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Effect of Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (Chlorophyceae) exudates on metal toxicity and colloid aggregation.

The effects of Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata exudates on the acute toxicity of metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) were studied using (1h) algal photosynthesis inhibition tests. The metal concentrations tested were 30, 60, 120, 250 and 500microgL(-1) for Cd and Zn; and 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000microgL(-1) for Cu and Pb. It was established that P. subcapitata exudates markedly decreased metal toxicity. This effect was ascribed to: (i) the presence of organic ligands that bind metals and reduce the concentration of free ionic metal, and/or (ii) interaction of exudates with the cell surface with a subsequent decrease in metal uptake. The effects of the exudates on colloid aggregation were also examined using two different types of single particle counters (SPC). Exudates facilitated the colloid removal, likely via acceleration of aggregation (bridging). The results clearly demonstrate that algal exudates play an important role in the biogeochemical cycling of metals in natural surface water: (1) by reducing free metal concentrations and toxicity to living organisms and (2) by favoring colloid aggregation leading to the removal of colloid-bound metals (colloidal pumping). Such results highlight one potential application of the algae in the remediation of metal-contaminated waters. The results also suggest that current algal toxicity testing protocols, in particular long-term and static tests, may underestimate metal toxicity because of the presence of algal exudates.

Carbohydrates↗

Study of the immobilization of alcohol dehydrogenase on Au-colloid modified gold electrode by piezoelectric quartz crystal sensor, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance techniques.

The immobilization of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) on Au-colloid modified gold electrodes has been investigated. Colloidal Au was first self-assembled onto gold electrodes through the thiol groups of an 1,6-hexanedithiol monolayer. Piezoelectric quartz crystal sensor, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance techniques were used to investigate the immobilization of ADH on Au colloids. The cyclic voltammogram tends to be more irreversible with increased ADH concentration. In the impedance spectroscopic study, an obvious difference of the electron transfer resistance between the Au-colloid modified electrode and the bare gold electrode was observed. Using the piezoelectric quartz crystal sensor, the Michaelis constant, K(m), and the maximum initial rate, V(max), of the immobilized ADH were estimated as 6.03 x 10(-4) M and 0.63 Hzs (-1), respectively. The binding constant of ADH with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) was also determined as 1.87 x 10(4) M(-1). Experimental results showed that colloidal Au can be used as a biocompatible matrix for enzyme immobilization.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase↗

Lipofuscin and abnormalities in colloid in the equine thyroid gland in relation to age.

Lipofuscin accumulation and other histological changes in thyroid tissue, previously reported to be age-related, were studied in 31 horses aged up to 35 years. The number of lipofuscin granules relative to thyrocytes increased from birth to 5 years of age. There was a wide individual variation in the number of lipofuscin granules in thyrocytes in mature horses, but this was not directly related to age. Several abnormalities were identified in thyroid colloid. The prevalence of spherites, lipofuscin granules, nucleated cells and shreds of colloid increased with age, but the prevalence of calcium oxalate crystals, erythrocytes, basophilic zones and solid fragments of colloid did not. In horses younger than 7 years, particularly large lipofuscin granules were found in thyrocytes of a small proportion of follicles which also contained abnormal colloid. Such follicles became more common in older horses without being accompanied by large lipofuscin granules. No correlation was found between granule numbers and frequency of colloid abnormalities. These results cast doubt on the traditional assumption that lipofuscin is indigestible cellular residue, since there was little evidence for excretion of granules. It is postulated that lipofuscin in this tissue may be a normal stage in lysosomal catabolism.

Aging↗

Humoral and cellular immunity induced by antigens adjuvanted with colloidal iron hydroxide.

The immunopotentiating activities of colloidal iron hydroxide, a novel, experimental mineral adjuvant, and of aluminium hydroxide. the licensed adjuvant for human vaccines, were compared. Our studies revealed that colloidal iron hydroxide and aluminium hydroxide behaved comparably with respect to supporting induction of an antibody response to tetanus toxoid. Furthermore, mice immunized with both, the experimental vaccine (tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) antigen adsorbed to colloidal iron hydroxide) or with a commercially available TBEV vaccine (adjuvanted with aluminium hydroxide), developed long-lasting antibody responses which protected the animals from TBEV infection even one year after vaccination. The use of colloidal iron hydroxide as adjuvant had the additional advantage to reproducibly support induction of HIV-1 envelope-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), when used as adjuvant for a HIV-1 env-carrying recombinant fowlpox virus and being applied via the subcutaneous route. Aluminium hydroxide was much less active in this respect. Non-adjuvanted recombinant fowlpox elicited CTLs only when given intravenously or intraperitoneally, vaccination routes considered not to be suitable for routine use in humans. Further studies to evaluate the use of colloidal iron as possible alternative and/or supplement for routinely used mineral adjuvants may therefore be warranted.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Distribution of organic carbon, selected stable elements and artificial radionuclides among dissolved, colloidal and particulate phases in the Rhône River (France): preliminary results.

