Biological and granulometric controls on sedimentary organic matter of an intertidal mudflat

A variety of measures of organic matter concentration and quality were made on samples collected from the top few mm of intertidal mudflat sediment over the course of a year, in order to assess the relative importance of biological and sedimentological influences on sedimentary organic matter. Winter and summer were times of relatively fine-grained sediment accumulation, caused by biological deposition or stabilization processes and resulting in higher organic matter concentrations. Stable carbon isotope and Br:C ratios indicated a planktonic source of bulk organic matter. Ratios of organic carbon to specific surface area of the sediments were consistent with an organic monolayer coverage of sediment grains. Correction for changing grain size during the year showed no change in the organic concentration per unit surface area, in spite of organic matter inputs by in situ primary production, buildup of heterotroph biomass and mucus coatings, and biodeposition of organic-rich seston. There were also no indications of changes in bulk organic quality, measured as hydrolyzable carbohydrates and amino acids, in response to these biological processes. It is concluded that biological processes on a seasonal time scale affect the bulk organic matter of these sediments via a modulation of grain size rather than creation or decay of organic matter.     

Sugar and Lipid Components in Sea Foam near Kelp Beds

Abstract. A component analysis of the sugar and lipid fraction in foam layers around kelp beds on the South African west coast showed the following trends: In the residue of foam drainage of both 12 h and 120 h old foam the sugar fraction is represented by mannose (33–41 %), galactose (4–30%), fucose (3–29%) and glucose (19–26%). With the exception of fucose, the same components could be found in foam filtration. In the lipid fraction the main fatty acids are palmitic (23.3–27.3%), oleic (14.0–5.5%) and timnodonic acid (11.2–9.1%). Selacholeinic acid was only found in 12 h old foam while lignoceric acid could not be located in foam filtration. Against expectation mannitol was not identified in quantifiable amounts in foam samples although it is the dominant component of kelp mucilage, whose presence is of major importance for foam formation. Hypotheses explaining the lack of mannitol are forwarded. Component sugar and lipid content for 11 of foam was calculated and estimation of sugar and lipid content in an average foam patch (volume of 30001) is given. The importance of foam formation as a mechanism for binding and transfer of energy in the marine environment is emphasized.     

Study of Adsorption Isotherm Curves of Amino Acids on the Kaolinite

This paper studies the adsorption isotherm curves of four amino acids (glyucine,aspartic acid,glutamic acid and lysine)and the effects of existences of different concentrations of Cu(Ⅱ) on them.Both the adsorption isotherm of the amino acids on the kaolinite and that when the copper ion Cu(Ⅱ） exists belong to the Langmuir type.The slopes of these adsorption isotherm increase with the increasing concentrations of Cu(Ⅱ） added.It can be explained in terms of formation of the type(Ⅰ） ternary surface complexes in these systems.The regular pattern of the effects of copper ion Cu(Ⅱ) on the adsorption isotherm of amino acids on the kaolinite is identical with that of its effects on the exchange and adsorption percentage E(%)-pH on the kaolinite in the same system.     

Transformation of arsenic compounds in modern intertidal sediments of Iriomote Island, Japan

The arsenic accumulation process in intertidal sediments of Iriomote Island, Japan, is analyzed as a naturally balanced arsenic-fixation system. Major and minor element chemistry is analyzed by X-ray fluorescence photometry, mineralogy is investigated by X-ray diffractometry, and four arsenic compounds are characterized by hydrogen-generated atomic absorption photometry. It is found that arsenic is accumulated by iron hydroxides/oxides precipitated following the decomposition of humic acids in the shallower sediment, and is subsequently incorporated into iron sulfide minerals at depth. The arsenic is immobile during incorporation into arsenic-bearing phases, suggesting that arsenic is unlikely to be released into the porewater under natural conditions in early diagenesis. The formation and decomposition of arsenic-bearing organic compounds appear to be associated with the formation and decomposition of arsenic in oxyhydroxides/oxides, suggesting that microbial activity may play an important role in controlling the behavior of arsenic and arsenic-bearing phases in the sediment column.     

