This study presents results of research on isolation new bacteria strain Achromobacter xylosoxidans able to effect on the structure of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polymer resistant to degradation in environment. New strain of A. xylosoxidans PE-1 was isolated from the soil and identified by analysis of the 16S ribosome subunit coding sequences. The substance to be degraded was HDPE in the form of thin foil films. The foil samples were analyzed with Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) as well as scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the results revealed degradation of chemical structure of HDPE. About 9 % loss of weight was also detected as a result of A. xylosoxidans PE-1 effect on HDPE foil. On the basis of comparative spectral analysis of the raw material before the bacteria treatment and the spectrum from a spectra database, it was assumed that the HDPE was the only source of carbon and energy for the microorganisms. No fillers or other additives used in the plastic processing were observed in HDPE before experiments. This is the first communication showing that A. xylosoxidans is able to modify chemical structure of HDPE, what was observed both on FTIR, in mass reduction of HDPE and SEM analysis. We also observed quite good growth of the bacteria also when the HDPE was the sole carbon source in the medium. These results prove that A. xylosoxidans is an organism worth applying in future HDPE biodegradation studies.

The article attempts to assess the usefulness of the Taguchi method to optimise the purification process of synthetic textile wastewater (pH 6.7 - 7.2, Conductivity = 6.71 - 6.84 mS/cm, Salinity = 3581 - 3648 mg NaCl/l, Colour = 560 - 4710 mg Pt/l, COD = 2220 - 2290 mg O2/l, TOC = 394 - 551 mg/l) using K2FeO4. The research was conducted using 3 types of wastewater containing anionic detergent (sodium lauryl sulfate, 100 mg/l) and differing only in the concentration of azo dye Acid Green 16 (AG 16). Technical K2FeO4 was used as an oxidiser, which was subjected to physico-chemical analysis (purity, UV-VIS spectrum, surface characteristics and chemical composition using SEM and EDX methods). For planning and optimising the wastewater treatment process, the Taguchi method was used for four input parameters: pH (2, 7, 12), reaction time (10, 30, 50 min), AG 16 concentrations (20, 120, 220 mg/l) and K2FeO4 concentrations (25, 125, 225 mg/l), for which 9 experiments were performed in accordance with the plan adopted. Test result analysis allowed to indicate the optimal values for individual input parameters (pH 2, time = 50 min, AG 16 = 20 mg/l, K2FeO4 = 125 mg/l). Under these conditions, visual discoloration of wastewater was obtained (AG 16 = 0.4 mg/l, ↓98% ), colour removal (66 mg Pt/l, ↓88%) and DOC (249 mg/l, ↓37%).

Plants have developed various acclimation strategies in order to counteract the negative effects of abiotic stresses (including temperature stress), and biological membranes are important elements in these strategies. Brassinosteroids (BR) are plant steroid hormones that regulate plant growth and development and modulate their reaction against many environmental stresses including temperature stress, but their role in modifying the properties of the biological membrane is poorly known. In this paper, we characterise the molecular dynamics of chloroplast membranes that had been isolated from wild-type and a BR-deficient barley mutant that had been acclimated to low and high temperatures in order to enrich the knowledge about the role of BR as regulators of the dynamics of the photosynthetic membranes. The molecular dynamics of the membranes was investigated using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy in both a hydrophilic and hydrophobic area of the membranes. The content of BR was determined, and other important membrane components that affect their molecular dynamics such as chlorophylls, carotenoids and fatty acids in these membranes were also determined. The chloroplast membranes of the BR-mutant had a higher degree of rigidification than the membranes of the wild type. In the hydrophilic area, the most visible differences were observed in plants that had been grown at 20 °C, whereas in the hydrophobic core, they were visible at both 20 and 5 °C. There were no differences in the molecular dynamics of the studied membranes in the chloroplast membranes that had been isolated from plants that had been grown at 27 °C. The role of BR in regulating the molecular dynamics of the photosynthetic membranes will be discussed against the background of an analysis of the photosynthetic pigments and fatty acid composition in the chloroplasts.

In this work a novel method for synthesis of 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene melanin was presented, as well as the physicochemical properties, molecular structure, and characteristics of the pigment. The proposed synthesis protocol is simple and cost-effective with no enzymes or catalysts needed. The final product is not adsorbed on any surface, since the pigment is the result of autooxidation of 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene. Performed analyses revealed that the solubility, optical and paramagnetic properties are typical for melanins, and in the EPR spectra an unusual hyperfine structure was observed. The molecular structure of the pigment consists of three different layers forming polar and non-polar surfaces. Additionally, the presence of ether bonds presence was revealed. The developed method creates new opportunities for melanin research and eliminates the need to extract melanins from biological samples, which often lead to structural changes in isolated melanins, which undermines the reliability of analyses of the properties and structure of these polymers. On the other hand, the ubiquity of melanins in living organisms and the diversity of their biological functions have let to the growing interest of researchers in this group of pigments. The analyses carried out show that the obtained synthetic DHN polymer can be considered as a model DHN-melanin in mycological studies and material research.

Flax, Linum usitatissimum, cultivars are grown throughout the world. Flax oil is a dietary source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, as well as phospholipids, sterols, and phenolic acids. Linseed plays a pivotal role in protecting cells from oxidative damage associated diseases, i.e., atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, and inflammation. In this study, two groups of L. usitatissimum seeds were used to evaluate and compare the content and composition of tocochromanols (vitamin E) and fatty acids. Group I included accessions originating from Poland and the Ukraine, while Group II encompassed worldwide flax cultivars (such as from the United States, Argentina, and Italy). A comparison of the tocochromanol profiles showed a higher content in Group I, although there were no significant differences in tocopherol content and composition between the genotypes within this group. All accessions in Groups I and II contained γ-tocotrienol and plastochromanol-8, which confirms the high nutritional value of flaxseeds. The composition of fatty acids varied depending on the varieties, with linolenic acid showing the greatest discrepancy. Based on the tocochromanol content and fatty acid composition, we conducted a principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis, which revealed a greater similarity among the accessions in Group I. An analysis of the tocochromanol and fatty acid composition of flaxseeds is important from an agronomic and medicinal perspective and can be used to select the most appropriate flax cultivar.

Gene encoding mercuric ion reductase, merA is a crucial component of the mer operon for reduction of nonorganic mercury ions into less toxic form. The merA gene or its fragments are commonly used as a molecular marker of bacterial resistance to mercury. In this study, it was tested whether the merA gene can be considered as a molecular marker of mercury bacterial resistance. For this purpose, the presence of the mer operon in bacteria isolated from the microbiota of Tussilago farfara L. growing in post-industrial mercury-contaminated and non-contaminated areas was verified by merA gene identification. Mercury resistance was determined by analyzing the bacterial growth parameters in standard Luria-Bertani (LB) medium with mercury concentration of 0.01% (w/v) and in medium without mercury addition. The results obtained showed that the merA gene was present in all T. farfara L. bacterial isolates growing in both mercury-contaminated and noncontaminated soils, however, only the isolates from mercury-contaminated areas were able to grow under mercury conditions. Although merA is commonly regarded as a molecular marker of bacterial mercury resistance, results of our research indicate the need for a verification of that statement/thesis and further investigation of bacterial mercury resistance to indicate other its key markers, structures, or mechanisms.