Important Issues in Ecotoxicological Investigations Using Earthworms.

Science.gov (United States)

Velki, Mirna; Ečimović, Sandra

The importance and beneficial effects of earthworms on soil structure and quality is well-established. In addition, earthworms have proved to be important model organisms for investigation of pollutant effects on soil ecosystems. In ecotoxicological investigations effects of various pollutants on earthworms were assessed. But some important issues regarding the effects of pollutants on earthworms still need to be comprehensively addressed. In this review several issues relevant to soil ecotoxicological investigations using earthworms are emphasized and guidelines that should be adopted in ecotoxicological investigations using earthworms are given. The inclusion of these guidelines in ecotoxicological studies will contribute to the better quantification of impacts of pollutants and will allow more accurate prediction of the real field effects of pollutants to earthworms.

Objective classification of ecological status in marine water bodies using ecotoxicological information and multivariate analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Beiras, Ricardo; Durán, Iria

2014-12-01

Some relevant shortcomings have been identified in the current approach for the classification of ecological status in marine water bodies, leading to delays in the fulfillment of the Water Framework Directive objectives. Natural variability makes difficult to settle fixed reference values and boundary values for the Ecological Quality Ratios (EQR) for the biological quality elements. Biological responses to environmental degradation are frequently of nonmonotonic nature, hampering the EQR approach. Community structure traits respond only once ecological damage has already been done and do not provide early warning signals. An alternative methodology for the classification of ecological status integrating chemical measurements, ecotoxicological bioassays and community structure traits (species richness and diversity), and using multivariate analyses (multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis), is proposed. This approach does not depend on the arbitrary definition of fixed reference values and EQR boundary values, and it is suitable to integrate nonlinear, sensitive signals of ecological degradation. As a disadvantage, this approach demands the inclusion of sampling sites representing the full range of ecological status in each monitoring campaign. National or international agencies in charge of coastal pollution monitoring have comprehensive data sets available to overcome this limitation.

Tribute to a frontline scientist in marine pollution research

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Sarkar, A

frontline scientist in marine pollution research Anupam Sarkar Accepted: 1 February 2006 / Published online: 4 May 2006 C211 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2006 Dr. Simao Nascimento de Sousa This special issue of Ecotoxicology is dedicated to a... stream_size 2562 stream_content_type text/plain stream_name Ecotoxicology_15_329.pdf.txt stream_source_info Ecotoxicology_15_329.pdf.txt Content-Encoding UTF-8 Content-Type text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Tribute to a...

Assessing the relevance of ecotoxicological studies for regulatory decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Rudén, Christina; Adams, Julie; Ågerstrand, Marlene; Brock, Theo Cm; Poulsen, Veronique; Schlekat, Christian E; Wheeler, James R; Henry, Tala R

2017-07-01

Regulatory policies in many parts of the world recognize either the utility of or the mandate that all available studies be considered in environmental or ecological hazard and risk assessment (ERA) of chemicals, including studies from the peer-reviewed literature. Consequently, a vast array of different studies and data types need to be considered. The first steps in the evaluation process involve determining whether the study is relevant to the ERA and sufficiently reliable. Relevance evaluation is typically performed using existing guidance but involves application of "expert judgment" by risk assessors. In the present paper, we review published guidance for relevance evaluation and, on the basis of the practical experience within the group of authors, we identify additional aspects and further develop already proposed aspects that should be considered when conducting a relevance assessment for ecotoxicological studies. From a regulatory point of view, the overarching key aspect of relevance concerns the ability to directly or indirectly use the study in ERA with the purpose of addressing specific protection goals and ultimately regulatory decision making. Because ERA schemes are based on the appropriate linking of exposure and effect estimates, important features of ecotoxicological studies relate to exposure relevance and biological relevance. Exposure relevance addresses the representativeness of the test substance, environmental exposure media, and exposure regime. Biological relevance deals with the environmental significance of the test organism and the endpoints selected, the ecological realism of the test conditions simulated in the study, as well as a mechanistic link of treatment-related effects for endpoints to the protection goal identified in the ERA. In addition, uncertainties associated with relevance should be considered in the assessment. A systematic and transparent assessment of relevance is needed for regulatory decision making. The relevance

Ecotoxicological evaluation of areas polluted by mining activities

Science.gov (United States)

García-Lorenzo, M. L.; Martínez-Sánchez, M. J.; Pérez-Sirvent, C.; Molina, J.

2009-04-01

Determination of the contaminant content is not enough to evaluate the toxic effects or to characterise contaminated sites, because such a measure does not reflect the ecotoxicological danger in the environment and does not provide information on the effects of the chemical compounds. To estimate the risk of contaminants, chemical methods need to be complemented with biological methods. Therefore, ecotoxicological testing may be a useful approach for assessing the toxicity as a complement to chemical analysis. The aim of this study was to develop a battery of bioassays for the ecotoxicological screening of areas polluted by mining activities. Particularly, the toxicity of water samples, sediments and their pore-water extracts was evaluated by using three assays: bacteria, plants and ostracods. Moreover, the possible relationship between observed toxicity and results of chemical analysis was studied. The studied area, Sierra Minera, is close to the mining region of La Uni

Ecotoxicology and macroecology – Time for integration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beketov, Mikhail A.; Liess, Matthias

2012-01-01

Despite considerable progress in ecotoxicology, it has become clear that this discipline cannot answer its central questions, such as, “What are the effects of toxicants on biodiversity?” and “How the ecosystem functions and services are affected by the toxicants?”. We argue that if such questions are to be answered, a paradigm shift is needed. The current bottom-up approach of ecotoxicology that implies the use of small-scale experiments to predict effects on the entire ecosystems and landscapes should be merged with a top-down macroecological approach that is directly focused on ecological effects at large spatial scales and consider ecological systems as integral entities. Analysis of the existing methods in ecotoxicology, ecology, and environmental chemistry shows that such integration is currently possible. Therefore, we conclude that to tackle the current pressing challenges, ecotoxicology has to progress using both the bottom-up and top-down approaches, similar to digging a tunnel from both ends at once. - To tackle the current pressing challenges, ecotoxicology has to progress using both the bottom-up experimental and top-down observational approaches.

Overview of ecotoxicological studies performed in the Venice Lagoon (Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Losso, C; Ghirardini, A Volpi

2010-01-01

This work reports on the state of the art of the bioindicators used to assess environmental quality (regarding chemical pollutant impacts) in the Venice lagoon. After a brief description of the roles, advantages and limitations of bioindicators in marine and transitional environments and a summary of the Venice lagoon characteristics, the ecotoxicological methods used during scientific studies and research projects in the Lagoon are reported. Since not all data are available and no database can be formulated, the main evidence from toxicity bioassays, biomarkers and bioaccumulation analyses since the end of the 1970s is spatially synthesized using maps and discussed according to the four Venice lagoon basins. The majority of indicators showed that the Lido basin (north-central lagoon), affected by the presence of the industrial area and the city of Venice, is the one most highly impacted (particularly in the sites located within or in front of the industrial area, which showed very high sediment toxicity and high levels of DNA damage). The Malamocco basin (south-central lagoon) seems to be the least problematic. The southern basin (Chioggia basin) was shown to be impacted by urban contaminants from the town of Chioggia. The northern basin (Treporti basin) presented both impacted sites (high toxicity and high bioaccumulation factor) and relatively unpolluted sites (absence of toxicity, absence of imposex and low levels of bioaccumulation). This review can serve as a basis on which to select pragmatic, cost-effective biomonitoring techniques for environmental effects in lagoon ecosystems.

[Research advances in eco-toxicological diagnosis of soil pollution].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Feng; Teng, Hong-Hui; Ren, Bai-Xiang; Shi, Shu-Yun

2014-09-01

Soil eco-toxicology provides a theoretical basis for ecological risk assessment of contaminated soils and soil pollution control. Research on eco-toxicological effects and molecular mechanisms of toxic substances in soil environment is the central content of the soil eco-toxicology. Eco-toxicological diagnosis not only gathers all the information of soil pollution, but also provides the overall toxic effects of soil. Therefore, research on the eco-toxicological diagnosis of soil pollution has important theoretical and practical significance. Based on the research of eco-toxicological diagnosis of soil pollution, this paper introduced some common toxicological methods and indicators, with the advantages and disadvantages of various methods discussed. However, conventional biomarkers can only indicate the class of stress, but fail to explain the molecular mechanism of damage or response happened. Biomarkers and molecular diagnostic techniques, which are used to evaluate toxicity of contaminated soil, can explore deeply detoxification mechanisms of organisms under exogenous stress. In this paper, these biomarkers and techniques were introduced systematically, and the future research trends were prospected.

Ecotoxicological evaluation of sediments applied to environmental forensic investigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. H. Alves

Full Text Available Abstract The present study aimed to evaluate the potential for using toxicity assays with sediment samples for the detection of water pollution caused by the discharge of tannery effluents into water bodies and its application to environmental forensic investigation. The study included ecotoxicological evaluation of sediments, survey of benthic organisms in the field, as well as chromium, cadmium and lead dosage which provided data for a sediment quality triad evaluation. The sediment samples showed acute and chronic toxicity to the bioindicators, low biodiversity of benthic macrofauna and high chromium concentration, reaching up to 4365 mg.Kg–1. A close relationship was observed between the separate results of ecotoxicological sediment evaluation and the sediment quality triad. The sediment ecotoxicological assessment proved to be applicable to tracking sources of contamination related to tanneries and similar activities in environmental forensics.

Swimming speed alteration of Artemia sp. and Brachionus plicatilis as a sub-lethal behavioural end-point for ecotoxicological surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

Garaventa, Francesca; Gambardella, Chiara; Di Fino, Alessio; Pittore, Massimiliano; Faimali, Marco

2010-03-01

In this study, we investigated the possibility to improve a new behavioural bioassay (Swimming Speed Alteration test-SSA test) using larvae of marine cyst-forming organisms: e.g. the brine shrimp Artemia sp. and the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis. Swimming speed was investigated as a behavioural end-point for application in ecotoxicology studies. A first experiment to analyse the linear swimming speed of the two organisms was performed to verify the applicability of the video-camera tracking system, here referred to as Swimming Behavioural Recorder (SBR). A second experiment was performed, exposing organisms to different toxic compounds (zinc pyrithione, Macrotrol MT-200, and Eserine). Swimming speed alteration was analyzed together with mortality. The results of the first experiment indicate that SBR is a suitable tool to detect linear swimming speed of the two organisms, since the values have been obtained in accordance with other studies using the same organisms (3.05 mm s(-1) for Artemia sp. and 0.62 mm s(-1) for B. plicatilis). Toxicity test results clearly indicate that swimming speed of Artemia sp. and B. plicatilis is a valid behavioural end-point to detect stress at sub-lethal toxic substance concentrations. Indeed, alterations in swimming speed have been detected at toxic compound concentrations as low as less then 0.1-5% of their LC(50) values. In conclusion, the SSA test with B. plicatilis and Artemia sp. can be a good behavioural integrated output for application in marine ecotoxicology and environmental monitoring programs.

Environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology: in greater demand than ever.

Science.gov (United States)

Scheringer, Martin

2017-01-01

Environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology have been losing support, resources, and recognition at universities for many years. What are the possible causes of this process? A first problem may be that the need for research and teaching in environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology is no longer seen because chemical pollution problems are considered as largely solved. Second, environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology may be seen as fields dominated by routine work and where there are not many interesting research questions left. A third part of the problem may be that other environmental impacts such as climate change are given higher priority than chemical pollution problems. Here, several cases are presented that illustrate the great demand for innovative research and teaching in environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology. It is crucial that environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology are rooted in academic science and are provided with sufficient equipment, resources, and prospects for development.

Ecotoxicological Effects of Chemical Contaminants Adsorbed to Microplastics in the Clam Scrobicularia plana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarit O'Donovan

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Although microplastics (MPs are distributed globally in the marine environment, a great deal of unknowns relating to their ecotoxicological effects on the marine biota remains. Due to their lipophilic nature, microplastics have the potential to adsorb persistent organic pollutants present in contaminated regions, which may increase their detrimental impact once assimilated by organisms. This study investigates the ecotoxicological effects of exposure to low-density polyethylene (LDPE microplastics (11–13 μm, with and without adsorbed contaminants (benzo[a]pyrene—BaP and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid—PFOS, in the peppery furrow shell clam, Scrobicularia plana. Environmentally relevant concentrations of contaminants (BaP−16.87 ± 0.22 μg g−1 and PFOS−70.22 ± 12.41 μg g−1 were adsorbed to microplastics to evaluate the potential role of plastic particles as a source of chemical contamination once ingested. S. plana were exposed to microplastics, at a concentration of 1 mg L−1, in a water-sediment exposure setup for 14 days. Clams were sampled at the beginning of the experiment (day 0 and after 3, 7, and 14 days. BaP accumulation, in whole clam tissues, was analyzed. A multi-biomarker assessment was conducted in the gills, digestive gland, and haemolymph of clams to clarify the effects of exposure. This included the quantification of antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and biotransformation (glutathione-S-transferases enzyme activities, oxidative damage (lipid peroxidation levels, genotoxicity (single and double strand DNA breaks, and neurotoxicity (acetylcholinesterase activity. Results suggest a potential mechanical injury of gills caused by ingestion of microplastics that may also affect the analyzed biomarkers. The digestive gland seems less affected by mechanical damage caused by virgin microplastic exposure, with the MPs-adsorbed BaP and PFOS exerting a negative influence over the assessed

Ecotoxicology of Amphibians and Reptiles

Science.gov (United States)

2000-01-01

For many years, ecological research on amphibians and reptiles has lagged behind that of other vertebrates such as fishes, birds, and mammals, despite the known importance of these animals in their environments. The lack of study has been particularly acute in the he area of ecotoxicology where the number of published scientific papers is a fraction of that found for the other vertebrate classes. Recently, scientists have become aware of severe crises among amphibian populations, including unexplained and sudden extinctions, worldwide declines, and hideous malformations. In many of these instances, contaminants have been listed as probable contributors. Data on the effects of contaminants on reptiles are so depauperate that even the most elementary interpretations are difficult. This state-of-the-science review and synthesis of amphibian and reptile ecotoxicology demonstrates the inter-relationships among distribution, ecology, physiology, and contaminant exposure, and interprets these topics as they pertain to comparative toxicity, population declines, malformations, and risk assessment . In this way, the book identifies and serves as a basis for the most pressing research needs in the coming years. The editors have invited 27 other internationally respected experts to examine the state of existing data in specific areas, interpret it in light of current problems, and identify research gaps and needs. Through its emphasis on recent research, extensive reviews and synthesis, Ecotoxicology of Amphibians and Reptiles will remain a definitive reference work well into the new century.

Ecotoxicology: problems and approaches

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Levin, Simon A

1989-01-01

This book conveys to the reader an up-to-date overview of the science of ecotoxicology, which describes and predicts ecological changes resulting from a variety of human activities involving release...

Ecotoxicology: problems and approaches

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Levin, Simon A

1989-01-01

... of xenobiotic and other chemicals to the environment. Of fundamental importance is that it depicts ecotoxicology from the ecosystem perspective, rather than simply looking at the effects of chemicals on individuals or populations...

Development of a marine fish model for studying in vivo molecular responses in ecotoxicology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kong, R.Y.C.; Giesy, J.P.; Wu, R.S.S.; Chen, E.X.H.; Chiang, M.W.L.; Lim, P.L.; Yuen, B.B.H.; Yip, B.W.P.; Mok, H.O.L.; Au, D.W.T.

2008-01-01

A protocol for fixation and processing of whole adult marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) was developed in parallel with in situ hybridization (ISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for molecular analysis of in vivo gene and protein responses in fish. Over 200 serial sagittal sections (5 μm) can be produced from a single adult medaka to facilitate simultaneous localization and quantification of gene-specific mRNAs and proteins in different tissues and subcellular compartments of a single fish. Stereological analysis (as measured by volume density, V v ) was used to quantify ISH and IHC signals on tissue sections. Using the telomerase reverse transcriptase (omTERT) gene, omTERT and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) proteins as examples, we demonstrated that it is possible to localize, quantify and correlate their tissue expression profiles in a whole fish system. Using chronic hypoxia (1.8 ± 0.2 mg O 2 L -1 for 3 months) as an environmental stressor, we were able to identify significant alterations in levels of omTERT mRNA, omTERT protein, PCNA (cell proliferation marker) and TUNEL (apoptosis) in livers of hypoxic O. melastigma (p < 0.05). Overall, the results suggest that O. melastigma can serve as a model marine fish for assessing multiple in vivo molecular responses to stresses in the marine environment

Incorporating evolutionary insights to improve ecotoxicology for freshwater species

Science.gov (United States)

Brady, Steven P.; Richardson, Jonathan L.; Kunz, Bethany K.

2017-01-01

Ecotoxicological studies have provided extensive insights into the lethal and sublethal effects of environmental contaminants. These insights are critical for environmental regulatory frameworks, which rely on knowledge of toxicity for developing policies to manage contaminants. While varied approaches have been applied to ecotoxicological questions, perspectives related to the evolutionary history of focal species or populations have received little consideration. Here, we evaluate chloride toxicity from the perspectives of both macroevolution and contemporary evolution. First, by mapping chloride toxicity values derived from the literature onto a phylogeny of macroinvertebrates, fish, and amphibians, we tested whether macroevolutionary relationships across species and taxa are predictive of chloride tolerance. Next, we conducted chloride exposure tests for two amphibian species to assess whether potential contemporary evolutionary change associated with environmental chloride contamination influences chloride tolerance across local populations. We show that explicitly evaluating both macroevolution and contemporary evolution can provide important and even qualitatively different insights from those obtained via traditional ecotoxicological studies. While macroevolutionary perspectives can help forecast toxicological end points for species with untested sensitivities, contemporary evolutionary perspectives demonstrate the need to consider the environmental context of exposed populations when measuring toxicity. Accounting for divergence among populations of interest can provide more accurate and relevant information related to the sensitivity of populations that may be evolving in response to selection from contaminant exposure. Our data show that approaches accounting for and specifically examining variation among natural populations should become standard practice in ecotoxicology.

Green technology meets ecotoxicology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristina Radošević

2016-01-01

Full Text Available By applying concept and principles of green chemistry into different technological processes, green technologies are developed. The environmental and economic benefits of “green” approach is achieved through several directions, such as the use of renewable raw materials, creation of economic efficiency, the use of alternative reaction conditions, as well as the application of non-conventional solvents. From the point view of green chemistry, alternative solvents, in order to be a “green“ substitution to hazardous organic solvents, should be: non-volatile, non-flammable, stabile, synthesized by an environmentally friendly procedure, nontoxic and biodegradable. The toxic impact of all newly synthesized chemicals, such as alternative solvents, could be determined by methods and techniques of ecotoxicology. Ecotoxicology, an interdisciplinary scientific field, can serve as a way of monitoring the greenness of the processes. In vivo and in vitro experiments are used to study the effects of chemicals on different levels of organizations, from molecules to communities and ecosystem. The usage of in vitro methods is encouraged by a scientific community and regulatory agencies as an alternative to in vivo studies in order to reduce the number of laboratory animals used in the toxicological studies. Therefore, in this paper we gave a brief overview on the usage of animal cell cultures within the field of green chemistry and technology.

Ecotoxicological studies with newly hatched larvae of Concholepas concholepas (Mollusca, Gastropoda): bioassay with secondary-treated kraft pulp mill effluents.

Science.gov (United States)

Manríquez, Patricio H; Llanos-Rivera, Alejandra; Galaz, Sylvana; Camaño, Andrés

2013-12-01

The Chilean abalone or "loco" (Concholepas concholepas, Bruguière 1789) represent the most economically important marine recourse exploited from inner inshore Management and Exploitation Areas for Benthic Resources along the Chilean coast. In this study, newly-hatched larvae of C. concholepas were investigated as a potential model species for marine ecotoxicological studies. The study developed a behavioral standard protocol for assessing the impact that kraft pulp mill effluents after secondary treatment have on C. concholepas larvae. Under controlled laboratory conditions, newly-hatched larvae were exposed to a series of different concentrations of kraft pulp mill effluents with secondary treatment (Pinus spp. and Eucalyptus spp.), potassium dichromate as standard reference toxicant and effluent-free control conditions. Regardless of the type of effluent the results indicated that diluted kraft pulp effluent with secondary treatment had reduced effect on larval survival. Low larval survivals were only recorded when they were exposed to high concentrations of the reference toxicant. This suggests that C. concholepas larval bioassay is a simple method for monitoring the effects of kraft pulp mill effluents with secondary treatment discharged into the sea. The results indicated that dilution of ca. 1% of the effluent with an elemental chlorine free (ECF) secondary treatment is appropriate for achieving low larval mortalities, such as those obtained under control conditions with filtered seawater, and to minimize their impact on early ontogenetic stages of marine invertebrates such as newly-hatched larvae of C. concholepas. The methodological aspects of toxicological testing and behavioral responses described here with newly-hatched larvae of C. concholepas can be used to evaluate in the future the potential effects of other stressful conditions as other pollutants or changes in seawater pH associated with ocean acidification. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights

Marine copepod cytochrome P450 genes and their applications for molecular ecotoxicological studies in response to oil pollution.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Jeonghoon; Won, Eun-Ji; Kang, Hye-Min; Lee, Min-Chul; Jeong, Chang-Bum; Kim, Hui-Su; Hwang, Dae-Sik; Lee, Jae-Seong

2017-11-30

Recently, accidental spills of heavy oil have caused adverse effects in marine organisms. Oil pollution can induce damages on development and reproduction, linking with detrimental effects on diverse molecular levels of genes and proteins in plankton and fish. However, most information was mainly focused on marine vertebrates and consequently, limited information was available in marine invertebrates. Furthermore, there is still a lack of knowledge bridging in vivo endpoints with the functional regulation of cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes in response to oil spill pollution in marine invertebrates. In this paper, adverse effects of oil spill pollution in marine invertebrates are summarized with the importance of CYP genes as a potential biomarker, applying for environmental monitoring to detect oil spill using marine copepods. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toxicity of seven priority hazardous and noxious substances (HNSs) to marine organisms: Current status, knowledge gaps and recommendations for future research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rocha, A. Cristina S.; Reis-Henriques, Maria Armanda; Galhano, Victor; Ferreira, Marta; Guimarães, Laura

2016-01-01

Shipping industry and seaborne trade have rapidly increased over the last fifty years, mainly due to the continuous increasing demand for chemicals and fuels. Consequently, despite current regulations, the occurrence of accidental spills poses an important risk. Hazardous and noxious substances (HNSs) have been raising major concern among environmental managers and scientific community for their heterogeneity, hazardous potential towards aquatic organisms and associated social-economic impacts. A literature review on ecotoxicological hazards to aquatic organisms was conducted for seven HNSs: acrylonitrile, n-butyl acrylate, cyclohexylbenzene, hexane, isononanol, trichloroethylene and xylene. Information on the mechanisms of action of the selected HNS was also reviewed. The main purpose was to identify: i) knowledge gaps in need of being addressed in future research; and ii) a set of possible biomarkers suitable for ecotoxicological assessment and monitoring in both estuarine and marine systems. Main gaps found concern the scarcity of information available on ecotoxicological effects of HNS towards marine species and their poorly understood mode of action in wildlife. Differences were found between the sensitivity of freshwater and seawater organisms, so endpoints produced in the former may not be straightforwardly employed in evaluations for the marine environment. The relationship between sub-individual effects and higher level detrimental alterations (e.g. behavioural, morphological, reproductive effects and mortality) are not fully understood. In this context, a set of biomarkers associated to neurotoxicity, detoxification and anti-oxidant defences is suggested as potential indicators of toxic exposure/effects of HNS in marine organisms. Overall, to support the development of contingency plans and the establishment of environmental safety thresholds, it will be necessary to undertake targeted research on HNS ecotoxicity in the marine environment. Research should

Toxicity of seven priority hazardous and noxious substances (HNSs) to marine organisms: Current status, knowledge gaps and recommendations for future research

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rocha, A. Cristina S., E-mail: cristinasrocha@gmail.com; Reis-Henriques, Maria Armanda; Galhano, Victor; Ferreira, Marta, E-mail: marta.ferreira@usp.ac.fj; Guimarães, Laura

2016-01-15

Shipping industry and seaborne trade have rapidly increased over the last fifty years, mainly due to the continuous increasing demand for chemicals and fuels. Consequently, despite current regulations, the occurrence of accidental spills poses an important risk. Hazardous and noxious substances (HNSs) have been raising major concern among environmental managers and scientific community for their heterogeneity, hazardous potential towards aquatic organisms and associated social-economic impacts. A literature review on ecotoxicological hazards to aquatic organisms was conducted for seven HNSs: acrylonitrile, n-butyl acrylate, cyclohexylbenzene, hexane, isononanol, trichloroethylene and xylene. Information on the mechanisms of action of the selected HNS was also reviewed. The main purpose was to identify: i) knowledge gaps in need of being addressed in future research; and ii) a set of possible biomarkers suitable for ecotoxicological assessment and monitoring in both estuarine and marine systems. Main gaps found concern the scarcity of information available on ecotoxicological effects of HNS towards marine species and their poorly understood mode of action in wildlife. Differences were found between the sensitivity of freshwater and seawater organisms, so endpoints produced in the former may not be straightforwardly employed in evaluations for the marine environment. The relationship between sub-individual effects and higher level detrimental alterations (e.g. behavioural, morphological, reproductive effects and mortality) are not fully understood. In this context, a set of biomarkers associated to neurotoxicity, detoxification and anti-oxidant defences is suggested as potential indicators of toxic exposure/effects of HNS in marine organisms. Overall, to support the development of contingency plans and the establishment of environmental safety thresholds, it will be necessary to undertake targeted research on HNS ecotoxicity in the marine environment. Research should

Omics Advances in Ecotoxicology.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaowei; Xia, Pu; Wang, Pingping; Yang, Jianghu; Baird, Donald J

2018-04-03

Toxic substances in the environment generate adverse effects at all levels of biological organization from the molecular level to community and ecosystem. Given this complexity, it is not surprising that ecotoxicologists have struggled to address the full consequences of toxic substance release at ecosystem level, due to the limits of observational and experimental tools to reveal the changes in deep structure at different levels of organization. -Omics technologies, consisting of genomics and ecogenomics, have the power to reveal, in unprecedented detail, the cellular processes of an individual or biodiversity of a community in response to environmental change with high sample/observation throughput. This represents a historic opportunity to transform the way we study toxic substances in ecosystems, through direct linkage of ecological effects with the systems biology of organisms. Three recent examples of -omics advance in the assessment of toxic substances are explored here: (1) the use of functional genomics in the discovery of novel molecular mechanisms of toxicity of chemicals in the environment; (2) the development of laboratory pipelines of dose-dependent, reduced transcriptomics to support high-throughput chemical testing at the biological pathway level; and (3) the use of eDNA metabarcoding approaches for assessing chemical effects on biological communities in mesocosm experiments and through direct observation in field monitoring. -Omics advances in ecotoxicological studies not only generate new knowledge regarding mechanisms of toxicity and environmental effect, improving the relevance and immediacy of laboratory toxicological assessment, but can provide a wholly new paradigm for ecotoxicology by linking ecological models to mechanism-based, systems biology approaches.

