Studia Universitatis Babeş-Bolyai Biologia
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Changes in metals and polyaromatic hydrocarbon contents of a spent lubrication oil-polluted soil after exposure to sodium azide and hydroxlamine hydrochloride solutions: implications for intrinsic bioremediation
No full textThe study investigated the changes in heavy metals and polyaromatic hydrocarbon contents of an oil-polluted soil as a result of exposure to sodium azide and hydroxylamine hydrochloride. Measured 5kg of Oil-polluted soils (5%w/w), placed in experimental buckets, were saturated with solutions of sodium azide and hydroxylamine hydrochloride in 3 different concentrations (0.0625, 0.0312 and 0.0156 %v/w) respectively. The entire set up was observed in a well-ventilated Screen House for 3 months. Results showed that experimental concentrations of both mutagenic agents had no significant effect (p>0.05) on Fe concentration of soil (998.8 – 1106.2 mg/kg). Although soil levels of Fe exceeded permissible levels by over 5 times, concentrations of Mn, Cd, Ni, and V were below detection limits (<0.001 mg/kg) after application of chemical agents. Hydroxylamine HCl-moistened soil presented enhanced remediative capabilities for chromium (Cr = <0.001 mg/kg) than with sodium azide (Cr = 8.29 - 13.11 mg/kg). Sodium azide did not significantly enhance Cr remediation, compared to the control. Reductions in PAH fractions in the treated soils were better than in the control soils. Efficiency of PAH reduction in the control was 60.47%. application of mutagenic agents to polluted soils at lower to moderate concentrations significantly enhanced remediation efficiency to 80.95 - 89.27%. Generally, however, hydroxylamine HCl showed better prospects in the enhancement of remediation (at lower to moderate levels) than did sodium azide.
Ikhajiagbe et Anoliefo (PDF
Drinking water quality assessment in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve
No full textThis research is aimed mainly at the assessment of water quality of several drinking water treatment plants and groundwater wells, from the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve and the habits of the local population in terms of water consumption and use. Thus, the study highlights the presence and distribution of prokaryotic and eukaryotic assemblages, specifically the algal communities which emerged as a dominant group in the investigated drinking water sources. The spatial variation of the pH, EC, turbidity, dissolved oxygen (DO), temperature, algae species and biomass was measured in five drinking water treatment plants (DWTP) and three groundwater wells from villages located in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve. No PCR product was present for either genes coding anatoxin, microcystin and saxitoxin. The bbe- Moldaenke technique identified the presence of sligthly more algal groups, than the light microscopic technique; both methods show clear results: the water treated in the drinking water treatment plants has significant algal biomass. The water quality indicated by the algal communities shows oligo-β-mesosaprobic conditions, despite the high number of taxa and individuals from Sf. Gheorghe and C. A. Rosseti samples, they reflect oligotrophic conditions.
Torok et al (PDF
Development of a bidirectional PCR tool for Tenera oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) identity
No full textThree forms of fruit are distinguished in the Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.): Dura, Pisifera and Tenera. The most cultivated high yielding oil palm variety, the thin shell Tenera is produced from the cross between the thick shelled Dura and the shell-less Pisifera. Due to the perennial nature of the oil palm, it is impossible to determine the fruit phenotype until it is reproductively mature. Oil palm farmers are therefore faced with the challenge of uncertainty of the kind of fruits and yield output expected until production time. The recent sequencing of the shell gene in the oil palm made it possible to identify Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) mutations that are now useful in developing molecular markers for fruit form predictions. In this study, Allele Specific PCR (AS-PCR) was used to assess regions of the shell gene containing SNPs for oil palm fruit form discrimination. Three primer pairs (S1, S2 and S3) were designed as common primers while four AS-PCR primers (S20, S22, S32 and S33) were adopted as inner primers. Possible combinations of common and AS primers were investigated in Dura, Pisifera and Tenera genomes. A 300bp fragment was observed to be unique in the Tenera shell gene when S3 was combined with S20 and S32. Other inner primer combinations investigated with S3 generated similar assays in Dura, Pisifera and Tenera. The result from this study detects a marker for the Tenera fruit form of the oil palm.
Odenore et al (PDF
Plant growth response and nitrate reductase activities of roots of Chromolaena odorata in a model spent lubricating oil-polluted soil
No full textThe ability of Chromolaena odorata propagated by stem cuttings and grown for 50 days in the soil containing five (5) different concentrations of spent lubricating oil (SLO) in soil (0, 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 % SLO), was investigated. The experiments were watered daily at 70% moisture field capacity. Parameters such as number leaves per plant, shoot length, plant height as well as nitrate reductase activities were measured. Shoot length as well as leaf number were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced, compared to the control treatment. Results also showed that nitrate reductase activities increased slightly with time. However, beyond 40 days, nitrate reductase activity was not detected in 3% - 12% w/w oil-in-soil treatments, respectively. Pollution indices such as Contamination factor and Hazard Quotient, used in the present study indicated significant reduction in contamination values upon sowing of C. Odorata. Values obtained from Bioaccumulation Quotients also indicated that the plant was able to significantly bioaccumulate elements such as Fe, Cu and Ni present in the SLO-polluted soil.
Anoliefo et al (PDF
Same karstic substratum, different aquatic communities? Case study: three water bodies from western Romania
No full textWe investigated the phytoplankton, periphyton and microcrustacean communities developing on similar limestone substratum, in three karstic lakes: Iezerul Ighiel (Alba County), Dracului and Ochiul Beiului (Caraș-Severin County), during 2014 and 2016. Species richness was significantly higher in the lake greater in size for both algae and microcrustaceans, consistent with the species-area hypothesis. Forty algal taxa and only one microcrustacean species were common in all three lakes, even if comparable physico-chemical characteristics were recorded. Relatively similar saprobic conditions were shown by indicator species, while trophic state differed at some extent. Since current factors existing in the three environments were relatively similar (limestone substratum, physico-chemical parameters, water source etc.), the dissimilarities found in the plankton and periphytic communities were best explained by long-term factors like geographical isolation or the strength of disturbances.
Ciorca et al (PDF
Bio-chemical analysis of Datura stramonium extract
No full textDatura stramonium is an annual plant which belongs to the Solanaceae family. Datura stramonium is also a toxic plant, with toxicity given by the presence of alkaloids hyoscyamine, atropine and scopolamine.This study performs phytochemical and antibacterial analysis of ethanolic extracts from Datura stramonium. Fresh plants have been used in order to obtain Datura stramonium tincture. The quality index was 1:5, the concentration of ethanol being 90%. Based on this tincture a qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis was performed through thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography. By thin-layer chromatography the qualitative alkaloids, such as atropine and scopolamine from Datura stramonium extract, have been identified. By high performance liquid chromatography with reversed phase the alkaloids quantity from Datura stramonium herbs was assessed and that is 1.7 mg/mL. The plant extracts were tested on Gram negative bacteria Escherichia coli and on Gram positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. Both tested strains showed resistance but for E. coli a higher inhibition was observed at all samples containing Datura extract.
Carpa et al 2017 (PDF