Effect of water hardness on peracetic acid toxicity to zebrafish, Danio rerio, embryos

The use of peracetic acid (PAA) in aquaculture has been suggested as an alternative therapeutic agent. Few data are available concerning fish toxicity by PAA or factors that modify this toxicity. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of water hardness on the acute toxicity of PAA products to embryos of zebrafish (Danio rerio). Embryos were exposed to PAA ranging from 0 to 9 mg/L in low-hardness (1.4 °dH or 25 mg/L hardness as CaCO₃), medium-hardness (14 °dH or 250 mg/L hardness as CaCO₃) and high-hardness (140 °dH or 2,500 mg/L hardness as CaCO₃) waters. The lowest LC50 value was 2.24 mg/L PAA in the low-hardness water, and the highest LC50 value was 7.14 mg/L PAA in the high-hardness water. Toxicity of PAA to embryos was found to be negatively correlated with water hardness. The pH decreased with increasing concentrations of PAA, and the test waters were observed to become more acidic in low hardness. In conclusion, aquaculturists using PAA should pay attention to water hardness to avoid acidosis.     

Characterization of selected cellulolytic activities of multi-enzymatic complex system from Penicillium funiculosum

The presence of endo-1,4-beta-D-glucanase, cellobiohydrolase, and beta-glucosidase activities in a multi-enzymatic complex system from Penicillium funiculosum was investigated. The interesting feature of these enzymes is their synergistic action for the hydrolysis of the native cellulose into glucose units. Both endo-1,4-beta-D-glucanase and cellobiohydrolase showed broader pH activity profiles, with pH optima of 4.0 and 4.0-5.0, respectively. However, beta-glucosidase activity showed a narrow pH-activity profile, with an optimum pH of 4.5. The different cellulolytic activities were stable in the acidic pH range of 2.5-6.0 and showed a similar optimal temperature of 60 degrees C. Although beta-glucosidase has shown a close catalytic efficiency as that of endo-1,4-beta-D-glucanase, its thermal stability was lower. However, the thermal stability profile of cellobiohydrolase was close to that of endo-1,4-beta-D-glucanase. The results also revealed the presence of high levels of endo-1,3-1,4-beta-D-glucanase, endo-1,3-beta- d-glucanase, and pectinase activities in the multi-enzymatic cellulolytic complex system. Moreover, the investigated multi-enzymatic complex system was effective in degrading the nonstarch polysaccharides of soybean meal.     

Distribution of Copper in Sediments from Fluvial Reservoirs Treated with Copper Triethanolamine Complex Algicide

The control of algal growth in water reservoirs with copper-based algicides leads to elevated sediment Cu concentration and thus could affect long-term water quality. To assess the potential mobility of sediment-associated Cu, a study was conducted using samples from three drinking water reservoirs treated with Cutrine®, a copper triethanolamine complex algicide. Total Cu (Cu_T) in treated reservoir sediment ranged from 13.3 to 139.9 mg Cu kg^?1 and was on average 1.5 times the level in streams (48 mg Cu kg^?1) flowing into the reservoirs. Sediment Cu_T and algicide application history indicated the retention of 82–93% of the algicide Cu applied. Sequential extraction showed that Cu primarily accumulated in the residual fraction (60%), whereas the potentially mobile pools (water extractable: Cu_H2O, exchangeable: Cu_EX, organic bound) accounted for <10% of Cu_T. The leachable Cu fraction (extracted with 1 M acetic acid) also amounted to <9% of Cu_T and was related negatively to C/N and positively to H/C ratios of organic matter. In addition, these potentially mobile fractions were found to be related, not to total organic C, but to sediment respiration suggesting that the potentially mobile Cu fractions were primarily associated with aliphatic and readily biodegradable C (more so than total organic C). During a 2-year period without algicide treatment (that followed 4 years of repeated algicide applications to one of the studied reservoirs), mean dissolved Cu (micrograms per liter) in the reservoir (39.2) was similar to levels measured at locations upstream (43.3) and downstream (47.2) from the reservoir. These results indicate that the bulk of sediment Cu is associated with geochemically stable solid phases and thus should alleviate concerns about Cu transfer into the water column.