppb) and improved to >84% at the higher fortification concentrations in all 24 matrices. Matrix effects in LC-MS/MS analysis were studied by evaluating the slope ratios of calibration curves (1.0-100 ng/mL) obtained from the SOCSs and MMCSs. Principal component analysis (PCA) of LC-MS/MS and method validation data confirmed that each matrix exerts its specific effect during the sample preparation and LC-MS/MS analysis. The matrix effect is primarily dependent on the matrix type, pesticide type and concentration. Some caution is warranted when using matrix matched calibration curves for the quantitation of pesticides to alleviate concerns on matrix effects. The QuEChERS method with LC-MS/MS was used to identify and quantitate pesticides residues, with concentrations ranging from 2.5 to >1000 ppb in a variety of agricultural samples, demonstrating fitness for screening and surveillance applications.