Adsorption of pesticides from water by functionalized organobentonites

Replacement of natural inorganic cations of clay minerals with organic cations has been proposed as a strategy to improve the adsorptive capacity of clay minerals for organic compounds, including pesticides. The organic cations most commonly used for this purpose have been quaternary ammonium ions containing alkyl or aryl chains without specific functional groups. In this work, we evaluated the ability of two bentonites (SWy-2 and SAz-1) exchanged with four natural organic cations containing diverse functional groups (L-carnitine, L-cysteine ethyl ester, L-cystine dimethyl ester, and thiamine) as adsorbents of pesticides varying in their chemical structures (simazine, hexazinone, triadimefon, alachlor, carbaryl, and imazethapyr). For comparison purposes, the adsorptive properties of two "classical" organobentonites, hexadecyltrimethylammonium- and phenyltrimethylammonium-exchanged bentonites, were also determined. Most organobentonites displayed higher affinity for the pesticides than the untreated bentonites, but the improvement in adsorption capacity varied depending on the characteristics of the pesticide and the interlayer organic cation. Triadimefon, carbaryl, and imazethapyr displayed the highest affinity for carnitine (K(f) = 229-2377)-, thiamine (K(f) = 83-354)-, and cystine (K(f) = 96-100)-treated bentonites, respectively, whereas alachlor was adsorbed similarly by all organobentonites. In general, pesticide adsorption-desorption hysteresis was greater for adsorbents with the highest adsorption capacities. The results demonstrate that selective modification of smectitic clay minerals with natural organic cations containing appropriate functional groups can be a useful strategy to improve their performance for the removal of specific pesticides from the environment.     

Gas chromatography-olfactometry and chemical quantitative study of the aroma of six premium quality spanish aged red wines

The aroma of six premium quality Spanish red wines has been studied by quantitative gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) and techniques of quantitative chemical analysis. The GC-O study revealed the presence of 85 aromatic notes in which 78 odorants were identified, two of which-1-nonen-3-one (temptatively) and 2-acetylpyrazine-are reported in wine for the first time. Forty out of the 82 quantified odorants may be present at concentrations above their odor threshold. The components with the greatest capacity to introduce differences between these wines are ethyl phenols produced by Brettanomyces yeasts (4-ethylphenol, 4-ethyl-2-methoxyphenol, and 4-propyl-2-methoxyphenol), 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone (furaneol), (Z)-3-hexenol, thiols derived from cysteinic precursors (4-methyl-4-mercaptopentan-2-one, 3-mercaptohexyl acetate, and 3-mercaptohexanol), some components yielded by the wood [(E)-isoeugenol, 4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol, vanillin, 2-methoxyphenol (guaiacol), and (Z)-whiskylactone], and compounds related to the metabolism (2-phenylethanol, ethyl esters of isoacids, 3-methylbutyl acetate) or oxidative degradation of amino acids [phenylacetaldehyde and 4,5-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone (sotolon)]. The correlation between the olfactometric intensities and the quantitative data is, in general, satisfactory if olfactometric differences between the samples are high. However, GC-O fails in detecting quantitative differences in those cases in which the olfactive intensity is very high or if odors elute in areas in which the odor chromatogram is too complex.     

Gas chromatographic quantification of major volatile compounds and polyols in wine by direct injection

Methanol, propanol, isobutanol, isoamyl alcohol, 2-phenylethanol, acetaldehyde, 1,1-diethoxyethane, acetoin, ethyl acetate, ethyl lactate, and ethyl succinate and the polyols 2,3-butanediol (levo and meso forms) and glycerol were quantified by direct injection of wine samples. Linear responses over the usual concentration ranges for these compounds and r2 values from 0.9932 to 0.9998 were obtained. The confidence limits for the mean values ranged from 2.34% for diethyl succinate to 8.52% for 1,1-diethoxyethane, both at a probability level of 0.05. Relative errors ranged from 8 to 10% for the polyols and 1,1-diethoxyethane and were all less than 5% for alcohols and acetaldehyde. The proposed method is useful with a view to identifying relationships between alcoholic fermentation byproducts and controlling biological or chemical aging in wines.     

