The Analysis of the Peat Content of Silt in River Water

River waters passing through peat wetlands can contain high concentrations of solids. Here, we outline simple laboratory methods by which the relative composition might be estimated with accuracy. Simple ashing of samples and the resultant weight loss is not appropriate as it includes analysis of all organic matter fragments/remains and these are also present in soils and silt. Differences in mineral content specific to the peat (quantified by powder x-ray diffraction) and the C:H composition (measured by microanalysis) were found to be reliable method of estimation of the ratio of peat to silt. These latter two methods show reasonable agreement.     

Recent Advances in the Chemistry and Biology of Naturally Occurring Antibiotics

Ever since the world‐shaping discovery of penicillin, nature's molecular diversity has been extensively screened for new medications and lead compounds in drug discovery. The search for agents intended to combat infectious diseases has been of particular interest and has enjoyed a high degree of success. Indeed, the history of antibiotics is marked with impressive discoveries and drug‐development stories, the overwhelming majority of which have their origin in natural products. Chemistry, and in particular chemical synthesis, has played a major role in bringing naturally occurring antibiotics and their derivatives to the clinic, and no doubt these disciplines will continue to be key enabling technologies. In this review article, we highlight a number of recent discoveries and advances in the chemistry, biology, and medicine of naturally occurring antibiotics, with particular emphasis on total synthesis, analogue design, and biological evaluation of molecules with novel mechanisms of action.     

Recent Advances in the Chemistry and Therapeutic Evaluation of Naturally Occurring and Synthetic Withanolides

Natural products are a major source of biologically active compounds that make promising lead molecules for developing efficacious drug-like molecules. Natural withanolides are found in many flora and fauna, including plants, algae, and corals, that traditionally have shown multiple health benefits and are known for their anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-leishmaniasis, and many other medicinal properties. Structures of these withanolides possess a few reactive sites that can be exploited to design and synthesize more potent and safe analogs. In this review, we discuss the literature evidence related to the medicinal implications, particularly anticancer properties of natural withanolides and their synthetic analogs, and provide perspectives on the translational potential of these promising compounds.     

Determination of calcium, iron and manganese in moss by automated discrete sampling flame atomic absorption spectrometry as an alternative to the ICP-MS analysis

An automated, fast and reliable procedure has been developed for flame atomic absorption analysis of Ca, Fe and Mn in moss. The method is suitable for routine analysis of a large number of moss samples and allows sequential determination of all three elements in the same solution. In order to inhibit the matrix interference on Ca and to level the diverse analytical behaviour of the moss matrix, approximately 1% La was added to both samples and standard solutions as well. An integrated system of ‘sandwich-type’ air segmented discrete sample introduction and flame atomic absorption detection (ASDI-FAAS) was successfully applied. It works at ‘solvent-air-sample-air-solvent’ mode, which tolerates the introduction of high salt content solutions, reduces reagent and sample consumption and allows the application of data treatment models to pseudo-steady state signals for bettering the repeatability. For moss samples containing high Ca and Fe concentrations, equivalent procedure was used by turned on 45° burner head without worsening the analytical characteristics. Concerning these three elements, the method is suggested as a cheaper, easier and more trustworthy alternative with a better precision to the inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) one. The ASDI-FAAS results were used for selection of appropriate isotopes and correction procedures for ICP-MS determination. Both methods show good agreement of the Ca, Fe and Mn results that correspond to the moss reference materials tested.     

Total Synthesis,Characterization, and Conformational Analysis of the Naturally Occurring Hexadecapeptide Integramide A and a Diastereomer

Integramide A is a 16‐amino acid peptide inhibitor of the enzyme HIV‐1 integrase. We have recently reported that the absolute stereochemistries of the dipeptide sequence near the C terminus are L ‐Iva¹⁴‐D ‐Iva¹⁵. Herein, we describe the syntheses of the natural compound and its D ‐Iva¹⁴‐L ‐Iva¹⁵ diastereomer, and the results of their chromatographic/mass spectrometric analyses. We present the conformational analysis of the two compounds and some of their synthetic intermediates of different main‐chain length in the crystal state (by X‐ray diffraction) and in solvents of different polarities (using circular dichroism, FTIR absorption, and 2D NMR techniques). These data shed light on the mechanism of inhibition of HIV‐1 integrase, which is an important target for anti‐HIV therapy.     

