Selenium Removal from Irrigation Drainage Water Flowing Through Constructed Wetland Cells with Special Attention to Accumulation in Sediments

A flow-through experimental wetland system has been under investigation since 1996 to remove selenium (Se) fromagricultural drainage water in the Tulare Lake Drainage Districtat Corcoran, California, U.S.A. The system consists of ten cellswhich have dimensions of 15 × 76 m continuously flooded andvarious substrates planted. The objectives of this article are topresent the overall performance in Se removal after establishingthe wetland for three years, and to examine factors affecting Seremoval with special attention to accumulation in the sediments.In 1999, The wetland cells reduced Se from inflow water by 32 to65% in concentration and 43 to 89% in mass. Vegetationplays an important role in Se removal as non-vegetated cellshowed the least removal of Se. The inflow drainage water wasdominated by selenate (Se(VI), 91%) with smaller percentages ofselenite (Se(IV), 7%) and organic Se (org-Se(II-), 2%). Theoutflow water from the cells contained an average of 47% Se(VI),32% Se(IV) and 21% org-Se indicating reduction processesoccurring in the wetland cells. The surface sediment appears as alarge sink of Se removal. The highest Se concentration was foundin fallen litter, followed by the fine organic detrital layer onthe sediment surface. The sediment Se concentration dramaticallydecreased with increasing sediment depth. The mass distribution of Se, however, was sediment (0-20 cm) > fine detrital matter >fallen litter. Fractionation of surface sediment (0-5 cm) reveals that elemental Se was the largest fraction (ave. 47%) followedby organic matter-associated Se (34%). Soluble, adsorbed, and carbonate-associated Se accounted for 1.2, 3.1 and 2.5% ofthe total sediment Se, respectively. The major Se sink mechanism in the cells is the reduction of selenate to elemental Se andimmobilization into the organic phase of the sediments.     

Controlling microbial contamination on beef and lamb meat during processing

SUMMARY The microbiological quality of carcases, meat and environmental surfaces was evaluated in commercial boning rooms processing beef and lamb. There was considerable variation in the level of microbial contamination on both carcases and meat, with counts ranging from less than 20 to 10⁸/cm² on carcases and to 2 times 10⁷/cm² on meat. The level of microbial contamination on meat was influenced by the level of carcase contamination at boning and by the boning process itself. Carcase contamination was the major determinant of microbiological quality, as more than 70% of carcases had microbial counts greater than 10³/cm². Cutting boards were a major source for microbial dissemination during boning, particularly when carcase counts were less than 10³/cm². If carcases were heavily contaminated, the contamination of processing surfaces was irrelevant in determining microbial loads on meat. Where carcase contamination was at low to moderate levels, the contribution of the boning process to the contamination on meat assumed increased significance. Under these conditions, improved sanitation of cutting surfaces in the boning room resulted in a significant reduction in microbial contamination on the surface of meat. These results can form the basis for ensuring that improvements made in carcase management before boning, to improve microbiological quality, will be preserved through attention to cutting board hygiene during boning.     

Bovine neosporosis: immunoblot improves foetal serology.

The purpose of the study is the comparative evaluation of the immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and an immunoblot (IB) test for the examination of foetal fluids for specific antibodies against Neospora caninum. Peritoneal and pleural fluids as well as abomasal contents were analysed. The results of the serological examinations were compared to those obtained by histological, immunohistochemical, and PCR analysis of foetal tissues as well as to the results of maternal serological examinations. Fluids were used undiluted in the IB and reactions against six immunodominant antigens were recorded. When the recognition of at least two immunodominant antigens was regarded as positive, the agreement of the IB with other diagnostic methods was good to moderate as characterised by kappa-values of 0.76 (histology/immunohistochemistry), 0.69 (maternal serology) and 0.54 (PCR on foetal tissues). The IB results agreed better with the results of the other diagnostic methods than those of the IFAT. The higher relative sensitivity of the IB was regarded as the main reason for the better agreement. However, also the specificity of the IB was superior to that of the IFAT in relation to histology/immunohistochemistry, maternal serology and PCR.     

