EROD activities in a primary cell culture of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) hepatocytes exposed to polychlorinated aromatic hydrocarbonas

Aryl hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor (Ah-agonist) effects of environmental samples containing polychlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons were evaluated using a 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (FROD) assay of a primary hepatocyte culture from grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus). The results were compared with those obtained from the assay using the rat hepatoma cell line H4IIE and chemical analysis using high-resolution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS). A dose-response relationship was observed between the EROD activities, either from primary hepatocyte culture assay or from H4IIE assay, and concentrations of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). The results showed that the assay based on the H4IIE cell line (EC50 = 0.83 mug/mL) is more sensitive to TCDD than the assay based on primary hepatocyte Culture (EC50 = 9.7 pg/mL). In tests of environmental samples, the results from the assay using primary hepatocyte culture were comparable to those from the assay using the H4IIE cell line and chemical analysis of concentrations of mixtures of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran (PCDD/PCDF). The lack of a change in the activities of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in cell culture upon exposure to TCDD indirectly indicates that the compound is persistent to biodegradation in the cell culture system. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparative study of estrogenic potencies of estradiol, tamoxifen, bisphenol-A and resveratrol with two in vitro bioassays

This study was undertaken to compare the sensitivity of two in vitro screening test methods and to determine the accuracy of predicted response to spiked laboratory water samples. A newly developed enzyme-linked receptor assay (ELRA) and a widely used yeast estrogen screen (YES) assay were selected to evaluate the estrogenic responses. Four natural, pharmaceutical, xenobiotic or phytobiotic chemicals: 17beta-estradiol (E2), tamoxifen, bisphenol-A and resveratrol were examined, and 17beta-E2 was used as a positive control. 17beta-E2 can strongly induce estrogenic response in both test systems, however, ELRA was found to be more sensitive to 17beta-E2 with a detection limit of 0.07 mug/l compared to 0.88 mug/l in YES assay. Similar results were obtained for bisphenol-A and resveratrol, and their estrogen potencies relative to E2 (100%) determined by ELRA were at least 5.6 times greater than produced by YES assay. ELRA was unable to distinguish the anti-estrogen tamoxifen and YES assay is also poor at distinguishing. Comparison of response to spiked laboratory water samples show that ELRA can give accurate determination to all four chemicals with recoveries among 70-120%, while YES can only give accurate determination to 17beta-E2 and bisphenol-A with recoveries among 69-112%. The comparative results provide evidence that ELRA is more suitable for rapid screening estrogenic potency of the environmental samples. Combination of ELRA and mammalian cellular assay will constitute an advantageous test to specify agonistic or antagonistic effects. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

环境样品的低水平放射性测量

环境样品中的低水平放射性测量在环境放射性现状调查和探矿中有广泛的应用。本论文对CSR环境水样品的放射性利用γ能谱方法进行了测量；对铀矿坑水样铀电沉积层用红外谱图和扫描电镜进行了表征，并且对其进行了α能谱测量；对便携式钾40探测器样机在不同条件下进行了测试。 CSR环境水样品经过采集，静置，预处理和封装，用高纯锗探测器在低本底大铅室内对水样品进行了测量，每个样品测量86400秒。标准源由中国原子能科学研究院提供，用相对比较的方法，给出样品中天然铀、钍、镭和钾的放射性活度。测量结果表明，CSR环境水样品中的放射性处于兰州地区本底水平，在样品中没有发现人工放射性核素。 对铀矿坑水样中的铀进行离子交换化学分离，在0.8M的硫酸铵溶液中进行电沉积，电流密度为0.6A cm-2,pH值为2.5；和同样条件下电沉积的硝酸铀酰进行对比，并对二者分别作了红外光谱、扫描电镜、元素分析以及α能谱测量，红外谱上铀酰离子的反对称伸缩振动峰在887cm-1附近，电沉积在不锈钢片上的铀主要以铀酰离子水合物的形式存在，电沉积层中铀化合物形式为UO2(OH)2•xNH3•yH2O或者UO2(OH)2-x•(ONH4)x•yH2O。扫描电镜照片显示电沉积层均匀，没有成团现象出现。α谱表明电沉积层中铀的同位素主要是238U和234U，相应的α能量峰分别为4198keV和4773keV。 对研制的40K探测器样机在屏蔽和未加屏蔽的条件下进行了测试，测量配制的40K标准源，绘出标准曲线，在同样的条件下测量未知钾含量的样品，根据峰面积计算40K的含量。研制的40K探测器样机基本满足样品中钾含量测量的需要，在野外测量时，在一定程度上受本底的影响

