Isolation of antimicrobial agent from the marine algae Cystoseira hakodatensis

Cystoseira hakodatensis is an unutilised brown algae belonging to family Sargassaceae. A crude methanol extract from the algae showed inhibitory effects on the growths of Bacillus cereus and Bacillus licheniformis. To isolate the major antimicrobial agent, a sequential active‐guided isolation procedure was applied: liquid–liquid extraction, column chromatography and bio‐autography. A marked antimicrobial agent (active α) was isolated in hydrophobic fraction and was determined to phenolics without carbohydrates and proteins by phytochemical test. Regarding the antimicrobial potential, the isolated active α showed better inhibitory effects against B. cereus and B. licheniformis at 2 and 4 times of lower concentrations (62.5 and 31.3 μg mL^?1) in comparison with epigallocatechin gallate. These results showed that C. hakodatensis is a potential source of antimicrobial agent capable of preventing the growth of the two bacteria.     

三江盆地西部藻类地层学特征

本文依据三江盆地西部4口井的藻类分布特征，自下而上划分9个组合，并对各组合的时代及沉积环境进行了探讨。     

膜组合工艺应对藻类暴发的能力研究

藻类暴发严重威胁饮用水水质以及供给。试验采用投加混凝剂、粉末活性炭和高锰酸钾作为微滤膜预处理的膜组合工艺,考察应对藻类暴发的能力。研究表明,藻类暴发会引起有机物含量的增加,主要是小分子(相对分子质量低于1 000)的中性亲水组分的大量增加,这类有机物可通过预处理得到有效的去除,因而没有发现藻类暴发会对膜过滤产生严重的影响,粉末活性炭和高锰酸钾可有效延长膜过滤周期。导致膜不可逆污染的有机物主要为中等分子的强疏水和中小分子的中性亲水组分。     

大伙房水库藻类简析

介绍了藻类的基本特征、主要分类和生活习性,通过对大伙房水库藻类监测的数据进行分析归纳,总结藻类的变化因素以及对生态环境的影响。     

Can phytoplankton community structure be inferred from satellite-derived sea surface temperature anomalies calculated relative to nitrate depletion temperatures?

Hydrographic data collected in the upper 50 m off La Jolla, CA, USA (31°N, 117°W) between 1970 and 1972 were reanalyzed to examine temporal variability in the local temperature-nitrate relationship and to document how chlorophyll a concentration and phytoplankton community structure covary with the temperature-nitrate relationship. Based on the linear expression y=mx+b, the y-intercepts (b), slopes (m), and x-intercepts (−b/m or nitrate depletion temperature, NDT) of four seasonal (January-March, April-June, July-September, and October-December) temperature-nitrate relationships, obtained from the combined multiyear data set, were statistically different from each other and varied around overall multiyear values of b=72.73 μM, m=−5.33 μM °C⁻¹, and NDT=13.65 °C. Three interannual temperature-nitrate relationships from February to April 1970, 1971, and 1972 also had y-intercepts, slopes, and x-intercepts that were statistically different from each other. Nevertheless, limited variability in direct comparisons among seasonal or interannual regression lines and a 1 °C La Jolla NDT range compared to a 25 °C global NDT range supported the general utility of NDT-based comparisons. A nitrate-normalized temperature axis (T−NDT) was created for the La Jolla data set by subtracting NDT from the recorded water column temperatures (T). Chlorophyll a reached a maximum between 0 and 2 °C on this T-NDT axis that ranged from −4 to 10 °C. Microscope-based determinations of La Jolla centric diatom, pennate diatom and dinoflagellate abundances, and La Jolla chlorophyll a, partitioned in proportion to the numerical abundance of the three groups, both peaked in logical progression along the T-NDT axis. In a separate analysis of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) data from three Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) cruises (50°N to 52°S), chlorophyll a peaked below 0 °C and three different phytoplankton classes, nanoflagellates, large eukaryotes and prokaryotes, distributed in logical progression along a sea surface temperature (SST) minus NDT axis. To further generalize these results, a previously reported 1° latitude×1° longitude grid of NDTs for the world ocean was applied to satellite-derived grids of SST for March 1999 through June 2000. The SST−NDT calculation provided a standard nitrate-normalized axis simultaneously applicable to all locations in the world ocean. Sixteen plots of satellite-derived chlorophyll a versus SST−NDT for March 1999 through June 2000 demonstrated the opposing seasonal movements of northern and southern hemisphere chlorophyll a along the SST-NDT axis. Based on the phytoplankton community patterns along the temperature minus NDT in the La Jolla and AMT data sets, this chlorophyll a movement along the SST-NDT axis can be associated with phytoplankton community changes related to location around SST−NDT=0 °C. The SST−NDT index appears to provide a useful tool for interpreting the character of the phytoplankton community structure contributing to satellite-derived chlorophyll a in the world ocean.     

