Pentachlorophenol and spent engine oil degradation by Mucor ramosissimus

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) has been widely used for many years and belongs to the most toxic pollutants. Spent engine oils enter environment every day in many ways. Both of them cause great environmental concern. In the present work we focused on identifying metabolites of PCP biodegradation formed in the cultures of Mucor ramosissimus IM 6203 and optimizing medium composition to enhance PCP removal in the presence of engine oil acting as a carbon source. Pentachlorophenol (PCP) to tetrachlorohydroquinone (TCHQ) transformation was the most interesting transformation conducted by the tested strain. TCHQ was further transformed to 2,3,5,6-TCP and 2,3,4,6- TCP. Strain IM 6203 is also capable of PCP transformation to corresponding anisoles – pentachloromethoxybenzene (PCMB) and pentachloroethoxybenzene (PCEB). Characterization of enzymatic background involved in PCP to TCHQ transformation showed that TCHQ formation is catalyzed by inductive and cytochrome P-450 dependent enzymatic system. Experiments conducted on mineral medium allowed defining the optimal quantitative and qualitative medium make-up for PCP to TCHQ transformation. Biodegradation of PCP on the optimized synthetic medium X was more efficient than on rich Sabouraud medium. The tested strain is capable of growing in the presence of spent engine oil therefore we checked the ability of PCP transformation on optimized synthetic medium containing oil as a carbon source. The obtained results showed that PCP removal and TCHQ formation occurred were found to be the most efficient on the oil containing medium (OX medium). PCP removal and TCHQ formation after 240 h of culturing reached 1.19 mg/l and 0.89 mg/l, respectively. Additionally, 55.5% of oil introduced to the medium was removed during 10 days of the experiment. PCP biodegradation mechanisms used by Mucor species have not been sufficiently explained. The presented results point to the tested strain as an interesting model for the research on fungal PCP biodegradation in the areas highly contaminated with engine oil and for its future application in PCP and oils removal

THE PERSPECTIVE OF PROTECTING THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT IN THE LIGHT OF PATCHWORK ENVIRONMENTAL LAW AND THE UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL LEGALLY BINDING INSTRUMENT UNDER THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE LAW OF THE SEA ON THE CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF

AbstractIn the implementation of international law, there is a possibility to find the problem ofinsufficient definition of the concept of environment, environmental protection and pollution,which may question the feasibility of treaty provisions.It should be examined whether, in the light of the future international legally bindinginstrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea for the Conservationand Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity in Areas Outside National Jurisdiction, tobe established in connection with UN General Assembly Resolution 72/249 of 24 December2017 convening the Intergovernmental Conference under the auspices of the United Nations- “is it possible to efficiently perform actions leading to the protection and preservation of themarine environment without clarifying the concepts contained in UNCLOS?”, and “whetherit is possible to shape environmental standards for the ocean, if the document to be createddoes not will obtain the attribute of universality?”.It is worth noting that in the era of globalization processes and massive convergenceof states, the development of international environmental law is at the forefront of the mostimportant issues that the international community deals with and will have to deal with in thenext decades

Mikrobiologiczny rozkład pentachlorofenolu

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is a toxic xenobiotic of great environmental concern. It has been widely used for many years as a bactericide, fungicide, defoliant, herbicide and wood preservative. In this article, PCP properties, microbial biodegradation and other approaches of this xenobiotic elimination from contaminated areas are reviewed.Pracê finansowano w ramach badań własnych Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego nr 505/387, 505/488 i 505/705 oraz z grantu międzynarodowego otrzymanego przez KMPiB U£ z Unii Europejskiej, DG XII, INCO-COPERNICUS (Contract No. 15-CT 98-0114). Rafał Szewczyk, Jerzy Długoński 132 P

Alachlor oxidation by the filamentous fungus Paecilomyces marquandii

Alachlor, a popular chloroacetanilide herbicide, can be a potential health risk factor. Soil microorganisms are primarily responsible for conversion and migration of alachlor in natural environment, but knowledge concerning alachlor biodegradation is not complete. Therefore, we studied the ability of Paecilomyces marquandii, soil fungus tolerant to heavy metals, to eliminate alachlor and proposed a new pathway of its transformation. After 7 days of incubation only 3.3% of alachlor was detected from an initial concentration 50 mg L-1 and 20.1% from a concentration 100 mg L-1. The qualitative IDA LC-MS analysis showed the presence of ten metabolites. All of them were dechlorinated mainly through oxidation, but also reductive dechlorination was observed. The main route of alachlor conversion progressed via N-acetyl oxidation resulting in the formation of mono-, di- and trihydroxylated byproducts. N-acetyl oxidation as a dominant route of alachlor metabolism by fungi has not been described so far. The toxicity of alachlor tested with Artemia franciscana did not increase after treatment with P. marquandii cultures. Paecilomyces marquandii strain seems to be an interesting model for the research on alachlor conversion by soil microscopic fungi, due to its dechlorination and hydroxylation ability as well as high tolerance to heavy metals.Grant of the National Centre for Science in Cracow, Poland, No UMO-2011/01/B/NZ9/0289

Comparative analysis of selected skeletons for dependency injection

The article presents a comparative analysis of selected skeletons for dependency injection in Java. The analysis consists in comparing the speed of the frameworks in different configurations. For each technology has been created a separate application, and the results are presented in graphs and tables