Resilience in ecotoxicology: Toward a multiple equilibrium concept.

Science.gov (United States)

Bundschuh, Mirco; Schulz, Ralf; Schäfer, Ralf B; Allen, Craig R; Angeler, David G

2017-10-01

The term resilience describes stress-response patterns across scientific disciplines. In ecology, advances have been made to clearly define resilience based on underlying mechanistic assumptions. Engineering resilience (rebound) is used to describe the ability of organisms to recover from adverse conditions (disturbances), which is termed the rate of recovery. By contrast, the ecological resilience definition considers a systemic change, that is, when ecosystems reorganize into a new regime following disturbance. Under this new regime, structural and functional aspects change considerably relative to the previous regime, without recovery. In this context, resilience is an emergent property of complex systems. In the present study, we argue that both definitions and uses are appropriate in ecotoxicology, and although the differences are subtle, the implications and uses are profoundly different. We discuss resilience concepts in ecotoxicology, where the prevailing view of resilience is engineering resilience from chemical stress. Ecological resilience may also be useful for describing systemic ecological changes because of chemical stress. We present quantitative methods that allow ecotoxicologists and risk managers to assess whether an ecosystem faces an impending regime shift or whether it has already undergone such a shift. We contend that engineering and ecological resilience help to distinguish ecotoxicological responses to chemical stressors mechanistically and thus have implications for theory, policy, and application. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:2574-2580. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

Ecotoxicological, ecophysiological and biogeochemical fundamentals of risk assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bashkin, V.; Evstafjeva, E.

1995-01-01

A quantitative risk assessment (RA) for complex influence of different factors in heavy polluted regions is possible to carry out only on a basis of determination of various links of biogeochemical trophical chains and analysis of the whole biogeochemical structure of the region under study. As an integrative assessment, the human adaptability should be chosen because the majority of trophical chains are closed by man. The given integrative criteria includes biogeochemical, ecophysiological and ecotoxicological assessment of risk factors. Consequently, ecological-biogeochemical regionalization, ecophysiological and ecotoxicological monitoring of human population health are the important approaches to RA. These criteria should be conjugated with LCA of various industrial and agricultural products. At the ultimate degree, the given approaches are needed for areas where traditional pollutants (heavy metals, POPS, pesticides, fertilizers) are enforced sharply by radioactive pollution. Due to the complex influence of pollutants, it is impossible to use individual guidelines. For RA of these complex pollutants, the methods of human adaptability assessment to a polluted environment have to be carried out. These methods include biogeochemical, ecotoxicological and ecophysiological analysis of risk factors as well as quantitative uncertainty analysis. Furthermore, the modern statistical methods such as correlative graphs etc., have to be used for quantitative assessment of human adaptability to complex influence of pollutants. The results obtained in the Chernobyl region have shown the acceptability of suggested methods

Maximum entropy estimation of a Benzene contaminated plume using ecotoxicological assays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wahyudi, Agung; Bartzke, Mariana; Küster, Eberhard; Bogaert, Patrick

2013-01-01

Ecotoxicological bioassays, e.g. based on Danio rerio teratogenicity (DarT) or the acute luminescence inhibition with Vibrio fischeri, could potentially lead to significant benefits for detecting on site contaminations on qualitative or semi-quantitative bases. The aim was to use the observed effects of two ecotoxicological assays for estimating the extent of a Benzene groundwater contamination plume. We used a Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) method to rebuild a bivariate probability table that links the observed toxicity from the bioassays with Benzene concentrations. Compared with direct mapping of the contamination plume as obtained from groundwater samples, the MaxEnt concentration map exhibits on average slightly higher concentrations though the global pattern is close to it. This suggest MaxEnt is a valuable method to build a relationship between quantitative data, e.g. contaminant concentrations, and more qualitative or indirect measurements, in a spatial mapping framework, which is especially useful when clear quantitative relation is not at hand. - Highlights: ► Ecotoxicological shows significant benefits for detecting on site contaminations. ► MaxEnt to rebuild qualitative link on concentration and ecotoxicological assays. ► MaxEnt shows similar pattern when compared with concentrations map of groundwater. ► MaxEnt is a valuable method especially when quantitative relation is not at hand. - A Maximum Entropy method to rebuild qualitative relationships between Benzene groundwater concentrations and their ecotoxicological effect.

The crab Carcinus maenas as a suitable experimental model in ecotoxicology.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues, Elsa Teresa; Pardal, Miguel Ângelo

2014-09-01

Aquatic ecotoxicology broadly focuses on how aquatic organisms interact with pollutants in their environment in order to determine environmental hazard and potential risks to humans. Research has produced increasing evidence on the pivotal role of aquatic invertebrates in the assessment of the impact of pollutants on the environment. Its potential use to replace fish bioassays, which offers ethical advantages, has already been widely studied. Nevertheless, the selection of adequate invertebrate experimental models, appropriate experimental designs and bioassays, as well as the control of potential confounding factors in toxicity testing are of major importance to obtain scientifically valid results. Therefore, the present study reviews more than four decades of published research papers in which the Green crab Carcinus maenas was used as an experimental test organism. In general, the surveyed literature indicates that C. maenas is sensitive to a wide range of aquatic pollutants and that its biological responses are linked to exposure concentrations or doses. Current scientific knowledge regarding the biology and ecology of C. maenas and the extensive studies on toxicology found for the present review recognise the Green crab as a reliable estuarine/marine model for routine testing in ecotoxicology research and environmental quality assessment, especially in what concerns the application of the biomarker approach. Data gathered provide valuable information for the selection of adequate and trustworthy bioassays to be used in C. maenas toxicity testing. Since the final expression of high quality testing is a reliable outcome, the present review recommends gender, size and morphotype separation in C. maenas experimental designs and data evaluation. Moreover, the organisms' nutritional status should be taken into account, especially in long-term studies. Studies should also consider the crabs' resilience when facing historical and concurrent contamination. Finally

Industrial ecotoxicology "acid rain".

Science.gov (United States)

Astolfi, E; Gotelli, C; Higa, J

1986-01-01

The acid rain phenomenon was studied in the province of Cordoba, Argentina. This study, based on a previously outlined framework, determined the anthropogenic origin of the low pH due to the presence of industrial hydrochloric acid wastage. This industrial ecotoxicological phenomenon seriously affected the forest wealth, causing a great defoliation of trees and shrubs, with a lower effect on crops. A survey on its effects on human beings has not been carried out, but considering the corrosion caused to different metals and its denouncing biocide effect on plants and animals, we should expect to find some kind of harm to the health of the workers involved or others engaged in farming, and even to those who are far away from the polluting agent.

Methodology for the Assessment of the Ecotoxicological Potential of Construction Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues, Patrícia; Silvestre, José D.; Flores-Colen, Inês; Viegas, Cristina A.; de Brito, Jorge; Kurad, Rawaz; Demertzi, Martha

2017-01-01

Innovation in construction materials (CM) implies changing their composition by incorporating raw materials, usually non-traditional ones, which confer the desired characteristics. However, this practice may have unknown risks. This paper discusses the ecotoxicological potential associated with raw and construction materials, and proposes and applies a methodology for the assessment of their ecotoxicological potential. This methodology is based on existing laws, such as Regulation (European Commission) No. 1907/2006 (REACH—Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) and Regulation (European Commission) No. 1272/2008 (CLP—Classification, Labelling and Packaging). Its application and validation showed that raw material without clear evidence of ecotoxicological potential, but with some ability to release chemicals, can lead to the formulation of a CM with a slightly lower hazardousness in terms of chemical characterization despite a slightly higher ecotoxicological potential than the raw materials. The proposed methodology can be a useful tool for the development and manufacturing of products and the design choice of the most appropriate CM, aiming at the reduction of their environmental impact and contributing to construction sustainability. PMID:28773011

Methodology for the Assessment of the Ecotoxicological Potential of Construction Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues, Patrícia; Silvestre, José D; Flores-Colen, Inês; Viegas, Cristina A; de Brito, Jorge; Kurad, Rawaz; Demertzi, Martha

2017-06-13

Innovation in construction materials (CM) implies changing their composition by incorporating raw materials, usually non-traditional ones, which confer the desired characteristics. However, this practice may have unknown risks. This paper discusses the ecotoxicological potential associated with raw and construction materials, and proposes and applies a methodology for the assessment of their ecotoxicological potential. This methodology is based on existing laws, such as Regulation (European Commission) No. 1907/2006 (REACH-Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) and Regulation (European Commission) No. 1272/2008 (CLP-Classification, Labelling and Packaging). Its application and validation showed that raw material without clear evidence of ecotoxicological potential, but with some ability to release chemicals, can lead to the formulation of a CM with a slightly lower hazardousness in terms of chemical characterization despite a slightly higher ecotoxicological potential than the raw materials. The proposed methodology can be a useful tool for the development and manufacturing of products and the design choice of the most appropriate CM, aiming at the reduction of their environmental impact and contributing to construction sustainability.

Development of mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis holbrooki populations in lentic mesocosms. Perspectives for ecotoxicological studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

DREZE V.

1998-07-01

Full Text Available In the perspective of ecotoxicological assays in mesocosms, the development of mosquitofish populations (Gambusia affinis holbrooki has been assessed. The objective was to evaluate the ability of fish to reproduce in these experimental ponds under the climatic conditions of Brittany, and to see if population size and individual criteria were related to the number of adults initially introduced. Six mesocosms (3.2 m diameter and 0.7 m water depth similarly designed received sexually mature mosquitofish at the rate of 12 (6 females and 6 males, 6 (3 females and 3 males and 2 (1 female and 1 male in June 1996. Each assay was duplicated. In December 1996, the entire populations were collected and the weight, size and sex of the individuals were noted. Length-frequency distributions were relatively similar between mesocosms and the different mode groups showed that the reproductive activity occurred until the beginning of fall. The produced biomass (from 4.1 to 38.3 g and number of fish collected (from 26 to 301 were statistically correlated to the number of pairs initially introduced. This study provides interesting perspectives for ecotoxicological investigations in which the effects of pollutants on mosquitofish would be assessed at the population level.

Contributions on ecotoxicology. Proceedings; Beitraege zur Oekotoxikologie. Proceedings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hartmann, A.; Brueggemann, R. [eds.

1997-11-01

Ecotoxicological effects can be defined in terms of changes in reaction patterns, processes, structures, and functions of ecosystems. At an all-day workshop at GSF on 10. November 1995 various working groups presented their reports on this subject. Taken together the contributions provide good coverage of the present state of knowledge on ecotoxicology. (orig./SR) [Deutsch] Oekotoxikologische Wirkungen lassen sich als Aenderungen hinsichtlich auftretender Reaktionsmuster, Prozesse, Strukturen und Funktionen von Oekosystemen definieren. 1. Molekulare, noxenbezogene Ebene; 2. Zellebene; 3. Organismenebene; 4. Modellsysteme; 5. Systemebene; Oekotoxikologische Bewertung; Im Rahmen eines ganztaegigen Workshops am 10. November 1995 in der GSF wurden Berichte verschiedener Arbeitsgruppe allen Themenbereichen vorgestellt. (orig./SR)

Black Sea ecology. Pollution research in Turkey of the marine environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Topcuoglu, Sayhan

2000-01-01

Scientific research is leading to answers that can help protect the Black Sea marine environment. Through projects supported by the IAEA and other cooperative channels, countries in the Black Sea region are applying their expertise and capabilities to expand scientific knowledge of chemical and radioactive pollution. Turkey stands among the countries engaged in studies of the Black Sea, for a number of reasons related to environmental, economic, and health issues. Our scientific knowledge of pollution problems in the marine environment promises to expand in years ahead. Advances in the integration of biokinetic, ecotoxicology and risk analysis with environmental monitoring studies could make it possible to eventually determine the sensitivity to pollutants of human populations and marine organisms. Such integrated studies are being conducted by the Radioecology Laboratory of Cekmece Nuclear Research and Training Center (CNAEM) in Turkey. The Laboratory has gained considerable experience over the years, including through its collaboration since 1970 with the IAEA's Marine Environment Laboratory (MEL) in Monaco. Agency technical cooperation projects and research programmes additionally have benefited the laboratory. This article highlights selected Turkish studies of the Black Sea related to both radioactive and chemical pollution

Toward a unified approach to dose-response modeling in ecotoxicology.

Science.gov (United States)

Ritz, Christian

2010-01-01

This study reviews dose-response models that are used in ecotoxicology. The focus lies on clarification of differences and similarities between models, and as a side effect, their different guises in ecotoxicology are unravelled. A look at frequently used dose-response models reveals major discrepancies, among other things in naming conventions. Therefore, there is a need for a unified view on dose-response modeling in order to improve the understanding of it and to facilitate communication and comparison of findings across studies, thus realizing its full potential. This study attempts to establish a general framework that encompasses most dose-response models that are of interest to ecotoxicologists in practice. The framework includes commonly used models such as the log-logistic and Weibull models, but also features entire suites of models as found in various guidance documents. An outline on how the proposed framework can be implemented in statistical software systems is also provided.

The use of enclosed plankton communities in aquatic ecotoxicology : fate effects of mercury, cadmium and selected aromatic organics in a marine model ecosystem

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuiper, J.

1982-01-01

Most investigations in ecotoxicology are carried out in the laboratory. Although laboratory experiments are indispensable and yield useful information, it is difficult if not impossible to extrapolate results of short-term laboratory tests currently in use to real field situations. The

Ecotoxicological evaluation of industrial port of Venice (Italy) sediment samples after a decontamination treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Libralato, Giovanni; Losso, Chiara; Arizzi Novelli, Alessandra; Citron, Marta; Della Sala, Stefano; Zanotto, Emanuele; Cepak, Franka; Volpi Ghirardini, Annamaria

2008-12-01

This work assesses the ecotoxicological effects of polluted sediment after a decontamination treatment process using a new sediment washing technique. Sediment samples were collected from four sites in Marghera Port industrial channels (Venice, Italy). Ecotoxicological evaluations were performed with Vibrio fischeri and Crassostrea gigas bioassays. Whole sediment and elutriate were deemed as the most suitable environmental matrices for this study. Toxicity scores developed in the Lagoon of Venice for V. fischeri on whole sediment and for C. gigas on elutriate were considered for the final ranking of samples. Ecotoxicological results showed that the treated sediment samples presented both acute and sub-chronic toxicities, which were mainly attributed to the presence of some remaining chemicals such as metals and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. The acute toxicity ranged from low to medium, while the sub-chronic one from absent to very high, suggesting that treated sediments could not be reused in direct contact with seawater.

Occurrence and effects of plastic additives on marine environments and organisms: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Hermabessiere, Ludovic; Dehaut, Alexandre; Paul-Pont, Ika; Lacroix, Camille; Jezequel, Ronan; Soudant, Philippe; Duflos, Guillaume

2017-09-01

Plastics debris, especially microplastics, have been found worldwide in all marine compartments. Much research has been carried out on adsorbed pollutants on plastic pieces and hydrophobic organic compounds (HOC) associated with microplastics. However, only a few studies have focused on plastic additives. These chemicals are incorporated into plastics from which they can leach out as most of them are not chemically bound. As a consequence of plastic accumulation and fragmentation in oceans, plastic additives could represent an increasing ecotoxicological risk for marine organisms. The present work reviewed the main class of plastic additives identified in the literature, their occurrence in the marine environment, as well as their effects on and transfers to marine organisms. This work identified polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), phthalates, nonylphenols (NP), bisphenol A (BPA) and antioxidants as the most common plastic additives found in marine environments. Moreover, transfer of these plastic additives to marine organisms has been demonstrated both in laboratory and field studies. Upcoming research focusing on the toxicity of microplastics should include these plastic additives as potential hazards for marine organisms, and a greater focus on the transport and fate of plastic additives is now required considering that these chemicals may easily leach out from plastics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Towards a renewed research agenda in ecotoxicology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Artigas, Joan; Arts, Gertie; Babut, Marc

2012-01-01

New concerns about biodiversity, ecosystem services and human health triggered several new regulations increasing the need for sound ecotoxicological risk assessment. The PEER network aims to share its view on the research issues that this challenges. PEER scientists call for an improved biologic...

Center for Ecotoxicological Research of Montenegro

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vucinic, Z.

2006-01-01

PI Center for Ecotoxicological Research of Montenegro (CETI) is founded 1996's in accordance with Government policy, for the purpose to: Unite the problems of protecting the environment in one institution, Organize the monitoring of the all segments of environment (air, waters soils, waste, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, noise measurements etc.), Organize control of human and animal food and toxicological analysis of all kind of samples, forensic analyses etc. To concentrate the expensive instrumental equipment and human resources in one institution. December 1996 - CETI founded by decision of Montenegrin government 1997-CETI starting with acquisition of equipment and education of the staff March of 1998 - Officially starting with the job and realization with Program's September 2004 - Took the ISO 9001:2000 Certificate and Accreditation under ISO/IEC 17025 in November 2004 Organisation Scheme of CETI: Laboratory For Ecotoxicological Research And Radiation Protection I. Department For Laboratory Diagnostic And Monitoring II. Department For Radiation Protection And Monitoring Sector For Administration Department For Economy Department For Administration Total number of Employs is 63 of permanent staff

Effects of nanomaterials on marine invertebrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Canesi, Laura; Corsi, Ilaria

2016-09-15

The development of nanotechnology will inevitably lead to the release of consistent amounts of nanomaterials (NMs) and nanoparticles (NPs) into marine ecosystems. Ecotoxicological studies have been carried out to identify potential biological targets of NPs, and suitable models for predicting their impact on the health of the marine environment. Recent studies in invertebrates mainly focused on NP accumulation and sub-lethal effects, rather than acute toxicity. Among marine invertebrates, bivalves represent by large the most studied group, with polychaetes and echinoderms also emerging as significant targets of NPs. However, major scientific gaps still need to be filled. In this work, factors affecting the fate of NPs in the marine environment, and their consequent uptake/accumulation/toxicity in marine invertebrates will be summarized. The results show that in different model species, NP accumulation mainly occurs in digestive tract and gills. Data on sub-lethal effects and modes of action of different types of NPs (mainly metal oxides and metal based NPs) in marine invertebrates will be reviewed, in particular on immune function, oxidative stress and embryo development. Moreover, the possibility that such effects may be influenced by NP interactions with biomolecules in both external and internal environment will be introduced. In natural environmental media, NP interactions with polysaccharides, proteins and colloids may affect their agglomeration/aggregation and consequent bioavailability. Moreover, once within the organism, NPs are known to interact with plasma proteins, forming a protein corona that can affect particle uptake and toxicity in target cells in a physiological environment. These interactions, leading to the formation of eco-bio-coronas, may be crucial in determining particle behavior and effects also in marine biota. In order to classify NPs into groups and predict the implications of their release into the marine environment, information on

Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) as marine ecosystem sentinels: ecotoxicology and emerging diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

de Moura, Jailson Fulgencio; Hauser-Davis, Rachel Ann; Lemos, Leila; Emin-Lima, Renata; Siciliano, Salvatore

2014-01-01

helminth species have also been observed to affectS. guianensis. These results suggest a vulnerability of this species to environmental disturbances. Moreover, there is some evidence that the effects of some infectious diseases may be enhanced from stress caused by habitat impairment. For example, certain diseases and pathogenic organisms in S.guianensis may be associated with the high levels of endocrine-disruptor contaminants(e.g., PCBs; DDTs; PBDEs) that have been detected in marine waters.Although the data available on S. guianensis is growing, most of the work has been focused on a small portion of the species total area of distribution. Most studies,to date, have been carried out in the Southern region of the distribution, and in north eastern Brazil. Few studies have been conducted in the northern region of the South America or in Central America. Therefore, future studies should be conducted that address the heterogeneity of this species total distribution.The biology and ecology of the Guiana dolphin renders this species potentially useful as a sentinel species for detecting environmental changes, such as chemical and biological pollution. Research about this dolphin is encouraged as a way to assess what coastal environmental changes have occurred and to continue evaluating the health status of this vulnerable species in a changing environment.