The behaviour of radionuclides discharged from nuclear facilities in the Rhône River depends on their distribution among the dissolved, colloidal and particulate phases. A large water sample was fractionated using sequential ultrafiltration. Size distributions of organic carbon, Fe, Al, Si, Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn, 137Cs, 60Co and 106Ru were obtained. Our results show that organic colloids account for 11% of the total organic carbon content. Approximately 20% of the dissolved (< 450 nm) Fe and Al are in colloidal classes. 137Cs is not significantly transferred by the colloidal phase while 25% of 60Co or 106Ru is associated with organic and inorganic colloids.

Carbon↗

Pharmacology and physiology of colloids.

The importance of an adequate circulating volume in the critically ill is well established. Plasma, albumin, synthetic colloids and crystalloids may all be used for volume expansion but the first two are expensive and crystalloids have to be given in much larger volumes than colloids to achieve the same effect. Synthetic colloids provide a cheaper, safe, effective alternative. There are three classes of synthetic colloid; dextrans, gelatins and hydroxyethyl starches; each is available in several formulations with different properties which affect their initial plasma expanding effects, retention in the circulation and side-effects. There is no ideal colloid but those with low molecular weights such as gelatins are more suitable for rapid, short term volume expansion whilst in states of capillary leak where longer term effects are required hydroxyethyl starches are more effective. Dextrans are as effective as the alternatives but produce more side-effects and the need to pre-treat with hapten-dextran renders them unwieldy in use. Albumin is as persistent as hydroxyethyl starch in the healthy circulation but is retained less well in states of capillary leak. It has no significant advantages over starches and is much more expensive.

Albumins↗

Selective binding of colloidal gold-protein conjugates to secretory granules of granular skin glands and myelin sheaths in the skin of Xenopus laevis.

Colloidal gold-protein conjugates are widely used in immunoelectron microscopical studies as general "second antibody" markers. This report demonstrates that colloidal gold conjugated with goat anti-mouse immunoglobulin G (IgG), protein A, and bovine serum albumin (BSA) binds selectively to secretory granules of granular skin glands and myelin sheaths in the skin of Xenopus laevis. The gold labeling pattern was identical whether goat anti-mouse IgG, protein A, or BSA was used to stabilize the colloidal gold sols. Selective labeling over secretory granules of granular skin glands and myelin sheaths with colloidal gold alone was also observed. Such selective labeling could be prevented by increasing the ionic strength (elevation of NaCl content up to 30%) of the washing buffers and the diluent of the antibody. These results demonstrate that secretory granules of granular skin glands and myelin sheaths in the skin of X. laevis have affinity for colloidal gold-protein conjugates and may bind to the charged gold particles electrostatically.

Animals↗

Silver electrodeposition catalyzed by colloidal gold on carbon paste electrode: application to biotin-streptavidin interaction monitoring.

A new electrochemical method to monitor biotin-streptavidin interaction on carbon paste electrode, based on silver electrodeposition catalyzed by colloidal gold, was investigated. Silver reduction potential changed when colloidal gold was attached to an electrode surface through the biotin-streptavidin interaction. Thus, the direct reduction of silver ions on the electrode surface could be avoided and therefore, they were only reduced to metallic silver on the colloidal gold particle surface, forming a shell around these particles. When an anodic scan was performed, this shell of silver was oxidized and an oxidation process at + 0.08 V was recorded in NH3 1.0 M. Biotinylated albumin was adsorbed on the pretreated electrode surface. This modified electrode was immersed in colloidal gold-streptavidin labeled solutions. The carbon paste electrode was then activated in adequate medium (NaOH 0.1 M and H2SO4 0.1 M) to remove proteins from the electrode surface while colloidal gold particles remained adsorbed on it. Then, a silver electrodeposition at -0.18 V for 2 min and anodic stripping voltammetry were carried out in NH3 1.0 M containing 2.0 x 10(-5) M of silver lactate. An electrode surface preparation was carried out to obtain a good reproducibility of the analytical signal (5.3%), using a new electrode for each experiment. In addition, a sequential competitive assay was carried out to determine streptavidin. A linear relationship between peak current and logarithm of streptavidin concentration from 2.25 x 10(-15) to 2.24 x 10(-12) M and a limit of detection of 2.0 x 10(15) M were obtained.

