1-Cyclo-hexyl-6,7-dimeth-oxy-1,4-di-hydro-naphthalene.

The title compound, C18H24O2, was isolated from the leaves extract of Ficus carica L. The cyclo-hexane ring displays a chair conformation whereas the cyclo-hexa-1,4-diene ring adopts a flattened boat conformation with methyl C atoms at the prow and stern. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by weak C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds into supra-molecular chains propagated along the b-axis direction.

Variability of fecal indicator bacteria in flowing and ponded waters in southern California: implications for bacterial TMDL development and implementation.

Recreational water quality is assessed by using water quality objectives for fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) including total coliform, fecal coliform (or E. coli), and/or Enterococcus. It is required under the Clean Water Act that a TMDL be developed for a bacteria-impaired water body. The development and implementation of bacterial TMDLs has proven challenging and often difficult due to unknown source(s) of FIB. This study found that FIB levels varied significantly in flowing water, ponded water, and associated sediment. FIB levels in isolated ponded water in waterways were significantly higher than in flowing water. Sediment under ponded water contained a great amount of FIB. Furthermore, FIB concentrations in ponded water tended to increase with increasing water temperature and to decrease with increasing water salinity. The result provides the field evidence of survival/growth of FIB in water and sediment under ambient conditions in southern California. A holistic approach including natural sources (e.g., a reference system) should be considered for practical and applicable purposes while developing and implementing bacterial TMDLs for pathogen-impaired waterbodies.

Composition and Free Radical Scavenging Activity of Kernel Oil from Torreya grandis, Carya Cathayensis, and Myrica R ubra.

In this study, we measured the composition and free radical scavenging activity of several species of nuts, namely, Torreya grandis, Carya cathayensis, and Myrica rubra. The nut kernels of the aforementioned species are rich in fatty acids, particularly in unsaturated fatty acids, and have 51% oil content. T. grandis and C. cathayensis are mostly produced in ZheJiang province. The trace elements in the kernels of T. grandis and C. cathayensis were generally higher than those in M. rubra, except for Fe with a value of 64.41 mg/Kg. T. grandis is rich in selenium (52.91-68.71 mg/Kg). All three kernel oils have a certain free radical scavenging capacity, with the highest value in M. rubra. In the DPPH assay, the IC50 of M. rubra kernel oil was 60 µg/mL, and OH was 100 µg/mL. The results of this study provide basic data for the future development of the edible nut resources in ZheJiang province.

Kinetics of the pyrolytic and hydrothermal decomposition of water hyacinth.

The kinetics of water hyacinth decomposition using pyrolysis and hydrothermal treatment was compared. With pyrolysis, initial vaporization occurred at 453 K as determined by thermogravimetric analysis, while initial solubilisation occurred at 433 K with subcritical hydrothermal treatment. The "kinetic triplet" was determined for the ranges of 423-483 K (range I) and 473-553 K (range II) using the Coats-Redfern method for both treatments. The calculated activation energies for ranges I and II were 110 and 116 kJ/mol for conventional pyrolysis and 145 and 90 kJ/mol for hydrothermal treatment. The similar activation energies for the two temperature ranges observed for pyrolysis implied that only hemicellulose decomposition occurred. For hydrothermal treatment, both hemicellulose and cellulose decomposition occurred in temperature range II, in which a notable lower activation energy was observed. This implied hydrothermal treatment was more suitable for conversion lignocellulosic biomass under these conditions.

[Silkworm excrement organic fertilizer: its nutrient properties and application effect].

In this paper, silkworm excrement was harmless-treated via controlled fermentation to prepare silkworm excrement organic fertilizer (SEOF). The nutrient properties of the SEOF were determined, and a pot experiment was conducted to examine the application effect of the fertilizer. After fermentation, the total N, P, and K contents in the SEOF had a significant increase, being 58.0%, 84.4% , and 29.7% higher than those in the raw material, respectively. The addition of microbial inoculants shortened the fermentation period, and decreased the carbon and nitrogen losses during fermentation. With the application of SEOF, the seed germination index of cabbage and tomato was higher than 80% , suggesting that the fertilizer had no inhibitory effect on the seed germination. The application of SEOF not only increased the Chinese cabbage yield and its nutrients and Vc contents, decreased the plant nitrate content, but also improved the soil pH value, and increased the soil available nutrients and organic matter contents and soil enzyme activities, with better effect than applying composted goat feces.

Response surface analysis of the water: feed ratio influences on hydrothermal recovery from biomass.

Response surface methodology was employed to analyze the interaction between the water:feed ratio (2.0-9.0), reaction temperature (180-280°C) and retention time (0-60 min) on hydrothermal conversion of lawn grass clippings as a model biomass. Solid residues and the liquid pH decreased, while the water-soluble organic fraction increased with greater water:feed ratios. Greater water content resulted in a higher yield of reducing sugars, proteins, and amino acids. This was attributed to improved mass transport properties in the subcritically-heated water. Response surface analysis was used to describe the interaction of the water:feed ratio, temperature and retention time with regards to the yields of reducing sugars, proteins, and amino acids. The highest yields of both reducing sugars and amino acids were obtained with a water:feed ratio of 5.5 at 230°C reaction temperature and 30 min retention time; highest yield of protein was obtained with a water:feed ratio of 9.0 at 230°C and 0 min retention time. Moreover, fitted quadratic polynomial, fitted 2FI polynomial and quadratic polynomial were established via ANOVA to describe the effects of temperature, retention time and water:feed ratio on the yield of reducing sugars, proteins, and amino acids.

[Effects of organic fish protein liquid fertilizer on enzyme activities and microbial biomass C and N in a silt soil].

By the method of thermostatic culture, this paper studied the effects of different application rates (0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 ml x kg(-1)) of organic fish protein liquid fertilizer on the enzyme activities and microbial biomass C and N in a silt soil, and the relationships between these parameters and soil nutrient contents. Under the application of the liquid fertilizer, soil pH varied in the range of 7.07-7.31, but had no significant difference from the control. With the increasing application rate of the liquid fertilizer, the activities of soil phosphatase, urease, and protease, as well as the soil biomass C and N, all increased significantly, and the increment was 127, 190 and 196%, 39.81, 78.06 and 173.24%, 56.37, 108.29 and 199.98%, 167, 395 and 474%, and 121, 243 and 406%, respectively, compared with the control. The peak time of the soil urease and protease activities and microbial biomass C and N differed with the fertilization treatments. Soil phosphase, urease, and protease activities and microbial biomass C and N were significantly positively correlated with soil nutrient contents, suggesting that applying organic fish protein liquid fertilizer to silt soil could improve soil microbial growth and enzyme activities, and accordingly, promote the decomposition and transformation of soil organic matter and the release of soil available nutrient elements.

[Cu-hyperaccumulators in mining area].

Plant species distributing in three Cu-mining area were investigated, and Cu concentrations in soils and plants were analyzed. The results showed that Cu ore deposit mostly was distributed at the altitude of about 630 m. Elsholtzia splendens and Rumex acetosa were distributed only on the Cu ore deposit or the place with high Cu concentration, and the maximum Cu concentrations in these two plants were 1060 mg.kg-1 DW and 1006 mg.kg-1 DW, which reached the critical of hyperaccumulator. Cu accumulations in Elsholtzia splendens and Rumex acetosa were positively and closely correlated with Cu concentration in soil.