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de Weger LA, Verbeek C, Markey E, O'Connor DJ, Gosling WD. Greater difference between airborne and flower pollen chemistry, than between pollen collected across a pollution gradient in the Netherlands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 934:172963. [PMID: 38705300 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
The prevalence in allergic diseases has increased considerably in the past decades. An important trigger of the symptoms of allergic rhinitis (hay fever) is the pollen of wind-pollinating plants. This pollen is developed by plants and is released into the air where it gets exposed to environmental influences and air pollution. We investigated the chemical changes to pollen that occur after release from the flower in a rural (Veluwe) and an urban (Amsterdam) site in the Netherlands using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. During the spring/summer of 2020 (during the COVID pandemic) the pollen of nine taxa (Alnus, Betula, Fagus, Fraxinus, Pinus, Plantago, Poaceae, Quercus and Salix) were collected directly from flowers and the air (using a mobile sampler). FTIR spectra were obtained for multiple individual pollen grains for each taxa. The spectra obtained from airborne pollen collected at the rural vs. urban sites did not show any statistical difference. This is possibly a result of a reduced difference in pollutant concentrations between the two sites due to the COVID-19-lockdown measures were in place. However, consistent differences in the FTIR spectra recovered from airborne vs. flower pollen were recorded for all pollen taxa. After the release from the flower the chemical composition of the pollen changed: (i) polysaccharides are converted to monosaccharides; (ii) protein concentration and/or nitration/oxidation level is altered; (iii) lipids are modified and/or reduced in concentration. These changes may alter the allergenicity of the pollen and suggest that further work on the allergenic nature of airborne pollen is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letty A de Weger
- Leiden University Medical Center Department of Pulmonology and Department of Pulmonology and Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Cas Verbeek
- Institute for Biodiversity & Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Emma Markey
- School of Chemical Sciences, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - David J O'Connor
- School of Chemical Sciences, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - William D Gosling
- Institute for Biodiversity & Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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2
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Kerienė I, Šaulienė I, Šukienė L, Judžentienė A, Ligor M, Buszewski B. Patterns of Phenolic Compounds in Betula and Pinus Pollen. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:356. [PMID: 36679068 PMCID: PMC9865354 DOI: 10.3390/plants12020356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In this study, phenolic compounds and their antioxidant activity in the pollen of anemophilous Betula and Pinus were determined. Spectrophotometric, high-performance thin-layer and liquid chromatography methods were applied. Free phenolic compounds (free PC) and phenolic compounds bound to the cell wall (bound PC) were analysed in the pollen extracts. Regardless of the pollen species, their content was 20% higher than that in bound PC extracts. Pinus pollen extracts contained 2.5 times less phenolic compounds compared to Betula. Free PC extraction from the deeper layers of Pinus pollen was minimal; the same content of phenolic compounds was obtained in both types of extracts. The bioactivity of pollen (p < 0.05) is related to the content of phenolic compounds and flavonoids in Betula free PC and in bound PC, and only in free PC extracts of Pinus. Rutin, chlorogenic and trans-ferulic acids were characterised by antioxidant activity. Phenolic acids accounted for 70−94%, while rutin constituted 2−3% of the total amount in the extracts. One of the dominant phenolic acids was trans-ferulic acid in all the Betula and Pinus samples. The specific compounds were vanillic and chlorogenic acids of Betula pollen extracts, while Pinus extracts contained gallic acid. The data obtained for the phenolic profiles and antioxidant activity of Betula and Pinus pollen can be useful for modelling food chains in ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilona Kerienė
- Regional Development Institute, Šiauliai Academy, Vilnius University, 84 Vytauto Str., LT-76352 Šiauliai, Lithuania
| | - Ingrida Šaulienė
- Regional Development Institute, Šiauliai Academy, Vilnius University, 84 Vytauto Str., LT-76352 Šiauliai, Lithuania
| | - Laura Šukienė
- Regional Development Institute, Šiauliai Academy, Vilnius University, 84 Vytauto Str., LT-76352 Šiauliai, Lithuania
| | - Asta Judžentienė
- Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Department of Organic Chemistry, Saulėtekio Avenue 3, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