Reviewing the serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) footprint in the aquatic biota: Uptake, bioaccumulation and ecotoxicology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

a Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra (Portugal))" data-affiliation=" (REQUIMTE, Group of Bromatology, Pharmacognosy and Analytical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Polo III, Azinhaga de Sta Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra (Portugal))" >Silva, Liliana J.G.; a Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra (Portugal))" data-affiliation=" (REQUIMTE, Group of Bromatology, Pharmacognosy and Analytical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Polo III, Azinhaga de Sta Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra (Portugal))" >Pereira, André a Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra (Portugal))" data-affiliation=" (REQUIMTE, Group of Bromatology, Pharmacognosy and Analytical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Polo III, Azinhaga de Sta Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra (Portugal))" >M.P.T.; Meisel, Leonor M.; a Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra (Portugal))" data-affiliation=" (REQUIMTE, Group of Bromatology, Pharmacognosy and Analytical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Polo III, Azinhaga de Sta Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra (Portugal))" >Lino, Celeste M.; a Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra (Portugal))" data-affiliation=" (REQUIMTE, Group of Bromatology, Pharmacognosy and Analytical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Polo III, Azinhaga de Sta Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra (Portugal))" >Pena, Angelina

2015-01-01

Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) antidepressants are amongst the most prescribed pharmaceutical active substances throughout the world. Their presence, already described in different environmental compartments such as wastewaters, surface, ground and drinking waters, and sediments, and their remarkable effects on non-target organisms justify the growing concern about these emerging environmental pollutants. A comprehensive review of the literature data with focus on their footprint in the aquatic biota, namely their uptake, bioaccumulation and both acute and chronic ecotoxicology is presented. Long-term multigenerational exposure studies, at environmental relevant concentrations and in mixtures of related compounds, such as oestrogenic endocrine disruptors, continue to be sparse and are imperative to better know their environmental impact. - Highlights: • Current knowledge of uptake and bioaccumulation of SSRIs. • Ecotoxicology and effects of SSRIs in the aquatic biota. • Identification of existing knowledge gaps. - A comprehensive review focussing SSRIs antidepressants footprint in the aquatic biota, namely their uptake, bioaccumulation, and both acute and chronic ecotoxicology is presented

Ecotoxicological evaluation of industrial port of Venice (Italy) sediment samples after a decontamination treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Libralato, Giovanni; Losso, Chiara; Arizzi Novelli, Alessandra; Citron, Marta; Della Sala, Stefano; Zanotto, Emanuele; Cepak, Franka; Volpi Ghirardini, Annamaria

2008-01-01

This work assesses the ecotoxicological effects of polluted sediment after a decontamination treatment process using a new sediment washing technique. Sediment samples were collected from four sites in Marghera Port industrial channels (Venice, Italy). Ecotoxicological evaluations were performed with Vibrio fischeri and Crassostrea gigas bioassays. Whole sediment and elutriate were deemed as the most suitable environmental matrices for this study. Toxicity scores developed in the Lagoon of Venice for V. fischeri on whole sediment and for C. gigas on elutriate were considered for the final ranking of samples. Ecotoxicological results showed that the treated sediment samples presented both acute and sub-chronic toxicities, which were mainly attributed to the presence of some remaining chemicals such as metals and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. The acute toxicity ranged from low to medium, while the sub-chronic one from absent to very high, suggesting that treated sediments could not be reused in direct contact with seawater. - A sediment washing technique was assessed for port contaminated sediment remediation and reuse, indicating its reduced efficiency and the need for further improvements

Ecotoxicological evaluation of industrial port of Venice (Italy) sediment samples after a decontamination treatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Libralato, Giovanni [Environmental Sciences Department, Venice University Ca Foscari, Campo della Celestia 2737/b, I-30122 Venice (Italy)], E-mail: giovanni.libralato@unive.it; Losso, Chiara; Arizzi Novelli, Alessandra [Environmental Sciences Department, Venice University Ca Foscari, Campo della Celestia 2737/b, I-30122 Venice (Italy); Citron, Marta; Della Sala, Stefano; Zanotto, Emanuele [Environmental Department, Venice Port Authority, Zattere 1401, I-30123, Venice (Italy); Cepak, Franka [Institute of Public Health, Vojkovo nabrezje 4a, 6000 Koper (Slovenia); Volpi Ghirardini, Annamaria [Environmental Sciences Department, Venice University Ca Foscari, Campo della Celestia 2737/b, I-30122 Venice (Italy)

2008-12-15

This work assesses the ecotoxicological effects of polluted sediment after a decontamination treatment process using a new sediment washing technique. Sediment samples were collected from four sites in Marghera Port industrial channels (Venice, Italy). Ecotoxicological evaluations were performed with Vibrio fischeri and Crassostrea gigas bioassays. Whole sediment and elutriate were deemed as the most suitable environmental matrices for this study. Toxicity scores developed in the Lagoon of Venice for V. fischeri on whole sediment and for C. gigas on elutriate were considered for the final ranking of samples. Ecotoxicological results showed that the treated sediment samples presented both acute and sub-chronic toxicities, which were mainly attributed to the presence of some remaining chemicals such as metals and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. The acute toxicity ranged from low to medium, while the sub-chronic one from absent to very high, suggesting that treated sediments could not be reused in direct contact with seawater. - A sediment washing technique was assessed for port contaminated sediment remediation and reuse, indicating its reduced efficiency and the need for further improvements.

Ecotoxicological hazard assessment of hydrocarbon contaminated soils: A case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roy, Y.; Pauwels, S.J.; Chasse, R.

1994-01-01

The Ecotoxicological Hazard Assessment (EHA) developed by the Quebec Ministry of Environment and Wildlife was used as part of the management scheme of contaminated soils from a former refinery. The study consists of assessing five types of soils (reference, heavily contaminated, slightly contaminated, thermally-treated, and biotreated) to determine their relative intrinsic hazard. During the exploratory activities a series of ten assessment endpoints where identified to support this typical EHA. During SOURCE characterization, the physicochemical make-up of the soils is described and the presence and concentrations of priority pollutants is determined. During FATE characterization, the potential for bioconcentration, mobility, and persistence of pollutants is determined. During EFFECTS characterization, the soils and their leachates are tested using standard terrestrial and aquatic bioassays. The data from the toxicological and analytical testing program are evaluated semi-quantitatively on the basis of a scoring system developed by consensus. The discussion will highlight how data are used within an EHA to streamline the decision-making process regarding the follow-up cleanup and disposal of contaminated soils

Toxicology of Marine Mammals: New Developments and Opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Weijs, Liesbeth; Zaccaroni, Annalisa

2016-01-01

It is widely recognized that marine mammals are exposed to a wide variety of pollutants, with a weight of evidence indicating impacts on their health. Since hundreds of new chemicals enter the global market every year,the methods, approaches and technologies used to characterize pollution levels or impacts are also in a constant state of flux. However, legal and ethical constraints often limit the type and extent of toxicological research being carried out in marine mammals. Nevertheless, new and emerging in vivo, in vitro as well as in silico research opportunities abound in the field of marine mammal toxicology. In the application of findings to population-, species-, or habitat-related risk assessments, the identification of causal relationships which inform source apportionment is important. This, in turn, is informed by a comprehensive understanding of contaminant classes, profiles and fate overspace and time. Such considerations figure prominently in the design and interpretation of marine mammal (eco)-toxicology research. This mini-review attempts to follow the evolution behind marine mammal toxicology until now,highlight some of the research that has been done and suggest opportunities for future research. This Special Issue will showcase new developments in marine mammal toxicology, approaches for exposure-effect research in risk assessment as well as future opportunities.

Eco-toxicological studies of diesel and biodiesel fuels in aerated soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lapinskiene, Asta; Martinkus, Povilas; Rebzdaite, Vilija

2006-01-01

The goal of this study was to compare diesel fuel to biodiesel fuel by determining the toxicity of analyzed materials and by quantitatively evaluating the microbial transformation of these materials in non-adapted aerated soil. The toxicity levels were determined by measuring the respiration of soil microorganisms as well as the activity of soil dehydrogenases. The quantitative evaluation of biotransformation of analyzed materials was based on the principle of balancing carbon in the following final products: (a) carbon dioxide; (b) humus compounds; (c) the remainder of non-biodegraded analyzed material; and (d) intermediate biodegradation products and the biomass of microorganisms. The results of these studies indicate that diesel fuel has toxic properties at concentrations above 3% (w/w), while biodiesel fuel has none up to a concentration of 12% (w/w). The diesel fuel is more resistant to biodegradation and produces more humus products. The biodiesel is easily biotransformed. - The comparison of diesel and biodiesel fuels' eco-toxicological parameters in non-adapted aerated soil is relevant when considering the effects of these substances on the environment in cases of accidental spills

Lethal and sublethal endpoints observed for Artemia exposed to two reference toxicants and an ecotoxicological concern organic compound.

Science.gov (United States)

Manfra, Loredana; Canepa, Sara; Piazza, Veronica; Faimali, Marco

2016-01-01

Swimming speed alteration and mortality assays with the marine crustacean Artemia franciscana were carried out. EC50 and LC50 values after 24-48h exposures were calculated for two reference toxicants, copper sulphate pentahydrate (CuSO4·5H2O) and Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate (SDS), and an ecotoxicological concern organic compound, Diethylene Glycol (DEG). Different end-points have been evaluated, in order to point out their sensitivity levels. The swimming speed alteration (SSA) was compared to mortality values and also to the hatching rate inhibition (literature data). SSA resulted to be more sensitive than the mortality and with a sensitivity comparable to (or even higher than) the hatching rate endpoint. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ecotoxicological, ecophysiological, and biogeochemical fundamentals of risk assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bashkin, V.N.; Kozlov, M.Ya.; Evstafjeva, E.V.

1993-01-01

Risk assessment (RA) influenced by different factors in radionuclide polluted regions is carried out by determining the biogeochemical structure of a region. Consequently, ecological-biogeochemical regionalization, ecotoxicological and ecophysiological monitoring of human population health are the important approach to RA. These criteria should conjugate with LCA of various industrial and agricultural products. Given fundamentals and approaches are needed for areas where traditional pollutants (heavy metals, pesticides, fertilizers, POPs etc) are enforced sharply by radioactive pollution. For RA of these complex pollutants, the methods of human adaptability to a polluted environment have been carried out. These techniques include biogeochemical, ecotoxicological, and ecophysiological analyses of risk factors as well as quantitative analysis of uncertainties using expert-modeling systems. Furthermore, the modern statistical methods are used for quantitative assessment of human adaptability to radioactive and nonradioactive pollutants. The results obtained in Chernobyl regions show the acceptability of these methods for risk assessment

The ecotoxicology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vindimian, E.

1997-01-01

The petroleum and chemical industries produce every day about 700 different kinds of organic compounds which can accidentally become important sources of pollution for soils, lakes, rivers and aquifers. The aim of ecotoxicology is to study the biological and ecological effects of toxic products on the environment and the ecosystems. The PNEC (predicted noxious effect concentration) and the PEC (predicted environmental concentration) are the two variables used to evaluate the risk of toxic substances for the environment. The behaviour of chemical products in the environment is analysed using the Mackay's models. Mackay has defined four levels of models with an increasing complexity depending to the kind of pollution. The laboratory bio-tests are normalized methods which allow the measurement of significantly noxious doses for some living organisms. Some new methods exist which integrate the duration of exposure in the measurement of the noxious effect but the extrapolation of bio-tests to the natural environment remains difficult. The field work methods are based on the use of biological, ecological and biochemical indicators (living organisms, flora-fauna composition of ecosystems, enzymes etc..). Two methods are described: the activity of P450 Cytochrome mono-oxygenase enzyme systems and the pollution induced community tolerance (PICT) method. Finally, an example of petroleum products toxicity is given. (J.S.)

Towards a renewed research agenda in ecotoxicology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Artigas, Joan; Arts, Gertie; Babut, Marc; Caracciolo, Anna Barra; Charles, Sandrine; Chaumot, Arnaud; Combourieu, Bruno; Dahllöf, Ingela; Despréaux, Denis; Ferrari, Benoit; Friberg, Nikolai; Garric, Jeanne; Geffard, Olivier; Gourlay-Francé, Catherine; Hein, Michaela; Hjorth, Morten; Krauss, Martin

2012-01-01

New concerns about biodiversity, ecosystem services and human health triggered several new regulations increasing the need for sound ecotoxicological risk assessment. The PEER network aims to share its view on the research issues that this challenges. PEER scientists call for an improved biologically relevant exposure assessment. They promote comprehensive effect assessment at several biological levels. Biological traits should be used for Environmental risk assessment (ERA) as promising tools to better understand relationships between structure and functioning of ecosystems. The use of modern high throughput methods could also enhance the amount of data for a better risk assessment. Improved models coping with multiple stressors or biological levels are necessary to answer for a more scientifically based risk assessment. Those methods must be embedded within life cycle analysis or economical models for efficient regulations. Joint research programmes involving humanities with ecological sciences should be developed for a sound risk management. - New regulations and innovative biological tools change the way ecotoxicological risk assessment should be seen. A new research agenda is therefore needed.

Ecotoxicological assessment of metal-polluted urban soils using bioassays with three soil invertebrates.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Santarufo, L.; van Gestel, C.A.M.; Maisto, G.

2012-01-01

This study aimed at assessing the quality of urban soils by integrating chemical and ecotoxicological approaches. Soils from five sites in downtown Naples, Italy, were sampled and characterized for physical-chemical properties and total and water-extractable metal concentrations. Bioassays with

Food mediated life history strategies in Daphnia magna : their relevance to ecotoxicological evaluations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Enserink, E.L.

1995-01-01

The waterflea Daphnia magna is a widely used test organism in ecotoxicological studies. Acute and chronic laboratory tests yield basic information for the development of water quality standards, assessment of potential hazards of (new) chemicals, waste water licences and

Distillation fraction-specific ecotoxicological evaluation of a paraffin-rich crude oil.

Science.gov (United States)

Erlacher, Elisabeth; Loibner, Andreas P; Kendler, Romana; Scherr, Kerstin E

2013-03-01

Crude oil is a complex mixture of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) with distinct chemical, physical and toxicological properties relevant for contaminated site risk assessment. Ecotoxicological effects of crude oil distillation fractions on luminescent bacteria (Vibrio fischeri), earthworms (Dendrobaena hortensis) and invertebrates (Heterocypris incongruens) were tested using two spiked soils and their elutriates. Fraction 2 (F2) had an equivalent carbon number (ECN) range of >10 to 16, and F3 from >16 to 39. F2 showed a substantially higher ecotoxicological effect than F3 for Vibrio and Dendrobaena. In contrast, severe inhibition of Heterocypris by the poorly soluble F3 is attributed to mechanical organ blockage. Immediate sequestration of PHC to the organic matter-rich soil effected reduced toxicity for all organisms. This study indicates that a more differentiated consideration (i) of PHC mixtures based on ECN range and (ii) of model soil properties employed for ecotoxicity testing should be included into PHC-contaminated site risk assessment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioavailability and mobility of organic contaminants in soil: new three-step ecotoxicological evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Prokop, Zbyněk; Nečasová, Anežka; Klánová, Jana; Čupr, Pavel

2016-03-01

A novel approach was developed for rapid assessment of bioavailability and potential mobility of contaminants in soil. The response of the same test organism to the organic extract, water extract and solid phase of soil was recorded and compared. This approach was designed to give an initial estimate of the total organic toxicity (response to organic extractable fraction), as well as the mobile (response to water extract) and bioavailable fraction (response to solid phase) of soil samples. Eighteen soil samples with different levels of pollution and content of organic carbon were selected to validate the novel three-step ecotoxicological evaluation approach. All samples were chemically analysed for priority contaminants, including aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and dichlordiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). The ecotoxicological evaluation involved determination of toxicity of the organic, mobile and bioavailable fractions of soil to the test organism, bacterium Bacillus cereus. We found a good correlation between the chemical analysis and the toxicity of organic extract. The low toxicity of water extracts indicated low water solubility, and thus, low potential mobility of toxic contaminants present in the soil samples. The toxicity of the bioavailable fraction was significantly greater than the toxicity of water-soluble (mobile) fraction of the contaminants as deduced from comparing untreated samples and water extracts. The bioavailability of the contaminants decreased with increasing concentrations of organic carbon in evaluated soil samples. In conclusion, the three-step ecotoxicological evaluation utilised in this study can give a quick insight into soil contamination in context with bioavailability and mobility of the contaminants present. This information can be useful for hazard identification and risk assessment of soil-associated contaminants. Graphical Abstract New three-step ecotoxicological

Chemical control of vegetation on urban sites: agronomic and ecotoxicological aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zanin, G.; Otto, S.

1996-01-01

The problem of the chemical control of spontaneous vegetation on urban sites is tackled. A method is presented to identify the best herbicides under both the agronomic and ecotoxicological aspects. Selection of the herbicides from the agronomic point of view is on the basis of the qualitative characteristics of the vegetation (life-form types periodicity types botanical composition), surveyed at 5 different times on the year while selection from the environmental viewpoint is based on an evaluation integrated with a series of ecotoxicological indices. The best solution was tested in a pilot area and the contamination of the water compartment evaluated both on entering and leaving the water treatment works

Ecotoxicology of arsenic in the hydrosphere: Implications for public ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2008-12-29

Dec 29, 2008 ... health. This paper is therefore a review of the ecotoxicological effects of arsenic on human and ecological health. .... tissues of wild birds (Fairbrother et al.,1994) and in many ..... Mercury, arsenic, lead and cadmium in fish and ...

Soil plate bioassay: an effective method to determine ecotoxicological risks.

Science.gov (United States)

Boluda, R; Roca-Pérez, L; Marimón, L

2011-06-01

Heavy metals have become one of the most serious anthropogenic stressors for plants and other living organisms. Having efficient and feasible bioassays available to assess the ecotoxicological risks deriving from soil pollution is necessary. This work determines pollution by Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V and Zn in two soils used for growing rice from the Albufera Natural Park in Valencia (Spain). Both were submitted to a different degree of anthropic activity, and their ecotoxicological risk was assessed by four ecotoxicity tests to compare their effectiveness: Microtox test, Zucconi test, pot bioassay (PB) and soil plate bioassay (SPB). The sensitivity of three plant species (barley, cress and lettuce) was also assessed. The results reveal a different degree of effectiveness and level of inhibition in the target organisms' growth depending on the test applied, to such an extent that the one-way analysis of variance showed significant differences only for the plate bioassay results, with considerable inhibition of root and shoot elongation in seedlings. Of the three plant species selected, lettuce was the most sensitive species to toxic effects, followed by cress and barley. Finally, the results also indicate that the SPB is an efficient, simple and economic alternative to other ecotoxicological assays to assess toxicity risks deriving from soil pollution. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ethics in science: ecotoxicology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Cairns Jr.

2003-05-01

Full Text Available Predictive ecotoxicology emphasizes the probable environmental outcome of exposure to toxics, rather than the mere appraisal of existing damage, and in so doing raises some complex but interesting ethical issues. Awareness of endocrine-disrupting chemicals is blurring the line between humankind and other life forms in toxicity testing by providing evidence that both humans and wildlife suffer adverse reproductive and developmental effect. There is a wide variety of chemicals that have been reported as potential endocrine disruptors. Finally, with the increasing loss of wildlife habitat, protecting the quality and ultimate fate of the remaining habitat from the effects of toxis substances becomes increasingly important to the moral quest for sustainable use of the planet.

Ecotoxicological risk assessment linked to infilling quarries with treated dredged seaport sediments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perrodin, Yves, E-mail: perrodin@entpe.fr [Universite de Lyon, ENTPE, CNRS, UMR 5023 LEHNA, 2 rue Maurice Audin, 69518 Vaulx-en-Velin (France); Donguy, Gilles [Universite de Lyon, ENTPE, CNRS, UMR 5023 LEHNA, 2 rue Maurice Audin, 69518 Vaulx-en-Velin (France); Bazin, Christine [INSAVALOR, 20 avenue Albert Einstein, 69621 Villeurbanne Cedex (France); Volatier, Laurence; Durrieu, Claude [Universite de Lyon, ENTPE, CNRS, UMR 5023 LEHNA, 2 rue Maurice Audin, 69518 Vaulx-en-Velin (France); Bony, Sylvie; Devaux, Alain [Universite de Lyon, ENTPE, CNRS, UMR 5023 LEHNA, 2 rue Maurice Audin, 69518 Vaulx-en-Velin (France); INRA, USC IGH, UMR LEHNA, 2, rue Maurice Audin, 69518 Vaulx-en-Velin (France); Abdelghafour, Mohammed; Moretto, Robert [INSAVALOR, 20 avenue Albert Einstein, 69621 Villeurbanne Cedex (France)

2012-08-01

The dredged sediments of polluted seaports now raise complex management problems since it is no longer possible to discharge them into the sea. This results in the need to manage them on land, raising other types of technical, economic and environmental problems. Regarding the technical and economic dimensions, traditional waste treatment methods have proved to be poorly adapted, due to very high costs and low absorbable volumes. In this context, filling quarries in coastal areas with treated sediments could represent an interesting alternative for these materials. Nevertheless, for the environmental dimension, it is necessary to demonstrate that this possibility is harmless to inland ecosystems. Consequently, a specific ecotoxicological risk assessment methodology has been formulated and tested on three sediments taken from seaboards of France, in view to providing an operational and usable tool for the prior validation of any operation to fill quarries with treated seaport sediments. This method incorporates the formulation of a global conceptual model of the scenario studied and the definition of protocols for each of its steps: the characterisation of exposures (based on a simulation of sediment deposit), the characterisation of effects (via the study of sediments ecotoxicity), and the final ecotoxicological risk assessment performed as a calculation of a risk quotient. It includes the implementation in parallel of two types of complementary approach: the 'substances' approach derived from the European methodology for assessing new substances placed on the market, and the 'matrix' approach which is similar to methods developed in France to assess ecological risks in other domains (waste management, polluted site management, Horizontal-Ellipsis ). The application of this dual approach to the three sediments tested led to conclude with reliability that the project to deposit sediments '1' and '2' presented a low risk for

Ecotoxicological risk assessment linked to infilling quarries with treated dredged seaport sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perrodin, Yves; Donguy, Gilles; Bazin, Christine; Volatier, Laurence; Durrieu, Claude; Bony, Sylvie; Devaux, Alain; Abdelghafour, Mohammed; Moretto, Robert

2012-01-01

The dredged sediments of polluted seaports now raise complex management problems since it is no longer possible to discharge them into the sea. This results in the need to manage them on land, raising other types of technical, economic and environmental problems. Regarding the technical and economic dimensions, traditional waste treatment methods have proved to be poorly adapted, due to very high costs and low absorbable volumes. In this context, filling quarries in coastal areas with treated sediments could represent an interesting alternative for these materials. Nevertheless, for the environmental dimension, it is necessary to demonstrate that this possibility is harmless to inland ecosystems. Consequently, a specific ecotoxicological risk assessment methodology has been formulated and tested on three sediments taken from seaboards of France, in view to providing an operational and usable tool for the prior validation of any operation to fill quarries with treated seaport sediments. This method incorporates the formulation of a global conceptual model of the scenario studied and the definition of protocols for each of its steps: the characterisation of exposures (based on a simulation of sediment deposit), the characterisation of effects (via the study of sediments ecotoxicity), and the final ecotoxicological risk assessment performed as a calculation of a risk quotient. It includes the implementation in parallel of two types of complementary approach: the “substances” approach derived from the European methodology for assessing new substances placed on the market, and the “matrix” approach which is similar to methods developed in France to assess ecological risks in other domains (waste management, polluted site management, …). The application of this dual approach to the three sediments tested led to conclude with reliability that the project to deposit sediments “1” and “2” presented a low risk for the peripheral aquatic ecosystems while

Sperm viability assessment in marine invertebrates by fluorescent staining and spectrofluorimetry: A promising tool for assessing marine pollution impact.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallo, Alessandra; Boni, Raffaele; Tosti, Elisabetta

2018-01-01

The viability of spermatozoa is a crucial parameter to evaluate their quality that is an important issue in ecotoxicological studies. Here, a new method has been developed to rapidly determine the viability of spermatozoa in three marine invertebrates: the ascidian Ciona intestinalis, the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus and the mollusc Mytilus galloprovincialis. This method employed the dual DNA fluorescent staining coupled with spectrofluorimetric analysis. The dual fluorescent staining used the SYBR-14 stained live spermatozoa and propidium iodide stained degenerated cells that had lost membrane integrity. Stain uptake was assessed by confocal microscopy and then the percentage of live and dead spermatozoa was quantified by spectrofluorimetric analysis. The microscopic examination revealed three populations of spermatozoa: living-SYBR-14 stained, dead-PI stained, and dying-doubly stained spermatozoa. The fluorescence emission peak values recorded in a spectrofluorimeter provide the portion of live and dead spermatozoa showing a significant negative correlation. The stain combination was further validated using known ratios of live and dead spermatozoa. The present study demonstrated that the dual DNA staining with SYBR-14 and propidium iodide was effective in assessing viability of spermatozoa in marine invertebrates and that spectrofluorimetric analysis can be successfully employed to evaluate the percentage of live and dead spermatozoa. The method develop herein is simple, accurate, rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective, so it could be a useful tool by which marine pollutants may be screened for spermiotoxicity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dynamic energy budgets in population ecotoxicology: applications and outlook.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jager, T.; Barsi, A.; Hamda, N.T.; Martin, B.; Zimmer, E.I.; Ducrot, V.

