Concentrations Of ZnSO4 Research Articles

Toxic Impact of Zinc Salt (ZnSO4) on Some Haematological Parameters in a Freshwater Mud Eel Amphipnous cuchia (Hamilton, 1822)

Background: Zinc (Zn), a heavy metal present in aquatic environment, has toxic effect on fishes. Present study was to assess toxicity of Zinc salt (ZnSO4) on total erythrocyte count (TEC), haemoglobin (Hb) content (g/dl) and haematocrit value (PCV%) of blood of freshwater mud eel Amphipnous cuchia. Methods: Live fishes collected from ponds were acclimatized in laboratory. TEC, Hb content and PCV% of blood samples collected after 15, 30, 60 and 90 days, of control fishes and fishes exposed to low (0.5mg/l) and high (1mg/l) concentrations of ZnSO4, were determined by standard methods. Result: TEC, Hb content and PCV% varied respectively from 2.48 x 106/mm3 to 2.70 x 106/mm3, 12.02 g/dl to 12.30 g/dl and 28.50 % to 33.60 % in fishes in low and from 2.36 x 106/mm3 to 2.60 x 106/mm3, 11.82 g/dl to 12.20 g/dl and 26.20 % to 31.50 % in fishes in high concentration of ZnSO4 solution, showing decreasing trend in all three blood parameters vis-a-vis their control values viz. TEC (2.74 x 106/mm3), Hb content (12.60 g/dl) and PCV% (34.50 %), decrease being more prominent in fishes exposed to high than those to low concentration. The depletion in these blood parameters may be attributed to the haemotoxic characteristics of Zinc (Zn).

ENCAPSULATED BAITS CONTAINING ZINC SULFATE AND Trichoderma harzianum REDUCE FUNGAL GARDEN IN Atta sexdens COLONIES

The aim of the study was to test the effects of various concentrations of zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) on the radial growth of Trichoderma harzianum and Leucoagaricus gongylophorus in Petri dishes. In addition, we investigated the acceptance of baits containing live propagules of the encapsulated T. harzianum fungus and baits containing ZnSO4 by foraging leafcutter worker ants, A. sexdens, as well as their effects on the colonies of these ants. For the in vitro test, the design was completely randomized using ten replicates of a 2 × 7 factorial scheme: two species of fungi (T. harzianum and L. gongylophorus) and seven concentrations of ZnSO4. For bait acceptance tests, four treatments were used: baits without the mycelium and ZnSO4 (T1, control), baits containing encapsulated T. harzianum mycelium (T2), baits containing ZnSO4 (T3), and baits containing zinc sulfate and the encapsulated T. harzianum (T4). Each treatment was tested in duplicates using eight colonies. In the in vitro test, a ZnSO4 concentration of 0.25 g/L was sufficient to completely inhibit the development of L. gongylophorus without affecting the development of T. harzianum. In the bait acceptance test, the workers accepted ~55% of the bait combination of ZnSO4 and T. harzianum. This suggests the potential of treatment T4 in controlling leafcutter ants. Moreover, treatment T4 is environmentally friendly.

Toxicity assessment of zinc sulfate: A commonly used compound.

Because zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) is widely used in many fields such as biomedicine, electronics, and chemistry, it is important to evaluate its toxic effects. In this study, the cyto-genotoxic effects of ZnSO4 on meristematic cells in the root tip of Allium cepa L. were investigated. After calculating the effective concentration (EC50 = 70 ppm) of ZnSO4, A. cepa root tip cells were suspended for 24, 48, 72, and 96 h in solutions of 35 ppm (EC50/2), 70 ppm (EC50), and 140 ppm (EC50 × 2) concentrations. Using the counts of dividing cells, the mitotic index (MI) was calculated. Chromosome aberration index (CAI) was determined from percentages of abnormal cells. When the obtained data were statistically evaluated, it was determined that all application concentrations caused a significant decrease in MI and an increase in CAI compared to the control group (distilled water). It was concluded that increased ZnSO4 dose concentrations and exposure times caused cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in the root cells of A. cepa L.

