Effects of flooding on the amino acid and carbohydrate patterns of Phragmites australis

Changes in the contents and composition of dissolved amino acids and carbohydrates were monitored in different Phragmites australis stands in Germany. Four different reed clones planted in 1997 in a degraded fen area in NE-Germany were compared with respect to the seasonal development in the total amount of amino acids and sugars in the basal culm internodes. The individual Phragmites clones showed significant differences in the absolute content of both parameters indicating an influence of the genotype. Flooding affected the ratio of amino acids to carbohydrates within the reed clones. Plants grown in flooded parts of the fen area revealed a significantly higher total amino acid content together with a lower total content of carbohydrates.Furthermore, the effects of extreme flooding on the content and composition of amino acids and carbohydrates in the basal culm internodes of Phragmites australis were studied in nine reed stands with different degrees of damage on Lake Constance. Shoots from extremely damaged reed stands were characterised by a significant decrease in the total content of carbohydrates, an increase in the total content of amino acids and an increase in the share of γ-aminobutyric acid. These changes in the content and composition of carbohydrates and amino acids were discussed with respect to their value as stress indicators, such as for oxygen deprivation which causes a hypoxic metabolic state in Phragmites australis stands.     

An Experimental Styudy on Gold Solubility in Amino Acid Solution and Its Geological Significance

The experiments on gold solubility in amino acid solution mdicate that gold is very intensively soluble in amino acid(or other organic acids),which is extensively present in geological bodies,and is most soluble in histidine.The temperature and concentration,acidity and type of amino acid in the solution are important factors affecting gold-amino acid complexing. The solubility of gold in amino acid is different under different conditions of temperature, amino acid concentration and pH value of the solution,At 80℃ and pH=6-8,gold is most soluble in amino acid.Gold dispersed in water and rocks could be concentrated and transported by amino acid and then precipitated in favorable loci.Amino acids might have played an important role in metallogenesis as well as in the formation of source beds of gold.Nitrogen,oxygen and sulfur in amino acid might have reacted with gold to form soluble complex ions.     

Cross polarization, magic-angle spinning C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of soil humic fractions

Cross polarization, magic-angle spinning ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to characterize humic fractions isolated from different soils. The acid fractions are more aromatic than the humin fractions, probably due to the higher polyssaccharide content of humins. However, fulvic acid fractions are more aromatic than the corresponding humic acid and humin fractions. These results can be interpreted in terms of the isolation procedure, because the high affinity of Polyclar AT for phenols results in higher aromaticities as compared with other isolation methods (e.g. charcoal).     

Oxygen-containing functional groups in land-derived humic acids—I. Evaluation by derivatization methods

Determinations of reactive oxygen-containing functional groups were performed by usual chemical derivatization methods of four humic acids isolated from soils and deltaic sediments. Statistical tests and calculations based on elemental analysis demonstrated the validity and limits of these techniques and allowed us to identify from 60 to 71% of the total humic oxygen. Oxygen budgets of humic acids are discussed.     

Oxygen-containing functional groups in land-derived humic acids—II. Changes in the oxygen distribution of humic acids during early diagenesis as revealed by derivatization methods

Extensive functional group analyses were performed on humic acids representative of eight increasing depth levels from a core drilled in the Mahakam delta (East Kalimantan, Indonesia). Oxygen amounts decrease observed during early diagenesis was related chiefly to loss of hydroxyl (lignol?) groups. Comparison between upper and deeper levels shows the following variations: hydroxyl group abundances go from 19 to 6% of humic oxygen. Identified functional groups amounts represent 47 to 32% of weight of moisture- and ash-free humic acids. No evidence of decarboxylation of humic material was detected.     

Organic carbon and cation associations in humic material from pond water and sediment

Organic matter was isolated from the water columns and sediments of two pond systems in the south-eastern United States. Water column material was ultrafiltered to provide three fractions, i.e. <0.45 μm, but > 50,000 daltons; <50,000 daltons, but > 5000 daltons; and <5000 daltons. Sedimentary organic matter was separated into humic acid and fulvic acid fractions based on solubility criteria and the humic acid fraction was ultrafiltered to provide the same fractions as the water column isolates. All fractions were analysed for organic carbon, Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg and Mn. Infra-red spectra were also measured for the sedimentary organic fractions. Organic matter isolated from the water column of the two ponds had similar organic carbon and elemental distributions, as did the organic matter isolated from the two sediments. However, significant differences in the organic carbon and elemental distributions were observed for water column and sedimentary organic matter isolated from the same pond. These studies have relevance to diagenetic alterations of organic matter and geochemical cycles of elements within lakes.     

