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Plant Biology (Stuttgart, Germany) Aug 2022Growth and functioning of Sphagnum mosses are closely linked to water level and chemistry. Sphagnum mosses occur in wet, generally acidic conditions, and when buffered,...
Growth and functioning of Sphagnum mosses are closely linked to water level and chemistry. Sphagnum mosses occur in wet, generally acidic conditions, and when buffered, alkaline water is known to negatively impact Sphagnum. The effects of time, dose and species-specific responses of buffered, alkaline water on Sphagnum are largely unknown. We investigated the effects of bicarbonate and calcium on the survival, growth and physiological functioning of seven Sphagnum species occurring in contrasting environments, from raised bogs to (rich) fens. Mosses were submerged in different concentrations of bicarbonate and calcium solutions for 10 weeks under climate-controlled circumstances. After 2 weeks, all species exposed to the high bicarbonate treatment (2.0 mM) showed severe potassium leakage and swift discoloration. In contrast, species showed differential responses to the intermediate bicarbonate treatment (0.8 mM), some with a later onset of potassium leakage. S. squarrosum, S. teres & S. contortum generally persisted the longest, with all species dying after 6 to 10 weeks. Calcium alone, in contrast, negatively affected S. squarrosum, S. teres & S. contortum, causing discoloration and potassium leakage. Our study shows enrichment with bicarbonate, but not calcium, is detrimental for most Sphagnum species tested. A mechanistic model was developed that is consistent with dose and duration dependence and the species specificity. Future conservation and restoration measures for Sphagnum-dominated habitats and Sphagnum farming (cultivation, production and harvest of Sphagnum moss biomass) should limit flooding with bicarbonate-rich waters while investigating new management options, like acidifying surface waters to lower bicarbonate levels.
Topics: Bicarbonates; Ecosystem; Potassium; Sphagnopsida; Water
PubMed: 35340103
DOI: 10.1111/plb.13423 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2020The synthesis, isolation and full characterization of ion pairs between alkaline metal ions (Li, Na, K) and mono-anions and dianions obtained from...
Synthesis and Characterization of Ion Pairs between Alkaline Metal Ions and Anionic Anti-Aromatic and Aromatic Hydrocarbons with π-Conjugated Central Seven- and Eight-Membered Rings.
The synthesis, isolation and full characterization of ion pairs between alkaline metal ions (Li, Na, K) and mono-anions and dianions obtained from -dibenzo[,]cycloheptenyl (CH = trop) is reported. According to Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, single crystal X-ray analysis and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations, the trop and trop anions show anti-aromatic properties which are dependent on the counter cation M and solvent molecules serving as co-ligands. For comparison, the disodium and dipotassium salt of the dianion of dibenzo[]cyclooctatetraene (CH = dbcot) were prepared, which show classical aromatic character. A d-Rh(I) complex of trop was prepared and the structure shows a distortion of the CH ligand into a conjugated 10π -benzo pentadienide unit-to which the Rh(I) center is coordinated-and an aromatic 6π electron benzo group which is non-coordinated. Electron transfer reactions between neutral and anionic trop and dbcot species show that the anti-aromatic compounds obtained from trop are significantly stronger reductants.
Topics: Alkalies; Anions; Crystallography, X-Ray; Electrons; Heterocyclic Compounds; Hydrocarbons, Aromatic; Ions; Ligands; Metals; Molecular Structure
PubMed: 33076581
DOI: 10.3390/molecules25204742 -
Polish Journal of Microbiology Sep 2020Ligninolytic bacteria degrading lignin were isolates and identified, and their biodegradation mechanism of alkaline-lignin was investigated. Four strains with lignin...