Mass-production of ZnO nanoparticles by precipitation in a rotating packed bed: effect of zinc salt

The effect of three zinc salts (Zn(CH3COO)2, ZnSO4, and Zn(NO3)2) on the size of the precursors of the ZnO nanoparticles that were mass-produced by precipitation in a rotating packed bed was studied. The precursors were formed at a rotational speed of 2000rpm and flow rates of 0.5L/min by precipitation using various zinc salts and NaOH as the precipitant. When zinc salts were Zn(CH3COO)2 and ZnSO4, the smallest precursors were obtained at a Zn2+/OH− molar ratio of 1/2. However, when the zinc salt was Zn(NO3)2, the smallest precursors were obtained at a Zn2+/OH− molar ratio of 1/1. Additionally, various zinc salts yielded different effects of the concentrations of Zn2+ and OH− on the size of the precursors. Experimental results indicate that the smallest precursors for various zinc salts were obtained at a Zn(CH3COO)2 concentration of 0.4mol/L and an NaOH concentration of 0.8mol/L, a ZnSO4 concentration of 0.1mol/L and an NaOH concentration of 0.2mol/L, and a Zn(NO3)2 concentration of 0.2mol/L and an NaOH concentration of 0.2mol/L. ZnO nanoparticles were mass-produced by calcining these precursors at sufficient temperatures for 1h. In this way, the average sizes of the ZnO nanoparticles that were mass-produced using Zn(NO3)2, Zn(CH3COO)2, and ZnSO4 as zinc salts were 98, 136, and 186nm, respectively.

Kinetics of Fe(II) Oxidation in a Verticle Tube Reactor: A Pilot Scale Study

ABSTRACT A vertical tubular reactor is used for the oxidative leaching process in the mineral processing industry, especially sphalerite. Oxygen could oxidise ferrous ions (Fe2+), and ferric ions (Fe3+) are generated as the principal oxidation agent in the reactor afterward. The partial pressure of oxygen is an instrumental parameter that could change according to reactor height. Despite the extensive studies on Fe(II) oxidation in the high-pressure reactor, there is no published work on its oxidation behaviour in the tubular reactor. Hence, the Fe3+ ion's oxidation in sulfuric acid solutions was investigated in atmospheric condition. The effects of the FeSO4, H2SO4, ZnSO4 concentration, and pressure in the reactor bottom were studied on the rate of ferrous oxidation at different temperatures, i.e. T = 70, 87 and 95°C. Sulfuric acid drops the kinetic of ferrous oxidation, whereas temperature and pressure of the reactor bottom increase this criterion. The apparent activation energy obtained was 67.22 kJ/mol, and an empirical equation for the oxidation rate of Fe2+ by air is as follows:

PH and Swelling Study of Chitosan-Based Polymer Electrolytes with Various Salt Additives

