Qualitative analysis of aromatic compounds via 1D TOCSY techniques

The aromatic compounds,including o-xylene,m-xylene,p-xylene,and ethylbenzene,primarily originate from the catalytic reforming of crude oil,and have a wide variety of applications.However,because of similar physical and chemical properties,these compounds are difficult to be identified by gas chromatography(GC)without standard samples.With the development of modern nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)techniques,NMR has emerged as a powerful and efficient tool for the rapid analysis of complex and crude mixtures without purification.In this study,the parameters of one-dimensional(1D)total correlation spectroscopy(TOCSY)NMR techniques,including 1D selective gradient TOCSY and 1D chemicalshift-selective filtration(CSSF)with TOCSY,were optimized to obtain comprehensive molecular structure information.The results indicate that the overlapped signals in NMR spectra of nonpolar aromatic compounds(including o-xylene,m-xylene,p-xylene and ethylbenzene),polar aromatic compounds(benzyl alcohol,benzaldehyde,benzoic acid),and aromatic compounds with additional conjugated bonds(styrene)can be resolved in 1D TOCSY.More importantly,full molecular structures can be clearly distinguished by setting appropriate mixing time in 1D TOCSY.This approach simplifies the NMR spectra,provides structural information of entire molecules,and can be applied for the analysis of other structural isomers.

Review on“Long-Dan”,one of the traditional Chinese medicinal herbs recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia

“Long-Dan”is an important traditional Chinese medicinal(TCM)herb used widely for the treatment of inflammation,hepatitis,rheumatism,cholecystitis,and tuberculosis.In the Chinese Pharmacopoeia,the roots and rhizomes of four species from the genus Gentiana(Gentianaceae)are recorded as the original materials of“Long-Dan”,called Gentianae Radix et Rhizoma.The species included G.manshurica,G.scabra,G.triflora and G.rigescens,which are distributed in different areas of China.Though iridoid and secoiridoid glucosides were reported as the main constituents in“Long-Dan”,these four different species also resulted in different minor components,which may related to their pharmacological activities.Herein,we summarized the herbal textual study,distribution,chemical constituents,biological investigation and quality control of the recorded“Long-Dan”origins in Chinese Pharmacopoeia during the period 1960 to 2011.

Stability of soil organic carbon changes in successive rotations of Chinese fir(Cunninghamia lanceolata(Lamb.) Hook) plantations

The importance of soil organic carbon （SOC） under forests in the global carbon cycle depends on the stability of the soil carbon and its availability to soil microbial biomass. We investigated the effects of successive rotations of Chinese fir （Cunninghamia lanceolata （Lamb.） Hook） plantations on the stability of SOC and its availability to microbes by adopting the two-step hydrolysis with H2SO4 and density fractionation. The results showed that successive rotations of Chinese fir decreased the quantity of total SOC, recalcitrant fraction, and carbohydrates in Labile Pool I （LPI）, and microbial properties evidently, especially at 0-10 cm horizon. However, cellulose included in Labile Pool Ⅱ （LP Ⅱ） and the cellulose/total carbohydrates ratio increased in successive rotations of Chinese fir. The noncellulose of carbohydrates included in LPI maybe highly available to soil microbial biomass. Hence the availability of SOC to microbial biomass declined over the successive rotations. Although there was no significant change in recalcitrance of SOC over the successive rotations of Chinese fir, the percentage of heavy fraction to total SOC increased, suggesting that the degree of physical protection for SOC increased and SOC became more stable over the successive rotations. The degradation of SOC quality in successive rotation soils may be attributed to worse environmental conditions resulted from disturbance that related to ＂slash and burn＂ site preparation. Being highly correlated with soil microbial properties, the cellulose/total carbohydrates ratio as an effective indicator of changes in availability of SOC to microbial biomass brought by management practices in forest soils.

A NOVEL ALGORITHM FOR SIDE PEAKS SUPPRESSION OF AMBIGUITY FUNCTION FOR PASSIVE RADAR BASED ON CHINESE DTTB SIGNAL

The ambiguity function of Chinese standard Digital Television Terrestrial Broadcasting (DTTB) signals for passive radar contains one main peak and many side peaks. The side peaks may cause the false alarms. The relative positions and the reasons for the side peaks are analyzed and a new algorithm for side peaks suppression is proposed in this paper. The algorithm, in consideration of the characteristics of the structure of the frame, can eliminate the side peaks completely in the valid Doppler observation interval by setting the reference signals to zero at equal intervals. Both the simulative and experimental results show that this algorithm can improve the performance of target detection of the passive radar based on DTTB signal.

