Sorption of Heavy Metals by Bed Silts in the Presence of Ammonium Ions

Abstract Porphobilinogen-deaminase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been isolated and partially purified 80-and 230-fold in the absence or presence of phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride, respectively.Some properties of the isolated enzyme were studied. Porphyrin formation was linear with time and protein concentration. Optimum pH was about 7.5-7.8. Molecular mass of the protein was 30,000 ± 3000 Dalton when the enzyme was purified in the presence of phenylmethyl sulphonyl fluoride. A less active and unstable 20,000 Da molecular mass species was obtained when purification was performed in the absence of the protease inhibitor.Porphobilinogen-deaminase exhibited classical Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The apparent Km for uroporphyrinogen formation was 19 μм; Vmax was 3.6 nmol uroporphyrin/h and the Hill coefficient was n = 1.Also the action of several reagents on the activity was studied. Protective thiol agents had no effect. Heavy metals inhibited both porphyrin formation and porphobilinogen consumption, but known sulphydryl inactivating chemicals inhibit the former without modifying the latter. Ammonium ions had no effect on the activity while hydroxylamine completely inhibited both porphyrin formation and porphobilinogen consumption.

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Uptake and assimilation of ammonium ions by cucumber seedlings from solutions with different pH and addition of heavy metals

Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae ◽

10.5586/asbp.1998.023 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 67 (2) ◽

pp. 197-200 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Marek Burzyński ◽

Józef Buczek

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Ammonium Assimilation ◽

Ammonium Uptake ◽

Ferric Ions ◽

Ammonium Ions ◽

Root Cells ◽

Cucumber Seedlings ◽

Ph Conditions ◽

High Level ◽

Influence Of Ph

Influence of Cu2+, Cd2+, Pb2+ and Fe2+ in various pH conditions (5.0, 6.0, 7.0) on the uptake and assimilation of NH4+ by cucumber seedlings was estimated. Every metal in different pH of uptake solution distinctly reduced ammonium absorption calculated from NH4+ depletion. Copper and ferric ions, but not cadmium or lead, astonishingly decreased the uptake of ammonium from solution at pH 5.0. Cu2+ was also very active at pH 6.0. The accumulation of ammonium in roots of metals-treated seedlings at the same time was high. The high level of ammonium in root cells despite of its low uptake probably resulted from disturbance in NH4+ assimilation. Both glutamine synthetase (GS) and NADH-glutamate dehydrogenase (NADH-GDH) - the major enzymes in ammonium assimilation, were inhibited after one hour of plant exposition to the metals. Similarly as in the case of ammonium uptake, the influence of pH was visible only in combination with copper and ferric ions. The strongest reduction of enzyme activities was observed for Cu2+ and Fe2+, in pH 5.0 and 6.0. The various metals absorption by roots from solutions with different pH was not dedected. The data show correlation between metal inhibition of GS and NADH-GDH activities and metal inhibition of ammonium absorption.

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Sampling and analysis of the air-water interface with SEM and EDS of microlayers

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100157000 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 47 ◽

pp. 1004-1005

Author(s):

Randall W. Smith ◽

John Dash

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Surface Microlayer ◽

Surface Films ◽

Water Interface ◽

Physical Processes ◽

Infrared Spectroscopic Analysis ◽

Eds Analysis ◽

Air Water Interface ◽

Significant Area ◽

Bulk Chemical

The structure of the air-water interface forms a boundary layer that involves biological ,chemical geological and physical processes in its formation. Freshwater and sea surface microlayers form at the air-water interface and include a diverse assemblage of organic matter, detritus, microorganisms, plankton and heavy metals. The sampling of microlayers and the examination of components is presently a significant area of study because of the input of anthropogenic materials and their accumulation at the air-water interface. The neustonic organisms present in this environment may be sensitive to the toxic components of these inputs. Hardy reports that over 20 different methods have been developed for sampling of microlayers, primarily for bulk chemical analysis. We report here the examination of microlayer films for the documentation of structure and composition.Baier and Gucinski reported the use of Langmuir-Blogett films obtained on germanium prisms for infrared spectroscopic analysis (IR-ATR) of components. The sampling of microlayers has been done by collecting fi1ms on glass plates and teflon drums, We found that microlayers could be collected on 11 mm glass cover slips by pulling a Langmuir-Blogett film from a surface microlayer. Comparative collections were made on methylcel1ulose filter pads. The films could be air-dried or preserved in Lugol's Iodine Several slicks or surface films were sampled in September, 1987 in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland and in August, 1988 in Sequim Bay, Washington, For glass coverslips the films were air-dried, mounted on SEM pegs, ringed with colloidal silver, and sputter coated with Au-Pd, The Langmuir-Blogett film technique maintained the structure of the microlayer intact for examination, SEM observation and EDS analysis were then used to determine organisms and relative concentrations of heavy metals, using a Link AN 10000 EDS system with an ISI SS40 SEM unit. Typical heavy microlayer films are shown in Figure 3.

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