Determination of Organic Mercury in Biota, Plants and Contaminated Sediments Using a Thermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometry Technique

A simple, rapid procedure for the determination of organic mercury in sediments, plants and fish tissues has been developed and validated. Extraction and separation of organic mercury compounds from the sample matrix was achieved by an established procedure based on an acid leaching of the sample (H₂SO₄/KBr/CuSO₄), followed by extraction of the organic mercury halide with toluene and back-extraction with an aqueous solution of thiosulphate. Detection and quantification of mercury, in the liquid extracts, was made by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), following thermal decomposition of the sample. The method was evaluated using Certified Reference Material (CRM) BCR 463 (tuna fish), BCR 580 (estuarine sediment), IAEA-140TM (sea plant homogenate) and NRCC TORT-2 (lobster hepathopancreas). The recovery factors for organic mercury in all tested CRM were between 81–107%. The precision of the method has relative standard deviations of less than 10% for sediments and fish tissues and of less than 16% for plant material. The method was successfully applied to natural samples of sediments, plants, macroalgae and fish tissues collected from an estuarine ecosystem and could, therefore, be used for routine analyses.     

Production of Pearl Millet Irrigated with Different Levels of Brackish Water and Organic Matter

ABSTRACT

The objective is to determine the growth, yield and chemical characteristics of pearl millet irrigated with different levels of brackish water and organic matter in two cultivation cycles. The experimental design was randomized blocks in a 4 × 4 factorial arrangement, composed of 4 levels of brackish irrigation (25, 50, 75 and 100% evapotranspiration), 4 levels of organic matter (0, 15, 30 and 45 t ha^?1) with 3 repetitions. Along two cultivation cycles, pearl millet crop was analyzed for: plant growth variables, fresh and dry mass production, water-use efficiency, and chemical composition. There was significant interaction between applied water levels and organic matter for lignin in the 2nd cut (P < .05). The number of leaves, number of dead leaves and fresh mass production were influenced by the isolated effect of brackish water levels in cut 1 (P < .05). In turn, fresh mass production, dry mass production, plant height, leaves length, panicle length, fresh mass production, crude protein and ether extract were influenced by the isolated effect of saline water levels in the 2nd cut (P < .05). Growth, biomass production and chemical composition variables in second cut are positively influenced by different brackish irrigation levels under low rainfall conditions.     

Application of high-temperature gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to the investigation of glycosidically bound components related to cashew apple (Anacardium occidentale L. Var. Nanum) volatiles

Free and bound volatile components of a Brazilian cashew apple variety (Anacardium occidentale L. var. nanum) were obtained by simultaneous distillation-extraction (SDE) and XAD-2 adsorption. According to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses and retention indices, 62 free volatile constituents were characterized and quantified. They were esters (40%), terpenes (20%), hydrocarbons (14%), fatty acids (9%), aldehydes (8%), alcohols (3%), lactones (3%), ketones (1%), phenols (1%), and norisoprenoids (1%). The glycosidically bound volatile precursors were analyzed by high-temperature GC-MS, after room temperature silylation. Several conjugated alcohols and cinnamic acids were detected and reported as cashew apple glycosyl constituents for the first time.     

Rapid screening of polar compounds in Brazilian propolis by high-temperature high-resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Methanol extracts of propolis from six different places, five in Rio de Janeiro state and one in S?o Paulo state, both in the Southeast of Brazil, were investigated using high-temperature high-resolution gas chromatography (HT-HRGC) and HT-HRGC-mass spectometry. The main purpose of the study was to establish the applicability of HT-HRGC as an analytical method for systematic studies of polar propolis fractions. Several compounds, including carbohydrates, phenolic acid derivatives, and high molecular weight compounds (e.g., wax esters of long chain fatty alcohols) could be readily characterized in the crude extracts by HT-HRGC-MS. HT-HRGC and HT-HRGC-MS were shown to be quick and informative tools for rapid analysis of crude polar extracts without cleanup.     

