Extraction and characterization of bound extracellular polymeric substances from cultured pure cyanobacterium (Microcystis wesenbergii).

Preliminary characterization of bound extracellular polymeric substances (bEPS) of cyanobacteria is crucial to obtain a better understanding of the formation mechanism of cyanobacterial bloom. However, the characterization of bEPS can be affected by extraction methods. Five sets (including the control) of bEPS from Microcystis extracted by different methods were characterized using three-dimensional excitation and emission matrix (3DEEM) fluorescence spectroscopy combined chemical spectrophotometry; and the characterization results of bEPS samples were further compared. The agents used for extraction were NaOH, pure water and phosphate buffered saline (PBS) containing cationic exchange resins, and hot water. Extraction methods affected the fluorescence signals and intensities in the bEPS. Five fluorescence peaks were observed in the excitation and emission matrix fluorescence spectra of bEPS samples. Two peaks (peaks T1 and T2) present in all extractions were identified as protein-like fluorophores, two (peaks A and C) as humic-like fluorophores, and one (peak E) as a fulvic-like substance. Among these substances, the humic-like and fulvic-like fluorescences were only seen in the bEPS extracted with hot water. Also, NaOH solution extraction could result in strong fluorescence intensities compared to the other extraction methods. It was suggested that NaOH at pH10.0 was the most appropriate method to extract bEPS from Microcystis. In addition, dialysis could affect the yields and characteristics of extracted bEPS during the determination process. These results will help us to explore the issues of cyanobacterial blooms.

Heavy-metal contents in suspended solids of Meiliang Bay, Taihu Lake and its environmental significances.

Surface water was taken from river mouth to the central area of Meiliang Bay, Taihu Lake, a large shallow eutrophic lake in China. Suspended solids were condensed by centrifugation 25 L surface water samples from each selected site. Suspended solids and surface sediments were further freeze-dried and microwave digested before determining the metals by ICP-AES. Among the metals analyzed in suspended solids and sediments, contents of Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Zn in suspended solids were significantly higher than those in sediments while contents of Al, Ba, Be, Ca, Co, Fe, K, Mg, Pb, and V in suspended solids were 10%-30% higher than those in sediments. Sr and Ti contents in suspended solids and sediments were very similar. Na content in suspended solids was lower than that in sediments. Heavy metals were significantly accumulated in suspended solids. From the river mouth to the center of Meiliang Bay, contents of Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn in suspended solids showed a gradual decreasing trend indicating the river (Zhihugang River) still discharged large quantity of heavy metals to Meiliang Bay. The study suggests that the geochemical behaviors and ecological effects of heavy metals in suspended solids may serve as a good indicator for the pollution of lake.

Influence of algal bloom degradation on nutrient release at the sediment-water interface in Lake Taihu, China.

Algal bloom could drastically influence the nutrient cycling in lakes. To understand how the internal nutrient release responds to algal bloom decay, water and sediment columns were sampled at 22 sites from four distinct regions of China's eutrophic Lake Taihu and incubated in the laboratory to examine the influence of massive algal bloom decay on nutrient release from sediment. The column experiment involved three treatments: (1) water and sediment (WS); (2) water and algal bloom (WA); and (3) water, sediment, and algal bloom (WSA). Concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), ammonium (NH (4) (+) -N), and orthophosphate (PO (4) (3-) -P) were recorded during incubation. The decay of algal material caused a more rapid decrease in DO than in the algae-free controls and led to significant increases in NH (4) (+) -N and PO (4) (3-) -P in the water. The presence of algae during the incubation had a regionally variable effect on sediment nutrient profiles. In the absence of decaying algae (treatment WS), sediment nutrient concentrations decreased during the incubation. In the presence of blooms (WSA), sediments from the river mouth released P to the overlying water, while sediments from other regions absorbed surplus P from the water. This experiment showed that large-scale algal decay will dramatically affect nutrient cycling at the sediment-water interface and would potentially transfer the function of sediment as "container" or "supplier" in Taihu, although oxygen exchange with atmosphere in lake water was stronger than in columns. The magnitude of the effect depends on the physical-chemical character of the sediments.

[Spatial distribution of COD and the correlations with other parameters in the northern region of Lake Taihu].

