The enzymatic incorporation of isopentenyl pyrophosphate into polyisoprene in rubber particles from Parthenium argentatum Gray

Studies have indicated the presence of both a de novo biosynthesis of new polyisoprene chains and the elongation of pre-existing rubber-PP chains in rubber particles from Ficus elastica Roxb. and small rubber particles from Hevea brasiliensis (Willd. ex A. Juss.) Müll. Arg. In this paper, we have isolated rubber particles from the cortical parenchyma of Parthenium argentatum Gray with an adsorbed isopentenyl pyrophosphate isomerase that was competent to form polyisoprene to determine the presence of de novo biosynthesis of polyisoprene and the elongation of pre-existing rubber-PP. The gel filtrated rubber particles were supplied saturating concentrations of [¹⁴C]-isopentenyl pyrophosphate for 1 h and the resulting concentrations of [¹⁴C]-polyisoprene were isolated and analyzed with a Waters 150C Gel Permeation Chromatograph. The mol wt distribution of the [¹⁴C]-polyisoprene ranged from 10³ to 10⁶ Da with no formation of high mol wt chains equal to the polyisoprene in the mol wt distribution of natural rubber from P. argentatum. The mol wt distribution of [¹⁴C]-polyisoprene following 1 h of incubation of the reaction mixture was similar to the mol wt distribution formed by the bound rubber transferase in washed rubber particles of H. brasiliensis and the time-dependent formation of polyisoprene by washed rubber particles from P. argentatum. The data support the conclusion that the washed rubber particles from P. argentatum contain a bound rubber transferase that initiates the formation of new chains of polyisoprene from the dimethylallyl pyrophosphate initiator generated from the added isopentenyl pyrophosphate isomerase followed by the extensive polymerization of isopentenyl pyrophosphate to form a monomodal rubber polymer. There was no evidence in these washed rubber particles of a chain elongation of pre-existing rubber-PP.     

Chemical Characterization,Temperature Stability,and Enzymatic Studies on Edible Marine Algae Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty)

Antioxidant activity of the marine alga Kappaphycus alvarezii was investigated. Methanol, acetone, petroleum ether, aqueous methanol, ethyl acetate, and chloroform extracts (1 mg/mL) of K. alvarezii were tested for their 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity. The values were compared with those of Vitamin C and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Extracts showing positive results, when tested for DPPH free radical scavenging, were examined for dose effect, in-vivo hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays. All extracts showed dose-dependent DPPH scavenging and significant hydroxyl radical scavenging activities (> 82.6%). The acetone, aqueous methanol, and methanol extracts of K. alvarezii showed the highest scavenging activity. Ethyl acetate extract showed a moderate activity of 62.9%. In the DPPH method, petroleum ether and hexane extracts showed less activity with IC₅₀ values of 118.58 ± 8.94 and 116.25 ± 7.14 μg/mL, respectively. Acetone, methanol, and ethyl acetate extracts exhibited IC₅₀ values of 57.32 ± 1.07, 61.31 ± 0.67, and 79.50 ± 1.59 μg/mL, respectively. K. alvarezii showed higher antioxidant activity in both in vitro and in vivo studies. Proton NMR studies revealed signals in the region 0.5 to 2.0 ppm suggesting the presence of steroidal identity in the extracts.     

喷淋冷凝温度对生物油理化性质的影响研究

在1 kg/h的流化床热解反应器上进行松木和玉米芯的热解试验,采用喷淋冷凝的方式获得不同性质的生物油,重点考察冷凝温度对生物油理化性质的影响。试验结果表明当冷凝温度从25℃提高到75℃,松木和玉米芯热解产生的生物油收集率分别降低了23.1%和20.8%,含水率分别降低了11%和18%,而粘度分别提高了181 cSt和10 cSt,热值分别提高了6.23 MJ/kg和5.04 MJ/kg;气相色谱质谱联用分析(气质联用)表明随着冷凝温度的提高,松木热解产生的生物油中脱水糖含量大幅提高,大部分轻质组分含量降低,而玉米芯热解产生的生物油中脱水糖和酚类物质含量都有所提高,有机酸和醛酮类化合物含量降低;核磁共振碳谱分析发现提高冷凝温度后生物油中的烷基碳含量降低,而芳香碳含量提高,芳香度增大。     