Chromosomal localization of 5S rDNA in Chinese shrimp (Fenneropenaeus chinensis):a chromosome-specific marker for chromosome identification

Chinese shrimp （Fenneropenaeus chinensis） is an economically important aquaculture species in China. However, cytogenetic and genomic data is limited in the organism partly because the chromosomes are difficult to isolate and analyze. In this study, fluorescence in-situ hybridization （FISH） was used to identify the chromosomes of F. chinensis. The 5S ribosomal RNA gene （rDNA） of F. chinensis was isolated, cloned and then used as a hybridization probe. The results show that the 5S rDNA was located on one pair of homologous chromosomes in F chinensis. In addition, triploid shrimp were used to evaluate the feasibility of chromosome identification using FISH and to validate the method. It was confirmed that 5S rDNA can be used as a chromosome-specific probe for chromosome identification in E chinensis. The successful application ofFISH in E chinensis shows that chromosome-specific probes can be developed and this finding will facilitate further research on the chromosomes ofpenaeid shrimps.

Effects of soybean isoflavones on reproductive parameters in Chinese mini-pig boars

Background： Soybean isoflavones are structurally similar to mammalian estrogens and therefore may act as estrogen agonists or antagonists. However, it has not been determined if they have any negative effects on reproductive parameters in male livestock. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of soybean isofiavones on male reproduction using Chinese mini-pig boars as a model. Fifty Xiang boars were randomly divided into five groups and fed diets containing 0, 125, 250, or 500 ppm soybean isoflavones or 0.5 ppm diethylstilbestrol for 60 days. Results： Dietary supplementation with 250 ppm of soy isoflavones markedly increased the testis index （P 〈 0.05）, fructose content （P 〈 0.05）, and o-glycosidase content in testicular tissue （P 〈 0.01）, as well as increased the number of viable germ cells （P 〈 0.01） and the level of Bcl-2 protein （P 〈 0.01）. However, 500 ppm of soybean isoflavones significantly reduced both testis and epididymis indexes （P 〈 0.0S） and lactate dehydrogenase levels （P 〈 0.01）, as well as reduced serum LH and testosterone levels （P 〈 0.05）. High levels of soybean isoflavones also increased malondialdehyde levels （P 〈 0.05）, as well as increased the numbers of early and late apoptotic germ cells （P 〈 0.01） and the level of Bax proteins （P 〈 0.05） in the testis. Conclusions： The results of this study indicate that consumption of soy isoflavones at dietary levels up to 250 ppm did not adversely affect reproductive parameters in Chinese mini-pig boars whereas higher levels of soy isoflavones may adversely affect male reproduction.

Receiver functions of CCDSN and crustal structure of Chinese mainland

The teleseismic receiver functions of 48 stations belonging to the CCDSN are used to invert the crustal structure beneath each station with the neighborhood algorithm. Thin layers with low velocity have been found beneath eight stations with ＂abnormal＂ observed receiver functions. Unreasonable results of few stations have been adjusted lightly with the trial-and-error method. The final result indicates that the crust in the western China is relatively thicker than the eastern China. The crust thickness beneath the Tibetan plateau is very large, which reaches 84 km at the station LSA. Double-crust structure exists below the stations LSA and CAD in Tibet, which might imply the collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates. A pronounced low velocity zone in the lower crust beneath the station TNC of Yunnan province might relate to the high temperature or emergence of partially molten material caused by Quaternary volcano, magma and geothermal activities in this area. The Moho is a transitional zone made up of thin layers instead of simple sharp discontinuity beneath several stations. The Conrad discontinuity is clearly identified beneath 20 stations mainly in the southeastern China, whereas it is blurry beneath 14 stations and uncertain beneath remaining stations.