Spatial variation of chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration was documented and significant correlations between COD concentration and chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) absorption, fluorescence, DOC concentration were found based on a cruise sampling in the northern region of Lake Taihu in summer including 42 samplings. The possible source of COD was also discussed using every two cruise samplings in summer and winter, respectively. The COD concentration ranged from 3.77 to 7.96 mg x L(-1) with a mean value of (5.90 +/- 1.54) mg x L(-1). The mean COD concentrations in Meiliang Bay and the central lake basin were (6.93 +/- 0.89) mg x L(-1) and (4.21 +/- 0.49) mg x L(-1) respectively. A significant spatial difference was found between Meiliang Bay and the central lake basin in COD concentration, CDOM absorption coefficient, fluorescence, DOC and phytoplankton pigment concentrations, decreasing from the river mouth to inner bay, outer bay and the central lake basin. Significant correlations between COD concentration and CDOM absorption, fluorescence, DOC concentration, suggested that COD concentration could be estimated and organic pollution could be assessed using CDOM absorption retrieved from remote sensing images. Significant and positive correlation was found between COD concentration and chlorophyll a concentration in summer. However, the correlation was weak or no correlation was found in winter. Furthermore, a significant higher COD concentration was found in summer than in winter (p < 0.001). Our results indicated that degradation of phytoplankton blooms was the main source of COD in summer, except for river terrestrial input.

[Chromophoric dissolved organic matter absorption characteristics with relation to fluorescence in typical macrophyte, algae lake zones of Lake Taihu].

Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) represents one of the primary light-absorbing species in natural waters and plays a critical in determining the aquatic light field. CDOM shows a featureless absorption spectrum that increases exponentially with decreasing wavelength, which limits the penetration of biologically damaging UV-B radiation (wavelength from 280 to 320 nm) in the water column, thus shielding aquatic organisms. CDOM absorption measurements and their relationship with dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and fluorescence are presented in typical macrophyte and algae lake zone of Lake Taihu based on a field investigation in April in 2004 and lab analysis. Absorption spectral of CDOM was measured from 240 to 800 nm using a Shimadzu UV-2401PC UV-Vis recording spectrophotometer. Fluorescence with an excitation wavelength of 355 nm, an emission wavelength of 450 nm is measured using a Shimadzu 5301 spectrofluorometer. Concentrations of DOC ranged from 6.3 to 17.2 mg/L with an average of 9.08 +/- 2.66 mg/L. CDOM absorption coefficients at 280 nm and 355 nm were in the range of 11.2 - 32.6 m(-1) (average 17.46m(-1) +/- 5.75 m(-1) and 2.4 - 8.3 m(-1) (average 4.17m(-1) +/- 1.47 m(-l)), respectively. The values of the DOC-specific absorption coefficient at 355 nm ranged from 0.31 to 0.64 L x (mg x m)-1. Fluorescence emission at 450 nm, excited at 355 nm, had a mean value of 1.32nm(-1) +/- 0.84 nm(-1). A significant lake zone difference is found in DOC concentration, CDOM absorption coefficient and fluorescence, but not in DOC-specific absorption coefficient and spectral slope coefficient. This regional distribution pattern is in agreement with the location of sources of yellow substance: highest concentrations close to river mouth under the influence of river inflow, lower values in East Lake Taihu. The values of algae lake zone are obvious larger than those of macrophyte lake zone. In Meiliang Bay, CDOM absorption, DOC concentration and fluorescence tend to decreasing from inside to mouth of the Bay. The results show a good correlation between CDOM absorption and DOC coefficients during 280 - 500 nm short wavelength intervals. The R-square coefficient between CDOM absorption and DOC concentration decreases with the increase of wavelength from 280 to 500 nm. The significant linear regression correlations between fluorescence, DOC concentration and absorption coefficients were found at 355 nm. The exponential slope coefficients ranged from 13.0 to 16.4 microm(-1) with a mean value 14.37microm(-1) +/- 0.73microm(-1), 17.3microm(-1) - 20.3microm(-1) with a mean value 19.17microm(-1) +/- 0.84microm(-1) and 12.0microm(-1) - 15.8microm(-1) with a mean value 13.38microm(-1) +/- 0.82microm(-1) over the 280 - 500 nm, 280 - 360 nm and 360 - 440 nm intervals.