- Life Sciences Center, Institute of Biosciences, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio Avenue 7, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Magdalena Ligor
- Department of Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 7 Gagarina Str., 87-100 Torun, Poland
| | - Bogusław Buszewski
- Department of Environmental Chemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 7 Gagarina Str., 87-100 Torun, Poland
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3
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Çetinbaş-Genç A, Toksöz O, Piccini C, Kilin Ö, Sesal NC, Cai G. Effects of UV-B Radiation on the Performance, Antioxidant Response and Protective Compounds of Hazelnut Pollen. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:2574. [PMID: 36235440 PMCID: PMC9573160 DOI: 10.3390/plants11192574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Increasing ultraviolet (UV) radiation is expected to become a problem in hazelnut cultivation. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of UV-B on hazelnut pollen. To this end, the pollens were exposed to UV-B for 1, 2, and 3 h at distances of 10, 20, 30, and 40 cm. Groups treated for 2 h at 20 cm and 3 h at 10 and 20 cm were identified as the most affected based on the results of viability, germination, and tube elongation. Further studies on these groups showed that UV-B does not change the DPPH radical scavenging activity for all groups. However, total phenolic compounds decreased after 3 h of treatment at 10 and 20 cm, while total flavonoid compounds decreased after all treatment groups. The UV-B absorbance of cytoplasmic and cell-wall-bound fractions decreased for all groups. The UV-B absorbance of the sporopollenin-derived fraction increased after 2 h of treatment at 20 cm but decreases after treatment for 3 h at 10 and 20 cm. In summary, exposure to UV-B for different times and distances adversely affected pollen grains in terms of pollen viability, germination rate, tube length, and the level of antioxidant molecules and UV-absorbing compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aslıhan Çetinbaş-Genç
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Marmara University, Kadıköy, Istanbul 34722, Turkey
| | - Orçun Toksöz
- Institute of Pure and Applied Sciences, Marmara University, Istanbul 34722, Turkey
| | - Chiara Piccini
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Özkan Kilin
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Marmara University, Kadıköy, Istanbul 34722, Turkey
| | - Nüzhet Cenk Sesal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Marmara University, Kadıköy, Istanbul 34722, Turkey
| | - Giampiero Cai
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
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4
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Encapsulation of folic acid (vitamin B 9) into sporopollenin microcapsules: Physico-chemical characterisation, in vitro controlled release and photoprotection study. MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2021; 128:112271. [PMID: 34474830 DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2021.112271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Folic acid (FA) is a crucial vitamin for all living creatures. However, it is susceptible to degradation under pH, heat, ultraviolet (UV) and day sunlight conditions, resulting in lowering its bioavailability. Therefore, a versatile protective encapsulation system for FA is highly required to overcome its inherent instability. We report the use of the robust Lycopodium clavatum sporopollenin (LCS) microcapsules, extracted from their natural micrometer-sized raw spores, for FA microencapsulation. The physico-chemical characterisation of the LCS microcapsules are comprehensively investigated before and after the microencapsulation using SEM, elemental, CLSM, FTIR, TGA/DTG and XRD analyses, revealing a successful FA encapsulation within the LCS in an amorphous form. The phenylpropanoid acids, responsible for the UV protection and the autofluorescence of the LCS, were found in the LCS as evidenced by FTIR analysis. TGA/DTG results revealed that the hemi-cellulose and cellulose are the major component of the LCS. A controlled and sustained release of FA from FA-loaded LCS were achieved where the release profile of FA-loaded LCS was found to be pH-dependent. The percentages of cumulative FA released after 10 h at 37 ± 0.5 °C were 45.5% and 76.1% in pH 1.2 and 7.4, respectively, ensuring controlled and slow release in simulated physiological conditions. The FA release kinetic studies indicated the prevalence of the Fickian diffusion mechanism in pH 1.2, while anomalous non-Fickian transport was ascribed for FA release in pH 7.4. The in vitro cytotoxicity assay revealed that the obtained formulations were biocompatible against the human skin fibroblast (HSF) cell line. The versatile LCS microcapsules exhibited intriguing photostability for FA under UV or sunlight irradiation. Concretely, the obtained FA sustained delivery and photoprotection properties of these LCS microcapsules validate their multifunctional characteristics, opening up intriguing applications in oral and topical drug delivery as well as in food industry.
