Allelopathic effects of phenolic compounds present in submerged macrophytes on Microcystis aeruginosa

In laboratory studies, the allelopathic effects of 3 (Hydrocharitaceae family) submerged macrophytes (Elodea nuttallii (Planch) St. John, Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle and Vallisneria spiralis L.) were investigated on two strains of Microcystis aeruginosa. Both aqueous methanol extracts and exudates of three macrophytes inhibited the growth of both strains of Microcystis aeruginosa, After 3-days culture, E nuttallii, H. verticillata and V. spiralis excreted 0.8, 0.3 and 1.0% of total phenolic compounds (TPC), respectively, into the surrounding water. After removing phenolic compounds by polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP)), the plant exudates showed very weak activity. The inhibitory rates of exudates of E. nuttallii, H. verticillata and V. spiralis, against non-toxic M. aeruginosa were decreased by 35.7, 43.4 and 59.1% respectively. Thus 3 submerged macrophytes released the phenolic compounds into the surrounding water, to inhibit the growth of M. aeruginosa. This information may help us in understanding the mechanism of allelopathy in aquatic ecosystems and to control the algal bloom in eutrophic water bodies.

Utilizing a CdTe quantum dots-enzyme hybrid system for the determination of both phenolic compounds and hydrogen peroxide

In this paper, we attempt to construct a simple and sensitive detection method for both phenolic compounds and hydrogen peroxide, with the successful combination of the unique property of quantum dots and the specificity of enzymatic reactions. In the presence Of H2O2 and horseradish peroxidase, phenolic compounds can quench quantum dots' photoluminescence efficiently, and the extent of quenching is severalfold to more than 100-fold increase. Quinone intermediates produced from the enzymatic catalyzed oxidation of phenolic compounds were believed to play the main role in the photoluminescence quenching.

Amperometric tyrosinase biosensor based on a sol-gel-derived titanium oxide-copolymer composite matrix for detection of phenolic compounds

A new type of tyrosinase biosensor was developed for the detection of phenolic compounds, based on the immobilization of tyrosinase in a sol-gel-derived composite matrix that is composed of titanium oxide sol and a grafting copolymer of poly(vinyl alcohol) with 4-vinylpyridine. Tyrosinase entrapped in the composite matrix can retain its activity to a large extent owing to the good biocompatibility of the matrix. The parameters of the fabrication process and the variables of the experimental conditions for the enzyme electrode were optimized. The resulting sensor exhibited a fast response (20 s), high sensitivity (145.5 muA mmol(-1) 1) and good storage stability. A detection limit of 0.5 muM catechol was obtained at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3.

Evaluation of 28 marine algae from the Qingdao coast for antioxidative capacity and determination of antioxidant efficiency and total phenolic content of fractions and subfractions derived from Symphyocladia latiuscula (Rhodomelaceae)

The extracts obtained from 28 species of marine algae were evaluated for their antioxidant activity (AA) versus the positive controls butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), gallic acid (GA), and ascorbic acid (AscA). Most of the tested samples displayed antioxidant activity to various degrees. Among them, the extract of Symphyocladia latiuscula exhibited the strongest AA, which was comparable to BHT, GA, and AscA in radical scavenging activity, as shown in the DPPH (alpha,alpha-diphenyl-beta-picrylhydrazyl) assay, and higher than those of the positive controls in beta-carotene-linoleate assay system. In addition, the ethyl acetate-soluble fraction isolated from the crude extract of S. latiuscula exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in both assay systems. This fraction was further fractionated into seven subfractions (F1-F7) by vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC). F1 and F4 were found to be the most effective subfractions in scavenging DPPH radical assay and in the beta-carotene-linoleate assay, respectively. The total phenolic content (TPC) and reducing power (RP) for all of the extracts, fractions, and subfractions (F1-F7) were also determined. The TPC of the 28 extracts ranged from 0.10 to 8.00 gallic acid equivalents (mg/g seaweed dry weight) while the RP ranged from 0.07 to 11.60 ascorbic acid equivalents (mg center dot g(-1) seaweed dry weight). Highly positive relationships between AA and TPC as well as between AA and RP were found for the extracts and fractions, while for the subfractions F1-F7 only weak or no such relations were found. The results obtained from this study indicate that further analysis is needed of those marine algal species that contain the most antioxidant activity in order to identify the active principles.