Peptidomic analysis of Chinese shrimp(Fenneropenaeus chinensis) hemolymph by magnetic bead-based MALDITOF MS

Peptides in shrimp hemolymph play an important role in the innate immune response.Analysis of hemolymph will help to detect and identify potential novel biomarkers of microbial infection.We used magnetic bead-based purification(ClinProt system) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry(MALDI-TOF MS) to characterize shrimp hemolymph peptides.Shrimp serum and plasma were used as the source of samples for comparative analysis,and it was found that serum was more suitable for shrimp hemolymph peptidomic analysis.To screen potential specific biomarkers in serum of immune-challenged shrimps,we applied magnetic bead-based MALDI-TOF MS to serum samples from 10 immune-challenged and 10 healthy shrimps.The spectra were analyzed using FlexAnalysis 3.0 and ClinProTools 2.1 software.Thirteen peptide peaks significantly different between the two groups were selected as candidate biomarkers of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-infection.The diagnostic model established by genetic algorithm using five of these peaks was able to discriminate LPS-challenged shrimps from healthy control shrimps with a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 100%.Our approach in MALDITOF MS-based peptidomics is a powerful tool for screening bioactive peptides or biomarkers derived from hemolymph,and will help to enable a better understanding of the innate immune response of shrimps.

Evaluation of an ocean data assimilation system for Chinese marginal seas with a focus on the South China Sea

Data assimilation is a powerful tool to improve ocean forecasting by reducing uncertainties in forecast initial conditions.Recently,an ocean data assimilation system based on the ensemble optimal interpolation(EnOI) scheme and HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model(HYCOM) for marginal seas around China was developed.This system can assimilate both satellite observations of sea surface temperature(SST) and along-track sea level anomaly(SLA) data.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of the system.Two experiments were performed,which spanned a 3-year period from January 1,2004 to December 30,2006,with and without data assimilation.The data assimilation results were promising,with a positive impact on the modeled fields.The SST and SLA were clearly improved in terms of bias and root mean square error over the whole domain.In addition,the assimilations provided improvements in some regions to the surface field where mesoscale processes are not well simulated by the model.Comparisons with surface drifter trajectories showed that assimilated SST and SLA also better represent surface currents,with drifter trajectories fitting better to the contours of SLA field than that without assimilation.The forecasting capacity of this assimilation system was also evaluated through a case study of a birth-and-death process of an anticyclone eddy in the Northern South China Sea(NSCS),in which the anticyclone eddy was successfully hindcasted by the assimilation system.This study suggests the data assimilation system gives reasonable descriptions of the near-surface ocean state and can be applied to forecast mesoscale ocean processes in the marginal seas around China.

First record of red filament threadfin bream,Nemipterus marginatus(Valenciennes,1830)(Perciformes,Nemipteridae),from Chinese waters

We collected five specimens of threadfin bream from Beihai, Guangxi, China in March 2010. These were subsequently identified as red filament threadfin bream Nemipterus marginatus (Valenciennes, 1830), being the first record of this species from Chinese waters. N. marginatus is distinguished by the following characteristics: lower border of eye lies above a line from tip of snout to upper base of pectoral fin; mouth oblique, maxillary extending to lower anterior border of pupil; teeth in jaws in several rows, pointed; upper jaw with 3 to 5 pairs of small recurved canines; suborbital with straight lower edge and rounded posterior edge; pectoral fins extending to between level of anus and origin of anal fin; pelvic fins reaching to the first or second anal rays; caudal fin forked, upper lobe tails into a short reddish filament; dorsal fin bluish with a yellow margin distally and a broad yellow median band which subdivides posteriorly into 3 small bands.

Spatio-temporal analysis of land-use conversion in the eastern coastal China during 1996-2005

Based on the acquaintance of the regional background of urban-rural transformational development and investigations on the spot,this paper discusses the holistic situation, dominant factors and mechanism of arable land loss and land for construction occupation in the coastal area of China over the last decade,with the aid of GIS technology.Conclusions of the research are summarized as follows：（1）the arable land had been continuously decreasing from 1996 to 2005,with a loss of 1,708,700 hm^2 and an average decrement of 170,900 hm^2 per year;（2）land for construction increased 1,373,700 hm^2 ,with an average increment of 153,200 hm^2 per year;（3）total area of encroachment on arable land for construction between 1996 and 2005 was 1,053,100 hm^2 ,accounting for 34.03%of the arable land loss in the same period,the percentages of which used for industrial land（INL）,transportation land（TRL）,rural construction land（RUL）and town construction land（TOL）are 45.03%,15.8%,15.47%and 11.5%,respectively;and（4）the fluctuation of the increase of construction land and encroachment on arable land in the area were deeply influenced by the nation＇s macroscopic land-use policies and development level of regional economy.The growth of population and advancement of technology promoted the rapid industrialization, construction of transportation infrastructures,rural urbanization and expansion of rural settlements in the eastern coastal area,and therefore were the primary driving forces of land-use conversion.