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5
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Influence of Pollen on Solar Photovoltaic Energy: Literature Review and Experimental Testing with Pollen. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/app10144733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This work attempts to shed some light on the impact of organic soiling due to pollen on solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation. Apart from introducing several soiling-related pollen features, the previous works reporting soiling by pollen have been reviewed. Local observations from late winter to early spring showed that a rooftop PV system experienced both uniform and non-uniform soiling issues, which were mainly caused by pollen from nearby cypress specimens. In addition, this work publishes preliminary results regarding an artificial soiling test performed with pollen. In this test, soda lime float glass coupons were artificially soiled with fresh cypress pollen. A linear relationship was found between the pollen mass density (ρA) and the glass averaged transmittance (TAVE) for values up to 9.1 g/m2. In comparison with other artificial soiling tests performed with different soiling agents, the transmittance loss caused by pollen cypress deposition was relatively high and spectrally selective.
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6
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Uddin MJ, Abidi N, Warzywoda J, Gill HS. Investigation of the Fate of Proteins and Hydrophilicity/Hydrophobicity of Lycopodium clavatum Spores after Organic Solvent-Base-Acid Treatment. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:20628-20641. [PMID: 31082202 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b03040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Microcapsules extracted from lycopodium ( Lycopodium clavatum) spores have been increasingly used as an oral therapeutic carrier. A series of sequential treatments involving acetone, KOH, and H3PO4 are used to extract a protein-free hollow microcapsule. This study focuses on two critical aspects of lycopodium spores: the fate of native proteins and the wettability of the spores after a chemical treatment. Protein-free spores are desired to prevent an allergic reaction, whereas the wettability is critical for the formulation development. Although the chemically treated lycopodium spores are generally regarded as protein free, the studies that have reported this have not gone into significant depths to understand the nature of residual nitrogen observed even in spores thought to be protein free. Wettability of spores has not received any significant attention. Accordingly, in this study, we performed a comprehensive analysis of natural spores and spores after each chemical treatment step. We show that natural lycopodium spores are hydrophobic and contain low-molecular-weight proteins (∼10 kD). Acetone treatment partially solubilizes unsaturated phospholipids from the spores. Nevertheless, the acetone-treated spores retain native proteins and are still hydrophobic. KOH treatment, however, removes a significant amount of proteins and partially hydrolyzes esters to carboxylic acid salts and results in a hydrophilic spore with a good wettability. Finally, we show that the H3PO4 treatment removes residual proteins, hydrolyzes remaining esters to carboxylic acids, and dissolves carbohydrates. H3PO4 treatment temperature controls carbohydrate dissolution, which in turn affects the hydroxyl functional groups and hydrophilicity (wettability) of the treated spores. Spores treated at 60 °C as opposed to 160 °C are amphiphilic in nature due to the abundance of hydroxyl functional groups on the surface. In conclusion, this study confirms the removal of native proteins from treated spores and sheds light on the chemical changes that the spores undergo after chemical treatment and correlates these changes to their wettability.
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7
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Seddon AWR, Festi D, Robson TM, Zimmermann B. Fossil pollen and spores as a tool for reconstructing ancient solar-ultraviolet irradiance received by plants: an assessment of prospects and challenges using proxy-system modelling. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2019; 18:275-294. [PMID: 30649121 DOI: 10.1039/c8pp00490k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B, 280-315 nm) constitutes less than 1% of the total solar radiation that reaches the Earth's surface but has a disproportional impact on biological and ecological processes from the individual to the ecosystem level. Absorption of UV-B by ozone is also one of the primary heat sources to the stratosphere, so variations in UV-B have important relationships to the Earth's radiation budget. Yet despite its importance for understanding atmospheric and ecological processes, there is limited understanding about the changes in UV-B radiation in the geological past. This is because systematic measurements of total ozone and surface UV-B only exist since the 1970s, so biological or geochemical proxies from sediment archives are needed to reconstruct UV-B irradiance received at the Earth surface beyond the experimental record. Recent developments have shown that the quantification of UV-B-absorbing compounds in pollen and spores have the potential to provide a continuous record of the solar-ultraviolet radiation received by plants. There is increasing interest in developing this proxy in palaeoclimatic and palaeoecological research. However, differences in interpretation exist between palaeoecologists, who are beginning to apply the proxy under various geological settings, and UV-B ecologists, who question whether a causal dose-response relationship of pollen and spore chemistry to UV-B irradiance has really been established. Here, we use a proxy-system modelling approach to systematically assess components of the pollen- and spore-based UV-B-irradiance proxy to ask how these differences can be resolved. We identify key unknowns and uncertainties in making inferences about past UV-B irradiance, from the pollen sensor, the sedimentary archive, and through the laboratory and experimental procedures in order to target priority areas of future work. We argue that an interdisciplinary approach, modifying methods used by plant ecologists studying contemporary responses to solar-UV-B radiation specifically to suit the needs of palaeoecological analyses, provides a way forward in developing the most reliable reconstructions for the UV-B irradiance received by plants across a range of timescales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alistair W R Seddon
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Norway. .,Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, University of Bergen, Norway.