2014-01-01

Most of the experimental testing in ecotoxicology takes place at the individual level, but the protection goals for environmental risk assessment are at the population level (or higher). Population modelling can fill this gap, but only models on a mechanistic basis allow for extrapolation beyond the

Ecotoxicological criteria for final storage quality: Possibilities and limits

Science.gov (United States)

Zeyer, Josef; Meyer, Joseph

Landfills are complex chemical and biological reactors whose internal processes are often beyond the immediate control of process engineers. Therefore, the concept of a "Final Storage Landfill" may be deceptive. Furthermore, traditional approaches to establishing discharge criteria and treatment requirements for industrial effluents may not work well for landfill emissions. Factories can often be treated as steady-state processes whose inputs and outputs are predictable; however, landfills are batch reactors whose contents and emissions may be unknown and will vary temporally and spatially. If the contents of a landfill are known, the sequence of chemical reactions can be predicted qualitatively. Even if that sequence is predictable, though, quantitative ecotoxicological criteria will be difficult to establish, and risk assessments based on chemical "laundry lists" will be questionable. The situation is not hopeless, though. New approaches can be developed to monitor and predict landfill emissions. We believe these will include (1) testing (biological and chemical) of internal components of landfills as well as emissions; (2) development of laboratory and/or field methods in which the chemical and biological evolution of landfills can be studied at accelerated rates, thus allowing better prediction of future emissions; and (3) flexible ecotoxicological criteria that are adaptable to the evolving nature of landfill emissions. These criteria should be based on complementary chemical analyses and biological tests that fit into a hierarchical (decision-tree) hazard assessment strategy.

Threatened southern African soils: A need for appropriate ecotoxicological risk assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eijsackers, Herman [Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520 (South Africa); Reinecke, Adriaan; Reinecke, Sophie [Department of Botany & Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602 (South Africa); Maboeta, Mark, E-mail: mark.maboeta@nwu.ac.za [Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520 (South Africa)

2017-03-15

In southern Africa arable soils are limited due to low rainfall and are threatened by anthropogenic activities like agriculture and mining making it susceptible to degradation. The aim of this study is to review the existing information available with regards to soil contamination and its possible threats towards biodiversity and quality of southern African soils. Some of the issues being addressed in this paper include the focus areas of ecotoxicological research in southern African countries, levels of contaminants in soils, the impacts of climate on soil animals and the representativity of standardised test species. In order to address this, we report on a literature search, which was done to determine the main focus areas of soil ecotoxicological research, highlighting strengths and research needs in comparison to approaches elsewhere in the world. Further, to address if the risk assessment approaches of Europe and the USA are valid for southern African environmental conditions; this in the light of differences in temperature, rainfall and fauna. It is concluded that risk assessment procedures for Europe and the USA were based on non-southern African conditions making it necessary to rethink risk assessment studies; although limited, in southern Africa. We recommend future research that has to be undertaken to address these issues. This research should include investigating species sensitivities in responses to contamination and including insects likes ants and termites in ecological risk assessment studies.

Threatened southern African soils: A need for appropriate ecotoxicological risk assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eijsackers, Herman; Reinecke, Adriaan; Reinecke, Sophie; Maboeta, Mark

2017-01-01

In southern Africa arable soils are limited due to low rainfall and are threatened by anthropogenic activities like agriculture and mining making it susceptible to degradation. The aim of this study is to review the existing information available with regards to soil contamination and its possible threats towards biodiversity and quality of southern African soils. Some of the issues being addressed in this paper include the focus areas of ecotoxicological research in southern African countries, levels of contaminants in soils, the impacts of climate on soil animals and the representativity of standardised test species. In order to address this, we report on a literature search, which was done to determine the main focus areas of soil ecotoxicological research, highlighting strengths and research needs in comparison to approaches elsewhere in the world. Further, to address if the risk assessment approaches of Europe and the USA are valid for southern African environmental conditions; this in the light of differences in temperature, rainfall and fauna. It is concluded that risk assessment procedures for Europe and the USA were based on non-southern African conditions making it necessary to rethink risk assessment studies; although limited, in southern Africa. We recommend future research that has to be undertaken to address these issues. This research should include investigating species sensitivities in responses to contamination and including insects likes ants and termites in ecological risk assessment studies.

Arsenic rich iron plaque on macrophyte roots - an ecotoxicological risk?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taggart, M.A.; Mateo, R.; Charnock, J.M.; Bahrami, F.; Green, A.J.; Meharg, A.A.

2009-01-01

Arsenic is known to accumulate with iron plaque on macrophyte roots. Three to four years after the Aznalcollar mine spill (Spain), residual arsenic contamination left in seasonal wetland habitats has been identified in this form by scanning electron microscopy. Total digestion has determined arsenic concentrations in thoroughly washed 'root + plaque' material in excess of 1000 mg kg -1 , and further analysis using X-ray absorption spectroscopy suggests arsenic exists as both arsenate and arsenite. Certain herbivorous species feed on rhizomes and bulbs of macrophytes in a wide range of global environments, and the ecotoxicological impact of consuming arsenic rich iron plaque associated with such food items remains to be quantified. Here, greylag geese which feed on Scirpus maritimus rhizome and bulb material in areas affected by the Aznalcollar spill are shown to have elevated levels of arsenic in their feces, which may originate from arsenic rich iron plaque. - Accumulation of metals with iron plaque on macrophyte roots in wetlands poses an ecotoxicological risk to certain herbivores

Ecotoxicologic diagnosis of a sealed municipal district landfill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez, A. J.; Perez-Leblic, M. I.; Bartolome, C.; Pastor, J.

2009-01-01

Assessing the environmental impact of a soil-topped landfill requires and ecotoxicologic diagnosis. Here we describe a set of protocols for such a diagnosis as well as their application to a real case ( the urban soil waste, USW, landfill of Getafe, Madrid). Since their initial sealing some 20 years ago with soils taken from the surroundings, waste deposition has continued in most USW landfills of the Comunidad de Madrid. (Author)

DarT: The embryo test with the Zebrafish Danio rerio--a general model in ecotoxicology and toxicology.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagel, Roland

2002-01-01

The acute fish test is an animal test whose ecotoxicological relevance is worthy of discussion. The primary aim of protection in ecotoxicology is the population and not the individual. Furthermore the concentration of pollutants in the environment is normally not in the lethal range. Therefore the acute fish test covers solely the situation after chemical spills. Nevertheless, acute fish toxicity data still belong to the base set used for the assessment of chemicals. The embryo test with the zebrafish Danio rerio (DarT) is recommended as a substitute for the acute fish test. For validation an international laboratory comparison test was carried out. A summary of the results is presented in this paper. Based on the promising results of testing chemicals and waste water the test design was validated by the DIN-working group "7.6 Fischei-Test". A normed test guideline for testing waste water with fish is available. The test duration is short (48 h) and within the test different toxicological endpoints can be examined. Endpoints from the embryo test are suitable for QSAR-studies. Besides the use in ecotoxicology the introduction as a toxicological model was investigated. Disturbance of pigmentation and effects on the frequency of heart-beat were examined. A further important application is testing of teratogenic chemicals. Based on the results DarT could be a screening test within preclinical studies.

Trophic calculations reveal the mechanism of population-level variation in mercury concentrations between marine ecosystems: Case studies of two polar seabirds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brasso, Rebecka L.; Polito, Michael J.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Ecosystem-specific baseline and consumer δ 15 N paired for population-specific trophic level. • Source of population-level variation in mercury exposure identified in two seabirds. • High mercury and trophic position suggests trophic driver of population-level variation. • Trophic similarities, differing mercury reveals geographic differences in bioavailability. -- Abstract: The incorporation of quantitative trophic level analysis in ecotoxicological studies provides explanatory power to identify the factors, trophic or environmental, driving population-level variation in mercury exposure at large geographic scales. In the Antarctic marine ecosystem, mercury concentrations and stable isotope values in Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) were compared between the Antarctic Peninsula and the Ross Sea. Correcting tissue δ 15 N values for baseline δ 15 N values revealed population-level differences in trophic position which contributes to differences in mercury. Data from Thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia) were synthesized from published values from Baffin Bay and Svalbard to demonstrate the utility of baseline δ 15 N values in identifying differences in environmental mercury exposure independent of diet. Here, we demonstrate the importance of calculating population-specific trophic level data to uncover the source of variation in mercury concentrations between geographically distinct populations of marine predators

A Vision and Strategy:Predictive Ecotoxicology in the 21st Century

Science.gov (United States)

The manuscript provides an introduction and overview for a series of five papers resulting from a SETAC Pellston Workshop titled A Vision and Strategy for Predictive Ecotoxicology in the 21st Century: Defining Adverse Outcome Pathways Associated with Ecological Risk. It proposes...

Cryopreserved semen in ecotoxicological bioassays: sensitivity and reliability of cryopreserved Sparus aurata spermatozoa.

Science.gov (United States)

Fabbrocini, Adele; D'Adamo, Raffaele; Del Prete, Francesco; Langellotti, Antonio Luca; Rinna, Francesca; Silvestri, Fausto; Sorrenti, Gerarda; Vitiello, Valentina; Sansone, Giovanni

2012-10-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using cryopreserved S. aurata semen in spermiotoxicity tests. Cryopreservation is a biotechnology that can provide viable gametes and embryos on demand, rather than only in the spawning season, thus overcoming a limitation that has hindered the use of some species in ecotoxicological bioassays. Firstly, the sperm motility pattern of cryopreserved semen was evaluated after thawing by means of both visual and computer-assisted analyses. Motility parameters in the cryopreserved semen did not change significantly in the first hour after thawing, meaning that they were maintained for long enough to enable their use in spermiotoxicity tests. In the second phase of the research, bioassays were performed, using cadmium as the reference toxicant, in order to evaluate the sensitivity of cryopreserved S. aurata semen to ecotoxicological contamination. The sensitivity of the sperm motility parameters used as endpoints (motility percentages and velocities) proved to be comparable to what has been recorded for the fresh semen of other aquatic species (LOECs from 0.02 to 0.03 mg L(-1)). The test showed good reliability and was found to be rapid and easy to perform, requiring only a small volume of the sample. Moreover, cryopreserved semen is easy to store and transfer and makes it possible to perform bioassays in different sites or at different times with the same batch of semen. The proposed bioassay is therefore a promising starting point for the development of toxicity tests that are increasingly tailored to the needs of ecotoxicology and environmental quality evaluation strategies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Differentiation of sympatric zebra and quagga mussels in ecotoxicological studies: A comparison of morphometric data, gene expression, and body metal concentrations.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerambrun, E; Delahaut, L; Geffard, A; David, E

2018-06-15

The zebra mussel is among the best studied freshwater molluscs in ecotoxicology, but information on the quagga mussel is lacking. Considering its potential spread, we selected a river in France in which zebra and quagga mussels coexisted, and then we used genetic markers to differentiate the two species and compared morphological parameters. cDNA sequencing assays of ten genes already used in zebra mussels were performed on quagga mussels to obtain functional specific primers. Then we analyzed the expression of genes involved in cellular metabolic activities (Cytochrome-c-oxidase - cox, and ATP synthase - atp), detoxification processes (Glutathione-S-Transferase - gst), oxidative stress (Catalase - cat), and digestive functions (Amylase - amy) on the two species. Whereas morphometric analysis underlined similarities in shape between the two species, relative gene expression profiles and metal concentrations evidenced strong differences. Quagga mussels notably presented half as high concentrations in Cd and Pb, two particularly toxic elements, as zebra mussels. These results imply that i) particular attention should be paid to properly distinguish the two species considering their similar external appearance, and ii) zebra mussels cannot be replaced by quagga mussels in ecotoxicological studies without preliminary investigations on biomarker response patterns. To our knowledge, this study is the first to have undertaken such an approach in gene expression analysis in quagga mussels, and more generally to have compared such biomarker responses of zebra and quagga mussels in the field. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing the ecotoxicologic hazards of a pandemic influenza medical response.

Science.gov (United States)

Singer, Andrew C; Colizza, Vittoria; Schmitt, Heike; Andrews, Johanna; Balcan, Duygu; Huang, Wei E; Keller, Virginie D J; Vespignani, Alessandro; Williams, Richard J

2011-08-01

The global public health community has closely monitored the unfolding of the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic to best mitigate its impact on society. However, little attention has been given to the impact of this response on the environment. Antivirals and antibiotics prescribed to treat influenza are excreted into wastewater in a biologically active form, which presents a new and potentially significant ecotoxicologic challenge to microorganisms responsible for wastewater nutrient removal in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and receiving rivers. We assessed the ecotoxicologic risks of a pandemic influenza medical response. To evaluate this risk, we coupled a global spatially structured epidemic model that simulates the quantities of antivirals and antibiotics used during an influenza pandemic of varying severity and a water quality model applied to the Thames catchment to determine predicted environmental concentrations. An additional model was then used to assess the effects of antibiotics on microorganisms in WWTPs and rivers. Consistent with expectations, our model projected a mild pandemic to exhibit a negligible ecotoxicologic hazard. In a moderate and severe pandemic, we projected WWTP toxicity to vary between 0-14% and 5-32% potentially affected fraction (PAF), respectively, and river toxicity to vary between 0-14% and 0-30% PAF, respectively, where PAF is the fraction of microbial species predicted to be growth inhibited (lower and upper 95% reference range). The current medical response to pandemic influenza might result in the discharge of insufficiently treated wastewater into receiving rivers, thereby increasing the risk of eutrophication and contamination of drinking water abstraction points. Widespread drugs in the environment could hasten the generation of drug resistance. Our results highlight the need for empirical data on the effects of antibiotics and antiviral medications on WWTPs and freshwater ecotoxicity.

Arsenic rich iron plaque on macrophyte roots - an ecotoxicological risk?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taggart, M.A. [School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Cruickshank Bld, St Machar Drive, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU (United Kingdom); Instituto de Investigacion en Recursos Cinegeticos, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real (Spain)], E-mail: mark.taggart@uclm.es; Mateo, R. [Instituto de Investigacion en Recursos Cinegeticos, IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real (Spain); Charnock, J.M.; Bahrami, F. [Synchrotron Radiation Department, CCLRC Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington, Cheshire, WA4 4AD (United Kingdom); Green, A.J. [Department of Wetland Ecology, Estacion Biologica de Donana, CSIC, Pabellon del Peru, Avenida Maria Luisa s/n, 41013 Seville (Spain); Meharg, A.A. [School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Cruickshank Bld, St Machar Drive, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU (United Kingdom)

2009-03-15

Arsenic is known to accumulate with iron plaque on macrophyte roots. Three to four years after the Aznalcollar mine spill (Spain), residual arsenic contamination left in seasonal wetland habitats has been identified in this form by scanning electron microscopy. Total digestion has determined arsenic concentrations in thoroughly washed 'root + plaque' material in excess of 1000 mg kg{sup -1}, and further analysis using X-ray absorption spectroscopy suggests arsenic exists as both arsenate and arsenite. Certain herbivorous species feed on rhizomes and bulbs of macrophytes in a wide range of global environments, and the ecotoxicological impact of consuming arsenic rich iron plaque associated with such food items remains to be quantified. Here, greylag geese which feed on Scirpus maritimus rhizome and bulb material in areas affected by the Aznalcollar spill are shown to have elevated levels of arsenic in their feces, which may originate from arsenic rich iron plaque. - Accumulation of metals with iron plaque on macrophyte roots in wetlands poses an ecotoxicological risk to certain herbivores.

Acute and chronic sensitivity to copper of a promising ecotoxicological model species, the annual killifish Nothobranchius furzeri.

Science.gov (United States)

Philippe, Charlotte; Grégoir, Arnout F; Janssens, Lizanne; Pinceel, Tom; De Boeck, Gudrun; Brendonck, Luc

2017-10-01

Nothobranchius furzeri is a promising model for ecotoxicological research due to the species' short life cycle and the production of drought-resistant eggs. Although the species is an emerging vertebrate fish model for several fundamental as well as applied research domains, its potential for ecotoxicological research has not yet been tested. The aim of this study was to characterise the acute and chronic sensitivity of this species to copper as compared to other model organisms. Effects of both acute and chronic copper exposure were tested on survival, life history and physiological traits. We report a 24h-LC 50 of 53.93µg Cu/L, which is situated within the sensitivity range of other model species such as Brook Trout, Fathead Minnow and Rainbow Trout. Moreover, in the full life cycle exposure, we show that an exposure concentration of 10.27µg/L did not cause acute adverse effects (96h), but did cause mortality after prolonged exposure (3-4 weeks). Also chronic, sublethal effects were observed, such as a reduction in growth rate, delayed maturation and postponed reproduction. Based on our results, we define the NOEC at 6.68µg Cu/L, making N. furzeri more sensitive to copper as compared to Brook Trout and Fathead Minnow. We found stimulatory effects on peak fecundity at subinhibitory levels of copper concentrations (hormesis). Finally, we found indications for detoxifying and copper-excreting mechanisms, demonstrating the ability of the fish to cope with this essential metal, even when exposed to stressful amounts. The successful application of current ecotoxicological protocols on N. furzeri and its sensitivity range comparable to that of other model organisms forms the basis to exploit this species in further ecotoxicological practices. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Environmental impact of industrial sludge stabilization/solidification products: chemical or ecotoxicological hazard evaluation?

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Marcos A R; Testolin, Renan C; Godinho-Castro, Alcione P; Corrêa, Albertina X R; Radetski, Claudemir M

2011-09-15

Nowadays, the classification of industrial solid wastes is not based on risk analysis, thus the aim of this study was to compare the toxicity classifications based on the chemical and ecotoxicological characterization of four industrial sludges submitted to a two-step stabilization/solidification (S/S) processes. To classify S/S products as hazardous or non-hazardous, values cited in Brazilian chemical waste regulations were adopted and compared to the results obtained with a battery of biotests (bacteria, alga and daphnids) which were carried out with soluble and leaching fractions. In some cases the hazardous potential of industrial sludge was underestimated, since the S/S products obtained from the metal-mechanics and automotive sludges were chemically classified as non-hazardous (but non-inert) when the ecotoxicity tests showed toxicity values for leaching and soluble fractions. In other cases, the environmental impact was overestimated, since the S/S products of the textile sludges were chemically classified as non-inert (but non-hazardous) while ecotoxicity tests did not reveal any effects on bacteria, daphnids and algae. From the results of the chemical and ecotoxicological analyses we concluded that: (i) current regulations related to solid waste classification based on leachability and solubility tests do not ensure reliable results with respect to environmental protection; (ii) the two-step process was very effective in terms of metal immobilization, even at higher metal-concentrations. Considering that S/S products will be subject to environmental conditions, it is of great interest to test the ecotoxicity potential of the contaminants release from these products with a view to avoiding environmental impact given the unreliability of ecotoxicological estimations originating from chemical analysis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of test conditions and exposure duration on the result of ecotoxicological tests

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rosenkrantz, Rikke Tjørnhøj

be calculated from results of ecotoxicological tests performed according to internationally approved guidelines, such as from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) or International Standardization Organisation (ISO). Such guidelines were originally developed to enable classification......H and exposure duration on the toxicity recorded in tests using four sulfonylurea herbicides (SUs) and the aquatic macrophyte Lemna gibba as study objects. The study showed that changing the physical and chemical test conditions influenced the toxicity of sulfonylurea herbicides towards L. gibba. Lowering...

Distillation fraction-specific ecotoxicological evaluation of a paraffin-rich crude oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erlacher, Elisabeth; Loibner, Andreas P.; Kendler, Romana; Scherr, Kerstin E.

2013-01-01

Crude oil is a complex mixture of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) with distinct chemical, physical and toxicological properties relevant for contaminated site risk assessment. Ecotoxicological effects of crude oil distillation fractions on luminescent bacteria (Vibrio fischeri), earthworms (Dendrobaena hortensis) and invertebrates (Heterocypris incongruens) were tested using two spiked soils and their elutriates. Fraction 2 (F2) had an equivalent carbon number (ECN) range of >10 to 16, and F3 from >16 to 39. F2 showed a substantially higher ecotoxicological effect than F3 for Vibrio and Dendrobaena. In contrast, severe inhibition of Heterocypris by the poorly soluble F3 is attributed to mechanical organ blockage. Immediate sequestration of PHC to the organic matter-rich soil effected reduced toxicity for all organisms. This study indicates that a more differentiated consideration (i) of PHC mixtures based on ECN range and (ii) of model soil properties employed for ecotoxicity testing should be included into PHC-contaminated site risk assessment. -- Highlights: ► Crude oil distillates show distinctly different effects on receptor organisms. ► Toxicity of the higher boiling point Fraction is attributed to physical effects. ► TPH sorption to the organic-matter rich soil occurred immediately after spiking. -- A differentiated consideration of the prevailing crude oil distillation fractions and of model soil properties employed for ecotoxicity testing should be included into the risk assessment of crude oil contaminated sites

Peculiarities of ecotoxicological assessment nanoagrochemicals used in crop production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Makarenko

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The article presents the results of studying the toxic effect of nanoagrochemicals on the processes of a plant's cell division, growth and development of plants at the early stages of ontogeny. It can be assume that the toxic effect of nanoagrochemicals depends on the size and structure of the nanoparticles, which are included in their composition: the toxic effect is stronger, the smaller the size of the nanoparticles is; nanocomposites of crystal structure are more toxic compared to nanocomposites of amorphous structure. Nanoagrochemicals ecotoxicological risk assessment should not be based only on the study of the dependence “dose-effect” on the level of the organism and population; it should include the research of the toxic process, starting from the level of the cell and its organelles.

Drug residues in urban water: A database for ecotoxicological risk management.

Science.gov (United States)

Destrieux, Doriane; Laurent, François; Budzinski, Hélène; Pedelucq, Julie; Vervier, Philippe; Gerino, Magali

2017-12-31

Human-use drug residues (DR) are only partially eliminated by waste water treatment plants (WWTPs), so that residual amounts can reach natural waters and cause environmental hazards. In order to properly manage these hazards in the aquatic environment, a database is made available that integrates the concentration ranges for DR, which cause adverse effects for aquatic organisms, and the temporal variations of the ecotoxicological risks. To implement this database for the ecotoxicological risk assessment (ERA database), the required information for each DR is the predicted no effect concentrations (PNECs), along with the predicted environmental concentrations (PECs). The risk assessment is based on the ratio between the PNECs and the PECs. Adverse effect data or PNECs have been found in the publicly available literature for 45 substances. These ecotoxicity test data have been extracted from 125 different sources. This ERA database contains 1157 adverse effect data and 287 PNECs. The efficiency of this ERA database was tested with a data set coming from a simultaneous survey of WWTPs and the natural environment. In this data set, 26 DR were searched for in two WWTPs and in the river. On five sampling dates, concentrations measured in the river for 10 DR could pose environmental problems of which 7 were measured only downstream of WWTP outlets. From scientific literature and measurements, data implementation with unit homogenisation in a single database facilitates the actual ecotoxicological risk assessment, and may be useful for further risk coming from data arising from the future field survey. Moreover, the accumulation of a large ecotoxicity data set in a single database should not only improve knowledge of higher risk molecules but also supply an objective tool to help the rapid and efficient evaluation of the risk. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Estrogenic compounds in Tunisian urban sewage treatment plant: occurrence, removal and ecotoxicological impact of sewage discharge and sludge disposal.

Science.gov (United States)

Belhaj, Dalel; Athmouni, Khaled; Jerbi, Bouthaina; Kallel, Monem; Ayadi, Habib; Zhou, John L

2016-12-01

The occurrence, fate and ecotoxicological assessment of selected estrogenic compounds were investigated at Tunisian urban sewage treatment plant. The influents, effluents, as well as primary, secondary and dehydrated sludge, were sampled and analyzed for the target estrogens to evaluate their fate. All target compounds were detected in both sewage and sludge with mean concentrations from 0.062 to 0.993 μg L -1 and from 11.8 to 792.9 μg kg -1 dry weight, respectively. A wide range of removal efficiencies during the treatment processes were observed, from 6.3 % for estrone to 76.8 % for estriol. Ecotoxicological risk assessment revealed that the highest ecotoxicological risk in sewage effluent and dehydrated sludge was due to 17β-estradiol with a risk quotient (RQ) of 4.6 and 181.9, respectively, and 17α-ethinylestradiol with RQ of 9.8 and 14.85, respectively. Ecotoxicological risk after sewage discharge and sludge disposal was limited to the presence of 17β-estradiol in dehydrated-sludge amended soil with RQ of 1.38. Further control of estrogenic hormones in sewage effluent and sludge is essential before their discharge and application in order to prevent their introduction into the natural environment.

