Characterization of novel thorium tolerant Ochrobactrum intermedium AM7 in consort with assessing its EPS-Thorium binding.

Currently, radioactive waste is disposed primarily by burial in a deep geological repository. Microorganisms thriving in such contaminated environment show tolerance to radionuclides. In the present study the bacterial flora, from soil sample collected from an area around atomic power station exposed to radionuclides and heavy metals, was cultivated and assessed for thorium (Th) tolerance. Of all the isolates, strain AM7 identified as O. intermedium was selected since it could thrive at high levels of Th (1000 mg L-1). AM7 was characterized physico-chemically and its culture medium was optimized using central composite design of response surface methodology for assessing its growth properties in presence of Th. The strain also showed exceptional exopolysaccharide (EPS) production and its yield was further analyzed using one factor study to investigate the influence of each medium component. On supplementing the EPS medium with Th, no significant decrease in yield was observed. FTIR spectroscopy revealed the functional groups of EPS involved in EPS-Th binding. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report showing exceptional Th-tolerance by any bacteria. Such study will help other researchers to strategize an environment-friendly way of radwaste disposal.

Synthesis, characterization and antibacterial studies on some mixed ligand thorium complexes with N- and O-donor ligands.

Mixed ligand Th(IV) complexes of the type [M(Q)(L)(NO3)2] x 2H2O have been synthesized using 8-hydroxyquinoline (HQ) as a primary ligand and N- and/or O- donor amino acids (HL) such as L-threonine, L-tryptophan and L-isoleucine as secondary ligands. The metal complexes have been characterized on the basis of elemental analysis, electrical conductance, room temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements, spectral and thermal studies. The electrical conductance studies of the complexes in DMF in 10(-3). M concentration indicate their non-electrolytic nature. Room temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements revealed diamagnetic nature of the complexes. Electronic absorption spectra of the complexes show intra-ligand and charge transfer transitions, respectively. Bonding of the metal ion through N- and O-donor atoms of the ligands revealed by IR studies and the chemical environment of the protons is also confirmed by NMR studies. The thermal analysis data of the complexes indicate the presence of crystalline water molecules. The tube dilution method has been used to study the antibacterial activity of the complexes against the pathogenic bacteria S. aureus, C. diphtheriae, S. typhi and E. coli.

[The peculiarities of separate and combined exposure to low dose-rate gamma-radiation and 232Th nitrate on thyroid gland].

We studied the effects of both: of the separate and of the combined exposure to gamma-radiation (absorbed doses for 30 days were 1.4-1.8 cGy, for 90 days were 4.3-5.4 cGy) and 232Th nitrate (in concentrations 6.0; 20.0 and 60.0 mg/l) on the CBA line mice thyroid gland. Hat is shown the thyroid gland response to the combined exposure is significant in an appearance of non-linear effects of interaction. The intensiveness of the radiation influence (time and doses) is revealed to affect on the biological response direction in thyroid gland. The intensity of this effect was depended on the correlation between the radiation activity and the chemical components concentration. The dispersive analyses showed that all the studied factors caused structural changes in thyroid gland in this experiment, but the gamma-radiation influence causes the primary contribution.

[Toxic and cytogenetic effects induced in Allium cepa with low concenrations of Cd and 232th].

232Th (7.76 x 10(-7) M) and Cd (0.89 x 10(-8) M) in concentrations which do not exceed officially prescribed standards when entering with water do not increase the frequency of chromosome aberrations in comparison with the control. Such concentrations do not cause toxic effects in plants on the levels of tissues and of the whole organism but they do display their activity on the cell level damaging division spindle. Dependence "cadmium concentration-effect" is not linear for any type of cytogenetical damages. At the concentration of cadmium 0.89 x 10(-7) M its influence on formation of division spindle is weakened and the frequency of chromosome aberrations is reducing in comparison with the control and with the effects induced at lower concentrations of cadmium in solution (0.89 x 10(-8) M). Cadmium in high concentration (5.34 x 10(-5) M) causes significant toxic and mutagenic effects.

[The action of 232Th separately and in combination with heavy and alkaline metal salts on Tradescantia (clone 02)]. / Razdel'noe i v sochetanii s soliami tiazhelykh i shchelochnykh metallov deistvie 232Th na tradeskantsiiu (klon 02).

The action of 232Th-nitrate in concentration 0.09, 0.18 and 0.36 mg/l (counting on 232Th ion) on water cultures of Tradescantia (clone 02) was investigated. It was found that all investigated concentrations of 232Th showed statistically significant genotoxic effect and increased level of morphological abnormal cells in the stamen hairs of Tradescantia in the absence of modifying action of other metal ions. Synergistic toxic interaction was found between the 232Th in concentration 0.18 mg/l and metal ions for all samples of thawed water. Synergistic genotoxic effect of the combined action of these factors was revealed only at the low total contents of ions of heavy and alkaline metals in thawed water samples. The observed synergistic effects of the combined action of 232Th and metal ions should be taken into account when controlling the radionuclide level in the environment.

[Cytogenetic effects of separate and combined effect of thorium-232 and potassium nitrates on Tradescantia (clone 02)]. / Tsitogeneticheskie éffekty razdel'nogo i sovmestnogo deistviia nitratov toriia-232 i kaliia na tradescantia (klon 02).

Under both separate and combined influence of 232nd-nitrate and potassium nitrate a study was made of the yield of somatic mutation frequencies, the level of morphologically abnormal cells and the loss of reproduction integrity in the stamen hairs of Tradescantia (clone 02). All investigated concentrations of 232nd-nitrate and potassium nitrate exerted statistically significant genotoxic effects and increased the level of morphological cell abnormalities in the stamen hairs of Tradescantia. Also, 0.36 mg/l 232nd and 0.51 mg/l KNO3 concentrations cause a statistically significant loss of reproduction integrity in the stamen hair. The combined action of 232nd-nitrate and potassium nitrate in all investigated concentrations and parameters causes a statistically significant effect.

[Dependence of the elastic characteristics and contractile activity of the rat tail artery on the transmural difference of potentials]. / Zavisimost' élasticheskikh svoistv i sokratitel'noi sposobnosti khvostovoi arterii krys ot transmural'noi raznosti potentsialov.

Change in the diffuse portion of the double electric layer at the blood-vascular wall border under the effect of thorium nitric oxide and heparin affects the tone and contractile ability of the rat tail artery: thorium diminishes the vessel rigidity and the amplitude of its contractile response, whereas heparin augments the rigidity as well as the amplitude of the response. Thorium nitric oxide also diminishes rigidity of the vessel connective tissue skeleton. The difference of potentials between the vessel lumen and its wall seems to be capable of affecting the contractile apparatus of the smooth muscle cells by means of activation of potential-sensitive ionic channels.