Detergent compatible alkaline lipase produced by marine Bacillus smithii BTMS 11

Bacillus smithii BTMS 11, isolated from marine sediment, produced alkaline and thermostable lipase. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation and ion exchange chromatography which resulted in 0.51 % final yield and a 4.33 fold of purification. The purified enzyme was found to have a specific activity of 360 IU/mg protein. SDS-PAGE analyses, under non-reducing and reducing conditions, yielded a single band of 45 kDa indicating the single polypeptide nature of the enzyme and zymogram analysis using methylumbelliferyl butyrate as substrate confirmed the lipolytic activity of the protein band. The enzyme was found to have 50 C and pH 8.0 as optimum conditions for maximal activity. However, the enzyme was active over wide range of temperatures (30–80 C) and pH (7.0–10.0). Effect of a number of metal salts, solvents, surfactants, and other typical enzyme inhibitors on lipase activity was studied to determine the novel characteristics of the enzyme. More than 90 % of the enzyme activity was observed even after 3 h of incubation in the presence of commercial detergents Surf, Sunlight, Ariel, Henko, Tide and Ujala indicating the detergent compatibility of B. smithii lipase. The enzyme was also found to be efficient in stain removal from cotton cloths. Further it was observed that the enzyme could catalyse ester synthesis between fatty acids of varying carbon chain lengths and methanol with high preference for medium to long chain fatty acids showing 70 % of esterification. Results of the study indicated scope for application of this marine bacterial lipase in various industries

Characterization of an extracellular alkaline serine protease from marine Engyodontium album BTMFS10

An alkaline protease from marine Engyodontium album was characterized for its physicochemical properties towards evaluation of its suitability for potential industrial applications. Molecular mass of the enzyme by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) analysis was calculated as 28.6 kDa. Isoelectric focusing yielded pI of 3–4. Enzyme inhibition by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) and aprotinin confirmed the serine protease nature of the enzyme.Km, Vmax, and Kcat of the enzyme were 4.727 9 10-2 mg/ml, 394.68 U, and 4.2175 9 10-2 s-1, respectively. Enzyme was noted to be active over a broad range of pH (6–12) and temperature (15–65 C), withmaximumactivity at pH 11 and 60 C. CaCl2 (1 mM), starch (1%), and sucrose (1%) imparted thermal stability at 65 C. Hg2?, Cu2?, Fe3?, Zn2?, Cd?, and Al3? inhibited enzyme activity, while 1 mMCo2? enhanced enzyme activity. Reducing agents enhanced enzyme activity at lower concentrations. The enzyme showed considerable storage stability, and retained its activity in the presence of hydrocarbons, natural oils, surfactants, and most of the organic solvents tested. Results indicate that the marine protease holds potential for use in the detergent industry and for varied applications.

Microbial use of organic substrates and maize growth, especially in saline and alkaline soils of Pakistani Punjab

This thesis consists of 4 main parts: (1) impact of growing maize on the decomposition of incorporated fresh alfalfa residues, (2) relationships between soil biological and other soil properties in saline and alkaline arable soils from the Pakistani Punjab, (3) decomposition of compost and plant residues in Pakistani soils along a gradient in salinity, and (4) interactions of compost and triple superphosphate on the growth of maize in a saline Pakistani soil. These 4 chapters are framed by a General Introduction and a Conclusions section. (1) In the first study, the effects of growing maize plants on the microbial decomposition of freshly chopped alfalfa residues was investigated in a 90-day pot experiment using a sandy arable soil. Assuming that the addition of alfalfa residues did not affect the decomposition of native soil organic matter, only 27% of the alfalfa residues were found as CO2. This suggests that a considerable part of alfalfa-C remained undecomposed in the soil. However, only 6% of the alfalfa residues could be recovered as plant remains in treatment with solely alfalfa residues. Based on d13C values, it was calculated that plant remains in treatment maize + alfalfa residues contained 14.7% alfalfa residues and 85.3% maize root remains. This means 60% more alfalfa-C was recovered in this treatment. (2) In the second study, the interactions between soil physical, soil chemical and soil biological properties were analysed in 30 Pakistani soils from alkaline and saline arable sites differing strongly in salinisation and in soil pH. The soil biological properties were differentiated into indices for microbial activity, microbial biomass, and community structure with the aim of assessing their potential as soil fertility indices. (3) In the third study, 3 organic amendments (compost, maize straw and pea straw) were added to 5 Pakistani soils from a gradient in salinity. Although salinity has depressive effects on microbial biomass C, biomass N, biomass P, and ergosterol, the clear gradient according to the soil salt concentration was not reflected by the soil microbial properties. The addition of the 3 organic amendments always increased the contents of the microbial indices analysed. The amendment-induced increase was especially strong for microbial biomass P and reflected the total P content of the added substrates. (4) The fourth study was greenhouse pot experiment with different combinations of compost and triple superphosphate amendments to investigate the interactions between plant growth, microbial biomass formation and compost decomposition in a strongly saline Pakistani arable soil in comparison to a non-saline German arable soil. The Pakistani soil had a 2 times lower content of ergosterol, a 4 times lower contents of microbial biomass C, biomass N and biomass P, but nearly a 20 times lower content of NaHCO3 extractable P. The addition of 1% compost always had positive effects on the microbial properties and also on the content of NaHCO3 extractable P. The addition of superphosphate induced a strong and similar absolute increase in microbial biomass P in both soils.