Mass spectrometric identification of multihydroxy phenolic compounds in Tibetan herbal medicines

A highly selective and accurate method based on derivatization with dansyl chloride coupled with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry has been developed for identification of natural pharmacologically active phenolic compounds in extracts of Lomatogonium rotatum plants (Tibetan herbal medicine) obtained by solid-phase extraction. The number of hydroxyl groups on the dansylated phenols was estimated by LC-MS-MS analysis in positive-ion mode. Dansyl derivatization of the compounds introduced basic secondary nitrogen into the phenolic core structures and this was readily ionized when acidic HPLC mobile phases were used. MS fragmentation of the derivatives generated intense protonated molecular ions of m/z [MH](+) (phenol aglycones were transformed into the corresponding free phenols by cleavage of an aglycone bond). Collision-induced dissociation of the protonated molecule generated characteristic product ions of m/z 234 and 171 corresponding to the protonated 5-(dimethylamino)naphthalene sulfoxide and 5 -(dimethylamino) naphthalene moieties, respectively. Selected reaction monitoring based on the m/z [MH](+) to 234 and 171 transitions was highly specific for these phenolic compounds. Characteristic ions with m/z values of [MH - 234](+), [MH 2 x 234](+), and [MH - 3 x 234](+) were of great importance for estimation of the presence of multihydroxyl groups on the phenolic backbone.

Anti-HIV Activities of the Compounds Isolated from Polygonum cuspidatum and Polygonum multiflorum

The 70% EtOH extract of Polygonum cuspidatum showed inhibitory action against HIV-1-induced syncytium formation at non-cytotoxic concentrations in vitro with a 50% effective concentration (EC50) of 13.94 +/- 3.41 mu g/mL. Through bioactivity-guided fractionation, 20 phenolic compounds, including eight stilbenoids, were isolated from the roots of Polygonum cuspidatum, and their anti-HIV-1 activities were evaluated. Results showed that compounds 1, 13, 14, and 16 demonstrated fairly strong antiviral activity against HIV-1-induced cytopathic effects in C8166 lymphocytes at non-cytotoxic concentrations, with EC50 values of 4.37 +/- 1.96 mu g/mL, 19.97 +/- 5.09, 14.4 +/- 1.34 mu g/mL, and 11.29 +/- 6.26 mu g/mL and therapeutic index (TI) values of 8.12, > 10.02, > 13.89, and > 17.71, respectively. Other compounds showed either weak or no effects. Compound 6 also showed weak inhibition (153.42 +/- 19.25 mu g/mL); however, it possesses very good water solubility and showed almost no cytotoxicity (> 2000 mu g/mL), therefore achieving a fairly good TI (13.04). The activities of the two compounds (3 and 18) from Polygonum multiflorum were also assayed. The relationship between molecular structures and their bioactivities was also discussed.

Quantitative determination of compounds in tobacco essential oils by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry

A quantitative analysis of the individual compounds in tobacco essential oils is performed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) combined with flame ionization detector (FID). A time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF/MS) was coupled to GC x GC for the identification of the resolved peaks. The response of a flame ionization detector to different compound classes was calibrated using multiple internal standards. In total, 172 compounds were identified with good match and 61 compounds with high probability value were reliably quantified. For comparative purposes, the essential oil sample was also quantified by one-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) with multiple internal standards method. The results showed that there was close agreement between the two analysis methods when the peak purity and match quality in one-dimensional GC/MS are high enough. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of soot particles of biomass fuels with endocrine-modulating activity in yeast-based bioassay

