2つの豊富な生物蓄積されたハロゲン化合物は,天然製品である
Emma L Teuten1, Li Xu, Christopher M Reddy
1Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA.
まとめ
メトキシル化ポリブロミネートジフェニルエーテル (MeO-PBDE) は水生動物に見られます. クジラから採取したMeO-PBDEの放射性炭素分析により,これらの化合物は工業汚染物質ではなく,自然に生成されていることが明らかになった.
科学分野:
- 環境化学 環境化学
- マリン・バイオロジー マリン・バイオロジー
- オーガニック・ジオケミストリー オーガニック・ジオケミストリー
背景:
- メトキシル化ポリブロミネートジフェニルエーテル (MeO-PBDE) は,水生生物で,既知の汚染物質と同様のレベルで検出されています.
- MeO-PBDEの発生源は曖昧であり,自然由来と工業起源の両方が提案されている.
研究 の 目的:
- 海洋生物で見つかったMeO-PBDEの起源を調査する.
- MeO-PBDEが自然に産生されたものなのか,人為的な起源なのかを判断する.
主な方法:
- トゥルーのクジラ (Mesoplodon mirus) の組織から2つのMeO-PBDE共生体の分離.
- 孤立したMeO-PBDEの天然の放射性炭素 (14C) 含有量の分析.
主要な成果:
- 分析されたMeO-PBDEの放射性炭素含有量は,生物学的起源を示しています.
- この発見は,これらの化合物の自然生成の直接的な証拠を提供します.
結論:
- 海洋哺乳類に見られるMeO-PBDEは,自然に生成される可能性があります.
- この研究は,MeO-PBDEの発生源に関する不確実性を解消し,その形成の自然な経路を強調しています.
さらに関連する動画
関連する概念動画
Carbon Skeletons
Life on Earth is carbon-based, as all macromolecules that make up living organisms contain carbon atoms. All organic compounds have a carbon backbone. Each carbon atom is tetravalent and can bond with four other atoms, making it an extraordinarily flexible component of biological molecules. Because carbon’s valence electrons are stable, it rarely becomes an ion. As the carbon chain increases in length, structural modifications such as ring structures, double bonds, and branching side chains...
What are Biogeochemical Cycles?
The most common elements in organic molecules, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus, are only available in the ecosystem in limited amounts. Therefore, these nutrients must be recycled through both biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem, in processes generally called biogeochemical cycles.
The Carbon Cycle
Carbon is the basis of all organic matter on Earth, and is recycled through the ecosystem in two primary processes: one in which carbon is exchanged among living organisms, and one in which carbon is cycled over long periods of time through fossilized organic remains, weathering of rocks, and volcanic activity. Human activities, including increased agricultural practices and the burning of fossil fuels, has greatly affected the balance of the natural carbon cycle.
Organic Compounds
All living things are formed mostly of carbon compounds called organic compounds. The category of organic compounds includes both natural and synthetic compounds that contain carbon. Although a single, precise definition has yet to be identified by the chemistry community, most agree that a defining trait of organic molecules is the presence of carbon as the principal element, bonded to hydrogen and other carbon atoms. However, some carbon-containing compounds such as carbonates, cyanides, and...
Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism
Nitrogen is a very important element for life because it is a major constituent of proteins and nucleic acids. It is a macronutrient, and in nature, it is recycled from organic compounds and stored in the form of ammonia, ammonium ions, nitrate, nitrite, or nitrogen gas by many metabolic processes. Many of these metabolic processes are carried out only by prokaryotes.
The largest pool of nitrogen available in the terrestrial ecosystem is gaseous nitrogen (N2) from the air, but this nitrogen...
The largest pool of nitrogen available in the terrestrial ecosystem is gaseous nitrogen (N2) from the air, but this nitrogen...
Compounds Essential to Human Function
The human body is composed of cells that are fundamentally made up of several different molecules. These molecules are essential to carry out all physiological processes in the body and are broadly classified into organic and inorganic based on their chemical structures.
Inorganic Compounds Essential to Human Functioning
Inorganic compounds essential to human functioning include water, salts, acids, and bases. These compounds are inorganic, i.e., they do not have a carbon-hydrogen bond. Water...
Inorganic Compounds Essential to Human Functioning
Inorganic compounds essential to human functioning include water, salts, acids, and bases. These compounds are inorganic, i.e., they do not have a carbon-hydrogen bond. Water...