Ligninolytic bacteria degrading lignin were isolates and identified, and their biodegradation mechanism of alkaline-lignin was investigated. Four strains with lignin degradation capability were screened and identified from the soil, straw, and silage based on their decolorizing capacity of aniline blue and colony size on alkaline-lignin medium. The degradation ratio of BY5, LN2, LN4, and CL32 have been assayed using alkaline-lignin as the unique carbon source. Further, the Lip (lignin peroxidase) and Mnp (manganese peroxidase) activities of strains were investigated. Lip activity of LN4 was highest after 72 h of incubation and reached 7151.7 U · l. Mnp activity of CL32 was highest after 48 h and reached 12533 U · l. The analysis of alkaline-lignin degradation products by GC-MS revealed that the strains screened could utilize aromatic esters compounds such as dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and decomposite monocyclic aromatic compounds through the DBP aerobic metabolic pathway. The results indicate that BY5, LN2, LN4, and CL32 have high potential to degrade alkaline-lignin, and might utilize aromatic compounds by DBP aerobic metabolic pathway in the process of lignin degradation.
Topics: Alkalies; Bacteria; Bacterial Proteins; Biodegradation, Environmental; Lignin; Metabolic Networks and Pathways; Peroxidases; Phylogeny; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
PubMed: 33574863
DOI: 10.33073/pjm-2020-037 -
Scientific Reports Aug 2022Considering the destructive effect of stresses on the photosynthetic apparatus of plants and the important role of light in photosynthesis, we investigated the effect of...
Considering the destructive effect of stresses on the photosynthetic apparatus of plants and the important role of light in photosynthesis, we investigated the effect of complementary light on the photosynthetic apparatus under salinity and alkalinity stress conditions. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in monochromatic blue (460 nm), monochromatic red (660 nm), dichromatic blue/red (1:3), white/yellow (400-700 nm) at 200 μmol m S, and without LED treatment were used. The stress treatments were in three stages: Control (no stress), Alkalinity (40 mM NaHCO), and Salinity (80 mM NaCl). Our results showed that salinity and alkaline stress reduced CO assimilation by 62.64% and 40.81%, respectively, compared to the control treatment. The blue light spectrum had the highest increase in water use efficiency (54%) compared to the treatment without supplementary light. Under salinity and alkalinity stress, L, K, and H bands increased and G bands decreased compared to the control treatment, with blue/red light causing the highest increase in L and K bands under both stress conditions. In salinity and alkalinity stress, white/yellow and blue/red spectra caused the highest increase in H bands. Complementary light spectra increased the G band compared to the treatment without complementary light. There was a significant decrease in power indices and quantum power parameters due to salt and alkalinity stress. The use of light spectra, especially blue, red, and blue/red light, increased these parameters compared with treatment without complementary light. Different light spectra have different effects on the photosynthetic apparatus of plants. It can be concluded that using red, blue spectra and their combination can increase the resistance of plants to stress conditions and be adopted as a strategy in planting plants under stress conditions.
Topics: Fragaria; Photosynthesis; Plant Leaves; Salinity; Sodium Chloride; Water
PubMed: 35918416
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17377-8 -
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Jul 2024In the center of the Nile Delta in Egypt, the Kitchener drain as the primary drainage discharges about 1.9 billion m per year of water, which comprises agricultural...
In the center of the Nile Delta in Egypt, the Kitchener drain as the primary drainage discharges about 1.9 billion m per year of water, which comprises agricultural drainage (75 %), domestic water (23 %), and industrial water (2 %), to the Mediterranean Sea. Cadmium (Cd) stands out as a significant contaminant in this drain; therefore, this study aimed to assess the integration of biochar (0, 5, and 10 ton ha) and three PGPRs (PGPR-1, PGPR-2, and PGPR-3) to alleviate the negative impacts of Cd on sunflowers (Helianthus annuus L.) in saline-alkali soil. The treatment of biochar (10 ton ha) and PGPR-3 enhanced the soil respiration, dehydrogenase, nitrogenase, and phosphatase activities by 137 %, 129 %, 326 %, and 127 %, while it declined soil electrical conductivity and available Cd content by 31.7 % and 61.3 %. Also, it decreased Cd content in root, shoot, and seed by 55.3 %, 50.7 %, and 92.5 %, and biological concentration and translocation factors by 55 % and 5 %. It also declined the proline, lipid peroxidation, HO, and electrolyte leakage contents by 48 %, 94 %, 80 %, and 76 %, whereas increased the catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and polyphenol oxidase activities by 80 %, 79 %, 61 %, and 116 %. Same treatment increased seed and oil yields increased by 76.1 % and 76.2 %. The unique aspect of this research is its investigation into the utilization of biochar in saline-alkali soil conditions, coupled with the combined application of biochar and PGPR to mitigate the adverse effects of Cd contamination on sunflower cultivation in saline-alkali soil.