高岭石,蒙脱石和针铁矿对泥炭腐殖酸的吸附和分离

Sorption of humic acid (HA) on mineral surfaces has a profound interest regarding the fate of hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) and carbon sequestration in soils. The objective of our study is to determine the fractionation behavior of HA upon sorption on mineral surfaces with varying surface properties. HA was coated sequentially on kaolinite (1:1 clay), montmorillonite (2:1 clay), and goethite (iron oxide) for four times. The unadsorbed HA fractions were characterized by elemental analysis, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFT), and solid state ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). The mineral-HA complexes were characterized by DRIFT. Polarity index [(N+O)/C] revealed higher polarity of the unadsorbed HA fractions after coating on kaolinite, reflecting that relatively higher polarity fractions of HA remain unadsorbed. Sorption of aliphatic alcohol fraction along with carbohydrate was prominent on kaolinite surface. DRIFT results of the unadsorbed HA fractions indicated more sorption of aliphatic moieties on both kaolinite and montmorillonite. DRIFT results of the unadsorbed HA fractions after sorption on kaolinite and goethite showed the sorption of the proteinaceous fractions of HA. The HA fractions obtained after coating on goethite showed significant sorption of carboxylic moieties. The results mentioned above comply reasonably well with the DRIFT spectra of the mineral-HA complexes. ¹³C NMR results showed higher sorption of anomeric C on kaolinite surface. Higher sorption of paraffinic fraction was observed on montmorillonite. NMR data inferred the sorption of carboxylic moieties on goethite surface. Overall, this study showed that aliphatic moieties of HA preferentially sorbed on kaolinite and montmorillonite, while carboxylic functional groups play a significant role in sorption of HA on goethite. The sorbed fractions of HA may modify the mineral surface properties, and thus, the interaction with organic contaminants.     

Antimicrobial Property of 2-Hydroxypropane-1,2,3-Tricarboxylic Acid Isolated from Citrus microcarpa Extract

This article described antimicrobial property and structure analysis of 2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid isolated from the crude extract of Citrus microcarpa. Presently, there was no report on compound from C. microcarpa that possessed antimicrobial property against fish pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, in this study, the bioactive principle in C. microcarpa extract was isolated using thin layer chromatography. It＇s structure was elucidated based on nuclear magnetic resonance （NMR） spectroscopic data, such as proton NMR （1HNMR）, correlation spectroscopy, carbon 13 NMR, and heteronuclear multiple bond correlation data. This study showed that the bioactive compound isolated from C. microcarpa was 2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid monohydrate. The minimum inhibitory concentration （MIC） values of crude C. microcarpa extract and its bioactive component, 2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid as well as commercially available synthetic 2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid, were determined against 18 isolates of Edwardsiella tarda and 7 bacterial reference strains, namely, Escherichia coli （ATCC 25922）, Citrobacter freundii （ATCC 8090）, Aeromonas hydrophila （ATCC 49140）, Pseudomonas aeruginosa （ATCC 35032）, Streptococcus agalatiae （ATCC 13813）, E. tarda （ATCC 15947）, and Yersinia enterocolitica （ATCC 23715）, using two-fold microdilution method. The MIC values for both the natural 2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid and the synthetic one were ranging from 15.6 to 62.5 mg mL-1, whereas that of the crude extract was ranging from 7.8 to 31.3 mg mL-1. These findings showed that both the crude extract and its bioactive component might have potential as antimicrobial agent for aquaculture use.     