Novel Potentiometric Membrane Sensor for the Determination of Trace Amounts of Chromium(III) Ions

A plasticized Cr3+ ion sensor by incorporating 2,3,8,9-tetraphenyl-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododeca-1,3,7,9-tetraene (TTCT) ionophore exhibits a good potentiometric response for Cr3+ over a wide concentration range (1.0×10-6-1.0×10-1 M) with a slope of 19.5 mV per decade. The sensor response is stable for at least three months. Good selectivity for Cr3+ in comparison with alkali, alkaline earth, transition and heavy metal ions, and minimal interference are caused by Li+, Na+, K+, Co2+, Hg2+, Ca2+, Pb2+ and Zn2+ ions, which are known to interfere with other chromium membrane sensors. The TTCT-based electrode shows a fast response time (15 s), and can be used in aqueous solutions of pH 3 - 5.5. The proposed sensor was used for the potentiometric titration of Cr3+ with EDTA and for a direct potentiometric determination of Cr3+ content in environmental samples.

Fullerenes-extracted soot: a new adsorbent for collecting volatile organic compounds in ambient air

Fullerenes-extracted soot (FES) is the by-product of fullerenes production. Retention characteristics at different temperatures for 17 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on FES are measured. The adsorption and desorption efficiencies for VOCs on FES adsorbent tubes range from 40.8 to 117%, most of them being 100+/-20%. The values are compared with Tenax GR, an adsorbent commonly used in environmental analysis. FES can be used as an adsorbent of low cost to collect VOCs in environmental samples. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

LC-DAD-ESI-MS Characterization of Carbohydrates Using a New Labeling Reagent

A novel labeling reagent 1-(2-naphthyl)-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (NMP) coupling to liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for the detection of carbohydrates from the derivatized rape bee pollen samples is reported. Carbohydrates are derivatized to their bis-NMP-labeled derivatives. Derivatives showed an intense protonated molecular ion at m/z [M+H](+) in positive-ion detection mode. The mass-to-charge ratios of characteristic fragment ions at m/z 473.0 could be used for the accurately qualitative analysis of carbohydrates. This characteristic fragment ion is from the cleavage of C2-C3 bond in carbohydrate chain giving the specific fragment ions at m/z [MH-CmH2m+1Om-H2O](+) for pentose, hexose and glyceraldehydes and at m/z [MH-CmH2m-1Om+1-H2O](+) for alduronic acids such as galacturonic acid and glucuronic acid (m = n - 2, n is carbon number of carbohydrate). No interferences for all aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes presented in natural environmental samples were observed due to the highly specific parent mass-to-charge ratio and the characteristic fragment ions. The method, in conjunction with a gradient elution, offered a baseline resolution of carbohydrate derivatives on a reversed-phase Hypersil ODS-2 column. The carbohydrates such as mannose, galacturonic acid, glucuronic acid, rhamnose, glucose, galactose, xylose, arabinose and fucose can successfully be detected.

Determination of free fatty acids in bryophyte plants and soil by HPLC with fluorescence detection and identification by online MS

A method for the determination of long and short chain free fatty acids (FFAs), using 1-[2-(ptoluenesulfonate)-ethyll-2-phenylimidazole-[4,5-f-9,10-phenanthrene (TSPP) as labeling reagent, has been developed. Identification of FFA derivatives was carried out by HPLC-MS with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) in positive ion mode. Gradient elution on an Agilent Eclipse XDB-C-8 column gave good separation of the derivatives. Excellent linear responses were observed and good compositional data could be obtained from as little as 200 mg of bryophyte plants and soil samples. Facile TSPP derivatization coupled with HPLC-APCI-MS analysis allowed the development of a highly sensitive method for the quantitative analysis of trace level of FFAs from biological and natural environmental samples.