Recent progress in conservation of threatened Spanish vascular flora: a critical review

The transfer of legal responsibilities from the Central Government to the Autonomous Communities ended a tradition of paying little attention to endangered Spanish flora. The studies undertaken to implement the European Natura 2000 network, and to prepare regional ‘Red Data Books’ and lists of protected flora offered a much better view of which species were really at risk. As a consequence, a growing number of botanists is now involved in different aspects of conservation biology. The recent publication of a new Spanish Red List of vascular flora has provided the groundwork for the so-called ‘Threatened Flora Atlas’ project, which will update and homogenise the information on 500 taxa at risk. This project will produce a new Spanish Red Book and monitor the status of 40 selected species. The Spanish strategy for plant conservation is discussed, pointing out some deficiencies, such as the neglect of non-vascular taxa, the uneven and sometimes uncoordinated local policies and the uncertain future of some current initiatives.     

基于ArcGIS的水资源评价系统的开发与应用——以迁安市水资源评价为例

指出了GIS在水资源管理中缺乏专业模型支持的缺陷,结合迁安市水资源评价,阐述了基于ArcGIS的水资源评价系统开发的环境、模式等关键技术,构建了以ArcGIS ArcObjects组建库为平台,耦合图层编辑、空间分析、专题图制作等GIS通用功能和降水分析、资源量评价等专业应用功能为一体的水资源评价系统。     

马铃薯片红外加热灭酶脱水试验及动力学

该文研究了生产低油薯片的一种前处理工艺,并为后续的油炸工艺提供基础。试验考察了辐射距离、样品厚度、处理时间等工艺参数对马铃薯片水分比(moisture rate,MR)、脱水速率、多酚氧化酶(polyphenol oxidase,PPO)相对残留活性、颜色等指标的影响,并进行了酶钝化动力学模型的研究。试验证明,辐射距离由15.5 cm减少到9.5 cm,样品厚度1.3 mm减少到0.8 mm时,马铃薯片最大脱水速率由0.24 g,(g·s)增加到0.59 g(g·s),PPO失活递减时间从364 s减少到152 s,色差值△E由5.26减少到1.66,,因此,马铃薯片红外处理应尽量采取高温短时处理。一级动力学模型能较好地预测加工过程中马铃薯片PPO失活情况(R~2=0.926~0.988)。PPO相对残留活性低于10%时,马铃薯片的湿基含水率由初始的77.71%降至44.58%~62.04%,预示着灭酶的同时脱除部分水分。后续油炸试验时,可选辐射距离为9.5 cm,处理厚度分别为0.8和1 mm,相应的处理时间为150和180 s时,这可得到较高品质的产品,其中PPO相对残留活性分别为8.51%和2.44%,最终湿基含水率为55.44和61.49,色差值△E为1.66和2.24。研究结果为后续油炸试验前处理工艺提供了参考。     

不同间伐方式对密植苹果园生理生态的影响

为了选择最适宜黄土高原成龄‘红富士’苹果郁闭园采用的间伐方式,本文以18年生‘红富士’苹果树为试验材料,研究了隔行间伐(T1)、隔株间伐(T2)、隔2伐1(T3)等3种间伐方式对‘红富士’果园光照分布、叶片质量、叶片结构、果实分布、品质、产量及效益等的影响。结果表明:与未间伐对照(CK)相比,T1、T2和T3间伐方式株间透光率分别提高108.59%、191.98%和57.45%,行间透光率分别提高259.20%、220.11%和64.86%,冠下透光率分别提高102.80%、155.32%和37.43%,树冠光合有效辐射分别提高38.02%、45.18%和18.43%,单果重分别提高25.03%、34.83%和9.81%,着色指数分别提高6.00%、6.26%和3.30%,可溶性糖含量分别提高35.98%、39.14%和22.98%,果皮花青苷含量分别提高104.41%、101.47%和30.88%,可滴定酸含量分别降低15.38%、23.08%和17.95%。间伐有效改善了叶片的质量与结构,T1和T2显著提高了叶片的厚度、叶绿素含量、氮含量和钾含量;T2提高叶片的叶绿素a、叶绿素b和类胡萝卜素含量的幅度最大;T2的叶片栅栏组织较其他处理的排列更整齐紧密。T1、T2及T3每公顷产量分别下降7 601.89 kg、5 219.45 kg及6 056.80 kg,但其产值分别增加14 959.54元、34 363.70元及9 081.13元,T2增加幅度最大,是郁闭果园改造的首选间伐方式。     

