Absence Of Salt Research Articles

Salinity and phosphorus availability differentially affect plant growth, leaf morphology, water relations, solutes accumulation and antioxidant capacity in Aeluropus littoralis

In this study, we examined the combined effect of moderate salinity (100 mM NaCl) and three phosphorus (P) levels: low, moderate and high (5 µM, 60 µM and 180 µM KH2PO4, respectively) on several physiological parameters in the facultative halophyte Aeluropus littoralis. Our results showed that plants cultivated under low P availability exhibited higher leaf hair and trichome densities, root length, and shoot soluble sugars concentrations. The response of plants to combined salinity and P deficiency was similar to that of plants cultivated under P deficiency only. Furthermore, in the absence of salt, A. littoralis plants reached maximum biomass at 180 µMP. However, in the presence of 100 mM NaCl, plants exhibited maximum growth from 60 µMP which suggests that salt supply decreased P requirements of A. littoralis plants. Moreover, salinity has no significant effect on biomass production, shoot water content and shoot potassium (K+) content when combined with 5 µMP and it significantly decreased gradually these parameters when combined with 60 µMP and 180 µMP. This was associated with higher values of P and K use efficiencies, leaf hair and trichome densities, total polyphenol content, and total antioxidant capacity in plants cultivated under combined effects of salinity and P deficiency.

One-step preparation and characterization of silk nano- and microspheres

The present study described a new method with one step to fabricate silk fibroin nano- and microspheres, with the size of spheres and crystalline structure being controllable during processing. Polyethylene glycol, a type of synthetic polymer that is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry as a formulation excipient, was utilized to induce silk fibroin to self-assemble into nano- and microspheres. The addition of a certain amount of salt in the blending solution with subsequent titration into ethanol could improve the size dispersion, yield, and crystalline β-sheet structure (silk II) compared to those prepared without salt addition during preparation. Silk microspheres prepared in the presence of salts were less porous and more homogeneous in size than those prepared in the absence of salts. The present study described a new method with one step to fabricate silk fibroin nano- and microspheres, with the size of spheres and crystalline structure being controllable during processing. Silk microspheres prepared in the presence of salts were less porous and more homogeneous in size than those prepared in the absence of salts (Control). These properties are important not only for the stabilization of particles but also for the controlled release of entrapped drug molecules.

Disinfection of Bacteria in Water by Capacitive Deionization.

Clean water is one of the primary UN sustainable development goals for 2,030 and sustainable water deionization and disinfection is the backbone of that goal. Capacitive deionization (CDI) is an upcoming technique for water deionization and has shown substantial promise for large scale commercialization. In this study, activated carbon cloth (ACC) electrode based CDI devices are used to study the removal of ionic contaminants in water and the effect of ion concentrations on the electrosorption and disinfection functions of the CDI device for mixed microbial communities in groundwater and a model bacterial strain Escherichia coli. Up to 75 % of microbial cells could be removed in a single pass through the CDI unit for both synthetic and groundwater, while maintaining the salt removal activity. Mortality of the microbial cells were also observed during the CDI cell regeneration and correlated with the chloride ion concentrations. The power consumption and salt removal capacity in the presence and absence of salt were mapped and shown to be as low as 0.1 kWh m−3 and 9.5 mg g−1, respectively. The results indicate that CDI could be a viable option for single step deionization and microbial disinfection of brackish water.

Agronomic characteristics of the Pennisetum glaucum submitted to water and saline stresses

Agricultural production in semi-arid regions is limited due to water availability. In addition, the water quality available for irrigation is often compromised due to the high salt content present. Millet is a forage species considered tolerant to water deficit and moderately salt tolerant. In view of the above, the objective was to evaluate the growth of millet under water and saline stress associates. The experiment was carried out in a randomized block design, in a 4x3 factorial scheme, composed of four levels of water replacement, based on crop evapotranspiration (ETc): 25%.ETc, 50%.ETc, 75%.ETc and 100%.ETc and three levels of water salinity (0.03, 2.0 and 4.0 dS m-1). With 25%.ETc independent of salinity, all morphological characteristics of millet were affected, occurring death of plants in the initial growth phase. In the absence of salt and greater availability of water, greater plant growth occurred. With respect to salinity, there was a reduction in the increment of all variables evaluated, with the highest reduction at the highest saline level (4.0 dS m-1). Water and salt stresses, when associated, reduce the growth of millet, since concentrations above 2.0 dS m-1 and less than 50%.ETc compromise its full development, providing declines in yield.