Trace Elements and Rare Earth Elements of Sulfide Minerals in the Tianqiao Pb-Zn Ore Deposit,Guizhou Province,China

Trace elements and rare earth elements（REE） of the sulfide minerals were determined by inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry.The results indicate that V,Cu,Sn,Ga,Cd,In,and Se are concentrated in sphalerite,Sb,As,Ge,and Tl are concentrated in galena,and almost all trace elements in pyrite are low.The Ga and Cd contents in the light-yellow sphalerites are higher than that in the brown and the black sphalerites.The contents of Ge,Tl,In,and Se in brown sphalerites are higher than that in light-yellow sphalerites and black sphalerites.It shows that REE concentrations are higher in pyrite than in sphalerite,and galena.In sphalerites,the REE concentration decreases from light-yellow sphalerites,brown sphalerites,to black sphalerites.The ratios of Ga/In are more than 10, and Co/Ni are less than 1 in the studied sphalerites and pyrites,respectively,indicating that the genesis of the Tianqiao Pb-Zn ore deposit might belong to sedimentary-reformed genesis associated with hydrothermal genesis.The relationship between LnGa and LnIn in sphalerite,and between LnBi and LnSb in galena,indicates that the Tianqiao Pb-Zn ore deposit might belong to sedimentary-reformed genesis.Based on the chondrite-normalized REE patterns,δEu is a negative anomaly（0.13-0.88）,andδCe does not show obvious anomaly（0.88-1.31）;all the samples have low total REE concentrations（〈3 ppm） and a wide range of light rare earth element/high rare earth element ratios（1.12-12.35）.These results indicate that the ore-forming fluids occur under a reducing environment.Comparison REE compositions and parameters of sphalerites,galenas,pyrites,ores,altered dolostone rocks,strata carbonates,and the pyrite from Lower Carboniferous Datang Formation showed that the ore-forming fluids might come from polycomponent systems,that is,different chronostratigraphic units could make an important contribution to the ore-forming fluids.Combined with the tectonic setting and previous isotopic geochemistry evidence,we conclude that the ore-deposit genesis is hydrothermal,sedimentary reformed,with multisources characteristics of ore-forming fluids.

Assessing the health risk of heavy metals in vegetables to the general population in Beijing,China

A systematic survey of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn concentrations in vegetables from 416 samples （involving 100 varieties） in Beijing was carried out for assessing the potential health risk to local inhabitants. The results indicated that the metal concentrations in vegetables ranged from 〈 0.001 to 0.479 μg/g fresh weight （fw） （As）, 〈 0.001 to 0.101 μg/g fw （Cd）, 〈 0.001 to 1.04 μg/g fw （Cr）, 0.024 to 8.25μg/g fw （Cu）, 0.001 to 1.689 μg/g fw （Ni）, 〈 0.001 to 0.655 μg/g fw （Pb） and 0.01 to 25.6 μg/g fw （Zn）, with average concentrations of 0.013, 0.010, 0.023, 0.51, 0.053, 0.046 and 2.55 μg/g fw, respectively. The results showed that the concentrations of As, Cr, Cu, Cd, Pb and Ni in vegetables from open-fields were all significantly higher than those grown in greenhouses. In addition, in local-produced vegetables, all HMs except Zn were significantly higher than those in provincial vegetables. The estimated daily intake （EDI） of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn from vegetables was 0.080, 0.062, 0.142, 3.14, 0.327, 0.283 and 15.7 μg/（kg body weight （bw）.d） for adults, respectively. Arsenic was the major risk contributor for inhabitants since the target hazard quotient based on the weighted average concentration （THQw） of arsenic amounted to 44.3% of the total THQ （TTHQ） value according to average vegetable consumption. The TTHQ was lower than 1 for all age groups, indicating that it was still safe for the general population of Beijing to consume vegetables.

Regional assessment of cadmium pollution in agricultural lands and the potential health risk related to intensive mining activities: A case study in Chenzhou City, China