Electrolyte and its components play a vital role on battery performance, as it is the interface at which all redox reactions responsible for working of a battery happen. Our study focuses on the use of Chitosan, a naturally available polysaccharide to form free-standing, flexible films that act as gel electrolytes. Chitosan was chosen among various polysaccharides for testing due to the ease of preparation from the shells of crabs, shrimps and prawns, natural abundance, renewability, biodegradability, cost-effectiveness, eco-friendly nature and a high degree of functionality which is not available in most synthetic polymers. During initial testing, the ionic conductivity value obtained for pristine chitosan was approximately 10-6S/cm, which is at least two orders of magnitude higher than the conventional synthetic polymers (PEO, PVP, etc.). This inherent advantage encouraged us to explore the possibility of their use as an electrolyte layer in batteries. It was noted that a semi-stable gel is formed when these biopolymers were vigorously mixed with minute amounts of acetic acid and dissolved in deionized water and allowed to sit for a while. It was also noted from the literature that chitosan films have an enormous surface area per unit volume (high aspect ratio), which makes us anticipate higher efficiencies. In our effort to make stable yet flexible organic films, various amounts of PVA (x=0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1) were added individually to Chitosan (CPx, CP=Chitosan: PVA), vortex mixed, cast into films, dried and then tested against SS blocking electrodes. Ionic conductivity studies on the various films provided a best average ionic conductivity value of 0.0068S/cm for CP0.2. This sample was then chosen and used for future experimentations due to enhanced conductivity from solvent retention of PVA and no rigidity induction in comparison to others.The CP0.2 samples were then soaked in varied concentrations (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8M) of KOH, ZnCl2, and ZnSO4 for varied time intervals for swelling and pH studies. These studies were performed since previous literature indicated that the concentration of salt in which a polymer electrolyte is soaked affects its physical properties along with its cycling performance (reversibility and reactivity) in batteries. The CP0.2 samples were soaked in respective salt solutions (1-8M KOH/ ZnCl2/ ZnSO4) and measured for their weights for every 15 minutes for 1 hour and every hour for 6 hours. pH values of these varied electrolytes in salt solutions were measured simultaneously during experimentation. The pH values varied from 12-14, 6-2.5 and 5.5-3.5 for increasing concentration (1-8M) for samples in KOH, ZnCl2 and ZnSO4 respectively. The swelling coefficients (final weight/initial weight) were then calculated based on the values obtained. For all samples it was observed that the highest swelling coefficients were observed within 45 minutes of soaking, after which the swelling coefficients remained constant. The highest swelling coefficient of 2.1 was observed for CP0.2 soaked in 6M KOH for 45 minutes. Similarly, 1.97 for 1M ZnCl2 and 2 for 1M ZnSO4. These samples were also measured for ionic conductivities to assess their performance. The ionic conductivities of samples increased with soaking in higher concentrations of salt until 5M and then reduced beyond for KOH salt. A highest ionic conductivity of 0.916S/cm was recorded. The increased conductivity until 5M salt concentration may be due to increase in number of mobile ions (OH-) in the system generated from dissociation of additional KOH salt available. Beyond 5M, the decrease in ionic conductivities might be due to aggregation of excess ions causing reduction in mobility. It also may be due to salt crystallization observed, that greatly reduces the migration ability. For ZnCl2 and ZnSO4 samples the phenomenon of reduction in ionic conductivities were observed from the very beginning. The highest recorded ionic conductivities were 0.004913S/cm and 0.019183S/cm for samples in 1M ZnCl2 and ZnSO4 samples respectively. During experimentation it was observed that, the samples soaked in ZnCl2 were significantly turning brittle and non-flexible compared to other samples. We think this is due to salt crystallization in the sample and is confirmed by the lowest ionic conductivity values. When analyzing the pH and swelling studies in conjunction it was noted that maximum swellability of samples occurred at lower acidities for ZnCl2 (pH-6) and ZnSO4 (pH-5.5) solutions and at higher basicities for KOH (pH-13.5) solution. Also analyzing ionic conductivities together indicated that, higher swelling implied higher ionic conductivities. The best samples obtained with this study will further be tested in Zn-based batteries to access the effect and performance of the prepared varied pH alkaline and Zn ion salt-based electrolytes.

Stimulatory effect of copper and zinc sulphate on plant regeneration, glutathione-S-transferase analysis and assessment of antioxidant activities in Mucuna pruriens L. (DC)

The effect of heavy metals, CuSO4 and ZnSO4 on morphogenic response of cotyledonary node explants of Mucuna pruriens (L.), a fast growing tropical medicinal legume was evaluated. The climber holds economic importance in traditional as well as modern pharmaceutical areas. Murashige and Skoog (Physiol Plant 15:473–497, 1962) medium supplemented with various strength (0.5, 2.5, 4.5, 6.5 or 8.5 µM) of BA (6-benzyladenine), Kn (Kinetin) and 2-iP (2-isopentenyl adenine) were screened to establish optimum culture conditions for in vitro regeneration using cotyledonary node explant. Optimized medium (MS + BA 2.5 µM) was augmented with different concentration of CuSO4 (0.5–25.0 µM) and ZnSO4 (5–150 µM) to evaluate the effect of heavy metals on regeneration potential of the explants. Among various concentrations tested, MS medium with optimized BA (2.5 µM) along with 5.0 µM CuSO4 or 80.0 µM ZnSO4 proved beneficial, inducing 11.20 and 13.40 shoots per explant, respectively. The results demonstrated that glutathione-S-transferase (GSTs) was involved in fighting heavy metal stress, and might also have a role in in vitro regeneration. Elongated healthy microshoots on transfer to half strength MS medium produced 3.40 roots per shoot after 28 days of incubation without the necessity of exogenous auxin. The in vitro grown regenerants were hardened in Soilrite, and then established in garden and sandy soil (1:1) under natural light where they showed normal growth and development. The work highlights the enhanced multiplication and better growth of the regenerants using elevated concentration of CuSO4 and ZnSO4. GSTs overexpression activity not only confers to overcome the stress but enhanced the in vitro regeneration of M. pruriens also.