A comparative experimental approach to ecotoxicology in shallow-water and deep-sea holothurians suggests similar behavioural responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Alastair; Wright, Roseanna; Mevenkamp, Lisa; Hauton, Chris

2017-10-01

Exploration of deep-sea mineral resources is burgeoning, raising concerns regarding ecotoxicological impacts on deep-sea fauna. Assessing toxicity in deep-sea species is technologically challenging, which promotes interest in establishing shallow-water ecotoxicological proxy species. However, the effects of temperature and hydrostatic pressure on toxicity, and how adaptation to deep-sea environmental conditions might moderate these effects, are unknown. To address these uncertainties we assessed behavioural and physiological (antioxidant enzyme activity) responses to exposure to copper-spiked artificial sediments in a laboratory experiment using a shallow-water holothurian (Holothuria forskali), and in an in situ experiment using a deep-sea holothurian (Amperima sp.). Both species demonstrated sustained avoidance behaviour, evading contact with contaminated artificial sediment. However, A. sp. demonstrated sustained avoidance of 5mgl -1 copper-contaminated artificial sediment whereas H. forskali demonstrated only temporary avoidance of 5mgl -1 copper-contaminated artificial sediment, suggesting that H. forskali may be more tolerant of metal exposure over 96h. Nonetheless, the acute behavioural response appears consistent between the shallow-water species and the deep-sea species, suggesting that H. forskali may be a suitable ecotoxicological proxy for A. sp. in acute (≤24h) exposures, which may be representative of deep-sea mining impacts. No antioxidant response was observed in either species, which was interpreted to be the consequence of avoiding copper exposure. Although these data suggest that shallow-water taxa may be suitable ecotoxicological proxies for deep-sea taxa, differences in methodological and analytical approaches, and in sex and reproductive stage of experimental subjects, require caution in assessing the suitability of H. forskali as an ecotoxicological proxy for A. sp. Nonetheless, avoidance behaviour may have bioenergetic consequences that

Aquatic ecotoxicology: properties of compounds and ecological risk; Aquatische Oekotoxikologie: Stoffeigenschaften und oekologisches Risiko

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klein, W. [Fraunhofer-Institut fuer Umweltchemie und Oekotoxikologie, Schmallenberg (Germany)

1999-07-01

In spite of considerable advances in research ecotoxicology and ecotoxicology for testing purposes, fundamental problems exist owing to the immense range of concepts, prerequisites and goals. Alleged weaknesses of ecotoxicology in terms of knowledge acquisition so far have had their cause not only in its pragmatic empirism but also in inadequate methodics and, especially, inconsistent or diversified target orientation. The methodics currently available provide tools permitting to a very large extent to fulfill requirements with the necessary precision and acuity. But practical execution has to heed the magnitude of effort that society is prepared to make for the benefit of the environment. Here, setting the appropriate priorities is the second major challenge to the objectivity of experts, following the assessment of risk versus benefit. (orig.) [German] Trotz erheblicher Fortschritte in der wissenschaftlichen und Pruefoekotoxikologie bestehen aufgrund der Vielfalt der Konzeptionen, Anforderungen und Zielvorgaben grundsaetzliche Probleme. Bisherige behauptete Schwaechen der Oekotoxikologie im Hinblick auf Erkenntnisfortschritt sind nicht nur durch pragmatische Empirie begruendet, sondern auch in ungenuegender Methodik und insbesondere inkonsistenter bzw. vielfaeltiger Zielorientierung. Mit der derzeit verfuegbaren Methodik koennen Anforderungen mit der jeweils notwendigen Praezision und Aussageschaerfe weitestgehend bearbeitet werden. Die praktische Bearbeitung hat sich jedoch danach zu richten, welchen Aufwand die Gesellschaft bereit ist fuer die Gesundheit der Umwelt zu tragen, wobei die richtige Prioritaetensetzung nach den Kriterien Risiko-Nutzen-Aufwand die wohl groesste Herausforderung an Expertenobjektivitaet darstellt. (orig.)

Evaluation of impairment of DNA in marine gastropod, Morula granulata as a biomarker of marine pollution.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkar, A; Bhagat, Jacky; Sarker, Subhodeep

2014-08-01

The impairment of DNA in marine gastropod Morula granulata was evaluated in terms of the loss of DNA integrity in the species as a measure of the impact of genotoxic contaminants prevalent in the marine environment along the coast of Goa, India. The extent of DNA damage occurred in the marine gastropods collected from different sampling sites such as Arambol, Anjuna, Sinquerim, Dona Paula, Bogmalo, Hollant, Velsao, Betul and Palolem along the coast of Goa was measured following the technique of partial alkaline unwinding as well as comet assays. The highest DNA integrity was observed at Arambol (F, 0.75), identified as the reference site, whereas the lowest DNA integrity at Hollant (F, 0.33) situated between the two most contaminated sites at Bogmalo and Velsao. The impact of genotoxic contaminants on marine gastropods was pronounced by their low DNA integrity at Sinquerim (F, 0.40) followed by Betul (F, 0.47), Velsao (F, 0.51), Anjuna (F, 0.54), Bogmalo (F, 0.55), Dona Paula (F, 0.67) and Palolem (F, 0.70). The extent of DNA damage occurred in M. granulata due to ecotoxicological impact of the prevailing marine pollutants along the coast of Goa was further substantiated by comet assay and expressed in terms of %head-DNA, %tail DNA, tail length and Olive tail moment. The single cell gel electrophoresis of M. granulata clearly showed relatively higher olive tail moment in the marine gastropod from the contaminated sites, Anjuna, Hollant, Velsao and Betul. The variation in the mean %head DNA at different sampling sites clearly indicated that the extent of DNA damage in marine gastropod increases with the increase in the levels of contamination at different sampling sites along the coast. The stepwise multiple regression analysis of the water quality parameters showed significant correlation between the variation in DNA integrity and PAH in combination with NO3, salinity and PO4 (R¯(2), 0.90). The measurement of DNA integrity in M. granulata thus provides an early

Gravitactic orientation of Euglena gracilis – a sensitive endpoint for ecotoxicological assessment of water pollutants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aziz eUllah

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Pollution of aquatic environments with natural and anthropogenically produced substances is one of the major environmental problems of the world. In many countries the decreasing quantity of water coupled with its increasing usage in multiple sectors has adversely affected water quality and caused problems of water pollution. Polluted water has been a main cause of adverse effects on plants, animals and humans throughout the world. Physicochemical analysis of water, which is a common method used for quality assessment of water, alone may not be enough as it cannot evaluate the impact on living organisms. Therefore, bioassessment of water and wastewater quality is considered to be essential to reflect the ultimate effects on living organisms. Many organisms like bacteria, algae, fish, invertebrates and protozoan are used as bioassay organisms for assessment of water quality. This review article elucidates the use of Euglena gracilis, a freshwater motile flagellate of the phylum Euglenophyta, as a suitable organism in ecotoxicological studies with special emphasis on its gravitactic orientation as a sensitive end point in ecotoxicological assessment of water pollutants.

Development of a decision support system to manage contamination in marine ecosystems.

Science.gov (United States)

Dagnino, A; Viarengo, A

2014-01-01

In recent years, contamination and its interaction with climate-change variables have been recognized as critical stressors in coastal areas, emphasizing the need for a standardized framework encompassing chemical and biological data into risk indices to support decision-making. We therefore developed an innovative, expert decision support system (Exp-DSS) for the management of contamination in marine coastal ecosystems. The Exp-DSS has two main applications: (i) to determine environmental risk and biological vulnerability in contaminated sites; and (ii) to support the management of waters and sediments by assessing the risk due to the exposure of biota to these matrices. The Exp-DSS evaluates chemical data, both as single compounds and as total toxic pressure of the mixture, to compare concentrations to effect-based thresholds (TELs and PELs). Sites are then placed into three categories of contamination: uncontaminated, mildly contaminated, and highly contaminated. In highly contaminated sites, effects on high-level ecotoxicological endpoints (i.e. survival and reproduction) are used to determine risk at the organism-population level, while ecological parameters (i.e. alterations in community structure and ecosystem functions) are considered for assessing effects on biodiversity. Changes in sublethal biomarkers are utilized to assess the stress level of the organisms in mildly contaminated sites. In Triad studies, chemical concentrations, ecotoxicological high-level effects, and ecological data are combined to determine the level of environmental risk in highly contaminated sites; chemical concentration and ecotoxicological sublethal effects are evaluated to determine biological vulnerability in mildly contaminated sites. The Exp-DSS was applied to data from the literature about sediment quality in estuarine areas of Spain, and ranked risks related to exposure to contaminated sediments from high risk (Huelva estuary) to mild risk (Guadalquivir estuary and Bay of

1,2,3-Triazole/MWCNT conjugates as filler for gelcoat nanocomposites: new active antibiofouling coatings for marine application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iannazzo, Daniela; Pistone, Alessandro; Visco, Annamaria; Galtieri, Giovanna; Galvagno, Signorino; Giofrè, Salvatore V; Romeo, Roberto; Romeo, Giovanni; Cappello, Simone; Bonsignore, Martina; Denaro, Renata

2015-01-01

A polyester-based gelcoat nanocomposite was synthesized by using as nanofiller multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) conjugated with a biocidal 1,2,3-triazole to be used as a new eco-friendly antibiofouling coating. 1,2,3-Triazole/MWCNT conjugates containing differently substituted 1,2,3-triazoles have been synthesized and characterized by physical, chemical, and morphological analyses. Ecotoxicological studies, performed on marine organisms belonging to different evolutive classes, provided information about the choice of the more interesting nanofiller. The synthesized gelcoat nanocomposite showed a significant improvement in the wet ability with respect to the Gelcoat alone. Preliminary biological tests performed on the nanocomposite revealed great biocidal properties, thus providing new opportunities to develop an effective antibiofouling coating. (paper)

A novel marine mesocosm facility to study global warming, water quality, and ocean acidification.

Science.gov (United States)

Duarte, Gustavo; Calderon, Emiliano N; Pereira, Cristiano M; Marangoni, Laura F B; Santos, Henrique F; Peixoto, Raquel S; Bianchini, Adalto; Castro, Clovis B

2015-10-01

We describe a completely randomizable flow-through outdoor mesocosm for climate change and ecotoxicology studies that was built with inexpensive materials. The 16 raceway tanks allow up to 6× water renewal per hour, avoiding changes in natural abiotic seawater conditions. We use an open-source hardware board (Arduino) that was adapted to control heaters and an innovative CO 2 injection system. This system reduced seawater pH up to -0.9 units and increased temperature up to +6°C in three treatments and a control. Treatments can be continuously compared with the control and vary according to diel fluctuations, thus following the diel range observed in the sea. The mesocosm facility also includes an integrated secondary system of 48 aquaria for ecotoxicology studies. We validated the reproducibility and relevance of our experimental system by analyzing the variation of the total DNA of the microbial community extracted from corals in three elevated temperature scenarios during a 40-day experiment. We also present data from temperature, acidification, and copper contamination trials, which allowed continuous, reliable, and consistent treatment manipulations.

Implications of water hardness in ecotoxicological assessments for water quality regulatory purposes: a case study with the aquatic snail Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

EC Oliveira-Filho

Full Text Available Water hardness is a property depending on the presence of alkaline earth metals, mainly calcium and magnesium. Among the strategies for water quality monitoring, ecotoxicological assays are performed to minimize impacts and classify water bodies. For these laboratory evaluations parameters are previously defined in the guidelines, including water hardness for both cultivation and testing medium. The present work was performed to evaluate the effects of different levels of water hardness on the survival and reproduction of the freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata and discuss the influence of natural water hardness on the results of ecotoxicological tests with these environmental samples. Comparing the groups it was possible to observe that those maintained in waters with least hardness had lower reproductive success, while the groups maintained in highest hardness showed better reproduction. These data show that waters with low hardness make the reproduction of the snail B. glabrata unfeasible, and this reveal a problem for ecotoxicity assays using natural water samples.

Use of ecotoxicological screening action levels in ecological risk assessment at Los Alamos National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferenbauah, R.; Ebinger, M.; Gallegos, A.; Hansen, W.; Myers, O.; Wenzel, W.

1995-01-01

Regulatory drivers found in several environmental statutes require that ecological risk assessment and Natural Resource Damage Assessment be performed to assess potential environmental impact from contaminated sites and from proposed remedial alternatives. At Los Alamos National Laboratory, the initial phase of the ecological risk assessment process required preliminary evaluation of contaminated sites to determine whether potential for ecological impact exists. The preliminary evaluations were made using Ecotoxicological Screening Action Levels (ESALS) calculated as a function of reference toxicity dose, body weight, food/water/air intake, and fraction of soil intake with food. Reference toxicity doses were derived from the Environmental Protection Agency Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) and Health Effects Assessment Summary Tables (HEAST) toxicology databases. Other parameters required for ESAL calculations were derived from physiological, metabolic, and behavioral data available in the literature. The Los Alamos ESALs were derived for guilds of animals with similar behavioral patterns, which were identified from natural resource survey data collected at Los Alamos. Subsequent to development of Ecotoxicological Screening Action Levels, Hazard Quotients, which are ratios of soil concentrations to Ecotoxicological Screening Action Levels, were calculated for potential contaminants of concern. The Hazard Quotients were used to identify which potential contaminants of concern should be evaluated further for ecological impact. There is potential for ecological impact when the Hazard Quotient is equal to or greater than one

Aquatic ecotoxicology: what has been accomplished and what lies ahead? An Eastern Canada historical perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Blaise

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Our recent history shows that degradation of aquatic ecosystems essentially stems from industrialization, urbanization and increasing human populations. After a first industrial boom in the late 19th century, contamination pressures on receiving waters now appear to be continual because of expanding economies and technologies developing at the planetary scale. Given the diversity of issues, problems and challenges facing water quality today because of complex waste and chemical discharges into waterways, aquatic ecotoxicology has blossomed with time into a more mature discipline of the environmental sciences. Its two fundamental pillars, bioassays and biomarkers, have become essential tools that allow the determination of numerous and versatile effects measurements. Herein, we demonstrate some of the ways in which thesetools have been applied and how they have evolved over the past decades to appraise the ecotoxicity of contaminants impacting aquatic systems. Examples discussed are largely reflective of work conducted in the Environment Canada (EC laboratories (Saint-Lawrence Centre, Montréal, Canada. Success stories include improvement of industrial effluent quality contributing to beluga whale population recovery in the Saint-Lawrence River, biomarker field studies conducted with endemic and caged bivalves to more fully comprehend urban effluent adverse effects, and increased discernment on the hazard potential posed by emerging classes of chemicals. Ecotoxicology continues to be confronted with diverse issues and needs related to a myriad of chemical contaminants released to aquatic environments worldwide. To cope with these, ecotoxicology will have to bank on new tools (e.g., toxicogenomics, bio-informatics, modelingand become more interdisciplinary by taking into account knowledge provided by other disciplines (e.g., ecology, chemistry, climatology, microbiology in order to more fully understand and adequately interpret hazard. This will

Molecular ecotoxicology of nanosilver guided using in vitro prognosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hayashi, Yuya; Heckmann, Lars-Henrik; Engelmann, Péter

2012-01-01

To study the molecular and cellular basis of silver nanoparticle (AgNP) toxicity, we here used a recently established in vitro model of earthworm coelomocytes in comparison to the conventional in vivo molecular ecotoxicology approach. Compared to the latter where the test organisms are exposed...... to NPs of interest held in an environmental matrix, in vitro models benefit from the ease of controlling exposure conditions in a defined set of biochemical milieus that NPs may encounter. The AgNPs tested in the present study originated from the same source, but to enhance the colloidal stability...... in the in vitro test media the NPs were pre-treated with serum proteins. In addition to physical characterisation of AgNPs, the active silver ion fraction was measured (in serum-supplemented cell culture medium and in soil pore-water). Using flow cytometry and atomic absorption spectrophotometry, we show...

Recommended approaches to the scientific evaluation of ecotoxicological hazards and risks of endocrine-active substances

Science.gov (United States)

Matthiessen, Peter; Ankley, Gerald T.; Biever, Ronald C.; Bjerregaard, Poul; Borgert, Christopher; Brugger, Kristin; Blankinship, Amy; Chambers, Janice; Coady, Katherine K.; Constantine, Lisa; Dang, Zhichao; Denslow, Nancy D.; Dreier, David; Dungey, Steve; Gray, L. Earl; Gross, Melanie; Guiney, Patrick D.; Hecker, Markus; Holbech, Henrik; Iguchi, Taisen; Kadlec, Sarah; Karouna-Renier, Natalie K.; Katsiadaki, Ioanna; Kawashima, Yukio; Kloas, Werner; Krueger, Henry; Kumar, Anu; Lagadic, Laurent; Leopold, Annegaaike; Levine, Steven L.; Maack, Gerd; Marty, Sue; Meador, James P.; Mihaich, Ellen; Odum, Jenny; Ortego, Lisa; Parrott, Joanne L.; Pickford, Daniel; Roberts, Mike; Schaefers, Christoph; Schwarz, Tamar; Solomon, Keith; Verslycke, Tim; Weltje, Lennart; Wheeler, James R.; Williams, Mike; Wolf, Jeffery C.; Yamazaki, Kunihiko

2017-01-01

A SETAC Pellston Workshop® “Environmental Hazard and Risk Assessment Approaches for Endocrine-Active Substances (EHRA)” was held in February 2016 in Pensacola, Florida, USA. The primary objective of the workshop was to provide advice, based on current scientific understanding, to regulators and policy makers; the aim being to make considered, informed decisions on whether to select an ecotoxicological hazard- or a risk-based approach for regulating a given endocrine-disrupting substance (EDS) under review. The workshop additionally considered recent developments in the identification of EDS. Case studies were undertaken on 6 endocrine-active substances (EAS—not necessarily proven EDS, but substances known to interact directly with the endocrine system) that are representative of a range of perturbations of the endocrine system and considered to be data rich in relevant information at multiple biological levels of organization for 1 or more ecologically relevant taxa. The substances selected were 17α-ethinylestradiol, perchlorate, propiconazole, 17β-trenbolone, tributyltin, and vinclozolin. The 6 case studies were not comprehensive safety evaluations but provided foundations for clarifying key issues and procedures that should be considered when assessing the ecotoxicological hazards and risks of EAS and EDS. The workshop also highlighted areas of scientific uncertainty, and made specific recommendations for research and methods-development to resolve some of the identified issues. The present paper provides broad guidance for scientists in regulatory authorities, industry, and academia on issues likely to arise during the ecotoxicological hazard and risk assessment of EAS and EDS. The primary conclusion of this paper, and of the SETAC Pellston Workshop on which it is based, is that if data on environmental exposure, effects on sensitive species and life-stages, delayed effects, and effects at low concentrations are robust, initiating environmental risk

Assessment of DDT, HCH and PAH contamination and associated ecotoxicological risks in surface sediments of coastal Tema Harbour (Ghana).

Science.gov (United States)

Botwe, Benjamin O; Kelderman, Peter; Nyarko, Elvis; Lens, Piet N L

2017-02-15

This study assessed DDTs, HCHs and PAHs contamination in sediments from the Tema Harbour (Ghana) and the associated ecotoxicological risks. The results showed widespread DDTs, HCHs and PAHs contamination in the harbour sediments with mean concentrations ranging from 6.0-12.8, 2.8-12.7 and 2750-5130μg·kg -1 d·w, respectively. The silt-clay and total organic carbon contents of the sediments poorly correlated with the pollutant concentrations. DDTs and HCHs contamination relate to past use of DDT and lindane, which under the anoxic harbour conditions resulted in disproportionately higher concentrations of p,p'-DDD and γ-HCH in the sediments. No conclusion could be drawn on the sources of PAHs as either petrogenic or pyrogenic. The pollutant concentrations in the harbour sediments, particularly γ-HCH, may pose high ecotoxicological risks. In comparison to a previous study, this study indicates there has been a considerable reduction in PAH contamination in the Tema Harbour since the last major oil spill in 2007. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Status seminar on BMBF-funded research projects in ecotoxicology. Proceedings; Statusseminar zum Foerderschwerpunkt `Oekotoxikologie` des BMBF. Proceedings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kirchner, M. [ed.; Bauer, H. [ed.

1995-07-01

Research projects in the field of ecotoxicology are presented, with particular regard to aquatic and terrestrial ecotoxicology. The report covers pollutant effects on plancton and fish and pollutant monitoring in streams. The effects, distribution and mobility of PAH, PCB and other pollutants in soils and pollutant concentrations in microorganisms are gone into. (SR) [Deutsch] Vorgestellt werden die Forschungsvorhaben zum Thema Oekotoxikologie. Schwerpunkte hierbei sind die aquatische Oekotoxokologie und die terrestrische Oekotoxikologie. Berichtet wird ueber die Wirkung von Fremdstoffen auf Plankton und Fischen, sowie die Bewertung der Belastung von Fliessgewaessern.Ausserdem wird die Wirkung, Verteilung und die Mobilitaet von PAK, PCB und anderen Schadstoffen in Boeden dargestellt, sowie die Belastung von Mikroorganismen mit Schadstoffen. (SR)

Radioecological studies in the marine environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Y.; Nakamura, K.; Nakamura, R.; Nakahara, M.; Ishii, T.; Matsuba, M.; Nagaya, Y.

1992-01-01

Man-made radionuclides released into the marine environment have been regarded as useful tracers in the study of natural geochemical and oceanographic processes occurring in the ocean. Quantitative collection of Cs-137 from surface seawater by copper ferrocyanide-anion exchange resin was examined and the same method was also applied to open ocean sea water. To get inherent bioconcentration coefficients of marine fish from the coastal seas of Japan, laboratory tracer experiments using some radioisotopes were carried out. Uptake, through both radioactive seawater and food, and excretion of radionuclides by marine fish were observed for about 8 weeks. The results showed that seawater and food equally contribute to accumulation of Cs-137 by fish. The adult rockfish and Japanese flounder seemed to take up Ru-103 mainly from seawater, while juvenile fish take it from seawater and food equally. Much information on concentrations, distributions and chemical forms of stable isotopes in marine organisms is important to predict the behaviour of radionuclides in the sea or to study metal metabolism in the body of marine organisms. Approximately 40 elements corresponding to important radionuclides in more than 300 species of marine organisms, collected off the coast of Japan, were analyzed with ICP-AES, ICP-MS and electron probe X-ray microanalysis. The concentrations of Mn and Zn in the dried granules of the kidney of a marine bivalve were 44,200 and 22,800 μg/g, respectively. The high accumulation of certain elements in the kidney resulted from the existence of metal containing granules. (author)

Chemical and ecotoxicological characterization of ashes obtained from sewage sludge combustion in a fluidised-bed reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Lapa, N; Barbosa, R; Lopes, M H; Mendes, B; Abelha, P; Boavida, D; Gulyurtlu, I; Oliveira, J Santos

2007-08-17

In 1999, the DEECA/INETI and the UBiA/FCT/UNL started a researching project on the partition of heavy metals during the combustion of stabilised sewage sludge (Biogran), in a fluidised-bed reactor, and on the quality of the bottom ashes and fly ashes produced. This project was entitled Bimetal and was funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology. In this paper only the results on the combustion of Biogran are reported. The combustion process was performed in two different trials, in which different amounts of sewage sludge and time of combustion were applied. Several ash samples were collected from the bed (bottom ashes) and from two cyclones (first cyclone and second cyclone ashes). Sewage sludge, bed material (sand) and ash samples were submitted to the leaching process defined in the European leaching standard EN 12457-2. The eluates were characterized for a set of inorganic chemical species. The ecotoxicological levels of the eluates were determined for two biological indicators (Vibrio fischeri and Daphnia magna). The results were compared with the limit values of the CEMWE French Regulation. The samples were also ranked according to an index based on the chemical characterization of the eluates. It was observed an increase of the concentration of metals along the combustion system. The ashes trapped in the second cyclone, for both combustion trials, showed the highest concentration of metals in the eluates. Chemically, the ashes of the second cyclone were the most different ones. In the ecotoxicological point of view, the ecotoxicity levels of the eluates of the ashes, for both combustion cycles, did not follow the same pattern as observed for the chemical characterization. The ashes of the first cyclone showed the highest ecotoxicity levels for V. fischeri and D. magna. This difference on chemical and ecotoxicological results proves the need for performing both chemical and ecotoxicological characterizations of the sub-products of such type

Chemical and ecotoxicological characterization of ashes obtained from sewage sludge combustion in a fluidised-bed reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lapa, N. [Environmental Biotechnology Researching Unit (UBiA), Faculty of Science and Technology (FCT), New University of Lisbon - UNL, Ed. Departamental, piso 3, gabinete 377, Quinta da Torre, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal)]. E-mail: ncsn@fct.unl.pt; Barbosa, R. [Environmental Biotechnology Researching Unit (UBiA), Faculty of Science and Technology (FCT), New University of Lisbon - UNL, Ed. Departamental, piso 3, gabinete 377, Quinta da Torre, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Lopes, M.H. [National Institute of Engineering, Technology and Innovation (INETI), Department of Energetic Engineering and Environmental Control (DEECA). Edificio J, Estrada do Paco do Lumiar, 22, 1649-038 Lisbon (Portugal); Mendes, B. [Environmental Biotechnology Researching Unit (UBiA), Faculty of Science and Technology (FCT), New University of Lisbon - UNL, Ed. Departamental, piso 3, gabinete 377, Quinta da Torre, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Abelha, P. [National Institute of Engineering, Technology and Innovation (INETI), Department of Energetic Engineering and Environmental Control (DEECA). Edificio J, Estrada do Paco do Lumiar, 22, 1649-038 Lisbon (Portugal); Gulyurtlu, I. [National Institute of Engineering, Technology and Innovation (INETI), Department of Energetic Engineering and Environmental Control (DEECA). Edificio J, Estrada do Paco do Lumiar, 22, 1649-038 Lisbon (Portugal); Santos Oliveira, J. [Environmental Biotechnology Researching Unit (UBiA), Faculty of Science and Technology (FCT), New University of Lisbon - UNL, Ed. Departamental, piso 3, gabinete 377, Quinta da Torre, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal)

2007-08-17

In 1999, the DEECA/INETI and the UBiA/FCT/UNL started a researching project on the partition of heavy metals during the combustion of stabilised sewage sludge (Biogran[reg]), in a fluidised-bed reactor, and on the quality of the bottom ashes and fly ashes produced. This project was entitled Bimetal and was funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology. In this paper only the results on the combustion of Biogran[reg]) are reported. The combustion process was performed in two different trials, in which different amounts of sewage sludge and time of combustion were applied. Several ash samples were collected from the bed (bottom ashes) and from two cyclones (first cyclone and second cyclone ashes). Sewage sludge, bed material (sand) and ash samples were submitted to the leaching process defined in the European leaching standard EN 12457-2. The eluates were characterized for a set of inorganic chemical species. The ecotoxicological levels of the eluates were determined for two biological indicators (Vibrio fischeri and Daphnia magna). The results were compared with the limit values of the CEMWE French Regulation. The samples were also ranked according to an index based on the chemical characterization of the eluates. It was observed an increase of the concentration of metals along the combustion system. The ashes trapped in the second cyclone, for both combustion trials, showed the highest concentration of metals in the eluates. Chemically, the ashes of the second cyclone were the most different ones. In the ecotoxicological point of view, the ecotoxicity levels of the eluates of the ashes, for both combustion cycles, did not follow the same pattern as observed for the chemical characterization. The ashes of the first cyclone showed the highest ecotoxicity levels for V. fischeri and D. magna. This difference on chemical and ecotoxicological results proves the need for performing both chemical and ecotoxicological characterizations of the sub

Chemical and ecotoxicological characterization of ashes obtained from sewage sludge combustion in a fluidised-bed reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lapa, N.; Barbosa, R.; Lopes, M.H.; Mendes, B.; Abelha, P.; Gulyurtlu, I.; Santos Oliveira, J.

