From the year 2000, the environmental state and the impact of human activities on fluvial lakes in the central part of the Czech section of the Elbe River is evaluated. For that reason, three oxbow lakes were chosen: Lake Labiště pod Opočínkem (east of Pardubice), Lake Doleháj (near Kolín), and Lake Obříství (near Mělník). All of them are situated within an area with a well-developed chemical industry and the nearby lowlands are one of the most intensively farmed areas of the Czech Republic. In spite of the identical origin during the river canalization, major differences were found. E.g. very low oxygen saturation in Opočínek (mean saturation 46 %) was determined. Nutrient concentrations and their seasonal dynamics (nitrites, nitrates, ammoniated ions, and phosphates) differed in each lake as well. The lowest concentrations of heavy metals (Ag, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) in sediment were found in the Doleháj. In samples from Obříství after a big flood in September 2002, the Index of Geoaccumulation increased only for Pb and decreased for Hg. This result indicated that the pollution has probably not been occurred during such floods. and Od roku 2000 jsou v oblasti středního Labe hodnoceny přírodní podmínky starých labských ramen a posuzován vliv antropogenní činnosti na ně. Z toho důvodu byly pro výzkum vybrány následující tři slepé opuštěné meandry: Labiště pod Opočínkem (východně od Pardubic), Doleháj (v blízkosti Kolína) a jezero Obříství (v blízkosti Mělníka). Všechna tato fluviální jezera leží v oblasti s velmi rozvinutým chemickým průmyslem, přilehlé nížiny jsou též jedny z nejintenzivněji obdělávaných zemědělských ploch v České republice. Ačkoliv jezera vznikla stejným způsobem při regulacích řeky, byly mezi nimi zjištěny značné rozdíly. Například lokalita Opočínek vykazovala značně nízké hodnoty nasycení vody kyslíkem (průměrné nasycení 46 %). Koncentrace živin a jejich sezónní dynamika (dusitany, dusičnany, amonné ionty a fosforečnany) se též v každém případě lišila. Nejnižší koncentrace těžkých kovů (Ag, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb a Zn) v sedimentu byly zaznamenány v Doleháji. Ve vzorcích z lokality Obříství po velké povodni v roce 2002 se zvýšil geoakumulační index jen v případě Pb, naopak hodnota u Hg poklesla. Výsledky proukázaly nepřítomnost výrazného znečištění po této povodni.
Plants of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) were treated with either 50 µM Cd, 250 µM Zn, or 25 µM Cd+125 µM Zn and the progression of chlorosis in the mature leaves monitored. As relative chlorophyll (Chl) contents in the mature leaves decreased to 75, 50, and 25 % relative to controls, both mature and young leaves were harvested and the Chl pools extracted. The metal treatments caused a greater loss of Chl b than Chl a. As mature leaves underwent progressive chlorosis, the young leaves displayed a characteristic over-greening, due largely to increased content of Chl b. However, as the young leaves began to experience chlorosis, a greater loss of Chl b was also observed. Thus during metal induced chlorosis, there is a preferential turnover of the Chl b pool in mature and young leaves. and S. Ebbs, S. Uchil.
Cadmium is one of the most dangerous environmental pollutants, affecting, among other things, plant mineral composition. It easily interacts with iron, one of the most important elements for plant growth and metabolism. This interaction, including modifying effects of lowered or excessive Fe supply on Cd-exposed plants and its consequences for the photosynthetic apparatus is reviewed. The influence of modified Fe and Cd supply on the uptake of both metals, their distribution, plant growth, and photosynthesis is also explained. Moderate Fe excess has a beneficial influence on Cd-treated plants, resulting in more intensive growth, photosynthetic pigments accumulation, and more efficient light phase of photosynthesis. Nutrient-medium Fe deficiency increases plant susceptibility to Cd. The main open questions of Cd/Fe interaction are: (1) the strong Fe-dependency of Cd mobility within the plant, and (2) photosynthetic dark phase adaptation to Cd stress. and A. Siedlecka, Z. Krupa.