Rheological analysis and EOR potential of surfactant treated single-step silica nanofluid at high temperature and salinity

Single-step nanofluids have shown better stability and size control properties than conventional two-step nanofluids under similar conditions. However, for wide-spread oilfield acceptance, there is a need to investigate the role of oilfield conditions viz., temperature, salt and pH on stability of single-step nanofluids. Thus, in this study, single-step silica nanofluids were synthesized in base fluid (1000 ppm polyacrylamide, PAM) and their stability was investigated using methods such as dynamic light scattering (DLS) and rheological analysis to establish their viability as suitable enhanced oil recovery (EOR) agents. PAM is a widely used oilfield practically applicable polymer. Primarily, the single-step silica nanofluids were found to destabilize at higher temperatures (≥90 °C) due to thermal stability issues of PAM at high temperatures. This was also understood by PAM rheology. The inclusion of salt reduced the stability of nanofluids due to the suppression of inter-particle repulsive forces. The variation in pH also influenced nanofluid stability and pH range of 8–10 was observed for the stable behavior of nanofluids. The addition of an anionic surfactant (SDS) improved nanofluid stability by reducing salt-induced NP agglomeration; increasing surfactant concentration initially improved nanofluid resistance to salt induced agglomeration and at high surfactant concentrations, the nanofluids exhibited greater NP agglomeration even in the absence of salt. The oil recovery results also showed that surfactant use in the synthesis of silica nanofluid for oil recovery applications may provide better results than sole silica nanofluid. Based on the observations, surfactant treated single-step silica nanofluid use was found favorable for oilfield practices where conventional nanofluids may show challenges.

Investigation Impact of Salt, M:L, Soda Ash on Cotton, and Cotton Viscose Blended Fabrics Dyeing Using Direct Dyes

Direct Dyes are molecules can adhere with fabric molecules without any help from chemicals. It is anionic dyes with good substantivity for cellulosic fibers. This study attempts to investigate impact salt, M:L, Na2CO3 on knit fabrics (cotton and viscose cotton blended) dyeing by using direct dyes. Although a large number of research works have been accomplished in this field, a significant investigation still required. Research findings state that the absence of Salts and Soda Ash decrease the overall dye take-up as well as decrease of Material: Liquor increases the dye absorption or take-up of the knitted sample. Also, viscose cotton blended specimen shows less dye absorption and overall lower result comparing cotton.

Enhancing Dyeability and Antibacterial Feature of Cotton Through Nano-chitosan Attachment

In this study, cotton fabrics were chemically attached with nano-chitosan using cyanuric chloride as an anchor in order to enhance its dyeability towards direct dyes and its bacterial resistance. Low molecular weight chitosans were synthesized by hydrolysing chitosan by nitrous acid. The molecular weight was assessed viscometrically. The particle size of chitosans was reduced by ionic gelation technique, and the sizes were measured using particle size analyser. The nano-sized particles were then attached to cotton which was reacted to cyanuric chloride earlier. FTIR spectra and scanning electron microphotographs of the samples were analysed. The treated and untreated cotton samples were dyed using three direct dyes. The dye absorption of the treated samples in the absence of salt was found to be much higher compared with the untreated samples dyed in the presence of salt and could also improve wash fastness. The treated cotton samples showed improved antimicrobial behaviour as evaluated by agar diffusion method. Attachment of nano-chitosan to cotton did not adversely affect the feel of the fabric as found in case of unmodified cotton.

