Purification of a Diatom and Its Identification to Cylindrotheca closterium

A diatom was purified with colony selection and continuous dilution methods. It was identified to Cylindrotheca closterium according to its morphological characteristics and rbc L and 18 s r RNA gene sequences. The alga was not sensitive to ampicillin and neomycin, but sensitive to chloramphenicol which inhibited its growth at concentrations ranging from 50 to 150 μg m L-1. The purified alga was easy to culture and its specific growth rate was 0.207 ± 0.002(d-1). It was resistant to pollution and could be harvested in an easy way. It was relatively high in lipid content(20.08% ± 0.67% of dry weight) and the combined amount of its 16:0 and 16:1(n-7), the most suitable resource of biodiesel, was as high as 64% of the total fatty acids, while the amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids reached 19.96%–20% of the total fatty acids. Thus the purified C. closterium can be cultured as a biodiesel producer or a nutrition supplement producer.     

Evaluation of Cytotoxicity and Genotoxicity of Insecticide Carbaryl to Flounder Gill Cells and Its Teratogenicity to Zebrafish Embryos

In this study, we determined the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of carbamate insecticide carbaryl to flounder gill(FG) cells and its teratogenicity to zebrafish embryos. The cytotoxicity of carbaryl to FG cells was determined with methods including MTT and neutral red uptaking(NRU), lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) releasing and Hoechst 33342 and propidium idodide(PI) double staining. Moderate cytotoxicity in a concentration-dependent manner was observed. The 24 h-IC50 value of 53.48 ± 1.21, 59.13 ± 1.19 and 46.21 ± 1.24 mg L-1 carbaryl was obtained through MTT, NRU and LDH assays, respectively. Double fluorescence staining demonstrated that carbaryl induced the death of FG cells mainly through necrosis. There was no significant genotoxicity found in the FG cells exposed to the highest testing concentration of carbaryl(20 mg L-1, P 0.05) as was demonstrated by Comet assay. Zebrafish embryos exposed to carbaryl at concentrations ≥10 mg L-1 displayed moderate toxic effects on the survival, spontaneous movement, hatching, heart rates of the embryos and their development, which were evidenced by yolk and pericardial sac edemas, body length reduction and tail flexure in time- and concentration-dependent manners at specific stages. The 24 h-, 48 h- and 96 h-LC50 values of carbaryl to zebrafish embryos were 41.80 ± 1.10, 17.80 ± 1.04 and 14.46 ± 1.05 mg L-1, respectively. These results suggested that carbaryl is moderately toxic to FG cells cultured in vitro and zebrafish embryos, and the FG cells were similar to zebrafish embryos in their sensitivity to carbaryl as 24 h-IC50 and LC50 indicated.     

Composition and Origin of Ferromanganese Crusts from Equatorial Western Pacific Seamounts

In the equatorial western Pacific, iron-manganese oxyhydroxide crusts(Fe-Mn crusts) and nodules form on basaltic seamounts and on the top of drowned carbonate platform guyots that have been swept free of pelagic sediments. To date, the Fe-Mn crusts have been considered to be almost exclusively of abiotic origin. However, it has recently been suggested that these crusts may be a result of biomineralization. Although the Fe-Mn crust textures in the equatorial western Pacific are similar to those constructed by bacteria and algae, and biomarkers also document the existence of bacteria and algae dispersed within the Fe-Mn crusts, the precipitation, accumulation and distribution of elements, such as Fe, Mn, Ni and Co in Fe-Mn crusts are not controlled by microbial activity. Bacteria and algae are only physically incorporated into the crusts when dead plankton settle on the ocean floor and are trapped on the crust surface. Geochemical evidence suggests a hydrogenous origin of Fe-Mn crusts in the equatorial western Pacific, thus verifying a process for Fe-Mn crusts that involves the precipitation of colloidal phases from seawater followed by extensive scavenging of dissolved trace metals into the mineral phase during crust formation.     

