A physical concept of soil-water equilibria for nonionic organic compounds

Soil-water equilibrium data suggest that the transfer of nonionic chemicals from water to soil may be described in terms of a hypothesis of solute partitioning in the soil organic matter. This concept allows estimation of soil-water distribution coefficients either from solvent-water partition coefficients or aqueous solubilities.

Tracking the assembly pathway of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Gag deletion mutants by immunogold labeling

The Pr55gag gene product of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is sufficient to direct the formation of retrovirus-like particles (RVLPs). Recent biochemical evidence has indicated the presence of Gag intermediates in the cytoplasm; however, the Gag assembly process into RVLPs remains incompletely defined. The authors present here the subcellular localization of Gag mutant proteins in BSC40 and Jurkat cells by immunoelectron microscopy (IEM). The full Gag/Pol and Gag precursors, a C-terminal deletion mutant lacking a portion of nucleocapsid (NC), and all p6Gag gave rise to similar levels of RVLPs at the cell surface. A C-terminal deletion of all NC and p6Gag abrogated particle formation, whereas p24 was found in patches at the cell surface. Deletion of matrix (MA) sequences from Gag resulted in intracellular particles, and myristylation was not required for particle formation in the context of the MA deletion. Matrix expression was enhanced with Gag/Pol or Env coexpression as determined by semiquantitative IEM. p24 protein was targeted at vacuolar and mitochondrial membranes, but not at Golgi cisternae. In addition, aggregations of Gag intermediates and RVLPs in the cytoplasm, rough endoplasmic reticulum, cisternae, and mitochondria were noted. These results provide defined in situ evidence that HIV-1 particle assembly occurs in the cytosol in addition to budding at most intracellular membranes.

Water solubility enhancements of pyrene by single and mixed surfactant solutions

Water solubility enhancements of pyrene by both single-surfactant and mixed-surfactant solutions were compared and evaluated. The solubility of pyrene in water was greatly enhanced by each of Triton X-100 (TX100), Triton X-405 (TX405), Brij 35 and SDS, in which the water solubility enhancements increased with increasing surfactant concentrations. The extent of solubility enhancements at surfactant concentrations below the CMC is the order of TX100 > Brij 35 > TX405 > SDS; the sequence at surfactant concentrations above the CMC is TX100 > Brij 35 > SDS > TX405. Pyrene was solubilized synergistically by anionic-nonionic mixed surfactant solutions, especially at low surfactant concentrations. The synergistic power of the mixed surfactants is SDS-TX405 > SDS-Brij 35 > SDS-TX100. The synergism as noted is attributed to increasing Kmc is and/or decreasing the CMC of the mixed surfactant solution. For SDS-TX405 and SDS-Brij 35 mixed surfactant solutions, an increase in Kmc is coupled with a decrease in the CMC; for SDS-TX100, only a decreased in the CMC value is noted. Mixed-surfactant solutions may improve the performance of the surfactant-enhanced remediation (SER) of soils by increasing the bioavailability and biodegradation of non-aqueous-phase organic pollutants and reducing the level of surfactant pollution and remediation expenses.

A partition-limited model for the plant uptake of organic contaminants from soil and water

In dealing with the passive transport of organic contaminants from soils to plants (including crops), a partition-limited model is proposed in which (i) the maximum (equilibrium) concentration of a contaminant in any location in the plant is determined by partition equilibrium with its concentration in the soil interstitial water, which in turn is determined essentially by the concentration in the soil organic matter (SOM) and (ii) the extent of approach to partition equilibrium, as measured by the ratio of the contaminant concentrations in plantwater and soil interstitial water, alphapt (< or = 1), depends on the transport rate of the contaminant in soil water into the plant and the volume of soil water solution that is required for the plant contaminant level to reach equilibrium with the external soil-water phase. Through reasonable estimates of plant organic-water compositions and of contaminant partition coefficients with various plant components, the model accounts for calculated values of alphapt in several published crop-contamination studies, including near-equilibrium values (i.e., alphapt approximately equals 1) for relatively water-soluble contaminants and lower values for much less soluble contaminants; the differences are attributed to the much higher partition coefficients of the less soluble compounds between plant lipids and plant water, which necessitates much larger volumes of the plant water transport for achieving the equilibrium capacities. The model analysis indicates that for plants with high water contents the plant-water phase acts as the major reservoir for highly water-soluble contaminants. By contrast, the lipid in a plant, even at small amounts, is usually the major reservoir for highly water-insoluble contaminants.