| | - Daniela Festi
- Department of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Austria.,Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy
| | - T Matthew Robson
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology (OEB), Viikki Plant Science Centre (ViPS), Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Boris Zimmermann
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway
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8
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Bornman JF, Barnes PW, Robson TM, Robinson SA, Jansen MAK, Ballaré CL, Flint SD. Linkages between stratospheric ozone, UV radiation and climate change and their implications for terrestrial ecosystems. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2019; 18:681-716. [DOI: 10.1039/c8pp90061b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Linkages between stratospheric ozone, UV radiation and climate change: terrestrial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet F. Bornman
- College of Science
- Health
- Engineering and Education
- Murdoch University
- Perth
| | - Paul W. Barnes
- Department of Biological Sciences and Environment Program
- Loyola University
- USA
| | - T. Matthew Robson
- Research Programme in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology
- Viikki Plant Science Centre
- University of Helsinki
- Finland
| | - Sharon A. Robinson
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions
- School of Earth
- Atmosphere and Life Sciences and Global Challenges Program
- University of Wollongong
- Wollongong
| | - Marcel A. K. Jansen
- Plant Ecophysiology Group
- School of Biological
- Earth and Environmental Sciences
- UCC
- Cork
| | - Carlos L. Ballaré
- University of Buenos Aires
- Faculty of Agronomy and IFEVA-CONICET, and IIB
- National University of San Martin
- Buenos Aires
- Argentina
| | - Stephan D. Flint
- Department of Forest
- Rangeland and Fire Sciences
- University of Idaho
- Moscow
- USA
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9
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Sugioka N, Kawakami M, Hirai N, Osakabe M. A Pollen Diet Confers Ultraviolet-B Resistance in Phytoseiid Mites by Providing Antioxidants. Front Ecol Evol 2018. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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10
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Woutersen A, Jardine PE, Bogotá-Angel RG, Zhang HX, Silvestro D, Antonelli A, Gogna E, Erkens RH, Gosling WD, Dupont-Nivet G, Hoorn C. A novel approach to study the morphology and chemistry of pollen in a phylogenetic context, applied to the halophytic taxon Nitraria L.(Nitrariaceae). PeerJ 2018; 6:e5055. [PMID: 30038851 PMCID: PMC6054868 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitraria is a halophytic taxon (i.e., adapted to saline environments) that belongs to the plant family Nitrariaceae and is distributed from the Mediterranean, across Asia into the south-eastern tip of Australia. This taxon is thought to have originated in Asia during the Paleogene (66-23 Ma), alongside the proto-Paratethys epicontinental sea. The evolutionary history of Nitraria might hold important clues on the links between climatic and biotic evolution but limited taxonomic documentation of this taxon has thus far hindered this line of research. Here we investigate if the pollen morphology and the chemical composition of the pollen wall are informative of the evolutionary history of Nitraria and could explain if origination along the proto-Paratethys and dispersal to the Tibetan Plateau was simultaneous or a secondary process. To answer these questions, we applied a novel approach consisting of a combination of Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), to determine the chemical composition of the pollen wall, and pollen morphological analyses using Light Microscopy (LM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). We analysed our data using ordinations (principal components analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling), and directly mapped it on the Nitrariaceae phylogeny to produce a phylomorphospace and a phylochemospace. Our LM, SEM and FTIR analyses show clear morphological and chemical differences between the sister groups Peganum and Nitraria. Differences in the morphological and chemical characteristics of highland species (Nitraria schoberi, N. sphaerocarpa, N. sibirica and N. tangutorum) and lowland species (Nitraria billardierei and N. retusa) are very subtle, with phylogenetic history appearing to be a more important control on Nitraria pollen than local environmental conditions. Our approach shows a compelling consistency between the chemical and morphological characteristics of the eight studied Nitrariaceae species, and these traits are in agreement with the phylogenetic tree. Taken together, this demonstrates how novel methods for studying fossil pollen can facilitate the evolutionary investigation of living and extinct taxa, and the environments they represent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber Woutersen
- University of Amsterdam, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Phillip E. Jardine
- University of Potsdam, Institute of Earth and Environmental Science, Potsdam, Germany
- University of Münster, Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Münster, Germany
| | - Raul Giovanni Bogotá-Angel
- University of Amsterdam, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas, Facultad del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Hong-Xiang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, China Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | | | - Alexandre Antonelli