Effect of additives on chia mucilage suspensions: A rheological approach

Due to the benefits deriving from its composition, chia seed mucilage is an emerging resource in food industry applications. In food processing, the combination of different physical-chemical parameters is encountered; therefore, a thorough knowledge of the effect of these parameters on the raw material is required. In this contribution, starting from the effect of temperature and pH on the rheological properties of chia mucilage suspensions, the influence of ionic strength and time were considered together with the addition of stabilizing molecules. The rheological analysis performed on mucilage suspensions showed a plastic behaviour of the fluid. Among the parameters considered, the increase of temperature and ionic strength cause a decrease in the apparent viscosity of mucilage suspensions. Apparent viscosity is also strongly influenced by the time and ionic strength. In the presence or in the absence of salts, indeed, a decrease in the consistency index is observed during suspensions storage. This evidence indicates that the suspensions are not stable. Having associated this aspect with auto-oxidative phenomena, different additives were added to the suspensions. The addition of glycerol only partially attenuates the natural degradation tendency of chia mucilage. The addition of a hydrophilic antioxidant has positive effects at low concentration while the presence of a hydrophobic antioxidant is more effective for stabilizing mucilage.

Solvent assisted reactive dyeing of cotton with high exhaustion in the absence of salt

Conventional reactive dyeing generates colored effluents with large amounts of salt. Herein, an ethanol (EtOH)-carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-water (H2O) solvent-assisted dyeing system was proposed for the reactive dyeing of cotton. In detail, cotton yarns were firstly pretreated with alkali solution, followed by dyeing in a 55:40:5 (v/v) EtOH–CCl4–H2O solvent system without the addition of salt. To validate the developed salt-free dyeing approach, six kinds of representative reactive dyes were selected for the experiments according to their color hues and reactive groups. The effects of dyeing temperature and time on the exhaustion and total fixation of the investigated reactive dyes were studied. The influences of the EtOH–CCl4–H2O solvent system on the morphology, particle size, zeta potential, contact angle, and penetration time of the dye solutions were also determined to elucidate the dyeing mechanism detailly. Compared with the samples dyed with conventional method, the cotton yarns dyed in the EtOH–CCl4–H2O solvent system exhibited significantly higher K/S values, exhaustion, and total fixation. More importantly, the excellent permeability, satisfactory colorfastness, and acceptable color uniformity were also achieved on the samples dyed in the EtOH–CCl4–H2O solvent system. Despite that the developed salt-free dyeing method may consume slightly higher material costs, it can significantly reduce chemicals consumption and wastewater discharge. Therefore, this dyeing method can be a promising approach for the cleaner production of cotton. Future studies in this direction will mainly focus on its industrial applications and the reuse of solvents.

Halophile Inoculation Significantly Improves Growth of Alfalfa Under Saline Conditions

Saline soils limit crop production, and salinity is increasing in farmland in many parts of the world. A halophilic bacterial species has been isolated from salt‐tolerant plants, and when used as an inoculum stimulates growth of alfalfa in salty soil. The hypothesis is that the microbial inoculant induces gene expression changes in the plant, resulting in the increased growth of the plant in salt. To test this, RNA was isolated from inoculated and uninoculated alfalfa plants grown under saline conditions, with additional controls in the absence of salt. RNAseq analysis of these four treatments led to identification of differentially expressed genes (DEG). Several of these DEGs are being examined in more detail using quantitative reverse‐transcriptase PCR. This will lead to the identification of major plant gene expression changes induced by the bacterial inoculum under saline conditions.Support or Funding InformationOur work is being funded by a grant from the Roger and Victoria Sant Educational Endowment for a Sustainable Environment, a John Topham and Susan Redd Butler BYU Faculty Research Award (The Charles Redd Center for Western Studies), and the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University.

Mapping the Salt Stress-Induced Changes in the Root miRNome in Pokkali Rice.

A plant’s response to stress conditions is governed by intricately coordinated gene expression. The microRNAs (miRs) have emerged as relatively new players in the genetic network, regulating gene expression at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional level. In this study, we performed comprehensive profiling of miRs in roots of the naturally salt-tolerant Pokkali rice variety to understand their role in regulating plant physiology in the presence of salt. For comparisons, root miR profiles of the salt-sensitive rice variety Pusa Basmati were generated. It was seen that the expression levels of 65 miRs were similar for roots of Pokkali grown in the absence of salt (PKNR) and Pusa Basmati grown in the presence of salt (PBSR). The salt-induced dis-regulations in expression profiles of miRs showed controlled changes in the roots of Pokkali (PKSR) as compared to larger variations seen in the roots of Pusa Basmati. Target analysis of salt-deregulated miRs identified key transcription factors, ion-transporters, and signaling molecules that act to maintain cellular Ca2+ homeostasis and limit ROS production. These miR:mRNA nodes were mapped to the Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) to identify the correlated root traits for understanding their significance in plant physiology. The results obtained indicate that the adaptability of Pokkali to excess salt may be due to the genetic regulation of different cellular components by a variety of miRs.

