Assessment of the effects of hydrocarbon contamination on the sedimentary bacterial communities and determination of the polar lipid fraction purity: Relevance of intact phospholipid analysis

This in situ study reports on the relevance of intact phospholipids as new biomarkers and highlights the limits of the classical fatty acid analysis after the hydrolysis of the polar lipid fraction. The analysis of polar lipid fractions revealed significant contributions of marine macrophytes with either non-phospholipid compounds (sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol) or with both non-bacterial phospholipid classes (phosphatidylcholine) and non-bacterial phospholipid molecular species (some molecular species of phosphatidylglycerol). The analysis of intact phospholipids showed also the predominance of gram-negative bacteria in sediments whereas the analysis of fatty acids alone cannot confirm such information. Lastly, as regard to the effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on the sedimentary bacterial communities, we observed a higher degree of saturation of the fatty acyl chains of the phospholipids extracted from sediment exposed to a massive and chronic crude oil contamination. Such a result was interpreted as an adaptive response resulting in higher membrane rigidity of the bacterial communities.     

Mobilisierbarkeit von hydrophoben organischen Schadstoffen in belasteten Böden und Abfällen. Teil I: Mobilisierbarkeit von PCB,PAK und n-Alkanen durch Lösungsvermittler

Mobilization Potential of Hydrophobic Organic Compounds (HOCs) in Contaminated Soils and Waste Materials. Part I: Mobilization Potential of PCBs, PAHs, and Aliphatic Hydrocarbons in the Presence of Solubilizing Substances When using an elution procedure for organic pollutants to estimate the leaching behaviour of contamined soils and waste deposits, the influence of organic matter in solids and eluates adequately has to be considered. In batch tests with a solid/liquid ratio of 1:10, various aqueous solutions were composed, the solubilizing effect of which can be attributed to ubiquitous natural compounds (e. g., phospholipids, humic and carbonic acids). These solutions were evaluated in regard to the mobilization of PAHs, PCBs, and aliphatic hydrocarbons in soil and waste samples. The results were compared with batch tests containing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), the properties and applications of which are selected and optimized in order to simulate the chemical interactions between pollutant and solubilizing substances of natural sources. Under alkaline conditions, the part of eluated pollutants was high because of the release of humic substances indigenous to the sample. Low concentrations of phospholipids and humic acid could decrease the mobility of aliphatic hydrocarbons. The extend of HOC mobilization is affected by specific interdependences between solubilizing substances and reactive matter of the samples. For most samples, 5.0 g/L concentrated SDS solution was able to simulate the most effective natural solutizer potential in regard to the mobilization of PAHs, PCBs, and aliphatic hydrocarbons within the system of batch tests. Whereas elution with pure water caused significant deviations in pollutant composition and too low yields, the use of SDS effected à good conformity. Modified in such a manner, the elution procedure can follow DIN 38414 part 4, when loss of pollutants will be minimized; e. g., centrifugation is needed to separate phases.     

Reed litter Si content affects microbial community structure and the lipid composition of an invertebrate shredder during aquatic decomposition

The decomposition of plant litter is an important mechanism in regard to energy and nutrient dynamics of ecosystems. Silicon concentration of plant tissue can affect these processes by changing litter quality, i.e. nutrient stoichiometry and cellulose and phenols content. To determine which group of microbial decomposers benefits from high Si content in plants and how this impacts on animal decomposers, a batch experiment was conducted with reed leaf litter (Phragmites australis) differing in Si content in the presence/absence of invertebrate shredders (Gammarus pulex). Lipid concentration of G. pulex, in reed litter and fine particulate matter (FPOM) were examined. High Si concentration in reed resulted in a decline of gram positive bacteria in the heterotrophic biofilm and of gram negative bacteria in FPOM. The lipid composition in the next trophic level, the decomposer G. pulex, changed too, indicating a diet shift in favor of bacteria and algae with increasing litter Si concentration. Thus, basal decomposers were affected by the Si availability in plant resources, and these effects likely persist along the food chain, as FPOM is a dominant food supply for other groups, e.g. collectors. This impact of Si content on plant substrate quality for decomposer food webs may have global relevance, due to related modifications in carbon and nutrient cycling during litter decomposition.     

Temperature adaptation of microbial communities in different horizons of Siberian permafrost-affected soils from the Lena Delta

The cell membrane phospholipid (PL) inventory of microbial populations in a Siberian permafrost soil of the Lena Delta was analysed to examine as to how the microbial populations within different horizons of the active layer were adapted to the extreme temperature gradient in this environment. One surface-near and one permafrost-near soil sample were taken from the active layer on Samoylov Island in the southern central Lena Delta (Siberia) and in each case incubated at 4 and 28 °C. Subsequently, the phospholipid cell membrane composition of the indigenous microbial populations was qualitatively and quantitatively determined and compared. In both horizons, the incubation at 4 °C is characterized by a shift in the PL inventory to more short chain fatty acids. A significant trend in the proportions of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, however, was not detected. A higher proportion of both short chain and unsaturated fatty acids counterbalances the effect of decreasing cell membrane fluidity with decreasing environmental temperature. Thus, the adaptation of the permafrost microbial populations within the different horizons to varying ambient temperature conditions appears to be mainly regulated by the chain length of the phospholipid fatty acids. Although there is almost no change in the proportions of unsaturated fatty acids between the 4 and 28 °C incubation experiments, the permafrost-near horizon in general contains more unsaturated fatty acids than the surface-near horizon and a higher proportion of short chain fatty acids. This suggests that the lipid inventory of the microbial population nearer to the perennially frozen ground is more adapted to lower temperatures than that of the microbial community from the surface-near horizon, which seems to show a higher flexibility toward higher temperature conditions. The permafrost-near horizon appears to be dominated by psychrophilic species, while the surface-near horizon is characterized by a mesophilic-dominated microbial community.     

葛氏长臂虾Palaemon gravieri磷脂成分的分析

对葛氏长臂虾的总脂和磷脂含量进行了测定，并对磷脂组分、总脂和磷脂肪酸组成进行了分析。结果表明：葛氏长臂虾的磷脂组分以PC和PE为主，磷脂含量为8．59‰-8.98‰，占总脂的33．76％－35．72％；与大豆和蛋黄的磷脂相比，葛氏长臂虾总脂和磷脂含有更多的PUFA，而虾磷脂中的脂肪酸不饱和度及EPA与DHA之和要高于其总脂。     

马面鲀卵巢在不同贮藏温度下磷脂成分的变化

在 2 0℃、4℃、- 10℃、- 2 0℃四种温度下贮藏马面卵巢 ,对其中磷脂含量的变化进行了测定 ,并利用薄层层析分析测定了不同温度下贮存 3d后马面卵巢中磷脂各组分的相对百分比。结果表明 :马面卵巢中磷脂的损失率随贮藏温度的上升而增加 ;在不同温度下贮藏 3d,磷脂各组分的相对百分比都发生了变化 ;随贮藏温度的升高磷脂酰胆碱的降解速度大大加快 ,所占的百分比快速下降 ,而溶血磷脂酰胆碱的比例有不同程度的增加。相对而言 ,- 2 0℃下贮藏数天 ,磷脂的含量及组分的变化较小