Iodine from brown algae in human nutrition,with an emphasis on bioaccessibility,bioavailability, chemistry,and effects of processing: A systematic review

Brown algae are becoming increasingly popular as a food source and dietary supplement in Europe and other Western countries. As they are highly rich in iodine, they represent a potential new dietary iodine source. Iodine deficiency has been re-emerging in Europe, and it is important to ensure adequate intake through one's diet. However, macroalgae, and especially brown algae, may contain very high amounts of iodine, and both iodine deficiency and excessive iodine may increase the risk of negative health effects. The iodine content of algae or foods containing algae is currently not regulated in the European Union. The aim of this paper is to review the literature to determine the chemical species of iodine in brown algae, the loss of iodine during processing, and the bioavailability and bioaccessibility of iodine. A systematic search of the literature was performed in April 2021, via the databases Web of Science and PubMed. The review includes studies of iodine in brown macroalgae in relation to bioavailability, bioaccessibility, processing and speciation. A meta-analysis was conducted in relation to the following topics: (i) the correlation between total iodine and iodide (I^–) content in brown algae; (ii) the correlation between the loss of iodine during processing and the I^– content; and (iii) the correlation between bioavailability and the I^– content. The bioavailability of iodine from brown algae was generally high, with in vivo bioavailability ranging from 31% to 90%. The in vitro bioavailability of iodine (2%–28%) was systematically lower than in vivo bioavailability (31%–90%), indicating an inadequate in vitro methodology. Processing may reduce the iodine content of brown algae, and a higher I^– content was positively correlated with increased iodine loss during processing. Although processing strategies may reduce the iodine content of brown algae significantly, the iodine content may still be high after processing. These findings may be used in food safety evaluations of brown algae as well as in the development of macroalgae-containing foods with iodine contents suitable for human consumption. Further research on processing techniques to reduce the iodine content in brown macroalgae are warranted.     

Speciation of copper in high chloride concentrations,in the context of corrosion of copper canisters

Canisters with a cast iron insert for mechanical strength and a 50-mm thick copper shell as corrosion protection are planned to be used for disposal of spent nuclear fuel in Sweden and Finland. Chloride can be considered “beneficial”, as it promotes active dissolution of copper rather than passivation (which might result in pitting), but a high concentration of chloride in solution would increase the driving force for corrosion through the formation of soluble copper chloro complexes. Thermodynamic calculations are performed in this study with the PHREEQC software and three of its accompanying databases, and a comparison with experimental data is performed to select the database to be used when evaluating repository performance. The activity coefficient models are given special attention. For the assessment of chloride-assisted corrosion of a KBS-3 canister, chloride concentrations pessimistically up to 5 mol/kg are used (in Finland and Sweden, the groundwater and bentonite porewater chloride concentrations are not expected to exceed 1 mol/kg). The resulting copper solubilities are then considered in different mass transport cases.     

Binding of Cu(II) to algae in a metal buffer

The interactions of Cu(II) with algal surfaces and exudates were studied in metal-NTA buffers by a combination of several analytical techniques. Suspensions of living algae in the presence of NTA were titrated at constant pH with Cu(II). The various Cu species were determined as follows: a copper ion selective electrode was used reliably in the pCu range 9–12; differential pulse polarography was used to measure separately Cu(II)-NTA complexes and labile Cu(II) species and to evaluate the complexation of copper by ligands in solution; copper bound to the algal surfaces was extracted by acid treatment and measured by AAS. Thus, we determined both the binding of Cu to the algal surfaces and to exudates excreted by the algae. The results were interpreted in terms of conditional equilibrium constants valid at a given pH; the conditional constants, both for the binding to the surfaces and with the exudates increase in the pH range 5.0–6.5. Simple equilibrium models using the experimentally determined binding capacities and equilibrium constants were able to simulate the results and to evaluate the speciation of copper. Under the experimental conditions used, the binding of Cu(II) to algal exudates has a more significant effect on copper speciation than the binding to the algal surfaces. These extracellular ligands may play an important role in decreasing the concentration of free copper ion and thus mitigating the potential toxic effects in organisms.     