Thylakoid membranes (TM) of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus were exposed for 30 min to the influence of 0, 10, 100, and 1 000 mM CdCl2 (= Cd0, Cd10, Cd100, and Cd1000). Cd10 and Cd100 caused some increase in activity of photosystem 2, PS2 (H2O → DCPIP), while distinct inhibition was observed with Cd1000. We also observed a similar effect when measuring oxygen evolution (H2O → PBQ + FeCy). Chloroplasts of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) were incubated for 30 min with 0, 15, 30, and 60 mM CdCl2 (= Cd0, Cd15, Cd30, and Cd60). All concentrations studied inhibited the PS2 activity, the effect being stronger with increasing concentration of Cd2+. The photosynthetic oxygen evolution activity was also influenced most distinctly by the highest concentration employed, i.e. Cd60. Electrophoretic analysis of the protein composition of cyanobacterium TM showed chief changes in the molecular mass regions of Mr 29 000 and 116 000, while with spinach chloroplasts the most distinct differences were observed in the regions of Mr 15 000 and 50 000. Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBPCO) activity in cyanobacterial spheroplasts still remained on the 40 % level in the case of Cd1000, but it decreased down to approx. 2.5 % in the Cd60 sample of spinach chloroplasts. and M. Nováková, E. Matějová, D. Sofrová.
The effects of Cu, Cd, and Pb toxicity on photosynthesis in cucumber leaves (Cucumis sativus L.) were studied by the measurements of gas exchange characteristics, chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence parameters, and Chl content. Concentrations of metals in sequence of 20 μM Cu, 20 and 50 μM Cd, and 1 000 μM Pb decreased the plant dry mass to 50-60 % after 10 d of treatment whereas 50 μM of Cu decreased it to 30 %. The content of Cd in leaves of plants treated with 50 μM Cd was three times higher than the contents of Cu and Pb after plant treatment with 50 μM Cu or 1 000 μM Pb. Hence Cd was transported to leaves much better than Cu and Pb. Nevertheless, the net photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance in leaves treated with 50 μM Cu or Cd were similarly reduced. Thus, Cu was more toxic than Cd and Pb for photosynthesis in cucumber leaves. None of the investigated metals decreased internal CO2 concentrations. Also the effect of metals on potential efficiency of photosystem 2, PS2 (Fv/Fm) was negligible. The metal dependent reduction of PS2 quantum efficiency (ΦPS2) after plant adaptation in actinic irradiation was more noticeable. This could imply that reduced demand for ATP and NADPH in a dark phase of photosynthesis caused a down-regulation of PS2 photochemistry. Furthermore, in leaves of metal-treated plants the decrease in water percentage as well as lower contents of Chl and Fe were observed. Thus photosynthesis is not the main limiting factor for cucumber growth under Cu, Cd, or Pb stress. and M. Burzyński, G. Kłobus.
Nostoc muscorum cells showed metal-induced decrease in the relative growth, pigment contents, O2 evolution, and Hill activity in response to lead (Pb2+) and cadmium (Cd2+) treatment, which was further accentuated with increase in metal exposure time and metal concentration. I50 concentrations (50% growth inhibitory concentrations) of Pb2+ and Cd2+ for growth of N. muscorum were 55 and 21 μg mL-1, respectively. These results indicated that the cells of N. muscorum were more susceptible to Cd2+ in comparison to Pb2+. The O2 production was relatively more sensitive to both heavy metals (I50: 16 and 10 μg mL-1 of Pb2+ and Cd2+, respectively) than the Hill activity (I50: 61 and 39 μg mL-1 of Pb2+ and Cd2+, respectively). Further, measurement of Hill activity in the presence of metals and electron donors showed that inhibition sites of both Pb2+ and Cd2+ were located on the oxidizing site of PSII. The chlorophyll a (Chl a) and phycobilisome (PB) fluorescence emission spectra showed that energy transfer from Chl a and PB to PSII reaction center was more susceptible to Cd2+ than Pb2+., S. Dixit, D. P. Singh., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Bottom sediments can be significant sinks for a variety of heavy metals and metalloids coming from various anthropogenic sources. When these sediments are dredged and disposed of to land, drying and oxidation can lead to several changes