Exposure to indoor air pollution (IAP) from the combustion of biomass fuels is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. In the work discussed in this paper we evaluated the endocrine activity of soot particles from biomass fuels by using yeast bioassay. These pollutants could have beta-galactosidase activity with a relative potency (RP) about 10(-7)-10(-9) that of estradiol. Soot particles from wood and straw combustion only partially induced beta-galactosidase activity whereas others produced fully inductive activity in the yeast assay system. These pollutants did not have estrogen antagonist and progesterone agonist activity within the defined concentration range. However, these pollutants require 2-4 orders of magnitude higher IC50 to inhibit the activity of progesterone in a similar dose-response manner to mifepristone. We therefore propose that the endocrine activity of some environmental pollutants may be because of inhibition of the progesterone receptor (hPR). GC-MS results showed that substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds, substituted phenolic compounds and derivatives, aromatic carbonyl compounds, and phytosteroids in these soot particles may be mimicking endogenous hormones.

Presence of estrogenic activity from emission of fossil fuel combustion as detected by a recombinant yeast bioassay

Estrogenic activities of emission samples generated by fossil fuel combustion were investigated with human estrogen receptor (ER) recombinant yeast bioassay. The results showed that there were weak but clear estrogenic activities in combustion emissions of fossil fuels including coal, petroleum, and diesel. The estrogenic relative potency (RP) of fossil fuel combustion was the highest in petroleum-fired car, followed by coal-fired stove, diesel-fired agrimotor, coal-fired electric power station. On the other hand, the estrogenic relative inductive efficiency (RIE) was the highest in coal-fired stove and coal-fired electric power station, followed by petroleum-fired car and diesel-fired agrimotor. The estrogenic activities in the sub-fractions from chromatographic separation of emitted materials were also determined. The results indicated that different chemical fractions in these complex systems have different estrogenic potencies. The GC/MS analysis of the emission showed that there were many aromatic carbonyls, big molecular alcohol, PAHs and derivatives, and substituted phenolic compounds and derivatives which have been reported as environmental estrogens. The existence of estrogenic substances in fossil fuel combustion demands further investigation of their potential adverse effects on human and on the ecosystem. The magnitude of pollution due to global usage of fossil fuels makes it imperative to understand the issue of fossil fuel-derived endocrine activities and the associated health risks, particularly the aggregated risks stemmed from exposure to toxicants of multiple sources. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