Development and experimental validation of an overlay mortar with biocide activity

Biodeterioration of concrete by microorganism colonisation may be a problem in several structures, especially in irrigation and hydroelectric canals. The main problem in such structures is the proliferation of algae and cyanobacteria that affect the performance of the structure, increase the maintenance costs and affects its durability. A research was conducted to develop a novel cement-based material with biocide activity that can be used as an overlay mortar in existing structures, such as canals and pipes. With this aim, ten commercial biocides were evaluated in a laboratory campaign to assess the effectiveness of the compounds against the microbial colonisation of concrete. Both mono- and multicomponent formulations were designed from the commercial products, to increase their antimicrobial effect obtaining a set of biocide formulations. The formulations were submitted to a flowchart process to determine their influence on the physical properties of the concrete, evaluate the release of the actives, and their antimicrobial efficiency both before and after accelerated aging processes. During the campaign, some formulations were observed to diminish the strength of the concrete. Such behaviour was normally due to the interaction of the active with the cement hydration process. Other formulations showed a high release of active from the concrete in water, compromising the durability of the treatment. In general, monocomponent formulations did not succeed to fulfill all the requirements, thus multicomponent formulations were analysed. One studied multicomponent formulation presented particularly good results in all properties analysed. This product did not significantly change the properties of concrete and the release of active in water from the concrete was low, while the antimicrobial effects were long lasting.     

Economic feasibility of algal biodiesel under alternative public policies

The motivation for this research was to determine the influence of public policies on economic feasibility of producing algal biodiesel in a system that produced all its energy needs internally. To achieve this, a steady-state mass balance/unit operation system was modeled first. Open raceway technology was assumed for the production of algal feedstock, and the residual biomass after oil extraction was assumed fermented to produce ethanol for the transesterification process. The project assumed the production of 50 million gallons of biodiesel per year and using about 14% of the diesel output to supplement internal energy requirements. It sold the remainder biodiesel and ethanol as pure biofuels to maximize the rents from the renewable fuel standards quota system. Assuming a peak daily yield of 500 kg algal biomass (dry basis)/ha, the results show that production of algal biodiesel under the foregoing constraints is only economically feasible with direct and indirect public policy intervention. For example, the renewable fuel standards' tracking RIN (Renewable fuel Identification Number) system provides a treasury-neutral value for biofuel producers as does the reinstatement of the renewable fuel tax credit. Additionally, the capital costs of an integrated system are such that some form of capital cost grant from the government would support the economic feasibility of the algal biodiesel production.     

Co-fermentation of sewage sludge and algae and Fe2+ addition for enhancing hydrogen production

Co-fermentation of sewage sludge and algae was performed for enhancing the hydrogen production, and the effect of Fe²⁺ on co-fermentation process was examined. Results showed that both co-fermentation process and Fe²⁺ addition promoted hydrogen production. Highest hydrogen production of 28 mL/100 mL (14.8 mL H₂/g VS_added) was obtained from the co-fermentation group with 600 mg/L Fe²⁺ addition, which was 2.15 times, 2.00 times and 1.87 times of mono-fermentation of sludge, mono-fermentation of algae, and the co-fermentation group without Fe²⁺ addition. Both volatile solids and protein degradation were stimulated by co-fermentation process. Microbial analysis showed that co-fermentation groups with Fe²⁺ addition enriched Clostridium sensu stricto 13, Clostridium tertium and Terrisporobacter, which were positively correlated with cumulative hydrogen production. This study suggested that the co-fermentation of sludge and algae in the presence of Fe²⁺ could significantly improve the hydrogen production by stimulating the hydrogen-producing metabolism.     

Antibacterial mechanism of Myagropsis myagroides extract on Listeria monocytogenes

The ethanol extract of Myagropsis myagroides had antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. The extract was fractionated through liquid–liquid extraction; the chloroform fraction had strong antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) 0.063 mg/mL), and Clostridium perfringens (MIC 0.031 mg/mL). The chloroform fraction was separated into 22 sub-fractions using silica gel column chromatography, with the fourth fraction (CH4) possessing the strongest antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Leakage of 260 nm-absorbing material and ATP was observed in CH4-treated cells and morphological alterations were observed by electron microscopy. These results indicate that the cytoplasmic membrane may be a target of the CH4 fraction.     

Modeling uranium biosorption by Cystoseira sp. and application studies

The aim of the present work was to determine the applicability of raw and modified brown macroalga Cystoseira sp. as a biosorbent material for the sorption of uranium ions from aqueous solutions. Equilibrium of uranium biosorption was analyzed under isotherm models and thermodynamic parameters of the process. Recovery of uranium from acidic mine wastewater was also applied. The mechanism of biosorption was discussed considering experimental data and theoretical models. The bioremoval efficiency of modified biomass was higher than raw Cystoseira sp. and the theoretical biosorption capacity of modified biosorbent was calculated to be 468.01 mg U/g.