in their physico-chemical properties, such as redox potential and pH, and hence to changes in metal mobility. Therefore, this work was conducted to study the adsorptiondesorption behaviour of one selected heavy metal - copper - in three bottom sediment samples before and after drying. Moreover, possible geochemical associations of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn in the airdried sediments were studied using a modified BCR sequential extraction protocol. Generally, redox state of the sediments changed from the highly anoxic to oxic and adsorption of Cu2+ decreased when the originally anoxic sediments were dried. On the other hand, the enhanced release of Cu2+ was observed from the air-dried sediments. The adsorption-desorption data showed that the changes in metal leachability occurred between originally anoxic and air dried sediments. In terms of water and soil pollution by Cu and likely other heavy metals, it appears that the dredged, air-dried sediments could represent somewhat greater contamination risks when compared with the originally anoxic sediments. Using the sequential extraction data, leaching potential of heavy metals and arsenic in the air-dried sediments was possible to evaluate with Cd, Co, Zn as the most mobile heavy metals, followed by Cu, Ni, As, Pb and Hg, respectively. and Dnové sedimenty sú významnými adsorbentmi celej rady ťažkých kovov a polokovov, ktoré pochádzajú z rôznych antropogénnych zdrojov. Po vyťažení týchto sedimentov z vodných nádrží na zemský povrch prechádzajú procesmi sušenia a oxidácie, ktoré menia niektoré ich vlastnosti, ako oxidačno-redukčný potenciál a pH, a teda môžu ovplyvňovať pohyblivosť potenciálne toxických kovov prítomných v sedimentoch. Z tohto dôvodu cieľom práce bolo štúdium adsorpcie a desorpcie jedného vybraného ťažkého kovu - medi - v troch vzorkách dnových sedimentov pred vysušením a po ňom. Okrem toho sme pomocou modifikovanej BCR metódy sekvenčnej extrakcie študovali možné geochemické interakcie ťažkých kovov (Cd, Co, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Zn) a arzénu s jednotlivými zložkami dnových sedimentov. Ako ukázali experimentálne výsledky, počas sušenia sa zmenili redukčné podmienky v sedimentoch na oxidačné a adsorpčná kapacita vysušených sedimentov vzhľadom k Cu2+ bola výrazne nižšia ako u pôvodných sedimentov. Na druhej strane, množstvo uvoľneného Cu2+ z vysušených sedimentov bolo vyššie ako z pôvodných sedimentov. Uvedené zistenia teda poukazujú na zmenu v správaní a pohyblivosti potenciálne toxických prvkov medzi pôvodnými, redukčnými sedimentmi a tými, ktoré prešli procesom sušenia a oxidácie. Z hľadiska znečistenia prírodných vôd a pôd meďou a pravdepodobne aj ďalšími ťažkými kovmi sa zdá, že v porovnaní s pôvodnými kontaminovanými sedimentmi vyťažené a na vzduchu vysušené sedimenty môžu predstavovať vyššie riziko pre životné prostredie. Podľa výsledkov sekvenčnej extrakcie sa ukázalo, že Cd, Co a Zn sú po vysušení v skúmaných sedimentoch veľmi mobilnými prvkami, pričom pohyblivosť ostatných prvkov klesá v poradí Cu > Ni > As > Pb >> Hg.
An integrated system of evaluation of genotoxic damage was employed in two rodent species (Clethrionomys glareolus, Apodemus flavicollis) collected in a polluted and a control site in northern Bohemia. Elevated concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Mn, Pb, Cu, Zn) were found in soil samples from the polluted site. Significantly higher concentrations of certain non-essential heavy metals were observed in kidney and liver of the animals studied in the polluted site, however, temporal variation between years and seasons was significant. Heavy metals originating from industrial aerial pollution may be not distinctly reflected in tissue concentrations recorded in small terrestrial rodents, in contrast to soil pollution resulting from mine works and/or from road traffic. In the same animal samples, micronucleus test and sperm abnormalities assays were used to study the correlation between environmental pollution and genetic damage. Higher genotoxic damage was demonstrated in the animals collected in the polluted site. Micronuclei frequencies appeared to be more suitable markers of mutagenicity than those of abnormal sperms. A. flavicollis seems to be a more suitable model in studies of environmental genotoxicity than C. glareolus.