2007-01-01

In 1999, the DEECA/INETI and the UBiA/FCT/UNL started a researching project on the partition of heavy metals during the combustion of stabilised sewage sludge (Biogran[reg]), in a fluidised-bed reactor, and on the quality of the bottom ashes and fly ashes produced. This project was entitled Bimetal and was funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology. In this paper only the results on the combustion of Biogran[reg]) are reported. The combustion process was performed in two different trials, in which different amounts of sewage sludge and time of combustion were applied. Several ash samples were collected from the bed (bottom ashes) and from two cyclones (first cyclone and second cyclone ashes). Sewage sludge, bed material (sand) and ash samples were submitted to the leaching process defined in the European leaching standard EN 12457-2. The eluates were characterized for a set of inorganic chemical species. The ecotoxicological levels of the eluates were determined for two biological indicators (Vibrio fischeri and Daphnia magna). The results were compared with the limit values of the CEMWE French Regulation. The samples were also ranked according to an index based on the chemical characterization of the eluates. It was observed an increase of the concentration of metals along the combustion system. The ashes trapped in the second cyclone, for both combustion trials, showed the highest concentration of metals in the eluates. Chemically, the ashes of the second cyclone were the most different ones. In the ecotoxicological point of view, the ecotoxicity levels of the eluates of the ashes, for both combustion cycles, did not follow the same pattern as observed for the chemical characterization. The ashes of the first cyclone showed the highest ecotoxicity levels for V. fischeri and D. magna. This difference on chemical and ecotoxicological results proves the need for performing both chemical and ecotoxicological characterizations of the sub

Ecorad 2001. Radioecology/ ecotoxicology in continental and estuarine media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-11-01

This conference about radioecology is divided in eight sessions that concern the following subjects: behaviour and transfer of radionuclides in soil, in terrestrial ecosystems (plants and animal transfers), in freshwater ecosystems, in estuaries are the subjects of the four first sessions. The effects of toxicants in environment are detailed in the fifth session. The sixth session is devoted to the methods of measurement of environmental radioactivity. The seventh session is relative to the consequences of accidental and chronicle situations (Chernobyl consequences, countermeasures and decontamination). This conference ends with the ethical aspects of environmental radio ecotoxicology with the eighth session. (N.C.)

Comparative Toxicity of Different Crude Oils on the Cardiac Function of Marine Medaka (Oryzias melastigma Embryo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhendong Zhang

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The acute toxic effect of different crude oils (heavy crude oil and bonny light crude oil on embryos of marine medaka Oryzias melastigma was measured and evaluated by exposure to the water-accommodated fraction (WAF in the present study. The cardiac function of medaka embryos was used as target organ of ecotoxicological effect induced by oil exposure. Results showed that the developing marine medaka heart was a sensitive target organ to crude oil exposure the heavy crude oil WAF was more toxic to cardiac function of medaka embryos than bonny light cured oil one. Cardiac function of medaka embryos was clearly affected by exposure to heavy crude oil WAF after 24 hours exposure and showed a dose-dependent slowing of heart rate. Furthermore, swelled and enlarged heart morphology, lowered blood circulation and accumulation of blood cells around the heart area were found. However, the toxic effect of bonny light crude oil on cardiac function of medaka embryos was comparatively low. Statistical results showed that the cardiac function was only affected by highest bonny light crude oil WAF (9.8 mg/L exposure treatment. These findings indicated that cardiac function of marine medaka embryo was a good toxicity model for oil pollution and could be used to compare and evaluate the toxicity of different crude oils. The heart rate was an appropriate endpoint in the acute toxicity test.

Evolutionary ecotoxicology of pesticide resistance: a case study in Daphnia.

Science.gov (United States)

Jansen, Mieke; Coors, Anja; Stoks, Robby; De Meester, Luc

2011-05-01

Natural populations that are exposed to pesticides in their environment may at the same time be exposed to natural stressors like parasites and predators, which may interact with pesticide exposure. This may not only impact target pest species but also a wide variety of non-target species. This review reports on a joint research program in the water flea Daphnia magna, a non-target species often used as model organism in ecology and ecotoxicology. The focus is on different aspects that are of key importance to understand the evolutionary ecology of pesticide exposure: (1) the capacity of natural populations to genetically adapt to pesticide exposure (2) the added complexity of synergistic effects caused by simultaneous exposure to natural stressors, and (3) the potential interference of evolutionary costs of adaptation to pesticide exposure. Our results showed that natural populations were able to rapidly evolve resistance to the pesticide carbaryl but at the expense of fitness costs. Individuals selected for carbaryl resistance had higher survival rates when exposed to the pesticide but also a greater susceptibility to the challenge imposed by the bacterial endoparasite Pasteuria ramosa. The evolved resistance to carbaryl was in some cases only expressed in the absence of fish kairomones. Further, it became clear that the responses to both exposure to single and combined stressors was for several life history variables strongly dependent upon past exposure to carbaryl. This indicates that past exposures to pesticides are important and can not be neglected when evaluating responses to current stressors. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011

Looking at biological community level to improve ecotoxicological assessment of freshwater sediments: report on a first French-Swiss workshop.

Science.gov (United States)

Pesce, Stéphane; Perceval, Olivier; Bonnineau, Chloé; Casado-Martinez, Carmen; Dabrin, Aymeric; Lyautey, Emilie; Naffrechoux, Emmanuel; Ferrari, Benoit J D

2018-01-01

The first French-Swiss workshop on ecotoxicology of freshwater sediment communities was co-organized by the French Research Institute of Science and Technology for Environment and Agriculture (Irstea) and the Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology (Ecotox Centre EAWAG-EPFL) in Villié-Morgon (Beaujolais Region, France) on April 27-28, 2017. The workshop brought together scientists working in different fields of expertise (ecotoxicologists, ecologists, environmental chemists…), environmental stakeholder groups and managers, as well as economic players (start-ups and consultancies) to better connect research needs of potential end-users with research outputs. The objectives of this workshop were (i) to establish the state of the art of research in the characterization of sediment contamination and in the evaluation of the effects on sediment-associated biological communities and ecosystem functioning and (ii) to give an overview of the French and Swiss regulations dealing with the assessment of contaminated sediments in freshwater ecosystems. The ultimate goal was to collectively identify research needs and knowledge gaps, as well as to highlight ways to improve the ecotoxicological assessment of sediments in freshwater environments by further considering the structure and functions of associated microbial and invertebrate communities.

Ecotoxicological evaluation of diesel-contaminated soil before and after a bioremediation process.

Science.gov (United States)

Molina-Barahona, L; Vega-Loyo, L; Guerrero, M; Ramírez, S; Romero, I; Vega-Jarquín, C; Albores, A

2005-02-01

Evaluation of contaminated sites is usually performed by chemical analysis of pollutants in soil. This is not enough either to evaluate the environmental risk of contaminated soil nor to evaluate the efficiency of soil cleanup techniques. Information on the bioavailability of complex mixtures of xenobiotics and degradation products cannot be totally provided by chemical analytical data, but results from bioassays can integrate the effects of pollutants in complex mixtures. In the preservation of human health and environment quality, it is important to assess the ecotoxicological effects of contaminated soils to obtain a better evaluation of the healthiness of this system. The monitoring of a diesel-contaminated soil and the evaluation of a bioremediation technique conducted on a microcosm scale were performed by a battery of ecotoxicological tests including phytotoxicity, Daphnia magna, and nematode assays. In this study we biostimulated the native microflora of soil contaminated with diesel by adding nutrients and crop residue (corn straw) as a bulking agent and as a source of microorganisms and nutrients; in addition, moisture was adjusted to enhance diesel removal. The bioremediation process efficiency was evaluated directly by an innovative, simple phytotoxicity test system and the diesel extracts by Daphnia magna and nematode assays. Contaminated soil samples were revealed to have toxic effects on seed germination, seedling growth, and Daphnia survival. After biostimulation, the diesel concentration was reduced by 50.6%, and the soil samples showed a significant reduction in phytotoxicity (9%-15%) and Daphnia assays (3-fold), confirming the effectiveness of the bioremediation process. Results from our microcosm study suggest that in addition to the evaluation of the bioremediation processes efficiency, toxicity testing is different with organisms representative of diverse phylogenic levels. The integration of analytical, toxicological and bioremediation data

Ecotoxicological risk assessment linked to infilling quarries with treated dredged seaport sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Perrodin, Yves; Donguy, Gilles; Bazin, Christine; Volatier, Laurence; Durrieu, Claude; Bony, Sylvie; Devaux, Alain; Abdelghafour, Mohammed; Moretto, Robert

2012-08-01

The dredged sediments of polluted seaports now raise complex management problems since it is no longer possible to discharge them into the sea. This results in the need to manage them on land, raising other types of technical, economic and environmental problems. Regarding the technical and economic dimensions, traditional waste treatment methods have proved to be poorly adapted, due to very high costs and low absorbable volumes. In this context, filling quarries in coastal areas with treated sediments could represent an interesting alternative for these materials. Nevertheless, for the environmental dimension, it is necessary to demonstrate that this possibility is harmless to inland ecosystems. Consequently, a specific ecotoxicological risk assessment methodology has been formulated and tested on three sediments taken from seaboards of France, in view to providing an operational and usable tool for the prior validation of any operation to fill quarries with treated seaport sediments. This method incorporates the formulation of a global conceptual model of the scenario studied and the definition of protocols for each of its steps: the characterisation of exposures (based on a simulation of sediment deposit), the characterisation of effects (via the study of sediments ecotoxicity), and the final ecotoxicological risk assessment performed as a calculation of a risk quotient. It includes the implementation in parallel of two types of complementary approach: the "substances" approach derived from the European methodology for assessing new substances placed on the market, and the "matrix" approach which is similar to methods developed in France to assess ecological risks in other domains (waste management, polluted site management, …). The application of this dual approach to the three sediments tested led to conclude with reliability that the project to deposit sediments "1" and "2" presented a low risk for the peripheral aquatic ecosystems while sediment "3

Study of plutonium cycle in marine ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merino Pareja, J.; Sanchez Cabeza, J. A.; Molero Savall, J.; Masque Barri, P.

1998-01-01

The distribution, transport and accumulation mechanisms of transuranics (and other radionuclides) in the marine environment depend on the source term, biogeochemical cycles, transport with the water masses, sedimentation processes and transfer mechanisms in the trophic chain. The biogeochemical behaviour of plutonium, which has been the focus of our work, was studied using the following approaches: determination of the physico-chemical speciation of plutonium in marine waters, vertical flux in the water column, uptake by marine organisms (phytoplankton and zooplankton) and distribution in dements cores. A preliminary model of the accumulation and distribution of plutonium in the first levels of the marine food chain in the Irish Sea has also been formulated. All this information allowed us to obtain an integrated view of the behaviour of plutonium in the marine environment. (Author) 14 refs

Micro-computed tomography (μCT) as a novel method in ecotoxicology — determination of morphometric and somatic data in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brinkmann, Markus; Rizzo, Larissa Y.; Lammers, Twan; Gremse, Felix; Schiwy, Sabrina; Kiessling, Fabian; Hollert, Henner

2016-01-01

Fish are important sentinel organisms for the assessment of water quality and play a central role in ecotoxicological research. Of particular importance to the assessment of health and fitness of fish stocks in response to environmental conditions or pollution are morphometric (e.g. Fulton's condition index) and somatic indices (e.g. hepatosomatic, and gonadosomatic index). Standard measurements of somatic indices are invasive and require, by definition, the sacrifice of examined animals, thus prohibiting longitudinal studies and relocation of animals captured in the field. As a potential solution, in the present study, we propose the use of micro-computed tomography (μCT) as imaging modality to non-invasively tomographically image rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed to different sediment suspensions. We here demonstrate that μCT can be used as a tool to reliably measure the volumes of different organs, which could then be applied as a substitute of their weights in calculation of somatic indices. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to report the results of μCT analyses in the context of ecotoxicological research in rainbow trout. It has the potential to greatly increase the information value of experiments conducted with fish and also to potentially reduce the number of animals required for studying temporal effects through facilitating longitudinal studies within the same individuals. - Highlights: • μCT was used for volumetric imaging sediment-exposed and unexposed rainbow trout • Liver volumes determined by μCT were highly correlated with liver weights. • The perfusion of organs in fish could also be studied by means of μCT. • It was shown that μCT is a useful tool in context of ecotoxicological research.

Effect of heavy metals on marine Bacillus sp. and Flavobacterium sp.

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Nair, S.; LokaBharathi, P.A.; Chandramohan, D.

stream_size 10 stream_content_type text/plain stream_name Ecotoxicology_2_220.pdf.txt stream_source_info Ecotoxicology_2_220.pdf.txt Content-Encoding ISO-8859-1 Content-Type text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 ...

Settling fluxes and ecotoxicological risk assessment of fine sedimentary metals in Tema Harbour (Ghana).

Science.gov (United States)

Botwe, Benjamin O; Nyarko, Elvis; Lens, Piet N L

2018-01-01

Sediment traps were deployed in the Tema Harbour to estimate the settling fluxes of silt-clay particles and associated metals (Fe, Mn, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn, Ni, Hg, Sn and As) and characterise their potential ecotoxicological risks. The mean daily settling fluxes of the silt-clay particles and associated metals ranged from 42.7 to 85.0gm -2 d -1 and 1.3×10 -2 to 49.4mgm -2 d -1 , respectively, and were characterised by large fluctuations at each station. The silt-clay and metal fluxes strongly correlated, indicating the important role of the silt-clay particles in metal transport and distribution in the harbour. Geochemical indices indicated anthropogenic influences on the harbour as the Pb, Cr, Zn, Hg, Sn and As content in the settling silt-clay particles exceeded their average crustal concentrations. Sediment quality guidelines indicated these metals pose appreciable ecotoxicological risks, particularly As. Increasing temporal trends in As necessitates increased pollution control efforts at the harbour. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ecotoxicological assessments show sucralose and fluoxetine affect the aquatic plant, Lemna minor.

Science.gov (United States)

Amy-Sagers, Cherisse; Reinhardt, Keith; Larson, Danelle M

2017-04-01

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP) are prevalent in aquatic systems, yet the fate and impacts on aquatic plants needs quantification for many compounds. We measured and detected sucralose (an artificial sweetener), fluoxetine (an antidepressant), and other PPCP in the Portneuf River in Idaho, USA, where Lemna minor (an aquatic plant in the environment and used in ecotoxicology studies) naturally occurs. Sucralose was hypothesized to negatively affect photosynthesis and growth of L. minor because sucralose is a chlorinated molecule that may be toxic or unusable for plant metabolism. A priori hypotheses were not created for fluoxetine due to lack of previous studies examining its impacts on plants. We conducted laboratory ecotoxicological assessments for a large range of concentrations of sucralose and fluoxetine on L. minor physiology and photosynthetic function. Frond green leaf area, root length, growth rate, photosynthetic capacity, and plant carbon isotopic composition (discrimination relative to a standard; δ 13 C) were measured among treatments ranging from 0 to 15000nmol/L-sucralose and 0-323nmol/L-fluoxetine. Contrary to our predictions, sucralose significantly increased green leaf area, photosynthetic capacity, and δ 13 C of L. minor at environmentally relevant concentrations. The increase of δ 13 C from sucralose amendments and an isotope-mixing model indicated substantial sucralose uptake and assimilation within the plant. Unlike humans who cannot break down and utilize sucralose, we documented that L. minor-a mixotrophic plant-can use sucralose as a sugar substitute to increase its green leaf area and photosynthetic capacity. Fluoxetine significantly decreased L. minor root growth, daily growth rate, and asexual reproduction at 323nmol/L-fluoxetine; however, ambiguity remains regarding the mechanisms responsible and the applicability of these extreme concentrations unprecedented in the natural environment. To our knowledge, this was the

The chronic toxicity of molybdate to marine organisms. I. Generating reliable effects data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heijerick, D.G.; Regoli, L.; Stubblefield, W.

2012-01-01

A scientific research program was initiated by the International Molybdenum Association (IMOA) which addressed identified gaps in the environmental toxicity data for the molybdate ion (MoO 4 2− ). These gaps were previously identified during the preparation of EU-REACH-dossiers for different molybdenum compounds (European Union regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemical substances; EC, 2006). Evaluation of the open literature identified few reliable marine ecotoxicological data that could be used for deriving a Predicted No-Effect Concentration (PNEC) for the marine environment. Rather than calculating a PNEC marine using the assessment factor methodology on a combined freshwater/marine dataset, IMOA decided to generate sufficient reliable marine chronic data to permit derivation of a PNEC by means of the more scientifically robust species sensitivity distribution (SSD) approach (also called the statistical extrapolation approach). Nine test species were chronically exposed to molybdate (added as sodium molybdate dihydrate, Na 2 MoO 4 ·2H 2 O) according to published standard testing guidelines that are acceptable for a broad range of regulatory purposes. The selected test organisms were representative for typical marine trophic levels: micro-algae/diatom (Phaeodactylum tricornutum, Dunaliella tertiolecta), macro-alga (Ceramium tenuicorne), mysids (Americamysis bahia), copepod (Acartia tonsa), fish (Cyprinodon variegatus), echinoderms (Dendraster exentricus, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) and molluscs (Mytilus edulis, Crassostrea gigas). Available NOEC/EC 10 levels ranged between 4.4 mg Mo/L (blue mussel M. edulis) and 1174 mg Mo/L (oyster C. gigas). Using all available reliable marine chronic effects data that are currently available, a HC 5,50% (median hazardous concentration affecting 5% of the species) of 5.74 (mg Mo)/L was derived with the statistical extrapolation approach, a value that can be used for national and

Ecotoxicological Assessment of Sediment Leachates of Small Watercourses in the Brno City Suburban Area (South Moravia, Czech Republic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miroslava Beklová

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Sediments of two small watercourses Leskava and Troubsky Brook in the Brno city suburban area were examined for their ecotoxicity. Using a standard procedure, extracts of the sediments were prepared for diagnostic tests. These extracts were tested for acute toxicity to fresh-water organisms. The ecotoxicological tests were performed on the fresh-water alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, the vascular water plant Lemna minor, on a representative of invertebrates – the water flea Daphnia magna and on the Xenopus laevis frog embryo and luminiscent Vibrio fischeri bacteria. Possible toxic effects were evaluated using the test determining the inhibition of the growth of white mustard root Sinapis alba. Results of ecotoxicological assessment of sediment leachates showed that their quality varied significantly during the year. Differences were found between results of sediment evaluations from different collection profiles, which may indicate effects of point source pollution. Of the ecotoxicological tests used, the most sensitive organisms included the green algae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, bioluminiscent bacteria Vibrio fischeri and the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis. The highest concentrations of arsenic were found by chemical analysis in both spring and autumn sediment leachate samples collected at Site L1 (Leskava. The highest organic pollutant concentrations were found in autumn sediment leachate samples from Site L1. In total PAH sums, phenanthrene was the dominant pollutant at all the sites investigated.

Avoidance, biomass and survival response of soil dwelling (endogeic) earthworms to OECD artificial soil: potential implications for earthworm ecotoxicology.

Science.gov (United States)

Brami, C; Glover, A R; Butt, K R; Lowe, C N

2017-05-01

Soil dwelling earthworms are now adopted more widely in ecotoxicology, so it is vital to establish if standardised test parameters remain applicable. The main aim of this study was to determine the influence of OECD artificial soil on selected soil-dwelling, endogeic earthworm species. In an initial experiment, biomass change in mature Allolobophora chlorotica was recorded in Standard OECD Artificial Soil (AS) and also in Kettering Loam (KL). In a second experiment, avoidance behaviour was recorded in a linear gradient with varying proportions of AS and KL (100% AS, 75% AS + 25% KL, 50% KS + 50% KL, 25% AS + 75% KL, 100% KL) with either A. chlorotica or Octolasion cyaneum. Results showed a significant decrease in A. chlorotica biomass in AS relative to KL, and in the linear gradient, both earthworm species preferentially occupied sections containing higher proportions of KL over AS. Soil texture and specifically % composition and particle size of sand are proposed as key factors that influenced observed results. This research suggests that more suitable substrates are required for ecotoxicology tests with soil dwelling earthworms.

Toxicity estimates for diuron and atrazine for the tropical marine cnidarian Exaiptasia pallida and in-hospite Symbiodinium spp. using PAM chlorophyll-a fluorometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Howe, Pelli Louise; Reichelt-Brushett, Amanda Jean; Clark, Malcolm William; Seery, Cliff Ross

2017-06-01

Effective ecotoxicological risk assessments for herbicides in tropical marine environments are restricted by a lack of toxicity data, sensitive test methods and endpoints for relevant species, and this requires rectification. The symbiotic sea anemone Exaiptasia pallida is a suitable test species, representing the phylum Cnidaria and allowing for assessments of toxicological responses of both the animal host and in-hospite Symbiodinium spp. Pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) chlorophyll-a fluorometry is recognised as a valuable ecotoxicological tool, and here newly-developed test methods are presented using PAM fluorometry to measure herbicide effects on photosynthetic efficiency of in-hospite Symbiodinium spp. Additionally, measurements on healthy laboratory-reared E. pallida provide baseline data demonstrating the normal effective quantum yield (EQY) and the maximum electron transport rate (ETR m ) for Symbiodinium spp. in the absence of herbicide stress. Concentration-dependant reductions in the EQY and ETR m occurred during diuron and atrazine exposures; a mean 48-h EC50 (effective concentration; 50%) of 8μg/L of diuron was estimated, however atrazine elicited a much lower toxicity. Twelve-day exposures to 10-200μg/L diuron showed that the greatest EQY effect occurred during the first 48h, with little subsequent change. However, longer exposures to the lowest diuron treatment (1μg/L) showed the lowest EQYs after 96h followed by recovery to control levels within 12d. Furthermore, asexual reproduction was inhibited during 12-d exposures to diuron, and 12-d EC50 values of 100 and 132μg/L were estimated to inhibit successful reproduction of pedal lacerates and juveniles by 50% respectively. This study provides much needed data contributions to species sensitivity curves for development of diuron and atrazine water quality guidelines in tropical marine environments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical ecotoxicology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paasivirta, J.

