Neptunium-237 in the marine environment determination in animal and plant species in the English Channel: Biological indicators and trophic relationships

We have studied the uptake of²³⁷Np in marine plants and animals belonging to several phyla, and collected samples from the end of January 1986 to March 1986, in a sampling station situated near the outlet of the irradiated fuel reprocessing plant at La Hague.We determined the²³⁷Np by neutron activation analysis. This method is very sensitive, with a limit of detection of 5×10^–10 mg, 1.3×10^–2 mBq. The method consists of the following steps:Reduction of the neptunium to the tetravalent state by treatment with a mixture of hydrazine sulfate and ferrous iron-chromatographic separations on Dowex 1×10 resin in a nitric medium, then in a hydrochloric medium-neutron irradiation in a nuclear reactor-purification of the neptunium by chromatography on Dowex 1×10 resin in a nitric then hydrochloric medium-measurement of the isotope²³⁸Np by gamma ray spectrometry using a Ge(Li) detector. The species were collected at Goury, at the northwest extremity of the Cotentin Peninsula, 5 km from the outlet of the reprocessing plant at La Hague. The levels of²³⁷Np were as follows: red algaeCorallina officinalis 64 mBq kg^–1 wet weight; andChondrus crispus 18 mBq kg^–1 wet weight; the spongeHalichondria panicea 14 mBq kg^–1 wet weight; the ascidianDendrodoa grossularia 12 mBq kg^–1 wet weight. The bivaive molluscsPatella vulgata andGibbula umbilicalis (the flesh ofP. vulgata andG. umbilicalis: 4 and 7 mBq kg^–1 wet weight respectively) also prove to be interesting biological indicatorsThe transfer modes of²³⁷Np to the various species as a function of their trophic levels are discussed as well as the distribution among the organs in the species consumed and the radiological impact of human consumption.     

Accumulation and discharge behavior of Cs-137 by zebra fish (Brachydanio rerio) in different aquatic environments

The uptake and release kinetics of¹³⁷Cs from water by the tropical fishBrachydanio rerio has been studied under controlled laboratory condition. The accumulation of this radionuclide from food was avoided by feeding the fishes separately in an inactive environment. A steep inverse dependence of bioconcentration factor (BCF) with potassium concentration has been observed. This can formally be described by the equation BCF=5.2 · [K⁺]^–0.44. The elimination rate constant K in fresh water conditions has been found to have a magnitude of 0.014±0.03 d^–1 which corresponds to a biological half-life of 51±10 days. The uptake and release kinetics ofBrachydanio rerio has been compared with earlier studies of fresh water fishes.     

Structure of the Mo(CN)8 4− ion

Summary The question of the hybridization of the atomic orbitals of Mo in the Mo(CN)₈ ^4– ion is examined, and it is shown that the dodecahedral structure can exist without the participation off electrons.     

Chromatopolarographic determination of the alkaloids from the seeds ofHaplophyllum perforatum

Summary 1. The polarographic behavior of haploperine, haplopine, haplophyllidine, and perforine in Britton-Robinson buffer solutions and in (C₂H₅)₄NOH solutions has been studied. Optimum conditions for their quantitative determination in solutions within the range of concentrations from 5×10^–4 to 1×10^–2 M have been found.2. A method for the separate quantitative determination of the alkaloids in the seeds ofH. perforatum has been developed.Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, Vol. 2, No. 5, pp. 333–337, 1966     

Influence of metal ions on the activity and stability of the glucose isomerase from Streptomyces atratus

The influence of a number of bivalent metals on the activity ofStreptomyces atratus glucose isomerase has been studied. Mg²⁺ ions are activators and Co²⁺ ions are stabilizers of the glucose isomerase activity. The effective kinetic parameters for the action of the enzyme have been determined.Institute of Microbiology, Uzbek Academy of Sciences, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 838–842, November–December, 1991.     

New diterpene lactones fromEuphorbia pallasii

Three new diterpene lactones have been isolated from a chloroform extract of the roots ofEuphorbia pallasii: pseudojolkinolide A psuedojolkinolide B, and 16-hydroxypseudojolkinolide B. Structures have been proposed for them on the basis of chemical transformations and IR, UV,¹³C and¹H NMR, and mass spectra.Irkutsk Institute of Organic Chemistry, Siberian Branch, Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 337–345, May–June, 1985.     

Coumarins of Fraxinus mandschurica and F. potamophila

Summary The leaves ofFraxinus mandschurica Rupr. and the bark ofF. potamophila Herd. have yielded esculetin, fraxinol, and a new coumarin C₁₀H₈O₅, mp 228–230°C which we have called isofraxetin. On the basis of NMR and UV spectroscopy it has been established that isofraxetin is 5,7-dihydroxy-7-methoxycoumarin.Institute of the Chemistry of Plant Substances, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR. Institute of Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Turkmen SSR. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 493–497, July–August, 1973.     