Biotin↗

X-ray tomography of a microhabitat of bacteria and other soil colloids with sub-100 nm resolution.

Visualization of the spatial arrangement of bacteria and other colloids permits to describe relevant soil parameters like porosity or nutrient storage capacity. Major advantages of X-ray microscopy for these investigations are the much higher spatial resolution compared to visible light microscopy and its ability to study colloidal structures directly in aqueous media. To obtain information about the three-dimensional structure of the microhabitats formed by bacteria and other soil colloids, tomography based on X-ray microscopy images with about 45 nm resolution was performed. Tomographic reconstructions presented in this paper clearly reveal the spatial arrangement of bacteria and other soil colloids which cannot be obtained from two-dimensional projections. The results show that X-ray nanotomography is a very powerful tool for examining the three-dimensional structure of flocs of colloidal particles.

Animals↗

Phosphopeptides interacting with colloidal calcium phosphate isolated by tryptic hydrolysis of bovine casein micelles.

After extended tryptic hydrolysis of large bovine casein micelles, a mineral-rich peptide fraction was recovered by ultracentrifugation. Its mineral part contained 72% of the colloidal Ca and 49% of the colloidal P1 originally present in the native micelle. Colloidal nitrogenous components were also present, amounting to 27% of the original N content. They contained most of the phosphopeptides and 82% of the micellar phosphoseryl residues. These tryptic peptides were characterized by reversed-phase HPLC on-line electrospray ion source-mass spectrometry analysis. Among the peptides produced 14 phosphopeptides were identified: alpha s2-CN(1-24), alpha s2-CN(1-21), alpha s1-CN(43-79), alpha s1-CN(35-79)7P, alpha s1-CN(35-79)8P, alpha s1-CN(37-79), alpha s1-CN(104-119), alpha s1-CN(104-124), beta-CN(1-25), beta-CN(1-28), beta-CN(1-29), beta-CN(30-97), beta-CN(33-97) and beta-CN(29-97). The proportion of the phosphopeptides interacting with colloidal calcium phosphate was correlated with their relative content of phosphoserine residues, since phosphopeptides containing more than four phosphoserine residues were consistently present within this fraction. It also appeared that other types of peptides, some of them hydrophobic in nature, were also partly or completely present within the colloidal fraction, including alpha s1-CN(91-100), alpha s1-CN(152-193), alpha s1-CN(23-34), alpha s1-CN(125-193), alpha s1-CN(125-199), beta-CN(177-209). beta-CN(184-209), beta-CN(114-169) and beta-CN(108-169). Their possible involvement in the micellar backbone is discussed.

Animals↗

Characterization of overoxidized polypyrrole colloids imprinted with L-lactate and their application to enantioseparation of amino acids.

Overoxidized polypyrrole colloids imprinted with L-lactate were prepared to evaluate the performance of the overoxidation pseudo-template technique developed by the authors. A polypyrrole colloid that had been prepared from a mixture of monomer (pyrrole), dopant (L-lactate), steric stabilizer (poly(vinylpyrrolidone)) and oxidizing agent (peroxodisulfate) was electrochemically overoxidized at +1.5 V vs Ag/AgCl to create a complementary cavity for recognition of the molecules, which were structurally similar to dopant, through dedoping. As a target molecule for enantioselective uptake into the overoxidized colloid, we selected alanine, which is structurally different from the template (lactate) only in one side chain (alanine, -NH2; lactic acid, -OH). The overoxidized polypyrrole colloid showed higher affinity for L-alanine than for D-alanine, and an uptake ratio (L/D) of as high as 11 +/- 4 was observed under optimum conditions. Uptake reached equilibrium in 10 min, thanks to the high surface area and short diffusion length in the colloidal particle. Further, to confirm the complementarity of the cavity, the effect of side chain size on uptake of several alpha-amino acids was examined to indicate that the uptake amount decreased with increasing molecular volume of the L-amino acids.

