Reza Shokoohi, Salah Azizi, Said Amir Ghiasian, Javad Fredmal,
Volume 7, Issue 2 (10-2014)
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is an organic compound and phenolic derivatives categorized as priority pollutants that have harmful effects on humans, animals, and plants in low concentrations. Therefore, PCP removal from water and wastewater is very important. The aim of this study was to assess the efficiency of A. niger fungus biomass in PCP absorption. Materials and Methods: This was an experimental study in which different steps of the experiments were performed. A. niger strain was prepared from Persian Type Culture Collection of Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology (IROST). After activation in potato dextrose agar (PDA) culture plates, fungi were incubated for 7 to 10 days at 25 °C. The prepared A. niger biomass was modified by NaOH and then it was used for PCP absorption assay. The concentration of PCP was measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. Results: The findings of present study showed that contact time is an important and effective factor in the PCP absorption rate. Two hours was selected as the optimum retention time in this experiment and after that the removal percentage did not raise significantly. The results of PCP absorption in different pH demonstrated that the adsorption efficiency decreases by rising pH and initial PCP concentration. The effects of contact time, pH and initial PCP concentration on the absorption process was significant (P-value <0.001). Conclusion: The results show that absorption efficiency increases by rising retention time under constant conditions. In addition, at low pH the modified A. niger biomass could be a good absorber for PCP.
S Bita, M Mesbah, A Shahryari, M Ghorbanpoor Najafabadi,
Volume 10, Issue 3 (12-2017)
Abstract
Background and Objective: Nanoparticles are already widely used in technology, medicine and consumer products, but there are limited data on their effects on the aquatic environments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the response of antioxidant defense system in common carp gills exposed to silver nanoparticles, which are produced by bioreduction method.
Materials and Methods: Common carp fish were exposed to the silver nanoparticles at concentrations of 0.11, 1.13 and 5.67 mg/L for 14 days. A treatment without silver was considered as a control. After sampling, 1 g of gill was weighed and homogenized in 5 mL phosphate buffer. The homogenized samples were analyzed for measuring the activity of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and malondialdehyde (MDA).
Results: CAT activity in gill at the concentrations of 1.13 and 5.67 mg/L AgNPs was significantly reduced compared to that of the control (p<0.05). When the activities of GSH and TAC of different treatments and the control were compared, no significant difference (p>0.05) was observed. Activity of SOD and MDA of all treatments sampled at different days was fluctuated, that is, it was either increased or decreased. However, superoxide dismutase activity was significantly higher in exposure to concentrations of 5.67 mg/L and 1.13 mg/L.
Conclusion: According to the results, fish gills are one of the most susceptible organs of oxidative damage in exposure to silver nanoparticles. This can affect the health of common carp and thus increase the risk of disease in the fish.