Determination of aliphatic amines from soil and wastewater of a paper mill by pre-column derivatization using HPLC and tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS)

A pre-column derivatization method for the sensitive determination of aliphatic amines using the labeling reagent 1,2-benzo-3,4-dihydrocarbazole-9-ethyl chloroformate (BCEOC) followed by HPLC with fluorescence detection and APCI/NIS identification in positive-ion mode has been developed. The chromophore of 2-(9-carbazole)-ethyl chloroformate (CEOC) reagent was replaced by the 1,2-benzo-3,4-dihydrocarbazole functional group, which resulted in a sensitive fluorescence derivatizing reagent, BCEOC, that could easily and quickly label amines. Derivatives were stable enough to be efficiently analyzed by HPLC and showed an intense protonated molecular ion corresponding m/z [M + H](+) with APCI/MS in positive-ion mode. The collision induced dissociation of the protonated molecular ion formed characteristic fragment ions at m/z 264.1, m/z 246.0 and m/z 218.1, corresponding to the cleavages of CH2CH2O-CO, CH2CH2-OCO, and N-CH2CH2O bonds. Studies on derivatization conditions demonstrated that excellent derivatization yields close to 100% were observed with a 3 to 4-fold molar reagent excess in acetonitrile solvent, in the presence of borate buffer (pH 9.0) at 40 degrees C for 10 min. In addition, the detection responses for BCEOC derivatives were compared with those obtained with CEOC and FMOC as labeling reagents. The ratios I-BCEOC/I-CEOC and I-BCEOC/I-FMOC were, respectively, 1.40-2.76 and 1.36-2.92 for fluorescence responses (here, I was the relative fluorescence intensity). Separation of the amine derivatives had been optimized on an Eclipse XDB-C-8 column. Detection limits calculated from an 0.10 pmol injection, at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3, were 18.65-38.82 fmol (injection volume 10 mu L for fluorescence detection. The relative standard deviations for intraday determination (n = 6) of standard amine derivatives (50 pmol) were 0.0063-0.037% for retention times and 3.36-6.93% for peak areas. The mean intra-and inter-assay precision for all amines were <5.4% and 5.8%, respectively. The recoveries of amines ranged from 96 to 113%. Excellent linear responses were observed with correlation coefficients of >0.9994. The established method provided a simple and highly sensitive technique for the quantitative analysis of trace amounts of aliphatic amines from biological and natural environmental samples.

Determination of free fatty acids in soil and bryophyte plants by precolumn derivatization via HPLC with fluorescence detection and tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS)

A sensitive method for the determination of 30 kinds of free fatty acids (FFAs, C-1-C-30) with 1-[2-(p-toluenesulfonate)-ethyl]-2-phenylimidazole-[4,5-f] 9,10-phenan- threne (TSPP) as labeling reagent and using high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and identification by online postcolumn mass spectrometry with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) source in positive-ion mode (HPLC/MS/APCI) has been developed. TSPP could easily and quickly label FFAs in the presence of K2CO3 catalyst at 90 degrees C for 30 min in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) solvent, and maximal labeling yields close to 100% were observed with a 5-fold excess of molar reagent. Derivatives were stable enough to be efficiently analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. TSPP was introduced into fatty acid molecules and effectively augmented MS ionization of fatty acid derivatives and led to regular MS and MS/MS information. The collision induced cleavage of protonated molecular ions formed specific fragment ions at m/z [MH](+)(molecular ion), m/z [M'+CH2CH2](+)(M' was molecular mass of the corresponding FFA) and m/z 295.0 (the, mass of protonated molecular core structure of TSPP). Fatty acid derivatives were separated on a reversed-phase Eclipse XDB-C-8 column (4.6 x 150 mm, 5 mu m, Agilent) with a good baseline resolution in combination with a gradient elution. Linear ranges of 30 FFAs are 2.441 x 10(-3) to 20 mu mol/L, detection limits are 3.24 similar to 36.97 fmol (injection volume 10 mu L, at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3, S/N 3:1). The mean interday precision ranged from 93.4 to 106.2% with the largest mean coefficients of variation (R.S.D.) < 7,5%. The mean intraday precision for all standards was < 6.4% of the expected concentration. Excellent linear responses were observed with correlation coefficients of > 0.9991. Good compositional data could be obtained from the analysis of extracted fatty acids from as little as 200 mg of bryophyte plant samples.Therefore, the facile TSPP derivatization coupled with HPLC/MS/APCI analysis allowed the development of a highly sensitive method for the quantitation of trace levels of short and long chain fatty acids from biological and natural environmental samples.