Amino acid nitrogen in atmospheric aerosols: Occurrence,sources and photochemical modification

The presence of amino acids in atmospheric precipitation and aerosols has been noted for many years, yet relatively little is known about these or other nitrogen containing organic compounds in the atmosphere. Marine and continental rainwater analyses indicate that atmospheric aerosols, and subsequently atmospheric precipitation, may contain substantial levels of free and combined amino acids. The most likely source of amino N in the remote marine atmosphere appears to be the injection of proteinaceous material through the action of bursting bubbles at the sea-air interface or the long range transport from terrestrial sources. The capacity of these substrates to undergo photooxidation and photodegradation in the atmosphere to simpler species, such as ammonium ions, carboxylic acids, and for the S containing amino acids, oxidized forms of sulfur, has received little attention from atmospheric chemists. The photochemistry of covalently bound amino groups, particularly as found in peptides and amino acids, is discussed here with the purpose of summarizing what is known of their occurrence and their possible importance to atmospheric chemistry.     

Anti-inflammatory and Immunomodulatory Effects of Marine n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Human Health and Diseases

The pharmaceutical effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids(n-3 PUFAs) as dietary nutrients on human health and diseases have gained much attention and are investigated for decades. Docosahexaenoic acid(DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid(EPA) and docosapentaenoic acid(DPA) are the three major n-3 PUFAs enriched in marine organisms, such as fish, shrimp, algae, and so on. It has been well known that n-3 PUFAs, especially DHA and EPA, are beneficial in reducing the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Accumulating evidence suggests that n-3 PUFAs might cure inflammatory diseases through several mechanisms, such as plasma membrane remodeling of lymphocytes, down-regulating pro-inflammatory cytokines, and alternating adhesion molecule expressions. Several molecular targets of n-3 PUFAs on immune-regulation have also been identified, such as GPR120(FFA4), protein kinase C(PKC), and PPAR-γ. However, it remains inconclusive if dietary n-3 PUFAs function the same both in vitro and in vivo based on cohort studies. This review will focus on the molecular targets and mechanisms of anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of n-3 PUFAs on human health and diseases, such as obesity, tumor, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases.     

沙虫干呈味及功能性成分研究

对沙虫干抽提物成分的组成进行的研究结果表明 :游离氨基酸含量 w为 10 .3% ,占抽提物含氮物质的 77.9%。抽提物组成中 ,呈甘味的 Gly(3.2 % )、Ala(2 .5% )和呈鲜味的 IMP(0 .2 7% )、Glu(0 .2 5% )、琥珀酸 (0 .35% )等成分同沙虫干独特的风味有关 ,Na 、Cl-等无机离子也同其呈味相关。此外 ,牛磺酸含量 w高达 3.2 % ,是富含牛磺酸的一种海洋生物 ;精氨酸的含量 w亦较高 ,为 1.2 %。     

大獭蛤软体部营养成分的分析与评价

对大獭蛤(Lutraria maxima)软体部进行营养成分分析,并对其营养价值进行综合评定。结果表明,大獭蛤软体部粗蛋白含量为81.20%,干物质中水解氨基酸总量为83.50%,其中必需氨基酸为30.22%,占氨基酸总量的36.19%;氨基酸中6种呈味氨基酸含量丰富,占氨基酸总量的53.81%;大獭蛤软体部第一限制氨基酸为亮氨酸;矿物质含量丰富。可见,大獭蛤软体部营养价值高,呈味特性良好。     

pH对眼点拟微绿球藻的生长、总脂含量及脂肪酸组成的影响

pH对眼点拟微绿球藻（Namnocholoropsis oculata）的生长、总脂含量及脂肪酸组成有明显影响。研究表明，眼点拟微绿球藻的生长对pH有较强的适应性，在pH6.2～9.8的范围内均能较好的生长，但在pH5.5的条件下生长受到较强的抑制，在不同pH条件下，在同一细胞周期内总脂含量及脂肪酸组成均有相同的变化规律，即总脂含量在对数初期略有下降然后逐渐上升，在稳定期达到最大值。16：0，18：1n9的含量在稳定期显著升高，而EPA的含量在稳定期明显下降，在对数初期，藻细胞在pH6.8的条件下含有较高的EPA含量，而在pH9.8的条件下，藻细胞的EPA含量明显降低。