Preliminary Investigation of the Antioxidant,Anti-Diabetic,and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Enteromorpha intestinalis Extracts

Marine algae are a promising source of potent bioactive agents against oxidative stress, diabetes, and inflammation. However, the possible therapeutic effects of many algal metabolites have not been exploited yet. In this regard, we explored the therapeutic potential of Enteromorpha intestinalis extracts obtained from methanol, ethanol, and hexane, in contrasting oxidative stress. The total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoids (TFC) content were quantified in all extracts, with ethanol yielding the best values (about 60 and 625 mg of gallic acid and rutin equivalents per gram of extract, respectively). Their antioxidant potential was also assessed through DPPH^•, hydroxyl radical, hydrogen peroxide, and superoxide anion scavenging assays, showing a concentration-dependent activity which was greater in the extracts from protic and more polar solvents. The α-amylase and α-glucosidase activities were estimated for checking the antidiabetic capacity, with IC₅₀ values of about 3.8 µg/mL for the methanolic extract, almost as low as those obtained with acarbose (about 2.8 and 3.3 µg/mL, respectively). The same extract also showed remarkable anti-inflammatory effect, as determined by hemolysis, protein denaturation, proteinase and lipoxygenase activity assays, with respectable IC₅₀ values (about 11, 4, 6, and 5 µg/mL, respectively), also in comparison to commercially used drugs, such as acetylsalicylic acid.     

Environmental sources and sinks of alkyllead compounds

Evidence is presented in favour of a natural environmental alkylation process as a source of atmospheric vapour-phase alkyllead. Several species of marine flora have been cultured under laboratory conditions with added doses of inorganic lead, and production of alkyllead, predominantly trimethyllead (Me₃Pb⁺), has been measured. Atmospheric concentrations and ratios of alkyl and inorganic lead at urban, rural and remote sites suggest that differential decay and deposition processes for different species, together with an environmental alkylation source, may explain enhanced ratios of total alkyllead/total lead in maritime air masses.     

Impact of Extracellular Polymeric Substance in the Inactivation of Harmful Algae by Ag2O/g-C3N4 under Visible Light

Photocatalysis has attracted much attention as an emerging algae removal technology, but the inactivation performance is inevitably affected by the extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) produced by algae. In this study, a photocatalyst (Ag₂O/g-C₃N₄) with efficient algae inactivation is adopted to investigate the interactions with EPS, and the impact of EPS on photocatalytic algae removal is studied. The results show that EPS can adhere to the surface of Ag₂O/g-C₃N₄ by electrostatic force. The interaction with EPS decreases the surface zeta potential of the Ag₂O/g-C₃N₄ from 7.71 to −22.3 mV with the increase in EPS concentration, and the maximum ratio of particle size increases from 825 to 1281 nm. In addition, the interaction with EPS inhibits the release of Ag⁺ in Ag₂O/g-C₃N₄ by half, thus, the toxicity of metal ions will be alleviated. Meanwhile, EPS can also be degraded by Ag₂O/g-C₃N₄, indicating that EPS can work as a radical scavenger to protect the algae cells. Without the protection of EPS, 97.8% of algae cells are inactivated after 5 h photocatalysis. Therefore, more attention should be given to the interaction between EPS and photocatalyst to promote the design and application of the photocatalytic.     

Analytical methods for the determination of arsenosugars—A review of recent trends and developments

Arsenic-containing carbohydrates, generally termed arsenosugars, have been the subject of increasing analytical interest in arsenic speciation analysis. The present review gives an overview concerning achievements and trends in the field of instrumental analysis of arsenosugars. The typical experimental approaches for sample pre-treatment, extraction, separation and detection are discussed. Current possibilities and limitations of modern instrumental techniques are pointed out.     

平行因子分析在赤潮藻滤液三维荧光光谱特征提取中的应用

在实验室条件下培养我国沿海常见的10种赤潮藻,测定了赤潮藻生长过程中藻滤液的三维荧光光谱.用平行因子分析对光谱进行分解,获得每种赤潮藻滤液荧光峰的个数及类型,即每种赤潮藻的特征光谱.在此基础上比较每种藻特征光谱的相似性和差异性,并分析了赤潮藻生长过程中滤液的荧光峰强度和生长阶段的关系,为基于赤潮藻滤液三维荧光光谱的赤潮藻种类识别测定技术提供依据.结果表明:不同赤潮藻的特征光谱之间存在差异.在指数生长期,类蛋白和类腐殖质荧光峰强度与藻密度呈正相关,说明两类有机物在水体中不断积累;在稳定期和衰亡期,两类有机物的荧光强度迅速增大,这可能是衰老和死亡细胞的破碎释放,以及细菌降解作用所致.平行因子分析可以有效提取赤潮藻的荧光特征,考察了赤潮藻荧光峰强度和生长阶段的关系.     

