A prospective method for decontamination of the environment is bioremediation using bacteria or fungi and phytoremediation using plants to degrade pollutants. The bacteria used for biodegradation must be able to colonize the contaminated area. Some of them have developed efficient adaptation mechanisms to survive under adverse conditions. Most adaptive mechanisms are associated with membrane fluidity and lipid-phase stability. In the presence of organic compounds bacteria decrease membrane fluidity to maintain cell viability. This can be achieved by increased cis/trans isomerization, membrane saturation and alternation of branched and cyclopropyl fatty acids.
The aim of this review is to introduce new methods of monitoring organic contaminants in aqueous environment. Passive sampling devices are able to overcome many of the limitations associated with conventional spot sampling of waters. They work in the integrative mode allowing the estimation of time-weighted average concentrations of contaminants in water, soil, sediments or air. Unlike most monitoring methods, passive samplers measure the dissolved, i.e. bioavailable fraction of water pollutants. In addition, they are able to effectively concentrate the pollutants that are present in trace amounts. The passive sampling devices should not replace conventional sampling; they provide additional information on the environment pollution at a reasonable cost.
Humic acids are the most important and a major part of naturally occurring humic substances. They form a complex amorphous heterogeneous mixture containing reactive structures such as aromatic rings and phenolic and carboxylic functional groups. Humic acids have excellent sorption properties and thus are widely used in remediation methods by immobilization of toxic contaminants.
Humic acids are a major part of naturally occurring organic humic substances. They can be isolated from several natural matrices (soil, peat, oxyhumolite, and lignite) where they occur in different amounts. Humic acids are amorphous mixtures of reactive aromatics with phenolic and carboxylic groups. They are used in agriculture, medicine, and environment protection.
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