This study was undertaken to assess the impact of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) on distribution and potential mobility of heavy metals in sediments of urban streams in Prague, Czech Republic. Contents of total and extractable heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr and Ni), mineralogical phases and other sediment properties were measured in 44 surficial sediment samples. Total metal concentrations were obtained after microwave-assisted digestion whilst extractable metal contents were obtained following a sequential extraction scheme (acid soluble, reducible, oxidisable and residual fraction). The multivariate statistics of cluster analysis was used to identify specific areas of contamination and to evaluate the impact of CSOs. The observed mobility order of metals was Cd > Zn > Ni > Cu > Pb > Cr. There was a considerable increase in Zn mobility and increase of Cu associated with the oxidisable fraction in the sediments below CSO discharges. Cd was revealed as the most mobile heavy metal with percentages of extraction of approximately 40-60% in acid soluble fraction. Pb was mainly found in reducible fraction associated with Fe/Mn (oxi)hydroxides, which is indicative of anthropogenic pollution. In terms of environmental significance, Cd and Zn can be particularly mobile and bioavailable under acidic conditions, because they are predominantly bound in labile fractions. However, potential changes of redox state and pH may remobilize the metals bound to carbonates, reducible, and/or organic matter. and Práce se zabývá vyhodnocením vlivu odlehčovacích komor jednotné kanalizace (OK) na distribuci a potenciální mobilitu těžkých kovů v sedimentech městských toků v Praze, České republice. Ve vzorcích 44 povrchových sedimentů byl stanoven obsah celkových i extrahovatelných těžkých kovů (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr a Ni), mineralogické složení a další fyzikálně-chemické vlastnosti sedimentů. Celkový obsah kovů byl stanoven po mikrovlnném rozkladu, zatímco obsah extrahovatelných kovů byl stanoven metodou sekvenční extrakce (kyselinou extrahovatelná, redukovatelná, oxidovatelná a reziduální frakce). Pomocí mnohorozměrné shlukové analýzy byly identifikovány specifické lokality kontaminace a zhodnocen vliv OK. Zjištěná potenciální mobilita kovů klesala v pořadí Cd > Zn > Ni > Cu > Pb > Cr. V sedimentech nacházejících se na profilech pod zaústěním OK byl naměřen zvýšený obsah Zn vázajícího se na nejmobilnější frakci a zvýšený obsah Cu vázané na oxidovatelnou frakci sedimentu. Cd bylo na všech profilech shledáno nejmobilnějším kovem s vazbou na kyselinou extrahovatelnou frakci v rozmezí cca 40 až 60 %. Pb bylo vázáno převážně na redukovatelnou frakci (hydratované oxidy Fe/Mn), což indikuje antropogenní zatížení tímto kovem. Z hlediska životního prostředí představují nejvýznamnější riziko převážně Cd a Zn, které se mohou za kyselých podmínek vyskytovat v mobilních a biodostupných formách, neboť jsou nejvíce vázány na nejlabilnější složky sedimentů. Při významných změnách redoxního potenciálu a pH pak může dojít k remobilizaci kovů vázaných na karbonáty, redukovatelnou frakci i organickou hmotu.
Concentrations of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) were assessed in body tissues of a solitary subterranean rodent, the silvery mole-rat (Heliophobius argenteocinereus) from the African endemic family Bathyergidae. The mean concentrations of cooper and zinc in animals captured in Malawi were higher in liver compared to muscle (18.3 mg.kg-1 vs. 8.8 mg.kg-1 of dry weight for copper; 170.3 mg.kg-1 vs. 101.2 mg.kg-1 for zinc). No important differences were found in oncentration of heavy metals between animals captured in different habitats (grassland vs. cultivated crops) or between sexes. Very low concentrations of lead (0.41 mg.kg-1 in liver, 0.25 mg.kg-1 in muscle) and cadmium (0.09 mg.kg-1 in liver, 0.07 mg.kg-1 in muscle) indicate no health risk connected with local consumption of silvery mole-rats in the area under study.