The purpose of this study was to assess the extent of cadmium （Cd） contamination in agricultural soil and its potential risk for people. Soils, rice, and vegetables from Chenzhou City, Southern China were sampled and analyzed. In the surface soils, the 95% confidence interval for the mean concentration of Cd varied between 2.72 and 4.83 mg/kg （P 〈 0.05） in the survey, with a geometric mean concentration of 1.45 mg/kg. Based on the GIS map, two hot spot areas of Cd in agricultural soils with high Cd concentrations were identified to be located around the Shizhuyuan, Jinshiling, and Yaogangxian mines, and the Baoshan and Huangshaping mines, in the center of the city. About 60% of the total investigated area, where the agricultural soil Cd concentration is above 1 mg/kg, is distributed in a central belt across the region. The critical distances, at which the soil Cd concentration were increased by the mining activities, from the mines of the soils were 23 km for the Baoshan mine, 46 km for the Huangshaping mine, and 63 km for the Shizhuyuan mine, respectively. These are distances calculated from models. The Cd concentrations in rice samples ranged from 0.01 to 4.43 mg/kg and the mean dietary Cd intake from rice for an adult was 191 μg/d. Results of risk indexes showed that soil Cd concentrations possessed risks to local residents whose intake of Cd from rice and vegetables grown in soils in the vicinity of the mine was 596 μg/d.

The scientific foundation of Major Function Oriented Zoning in China

Major function oriented zoning （MFOZ hereafter） is the guideline for optimizing the spatial pattern of regional development in China, which entails both theoretical and methodological innovation in the academic field of economic geography. This study analyzes the basic features of territorial function and puts forward a spatial equilibrium model for regional development for the first time. It argues that there exists a trend of regional convergence in the average value which indicates the comprehensive development status of any region. Based on this finding, the study illustrates that the formation of functional zone should be conducive to the narrowing of regional gap and that free flow of resources between regions is the prerequisite to spatial equilibrium. It also investigates the impact of territorial functional evolution on the process of spatial equilibrium and suggests that the maximization of benefits derived from zoning proposal is interrelative with the method of regional division and the degree of understanding towards the temporal changes of territorial function. Furthermore, this study goes on to examine the scientific foundation of several issues concerning the reconciliation between contradictory functions of development and protection, the selection of indicators and the spatial and temporal features of MFOZ. It is then probes into the rationality of achieving dual goals of efficiency and equality simultaneously through three-dimensional flow and spatial equilibrium. The paper ends with discussions on the position, implementation and coordination of MFOZ from the perspective of institutional arrangements of spatial governance including law, planning and government policy.

Effect of Long-Term Rice Straw Return on Soil Glomalin, Carbon and Nitrogen

A long-term experiment was conducted to investigate how long-term fertilization and rice straw incorporation into soil affect soil glomalin, C and N. The combined application of chemical fertilizer and straw resulted in a significant increase in both soil easily extractable glomalin (EEG) and total glomalin (TG) concentrations, as compared with application of only chemical fertilizer or no fertilizer application. The EEG and TG concentrations of the NPKS (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizer application + rice straw return) plot were 4.68% and 5.67% higher than those of the CK (unfertilized control) plot, and 9.87% and 6.23% higher than those of the NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizer applied annually) plot, respectively. Application of only chemical fertilizer did not cause a statistically significant change of soil glomalin compared with no fertilizer application. The changes of soil organic C (SOC) and total N (TN) contents demonstrated a similar trend to soil glomalin in these plots. The SOC and TN contents of NPKS plot were 15.01% and 9.18% higher than those of the CK plot, and 8.85% and 14.76% higher than those of the NPK plot, respectively. Rice straw return also enhanced the contents of microbial biomass C (MBC) and microbial biomass N (MBN) in the NPKS plot by 7.76% for MBC and 31.42% for MBN compared with the CK plot, and 12.66% for MBC and 15.07% for MBN compared with the NPK plots, respectively. Application of only chemical fertilizer, however, increased MBN concentration, but decreased MBC concentration in soil.

Molecular phylogenetic analysis of attached Ulvaceae species and free-floating Enteromorpha from Qingdao coasts in 2007

Based on the sequence data of the nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer(ITS) 1,5.8 S,and ITS 2,the molecular phylogeny was analyzed on Ulvaceae species collected from Qingdao coasts in summer of 2007,including 15 attached Ulva and Enteromorpha samples from 10 locations and 10 free-floating Enteromorpha samples from seven locations.The result supported the monophyly of all free-floating Enteromorpha samples,implying the unialgal composition of the free-floating Enteromorpha,and the attached Ulvaceae species from Qingdao coasts were grouped into other five clades,suggesting that they were not the biogeographic origin of the free-floating Enteromorpha in that season.