Topics: Charcoal; Cadmium; Helianthus; Soil Pollutants; Soil; Egypt; Alkalies; Biodegradation, Environmental; Plant Roots; Soil Microbiology
PubMed: 38870735
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116555 -
Genome Biology and Evolution May 2021Understanding how organisms adapt to aquatic life at high altitude is fundamental in evolutionary biology. This objective has been addressed primarily related to hypoxia...
Understanding how organisms adapt to aquatic life at high altitude is fundamental in evolutionary biology. This objective has been addressed primarily related to hypoxia adaptation by recent comparative studies, whereas highland fish has also long suffered extreme alkaline environment, insight into the genomic basis of alkaline adaptation has rarely been provided. Here, we compared the genomes or transcriptomes of 15 fish species, including two alkaline tolerant highland fish species and their six alkaline intolerant relatives, three alkaline tolerant lowland fish species, and four alkaline intolerant species. We found putatively consistent patterns of molecular evolution in alkaline tolerant species in a large number of shared orthologs within highland and lowland fish taxa. Remarkably, we identified consistent signatures of accelerated evolution and positive selection in a set of shared genes associated with ion transport, apoptosis, immune response, and energy metabolisms in alkaline tolerant species within both highland and lowland fish taxa. This is one of the first comparative studies that began to elucidate the consistent genomic signature of alkaline adaptation shared by highland and lowland fish. This finding also highlights the adaptive molecular evolution changes that support fish adapting to extreme environments at high altitude.
Topics: Adaptation, Physiological; Alkalies; Altitude; Animals; Cyprinidae; Evolution, Molecular; Female; Male; Phylogeny; Salinity; Selection, Genetic; Tibet
PubMed: 33892511
DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab086 -
Scientific Reports Jan 2021Protein A affinity chromatography has been widely used for both laboratory scale purification and commercial manufacturing of monoclonal antibodies and Fc-fusion...
Protein A affinity chromatography has been widely used for both laboratory scale purification and commercial manufacturing of monoclonal antibodies and Fc-fusion proteins. Protein A purification is specific and efficient. However, there still remain several issues to be addressed, such as incomplete clearance of impurities including host cell proteins, DNA, aggregates, etc. In addition, the effects of wash buffers in protein A purification on the physicochemical characteristics of antibodies have yet to be fully understood. Here we found a new purification protocol for monoclonal antibodies that can improve physicochemical properties of monoclonal antibodies simply by inserting an additional wash step with a basic buffer after the capture step to the conventional protein A purification. The effects of the alkaline wash on monoclonal antibodies were investigated in terms of physicochemical characteristics, yields, and impurity clearance. The simple insertion of an alkaline wash step resulted in protection of antibodies from irreversible aggregation, reduction in free thiols and impurities, an improvement in colloidal and storage stability, and enhanced yields. This new procedure is widely applicable to protein A affinity chromatography of monoclonal antibodies.
Topics: Alkalies; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Chromatography, Affinity; Chromatography, Gel; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Solutions; Staphylococcal Protein A
PubMed: 33469121
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81366-6 -
Frontiers in Plant Science 2022Oilseed rape not only has the function of improve saline and alkaline soils, but also alleviate the local feed shortage. However, medium- and high-degree soil...