Understanding nanostructural differences in hydrogels from commercial carrageenans: Combined small angle X-ray scattering and rheological studies

Hydrogels from commercial carrageenans (κ-C, ι-C, λ↑-C (high viscosity) and λ↓-C (low viscosity)) were prepared with and without the addition of salts (KCl and CaCl2). FT-IR and 1H NMR characterization evidenced that while the κ-C and ι-C grades were relatively pure carrageenans, the two λ-C grades were λ-, κ-, θ- and μ-carrageenan hybrids. The effect of carrageenan and salt concentration on the hydrogel strength were evaluated through a response surface design and a detailed structural characterization was carried out by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and rheology. The low amount of sulphate substitution in κ-C enabled intramolecular association, giving rise to strong hydrogels, even in the absence of salts. On the other hand, ι-C, λ↑-C and λ↓-C produced much weaker hydrogels and required the addition of salts to induce intramolecular association by ionic cross-linking. SAXS results suggested the formation of similar structures of double helices in κ-C and ι-C with the addition of salts; however, distinct network structures were attained. In the case of κ-C, a Gauss-Lorentz gel model was suitable to describe the hydrogel structure and the addition of K+ promoted the formation of more ordered and densely packed structures. On the other hand, larger but weaker aggregates, with marked periodicity, were observed in ι-C, with Ca2+ inducing the formation of more densely packed networks. The complex composition of the λ-C grades gave rise to more heterogeneous branched network structures, properly described by a correlation length model, where the gelation mechanism was mostly governed by the κ-carrageenan component.

Kinetics and Thermodynamics Studies of Cationic Dye Adsorption onto Carboxymethyl Cotton Fabric

ABSTRACT Cotton fiber is a very rich natural polysaccharide material in nature, which is usually dyed with reactive dyes. However, a large number of salts remain in the dye bath waste, polluting the ecological environment. In this study, the salt-free dyeing of cationic dyes on carboxymethyl cotton fabric modified with sodium chloroacetate was carried out under the conditions of pH 7, initial dye concentration 0.5–10% owf, and liquor ratio 1:100. The results demonstrated that the cationic dyes were successfully adsorbed on the modified cotton fabric in the absence of salt, but the dyeing fastness was low. Furthermore, the adsorption thermodynamics and kinetics were investigated. The adsorption kinetics was found to follow the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and the adsorption isotherm obtained was identified to be the Langmuir type. These results will help us to realize the salt-free dyeing of carboxymethyl modified cotton fabric in the future.

Stress Reshapes the Physiological Response of Halophile Fungi to Salinity.

(1) Background: Mechanisms of cellular and molecular adaptation of fungi to salinity have been commonly drawn from halotolerant strains and few studies in basidiomycete fungi. These studies have been conducted in settings where cells are subjected to stress, either hypo- or hyperosmotic, which can be a confounding factor in describing physiological mechanisms related to salinity. (2) Methods: We have studied transcriptomic changes in Aspergillus sydowii, a halophilic species, when growing in three different salinity conditions (No NaCl, 0.5 M, and 2.0 M NaCl). (3) Results: In this fungus, major physiological modifications occur under high salinity (2.0 M NaCl) and not when cultured under optimal conditions (0.5 M NaCl), suggesting that most of the mechanisms described for halophilic growth are a consequence of saline stress response and not an adaptation to saline conditions. Cell wall modifications occur exclusively at extreme salinity, with an increase in cell wall thickness and lamellar structure, which seem to involve a decrease in chitin content and an augmented content of alfa and beta-glucans. Additionally, three hydrophobin genes were differentially expressed under hypo- or hyperosmotic stress but not when the fungus grows optimally. Regarding compatible solutes, glycerol is the main compound accumulated in salt stress conditions, whereas trehalose is accumulated in the absence of salt. (4) Conclusions: Physiological responses to salinity vary greatly between optimal and high salt concentrations and are not a simple graded effect as the salt concentration increases. Our results highlight the influence of stress in reshaping the response of extremophiles to environmental challenges.