1991-01-01

This book discusses risk assessment, chemical cycles, structure-activity relations, organohalogens, oil residues, mercury, sampling and analysis of trace chemicals, and emissions from the forestry industry. Topics include: Cycles of chemicals in the environment. Rick assessment and management, strucuture and toxicity, sampling and analysis of trace chemicals in environment, interpretation of the environmental analysis results, mercury in the environment, organohalogen compounds in the environment, emissions from forestry industry, oil residues in the environment: oil spills in the marine environment

Micro-computed tomography (μCT) as a novel method in ecotoxicology — determination of morphometric and somatic data in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brinkmann, Markus, E-mail: markus.brinkmann@bio5.rwth-aachen.de [Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen (Germany); Rizzo, Larissa Y.; Lammers, Twan; Gremse, Felix [Department of Experimental Molecular Imaging, Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen (Germany); Schiwy, Sabrina [Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen (Germany); Kiessling, Fabian [Department of Experimental Molecular Imaging, Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen (Germany); Hollert, Henner, E-mail: henner.hollert@bio5.rwth-aachen.de [Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen (Germany); College of Resources and Environmental Science, Chongqing University, 1 Tiansheng Road Beibei, Chongqing 400715 (China); College of Environmental Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai (China); State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University (China)

2016-02-01

Fish are important sentinel organisms for the assessment of water quality and play a central role in ecotoxicological research. Of particular importance to the assessment of health and fitness of fish stocks in response to environmental conditions or pollution are morphometric (e.g. Fulton's condition index) and somatic indices (e.g. hepatosomatic, and gonadosomatic index). Standard measurements of somatic indices are invasive and require, by definition, the sacrifice of examined animals, thus prohibiting longitudinal studies and relocation of animals captured in the field. As a potential solution, in the present study, we propose the use of micro-computed tomography (μCT) as imaging modality to non-invasively tomographically image rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed to different sediment suspensions. We here demonstrate that μCT can be used as a tool to reliably measure the volumes of different organs, which could then be applied as a substitute of their weights in calculation of somatic indices. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to report the results of μCT analyses in the context of ecotoxicological research in rainbow trout. It has the potential to greatly increase the information value of experiments conducted with fish and also to potentially reduce the number of animals required for studying temporal effects through facilitating longitudinal studies within the same individuals. - Highlights: • μCT was used for volumetric imaging sediment-exposed and unexposed rainbow trout • Liver volumes determined by μCT were highly correlated with liver weights. • The perfusion of organs in fish could also be studied by means of μCT. • It was shown that μCT is a useful tool in context of ecotoxicological research.

Hierarchical responses to organic contaminants in aquatic ecotoxicological bioassays: from microcystins to biodegradation

OpenAIRE

Montenegro, Katia

2008-01-01

In this thesis I explore the ecotoxicological responses of aquatic organisms at different hierarchical levels to organic contaminants by means of bioassays. The bioassays use novel endpoints or approaches to elucidate the effects of exposure to contaminants and attempt to give mechanistic explanations that could be used to interpret effects at higher hierarchical scales. The sensitivity of population growth rate in the cyanobacteria species Microcystis aeruginosa to the herbicide glyp...

Ecotoxicological Assessment of Water and Sediment Pollution of the Iskar River bellow Samokov

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan Diadovski

2005-04-01

Full Text Available A system of integral ecological indices has been worked out to assess the level of pollution of water and sediments with hazardous substances. A model for the dynamics of the integral index for water and sediments pollution is proposed. This index was applied for ecotoxicological assessment of water and sediments pollution of the Iskar river bellow Samokov. A modification method on time series analysis is applied.

Making sense of soil ecotoxicology

Science.gov (United States)

Beyer, W. Nelson; Linder, Greg L.; Hoffman, David J.; Rattner, Barnett A.; Burton, G. Allen; Cairns, John

1995-01-01

The toxicity of pesticides and environmental contaminants to soil organisms has been measured in studies on earthworms,1 soil arthropods,3-6 soil microorganisms,7 and other soil organisms.8 Toxicity data on earthworms produced in the pesticide registration procedure required by the OECD (Organization for economic cooperation and Development) will provide data on many additional chemicals.9 Deciding how to use the data generated is troublesome. In 1965, Edwards10 suggested that the effects of soil insecticides on soils may remain long after the pesticides have disappeared, and that it was clear that pesticides could drastically change the populations of soil organisms; Edwards noted, however, that the effects did not seem to be serious when compared with the benefits to crop production of using pesticides. Since 1965, many studies have been conducted on changes in soil ecosystems caused by environmental contaminants, but we still know little about what the toxicity to particular groups of soil organisms means to the functioning of the soil ecosystem. the problem was illustrated in discussions at the International Conference on Earthworm Ecotoxicology in Sheffield, England, in 1991. there was general agreement that earthworms ahould be taken into account when evaluating pesticides. However, it was unclear what level of reduction in earthworm populations would reduce soil quality or crop yeild. Because populations of earthworms naturally fluctuate greatly even in the absence of pesticides, and because some soils are fertile without any earthworms, it is difficult to equate their population decreases with damage to the soil ecosystem. Broadbent and Tomlin found that the insecticide carbofuran caused fluctuations in the populations of some microarthropods in a cornfield but, in comparing the effects to those of cultivation or adding compost, they concluded that it was unlikely that litter decomposition was significantly affected.3

A novel marine mesocosm facility to study global warming, water quality, and ocean acidification

OpenAIRE

Duarte, Gustavo; Calderon, Emiliano N.; Pereira, Cristiano M.; Marangoni, Laura F. B.; Santos, Henrique F.; Peixoto, Raquel S.; Bianchini, Adalto; Castro, Clovis B.

2015-01-01

Abstract We describe a completely randomizable flow?through outdoor mesocosm for climate change and ecotoxicology studies that was built with inexpensive materials. The 16 raceway tanks allow up to 6? water renewal per hour, avoiding changes in natural abiotic seawater conditions. We use an open?source hardware board (Arduino) that was adapted to control heaters and an innovative CO 2 injection system. This system reduced seawater pH up to ?0.9 units and increased temperature up to +6?C in th...

Recommended approaches to the scientific evaluation of ecotoxicological hazards and risks of endocrine-active substances.

Science.gov (United States)

Matthiessen, Peter; Ankley, Gerald T; Biever, Ronald C; Bjerregaard, Poul; Borgert, Christopher; Brugger, Kristin; Blankinship, Amy; Chambers, Janice; Coady, Katherine K; Constantine, Lisa; Dang, Zhichao; Denslow, Nancy D; Dreier, David A; Dungey, Steve; Gray, L Earl; Gross, Melanie; Guiney, Patrick D; Hecker, Markus; Holbech, Henrik; Iguchi, Taisen; Kadlec, Sarah; Karouna-Renier, Natalie K; Katsiadaki, Ioanna; Kawashima, Yukio; Kloas, Werner; Krueger, Henry; Kumar, Anu; Lagadic, Laurent; Leopold, Annegaaike; Levine, Steven L; Maack, Gerd; Marty, Sue; Meador, James; Mihaich, Ellen; Odum, Jenny; Ortego, Lisa; Parrott, Joanne; Pickford, Daniel; Roberts, Mike; Schaefers, Christoph; Schwarz, Tamar; Solomon, Keith; Verslycke, Tim; Weltje, Lennart; Wheeler, James R; Williams, Mike; Wolf, Jeffrey C; Yamazaki, Kunihiko

2017-03-01

A SETAC Pellston Workshop ® "Environmental Hazard and Risk Assessment Approaches for Endocrine-Active Substances (EHRA)" was held in February 2016 in Pensacola, Florida, USA. The primary objective of the workshop was to provide advice, based on current scientific understanding, to regulators and policy makers; the aim being to make considered, informed decisions on whether to select an ecotoxicological hazard- or a risk-based approach for regulating a given endocrine-disrupting substance (EDS) under review. The workshop additionally considered recent developments in the identification of EDS. Case studies were undertaken on 6 endocrine-active substances (EAS-not necessarily proven EDS, but substances known to interact directly with the endocrine system) that are representative of a range of perturbations of the endocrine system and considered to be data rich in relevant information at multiple biological levels of organization for 1 or more ecologically relevant taxa. The substances selected were 17α-ethinylestradiol, perchlorate, propiconazole, 17β-trenbolone, tributyltin, and vinclozolin. The 6 case studies were not comprehensive safety evaluations but provided foundations for clarifying key issues and procedures that should be considered when assessing the ecotoxicological hazards and risks of EAS and EDS. The workshop also highlighted areas of scientific uncertainty, and made specific recommendations for research and methods-development to resolve some of the identified issues. The present paper provides broad guidance for scientists in regulatory authorities, industry, and academia on issues likely to arise during the ecotoxicological hazard and risk assessment of EAS and EDS. The primary conclusion of this paper, and of the SETAC Pellston Workshop on which it is based, is that if data on environmental exposure, effects on sensitive species and life-stages, delayed effects, and effects at low concentrations are robust, initiating environmental risk

Marine radioactivity studies in the World Oceans (MARS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Povinec, P.P.; Togawa, O.

1999-01-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency's Marine Environment Laboratory is carrying out from 1996 a project with international participation 'Marine Radioactivity Studies in the World Oceans (MARS)'. The main objectives of the project are to provide new data on marine radioactivity and to develop a better understanding of the present radionuclide distribution in the open ocean. Within the framework of the project, various research activities are being carried out to fulfill the objectives: Coordinated Research Programme (CRP), scientific expeditions to the open ocean, development of a database for marine radioactivity, evaluation of radionuclide distributions and dose assessments. (author)

Ecotoxicological Assessment of Aquatic Genotoxicity Using the Comet Assay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

KHUSNUL YAQIN

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Comet assay is a novel biological analysis, which is a sensitive, flexible, simple, rapid, and inexpensive method to assess aquatic genotoxicant. Since Singh and co-workers developed the method in 1988, its use has increased exponentially in various fields. This review discourses on the application of this assay in aquatic ecosystems. Various types of cells from various aquatic organisms have been tested by various genotoxicant both direct- and indirect-acting using the comet assay. The applications of this assay suggest that it is a useful assay to assess aquatic genotoxicants. However, there are some factors, which should be taken into account when using this assay as aquatic ecotoxicological assessment device such as inter-animal and cell variability.

Preliminary assays for lemongrass essential oil ecotoxicological test in D. similis and C. silvestrii submitted to gamma radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gimiliani, Giovana T.; Rogero, Sizue O.; Rogero, Jose R.; Cruz, Aurea S.

2011-01-01

Pharmaceutical products are of great interest in ecotoxicological studies due to being found some of these products in the superficial waters and sediments, water and sewage treatment effluents. It was verified an increase of insect repellent chemical products in the aquatic environment because of the increase of diseases transmitted by mosquitoes like dengue. As these compounds show toxicity, the use of essential oils natural products with repellent properties is increasing and the literature about the impact in the aquatic environment is scarce. The hydric frame would suffer natural radiation and radiations from energy generation nuclear plants impacts fall out of tests and nuclear accidents. There is no universal definition of environmental protection and there are few studies on radiation effects in the aquatic environment. In this study was determined the lemon grass essential oil toxicity level as well as the lethal dose of ionizing radiation, LD 50 , in aquatic organisms. Cytotoxicity test was performed by in vitro neutral red uptake method in NCTC clone L929 cell line. In the LD 50 test aquatic organisms were submitted to gamma radiation. The essential oil of lemongrass Cymbopogon flexuosus showed cytotoxicity index IC 50 about 50μg.mL -1 . The LD 50 for Daphnia similis was 242 Gy and Ceriodaphnia silvestrii about 525 Gy. Studies will be continued with acute and chronic ecotoxicological tests of lemongrass essential oil in natural organisms and in organisms submitted to gamma radiation, utilizing the results obtained in this work. (author)

Ecological and ecotoxicological responses in the assessment of the ecological status of freshwater systems: A case-study of the temporary stream Brejo of Cagarrão (South of Portugal).

Science.gov (United States)

Palma, P; Matos, C; Alvarenga, P; Köck-Schulmeyer, M; Simões, I; Barceló, D; López de Alda, M J

2018-09-01

The objective of the study was to assess the integrated use of macroinvertebrate indexes and ecotoxicological parameters in the evaluation of the ecological status of a temporary stream with a strong agricultural influence. Water quality was analysed at two sampling sites along the stream, considering: chemical supporting parameters; hazardous substances (pesticides); benthic macroinvertebrate communities, through quality (Iberian Biological Monitoring Working Party and Iberian Average Score Per Taxon) and multi-metric indices (Southern Portuguese Index of Invertebrates and Ecological Quality Ratio); and ecotoxicological responses using lethal and sub-lethal bioassays. The water chemical characterization showed high levels of organic matter and nutrients, mainly in the dry period ((biochemical oxygen demand (BOD 5 ): 18.5-25.5mgL -1 , chemical oxygen demand (COD): 60.8-193.7mgL -1 ; total phosphorus (TP): 0.17-0.33mgL -1 )), which may compromise the support of biological life. In accordance with the physicochemical results, the stream had an ecological status less than good. Of the 25 pesticides analysed, only five, namely terbuthylazine, 2-methyl-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, bentazone, mecoprop and metolachlor were quantified. In general, the concentrations of pesticides detected were low, except at the source of the stream in January 2012 (sum of pesticides 2.29μgL -1 ), mainly due to the concentration of bentazone (1.77μgL -1 ), both values surpassing the European Commission threshold values. The analysis of benthic macroinvertebrates showed low levels of abundance and family diversity, with communities dominated by resistant groups to organic pollution and pesticides, such as the Chironomidae family. In general, the reproduction ecotoxicological results showed a very marked decrease in the number of juveniles per female. The Spearman correlation identified pesticides, namely MCPA (R=-0.89; p<0.05), as the main responsible for the observed effect. The results

Ecotoxicological assessments show sucralose and fluoxetine affect the aquatic plant, Lemna minor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amy-Sagers, Cherisse; Reinhardt, Keith; Larson, Danelle M., E-mail: danellelarson77@gmail.com

2017-04-15

Highlights: • Sucralose increased leaf area and photosynthetic capacity of Lemna minor. • Sucralose increased δ {sup 13}C of Lemna, indicating substantial uptake and assimilation. • 100 μg/L-fluoxetine decreased Lemna minor growth and asexual reproduction. - Abstract: Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP) are prevalent in aquatic systems, yet the fate and impacts on aquatic plants needs quantification for many compounds. We measured and detected sucralose (an artificial sweetener), fluoxetine (an antidepressant), and other PPCP in the Portneuf River in Idaho, USA, where Lemna minor (an aquatic plant in the environment and used in ecotoxicology studies) naturally occurs. Sucralose was hypothesized to negatively affect photosynthesis and growth of L. minor because sucralose is a chlorinated molecule that may be toxic or unusable for plant metabolism. A priori hypotheses were not created for fluoxetine due to lack of previous studies examining its impacts on plants. We conducted laboratory ecotoxicological assessments for a large range of concentrations of sucralose and fluoxetine on L. minor physiology and photosynthetic function. Frond green leaf area, root length, growth rate, photosynthetic capacity, and plant carbon isotopic composition (discrimination relative to a standard; δ{sup 13}C) were measured among treatments ranging from 0 to 15000 nmol/L-sucralose and 0–323 nmol/L-fluoxetine. Contrary to our predictions, sucralose significantly increased green leaf area, photosynthetic capacity, and δ {sup 13}C of L. minor at environmentally relevant concentrations. The increase of δ {sup 13}C from sucralose amendments and an isotope-mixing model indicated substantial sucralose uptake and assimilation within the plant. Unlike humans who cannot break down and utilize sucralose, we documented that L. minor—a mixotrophic plant—can use sucralose as a sugar substitute to increase its green leaf area and photosynthetic capacity. Fluoxetine

Ecotoxicological assessments show sucralose and fluoxetine affect the aquatic plant, Lemna minor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amy-Sagers, Cherisse; Reinhardt, Keith; Larson, Danelle M.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Sucralose increased leaf area and photosynthetic capacity of Lemna minor. • Sucralose increased δ "1"3C of Lemna, indicating substantial uptake and assimilation. • 100 μg/L-fluoxetine decreased Lemna minor growth and asexual reproduction. - Abstract: Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP) are prevalent in aquatic systems, yet the fate and impacts on aquatic plants needs quantification for many compounds. We measured and detected sucralose (an artificial sweetener), fluoxetine (an antidepressant), and other PPCP in the Portneuf River in Idaho, USA, where Lemna minor (an aquatic plant in the environment and used in ecotoxicology studies) naturally occurs. Sucralose was hypothesized to negatively affect photosynthesis and growth of L. minor because sucralose is a chlorinated molecule that may be toxic or unusable for plant metabolism. A priori hypotheses were not created for fluoxetine due to lack of previous studies examining its impacts on plants. We conducted laboratory ecotoxicological assessments for a large range of concentrations of sucralose and fluoxetine on L. minor physiology and photosynthetic function. Frond green leaf area, root length, growth rate, photosynthetic capacity, and plant carbon isotopic composition (discrimination relative to a standard; δ"1"3C) were measured among treatments ranging from 0 to 15000 nmol/L-sucralose and 0–323 nmol/L-fluoxetine. Contrary to our predictions, sucralose significantly increased green leaf area, photosynthetic capacity, and δ "1"3C of L. minor at environmentally relevant concentrations. The increase of δ "1"3C from sucralose amendments and an isotope-mixing model indicated substantial sucralose uptake and assimilation within the plant. Unlike humans who cannot break down and utilize sucralose, we documented that L. minor—a mixotrophic plant—can use sucralose as a sugar substitute to increase its green leaf area and photosynthetic capacity. Fluoxetine significantly

Biological effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of the pharmaceutical Triclosan in the marine mussel Perna perna (Linnaeus, 1758)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanzi Cortez, Fernando, E-mail: lecotox@unisanta.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares IPEN-CNEN/SP, 05508-000 Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Laboratorio de Ecotoxicologia, Universidade Santa Cecilia, 11045-907 Santos, SP (Brazil); Dias Seabra Pereira, Camilo [Laboratorio de Ecotoxicologia, Universidade Santa Cecilia, 11045-907 Santos, SP (Brazil); Instituto do Mar, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, 11030-400 Santos, SP (Brazil); Ramos Santos, Aldo Ramos [Laboratorio de Ecotoxicologia, Universidade Santa Cecilia, 11045-907 Santos, SP (Brazil); Cesar, Augusto; Choueri, Rodrigo Brasil [Laboratorio de Ecotoxicologia, Universidade Santa Cecilia, 11045-907 Santos, SP (Brazil); Instituto do Mar, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, 11030-400 Santos, SP (Brazil); Martini, Gisela de Assis [Laboratorio de Ecotoxicologia, Universidade Santa Cecilia, 11045-907 Santos, SP (Brazil); Bohrer-Morel, Maria Beatriz [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares IPEN-CNEN/SP, 05508-000 Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2012-09-15

Triclosan (5-Chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) phenol) is an antibacterial compound widely employed in pharmaceuticals and personal care products. Although this emerging compound has been detected in aquatic environments, scarce information is found on the effects of Triclosan to marine organisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of a concentration range of Triclosan through fertilization assay (reproductive success), embryo-larval development assay (early life stage) and physiological stress (Neutral Red Retention Time assay - NRRT) (adult stage) in the marine sentinel organism Perna perna. The mean inhibition concentrations for fertilization (IC{sub 50} = 0.490 mg L{sup -1}) and embryo-larval development (IC{sub 50} = 0.135 mg L{sup -1}) tests were above environmental relevant concentrations (ng L{sup -1}) given by previous studies. Differently, significant reduction on NRRT results was found at 12 ng L{sup -1}, demonstrating the current risk of the continuous introduction of Triclosan into aquatic environments, and the need of ecotoxicological studies oriented by the mechanism of action of the compound. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Triclosan causes biological adverse effects at environmental relevant concentrations. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Mechanisms of action oriented assays were more sensitive to detect biological damages. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Currently there is environmental risks concerned Triclosan in aquatic ecosystems. - Triclosan causes biological adverse effects at environmentally relevant concentrations.

Biological effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of the pharmaceutical Triclosan in the marine mussel Perna perna (Linnaeus, 1758)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanzi Cortez, Fernando; Dias Seabra Pereira, Camilo; Ramos Santos, Aldo Ramos; Cesar, Augusto; Choueri, Rodrigo Brasil; Martini, Gisela de Assis; Bohrer-Morel, Maria Beatriz

2012-01-01

Triclosan (5-Chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) phenol) is an antibacterial compound widely employed in pharmaceuticals and personal care products. Although this emerging compound has been detected in aquatic environments, scarce information is found on the effects of Triclosan to marine organisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of a concentration range of Triclosan through fertilization assay (reproductive success), embryo-larval development assay (early life stage) and physiological stress (Neutral Red Retention Time assay - NRRT) (adult stage) in the marine sentinel organism Perna perna. The mean inhibition concentrations for fertilization (IC 50 = 0.490 mg L −1 ) and embryo-larval development (IC 50 = 0.135 mg L −1 ) tests were above environmental relevant concentrations (ng L −1 ) given by previous studies. Differently, significant reduction on NRRT results was found at 12 ng L −1 , demonstrating the current risk of the continuous introduction of Triclosan into aquatic environments, and the need of ecotoxicological studies oriented by the mechanism of action of the compound. - Highlights: ► Triclosan causes biological adverse effects at environmental relevant concentrations. ► Mechanisms of action oriented assays were more sensitive to detect biological damages. ► Currently there is environmental risks concerned Triclosan in aquatic ecosystems. - Triclosan causes biological adverse effects at environmentally relevant concentrations.