Influence of a Nonionic Surfactant (Triton X-100) on Contaminant Distribution between Water and Several Soil Solids

The influence of a nonionic surfactant (Triton X-100) on the contaminant distribution coefficients in solid-water mixtures was determined for a number of relatively nonpolar compounds (contaminants) on several natural solids. The studied compounds consisted of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and p-xylene) and chlorinated pesticides (lindane, alpha-BHC, and heptachlor epoxide), which span several orders of magnitude in water solubility (S(w)); the solid samples comprised a bentonite, a peat, and two other soils, which cover a wide range of solid organic matter (SOM) content. The applied surfactant concentrations (X) ranged from below the (nominal) CMC to 2-3 times the CMC. For relatively water-soluble BTEX compounds, the distribution coefficients with surfactant (K(d)*) all exceeded those without surfactant (K(d)); the K(d)*/K(d) ratios increased with increasing S(w) from p-xylene to benzene on each solid at a given X, with increasing X for each compound on a solid, and with decreasing solid SOM content for each compound over the range of X studied. For the less-soluble pesticides, the K(d)*/K(d) ratios exhibited a large increase with X for bentonite, a marginal change (increase or decrease) for a soil of 2.4% SOM, and a moderate-to-large decrease for two soils of 14.8% and 86.4% SOM. These unique observations were rationalized in terms of the properties of the compound, the amount of surfactant sorbed on the solid, the enhanced solubilization of the compound by surfactant in water, and the relative effects of the surfactant when adsorbed on minerals and when partitioned into SOM. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Localizations of NS3 and E proteins in mouse brain infected with mutant strain of Japanese encephalitis virus

Infection with a mutant Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) strain RP-2ms showed reduced neurovirulence than wild type or RP-9 strains after inoculation in BALB/c mice. However, higher intracellular viral titer was detected in Rp-2ms infected cultured cells. Localizations of non-structural 3 (NS3) and envelope (E) proteins were demonstrated by immunocytochemistry. NS3 protein was primarily found in the pyramidal neurons in cerebrum, in the molecular and granular layers of cerebellum. Neither E nor NS3 protein was detected in Purkinje cells of the cerebellum. Immunoelectron microscopic observations showed that E and NS3 proteins were positive in JEV-induced membranous systems, mainly hypertrophic rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER) and membrane vesicle structure (MVS) but not smooth membrane structure. Virus particles were seen in the Golgi apparatus, rER, nuclear envelope, MVS and cytoplasmic vacuoles. Different mechanisms of intracellular trapping in vivo provide a possible basis for attenuation of RP-2ms strains of JEV.

Ultrastructure and localization of E proteins in cultured neuron cells infected with Japanese encephalitis virus

A unique structure and in situ localization of E proteins were demonstrated in cultured neurons infected with neurovirulent and aneurovirulent strains of local Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). Dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER) containing smooth membrane structures (SMS) was continuous with the outer membrane of the nuclear envelope. These membranes were found to be connected to unique dense bodies, membrane vesicle structures (MVS). The de novo formation of SMS, annulate lamellae, and the appearance of MVS indicated proliferation of the membranous system in response to JEV infection. E proteins were possibly assembled in the virions in the nuclear envelope or rER or on the plasma membrane. The interconnections between MVS, rER, and the nuclear envelope and immunogold labeling of E proteins on the MVS provided strong evidence that MVS serve as a reservoir of JEV components during virus assembly.

Some physical factors in toxicological assessment tests

Many thousand organic compounds are in common use and new ones introduced daily. With many of these materials, little is known about their toxic hazard. For years scientists have been investigating the relation of structure and properties to biological activity. Among the factors relating to toxicity are bioaccumulation and persistence in the organism. In this study, the relation of partition coefficient and solubility to bioaccumulation of some organochlorine compounds was investigated as was also the reactivity of several organophosphates. The work adds confirmation to the relation of molecular parameters to penetration, accumulation, and persistence in toxic action.