Zinc and potassium fertilizer recommendation for cotton seedlings under salinity stress based on gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence responses

Cotton is typically grown in warm regions in which salinity and nutrient deficiency stresses are ubiquitous and often simultaneously influence plant growth. Under saline conditions, fertilizer recommendation is highly challenging, since nutrient application may increase or decrease plant salt tolerance, which may complicate prediction of crop yield. So far, no investigations have been conducted in salt-affected soils to determine optimum concentrations of potassium (K) and zinc (Zn) fertilizers based on chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) and gas exchange (GEx) responses in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Accordingly, in this study, a factorial experiment was conducted in a complete block design with six replicates under controlled conditions. Treatments included various K2SO4 (0, 50, 100, and 150 kg ha−1), and ZnSO4 (0, 50, and 100 kg ha−1) concentrations applied to soil before planting. Cottonseeds were sown in non-saline soils and soils formerly salinized with natural saline water diluted to 15 dS m−1. One month after sowing, results showed that salinity significantly decreased dry weight, chlorophyll content index, photosynthesis rate (A), leaf to air vapor pressure, transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance, and minimum fluorescence of dark-adapted leaf, but increased root to shoot ratio (R/Sh). Under salinity, combined application of K and Zn boosted physiological properties including yield of photosystem II photochemistry (ФPSII), A, and E without improving biomass. Combined application of K and Zn at highest concentrations decreased R/Sh by 93% compared to the control. Rate of increase was higher in E than that of A leading to reduction in water use efficiency. High Zn concentration in saline soils increased non-photochemical quenching and energy loss in form of heat. Under non-saline condition, Zn application significantly decreased A probably due to inhibitory effect on electron transfer within photosystem II. K significantly increased stomatal conductance and accordingly E. GEx parameters were more sensitive to used treatments than ChlF parameters. Based on GEx and ChlF responses, the most salt-tolerant cotton seedlings were obtained under combined application of 50 kg K2SO4 ha−1 and 50 kg ZnSO4 ha−1, thus these concentrations are recommended for optimal establishment of cotton seedlings under salinity stress.

Optical, thermal, mechanical, dielectric and magnetic properties of zinc sulphate doped L-ascorbic acid NLO crystal

Zinc Sulphate doped L-Ascorbic Acid (ZSLAA) crystal is grown by a slow evaporation method. The comparison of PXRD, EDAX, ICPOES and thermal analysis results the presence of dopant in the LAA crystal. The total concentration of ZnSO4 in LAA is found to be 0.0081 mol. The crystal becomes transparent in the visible region and it becomes stable up to 197 °C. The SHG efficiency is 0.16 times that of KDP crystal. Optical transmittance, SHG efficiency, dielectric constant and mechanical properties are enhanced upon doping. The ZSLAA crystal exhibits ferromagnetic nature at lower field with steep hysteresis loop having coercivity and magnetization as 32.67G and 276.65E−6 emu respectively.