NMR技术在多糖研究中的应用

主要对NMR技术在结构研究、衍生化反应、多糖的水解反应中的应用进行了介绍。     

The behavior of clomazone in the soil environment

BACKGROUND: Clomazone is a herbicide used to control broadleaf weeds and grasses. Clomazone use in agriculturally important crops and forests for weed control has increased and is a potential water contaminant given its high water solubility (1100 µg mL^?1). Soil sorption is an environmental fate parameter that may limit its movement to water systems. The authors used model rice and forest soils of California to test clomazone sorption affinity, capacity, desorption, interaction with soil organic matter and behavior with black carbon. RESULTS: Sorption of clomazone to the major organic matter fraction of soil, humic acid (HA) (K_d = 29–87 L kg^?1), was greater than to whole soils (K_d = 2.3–11 L kg^?1). Increased isotherm non‐linearity was observed for the whole soils (N = 0.831–0.893) when compared with the humic acids (N = 0.954–0.999). Desorption isotherm results showed hysteresis, which was greatest at the lowest solution concentration of 0.067 µg mL^?1 for all whole soils and HA extracts. Aliphatic carbon content appeared to contribute to increased isotherm linearity. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that clomazone does not sorb appreciably to sandy or clay soils. Its sorption affinity and capacity is greater in humic acid, and consequently clomazone has difficulty desorbing from soil organic matter. Sorption appears to follow processes explained by the dual‐mode model, the presence of fire residues (black carbon) and a recently proposed sorption mechanism. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

橡胶混凝土防渗性能改性的微观机理研究

橡胶改性混凝土是一种环保高性能的新型材料,可以用于渠道防渗工程的建设。为了研究橡胶混凝土的防渗效果和改性机理,设计了3种粒径、4种掺量的橡胶混凝土的改性试样,开展渗透试验和核磁共振扫描试验,并对改性试样的渗透高度和内部孔隙变化特点的关系进行研究。结果表明:橡胶的粒径越小,防渗性能的改善效果越好;随颗粒含量的增加,防渗性能呈先增后降的趋势,20%掺量的橡胶混凝土防渗性能最佳;试样内部孔隙结构随橡胶含量的增加发生显著改变,掺入20%的橡胶后,试样大孔隙完全被填充,中、小孔隙也相继减少,试样密实度明显提高;掺入过多橡胶颗粒对混凝土的防渗性能存在不利效果,橡胶的含量是控制改性效果的关键。     

Paddy management on different soil types does not promote lignin accumulation

Paddy soil management is generally thought to promote the accumulation of soil organic matter (SOM) and specifically lignin. Lignin is considered particularly susceptible to accumulation under these circumstances because of the recalcitrance of its aromatic structure to biodegradation under anaerobic conditions (i.e ., during inundation of paddy fields). The present study investigates the effect of paddy soil management on SOM composition in comparison to nearby agricultural soils that are not used for rice production (non‐paddy soils). Soil types typically used for rice cultivation were selected, including Alisol, Andosol and Vertisol sites in Indonesia (humid tropical climate of Java) and an Alisol site in China (humid subtropical climate, Jiangxi province). These soil types represent a range of soil properties to be expected in Asian paddy fields. All upper‐most A horizons were analysed for their SOM composition by solid‐state ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and for lignin‐derived phenols by the CuO oxidation method. The SOM composition was similar for all of the above named parent soil types (non‐paddy soils) and was also not affected by paddy soil management. A substantial proportion (up to 23%) of the total aryl‐carbon in some paddy and non‐paddy soils was found to originate from condensed aromatic‐carbon (e.g ., charcoal). This may be attributed to the burning of crop residues. On average, the proportion of lignin was low and made up 20% of the total SOM, and showed no differences between straw, particulate organic matter (POM), and the bulk soil material. The results from CuO oxidation are consistent with the data obtained from solid‐state ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The extraction of lignin‐derived phenols revealed low VSC (vanillyl, syringyl, cinnamyl) values for all investigated soils in a range (4 to 12 g kg⁻¹ OC) that was typical for agricultural soils. In comparison to adjacent non‐paddy soils, the data do not provide evidence for a substantial accumulation of phenolic lignin‐derived structures in the paddy soils, even for those characterized by higher organic carbon (OC) contents (e.g ., Andosol‐ and Alisol (China)‐derived paddy soils). We conclude that the properties of the parent soil types are more important for the lignin content of the soils than the effect of paddy management itself.