Acinetobacter sp. as the key player in diesel oil degrading community exposed to PAHs and heavy metals

The aim of this study was to verify the hypothesis that a hydrocarbon degrading community isolated from a site heavily polluted with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals should exhibit a high activity and biodegradation efficiency, despite decreased biodiversity resulting from the presence of such contaminants. Microbial community isolated from soil collected at an abandoned creosote railway wood-sleepers impregnation plant using diesel oil was used during the studies. Four parallel systems spiked with diesel oil, diesel oil + PAHs, diesel oil + heavy metals and diesel oil + PAHs + heavy metals were analysed in terms of relative abundance and biodiversity of the microbial community (Illumina), biodegradation efficiency (GCMS) and cellular metabolic activity (flow cytometry). Principal Component Analysis and biodiversity parameters indicated that the mixture of PAHs and heavy metals was the dominant factor which resulted in the enrichment of the Gammaproteobacteria class. This was associated with higher degradation of additional PAHs in the presence of heavy metals and an increase of metabolically active sub-populations during flow cytometry analysis. The increased abundance of the Acinetobacter genus in systems with both PAHs and heavy metals implies that it may play a crucial role in soil populations exposed to mixed contaminations.

Influence of oligomeric herbicidal ionic liquids with MCPA and Dicamba anions on the community structure of autochthonic bacteria present in agricultural soil

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of selected herbicidal ionic liquids (HILs), which exhibit high efficacy in terms of weed control and low toxicity, but may be persistent due to limited biodegradability, on the community structure of autochthonic bacteria present in agricultural soil. Four different oligomeric HILs (with two types of cations and different ratio of herbicidal anions) were synthesized and characterized by employing (1)H and (13)C NMR. The results of biodegradation assay indicated that none of the tested HILs could be classified as readily biodegradable (biodegradation rate ranged from 0 to 7%). The conducted field studies confirmed that the herbicidal efficacy of the HILs was higher compared to the reference herbicide mixture by 10 to 30%, depending on the dose and weed species. After termination of field studies, the soil treated with the tested HILs was subjected to next generation sequencing in order to investigate the potential changes in the bacterial community structure. Proteobacteria was the dominant phylum in all studied samples. Treatment with the studied HILs resulted in an increase of Actinobacteria compared to the reference herbicidal mixture. Differenced among the studied HILs were generally associated with a significantly higher abundance of Bacteroidetes in case of 1-HIL-Dicamba 1/3 and Firmicutes in case of 2-HIL-Dicamba 1/3.

Ionic liquids with dual pesticidal function

Novel ionic liquids with dual pesticidal function were obtained and characterized in terms of physicochemical properties, biological activity and biodegradability.

[Which medical treatment can minimize late complications after pharmacologic treatment of unstable angina?]

Current pharmacological treatment of unstable coronary diseases has significantly reduced the rate of early and late complications. Aim of this study was to investigate the impact of in-hospital and ambulatory treatment on the occurrence of late complications in patients with unstable angina treated conservatively. The study group consisted of consecutive 79 patients hospitalized in our Department on the turn of years 1998-1999 (48 men--age 62 +/- 11 years), followed up by at least 1 year. We analyzed the administered agents on the first day of hospitalization: acetylsalicylic acid, heparin, nitroglycerin, beta-adrenergic agents, calcium channels blockers, statins and ACE inhibitors, as well these drugs prescribed for ambulatory management. At least one complication (recurrent hospitalization due to coronary artery disease, unstable angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, need for revascularization or death) occurred in 57 patients (72%) in a follow-up of 16 +/- 3 months. The following drugs significantly reduced rate of late complications (OR--odds ratio, CI--confidence interval, p--significance level):--intravenous heparin during hospitalization: OR = 0.22; CI = 0.12-0.42; p = 0.007;--acetylsalicylic acid administration during hospitalization: OR = 0.42; CI = 0.22-0.77; p = 0.03;--acetylsalicylic acid prescribed for ambulatory treatment: OR = 0.24; CI = 0.13-0.46; p = 0.05.

CONCLUSIONS

Heparin and acetylsalicylic acid treatment seems to reduce the number of late complications in patients treated conservatively for the episode of unstable angina.