Green synthesis of zinc oxide catalyst under microwave irradiation using banana (Musa spp.) corm (rhizome) extract for biodiesel synthesis from fish waste lipid

Abstract This paper reports the green way of zinc oxide synthesis using the aqueous extract of the corm (rhizome) of the banana plant (Musa spp.) via an eco-friendly microwave approach. Zinc oxide catalysts were prepared in a different molar concentration of ZnSO4.7H2O solutions (0.1–0.5 M) and different volume of banana corm extract (16 mg/ml; 1–5 ml). The aqueous extract of banana corm plays a role of reducing agents and stabilizer. The synthesized zinc oxide catalyst was characterized by instrumental techniques such as UV–Vis spectroscopy, XRD, FT-IR, DLS and SEM micrograph. The obtained results have confirmed the creation of sphere-shaped/globular zinc oxide with an average particle size of ~370 nm. The varied amount of zinc oxide catalyst (2–3 wt. %) was used for the transesterification of fish lipid into biodiesel. The prepared biodiesel was examined via 1H NMR spectroscopy and GC-MS. The maximum transesterification efficiency was found to be ~90% for the ZnO catalyst at 2.5 wt %. The banana corm extracts (BCE) mediated synthesis of ZnO catalyst has shown for its potential application for sustainable biodiesel development.

Concentration-Dependent Effects of Zinc Sulfate on DU-145 Human Prostate Cancer Cell Line: Oxidative, Apoptotic, Inflammatory, and Morphological Analyzes.

Zinc takes part in several of cellular signaling pathways, containing defense against free radicals, apoptosis, and inflammation. However, interaction between zinc and prostate cancer progression is poorly understood. Therefore, zinc treatment in DU-145 human prostate cancer cells was investigated. First, zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) concentrations with antiproliferative effect were determined using MTT assay. Then, ZnSO4-induced oxidative damage was evaluated by malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, glutathione (GSH) levels, total oxidant status (TOS) levels, and total antioxidant status (TAS) levels. Apoptotic effects of ZnSO4 were determined by measuring biochemical and immunohistochemical parameters including caspase 3 (CASP3), cytochrome C (CYC), Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), and B cell CLL/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) levels. Inflammatory effects of ZnSO4 were investigated by measuring interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels. Finally, morphological analysis was performed using hematoxylin-eosin staining. We found that ZnSO4 caused a concentration-dependent increase in oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation pathways. Moreover, there were a number of morphological alterations in treated cells depending on the ZnSO4 concentration. Consequently, our data showed that zinc acts as a regulator of increased oxidative damage and apoptosis through the upregulation of TNF-α and IL-6.

Fabrication and Characterization of Plant Mediated Green Zinc Nanoparticles for Antileishmanial Properties

Infectious diseases outbreak caused by different pathogenic bacteria and the emergence of antibiotic resistance microbial raise new concerns. This situation triggered pharmaceutical companies and researchers to seek for alternatives antimicrobial agents. The discovery of green nanoparticle in pharmaceutical area not only proven to have a strong efficacy as antimicrobial but also promote an eco-friendly compound where the production does not produce hazardous chemicals and waste. In the present study, metallic nanoparticles (Zn) were synthesized using plants extract from Viola yedoensis and Curcuma longa species. The green nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by incorporating plant extracts with the zinc salt with different molar concentrations. The mixture were prepared at different pH, zinc salt (ZnSO4) concentrations and interval times of incubation. The result showed 15 mM concentration of ZnSO4 at pH 7 and incubation at the room temperature for 24 hours were the best conditions for green nanoparticles production. The color intensity changes during the reduction reaction of ZnSO4 by plant extract to form zinc nanoparticles (ZnNPs) was measure using UV spectrophotometer. ZnNPs with the highest color intensity (viola-358nm; turmeric-375nm) were further characterized to determine the elements and morphology of the synthesized ZnNPs using FTIR, XRD and SEM. FTIR analysis demonstrated the presence of aromatic rings and strong bond of O-H and C-H indicating the presence of alcohol and alkene in turmeric ZnNPs. While for viola ZnNPs, the presence of aromatic ring and strong bond of amine showed the existence of alcohol and alkene. The average size of turmeric and viola ZnNPs measured by XRD and SEM were 24-28 nm with spherical shape and 42–60 nm with hexagonal shape, respectively. The biological activity of both ZnNPs were validated by conducting antimicrobial tests towards Leishmanial tropical in which ZnNPs have strong antileishmanial activities.