红树林湿地土壤矿物的分析

以湛江湾南海堤典型红树林湿地土壤为研究对象,采用X射线衍射(XRD)和傅立叶变换红外光谱(FTIR)快速批量鉴定土壤中矿物成分,利用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)观察土壤颗粒形貌特征并获得化学成分组成信息;同时采集附近光滩土壤样品进行对比研究,以揭示红树林湿地土壤特殊的生态环境特征。结果表明,红树林湿地土壤矿物主要由高岭石、石英、白云母、埃洛石、地开石和蛇纹石等组成;与光滩土壤相比,红树林湿地土壤矿物类型多样,而光滩土壤矿物相对单一,主要为石英和高岭石;红树林湿地土壤颗粒以片状聚合体为主,主要元素组成为C、O、S、Al、Si、Mg、Fe等,常见含有Cu、Zn、Mo等重金属元素。同时发现红树林湿地土壤颗粒含有较丰富的硫化物;而光滩土壤未发现上述特征,表明红树林湿地处于一个特殊的生态环境,土壤沉积物中富含有机质、Fe、S等,比一般潮滩更易于富集硫化物或重金属。     

一维SEMDY和旋转坐标NOE差谱NMR新技术用于天然化合物中寡糖的结构研究

报告从日本续断根部的乙醇提取物中分得二个新的五糖三萜皂甙,应用一维SEMDY和旋转坐标NOE差谱等NMR新技术互相配合的方法对它们的结构进行了研究,确定为：3-O-α-L-吡喃鼠李糖（1→3）-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖（1→3）-α-L-吡喃鼠李糖（1→2）-α-L-吡喃阿拉伯糖-常春藤甙元-28-O-β-吡喃葡萄糖酯甙（1）,和3-O-[β-D-吡喃葡萄糖（1→4）] [α-L-吡喃鼠李糖（1→3）]-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖（1→3）-α-L-吡喃鼠李糖（1→2）-α-L-吡喃阿拉伯糖-齐墩果酸（2）·结果表明,一维SEMDY和旋转坐标NOE差谱技术互相配合的方法测定寡糖链结构十分有效,高度重叠的糖基1H-NMR信号可按一定规律分离,容易鉴别,糖基之间的连接顺序和连接位置可以准确测定,不需要对化合物进行化学降解或衍生化。     

湘潭市土壤重金属地球化学特征的统计分析

运用相关性分析、聚类分析、因子分析及直方图分析对湘潭市土壤重金属地球化学特征进行了研究。结果表明：（1）As、Cd、Cu、zn与pH值呈显著正相关;As与Cd、Cu、Ph、zn呈显著正相关;Cd与As、Cu、Pb呈显著正相关;Cu与As、Cd、Pb、Zn呈显著正相关;Pb与As、Cu、zn呈显著正相关;Zn与As、Cd、Cu、Pb呈显著正相关;Hg与其他重金属及pH值不具有显著相关关系。（2）本区重金属分为两类,即Cr、pH、As、Zn、Cu、Cd;Hg、Pb。（3）区内重金属存在3种主要元素组合即As—Cd—Cu—Pb—Zn—pH;Cr—Hg;Cd—pH;（4）区内重金属As、Cd、Cr、Cu、Hg、Zn服从正态分布。（5）通过前人对湘潭市土壤重金属进行生态地球化学评价可知,区内Cd、Hg属重污染,从统计分析结果来看,Cd随着本区pH值变化而变化,并与As、Cu、Pb相关性显著;而Hg与pH值及其它重金属之间没有必然联系。     

PAH and PCB determination of the concentration gradient in moss Pleurozium schreberi near a highway,and seasonal variability at the background reference site

Moss (Pleurozium schreberi) was investigated as biomonitor of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Samples were collected at a distance of 10, 50 and 100 m from a highway and were seasonally collected in a forest stand near a regional background air pollution station situated approximately 30 km from the highway. The samples from the background area were dried using two different techniques in parallel, air-drying and freeze-drying. Simultaneous pressurised liquid extraction of PAHs and PCBs was performed, followed by purification using gel permeation chromatography of the crude extract. The concentration of the 15 most important Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) PAHs was determined by gas chromatography coupled with ion-trap mass spectrometry with a selected ion storage acquisition programme, and the PCB concentrations were determined using a mass spectrometer operated in tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) mode. Acceptable recoveries and quality parameters for PAHs and PCBs were achieved with the use of pressurised liquid extraction followed by gel permeation chromatography. The detection limit was <0.76 ng g^?1 for PAHs and <0.04 ng g^?1 for PCBs. Possible contamination of the moss samples by 3-ring PAHs and PCBs in the atmosphere was found during air drying. Increased PAH and PCB concentrations caused by car engine exhausts and by asphalt and oil evaporation were found near the highway. Generally, the PAH and PCB concentrations in moss decreased exponentially with distance from the highway. The organic compound concentrations close to the background station showed seasonal fluctuations corresponding to the fluctuations in the local air temperature and particle concentration.     