Characterization and availability of cyanide in solid mine tailings from gold extraction plants

The aim of this study was to investigate the availability and fate of cyanide in gold mill solid tailings. For this purpose, aged (6-9 years) and recently discharged (3 months) tailings were sampled at various depths from two gold mining sites in Quebec (Canada). A physicochemical characterization of the tailings along with a bacterial enumeration was performed and batch-leaching tests with water and caustic solution were conducted to assess the soluble cyanide fraction. Following the standard acid reflux/distillation method, the total cyanide concentration (CN(T)) in fresh tailings was higher (average of 19.5 +/- 2.0 compared to 3.2 +/- 0.7 mg/kg) and the pH more alkaline (10.6 +/- 0.1 compared to 7.6 +/- 0.2) compared to aged ones. In aged tailings, the enumeration of total heterotrophic (10(4)-10(6) cfu/g) and cyanide-resistant bacteria (10(2)-10(5) cfu/g) showed a significant indigenous microflora, but no growth on agar plates was detected in fresh tailings, suggesting an evolution and a gradual acclimatization of bacterial populations with weathering. Elevated concentrations of CN(T), weak acid dissociable cyanide (CN(WAD)), cyanate (CNO-), and thiocyanate (SCN-) were measured in the supernatant solution of the fresh tailings samples collected in-situ, highlighting their reactivity, whereas these species were not detectable in aged tailings. Accordingly, when batch-leaching tests were performed with fresh samples, 68-72% of the total cyanide was released into aqueous solution with more than 20% being CN(WAD). Again, CN(T) and CN(WAD) were not detectable during leaching of aged tailings. In fresh tailings, approximately 50% of the cyanides were quantifiable with the standard acid reflux/distillation method (readily soluble cyanides, and weak to moderately strong complexes), whereas in aged tailings only 15 to 33% of the actual total cyanide content was measured by the standard method. These results stress the necessity of performing a preliminary alkaline extraction prior to total cyanide determination. In summary, this study revealed a difference in physicochemical properties, cyanide concentration and speciation, viable bacterial populations and cyanide leaching behavior between aged and fresh solid mine tailings. The findings indicate that the more reactive cyanide species initially associated with the solid tailings have naturally degraded within the mine tailings impoundment area, resulting primarily from volatilization (decrease in pH), leaching, and bacterial degradation.     

Silver complexation in river waters of central New York

The dissolved component of the apparent silver complexation capacity was determined for Susquehanna and Chenango River water samples collected over a 3-month period in the vicinity of Binghamton, New York. Silver ion activities detected by the Ag⁺/S^2? ion selective electrode during potentiometric titration of the river water with AgNO₃ were lower than Ag⁺ activities calculated with an inorganic equilibrium speciation model. The maximum difference in Ag⁺ activity, which ranged from 1.5 × 10^?8 to 8.4 × 10^?8, was attributed to the presence of a constituent or constituents in the river water which strongly bind Ag, perhaps dissolved organic matter and/or colloidal material. Variation in apparent complexation capacity between river water samples was explained by different concentrations of the ligands complexing Ag. A tentative extrapolation of the dissolved Ag speciation to Ag concentrations in natural river water suggested that most of the Ag would be complexed by Cl^? and an unidentified constituent or constituents.     

地下煤火土壤典型重金属分布特征

通过采集乌鲁木齐大泉湖火区土壤样及实验室测定,研究了火区土壤理化性质与重金属Hg,As,Cu,Pb,Cr,Zn,Ni空间分布特征。结果表明:温度正常区土壤温度随采样深度增加的幅度较温度异常区小;温度正常、温度异常区土壤有机质含量随深度的增加均减少,温度正常区I,II,III,IV层土壤有机质含量大于温度异常区相应土层有机质含量;温度异常区土壤层I重金属Cu,Pb,Cr,Zn,Ni含量均小于温度正常区土壤层I相应重金属含量,II层则有增加的趋势并大于温度正常区相应土层重金属含量;温度正常区、温度异常区土壤Hg,As,Cu,Ni重金属含量随深度变化幅度及波动幅度较小,而温度异常区土壤Pb,Cr,Zn重金属含量随深度变化波动幅度较温度正常区大;火区热效应、地形、土壤及气象因子是影响土壤重金属分布的主要原因。土壤典型重金属砷形态分析表明:残留态砷含量最高,水溶态砷含量最低;水溶态砷在火区取样区域内I,II,III,IV土壤层区域富集特征与各层土壤碳酸钙富集特征趋于一致;温度正常区土壤残留态砷、铁形砷含量随深度变化的趋势与土壤碳酸钙含量随深度变化趋势一致;温度异常区残留态砷含量随深度增加波动趋势与土壤有机质含量波动趋势有较强关联性;温度正常区、温度异常区均值水溶态砷含量基本稳定,表明其与温度、土壤特性等无明显相关性。     