Zinc Content and Fruit Quality of Pecan as Affected by Application of Zinc Sulfate

Pecan [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch] is an important nut tree species, and Zn nutrition is critical for its growth and nut production. The aim of this study was to provide a perspective on Zn accumulation in pecan fruit over time and to determine the effects of Zn application on fruit quality. Two concentrations of ZnSO4 (0.4% and 1.6%) were sprayed onto the shuck or the nearest pair of leaflets. Purified water was sprayed similarly as the control. The results show that Zn application to the shuck and leaves increased the Zn concentration and content in embryos. The greater the concentration of the Zn solution sprayed, the greater the Zn concentration in the embryo. The greatest zinc concentration in the embryo was found during the early stage of embryo development. In the treatment during which 1.6% ZnSO4 was sprayed onto the shuck, the Zn concentration in the early embryo was 242.91 mg·kg–1, which was 2.2 times that of the control. Thereafter, embryo Zn concentration decreased gradually until maturity. The treatments could be ranked, from greatest Zn concentration in the mature embryo to least, as follows: 1.6% ZnSO4 on shuck (66.36 mg·kg–1) > 1.6% ZnSO4 on leaflets (64.28 mg·kg–1) > 0.4% ZnSO4 on leaflets (55.51 mg·kg–1) > 0.4% ZnSO4 on shuck (49.67 mg·kg–1) > control (47.34 mg·kg–1). A model was presented that showed Zn was transported from the shuck and leaves to the stalks through the conducting tissue, and then to the embryo through the embryo sac. The application of 0.4% ZnSO4 to the shuck resulted in the greatest oil content (74.05%), which was 10% greater than that in the control. Applications of 0.4% ZnSO4 to the shuck and leaflets resulted in a greater proportion of oleic acid (≈69%) and a lower proportion of linoleic acid (≈20%), palmitic acid (≈6.0%), and linolenic acid (≈1.1%). The results of this preliminary investigation are useful for exploring the mechanism of action for Zn on pecans.

Influence of Zinc Sulphate on the Probiotic Properties of Lactobacillus plantarum CCM 7102

Abstract The effects of zinc sulphate on selected properties of L. plantarum CCM 7102 were tested in vitro. The resistance of lactobacilli to higher concentrations of ZnSO4 (up to 5000 mg Zn2+.l−1) in growth media was strain-dependent. Further studies were carried out on the most resistant strain of L. plantarum CCM 7102. While the addition of low concentrations of zinc sulphate into the growth media (< 100 mg Zn2+.l−1) did not influence the properties of L. plantarum CCM 7102, the concentrations of 100—500 mg Zn2+.l−1 stimulated: the growth rate, production of lactic acid, adhesion to porcine enterocytes and the inhibition of pathogens E. coli O8:K88+ent+, S. enterica and S. Typhimurium. Conversely, however, high concentrations > 500 mg Zn2+.l−1 inhibited these properties. The addition of zinc (250 mg Zn2+.l−1) did not affect the resistance to antimicrobials, low pH, and the resistance to bile salt was affected only weakly. Zinc-resistant probiotic Lactobacillus strains are suitable for use in feedstuffs with a higher content of zinc designed for the prevention of post weaning diarrhoea in pigs.

Improving the cycle life of cryptomelane type manganese dioxides in aqueous rechargeable zinc ion batteries: The effect of electrolyte concentration