豫产桔梗的土壤与药材中部分微量元素含量与分析

为了解桔梗中微量元素含量特征,研究土壤中微量元素对桔梗药材道地性的影响,采用原子吸收光谱法、冷原子荧光法、双道原子荧光法对不同产地的桔梗药材及生境土壤中8种微量元素含量进行了测定,所得数据用SPSS 11.0软件进行分析比较。结果表明,不同产地的桔梗微量元素含量有差异;药材与土壤中微量元素之间具有相关性。桔梗对土壤中微量元素是主动与被动相结合的有选择吸收。     

金华市区公园表层土壤铅污染分析及预防措施

对金华市区10个典型公园的表层土壤Pb含量做了调查分析,运用地积累指数法对公园表层土壤Pb污染进行了评价。结果表明,市区公园表层土壤Pb的平均含量为41.37 mg/kg,超半数公园为轻度污染至中等污染,即金华市区的公园表层土壤Pb含量污染并不是很严重。通过对土壤Pb含量的空间分布分析发现,金华市区公园土壤中Pb主要来源于交通和工业污染。     

Persistent Organochlorine Insecticide Residues in Some Paddy,Upland and Urban Soils of India

Abstract

A wide variety of agricultural soils from different regions of India such as paddy, wheat, mustard, potato, cotton, tea, tomato, sugarcane, grape and urban soils were surveyed for the residual levels of persistent organochlorine insecticide residues in 1988 and 1989. DDT and HCH concentrations were found to be higher in upland soils and lower in paddy field soils. These results indicate the large application of HCH and DDT compounds for agricultural purposes in India. In urban soil DDT levels were higher than HCHs reflecting the use of the former insecticide in relatively large amounts for vector control. Among DDT compounds, p,p′-DDE showed higher percentage in paddy and upland soils. On the other hand, p,p′-DDT contributed to higher levels in urban soils. The β-HCH was detected as the dominant isomer in both agricultural and non agricultural soils. The levels and percentage compositions of DDTs and HCHs revealed the extent of environmental contamination caused by the continuous usage of persistent organochlorine insecticides in large quantities in tropical areas like India.     

Comparative Analysis of Microbial Consortiums and Nanoparticles for Rehabilitating Petroleum Waste Contaminated Soils

Nano-bioremediation application is an ecologically and environmentally friendly technique to overcome the catastrophic situation in soil because of petroleum waste contamination. We evaluated the efficiency of oil-degrading bacterial consortium and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with or without fertilizer to remediate soils collected from petroleum waste contaminated oil fields. Physicochemical characteristics of control soil and petroleum contaminated soils were assessed. Four oil-degrading strains, namely Bacillus pumilus ({"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"KY010576","term_id":"1248281175"}}KY010576), Exiguobacteriaum aurantiacum ({"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"KY010578","term_id":"1248281177"}}KY010578), Lysinibacillus fusiformis ({"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"KY010586","term_id":"1248281185"}}KY010586), and Pseudomonas putida ({"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"KX580766","term_id":"1159332275"}}KX580766), were selected based on their in vitrohydrocarbon-degrading efficiency. In a lab experiment, contaminated soils were treated alone and with combined amendments of the bacterial consortium, AgNPs, and fertilizers (ammonium nitrate and diammonium phosphate). We detected the degradation rate of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) of the soil samples with GC-FID at different intervals of the incubation period (0, 5, 20, 60, 240 days). The bacterial population (CFU/g) was also monitored during the entire period of incubation. The results showed that 70% more TPH was degraded with a consortium with their sole application in 20 days of incubation. There was a positive correlation between TPH degradation and the 100-fold increase in bacterial population in contaminated soils. This study revealed that bacterial consortiums alone showed the maximum increase in the degradation of TPHs at 20 days. The application of nanoparticles and fertilizer has non-significant effects on the consortium degradation potential. Moreover, fertilizer alone or in combination with AgNPs and consortium slows the rate of degradation of TPHs over a short period. Still, it subsequently accelerates the rate of degradation of TPHs, and a negligible amount remains at the end of the incubation period.     

Screening and Monitoring of Herbicides Behaviour in Soils by Enzyme Immunoassays

Abstract

A simplified approach to screen cropland for residues of atrazine and its main metabolite deethylated atrazine has been presented. A time-saving and cost-effective screening method has been developed using an aqueous extraction step. The measurement of the extracts was done by immunoassay technique (ELISA). Antibodies against atrazine and deethylated atrazine were used in the study. The overall detection limit of the analysis of atrazine residues in soil is 1 μg kg^?1 and 2 μg kg^?1 for its deethylated metabolite, respectively. It is shown that this approach yields adequate information to judge the ground-water hazard potential of treated fields.     