Determination of long-chain fatty acids in bryophyte plants extracts by HPLC with fluorescence detection and identification with MS

A sensitive method for the determination of long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) (>C20) using 1-[2-(p-toluenesulfonate)-ethyl]-2-phenylimidazole-[4.5-f]-9,10-phenanthrene (TSPP) as tagging reagent with fluorescence detection and identification with post-column APCI/MS has been developed. The LCFAs in bryophyte plant samples were obtained based on distillation extraction with 1: 1 (v/v) chloroform/methanol as extracting solvent. TSPP could easily and quickly label LCFAs at 90 degrees C in the presence of K2CO3 catalyst in DMF. Eleven free LCFAs from the extracts of bryophyte plants were sensitively determined. Maximal labeling yields close to 100% were observed with a five-fold excess of molar reagent. Separation of the derivatized fatty acids exhibited a good baseline resolution in combination with a gradient elution on a reversed-phase Eclipse XDB-C-8 column. Calculated detection limits from 1.0 pmol injection, at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3, were 26.19-76.67 fmol. Excellent linear responses were observed with coefficients of >0.9996. Good compositional data were obtained from the analysis of the extracted LCFAs containing as little as 0.2 g of bryophyte plant samples. Therefore, the facile TSPP derivatization coupled with HPLC/APCI/MS analysis allowed the development of a highly sensitive method for the quantitation of trace levels of LCFAs from biological and natural environmental samples. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of a sensitive fluorescent derivatization reagent 1,2-benzo-3,4-dihydrocarbazole-9-ethyl chloroformate (BCEOC) and its application for determination of amino acids from seeds and bryophyte plants using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and identification with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

A pre-column derivatization method for the sensitive determination of amino acids and peptides using the tagging reagent 1,2-benzo-3,4dihydrocarbazole-9-ethyl chloroformate (BCEOC) followed by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection has been developed. Identification of derivatives was carried out by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS). The chromophore of 2-(9-carbazole)-ethyl chloroformate (CEOC) reagent was replaced by 1,2-benzo-3,4-dihydrocarbazole functional group, which resulted in a sensitive fluorescence derivatizing reagent BCEOC. BCEOC can easily and quickly label peptides and amino acids. Derivatives are stable enough to be efficiently analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The derivatives showed an intense protonated molecular ion corresponding m/z (M + H)(+) under electrospray ionization (ESI) positive-ion mode with an exception being Tyr detected at negative mode. The collision-induced dissociation of protonated molecular ion formed a product at m/z 246.2 corresponding to the cleavage of C-O bond of BCEOC molecule. Studies on derivatization demonstrate excellent derivative yields over the pH 9.0-10.0. Maximal yields close to 100% are observed with a 3-4-fold molar reagent excess. Derivatives exhibit strong fluorescence and extracted detzvatization solution with n-hexane/ethyl acetate (10:1, v/v) allows for the direct injection with no significant interference from the major fluorescent reagent degradation by-products, such as 1,2-benzo-3,4-dihydrocarbazole-9-ethanol (BDC-OH) (a major by-product), mono- 1,2-benzo-3,4-dihydrocarbazole-9-ethyl carbonate (BCEOC-OH) and bis-(1,2-benzo-3,4-dihydrocarbazole-9-ethyl) carbonate (BCEOC)(2). In addition, the detection responses for BCEOC derivatives are compared to those obtained with previously synthesized 2-(9-carbazole)-ethyl chloroformate (CEOC) in our laboratory. The ratios AC(BCEOC)/AC(CEOC) = 2.05-6.51 for fluorescence responses are observed (here, AC is relative fluorescence response). Separation of the derivatized peptides and amino acids had been optimized on Hypersil BDS C-18 column. Detection limits were calculated from 1.0 pmol injection at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3, and were 6.3 (Lys)-177.6 (His) fmol. The mean interday accuracy ranged from 92 to 106% for fluorescence detection with mean %CV < 7.5. The mean interday precision for all standards was < 10% of the expected concentration. Excellent linear responses were observed with coefficients of > 0.9999. Good compositional data could be obtained from the analysis of derivatized protein hydrolysates containing as little as 50.5 ng of sample. Therefore, the facile BCEOC derivatization coupled with mass spectrometry allowed the development of a highly sensitive and specific method for the quantitative analysis of trace levels of amino acids and peptides from biological and natural environmental samples. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