Phytoecdysteroids of plants of the genus Silene. XVII. Ecdysterone 22,25-di-O-benzoate from Silene scabrifolia

The new phytoecdysteroid ecdysterone 22,25-di-O-benzoate (IV) has been isolated from the epigeal organs ofSilene scabrifolia Kom. The alkaline hydrolysis of (IV) gave ecdysterone 25-O-benzoate and ecdysterone (I). Details of the IR, UV, mass, PMR, and¹³C NMR spectra of compound (IV) are given.Institute of the Chemistry of Plant Substances, Uzbek SSR Academy of Sciences, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 363–366, May–June, 1990.     

Alkaloids ofAndrachne rotundifolia

Summary 1. The content of total alkaloids in the hypogeal parts ofAndrachne rotundifolia C. A. Mey. (family Euphorbicease) is 0.2–0.3% and in the epigeal parts 0.06–0.08%.The total alkaloids in both the hypogeal and the epigeal parts ofAndrachne rotundifolia consist of five or six non-phenolic bases.2. Three individual substances have been isolated: andrachnine C₁₁H₁₇NO₂, which is a new alkaloid; base (II), giving a perchlorate with mp 139°–140° C; and base (III) with mp 135°–136° C.Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, Vol. 2, No. 4, pp. 257–260, 1966     

Cardenolides and coumarins ofCoronilla varia, C. cretica, etc.

Conclusions The cardenolide and coumarin composition ofC. varia L. and the closely related speciesC. hyrcana Pril.,C. cretica L., andC. orientalis Müll have been investigated. It has been shown that they all contain the cardiac glycoside hyrcanoside, with the exception ofC. orientalis, in which another, unidentified, glycoside, has also been found.A comparative study of some properties of hyrcanogenin (⁴-strophanthidin) and pachygenin (⁵-strophanthidin) connected with conformational features has been carried out.In the species studied, no less than five coumarins have been found of which umbelliferone, scopoletin, and daphnoretin have been isolated.Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 141–144, 1969     

Alkaloids of Rauwolfia species growing in Vietnam

Reserpine, ajmaline, serpentine, ajmalicine, isoreserpiline, and other alkaloids have been isolated from the roots ofRauwolfia cambodiana Pierre ex Pitard,R. verticillata Baill. andR. serpentina Benth.R. vomitoria Afz. was the richest in alkaloids.Leningrad Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 813–816, November–December, 1991.     

The seed oil of Rindera oblongifolia

Summary The oil of the seeds ofRindera oblongifolia, family Boraginaceae, growing in Central Asia, has been studied for the first time. Among the acids of the triglycerides of the oil five types of monoenoic acid differing by the length of the carbon chain but having the same length of the terminal carbon chain — 18:1⁹, 20:1¹¹, 22:1¹³, 24:1¹⁵, and 26:1¹⁷ — have been detected for the first time. This is the first time that the last of these acids has been found in a seed oil of this family.Institute of the Chemistry of Plant Substances, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSSR, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 26–29, January–February, 1976.     

13C NMR spectra of some coumarins of Haplophyllum obtusifolium

Coumaris ofHaplophyllum obtusifolium Ledeb. — obtusinin, capensin, and fraxetin 7-O--D-glucopyranoside — have been investigated by¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Several distinctive features of their NMR spectra have been observed. A complete assignment of the¹³C NMR spectra of these coumarins has been made and their structures have been confirmed.Institute of the Chemistry of Plant Substances, Uzbek SSR Academy of Sciences, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 796–799, November–December, 1987.     

Biosyntheis of the alkaloids of Ammodendron karelinii

Summary The biosynthesis of the alkaloids ofAmmodendron karelinii Fisch. et Mey has been studied by feeding the plant with labelled [1,5-¹⁴C]cadaverine. It has been shown that cadaverine is a precursor of anagyrine, pachycarpine, ammodendrine, N-methylcytisine, and cytisine. Possible routes of interconversions have been considered by feeding the plant with the tritium-labelled [³H]pachycarpine, [³H]lupanine, [³H]anagyrine, and [³H]ammodendrine.V. I. Lenin Tashkent State University. Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the GDR, Halle. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 247–250, March–April, 1977.     

Structure and stereochemistry of pallinin

The roots ofFerula pallida Korov. have yielded pallinin, C₂₅H₃₈O₅, mp 79–80°C, []D²⁰ –148.5° (c 0.1; CHCl₃) — an ester of the new carotane alcohol pallinol and angelic acid. A structure and absolute configuration have been proposed for it on the basis of chemical transformations and spectral characteristics.Institute of the Chemistry of Plant Substances, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 53–56, January–February, 1986.