Determination of Triazine Herbicides and Diuron in Mud from Olive Washing Devices and Soils Using Gas Chromatography with Selective Detectors

Abstract

In the present work, a method for the simultaneous determination of five herbicides, diuron, simazine, atrazine, terbuthylazine and terbutryn by GC‐electron capture detection (ECD) and GC‐thermoionic specific detector (TSD) in soil and mud samples (from olives washing devices) has been developed. Extraction of the herbicides from soil samples was carried out by liquid–solid extraction with ciclohexane/acetone under sonication. In addition, a clean‐up step by solid phase extraction (SPE) using alumina was necessary for mud samples to remove fat residues in the extracts. Spiked soil standards were used for calibration. Limit of detection (LOD) values ranged between 0.2–1.4 ng g^?1 and limit of quantitation (LOQ) between 1.4–2.0 ng g^?1. The precision of the method was satisfactory for all the herbicides analyzed, with RSD values ranging between 7.5%–32.3% and 8.5%–17.8% for 10 and 100 ng g^?1 spiking levels, respectively. The accuracy of the method was checked at three spiking levels (10, 50, and 100 ng g^?1) with recovery values ranging from 74.2%–129.1%. In the case of mud samples, mean recovery values (100 ng g^?1 spiking level) were acceptable for diuron (69.5%) and more satisfactory in the case of triazine herbicides (81.0%–123.0%). Diuron and terbuthylazine were the herbicides most frequently detected in the analyzed samples.     

多道全自动原子荧光光谱法测定土壤中的砷和汞

采用湿法消解对不同地区不同深度的土壤进行前处理,在最佳的实验条件下,应用原子荧光光谱法测定砷和汞的含量,测定的相对标准偏差As为1.4%~2.3%,Hg为2.0%~3.5%,加标回收率As为91%~106%,Hg为96%~102%。方法操作简单、快速,检出限、准确度均能满足土壤环境样品检验的要求。     

湖北典型地区茶叶-土壤重金属相关性研究

本文旨在分析湖北典型地区茶叶以及土壤中各种元素的含量,采用原子荧光法(AFS)和电感耦合等离子体质谱法(ICP-MS)等方法对135对茶叶及土壤样品进行测定,并探讨各种元素之间的相互关系和影响。研究结果表明,土壤中元素的分布对茶叶中元素含量分布有一定意义,典型区土壤养分有效磷和碱解氮较丰富,有机质和速效钾较缺乏。典型区茶叶作物表层土壤 Cd、Pb、Cu、Cr、As 均存在不同程度的超标。土壤 Cd 和 Hg 的污染指数高,潜在生态风险强。典型区茶叶可食部分重金属含量均值依次为 Cu>Pb>Cd>Hg>As>Cr,重金属元素在茶叶中含量均为中等变异性。 茶叶对 Cu、Pb 的富集系数明显高于 Hg、As、Cd、Cr,不同茶叶对同一元素的富集能力存在差异。土壤重金属含量与土壤 pH 值、CEC、有效磷、总氮等理化指标关系密切。茶叶重金属含量与土壤重金属含量水平相关性较弱,但与茶叶对重金属的富集能力均呈显著正相关关系。     

成都平原典型地区水果-土壤重金属污染特征研究

为摸清成都平原土壤-水果系统中重金属污染水平和富集特征,通过对成都平原典型地区333个水果作物及其根部表层土壤中Hg、As、Pb、Cd、Cu、Cr和土壤理化指标的测定,结果表明：（1）研究区土壤养分整体呈现出有效磷和碱解氮较丰富,有机质和速效钾较缺乏的特征,可通过增施有机肥、地面覆草、施用绿肥等方式提升土壤肥力水平。（2）研究区土壤重金属存在部分点位超标,以Cd的超标率最高。土壤重金属单因子评价污染等级为清洁,土壤综合污染指数评价污染等级为中度污染,其主要贡献为Cd。研究区重金属存在一定程度的富集,Cd和Hg的污染指数高,潜在生态风险强,应重点关注土壤Cd污染和Hg含量水平的增加趋势,将Cd污染作为下一步土壤风险管控和修复治理的重点目标。（3）研究区水果Pb、Cd的超标率分别为5.7%、7.8%,不同水果Pb、Cd的超标率差异显著,草莓Cd的超标率最高。研究区水果中重金属未对成人构成非致癌健康风险,而水果中的As和Cu对儿童构成了非致癌健康风险,As和Cu对水果重金属非致癌总指数的贡献超过70%,应特别关注水果中As和Cu的管控,以免造成较大的食源性危害。（4）重金属在水果与土壤中的含量水平关联性较低,水果中重金属的含量与水果富集重金属的能力关联度极高,应进一步查明水果重金属与土壤重金属形态的关系,并结合调整水果种植结构、筛选重金属低积累水果品种等方式降低水果重金属的健康风险。