Influence of Uneven Trace Spacing on Rayleigh Wave Dispersion

Rayleigh wave dispersion signals are significant to underground investigation.Tradition-ally,uniformed trace spacing is employed in surface wave surveys.In some cases,however,uneven trace spacing is often encountered because of the limitations of the site condition.In order to study the influence of uneven trace spacing on the dispersion data construction of Rayleigh waves,data acquisi-tion is performed based on a 2.5D field layout with a linear array of geophones fixed and a mobile source.The observation d...     

Anthropogenic Sulfate and Nitrate Signals in Snow from Bogda Glacier, Eastern Tianshan

A 1.2 m snow pit was recovered on July 29th, 2009 from the Bogda Glacier, eastern Tianshan (天山). The sample site temperature of -9.6 ℃ indicates that the unique glaciochemical re-cord was well preserved and suitable for the reconstruction of air pollution levels in this previously un-explored region. Samples were analyzed for major ions (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, NH4+, Cl-, SO42-, NO3-, HCOO-, and CH3COO-). NO3- and SO42- were characterized by significant high levels of pollution con-centration. Most air masses ...     

Monitoring Glacial Shrinkage Using Remote Sensing and Site-Observation Method on Southern Slope of Kalik Mountain, Eastern Tian Shan, China

Currently, one of the effective means in monitoring glacier change in regional scale is remote sensing and site-observation method. In this article, we present a study of comparing glacier area in 2005 derived from SPOT5 satellite image with area in 1972 derived from topographic maps. Moreover, Miaoergou (庙儿沟) flat-summit glacier is site observed to verify glacial change in regional scale. During the study period, glaciers located in the southern slope of Kalik (喀尔里克) Mountain re-duced their area by 12.3%. ...     

Deposition Process of Dust Microparticles from Aerosol to Snow-Firn Pack on Glacier No. 1 in Eastern Tianshan Mountains, China

Samples were continuously collected from aerosol, fresh snow, and snow pits on Glacier No. 1 at Urumqi River source in eastern Tianshan (天山) Mountains. The deposition processes and the characteristics of mineral dust microparticles from aerosol to fresh snow, and then evolution to the snow pit were determined. Total dust microparticle concentration in the surface snow and aerosol showed a similar temporal variation trend, which was strongly associated with regional and local at-mospheric circulation in the ...     

Hybrid Sedimentation in Late Permian-Early Triassic in Western Sichuan Basin,China

Mixed carbonate-siliciclastic sedimentation is common in the Upper Permian-Lower Tri-assic in the western Sichuan(四川) basin.The extensional movement was strong in the Late Permian,resulting in differential uplifting of fault blocks.During this period,there was an extensive retrogres-sion.The Kangdian(康滇) ancient land progressive uplifted and enlarged,forming the major prove-nance of terrigenous clastics.In Changxingian age,mixed terrigenous-carbonate sedimentation was dis-tributed in the area between Dafeis...     

Comparison of Results of Recent Seismic Profiles with Tectonic Models of the North China Craton

The geometry and timing of amalgamation of the North China craton(NCC) have been controversial,with three main models with significantly different interpretations of regional structure,geochronology,and geological relationships.The model of Zhao G C et al.suggests that the eastern and western blocks of the NCC formed separately in the Archean,and an active margin was developed on the eastern block between 2.5 and 1.85 Ga,when the two blocks collided above an east dipping subduc-tion zone.The model of Kusky ...     

Postrift Rapid Subsidence Characters in Qiongdongnan Basin,South China Sea

In this article,the backstripping technique was used in studying the subsidence charac-ters of the Qiongdongnan(琼东南) basin(QDNB) in order to understand its dynamic mechanism of formation and evolution.Meanwhile,the geothermal characteristics of this area were summarized,and the stretching factors(β) of the upper crust,the whole crust,and the whole lithosphere were calculated.The QDNB is characterized by high subsidence rate,high geothermal gradient,high geothermal heat flow,and the lithosphere stretching an...