α-Actinin-1 promotes activity of the L-type Ca2+ channel Cav 1.2.

The L-type Ca2+ channel CaV 1.2 governs gene expression, cardiac contraction, and neuronal activity. Binding of α-actinin to the IQ motif of CaV 1.2 supports its surface localization and postsynaptic targeting in neurons. We report a bi-functional mechanism that restricts CaV 1.2 activity to its target sites. We solved separate NMR structures of the IQ motif (residues 1,646-1,664) bound to α-actinin-1 and to apo-calmodulin (apoCaM). The CaV 1.2 K1647A and Y1649A mutations, which impair α-actinin-1 but not apoCaM binding, but not the F1658A and K1662E mutations, which impair apoCaM but not α-actinin-1 binding, decreased single-channel open probability, gating charge movement, and its coupling to channel opening. Thus, α-actinin recruits CaV 1.2 to defined surface regions and simultaneously boosts its open probability so that CaV 1.2 is mostly active when appropriately localized.

Study on a water-saving and salt-free reactive dyeing of cotton fabrics in non-aqueous medium of liquid paraffin system

Aiming at solving the problems existed in conventional cotton dyeing with reactive dyes, such as low dye-uptake, high salt-consumption, and large wastewater-emission, a water-saving and salt-free reactive dyeing of cotton fabrics in non-aqueous medium system was studied. The effect of pickup rate, alkali concentration and fixation temperature on color yield (K/S value) and levelness of dyed fabric was investigated, and the dyeing mechanism in non-aqueous medium system was preliminarily studied. The results showed that, the optimal dyeing process for Reactive Black KN-B in the non-aqueous medium of liquid paraffin system was as follows: pickup rate, 120%; Na2CO3 concn., 30 g/L; fixation at 75 °C for 30 min. And relatively higher Na2CO3 concn. of 50 g/L and stronger fixation conditions of 85 °C for 40 min were required for Reactive Orange K-7G. In the non-aqueous medium system, the exhaustion rate achieved almost 100% with the absence of salt and the total fixation rate reached about 90% for both Reactive Black KN-B and Reactive Orange K-7G under their optimal dyeing conditions, respectively. The high dye-uptake rate might be ascribed to ‘pushing’ force originated from the interfacial tension between hydrophilic dyes and hydrophobic paraffin oil, while the high fixation rate could be mainly due to much less hydrolysis of reactive dyes in the non-aqueous medium system. Compared to conventional reactive dyeing of cotton fabrics in the water medium, this novel dyeing technology can significantly reduce the consumption of water, chemicals and dyes, which is beneficial to lower the burden of dyeing wastewater treatment and achieve an eco-dyeing approaching.

The Effect of Cooking Conditions on Aluminum Concentrations of Seafood, Cooked in Aluminum Foil

ABSTRACTSea bass was wrapped in aluminum foil, then baked, grilled, or pan-broiled at 200°C for 20 min to determine the possible effect of cooking conditions on aluminum leaching. Negligible increase (p >0.05) in aluminum concentration was observed after cooking. The use of different cooking methods did not result in different levels of aluminum leaching from the foil. The aluminum leaching in whole sea bass, mussels, and shrimp was compared with that of skinned/shelled samples after baking in foil, and no significant difference (p˃0.05) was determined between them. There was no barrier effect of skin or shell on aluminum leaching from aluminum foil during baking. For all trials, aluminum intake was well below the tolerable weekly intake value. The target hazard quotient (THQ) was below 1, indicating insignificant health risk. Negligible leaching of aluminum could be associated with the high-protein, non-acidic nature of seafood, as well as the absence of salt or organic acid during cooking.