Oilseed rape not only has the function of improve saline and alkaline soils, but also alleviate the local feed shortage. However, medium- and high-degree soil salinization and alkalinization always inhibit the growth of oilseed rape. Studies have shown that compound material can improve the tolerance to saline and alkaline stress of crops, but the difference in the regulation mechanism of compound material on oilseed rape in saline and alkaline soils is not clear. This study explored the difference through determining the leaf ion contents, physiological indexes, transcriptomics, and metabolomics of oilseed rape in salinized soil (NaCl 8 g kg) and alkalinized soil (NaCO 8 g kg) at full flowering stage, respectively after the application of compound material. The results showed that in salinized and alkalinized soil, the compound material upregulated the genes related to the regulation of potassium ion transport, and changed the amino acid metabolic pathway, which reduced the contents of Na, malondialdehyde (MDA), and relative conductivity (REC) in leaves, and increased the contents of K and Mg and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT). However, there were differences in the regulation mechanism of compound material in salinized and alkalinized soil. In salinized soil, the compound material improved the tolerance of oilseed rape to saline stress by upregulating transcription factors mannose-1-phosphate guanylyltransferase () and Glutamine--fructose-6-phosphate transaminase () and downregulating phosphomannomutase () to change nucleotide metabolism pathway and lipid metabolism pathway. In alkalized soil, the compound material improved the tolerance of oilseed rape to alkaline stress by upregulating transcription factors Phenylalanine ammonia lyase () to change the biosynthesis pathway of other secondary metabolites. Therefore, the compound material can improve the tolerance of oilseed rape to saline and alkaline stress by regulating the genetic adaptability and apparent plasticity, but the mechanisms were different. This study provides a practical method for the ecological environment restoration and the development of animal husbandry.
PubMed: 35283897
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.820540 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Mar 2023The 7d unconfined compressive strength tests of alkali-activated tungsten tailings and the microscopic characteristics tests of scanning electron microscope (SEM),...
The 7d unconfined compressive strength tests of alkali-activated tungsten tailings and the microscopic characteristics tests of scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were conducted to investigate the effect of alkali-solid ratio on the properties of alkali-activated tungsten tailings. The test results indicate that the unconfined compressive strength of alkali-activated tungsten tailings increased with the alkali-solid ratio. However, the strength decreases slightly when the alkali-solid ratio is 12%. The microstructures of the gels generated in the alkali-activated tungsten tailings are affected by the alkali-solid ratio. The details are as follows: the microstructure is honeycomb in low alkali-solid ratio (7%, 8% and 10%), with N-A-S-H as its primary form, and flocculation in high alkali-solid ratio (14% and 15%), mainly in the form of C-A-S-H. When the alkali-solid ratio is at the medium level (12%), the microstructure is a small round bead, and the N-A-S-H is equivalent to the C-A-S-H. The more C-A-S-H content, the greater the strength. This study can provide a scientific basis and technical reference for the resource utilization of tungsten tailings.
Topics: Alkalies; Tungsten; X-Ray Diffraction; Compressive Strength; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
PubMed: 36515875
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-24643-9 -
Journal of Environmental Management Apr 2022Commercial digesters handling complex waste and organic overloading often encounter unbalanced conditions or failures. With limited studies on the digester recovery from...
Commercial digesters handling complex waste and organic overloading often encounter unbalanced conditions or failures. With limited studies on the digester recovery from an industry-based waste stream, a complex and high-strength digestate containing up to 79 g COD l from acidified commercial digester was investigated for biochar and alkaline treatments. The addition of biochar and calcium hydroxide successfully decomposed excessive volatile fatty acid up to 18.9 ± 2.5 g l and resumed methane production. The maximum methane yield was obtained from the digester amended with biochar (373.4 ± 6.0 ml g COD), followed by calcium hydroxide (350.1 ± 2.5 ml g COD). Calcium hydroxide treatment showed a shorter lag phase than the biochar by 44%. Methane production could not be recovered by using sodium hydroxide or untreated digester. This study provides a strategic approach to justify the use of alkalis for restoring sour digesters from industry-based waste streams.
Topics: Alkalies; Anaerobiosis; Bioreactors; Charcoal; Methane
PubMed: 35066196
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.114538