Gross Morphometry of the Bovine Placentome during Gestation

Forty-seven pregnant uteri were collected from an abattoir at eight chronological stages of gestation. Assessments were made of placentome number, weight, length shape and ratio of foetal to maternal tissue by weight. The study showed that there was a great variation in number, size, weight and shape of placentomes. There was no significant change in the total number of placentomes during gestation. Both mean weight and length increased significantly during gestation, but there was a significant change in the relationship between the two as gestation progressed. There was no correlation between the number of placentomes and the mean weight or length of the placentomes. The development of the placenta in the non-pregnant horn was significantly different from that of the pregnant horn, with fewer, smaller, lighter placentomes. However, there was no evidence that placentome development in the non-pregnant horn was affected by placentome development in the pregnant horn. The proportion of the placentome that was maternal tissue increased during gestation, but there was no significant effect of placentome number, or individual placentome weight or length on this proportion. Two placentome shapes were identified, but no effect on foeto-maternal proportion or relationship between shape and total placentome number or weight was identified.     

Purification and serological analysis of tomato spotted wilt virus

A modified procedure for the purification of TSWV is described which consists of differential centrifugation, treatment with antiserum against sap from healthyN. rustica and density-gradient centrifugation in sucrose gradients. Centrifugation in the zonal-rotor proved efficient for processing large amounts of infected leaves.Antisera to purified TSWV were produced in rabbits. These sera reacted with healthyN. rustica sap. This reaction could be abolished by absorption with either healthyN. rustica sap or polysaccharides purified fromN. rustica. Unabsorbed sera reacted with the major TSWV structural proteins following their electrophoretic separation in polyacrylamide-gels. The positions of the precipitin lines corresponded with those of the structural proteins visualized by staining. The intensity of these lines was greatly diminished after absorption of the antisera with either healthyN. rustica sap or polysaccharides. It was concluded that the reaction of TSWV antiserum with the structural proteins is partly due to host-derived polysaccharides covalently bound to the virus proteins.Samenvatting Het bronsvlekkenvirus van de tomaat (TSWV) werd gezuiverd met een procedure die bestond uit een cyclus van differentiële centrifugering, behandeling van de virus-suspensie met antiserum tegen bestanddelen van gezonde planten (N. rustica) en dichtheidsgradiëntcentrifugering (Fig. 1 en Fig. 3). De zone rotor kon worden gebruikt wanneer grote hoeveelheden bladmateriaal werden gebruikt (Fig. 2).Twee antisera, die elk een verschillende activiteit tegen TSWV (Tabel 1, Fig. 4) hadden, werden bereid. Deze sera reageerden ook met sap en polysacchariden uitN. rustica (Fig. 6). Door verzadiging met polysacchariden werd de reactie tegen TSWV aanmerkelijk verzwakt. Analyse van de eiwitbandjes die na polyacrylamidegel-elektroforese waren gevormd, toonde aan dat de activiteit van de sera tegen de eiwitcomponenten van TSWV was gericht (Fig. 5) en dat deze activiteit na verzadiging met polysacchariden zwakker was. Uit deze reacties kan geconcludeerd worden dat polysacchariden van de waardplant aan de structurele eiwitten van TSWV zijn gebonden. Niet geabsorbeerd antiserum geeft met TSWV drie precipitatielijnen (Fig. 4), maar na absorptie met compleet virus trad nog slechts één precipitatielijntje op (Fig. 7). Mogelijk wordt dit lijntje gevormd door het nucleocapside-eiwit dat door de dissociatie van het virus vrij komt. Sera die tegen normale bestanddelen vanN. rustica zijn bereid, vormen geen zichtbare reactie met compleet virus; wel wordt er een lijntje gevormd indien het virus met guanidine-HCl wordt gedissociëerd (Fig. 8). Deze waarneming kan verklaren dat deze antisera kunnen worden gebruikt bij de zuivering van TSWV ondanks het feit dat dit virus polysacchariden uit de waardplant draagt.