Alanine↗

Surface binding affinity measurements from order transitions of lipid membrane-coated colloidal particles.

Lipid bilayers can be assembled onto the surface of colloidal silica particles to form a continuous and fluid supported membrane coating. In this configuration, the collective behavior of the colloidal dispersion is governed by interactions between particles and exhibits a sensitive dependency on chemical features of the membrane surface. Protein binding to membrane surface receptors can trigger macroscopic changes in the colloidal order, which provides a label-free readout of such binding events. Here, the relationship between order in the colloidal dispersion and the surface concentration of bound protein is characterized quantitatively in terms of the radial pair distribution function. Using parallel fluorescence measurements for comparison, we construct a scalar measure of the distribution function that exhibits linear proportionality with surface protein binding. This is used to determine binding affinity based only on observations of the colloidal distribution.

Cell Membrane↗

Colloidal Au-enhanced surface plasmon resonance immunosensing.

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensing using colloidal Au enhancement is reported. Immobilization of approximately 11-nm-diameter colloidal Au to an evaporated Au film results in a large shift in plasmon angle, a broadened plasmon resonance, and an increase in minimum reflectance. The incorporation of colloidal Au into SPR biosensing results in increased SPR sensitivity to protein-protein interactions when a Au film-immobilized antibody and an antigen-colloidal Au conjugate comprise the binding pair. A highly specific particle-enhanced analogue of a sandwich immunoassay is also demonstrated by complexing the Au particle to a secondary antibody. A tremendous signal amplification is observed, as addition of the antibody-Au colloid conjugate results in a 25-fold larger signal than that due to addition of a free antibody solution that is 6 orders of magnitude more concentrated. Picomolar detection of human immunoglobulin G has been realized using particle enhancement, with the theoretical limits for the technique being much lower. Finally, a quasi-linear relationship between particle coverage and plasmon angle shift is presented, thereby providing for a direct correlation between plasmon shift and solution antigen concentration. Together, these results represent significant advances in the generality and sensitivity of SPR as it is applied to biosensing.

Colloids↗

Functional characterization of colloidal phosphorus species in the soil solution of sandy soils.

The impact of mobile colloids on the transport of phosphorus in the subsurface environment is not well understood. We hypothesized that interactions between metals, organic matter, and P control the dynamics of mobile colloidal P species in excessively fertilized sandy soils. The effect of UV irradiation and additions of 32P, orthophosphate, Fe, Al, and NaF on the concentration of colloidal P was examined using gel filtration chromatography. In addition, molybdate unreactive P (MUP) was characterized using phosphomonoesterase assays. The high molecular mass reactive P (HMMRP) fraction did not react to orthophosphate additions, increased upon Al and Fe additions and decreased upon NaF addition and UV irradiation. These results support the hypothesis that HMMRP is present as organic matter-metal-orthophosphate complexes. The concentration of high molecular mass unreactive P (HMMUP) decreased upon UV irradiation. The MUP concentration slightly decreased upon incubation with phytase and acid phosphatase. These observations fitted well to the "protection" hypothesis, where hydrolyzable P bonds are protected from monoesterase attack through occlusion in colloidal material. Taken together, this study indicates the high potential for subsurface P loss by colloidal particles in soils excessively fertilized with animal manure.

Agriculture↗

Transport of silica colloids through unsaturated porous media: experimental results and model comparisons.

We present results on the migration of silica colloids through laboratory columns packed with partially saturated quartz sand. The transport of the silica colloids responds to changes in the steady-state volumetric moisture content (theta) and for low theta depends on the wetting history of the sand pack prior to colloid injection. A mathematical model that incorporates a first-order rate law to simulate film straining and a second-order rate law to simulate partitioning at air-water interfaces closely describes colloid transport and mass transfer over the range of experimental conditions tested. The mass-transfer parameters of the model are sensitive to changes in both the level of water saturation and the flow rate. A semiempirical expression, based on a modification of film-straining theory, accounts for the observed variation in the first-order rate coefficient with changes in theta and average porewater velocity. Our work indicates that the presence of the air phase substantially influences porewater concentrations of mineral colloids in water-unsaturated media and that the kinetics of particle removal attributed to air-water boundaries reflects the contribution of multiple mass-transfer mechanisms.

Colloids↗

Significance of kinetics for sorption on inorganic colloids: modeling and experiment interpretation issues.