Extraterrestrial Organic Compounds in Meteorites

Many organic compounds or their precursorsfound in meteorites originated in the interstellar or circumstellarmedium and were later incorporated intoplanetesimals during the formation of thesolar system. There they either survivedintact or underwent further processing tosynthesize secondary products on themeteorite parent body.The most distinct feature of CI and CM carbonaceouschondrites, two typesof stony meteorites, is their high carbon content(up to 3% of weight), either in theform of carbonates or of organic compounds. The bulkof the organic carbon consistsof an insoluble macromolecular material with a complexstructure. Also present is asoluble organic fraction, which has been analyzedby several separation and analyticalprocedures. Low detection limits can be achievedby derivatization of the organicmolecules with reagents that allow for analysisby gas chromatography/massspectroscopy and high performance liquidchromatography. The CM meteoriteMurchison has been found to contain more than70 extraterrestrial amino acids andseveral other classes of compounds includingcarboxylic acids, hydroxy carboxylicacids, sulphonic and phosphonic acids, aliphatic,aromatic and polar hydrocarbons,fullerenes, heterocycles as well as carbonylcompounds, alcohols, amines and amides.The organic matter was found to be enriched indeuterium, and distinct organiccompounds show isotopic enrichments of carbon andnitrogen relative to terrestrialmatter.     

利用可提取性磷脂表征沉积物中微生物的生物量

应用ＧＣ－ＭＳ技术,分析了深圳大亚湾大鹏澳及厦门岛南岸海域沿岸几个站位沉积物中可提一磷脂酯结合态脂肪酸的含量和组成成份;同时采用吖啶橙荧光染色计数法测定了这些的中细菌的丰度、重担一。结果表明,在这些沉积物中细菌的生物量与磷脂酯结合态脂肪酸的组份的含量有着正相关关系。说明在环境生态研究中,可提取性磷脂作为海洋和河口沉积物中微生物生物量的生物标志物的可行性。     

Sea-floor fissures, biological communities and sediment fatty acids of the Northern Okushiri Ridge, Japan Sea: Implications for possible methane seepage

A biological community was discovered in the Northern Okushiri Ridge, northeastern Japan Sea. The community was closely associated with sea-floor fissures, and presumed to be supported by methanotrophic and/or thiotrophic bacterial production. Sediments inside of and in the vicinity of the fissures were collected, and the short-chain (C_9–20) sediment fatty acids were analyzed for amounts and compositions. The fatty acid compositions were compared with those from a known methane seep and a submarine volcano in the Sagami Bay, central Japan, and from a whale skeleton at the Torishima Seamount, northwestern Pacific Ocean. As a result, a close relationship between the sediments from the Northern Okushiri Ridge, the known methane-seep, and the whale skeleton was found. This finding represents the first discovery of methane seepage and associated biological communities in the Japan Sea. This also supports the hypothesis that the eastern margin of the northern Japan Sea is at the early stage of new subduction.     

基于梯度扩散薄膜技术(DGT)的氨基生物炭覆盖沉积物水界面铜、铅释放研究

湖泊沉积物的重金属污染防治一直是环境领域的热点问题.本研究采用氨基生物炭作为覆盖材料,利用梯度扩散薄膜技术(DGT),研究了上覆水不同pH及水流扰动条件下Cu(Ⅱ)、Pb(Ⅱ)在沉积物水界面间的原位释放特征,以及氨基生物炭对湖泊沉积物重金属污染的原位修复效果.研究结果表明,在0 r/min或100 r/min水动力条件下,可移动态重金属离子有不断由沉积物向其他介质扩散的趋势,1.81 kg/m 2的氨基生物炭覆盖强度可降低Cu(Ⅱ)、Pb(Ⅱ)释放通量达89%以上,有效减小了水环境中重金属的潜在生态风险.在pH=5的酸性及pH=9的碱性水环境中原位修复效果较差,水体中大量的H+或络合物均会削弱氨基生物炭对重金属离子的吸附,当上覆水在pH=7的中性条件时原位修复效果最佳.100 r/min水流扰动下的上覆水Cu(Ⅱ)、Pb(Ⅱ)含量在释放平衡时较0 r/min条件下高出0.036~0.096μg/mL,说明高强度的水流扰动易造成覆盖材料的扬起和浮动,导致覆盖材料与重金属发生解吸.