Potential of the White-Rot Fungus Pleurotus pulmonarius F043 for Degradation and Transformation of Fluoranthene

Fluoranthene, a four-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon that is possible genotoxic in nature, has been used as an indicator for assessing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon （PAH）-containing pollutants. Microbial degradation is one of the promising methods in removing up PAH-contaminated environments. White-rot fungi have showed the ability to degrade a wide range of PAHs. This study aimed to investigate enzyme production, fungal biomass, and glucose utilization during the biodegradation process of fiuoranthene by a white-rot fungus Pleurotus pulmonarius F043 and to identify the metabolites produced in the degradation process. The extracellular ligninolytic enzyme system of the fungi, producing laccases and peroxidases, was directly linked to the biodegradation of fiuoranthene. The production of ligninolytic enzymes during fluoranthene degradation was related to an increase in the biomass of Pleurotus pulmonarius F043. Fluoranthene removal decreased with an increase in fluoranthene concentrations. The highest biomass production of Pleurotus pulmonarius F043 （〉 4 400 mg L-1） was found in the 10 mg L-1 fluoranthene culture after 30 d of incubation. Two fluoranthene metabolites, naphthalene-l,8-dicarboxylic acid and phthalic acid, were found in the process of fluoranthene degradation. Laccase was revealed as the major enzyme that played an important role in degradation process. Suitable conditions must be found to promote a successful fungal biotransformation augmentation in liquid culture.

Recent snow cover variation in the Upper Indus Basin of Gilgit Baltistan, Hindukush Karakoram Himalaya

Mountainous basins like the Upper Indus Basin(UIB) of Gilgit Baltistan(GB) are dependent on seasonal snowmelt and glacier melt. Monitoring of the snow-covered area(SCA) is not only vital for the overall hydrology of the Indus basin but also important to the sustainable agriculture and hydropower system. The snow-covered area in the UIB of GB was investigated for changes over the last 18 years using the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS) snow product. The study area was divided into five elevation zones ranging from 877-8564 meters above sea level(m ASL). In contrast to the global cryosphere related studies, SCA in the UIB is slightly increasing. Elevation based SCA analysis also indicated that SCA is slightly increasing in each elevation zone. However, a significant amount of snow is concentrated in areas above 5000 m ASL. Due to the strong correlation between SCA and precipitation, the precipitation data also follow a similar trend. Analysis of the climatic data suggests a statistically significant increase in total monthly precipitation and relative humidity, a slight decrease in mean monthly temperature and a significant upward tendency in monthly solar irradiance data. All these trends in combination with the increasing trend in global precipitation, winter westerly disturbances and orographic precipitation are the important factors behind the slightly increasing SCA in the study area. Our results though constrained by short observation period mainly contribute to the understanding of advancing snow cover and glaciers in Hindukush Karakoram.

A review of remote sensing applications for oil palm studies

Oil palm becomes an increasingly important source of vegetable oil for its production exceeds soybean,sunflower,and rapeseed.The growth of the oil palm industry causes degradation to the environment,especially when the expansion of plantations goes uncontrolled.Remote sensing is a useful tool to monitor the development of oil palm plantations.In order to promote the use of remote sensing in the oil palm industry to support their drive for sustainability,this paper provides an understanding toward the use of remote sensing and its applications to oil palm plantation monitoring.In addition,the existing knowledge gaps are identified and recommendations for further research are given.