Rechargeable aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) have many advantages such as high abundance and low cost of Zn, as well as safer battery chemistry in aqueous electrolytes. Cryptomelane-type manganese dioxides (α-MnO2s) are promising cathodes for ZIBs due to their high theoretical capacity, voltage, and abundance. However, α-MnO2 suffers from severe capacity fading as the battery is put through extended charge-discharge cycles. Here, we show that galvanostatic cycling performance of α-MnO2 can significantly be improved at ZnSO4 concentrations below 0.2 M. Low-electrolyte concentrations demonstrated higher discharge capacities and capacity retentions at long battery cycling tests. At 0.1 M ZnSO4, α-MnO2 delivered 62 and 103 mAh/g capacities with 0.3 A/g rate at the 1st and 100th cycles, respectively (166% retention). At a higher charge/discharge rate of 0.9 A/g, α-MnO2 delivered 85 mAh/g capacity at the 500th cycle, where the retention was 167% with respect to the 1st cycle in 0.1 M ZnSO4. On the other hand, at high electrolyte concentrations (>1.0 M), the capacity retentions were below 30% and discharge capacities were below 60 mAh/g after 100 cycles. Better electrochemical performance of α-MnO2 at low electrolyte concentrations is attributed to the suppression of cathode dissolution and the mitigation of the formation of impurity phases such as ZnMn2O4 and ZnMn3O7·xH2O.

Zinc AA supplementation alters yearling ram rumen bacterial communities but zinc sulfate supplementation does not.

Despite the body of research into Zn for human and animal health and productivity, very little work has been done to discern whether this benefit is exerted solely on the host organism, or whether there is some effect of dietary Zn upon the gastrointestinal microbiota, particularly in ruminants. We hypothesized that (i) supplementation with Zn would alter the rumen bacterial community in yearling rams, but that (ii) supplementation with either inorganically sourced ZnSO4, or a chelated Zn AA complex, which was more bioavailable, would affect the rumen bacterial community differently. Sixteen purebred Targhee yearling rams were utilized in an 84-d completely randomized design, and allocated to one of three pelleted dietary treatments: control diet without fortified Zn (~1 × NRC), a diet fortified with a Zn AA complex (~2 × NRC), and a diet fortified with ZnSO4 (~2 × NRC). Rumen bacterial community was assessed using Illumina MiSeq of the V4 to V6 region of the 16S rRNA gene. One hundred and eleven OTUs were found with > 1% abundance across all samples. The genera Prevotella, Solobacterium, Ruminococcus, Butyrivibrio, Olsenella, Atopobium, and the candidate genus Saccharimonas were abundant in all samples. Total rumen bacterial evenness and diversity in rams were reduced by supplementation with a Zn AA complex, but not in rams supplemented with an equal concentration of ZnSO4, likely due to differences in bioavailability between organic and inorganically sourced supplement formulations. A number of bacterial genera were altered by Zn supplementation, but only the phylum Tenericutes was significantly reduced by ZnSO4 supplementation, suggesting that either Zn supplementation formulation could be utilized without causing a high-level shift in the rumen bacterial community which could have negative consequences for digestion and animal health.

THE EFFECT OF ZnSO4 IN THE CULTIVATION MEDIUM ON RHODOTORULA GLUTINIS CCY 020-002-033 YEAST BIOMASS GROWTH, β-CAROTENE PRODUCTION AND ZINC ACCUMULATION

The goal of this work was to evaluate the effect of zinc sulphate heptahydrate on growth rate and β-carotene production and to obtain zinc-enriched biomass using selected yeast strain Rhodotorula glutinis CCY 020-002-033. The batch cultivation was performed on synthetic basal medium supplemented with various concentrations of ZnSO4·7H20 (0.025%, 0.035%, and 0.050%), in shake flasks and aerobic conditions, at 300C, for five days. Total zinc accumulated in yeast cells after fermentation period was performed using ICP-OES. The identification and yield of β–carotene were investigated by chromatographic analysis (HPLC). It was found that the amount of total zinc accumulated in yeast cells depends mainly on the zinc concentration in the culture medium. The highest zinc content of 7.030 mg/g dry biomass was obtained at optimal concentration of 0.025%, with an incorporation efficiency of 87%. High concentration of 0.050% was not tolerated by yeast. Zinc salt in concentration of 0.025%, acted as stimulant for volumetric β–carotene but not improve yeast growth biomass. β-Carotene maximum content in this strain’s cell mass accounted 7.1 mg/L, when the dry cell biomass (1.89 g/L) was smaller than control (1.94 g/L), although there was no significant difference observed in final dry cell biomass versus control. The obtained results showed that when ZnSO4·7H20 concentration was increased up to 0.050% a decrease in yeast growth rate, β–carotene production and zinc accumulation was observed.