Intracellular proteome expression during 4-n-nonylphenol biodegradation by the filamentous fungus Metarhizium robertsii

4-n-nonylphenol (4-n-NP) is an endocrine disrupting compound (EDC); pollutants that cause serious disturbances in the environment. This study shows the degradation pathway and initial proteome analysis in cultures of a fungus that actively degrades 4-n-NP, Metarhizium robertsii. The research revealed the presence of 14 4-n-NP metabolites formed as a result of the oxidation of the alkyl chain and benzene ring, which leads to the complete decomposition of the compound. Based on the trend and quantitative analysis of the formation of 4-n-NP derivatives, the best conditions for proteome analysis were established. The data collected allowed the formulation of an explanation of the microorganism's strategy towards the removal of 4-n-NP. The main groups of proteins engaged in the removal of the xenobiotic are: oxidation-reduction systems related to nitroreductase-like proteins, ROS defense systems (peroxiredoxin and superoxide dismutase), the TCA cycle and energy-related systems. Principal components analysis was applied to unidentified proteins, resulting in the formulation of three subgroups and initial classification of these proteins

Silica-polymer composites as the novel antibiotic delivery systems for bone tissue infection

Bone tissue inflammation, osteomyelitis, is commonly caused by bacterial invasion and requires prolonged antibiotic therapy for weeks or months. Thus, the aim of this study was to develop novel silica-polymer local bone antibiotic delivery systems characterized by a sustained release of ciprofloxacin (CIP) which remain active against Staphylococcus aureus for a few weeks, and do not have a toxic effect towards human osteoblasts. Four formulations composed of ethylcellulose (EC), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), freeze-dried CIP, and CIP-adsorbed mesoporous silica materials (MCM-41-CIP) were prepared via solvent-evaporation blending method. All obtained composites were characterized in terms of molecular structure, morphological, and structural properties by using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal stability by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and in vitro antibiotic release. The antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538) as well as the in vitro cytocompatibility to human osteoblasts of obtained composites were also examined. Physicochemical results confirmed the presence of particular components (FTIR), formation of continuous polymer phase onto the surface of freeze-dried CIP or MCM-41-CIP (SEM/EDX), and semi-crystalline (composites containing freeze-dried CIP) or amorphous (composites containing MCM-41-CIP) structure (XRD). TGA and DSC analysis indicated the high thermal stability of CIP adsorbed onto the MCM-41, and higher after MCM-41-CIP coating with polymer blend. The release study revealed the significant reduction in initial burst of CIP for the composites which contained MCM-41-CIP instead of freeze-dried CIP. These composites were also characterized by the 30-day activity against S. aureus and the highest cytocompatibility to human osteoblasts in vitro

Ametryn removal by Metarhizium brunneum: Biodegradation pathway proposal and metabolic background revealed

Ametryn is a representative of a class of s-triazine herbicides absorbed by plant roots and leaves and characterized as a photosynthesis inhibitor. It is still in use in some countries in the farming of pineapples, soybean, corn, cotton, sugar cane or bananas; however, due to the adverse effects of s-triazine herbicides on living organisms use of these pesticides in the European Union has been banned. In the current study, we characterized the biodegradation of ametryn (100 mg L-1) by entomopathogenic fungal cosmopolite Metarhizium brunneum. Ametryn significantly inhibited the growth and glucose uptake in fungal cultures. The concentration of the xenobiotic drops to 87.75 mg L-1 at the end of culturing and the biodegradation process leads to formation of four metabolites: 2-hydroxy atrazine, ethyl hydroxylated ametryn, S-demethylated ametryn and deethylametryn. Inhibited growth is reflected in the metabolomics data, where significant differences in concentrations of L-proline, gamma-aminobutyric acid, L-glutamine, 4-hydroxyproline, L-glutamic acid, ornithine and L-arginine were observed in the presence of the xenobiotic when compared to control cultures. The metabolomics data demonstrated that the presence of ametryn in the fungal culture induced oxidative stress and serious disruptions of the carbon and nitrogen metabolism. Our results provide deeper insights into the microorganism strategy for xenobiotic biodegradation which may result in future enhancements to ametryn removal by the tested strain.National Science Center, Poland (Project No. 2015/19/B/NZ9/00167

Tributyltin (TBT) biodegradation induces oxidative stress of Cunninghamella echinulata

Tributyltin (TBT) is one of the most deleterious compounds introduced into natural environment by humans. The ability of Cunninghamella echinulata to degrade tributyltin (TBT) (5 mg l-1) as well as the effect of the xenobiotic on fungal amino acids composition and proteins profile were examined. C. echinulata removed 91% of the initial biocide concentration and formed less hazardous compounds dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT). Moreover, the fungus produced a hydroxylated metabolite (TBTOH), in which the hydroxyl group was bound directly to the tin atom. Proteomics analysis showed that in the presence of TBT, the abundances of 22 protein bands were changed and the unique overexpressions of peroxiredoxin and nuclease enzymes were observed. Determination of free amino acids showed significant changes in the amounts of 19 from 23 detected metabolites. A parallel increase in the level of selected amino acids such as betaine, alanine, aminoisobutyrate or proline and peroxiredoxin enzyme in TBT-containing cultures revealed that TBT induced oxidative stress in the examined fungus.National Science Centre, Poland (Project No. UMO-2014/13/N/NZ9/00878)