Removal of heavy metals from storm and surface water by slow sand filtration: the importance of speciation

The removal of heavy metals from storm and surface waters by slow sand filtration is described. The importance of speciation as a technique for exploring and improving the mechanisms of removal is identified. Laboratory-scale slow sand filters operating at conventional flow rate and depth were shown to be able to reduce concentrations of selected heavy metals (Cu, Cr, Pb and Cd) found in road runoff, surface water and sewage effluents to drinking water standard. Nitrogen, volatile solids and modified Stover speciation were used to differentiate between the potential mechanisms of removal, i.e. active biomass, organic adsorption and simple adsorption or precipitation on the surface of the sand. The data presented show that adsorption via organic ligands was the predominant mechanism for metal removal at the surface of the filter but chemical adsorption was the more important deeper in the filter. In the lower layers the adsorbed metals were more easily exchanged than the organically bound metals. The precise chemical ligands were not identified and varied from metal to metal. The most important operational factors affecting performance were therefore the concentration of organic matter, filter depth and the flow velocity.     

西藏多不杂铜矿区土壤与河床沉积物中重金属元素特征及其环境意义

西藏多不杂铜矿是一大型斑岩型富金铜矿床,已探明铜资源量超过400×10⁴ t,目前尚未开发且研究主要集中于找矿与地质成矿等方面,很少进行环境方面的研究。为了解西藏多不杂铜矿在未开采前矿区重金属元素的富集状况和迁移特性,对多不杂铜矿区地表土壤和萨玛隆河河床沉积物进行了样品采集,测试Cu、Pb、Zn、As、Cd、Cr、Hg等7种重金属元素含量和赋存形态; 采用地累积指数法、内梅罗综合污染指数法、风险评估编码法对矿区重金属元素的富集程度和生物活性进行评价。结果表明:多不杂铜矿区地表土壤和萨玛隆河河床沉积物中的多数重金属元素含量分配受到多不杂铜矿的影响很大,且二者具有显著的相关性; 多不杂铜矿区地表土壤中Cu尤为富集,含量最高达到21 020.000×10^-6,超过《土壤环境质量标准》(GB 15618—1995)中Ⅲ级标准的50倍,综合污染指数为39.43,达到重度污染级别,多数样品的地累积指数也达到极强污染级别,且其生物活性为中度风险,容易迁移转化,对环境的影响很大; 萨玛隆河河床沉积物中Cu最高含量为2 406.000×10^-6,为Ⅲ级土壤环境质量标准的6倍,其综合污染指数为38.13,显示重度污染,污染率为91.6%,但其生物活性为低风险级别,迁移能力较弱,对环境的影响不是很大,但仍不可轻视; Cd虽然含量不高,低于Ⅲ级土壤环境质量标准,但是其在河床沉积物中主要以碳酸盐结合态存在(占比为48.01%),生物活性达到极高风险级别,对环境影响较大; Pb、Zn、As、Cr、Hg含量普遍较低,且生物活性较弱,能够稳定存在于土壤中,基本不会对环境造成影响。     

Mosquito sound communication: are male swarms loud enough to attract females?

Given the unsurpassed sound sensitivity of mosquitoes among arthropods and the sound source power required for long-range hearing, we investigated the distance over which female mosquitoes detect species-specific cues in the sound of station-keeping mating swarms. A common misunderstanding, that mosquitoes cannot hear at long range because their hearing organs are ‘particle-velocity’ receptors, has clouded the fact that particle velocity is an intrinsic component of sound whatever the distance to the sound source. We exposed free-flying Anopheles coluzzii females to pre-recorded sounds of male An. coluzzii and An. gambiae s.s. swarms over a range of natural sound levels. Sound levels tested were related to equivalent distances between the female and the swarm for a given number of males, enabling us to infer distances over which females might hear large male swarms. We show that females do not respond to swarm sound up to 48 dB sound pressure level (SPL) and that louder SPLs are not ecologically relevant for a swarm. Considering that swarms are the only mosquito sound source that would be loud enough to be heard at long range, we conclude that inter-mosquito acoustic communication is restricted to close-range pair interactions. We also showed that the sensitivity to sound in free-flying males is much enhanced compared to that of tethered ones.