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Göteborg, Sweden
- University of Gothenburg, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Göteborg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Botanical Garden, Göteborg, Sweden
- Harvard University, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - Elena Gogna
- Maastricht University, Maastricht Science Programme, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Roy H.J. Erkens
- Maastricht University, Maastricht Science Programme, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - William D. Gosling
- University of Amsterdam, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Guillaume Dupont-Nivet
- University of Potsdam, Institute of Earth and Environmental Science, Potsdam, Germany
- Université de Rennes, Geosciences Rennes UMR-CNRS, Rennes, France
| | - Carina Hoorn
- University of Amsterdam, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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11
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Abstract
Recent data indicate one or more moderately nearby supernovae in the Early Pleistocene, with additional events likely in the Miocene. This has motivated more detailed computations, using new information about the nature of supernovae and the distances of these events to describe in more detail the sorts of effects that are indicated at the Earth. This short communication/review is designed to describe some of these effects so that they may possibly be related to changes in the biota around these times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian L Melott
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, USA,
| | - Brian C Thomas
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Washburn University, 1700 SW College Avenue Topeka, Kansas 66621, USA,
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12
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Dyab AKF, Sadek KU. Microwave assisted one-pot green synthesis of cinnoline derivatives inside natural sporopollenin microcapsules. RSC Adv 2018; 8:23241-23251. [PMID: 35540124 PMCID: PMC9081757 DOI: 10.1039/c8ra04195d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a green and efficient approach for the synthesis of novel cinnoline derivatives inside natural Lycopodium clavatum sporopollenin (LCS) microcapsules via a one-pot microwave (MW) assisted reaction for the first time. We also propose the concept that the robust micrometre-sized sporopollenin microcapsules can act as MW microreactors. We demonstrate the feasibility of this concept by in situ synthesising 8-hydroxy-7-nitro-6-(3-nitrophenyl)-3-oxo-2-(p-tolyl)-2,3,5,6-tetrahydrocinnoline-4-carbonitrile inside the LCS microcapsules via a microwave (MW) assisted reaction of ethyl 5-cyano-4-methyl-6-oxo-1-(p-tolyl)-1,6-dihydropyridazine-3-carboxylate with 1-nitro-2-phenylethylene in the presence of piperidine as a base at 100 °C for 20 minutes. The LCS microparticles are extensively characterised before and after the MW induced reaction using several techniques. The formation of the cinnoline compound inside the LCS microcapsules is confirmed by laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses. Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) analyses, we show that the structural integrity of the cinnoline compound, recovered from the cinnoline loaded (cinn-loaded) LCS, is preserved. The pure cinnoline is found to show promising optical properties with two λmax absorption peaks at 310 and 610 nm. Both the pure cinnoline and cinn-loaded LCS show promising antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram-negative) and Bacillus cereus (Gram-negative) human pathogenic bacterial strains. The successful MW induced reaction of the prominent cinnoline derivative inside the biocompatible LCS microreactors can open up intriguing applications in materials and pharmaceutical sciences. We have achieved in situ microwave assisted green syntheses of a novel cinnoline derivative inside natural sporopollenin microreactors.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Amro K. F. Dyab
- Chemistry Department
- Faculty of Science
- Minia University
- Minia 61519
- Egypt
| | - Kamal Usef Sadek
- Chemistry Department
- Faculty of Science
- Minia University
- Minia 61519
- Egypt
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13
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McElwain JC. Palaeobotany: New ways with old fossils. NATURE PLANTS 2017; 3:17121. [PMID: 28758993 DOI: 10.1038/nplants.2017.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C McElwain
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Ireland
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14
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Jardine PE, Fraser WT, Lomax BH, Sephton MA, Shanahan TM, Miller CS, Gosling WD. Pollen and spores as biological recorders of past ultraviolet irradiance. Sci Rep 2016; 6:39269. [PMID: 27976735 PMCID: PMC5157028 DOI: 10.1038/srep39269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2016] [Accepted: 11/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Solar ultraviolet (UV) irradiance is a key driver of climatic and biotic change. Ultraviolet irradiance modulates stratospheric warming and ozone production, and influences the biosphere from ecosystem-level processes through to the largest scale patterns of diversification and extinction. Yet our understanding of ultraviolet irradiance is limited because no method has been validated to reconstruct its flux over timescales relevant to climatic or biotic processes. Here, we show that a recently developed proxy for ultraviolet irradiance