Earth's Changing Land

Entre el 14 i el 18 de març de 1998 es va celebrar a Barcelona la conferència Earth’s Changing Land sota la tutela dels programes internacionals Global Change in Terrestrial Ecosystems (GCTE) i Land Use and Land Cover Change (LUCC). L’objectiu principal de la trobada era presentar les darreres aportacions científiques sobre els efectes presents i previsibles del canvi global sobre els ecosistemes terrestres i la societat. Al mateix temps, es volia afavorir l’establiment de ponts de diàleg entre els professionals implicats en el canvi global

Jmodels: Java models of earth system regulation

The JModel suite consists of a number of models of aspects of the Earth System. They can all be run from the JModels website. They are written in the Java language for maximum portability, and are capable of running on most computing platforms including Windows, MacOS and Unix/Linux. The models are controlled via graphical user interfaces (GUI), so no knowledge of computer programming is required to run them. The models currently available from the JModels website are: Ocean phosphorus cycle Ocean nitrogen and phosphorus cycles Ocean silicon and phosphorus cycles Ocean and atmosphere carbon cycle Energy radiation balance model (under development) The main purpose of the models is to investigate how material and energy cycles of the Earth system are regulated and controlled by different feedbacks. While the central focus is on these feedbacks and Earth System stabilisation, the models can also be used in other ways. These resources have been developed by: National Oceanography Centre, Southampton project led by Toby Tyrrell and Andrew Yool, focus on how the Earth system works.

Java computer modelling of the Earth System

The JModel suite consists of a number of models of aspects of the Earth System. The Java programmes model in detail aspects of the cycles of some major biogeochemical elements that exemplify the range of geochemical processes in marine environments.

L'ús de Google Earth a l'aula. 'El uso de Google Earth en el aula'.

Monográfico con el título: 'Ensenyar geografia en un món en transformació'. Resumen tomado de la publicación

Earth's changing rives.

Analiza la geografía de los ríos así como la manera en que los asentamientos humanos en las regiones fluviales de todo el mundo han cambiado el paisaje. Un examen a través de estudios de casos, mapas, fotografías aéreas, ilustra los efectos que han tenido los seres humanos en estos terrenos y sobre el medio ambiente circundante. Tiene glosario y bibliografía.

Earth's changing continents.

Permite ver cómo se han ido formando los continentes a los largo de millones de años. Explica cómo se forma el paisaje así como el modo en que las personas y los asentamientos humanos lo cambian. Por último se examina cómo los cambios en el medio ambiente están afectando a los paisajes del mundo e incluye la discusión de por qué el clima puede cambiar en el futuro. El estudio de casos se utiliza para abrir la posibilidad de comparar y contrastar lo aprendido.

The earth.

Explora la estructura de la Tierra, desde la cima de la montaña más alta a las profundidades oceánicas, desde el hielo polar hasta el calor de los desiertos, su atmósfera y el clima, la geología, los volcanes, los terremotos, las montañas y los lagos, entre otros, interesándose por la forma en que la Tierra está cambiando como resultado de la erosión, los volcanes, los terremotos y las actividades del hombre.

Earth watch.

Llama la atención sobre las preocupaciones ambientales más urgentes y sugiere la manera de prevenir más daños. Explica los peligros de la contaminación y el calentamiento global,la destrucción del ozono y la destrucción de los ecosistemas. Los experimentos que propone están escritos con un lenguaje sencillo para mostrar cómo observar, recopilar información, llegar a conclusiones y ayudarles a desarrollar el pensamiento científico a los niños entre ocho y once años. Para poner de relieve lo que ya se está haciendo se describe un día en la vida de un glaciólogo, un especialista en residuos urbanos, una agricultora ecológica, una especialista en animales en peligro de extinción, que describen cómo su trabajo es mejorar la gestión del planeta.

A journey through time : excavating life on earth.

Los secretos del pasado de nuetro planeta se esconden en las capas superpuestas y profundas que existen debajo de nuestros pies. Se puede vislumbrar la historia de nuestro planeta cuando las excavaciones arqueológicas desentierran restos del pasado de la Tierra : desde objetos de bronce encontrados en tumbas antiguas hasta animales y plantas fosilizados.

Earth's changing islands.

Permite ver cómo se han ido formando las islas a los largo de millones de años. Un examen a través de estudios de casos, mapas y fotografías aéreas, ilustra los efectos que los seres humanos han tenido en estos accidentes geográficos y cómo cambian. Por último se aportan datos sobre las islas más grande del mundo, las islas más densamente pobladas y las que tienen las montañas más altas. iene un glosario de apoyo lingüístico y bibliografía.

Earth's changing mountains.

Permite ver cómo se han ido formando las costas a los largo de millones de años. Un examen a través de estudios de casos, mapas y fotografías aéreas, ilustra los efectos de estos paisajes cambiantes contestando, entre otras, a las preguntas de cuáles son los estratos de roca, cómo la gente cultiva los alimentos en las zonas de montaña, cómo cambia la minería paisajes de montaña. Por último se aportan datos sobre las montañas más altas del mundo las montañas con las peores avalanchas. Tiene un glosario de apoyo lingüístico y bibliografía.

Earth and the universe.

Para responder a las preguntas que un niño puede hacer sobre la Tierra. Cómo se ve desde el espacio, que lugar ocupa en el sistema solar, cómo esta formada la corteza y el centro de la Tierra, qué son los volcanes, los terremotos, las tormentas, el clima,las estaciones climatológicas, y cómo todo esto está en peligro por la acción del hombre. Tiene un glosario como apoyo lingüístico.