A two-site kinetic model for solute sorption on inorganic colloids is developed. The model quantifies linear first-order sorption on two types of sites ("fast" and "slow") characterized by two pairs of rates (forward and reverse). We use the model to explore data requirements for long-term predictive calculations of colloid-facilitated transport and to evaluate laboratory kinetic sorption data of Lu et al.. Five batch sorption data sets are considered with plutonium as the tracer and montmorillonite, hematite, silica, and smectite as colloids. Using asymptotic results applicable on the time scale of limited duration experiments, a robust estimation procedure is developed for the fast-site partitioning coefficient K(C) and the slow forward rate alpha. The estimated range of K(C) is 1.1-76 L/g, and the range for alpha is 0.0017-0.02 1/h. The fast reverse rate k(r) is estimated in the range 0.012-0.1 1/h. Comparison of one-site and two-site sorption interpretations reveals the difficulty in discriminating between the two models for montmorillonite and to a lesser extent for hematite. For silica and smectite, the two-site model clearly provides a better representation of the data as compared with a single site model. Kinetic data for silica are available for different colloid concentrations (0.2 g/L and 1 g/L). For the range of experimental conditions considered, alpha appears to be independent of colloid concentration.

Adsorption↗

Colloid formation in Hanford sediments reacted with simulated tank waste.

Solutions of high pH, ionic strength, and aluminum concentration have leaked into the subsurface from underground waste storage tanks atthe Hanford Reservation in Washington State. Here, we test the hypothesis that these waste solutions alter and dissolve the native minerals present in the sediments and that colloidal (diameter < 2 microm) feldspathoids form. We reacted Hanford sediments with simulated solutions representative of Hanford waste tanks. The solutions consisted of 1.4 or 2.8 mol/kg NaOH, 0.125 or 0.25 mol/kg NaAlO4, and 3.7 mol/kg NaNO3 and were contacted with the sediments for a period of 25 or 40 days at 50 degrees C. The colloidal size fraction was separated from the sediments and characterized in terms of mineralogy, morphology, chemical composition, and electrophoretic mobility. Upon reaction with tank waste solutions, native minerals released Si and other elements into the solution phase. This Si precipitated with the Al present in the waste solutions to form secondary minerals, identified as the feldspathoids cancrinite and sodalite. The solution phase was modeled with the chemical equilibrium model GMIN for solution speciation and saturation indices with respect to sodalite and cancrinite. The amount of colloidal material in the sediments increased upon reaction with waste solutions. At the natural pH found in Hanford sediments (pH 8) the newly formed minerals are negatively charged, similar to the unreacted colloidal material present in the sediments. The formation of colloidal material in Hanford sediments upon reaction with tank waste solutions is an important aspect to consider in the characterization of Hanford tank leaks and may affect the fate of hazardous radionuclides present in the tank waste.

Aluminum Oxide↗

Characterzation of colloidal and humic-bound Ni and U in the "dissolved" fraction of contaminated sediment extracts.

The dissolved phase of environmental aqueous samples is generally defined by filtration at 0.2 microm or even 0.45 microm. However, it is also acknowledged that colloids <0.2 microm suspended in the aqueous phase can be important for determining contaminant availability and mobility. We have used flow field-flow fractionation (FI FFF) and size exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled to UV-absorbance (UVA) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to study the dissolved organic matter (DOM) and colloidal binding of U and Ni in water extracts of sediments collected from a contaminated area of the Savannah River Site, a U.S. Department of Energy former nuclear materials production and processing facility, near Aiken, SC. High-performance SEC-UVA-ICP-MS was well-suited to the separation of DOM overthe molecular weight (MW) range of approximately 200-7000 Da. The ICP-MS element specific data indicated that a significant fraction of U was associated with DOM. Uranium exhibited a bimodal distribution and the other fraction was greater than the exclusion limit for the column and coeluted with Al. Flow FFF was used to size this fraction as colloidal with an approximate effective spherical diameter of 0.09-0.12 microm. Element specific ICP-MS data confirmed that U and Al were associated with the colloidal phase. High-field FI FFF was also applicable to sizing DOM but resolution was poorer than SEC. The results of this study suggest that "dissolved" U at this site is predominantly either complexed by DOM or bound to a colloidal fraction while Ni is predominately present as labile complexes or the free cation and, therefore, potentially bioavailable.

Biological Availability↗