Effect of a plant fortifier (Boundary) on pests and predators of greenhouse vegetable crops

Boundary, a plant fortifier composed of extracts of Sophora flavescens Aiton and brown algae, was tested for control of the leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) on tomato (three trials) and of the red spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch on eggplant (one trial) and for side effects on the whitefly predator Macrolophus pygmaeus (Kambur) (two trials) on tomato and on the thrips predators Orius laevigatus (Fieber) and Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (two trials) on pepper, all in cold greenhouses in South Italy. Control rates for T. absoluta were moderate (40–70%) in the autumn crop but very high and comparable to those for emamectin benzoate in the spring crops (96–100%). Boundary compared well with abamectin against T. urticae, with near complete control. M. pygmaeus was moderately injured in late autumn, but not in early autumn. At the tested application rate and predator population density Boundary was safe for O. laevigatus and A. swirskii.     

New Cytotoxic Laurene‐, Cuparene‐, and Laurokamurene‐Type Sesquiterpenes from the Red Alga Laurencia obtusa

Three new sesquiterpene alcohols, laur‐2‐ene‐3,12‐diol ( 1 ), cuparene‐3,12‐diol ( 2 ), and 8,11‐dihydro‐1‐methoxylaurokamuren‐12‐ol ( 3 ), along with one known diterpene, kahukuen‐10‐ol ( 4 ) have been isolated from the organic extract of the red alga Laurencia obtusa. The chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. The cytotoxicity of the isolated compounds were evaluated against three cancer cell lines, i.e., KB, HepG2, and MCF‐7. Compound 4 exhibited a wide range of cytotoxic activity against KB, HepG2, and MCF‐7 cell lines with IC₅₀ of 0.100, 0.057, and 0.054 μm, respectively. In addition, 1 showed moderate activities towards KB and MCF‐7 cell lines with IC₅₀ values of 0.171 and 0.184 μM , respectively and 2 exhibited a moderate activity against KB cell line at a concentration of 0.213 μg/ml. On the other hand, compound 3 exhibited no cytotoxic activity against any of the three cell lines.     

Distribution and Comparison of Steranes From Blue-Green Algae Under Different Simulated Conditions

Two remarkably opposite distribution patterns of sterane series are revealed from living blue-green alga (or cyanobacterium) under different simulated conditions. The organic matter derived from hydrous-pressure pyrolysis of the blue-green alga is characterised by the predominance of C_(27) sterane over C_(29) sterane; this is coincident with traditional thought. On the contrary, the organic matter derived from artificially silicified microfossils of the blue-green alga is characterised by the predominance of C_(29) sterane over C_(27) sterane; this appears to be an unusual distribution pattern. Such kind of unusual steranedistribution also has been foundin the samples of Precambrian cherts with abundant well-preserved microfossil algae. All these imply that the special source of organisms and the medium, procedure or conditions of simulated pyrolysis may result in the different distribution patterns of sterane biomarkers.     

Dynamics of arsenic speciation in surface waters: As(III) production by algae

Algae reduce and methylate arsenate [As(V)]. The end product of the overall transformation reaction can be arsenite [As(III)] or methylated arsenic. Field and laboratory data suggest a strong correlation between the end product of the reaction and the growth rate of the algae, with As(III) only produced during log (exponential, fast) growth. The result is a peak in As(III) concentration preceding or coincident with the algal bloom. This paper analyzes data from 18 different water bodies (five lakes, one river, six estuary/marine sites, six experimental sites). Algal blooms, As(III) peaks and algal blooms with preceding or coincident As(III) peaks were identified. In total, 80 algal blooms were identified, 49 (61%) of which were associated with As(III) peaks. In 78% of water bodies algal blooms were typically (>50%) associated with As(III) peaks. The average time lag between As(III) peaks and algal blooms was 20 days (standard deviation 18 days). Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Arsenocholine from anaerobic decomposition of a trimethylarsonioriboside

When subjected to conditions supporting anaerobic microbial activity, the naturally occurring trimethylarsonioriboside, (2′S)-2′-hydroxy-3′-(sulpho-oxy)propyl 5-deoxy-5-trimethylarsonio-β-D-riboside 4 was converted to arsenocholine 5 in virtually quantitative yield.