ABSTRACT
Pseudomonas moorei KB4 is capable of degrading paracetamol, but high concentrations of this drug may cause an accumulation of toxic metabolites. It is known that immobilisation can have a protective effect on bacterial cells; therefore, the toxicity and degradation rate of paracetamol by the immobilised strain KB4 were assessed. Strain KB4 was immobilised on a plant sponge. A toxicity assessment was performed by measuring the concentration of ATP using the colony-forming unit (CFU) method. The kinetic parameters of paracetamol degradation were estimated using the Hill equation. Toxicity analysis showed a protective effect of the carrier at low concentrations of paracetamol. Moreover, a pronounced phenomenon of hormesis was observed in the immobilised systems. The obtained kinetic parameters and the course of the kinetic curves clearly indicate a decrease in the degradation activity of cells after their immobilisation. There was a delay in degradation in the systems with free cells without glucose and immobilised cells with glucose. However, it was demonstrated that the immobilised systems can degrade at least ten succeeding cycles of 20 mg/L paracetamol degradation. The obtained results indicate that the immobilised strain may become a useful tool in the process of paracetamol degradation.
Subject(s)
Acetaminophen/metabolism , Cells, Immobilized/metabolism , Pseudomonas/cytology , Pseudomonas/metabolism , Acetaminophen/isolation & purification , Acetaminophen/pharmacology , Biodegradation, Environmental , Kinetics , Pseudomonas/drug effectsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The paper presents changes in the electromagnetic field intensity in a school building and its surrounding after the mobile phone base station installation on the roof of the school. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The comparison of EMF intensity measured before the base station was launched (electromagnetic background measurement) and after starting its operation (two independent control measurements) is discussed. RESULTS: Analyses of measurements are presented and the authors also propose the method of the electromagnetic field distribution adjustment in the area of radiation antennas side lobe to reduce the intensity of the EMF level in the base station proximity. The presented method involves the regulation of the inclination. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of the measurements, it was found that the EMF intensity increased in the building and its surroundings, but the values measured with wide margins meet the requirements of the Polish law on environmental protection.