based on spore and pollen chemistry can be used over long (105 years) timescales. Firstly we demonstrate that spatial variations in spore and pollen chemistry correlate with known latitudinal solar irradiance gradients. Using this relationship we provide a reconstruction of past changes in solar irradiance based on the pollen record from Lake Bosumtwi in Ghana. As anticipated, variations in the chemistry of grass pollen from the Lake Bosumtwi record show a link to multiple orbital precessional cycles (19–21 thousand years). By providing a unique, local proxy for broad spectrum solar irradiance, the chemical analysis of spores and pollen offers unprecedented opportunities to decouple solar variability, climate and vegetation change through geologic time and a new proxy with which to probe the Earth system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip E Jardine
- School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
| | - Wesley T Fraser
- School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK.,Geography, Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Barry H Lomax
- Agriculture and Environmental Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Mark A Sephton
- Department of Earth Sciences &Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Timothy M Shanahan
- Department of Geological Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station C9000, Austin, Texas 78712, USA
| | | | - William D Gosling
- School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK.,Palaeoecology &Landscape Ecology, Institute of Biodiversity &Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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15
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Thomas BC, Goracke BD, Dalton SM. Atmospheric constituents and surface-level UVB: Implications for a paleoaltimetry proxy and attempts to reconstruct UV exposure during volcanic episodes. EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS 2016; 453:141-151. [PMID: 30034018 PMCID: PMC6052448 DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2016.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Chemical and morphological features of spores and pollens have been linked to changes in solar ultraviolet radiation (specifically UVB, 280-315 nm) at Earth's surface. Variation in UVB exposure as inferred from these features has been suggested as a proxy for paleoaltitude; such proxies are important in understanding the uplift history of high altitude plateaus, which in turn is important for testing models of the tectonic processes responsible for such uplift. While UVB irradiance does increase with altitude above sea level, a number of other factors affect the irradiance at any given place and time. In this modeling study we use the TUV atmospheric radiative transfer model to investigate dependence of surface-level UVB irradiance and relative biological impact on a number of constituents in Earth's atmosphere that are variable over long and short time periods. We consider changes in O3 column density, and SO2 and sulfate aerosols due to periods of volcanic activity, including that associated with the formation of the Siberian Traps. We find that UVB irradiance may be highly variable under volcanic conditions and variations in several of these atmospheric constituents can easily mimic or overwhelm changes in UVB irradiance due to changes in altitude. On the other hand, we find that relative change with altitude is not very sensitive to different sets of atmospheric conditions. Any paleoaltitude proxy based on UVB exposure requires confidence that the samples under comparison were located at roughly the same latitude, under very similar O3 and SO2 columns, with similar atmospheric aerosol conditions. In general, accurate estimates of the surface-level UVB exposure at any time and location require detailed radiative transfer modeling taking into account a number of atmospheric factors; this result is important for paleoaltitude proxies as well as attempts to reconstruct the UV environment through geologic time and to tie extinctions, such as the end-Permian mass extinction, to UVB irradiance changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C. Thomas
- Correspondence to: 1700 SW College Ave., Topeka, KS 66604, United States. (B.C. Thomas)
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16
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Environmental effects of ozone depletion and its interactions with climate change: progress report, 2015. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2016; 15:141-74. [PMID: 26822392 DOI: 10.1039/c6pp90004f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The Environmental Effects Assessment Panel (EEAP) is one of three Panels that regularly informs the Parties (countries) to the Montreal Protocol on the effects of ozone depletion and the consequences of climate change interactions with respect to human health, animals, plants, biogeochemistry, air quality, and materials. The Panels provide a detailed assessment report every four years. The most recent 2014 Quadrennial Assessment by the EEAP was published as a special issue of seven papers in 2015 (Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 2015, 14, 1-184). The next Quadrennial Assessment will be published in 2018/2019. In the interim, the EEAP generally produces an annual update or progress report of the relevant scientific findings. The present progress report for 2015 assesses some of the highlights and new insights with regard to the interactive nature of the effects of UV radiation, atmospheric processes, and climate change.
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