Functionalized-ZnO-Nanoparticle Seed Treatments to Enhance Growth and Zn Content of Wheat ( Triticum aestivum) Seedlings.

This study investigated the potential of ZnO-nanoparticle (NP) seed treatments for enhancing Zn nutrition in wheat ( Triticum aestivum). We tested bare, ZnO core Zn3(PO4)2 shell, dextran (DEX)-coated, and dextran sulfate (DEX(SO4))-coated ZnO NPs and ZnSO4 solution as an ionic control. We measured root and shoot Zn concentrations, lengths, biomasses, and seed germination upon termination of the assay. All ZnO NPs were more effective than ZnSO4 in increasing tissue Zn concentrations and seedling growth. Exposure to higher concentrations of ZnSO4 significantly decreased growth and germination rates relative to those of the controls and the ZnO-NP groups, whereas none of the ZnO NPs significantly affected seed germination. Bare and DEX-ZnO NPs increased Zn concentrations in wheat without decreasing growth. The results of this study demonstrated that ZnO NPs can be used as an effective seed treatment to enhance both Zn nutrition and plant growth.

Heterologous expression of a Glyoxalase I gene from sugarcane confers tolerance to several environmental stresses in bacteria.

Glyoxalase I belongs to the glyoxalase system that detoxifies methylglyoxal (MG), a cytotoxic by-product produced mainly from triose phosphates. The concentration of MG increases rapidly under stress conditions. In this study, a novel glyoxalase I gene, designated as SoGloI was identified from sugarcane. SoGloI had a size of 1,091 bp with one open reading frame (ORF) of 885 bp encoding a protein of 294 amino acids. SoGloI was predicted as a Ni2+-dependent GLOI protein with two typical glyoxalase domains at positions 28–149 and 159–283, respectively. SoGloI was cloned into an expression plasmid vector, and the Trx-His-S-tag SoGloI protein produced in Escherichia coli was about 51 kDa. The recombinant E. coli cells expressing SoGloI compared to the control grew faster and tolerated higher concentrations of NaCl, CuCl2, CdCl2, or ZnSO4. SoGloI ubiquitously expressed in various sugarcane tissues. The expression was up-regulated under the treatments of NaCl, CuCl2, CdCl2, ZnSO4 and abscisic acid (ABA), or under simulated biotic stress conditions upon exposure to salicylic acid (SA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA). SoGloI activity steadily increased when sugarcane was subjected to NaCl, CuCl2, CdCl2, or ZnSO4 treatments. Sub-cellular observations indicated that the SoGloI protein was located in both cytosol and nucleus. These results suggest that the SoGloI gene may play an important role in sugarcane’s response to various biotic and abiotic stresses.

Zinc Supplementation Stimulates Red Blood Cell Formation in Rats.

In rats, mice, and humans, it is known that zinc deficiency may be related to anemia, and zinc supplementation influences hemoglobin production. Our previous studies indicate that in fish, zinc supplementation stimulates red blood cell (RBC) formation (erythropoiesis). However, it is not clear whether the mechanism of zinc-induced erythropoiesis stimulation in fish also occurs in rats. We induced anemia in rats using phenylhydrazine (PHZ) and injected either saline or ZnSO4 solution. We found that an appropriate amount of zinc stimulated erythropoiesis in the PHZ-induced anemic rats. The effects of ZnSO4 injection were dose-dependent. When the concentration of ZnSO4 was higher than 2.8 mg zinc/kg body weight, the RBC level of the anemic rats increased from 60 ± 7% to 88 ± 10% that of the normal rats in two days. Rat bone marrow cells with or without ZnCl2 supplementation were cultured in suspension in vitro. In the cell culture when the zinc concentration was at 0.3 mM, a 1.6-fold proliferation of nascent immature reticulocytes (new RBCs) was observed after one day. In the rat blood, zinc was combined with serum transferrin to induce erythropoiesis. The stimulation of RBC formation by zinc appears to be common among different animals.