Persistent organochlorine residues in sediments of Haihe River and Dagu Drainage River in Tianjin, China.

Persistent organochlorine compounds were analyzed by means of GC-ECD in surface sediment samples from two selected rivers in Tianjin, Haihe River and Dagu Drainage River. A total of 16 surface sediment sites were selected along the both rivers. The frequency of detection of T-HCH and T-DDT in sediment samples both was up to 100%, which illustrated that the contamination of HCH and DDT was widespread in Haihe and Dagu Drainage Rivers. Results indicated that the concentrations of various pesticides in sediments from Haihe River were in the range of 3.30-75.96 ng/g dw for T-HCH and 1.57-211.57 ng/g dw for T-DDT. Compared with Haihe River, Dagu Drainage River was contaminated by HCHs and DDTs along the all locations and the values of T-HCH and T-DDT residues in sediments ranged from 2.30 to 124.61 ng/g dw and from 11.28 to 237.30 ng/g dw, respectively. The possible pollution sources were analyzed through monitoring results of organochlorine pesticides(OCPs) residues in sediments from the two rivers. The investigation also indicated that HCH was still used as pesticide in Tianjin partial area.

A new phenylethanoid glucoside from Plantago depressa Willd.

Chemical research of Plantago depressa Willd. led to one new phenylethanoid glucoside with α-L-rhamnosyl (1 → 2)-ß-D-glucose structure, together with four known compounds. These five compounds (1-5) were isolated from the family Plantaginaceae for the first time; the chemotaxonomic significance of cerebrosides was also discussed.

Ethylene inhibits darkness-induced stomatal closure by scavenging nitric oxide in guard cells of Vicia faba.

The plant hormone ethylene regulates many aspects of plant growth and development. Despite the well-known relationship between ethylene and stress signalling, the involvement of ethylene in regulating stomatal movement is not completely explored. Here, the role and association between nitric oxide (NO) reduction and the inhibition of darkness-induced stomatal closure by ethylene was studied. Physiological data are provided that both ethylene-releasing compound 2-chloroethylene phosphonic acid (ethephon, ETH) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), the immediate precursor of ethylene, reduced the levels of NO in Vicia faba L. guard cells, and then induced stomatal opening in darkness. In addition, ACC and ETH not only reduced NO levels in guard cells caused by exogenous NO (derived from sodium nitroprusside, SNP) in light, but also abolished NO that had been generated during a dark period and promoted stomatal opening. Interestingly, 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (cPTIO) and hemoglobin (Hb), NO scavenger and the potent scavenger of NO/carbon monoxide (CO), respectively, also reduced NO levels by SNP and darkness. However, the above-mentioned effects of ACC and ETH were dissimilar to that of nitric oxide synthase (enzyme commission 1.14.13.39) inhibitor NG-nitro-L-Arg-methyl ester (L-NAME), which could neither reduce NO levels by SNP nor abolish NO that had been generated in the dark. Thus, it is concluded that ethylene reduces the levels of NO in V. faba guard cells via a pattern of NO scavenging, then induces stomatal opening in the dark.