氮肥对黄瓜根际土壤线虫群落组成、结构及其多样性的影响

土壤线虫是土壤动物的主要功能类群之一，在土壤养分分解和循环中起到重要的作用。本研究通过施用两种形态氮肥，硝态氮(NO-3–N)和铵态氮(NH+4–N)，对黄瓜整个生长期内根际土壤线虫的群落组成、结构及其多样性等的影响进行了比较研究。为增进土壤健康，提高土壤质量以及合理施用氮肥提供科学的理论依据。研究结果如下： 1. 氮肥处理后，不同浓度NO-3–N处理提高了根际土壤线虫数量，而NH+4–N处理（202.5 kg N/ hm2）抑制了线虫数量的增加。线虫群落结构相对较稳定，营养类群变化不大。且少量优势科/属会对土壤线虫群落特征起着至关重要的作用。 2. 在整个生长季节内，非寄生线虫的群体动态变化与寄生线虫的群体的动态变化具有相反的变化趋势。其中，NO-3–N处理和NH+4–N处理后植物寄生线虫出现频率的变化趋势相近，都是由高到低；非植物寄生线虫出现频率的变化趋势则都是由低到高。这说明非植物寄生线虫数量增长和空间占位对植物寄生线虫群体有一定的抑制作用。另外，也反映了适量氮肥在一定程度上能够减轻植物寄生线虫对黄瓜的危害。 3. 由多样性指数变化可知，NO-3–N和NH+4–N在低肥（67.5 kg N/hm2）和高肥（202.5 kg N/hm2）处理较中肥（135.0 kg N/hm2）处理，更不利于提高土壤线虫多样性地提高和线虫群落的稳定性。中肥不同形态氮肥处理与对照相比，H´指数在初花期和结果期显著增加了土壤线虫的H´指数，说明施入两种形态的氮肥能够提高线虫生物多样性程度。NH+4–N处理在初花期和结果期显著降低了土壤线虫种类的丰富性。土壤线虫生物多样性变化中，H´和SR指数在一定程度上能够反映施用无机氮肥对土壤线虫的多样性的影响，而J指数和λ指数效果不明显。NO-3–N和NH+4–N处理相比较，NO-3–N处理对黄瓜土壤线虫的多样性指数影响更大，促进了土壤线虫群体的多样化和种类的丰富度，更有利于提高土壤线虫的多样性，增加其稳定性。这些结果表明适量无机氮肥特别是NO-3–N的施用对黄瓜土壤线虫的生物多样性有一定的维护和提高作用。 4. 线虫数量与土壤质量指标的相关分析表明：线虫数量与有关土壤理化生指标，如土壤NO-3–N、NH+4–N、有机质含量等的正相关程度高，与总酚含量等显著负相关；与根际土壤微生物，细菌、真菌、放线菌数量等呈显著正相关。另外，线虫数量与土壤含水量未表现出显著相关关系。 Nematodes play a major role in decomposition and nutrient cycling in soil. Nematode community analyses are useful in assessing soil ecosystem status and function. The effects of two forms of mineral nitrogenous fertilizers (NO-3–N and NH+4–N) on nematode community composition, structure and diversity in rhizosphere of cucumber were investigated during different growing seasons of cucumber. Systematically research of effects of nitrogenous fertilizers could help to obtain better undstanding of a healthy soil and using nitrogenous fertilizers in reason. The main results are as follows: 1. The total numbers of nematode were more abundant in NH+4–N treatments than other teatments. However, NH+4–N teatment（202.5 kg N/hm2）dramatically inhibited it. All the tropic groups in the soil nematode communities were stable, and the dominant family or genus had an important function in the nematode community structure. 2. There was similar trend of the frequency of plant parasitic nematodes between NO-3–N and NH+4–N treatment, the similar trend of the frequency of non-plant parasitic nematodes was also found. But the frequency of plant parasitic nematodes exhibited a contrary trend to that of plant parasitic nematodes after different nitrogenous fertilizer treatments. The results showed that the increasing trend of the frequency and the niche of non-plant parasitic nematodes inhibited the plant parasitic nematodes, and indicated that right chemical fertilizers dosage could abate plant parasitic nematodes harm to cucumber. 3. The changes of the biodiversity index showed that the nitrogen treatment（135.0 kg N/hm2）promoted the stabilization of soil nematode diversity than other nitrogen treatments(67.5 kg N/hm2 and 202.5 kg N/hm2). In the treatment（135.0 kg N/hm2）,The changes in nematode diversity between the control plots and treated plots were compared by the biodiversity index (H´, J, SR, λ). Among these tested index, H´ and SR were effective in reflecting the effects of different nitrogenous fertilizers on the diversity of soil nematodes. In comparison with the NH+4–N treatment, the NO-3–N treatment promoted the stabilization of soil nematode diversity. 4. Correlation coefficients between nematode abundance and soil quality indices indicated that the total numbers of nematode were affected positively by NO-3–N, NH+4–N and the organic matter, and negatively by total phenolic acids; the total num- bers of nematode had positive correlation with bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes nu- mbers. Soil water contents had only a weak negative influence on it.

Defensive and Sensory Chemical Ecology of Brown Algae

The ecological interaction of brown algae are important as these macroalgae are common and often keystone members in many benthic marine communities.This review highlights their chemical interactions,particularly with potential herbivores,but also with fouling oranganisms,with potential pathogens,with each other as gametes,and with their microenvironments when they are spores.Phlorotannins,which are phenolic compounds unique to brown algae,have been studied hesvily in many of these respects and sre highlightes here.This includes recent controversy about their roles as defences against herbivory,as well as new understanding of their roles in primary cellular functions that may,in many instances,be more important than ,and which at least have to be considered in convert with,any possible ecological functions.Brown algae have also been useful models for testing theoties about the evolution of and ecological constraints on chemical defence.Furthermore,their mocroscopic motile gametes and spores have the ability to react to their chemical environments behavirourally.