Channel change at Toudaoguai Station and its responses to the operation of upstream reservoirs in the upper Yellow River

The application of dams built upstream will change the input conditions, including water and sediment, of downstream fluvial system, and destroy previous dynamic quasi-equilibrium reached by channel streamflow, so indispensable adjustments are necessary for downstream channel to adapt to the new water and sediment supply, leading the fluvial system to restore its previous equilibrium or reach a new equilibrium. Using about 50-year-long hydrological, sedimentary and cross-sectional data, temporal response processes of Toudaoguai cross-section located in the upper Yellow River to the operation of reservoirs built upstream are analyzed. The results show that the Toudaoguai cross-section change was influenced strongly by upstream reservoir operation and downstream channel bed armoring thereafter occurred gradually and extended to the reach below Sanhuhekou gauging station. Besides, median diameter of suspended sediment load experienced a three-stage change that is characterized by an increase at first, then a decrease and an increase again finally, which reflects the process of channel bed armoring that began at Qingtongxia reservoir and then gradually developed downstream to the reach below Sanhuhekou cross-section. Since the joint operation strategy of Longyangxia, Liujiaxia and Qingtongxia reservoirs was introduced in 1986, the three-stage change trend has become less evident than that in the time period between 1969 and 1986 when only Qingtongxia and Liujiaxia reservoirs were put into operation alone. In addition, since 1987, the extent of lateral migration and thalweg elevation change at Toudaoguai cross-section has reduced dramatically, cross-sectional profile and location tended to be stable, which is beneficial to the normal living for local people.

Heavy metal pollution of soils and vegetables in the midstream and downstream of the Xiangjiang River, Hunan Province

A total of 219 agricultural soil and 48 vegetable samples were collected from the midstream and downstream of the Xiangjiang River（the Hengyang-Changsha section）in Hunan Province.The accumulation characteristics,spatial distribution and potential risk of heavy metals in the agricultural soils and vegetables were depicted.There are higher accumulations of heavy metals such as As,Cd,Cu,Ni,Pb and Zn in agricultural soils,and the contents of Cd（2.44 mg kg^-1 ）,Pb（65.00 mg kg^-1 ）and Zn（144.13 mg kg^-1 ）are 7.97,3.69 and 1.63 times the corresponding background contents in soils of Hunan Province,respectively. 13.2%of As,68.5%of Cd,2.7%of Cu,2.7%of Ni,8.7%of Pb and 15.1%of Zn in soil samples from the investigated sites exceeded the maximum allowable heavy metal contents in the China Environmental Quality Standard for Soils（GB15618-1995,Grade Ⅱ）.The pollution characteristics of multi-metals in soils are mainly due to Cd.The contents of As,Cd,Cu,Pb and Zn in vegetable soils are significantly higher than the contents in paddy soils.95.8%, 68.8%,10.4%and 95.8%of vegetable samples exceeded the Maximum Levels of Contaminants in Foods（GB2762-2005）for As,Cd,Ni and Pb concentrations,respectively.There are significantly positive correlations between the concentrations of Cd,Pb and Zn in vegetables and the concentrations in the corresponding vegetable soils（p〈0.01）.It is very necessary to focus on the potential risk of heavy metals for food safety and human health in agricultural soils and vegetables in the midstream and downstream of the Xiangjiang River,Hunan Province of China.

Biodegradation of benzo[a]pyrene in soil by Mucor sp.SF06 and Bacillus sp.SB02 co-immobilized on vermiculite

Two indigenous microorganisms, Bacillus sp. SB02 and Mucor sp. SF06, capable of degrading polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons （PAHs） were co-immobilized on vermiculite by physical adsorption and used to degrade benzo[a] pyrene （BaP）. The characteristics of BaP degradation by both free and co-immobilized microorganism were then investigated and compared. The removal rate using the immobilized bacterial-fungal mixed consortium was higher than that of the freely mobile mixed consortium. 95.3% of BaP was degraded using the co-immobilized system within 42 d, which was remarkably higher than the removal rate of that by the free strains. The optimal amount of inoculated co-immobilized system for BaP degradation was 2%. The immobilized bacterial-fungal mixed consortium also showed better water stability than the free strains. Kinetics of BaP biodegradation by co-immobilized SF06 and SB02 were also studied. The results demonstrated that BaP degradation could be well described by a zero-order reaction rate equation when the initial BaP concentration was in the range of 10--200 mg/kg. The scanning electronic microscope （SEM） analysis showed that the co-immobilized microstructure was suitable for the growth of SF06 and SB02. The mass transmission process of co-immobilized system in soil is discussed. The results demonstrate the potential for employing the bacterial-fungal mixed consortium, co-immobilized on vermiculite, for in situ bioremediation of BaP.