硒、锌同位素MC-ICP-MS分析方法研究及其在生物和环境样品中的应用

一定元素的同位素组成被认为是该元素特有的“指纹”，同位素组成测量是地球化学、生命科学、环境化学、地质科学和核科学等领域重要的研究手段。利用同位素技术开展生命过程，地球系统中的物理、化学、生物过程及其资源、环境与灾害效应，资源勘探，污染物溯源等方面的研究，既是该技术的前沿研究主题，也使相关领域的研究更加“精细量化”，从而在新的科学纵深揭示出更加清晰的规律。 1992年多接收电感耦合等离子体质谱仪(MC-ICP-MS)的问世，为同位素分析提供了一种强有力的技术手段，与传统的热电离同位素质谱相比，MC-ICP-MS具有测量速度快、操作简便、灵敏度高等优点。而且，由于等离子体源产生的高温，在理论上能测量所有的金属元素和一些非金属元素，并已很好地解决了一些高电离电位元素同位素测量的难题（如Se, Zn, Hf等），用MC-ICP-MS准确、精密测量各种元素同位素组成的方法正在逐渐得到发展和完善。目前，MC-ICP-MS比较成熟的方法主要是针对核和地质科学研究中应用较多的U, Pb, Sm, Nd, Sr, Hf, B, Li等，在硒和锌同位素测量方法学的研究还相对较少（尤其是硒），对一些测量中受各种干扰较为严重的、原子量小于80 的元素同位素的测量技术还有待进一步深入探索和研究。锌、硒元素不仅与人类健康息息相关，而且随着质谱分析技术的发展，使其在环境地球化学、生命科学等领域有着广泛的应用前景。准确测量生物、食品、环境、地质等样品中的锌、硒元素含量、各种形态及其同位素组成受到越来越多的关注。锌、硒同位素准确测量的方法学研究，不仅可以广泛应用于各相关领域，也为锌和硒同位素基、标准物质研制奠定技术基础，从而为锌、硒元素含量和同位素测量提供量值溯源保障。 本工作针对锌和硒元素同位素组成以及生物、环境等样品中成分量准确测量存在的问题，通过使用六极杆碰撞室MC-ICP-MS进行准确测量锌和硒元素同位素的技术研究，结合在化学计量研究中的长期实践及相关文献，从方法学角度和应用方面得出以下结论： 1.MC-ICP-MS仪器测量主要参数，如炬管轴向位置、载气流量、碰撞气流量、仪器稳定性等对测量结果影响很大，要获得高精度的测量结果，须优化和固定参数设置，保持仪器的稳定状态。在六极杆碰撞室MC-ICP-MS测量锌同位素时，高纯氩气碰撞气模式是较为理想的模式，64Zn/66Zn、67Zn/66Zn、68Zn/66Zn同位素丰度比测量精度达到0.002－0.008％，70Zn/66Zn 测量精度达到0.01％；在高纯氢气和氩气碰撞气按一定比例混合的模式下， 76Se/80Se、77Se/80Se、78Se/80Se、82Se/80Se同位素丰度比测量精度达到0.004－0.005%。 2.采用高纯、高浓缩64Zn和66Zn配制了8个校正样品 (64Zn/66Zn：0.6－2.2)；用高纯、高浓缩同位素76Se和82Se配制了16个校正样品（76Se/82Se： 0.05－11.8），用这些样品分别测量并计算了仪器系统误差校正系数K，这些校正样品的K64/66 和 K76/82的相对标准偏差分别为0.034％和0.03％，均在仪器的测量不确定度范围内，说明在校正样品同位素变化范围内，仪器测量同位素丰度比的校正系数没有发生明显变化。 3.在硒同位素丰度比值测量中，氢气碰撞气的使用是SeH产生的重要原因之一，Ar/H在2－7之间都可以满足硒同位素比值测量的要求，即保证较高的硒灵敏度、较小的SeH生成比例、稳定的同位素比值测量结果。本工作建立了SeH的校正计算公式，在对测量结果的质量歧视进行校正时，77Se和78Se的校正更为复杂，因为它们除自身产生的SeH外，还分别受到了来自76SeH和77SeH的影响，故校正质量偏移时应首先对SeH进行校正。对于不同的SeH生成比例，经过校正后，硒的同位素丰度比校正值是一致的，并不受SeH生成比例变化影响。 4.通过对IDMS过程中的关键技术研究，明确了如何正确使用该方法以获得准确测量结果。IDMS方法在测量步骤中引入的不确定度影响因素相对于其它化学分析方法较少，并且可以被明确地表达出来，测量结果可直接溯源到国际单位，因此，该方法对化学计量学研究具有十分重要的意义。 5.建立了适用于ICP-MS测量血清、大豆粉、金枪鱼等多种复杂基体中锌和硒元素的样品前处理方法，建立了锌和硒的ICP-IDMS测量方法。将建立的方法应用于人血清标准物质研制、国家计量院之间的国际比对和合作研究中，取得的优异成绩验证了所建方法的可靠性和可比性。IDMS方法在样品前处理上不怕样品损失和高精度同位素丰度比测量的优点，使其在复杂基体中硒、锌的准确测量方面较其它分析方法具有独特的优势，可在生物、临床、环境、食品等方面的分析研究中广泛应用。