Mitigation of Hyper KCl Stress at 42ºC with Externally Existing Sodium Glutamate to a Halotolerant <i>Brevibacterium</i> sp. JCM 6894

Halotolerant Brevibacterium sp. JCM 6894 grew at 37ºC in the presence of 2.3 M KCl, while the growth was repressed with the same concentration of NaCl. When resting cells, 107.4 ± 0.1 (CFU·mL-1), prepared from cells grown in the absence of salts at 30ºC, were exposed to 3.3 M NaCl for 36 h at 42ºC, reduction of the number of resting cells was maintained within a 1-log cycle in the presence of proline, betaine, or ectoine (50 mM). In the presence of 3.3 M KCl, the most functional osmoprotectant was sodium glutamate (50 mM), and the value was 107.2 ± 0.1 (CFU·mL-1) when exposed for 72 h at 42ºC. In the absence of osmoprotectants, the value was reduced to four orders of magnitude in each experimental condition. The number of resting cells, 106.8 ± 0.1 (CFU·mL-1), prepared from grown cells pre-adapted to 2.3 M KCl at 37ºC, was hardly reduced when exposed to 3.3 M KCl in the presence of sodium glutamate more than 50 mM for 72 h at 42ºC. Those results indicate that the isolate can sense the difference in hyper KCl stress as opposed to hyper NaCl stress, and different kinds of osmoadaptation systems can function to cope with each hyper salt stress.

ИОННЫЙ ГОМЕОСТАЗ У РАСТЕНИЙ ПШЕНИЦЫ, ИНОКУЛИРОВАННЫХ ПРОДУЦИРУЮЩИМИ ФИТОГОРМОНЫ БАКТЕРИЯМИ НА ФОНЕ ЗАСОЛЕНИЯ

Сytokinins content, concentration of sodium and potassium ions and K+/Na+ratio in wheat plants (Triticum durum Desf., Bashkirskaya 27) were evaluated under salinity during treatment with hormone-producing bacteria Pseudomonas mandelii IB-Ki14 (auxin-producer) or Bacillus subtilis IB-22 (cytokinin-producer). An increased level of cytokinins was observed in the roots on 6th day and then in the shoots (on 11th day) both in the absence of salt and under 100 mM NaCl in the presence of B. subtilis IB-22. The introduction of P. mandelii IB-Ki14 into the rhizosphere did not lead to the accumulation of cytokinins under salinity. The presence of NaCl in the soil led to the expected increase in the concentration of sodium ions both in the roots and in the shoots, and inoculation did not significantly change their values. Salinity decreased the content of potassium ions in the roots by 25% in plants uninoculated with bacteria and in plants treated with P. mandelii IB-Ki14, as a result of which the ratio of K+/Na+ ions decreased by 4 times compared with the control, indicating a disruption of the ionic homeostasis. In plants inoculated with B. subtilis IB-22, no decrease in the concentration of potassium ions was found as compared to the control, and the ratio of K+/Na+ ions in the roots under salinity decreased to a lesser extent than in other variants of the experiment. This indicates the ability of cytokinin-producing bacteria to stabilize ionic balance and reduce the consequences of the negative effects of salinity on photosynthesis, protein synthesis, and growth. Our data indicate that this property of bacteria is associated with their ability to synthesize cytokinins and increase cytokinin content in plants under salinity.

Ascorbic acid of cowpea seeds under saline stress

Abstract: Salinity adversely affects plant growth and metabolism by triggering increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Ascorbic acid (AsA) is known to protect organelles and cells against ROS by preventing accumulation. The objective of this study was to study the effects of AsA on cowpea beans under saline stress. Cowpea seeds of the cultivars (BRS Marataoã and Setentão) were conditioned at concentrations of 0.0 (control); 0.25; 0.50; 0.75 and 1.00 mM AsA and seeded on paper towels, moistened at saline levels of 0.0 (control); 1.5; 3.0; 4.5; 6.0 and 7.5 dS.m-1, packed in a bench germinator at 25 °C. The statistical design adopted was a completely randomized 2 × 5 × 6 factorial design (cultivar x ascorbic acid x saline levels) with four replicates of 50 seeds per treatment. The analyzed variables were percentage of germination, first germination count, germination speed index, shoot and root length, total seedling dry weight, and leaf and root electrolyte leakage. Ascorbic acid at concentrations of 0.50 mM for BRS Marataoã and 0.75 mM for the Setentão, enabled the development of more vigorous seedlings and the reduction of membrane damage caused by oxidative stress both in the absence of salt and at the saline levels tested, including the highest one.