HEPD belongs to the superfamily of 2-His-1-carboxylate non-heme iron-dependent dioxygenases. It converts 2-hydroxyethylphosphonate (2-HEP) to hydroxymethylphosphonate (HMP) and formate. Previously postulated mechanisms for the reaction catalyzed by HEPD cannot explain its conversion of 1-HEP to acetylphosphate. Alternative mechanisms that involve either phosphite or methylphosphonate as interme...

For over 80 years prior to the work of Cholodny (1924, 1926) the twisted ribbons of ferric hydroxide found in iron-bearing waters were described as living organisms of the genera Gallionella and Spirophyllum. These early observations have been conveniently summarized and evaluated by Pringsheim (1949), so that at the present time Spirophyllum may be considered synonymous with Gallionella. It re...

OBJECTIVES To determine whether blood cadmium concentration is elevated in iron-deficient infants. METHODS Blood cadmium and serum ferritin concentrations, serum iron/total iron-binding capacity (Fe/TIBC) and complete blood counts were measured in 31 iron deficient and 36 control infants, aged 6-24 months. All 31 iron-deficient infants received iron supplementation for 1-6 months. RESULTS B...

Introduction: Substantial iron accumulation on the Earth’s surface can in many instances be attributed either directly or indirectly to microbial activity. Microbial mat deposits in various periods of Earth history were iron-mineralized to various degrees and may also contain remains of the organisms that formed them [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. The common association of microbes and iron accumulations on ...

Aldoxime dehydratase is a heme-containing enzyme that utilizes the ferrous rather than the ferric ion to catalyze the synthesis of nitriles by dehydration of the substrate. We report a theoretical study of this enzyme aimed at elucidating its catalytic mechanism and understanding this oxidation state preference (Fe(2+) versus Fe(3+)). The uncatalyzed dehydration reaction was modeled by includin...

This paper present the possible alternative removal options for the development of safe drinking water supply in the arsenic-affected areas. Each alternative option was studied in the Environmental Engineering Laboratory at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, India. In this paper conventional precipitation (Alum and Iron salt) and adsorption (With various types of adsorbent) method ...

BACKGROUND Betel quid chewing is a popular habit in Southeast Asia. It is believed that chewing betel quid could reduce stress, strengthen teeth and maintain oral hygiene. The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant and cytoprotective activities of each of the ingredients of betel quid and compared with betel quid itself (with and without calcium hydroxide). The correlation of thei...

Arsenic in groundwater was first detected in Bangladesh at Chapai Nawabgonj district in 1993. Since then arsenic contamination problem has been reported from almost every parts of the country. It is estimated that approximately 27% of the wells are contaminated with levels above 50ppb, the current drinking water standard for arsenic in Bangladesh (Kinninburg, D. G., et al., 2001). It is also es...