Fast analysis of capillary electrochromatography with non-porous ODS as the stationary phase

High-speed capillary electrochromatography was developed on both short and long packed columns with 2 mu m non-porous ODS as the stationary phase. Factors that affect the analysis time of samples, such as voltage, electrolyte concentration, pH and organic modifier concentration in the mobile phase, were studied systematically. Fast analysis of aromatic compounds within 13 seconds was realized with column efficiency of 573,000 plates/m and a R.S.D.% of the retention times of all components in 8 consecutive injections below 1.0%. which demonstrated the high efficiency and high reproducibility of such a technique. In addition, DNPH derived aldehydes and ketones in both standards and environmental samples were separated with high speed.

Metabolic studies on the nitrophile yeast Rhodotorula glutinis DSBCA06

Nitrogen is the most abundant element in atmosphere and fundamental component of proteins, nucleic acids and other essential molecules. In the past century the industrial use of nitrogen compounds has grown exponentially causing widespread pollution. Nitrogen pollution has wide-ranging impacts including contributions to global warming, acid rains and eutrophication. Reduction of nitrogen use in industry and agriculture coupled whit remediation treatments could represent a solution. To this purpose we isolated from environmental samples a nitrophile strain capable of removing nitrogen compounds efficiently from the medium. Through the molecular characterization, we identified the strain as a Rhodotorula glutinis that we called DSBCA06. We examined the main metabolic features of the strain, also to determine the best growing conditions. At the same time, the ability of the strain to grow in presence of high nitrite concentrations was assayed, being a relevant feature poorly studied earlierfor other environmental yeasts. The ability of the strain to grow in presence of heavy metal cations was also tested, showing a noticeable tolerance. The cost of bioremediation treatments is often a problem. One of the way to obviate this is to produce valuable secondary metabolites, capable of positively impact the cost of the processes. In this context the ability of the strain to produce carotenoids, natural molecules with antioxidant properties used for food production, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry, has been evaluated. The strain Rhodotorula glutinis DSBCA06 showed interesting features suggesting its possible use in bioremediation or industrials process for production of secondary metabolites such as lipids and carotenoids.