The common Juniper employment possibilities to improve cities ecological conditions

Often getting worse the ecological condition in cities forces us to make the maximum use of sprouts. Therefore, sprout plants have to purify the air at the maximum degree. Without direct purification while extricating the oxygen, the purification degree is determined by the degree of phytoncyde extrication. In the analysis of sprouts in Lithuanian cities, a paradox revealed – the common juniper (Juniperus communis L.) – one of the leaders of phytoncyde extrication in Europe – is not employed. The assertion that it almost never establishes and striving to introduce the common juniper into sprouts encouraged the idea to develop a universal methodology of location estimation according to the suitability and also, to improve the protection of natural juniper places of growth. The following aims were accomplished: Arlaviskes, Vilkoksnis, and Sekioniai juniper areas were explored. The analysis of the ecological state was prepared in order to improve the protection of the explored juniper areas. A universal methodology of locality estimation with regard to the common juniper was developed. On its basis the possibilities of the common juniper introduction into Kaunas’ zones of sprouts in Santaka Park, Karmelitai Island, and Sajunga Square were estimated. While analysing the ecological situation in juniper areas, 13 surveys were carried out in order to sample the most important ecological indices. The following phenomena were explored: iconographic material, the botanical variety of plants, mechanical composition, permeability, the speed of respiration, acidity, the speed of cellulose decomposition, the intensity of albumen decomposition, air condition on the basis of bio-indicative characteristics of lichen, the amount of wax of pine needles, the speed of metal corrosion. While generalising the ecological condition, one may claim that Arlaviskes and Vilkoksnis.
 

Evaldas TRAINAVICIUS (18)

City/Region: Prienai
E-mail: evukx@mail.lt
Hobbies: Birds watching, Travelling, Reading about nature
Career: Zoologist
School: Gymnasium

The influence of works performed on islands for breeding waterfowls

The task of this work is to estimate this works influence on the variety of the breeding waterfowl on the islands of Bagrenas which belongs to the Regional park in the River Nemunas Loop. In section „The geographical situation“ is described location and size of islands. In section „Results of research“ is described which species of waterfowl breed there. We talk about the number of breeding birds on the first, second and third Bagrenas islands and about the conditions for the birds there during 2001 – 2002 years. The diversity and the number of breeding birds pairs is compared to the facts made in 1999 – 2000. We explain what conditions ensure the success for birds breeding. The section „The comparison of quantity of the breeding waterfowl on the islands in 2001 – 2002 “ describes us the fact that there was the best diversity of the birds and the greatest number of them on the third island of Bagrenas in 2002, because this island was cleaned regularly. We watched such species of birds as Black – headed Gulls (Larus ridibundus), Little Terns (Sterna albifrons), the Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) there. The number of the Black – headed Gulls (Larus ridibundus) increased from 300 to 1000 pairs, Common Terns (Sterna hirundo) - from 60 to 80 pairs, Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) from 2 to 10 pairs. There were no Little Terns (Sterna albifrons) at the beginning of the birds population and in 2002 there were 10 pairs of Little Terns (Sterna albifrons).
 

Ervinas GAIDAMAUSKAS (18)

City/Region: Vilnius
E-mail: ervinasg@delfi.lt
Hobbies: Listening to music, Carrying out experiments in chemistry, Participating in the Olympiads, Internet
Career: Biochemist
School: Vilnius Lyceum of Sciences and Mathematics

Catalytic properties of lipase

An enzyme is a complex protein produced by living cells that promotes a specific biochemical reaction by acting as a catalyst. An enzyme simply increases the rate of the reaction it influences. Fats and oils can be split in the presence of an enzyme called a lipase. Moreover, subject to reaction conditions it may catalyze not only hydrolysis of lipids, but also synthesis of various fatty acid esters. The aim of this project was to investigate the enzymatic reactions of hydrolysis and alcoholysis. Lipase from filamentous fungus Thermomyces lanuginosus specificity towards various types of lipids, effect of experimental factors (emulsifier, metal ions, surfactant concentrations, pH) on hydrolytic enzyme activity were determined. T. lanuginosus lipase was immobilized on three supports. Immobilization is a suitable approach that allows biocatalyst reuse, makes product recovery easier. High immobilization yield was obtained using natural polysaccharide as a support. The method for enzymatic resolution of (±)-2-ethyl-1-hexanol was proposed. This compound whose arrangement of atoms is such that it cannot be superimposed on its mirror image is comprised of two optical isomers (+ and -). The results demonstrated that T. lanuginosus lipase is more specific to one of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol optical isomers. Therefore partial resolution of the isomers by carrying out the alcoholysis reaction is possible. (+) and (-) forms of drugs, or any other substrates, have very different effects on human body, so it is most important to isolate one isomer of such substances.