Transgenic fertile soybean plants derived from somatic embryos transformed via the combined DNA-free particle bombardment and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium</Emphasis> system

An Agrobacterium-mediated transformation procedure for soybean [Glycine max L. Merrill] proliferating somatic embryos is here described. The Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404 strain harboring pTOK233, pCAMBIA1390-olp or pH7WG2Dwrky plasmids was used to mediate gene transfer into the plant genome. Prior to Agrobacterium inoculation, proliferative soybean embryogenic clusters were microwounded by DNA-free tungsten particle bombardment. Three independent transformation experiments were performed. In Experiment I, 26 transgenic plants were obtained from a unique clone of cv Bragg, while 580 plants were recovered from 105 clones of cv IAS5. In Experiment II, a single hygromycin-resistant clone of cv BRSMG68 Vencedora was recovered and gave rise to five plants. In Experiment III, 19 plants of cv Bragg and 48 plants of IAS5 were recovered, representing five and 14 independent transformation events, respectively. PCR and Southern analyses confirmed the transgenes’ integration into plant genomes. Transgenic plants were fertile. They flowered, set pods and seeds. Transgene segregation in two T₁ progenies fits the Mendelian pattern (3:1 transgenic:non-transgenic plants). This is the first report of transgenic fertile soybean plants obtained from somatic embryogenic tissues transformed by the system that combines DNA-free particle bombardment and Agrobacterium.     

A developmentally regulated neuraminidase activity in Trypanosoma cruzi

The human pathogen Trypanosoma cruzi (Y strain) contains a neuraminidase activity that varies widely in the different developmental stages of the parasite. The specific neuraminidase activity of infective trypomastigotes obtained from tissue culture and from the bloodstream of infected mice is 7 to 15 times higher than that of the acellular culture forms. Amastigotes were devoid of enzyme activity. The enzyme has a pH optimum of 6.0 to 6.5. Live trypanosomes released sialic acid from human erythrocytes and plasma glycoproteins. Several sialyl compounds were hydrolyzed by the parasite, but the best substrate was the protein orosomucoid. Erythrocytes from infected mice with T. cruzi parasitemia were agglutinated by peanut lectin and the hemagglutination titer was correlated with the degree of parasitemia.     

Synthetic clonal reproduction through seeds

Cloning through seeds has potential revolutionary applications in agriculture, because it would allow vigorous hybrids to be propagated indefinitely. However, asexual seed formation or apomixis, avoiding meiosis and fertilization, is not found in the major food crops. To develop de novo synthesis of apomixis, we crossed Arabidopsis MiMe and dyad mutants that produce diploid clonal gametes to a strain whose chromosomes are engineered to be eliminated after fertilization. Up to 34% of the progeny were clones of their parent, demonstrating the conversion of clonal female or male gametes into seeds. We also show that first-generation cloned plants can be cloned again. Clonal reproduction through seeds can therefore be achieved in a sexual plant by manipulating two to four conserved genes.     

Pericarp total protein profiles as molecular markers of tomato fruit quality traits in two segregating populations

The tomato fruit quality results of biochemical and physiological changes that occur during the ripening process. Although, the pericarp total protein profiles are less polymorphic than DNA-based markers the polymorphism in those could be directly associated with fruit quality traits. The aim of this work was to identify associations between polymorphic polypeptides from fruit pericarp at two ripening stages and fruit quality traits evaluated in two segregating populations of tomato. A cross between a normal ripening cultivar of Solanum lycopersicum (C, Caimanta) and a genotype carrying the nor (non ripening) gene (N) as well as a cross between Caimanta and a cherry type tomato of S. lycopersicum var. cerasiforme (Ce) showed genetic variance for several fruit quality traits such as fruit weight, shape, solids soluble content, acidity, color and fruit shelf life. The quantitative variations observed at phenotypic level had correspondence with the polymorphism detected in the protein profiles. Indeed, the polymophic polypeptides associated with quality fruit traits and fruit shelf life would be useful to assist tomato breeding programs as protein molecular markers.