Increased plant density with reduced nitrogen input can improve nitrogen use efficiency in winter wheat while maintaining grain yield

ABSTRACT

Plant density and nitrogen (N) input level have notable effects on root development, distribution in the soil profile, and in turn, N-uptake of winter wheat. Our study objectives were to identify whether a high yield can be maintained with a reduced N input by increasing plant density. Field studies were conducted during four successive seasons (2014–2015, 2015–2016, 2016–2017, and 2017–2018) using a widely planted cultivar, Tainong18. Two regimes of N fertilization (180 kg ha^?1 and 240 kg ha^?1) and three planting densities (135, 270, and 405 plants per m²) were used. Higher plant density led to increased root length density (RLD) and enhanced N uptake from the whole soil profile. The RLD in the soil profile at 0–1.2 m, 0–0.4 m, and 0.4–0.8 m decreased while in the 0.8–1.2 m layer it increased in response to reduced N input. The combined effects of higher plant density and lower N input resulted in reduced N uptake, a lower nitrogen nutrition index (NNI), unchanged grain yield, and improved N use efficiency. In conclusion, it is possible and sustainable to maintain a high wheat yield with reduced N input by increasing plant density.     

Improvement of table grapes quality and safety by the combination of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and eugenol, menthol, or thymol

Table grape is a nonclimacteric fruit that shows a rapid loss of quality during storage and is very susceptible to colonization by fungi, especially Botrytis cinerea, which is considered the most important disease of this commodity. To solve this problem, synthetic fungicides have been used, although legal restrictions and consumer's concern demand the search of other safe means. In the present paper, and as an alternative of synthetic fungicides, an active packaging to improve MAP effectiveness on preserving table grape (cv. Crimson Seedless) quality and safety was developed by the addition of 0.5 mL of eugenol, thymol, or menthol inside the packages. Packages were stored at 1 degree C for 35 days. The final gas composition inside the packages was 1.4-2.0 and 10.0-14.5 kPa of CO(2) and O(2), respectively, with no significant slight differences among treatments. Results showed that the addition of eugenol, thymol, or menthol improved the beneficial effect of MAP in terms of delaying weight loss and color changes, retarding degrees Brix/acidity ratio evolution, and maintaining of firmness. Thereafter, these treatments showed additional benefit in terms of delayed rates of rachis deterioration and berry decay. Finally, the total viable counts for both mesophilic aerobics and especially yeast and molds were significantly reduced in the grapes packaged with the natural antimicrobial compounds. All of the above effects led to maintenance of table grape quality and safety for longer storage periods (3 additional weeks as compared to controls under MAP only).     

ITS1-rDNA-based methodology to identify world-wide hake species of the Genus Merluccius

Species-specific DNA-based tags are valuable tools for the management of both fisheries and commercial fish products. In this study, we have developed a two-step molecular tool to detect the presence of hake DNA (Merluccius spp.) and to identify the exact hake species present in an blind sample. The first test involves PCR amplification of an ITS1-rDNA fragment of 193 bp using nested primers that are interspecifically conserved in Merluccius spp. and Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua. The second test consists of the PCR amplification of a 602-659 bp DNA fragment spanning part of the ribosomal cluster 18S-ITS1-5.8S and digesting it with four restriction enzymes whose targets map at interspecifically nonconserved sites of the ITS1. Alternatively, the identification of hake species can be achieved by FINS or BLAST, using the nucleotide sequence of either the whole ITS1 sequence or its nested fragment of 193 bp. Because of their high reproducibility and ease of execution, these procedures allow for routine analysis and constitute high reliable tools for the rapid identification of 12 species of hake.