The chronic toxicity of molybdate to marine organisms. I. Generating reliable effects data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heijerick, D.G., E-mail: Dagobert.heijerick@arche-consulting.be [ARCHE - Assessing Risks of Chemicals, Stapelplein 70 Bus 104, Gent (Belgium); Regoli, L. [International Molybdenum Association, 4 Heathfield Terrace, London, W4 4JE (United Kingdom); Stubblefield, W. [Oregon State University, Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, 421 Weniger Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331 (United States)

2012-07-15

A scientific research program was initiated by the International Molybdenum Association (IMOA) which addressed identified gaps in the environmental toxicity data for the molybdate ion (MoO{sub 4}{sup 2-}). These gaps were previously identified during the preparation of EU-REACH-dossiers for different molybdenum compounds (European Union regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemical substances; EC, 2006). Evaluation of the open literature identified few reliable marine ecotoxicological data that could be used for deriving a Predicted No-Effect Concentration (PNEC) for the marine environment. Rather than calculating a PNEC{sub marine} using the assessment factor methodology on a combined freshwater/marine dataset, IMOA decided to generate sufficient reliable marine chronic data to permit derivation of a PNEC by means of the more scientifically robust species sensitivity distribution (SSD) approach (also called the statistical extrapolation approach). Nine test species were chronically exposed to molybdate (added as sodium molybdate dihydrate, Na{sub 2}MoO{sub 4}{center_dot}2H{sub 2}O) according to published standard testing guidelines that are acceptable for a broad range of regulatory purposes. The selected test organisms were representative for typical marine trophic levels: micro-algae/diatom (Phaeodactylum tricornutum, Dunaliella tertiolecta), macro-alga (Ceramium tenuicorne), mysids (Americamysis bahia), copepod (Acartia tonsa), fish (Cyprinodon variegatus), echinoderms (Dendraster exentricus, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) and molluscs (Mytilus edulis, Crassostrea gigas). Available NOEC/EC{sub 10} levels ranged between 4.4 mg Mo/L (blue mussel M. edulis) and 1174 mg Mo/L (oyster C. gigas). Using all available reliable marine chronic effects data that are currently available, a HC{sub 5,50%} (median hazardous concentration affecting 5% of the species) of 5.74 (mg Mo)/L was derived with the statistical extrapolation approach, a

Clustering pesticides according to their molecular properties and their impacts by considering additional ecotoxicological parameters in the TyPol method

Science.gov (United States)

Traore, Harouna; Crouzet, Olivier; Mamy, Laure; Sireyjol, Christine; Rossard, Virginie; Servien, Remy; Latrille, Eric; Benoit, Pierre

2017-04-01

The understanding of the fate of pesticides and their environmental impacts largely relies on their molecular properties. We recently developed 'TyPol' (Typology of Pollutants), a clustering method based on statistical analyses combining several environmental endpoints (i.e. environmental parameters such as sorption coefficient, degradation half-life) and one ecotoxicological one (bioconcentration factor), and structural molecular descriptors (number of atoms in the molecule, molecular surface, dipole moment, energy of orbitals…). TyPol has been conceived on the available knowledge on QSAR of a wide diversity of organic compounds (Mamy et al., 2015). This approach also allows to focus on transformation products present in different clusters and to infer possible changes in environmental fate consecutively to different degradation processes (Servien et al., 2014; Benoit et al., 2016). The initial version of TyPol did not include any ecotoxicological parameters except the bioconcentration factor (BCF), which informs more on the transfer along the trophic chain rather than on the effects on non-target organisms. The objective was to implement the TyPol database with a data set of ecotoxicological data concerning pesticides and several aquatic and terrestrial organisms, in order to test the possibility to extend TyPol to ecotoxicological effects on various organisms. The data analysis (available literature and databases) revealed that relevant ecotoxicological endpoints for terrestrial organisms such as soil microorganisms and macroinvertebrates are lacking compared to aquatic organisms. We have added seven parameters for acute (EC50, LC50) and chronic (NOEC) toxicological effects for the following organisms: Daphnia, Algae, Lemna and Earthworm. In this new configuration, TyPol was used to classify about 45 pesticides in different behavioural and ecotoxicity clusters. The clustering results were analyzed to reveals relationships between molecular descriptors

Ecotoxicological effects of decabromodiphenyl ether and cadmium contamination on soil microbes and enzymes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wei; Zhang, Meng; An, Shuai; Xiong, Bang; Li, Hui; Cui, Changzheng; Lin, Kuangfei

2012-08-01

The ecotoxicological effects of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE209) and cadmium (Cd) contamination on soil culturable microbial population, enzyme activity and bacterial community structure were investigated. Results of the indoor incubation test runs performed on many series of control and contaminated soil samples have demonstrated some notable toxic effects due to long term exposure to either or both contaminants. The two contaminants produced notable yet different toxic effects on the test microbes; the population of the exposed species generally declined according to certain dose-response relationships. The soil culturable microbial population and enzyme activity data show that the sensitivity to one or both contaminants followed the order of: bacteria>fungi>actinomycete and urease>saccharase, respectively. The interaction between BDE209 and Cd was dependent on both the exposure dose and time and that the joint toxic effects were synergistic, antagonistic or additive. The PCR-DGGE analysis data of species composition and richness suggest the synergistic combined effects on bacterial community structure during the 30d exposure. Pseudomonas tuomuerensis strain CCM 7280 and Pseudomonas alcaliphila strain AL15-21 were enriched, indicating these species might be major functional populations and highly tolerant. Such observations have provided the useful information of potential ecotoxicological effects of BDE209 and Cd contamination in the environment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ecotoxicological water assessment of an estuarine river from the Brazilian Northeast, potentially affected by industrial wastewater discharge.

Science.gov (United States)

de Melo Gurgel, Piatã; Navoni, Julio Alejandro; de Morais Ferreira, Douglisnilson; do Amaral, Viviane Souza

2016-12-01

Water pollution generated by industrial effluents discharge is a threat to the maintenance of aquatic ecosystems and human development. The Jundiai River estuarine, located in Northeast Brazil, receives an industrial pretreated effluent load from the city of Macaíba/RN/Brazil. The present study aimed to assess the water quality of this water reservoir through i) physicochemical characterization, ii) quantification of metal concentration and iii) by an ecotoxicological assessment carried out using Mysidopsis juniae and Pomacea lineata. The study was performed throughout the period comprising May to September 2014. Physicochemical variables such as chloride, total solids and electrical conductivity presented values in the waste discharge point, significantly different with those located out of the waste releasing point. Apart from that, metal concentration showed variable behavior throughout the monitored period. Levels of Al, Fe, Cu, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb and Ag were over the considered guidelines. Both natural and anthropogenic sources seem to be involved in the resulting environmental scenario. A reduction in the fecundity rate (using Mysidopsis juniae) along with an increase in mortality rate (in both species) was observed ratifying the presence of toxic substances in this water reservoir. Moreover, a correlation analysis stated an association of the aforementioned toxicological effects with the delivery of industrial waste products. The ecotoxicological assessment performed highlighted the presence of toxic substance/s in water from the Jundiai River. Especially as a consequence of industrial activity, a fact that might threaten the bioma and, therefore, the human health of the population settled in the studied region. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radionuclides in the study of marine processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kershaw, P.J.; Woodhead, D.S.

1991-01-01

For many years, the radioactive properties of the naturally occurring radionuclides have been used to determine their distributions in the marine environment and, more generally, to gain an understanding of the dynamic processes which control their behaviour in attaining these distributions. More recently the inputs from human activities of both natural and artificial (i.e. man-made) radionuclides have provided additional opportunities for the study of marine processes on local, regional and global scales. The primary objective of the symposium is to provide a forum for an open discussion of the insights concerning processes in the marine environment which can be gained from studies of radionuclide behaviour. Papers have been grouped within the following principal themes; the uses of radionuclides as tracers of water transport; scavenging and particulate transport processes in the oceans as deduced from radionuclide behaviour; processes in the seabed and radionuclides in biological systems. (Author)

Ecotoxicological evaluation of swine manure disposal on tropical soils in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Segat, Julia Corá; Alves, Paulo Roger Lopes; Baretta, Dilmar; Cardoso, Elke Jurandy Bran Nogueira

2015-12-01

Swine production in Brazil results in a great volume of manure that normally is disposed of as agricultural fertilizer. However, this form of soil disposal, generally on small farms, causes the accumulation of large amounts of manure and this results in contaminated soil and water tables. To evaluate the effects of increasing concentrations of swine manure on earthworms, several ecotoxicological tests were performed using Eisenia andrei as test organism in different tropical soils, classified respectively as Ultisol, Oxisol, and Entisol, as well as Tropical Artificial Soil (TAS). The survival, reproduction and behavior of the earthworms were evaluated in experiments using a completely randomized design, with five replications. In the Ultisol, Oxisol and TAS the swine manure showed no lethality, but in the Entisol it caused earthworm mortality (LOEC=45 m(3)ha(-1)). In the Entisol, the waste reduced the reproductive rate and caused avoidance behavior in E. andrei (LOEC=30 m(3)ha(-1)) even in lower concentrations. The Entisol is extremely sandy, with low cation exchange capacity (CEC), and this may be the reason for the higher toxicity on soil fauna, with the soil not being able to hold large amounts of pollutants (e.g. toxic metals), but leaving them in bioavailable forms. These results should be a warning of the necessity to consider soil parameters (e.g. texture and CEC) when evaluating soil contamination by means of ecotoxicological assays, as there still are no standards for natural soils in tropical regions. E. andrei earthworms act as indicators for a soil to support disposal of swine manure without generating harm to agriculture and ecosystems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preliminary assays for lemongrass essential oil ecotoxicological test in D. similis and C. silvestrii submitted to gamma radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gimiliani, Giovana T.; Rogero, Sizue O.; Rogero, Jose R., E-mail: gtgimiliani@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Cruz, Aurea S. [Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Culturas Celulares

2011-07-01

Pharmaceutical products are of great interest in ecotoxicological studies due to being found some of these products in the superficial waters and sediments, water and sewage treatment effluents. It was verified an increase of insect repellent chemical products in the aquatic environment because of the increase of diseases transmitted by mosquitoes like dengue. As these compounds show toxicity, the use of essential oils natural products with repellent properties is increasing and the literature about the impact in the aquatic environment is scarce. The hydric frame would suffer natural radiation and radiations from energy generation nuclear plants impacts fall out of tests and nuclear accidents. There is no universal definition of environmental protection and there are few studies on radiation effects in the aquatic environment. In this study was determined the lemon grass essential oil toxicity level as well as the lethal dose of ionizing radiation, LD{sub 50}, in aquatic organisms. Cytotoxicity test was performed by in vitro neutral red uptake method in NCTC clone L929 cell line. In the LD{sub 50} test aquatic organisms were submitted to gamma radiation. The essential oil of lemongrass Cymbopogon flexuosus showed cytotoxicity index IC{sub 50} about 50{mu}g.mL{sup -1}. The LD{sub 50} for Daphnia similis was 242 Gy and Ceriodaphnia silvestrii about 525 Gy. Studies will be continued with acute and chronic ecotoxicological tests of lemongrass essential oil in natural organisms and in organisms submitted to gamma radiation, utilizing the results obtained in this work. (author)

A multidisciplinary approach for the characterization of the coastal marine ecosystems of Monte Di Procida (Campania, Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Mangoni, Olga; Aiello, Giuseppe; Balbi, Simona; Barra, Diana; Bolinesi, Francesco; Donadio, Carlo; Ferrara, Luciano; Guida, Marco; Parisi, Roberta; Pennetta, Micla; Trifuoggi, Marco; Arienzo, Michele

2016-11-15

A multidisciplinary survey was carried out on the quality of water and sediments of a coastal protected marine area, embedded between the inputs from Bagnoli steel plant to the south and a sewage plant, Volturno River and Regi Lagni channel to the north. The study integrated chemical-sedimentological data with biological and ecotoxicological analyses to assess anthropogenic pressures and natural variability. Data reveal marked differences in anthropogenic pollution between southeastern and northwestern zone, with the north affected by both inorganic and organic flows and the south influenced by levels of As, Pb and Zn in the sediments above law limits, deriving from inputs of the Bagnoli brownfield site. Meiobenthic data revealed at south higher relative abundance of sensitive species to pollution and environmental stress to the south, i.e. Lobatula lobatula and Rosalina bradyi, whereas to the north relative abundance of stress tolerant Quinqueloculina lata, Quinqueloculina pygmaea and Cribroelphidium cuvilleri were determined. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Methodology for the ecotoxicological evaluation of areas polluted by phosphogypsum wastes.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Sanchez, M. J.; Garcia-Lorenzo, M. L.; Perez-Sirvent, C.; Martinez-Lopez, S.; Hernandez-Cordoba, M.; Bech, J.

2012-04-01

In Spain, the production of phosphoric acid, and hence of phosphogypsum, is restricted to a fertilizer industrial site. The residues contain some radionuclides of the U-series and other contaminants. In order to estimate the risk posed by these materials, chemical methods need to be complemented with biological methods. Then, the aim of this study was to develop a battery of bioassays for the ecotoxicological screening of areas polluted by phosphogypsum wastes. Particularly, the toxicity of water samples, sediments and their pore-water extracts was evaluated by using three assays: bacteria, plants and ostracods. The applied bioassays were: the bioluminescence inhibition of Vibrio fischeri in superficial water samples using Microtox® bioassay; the root and shoot elongation inhibition and the mortality of Lepidium sativum, Sorghum saccharatum and Sinapis alba using Phytotoxkit® bioassay; and inhibition of Heterocypris incongruens by way of Ostracodtoxkit®. Proposed methodology allows the identification of contamination sources and non contaminated areas, corresponding to decreasing toxicity values.

Marine Research Infrastructure collaboration in the COOPLUS project framework - Promoting synergies for marine ecosystems studies

Science.gov (United States)

Beranzoli, L.; Best, M.; Embriaco, D.; Favali, P.; Juniper, K.; Lo Bue, N.; Lara-Lopez, A.; Materia, P.; Ó Conchubhair, D.; O'Rourke, E.; Proctor, R.; Weller, R. A.

2017-12-01

Understanding effects on marine ecosystems of multiple drivers at various scales; from regional such as climate and ocean circulation, to local, such as seafloor gas emissions and harmful underwater noise, requires long time-series of integrated and standardised datasets. Large-scale research infrastructures for ocean observation are able to provide such time-series for a variety of ocean process physical parameters (mass and energy exchanges among surface, water column and benthic boundary layer) that constitute important and necessary measures of environmental conditions and change/development over time. Information deduced from these data is essential for the study, modelling and prediction of marine ecosystems changes and can reveal and potentially confirm deterioration and threats. The COOPLUS European Commission project brings together research infrastructures with the aim of coordinating multilateral cooperation among RIs and identifying common priorities, actions, instruments, resources. COOPLUS will produce a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) which will be a shared roadmap for mid to long-term collaboration. In particular, marine RIs collaborating in COOPLUS, namely the European Multidisciplinary Seafloor and water column Observatory: EMSO (Europe), the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI, USA), Ocean Networks Canada (ONC), and the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS, Australia), can represent a source of important data for researchers of marine ecosystems. The RIs can then, in turn, receive suggestions from researchers for implementing new measurements and stimulating cross-cutting collaborations and data integration and standardisation from their user community. This poster provides a description of EMSO, OOI, ONC and IMOS for the benefit of marine ecosystem studies and presents examples of where the analyses of time-series have revealed noteworthy environmental conditions, temporal trends and events.

Ecotoxicological assessment of metal-polluted urban soils using bioassays with three soil invertebrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Santorufo, Lucia; Van Gestel, Cornelis A M; Maisto, Giulia

2012-07-01

This study aimed at assessing the quality of urban soils by integrating chemical and ecotoxicological approaches. Soils from five sites in downtown Naples, Italy, were sampled and characterized for physical-chemical properties and total and water-extractable metal concentrations. Bioassays with Eisenia andrei, Enchytraeus crypticus and Folsomia candida were performed to assess toxicity of the soils, using survival, reproduction and growth as the endpoints. Metal bioaccumulation in the animals was also measured. The properties and metal concentrations of the soils strongly differed. Metal bioaccumulation was related with total metal concentrations in soil and was highest in E. crypticus, which was more sensitive than E. andrei and F. candida. Responses of the three species to the investigated soils seemed due to both metal contamination and soil properties. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated detection of structural alerts (chemical fragments in (ecotoxicology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ronan Bureau

2013-02-01

Full Text Available This mini-review describes the evolution of different algorithms dedicated to the automated discovery of chemical fragments associated to (ecotoxicological endpoints. These structural alerts correspond to one of the most interesting approach of in silico toxicology due to their direct link with specific toxicological mechanisms. A number of expert systems are already available but, since the first work in this field which considered a binomial distribution of chemical fragments between two datasets, new data miners were developed and applied with success in chemoinformatics. The frequency of a chemical fragment in a dataset is often at the core of the process for the definition of its toxicological relevance. However, recent progresses in data mining provide new insights into the automated discovery of new rules. Particularly, this review highlights the notion of Emerging Patterns that can capture contrasts between classes of data.

AUTOMATED DETECTION OF STRUCTURAL ALERTS (CHEMICAL FRAGMENTS IN (ECOTOXICOLOGY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alban Lepailleur

2013-02-01

Full Text Available This mini-review describes the evolution of different algorithms dedicated to the automated discovery of chemical fragments associated to (ecotoxicological endpoints. These structural alerts correspond to one of the most interesting approach of in silico toxicology due to their direct link with specific toxicological mechanisms. A number of expert systems are already available but, since the first work in this field which considered a binomial distribution of chemical fragments between two datasets, new data miners were developed and applied with success in chemoinformatics. The frequency of a chemical fragment in a dataset is often at the core of the process for the definition of its toxicological relevance. However, recent progresses in data mining provide new insights into the automated discovery of new rules. Particularly, this review highlights the notion of Emerging Patterns that can capture contrasts between classes of data.

Marine pollution in the Libyan coastal area: Environmental and risk assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonsignore, Maria; Salvagio Manta, Daniela; Al-Tayeb Sharif, Ehab A; D'Agostino, Fabio; Traina, Anna; Quinci, Enza Maria; Giaramita, Luigi; Monastero, Calogera; Benothman, Mohamed; Sprovieri, Mario

2018-03-01

A comprehensive assessment of the potential adverse effects on environment and human health generated by the inputs of chemicals from the most important Libyan petrochemical plant is presented. Ecotoxicological risk associated with the presence of As, Hg, Ni, Zn and PAHs in marine sediments is low or moderate, with a probability of toxicity for ecosystem <9% and <20% for heavy metals and PAHs respectively. However, surface sediments result strongly enriched in Hg and As of anthropogenic origin. Investigation of metals in fish allowed to assess potential risks for human populations via fish intake. Target hazard quotients values indicate potential risk associated to toxic metals exposure by fish consumption and lifetime cancer risk (TR) values highlight a potential carcinogen risk associated to As intake. Noteworthy, the presented results provide an unprecedented environmental dataset in an area where the availability of field data is very scant, for a better understanding of anthropogenic impacts at Mediterranean scale. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the efficacy of bioremediating a diesel-contaminated soil using ecotoxicological and bacterial community indices.

Science.gov (United States)

Khudur, Leadin Salah; Shahsavari, Esmaeil; Miranda, Ana F; Morrison, Paul D; Nugegoda, Dayanthi; Ball, Andrew S

2015-10-01

Diesel represents a common environmental contaminant as a result of operation, storage, and transportation accidents. The bioremediation of diesel in a contaminated soil is seen as an environmentally safe approach to treat contaminated land. The effectiveness of the remediation process is usually assessed by the degradation of the total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentration, without considering ecotoxicological effects. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of two bioremediation strategies in terms of reduction in TPH concentration together with ecotoxicity indices and changes in the bacterial diversity assessed using PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The biostimulation strategy resulted in a 90 % reduction in the TPH concentration versus 78 % reduction from the natural attenuation strategy over 12 weeks incubation in a laboratory mesocosm-containing diesel-contaminated soil. In contrast, the reduction in the ecotoxicity resulting from the natural attenuation treatment using the Microtox and earthworm toxicity assays was more than double the reduction resulting from the biostimulation treatment (45 and 20 % reduction, respectively). The biostimulated treatment involved the addition of nitrogen and phosphorus in order to stimulate the microorganisms by creating an optimal C:N:P molar ratio. An increased concentration of ammonium and phosphate was detected in the biostimulated soil compared with the naturally attenuated samples before and after the remediation process. Furthermore, through PCR-DGGE, significant changes in the bacterial community were observed as a consequence of adding the nutrients together with the diesel (biostimulation), resulting in the formation of distinctly different bacterial communities in the soil subjected to the two strategies used in this study. These findings indicate the suitability of both bioremediation approaches in treating hydrocarbon-contaminated soil, particularly biostimulation. Although

Assessing Sub-Lethal Impacts of Petroleum Compounds on Marine Benthic Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lindgren, J. Fredrik

2012-07-01

Petroleum and its different distillates commonly end up in the marine environment. One source of these additions is discharges originating from shipping activities; accidents, ship wrecks, operational spills etc. Depending on several different factors that govern the fate of petroleum released into the marine environment the effects of the discharge will differ, from acute toxic to long term sub-lethal effects. While effects on biota from large spills have thoroughly been investigated in the past long term sub-lethal effects are somewhat less examined. Therefore the objective of this thesis has been to develop and apply a method to analyze what effects low concentrations of petroleum, which often ends up in marine sediments, have on benthic sediment biota. Ecotoxicological endpoints that were evaluated were density changes of meiofauna and variations in the microbial community function, measured as inorganic nutrient fluxes over the sediment-water interface the potential to perform a metabolic process. These types of organisms are two important key players in marine benthic sedimentary habitats, performing ecosystem services such as degradation of organic matter, recycling of nutrients and various pollutants and they constitute a carbon link to higher trophic levels. As manual classification of meiofauna is very time-consuming process including an extended learning process for the taxonomist, this thesis is in its first part focused at the field of automatic classification. To classify meiofaunal communities a novel technique was developed where the image analysis software ZooImage was adapted to automatically classify higher taxonomic taxa of meiofauna, with successful results. The technique was evaluated by classifying meiofaunal communities from five different depths in the Gullmar Fjord, Sweden. The accuracy of the analyses was tested using ZooImage's internal 10-fold cross-validation method, and by comparing digitalized samples from the different sites

Micro-computed tomography (μCT) as a novel method in ecotoxicology--determination of morphometric and somatic data in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

Science.gov (United States)

Brinkmann, Markus; Rizzo, Larissa Y; Lammers, Twan; Gremse, Felix; Schiwy, Sabrina; Kiessling, Fabian; Hollert, Henner

2016-02-01

Fish are important sentinel organisms for the assessment of water quality and play a central role in ecotoxicological research. Of particular importance to the assessment of health and fitness of fish stocks in response to environmental conditions or pollution are morphometric (e.g. Fulton's condition index) and somatic indices (e.g. hepatosomatic, and gonadosomatic index). Standard measurements of somatic indices are invasive and require, by definition, the sacrifice of examined animals, thus prohibiting longitudinal studies and relocation of animals captured in the field. As a potential solution, in the present study, we propose the use of micro-computed tomography (μCT) as imaging modality to non-invasively tomographically image rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed to different sediment suspensions. We here demonstrate that μCT can be used as a tool to reliably measure the volumes of different organs, which could then be applied as a substitute of their weights in calculation of somatic indices. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to report the results of μCT analyses in the context of ecotoxicological research in rainbow trout. It has the potential to greatly increase the information value of experiments conducted with fish and also to potentially reduce the number of animals required for studying temporal effects through facilitating longitudinal studies within the same individuals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of the application of an ecotoxicological procedure to screen illicit toxic discharges in domestic septic tank sludge.

Science.gov (United States)

López-Gastey, J; Choucri, A; Robidoux, P Y; Sunahara, G I

2000-06-01

An innovative screening procedure has been developed to detect illicit toxic discharges in domestic septic tank sludge hauled to the Montreal Urban Community waste-water treatment plant. This new means of control is based on an integrative approach, using bioassays and chemical analyses. Conservative criteria are applied to detect abnormal toxicity with great reliability while avoiding false positive results. The complementary data obtained from toxicity tests and chemical analyses support the use of this efficient and easy-to-apply procedure. This study assesses the control procedure in which 231 samples were analyzed over a 30-month period. Data clearly demonstrate the deterrent power of an efficient control procedure combined with a public awareness campaign among the carriers. In the first 15 months of application, between January 1996 and March 1997, approximately 30% of the 123 samples analyzed showed abnormal toxicity. Between April 1997 and June 1998, that is, after a public hearing presentation of this procedure, this proportion dropped significantly to approximately 9% based on 108 analyzed samples. The results of a 30-month application of this new control procedure show the superior efficiency of the ecotoxicological approach compared with the previously used chemical control procedure. To be able to apply it effectively and, if necessary, to apply the appropriate coercive measures, ecotoxicological criteria should be included in regulatory guidelines.

Ecotoxicological potential of the biocides terbutryn, octhilinone and methylisothiazolinone: Underestimated risk from biocidal pathways?

Science.gov (United States)

Kresmann, Simon; Arokia, Arokia Hansel Rajan; Koch, Christoph; Sures, Bernd

2018-06-01

The use of biocides by industry, agriculture and households increased throughout the last two decades. Many new applications with known substances enriched the variety of biocidal pollution sources for the aquatic environment. While agriculture was the major source for a long time, leaching from building facades and preservation of personal care and cleaning products was identified as new sources in the last few years. With the different usage forms of biocidal products the complexity of legislative regulation increased as well. The requirements for risk assessment differ from one law to another and the potential risk of substances under different regulations might be underestimated. Still EC 50 and predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) values gained from testing with different species are the core of environmental risk assessment, but ecotoxicological data is limited or lacking for many biocides. In this study the biocides widely used in facade coatings and household products terbutryn, octhilinone and methylisothiazolinone were tested with the Daphnia magna acute immobilisation assay, the neutral red uptake assay and the ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) assay, performed with rainbow trout liver (RTL-W1) cells. Further, the MTT assay with the ovarian cell line CHO-9 from Chinese hamster was used as mammalian model. Octhilinone induced the strongest effects with EC 50 values of 156μg/l in the D. magna assay, while terbutryn showed the weakest effects with 8390μg/l and methylisothiazolinone 513μg/l respectively. All other assays showed higher EC 50 values and thus only weak effects. EROD assays did not show any effects. With additional literature and database records PNEC values were calculated: terbutryn reached 0.003μg/l, octhilinone 0.05μg/l and methylisothiazolinone 0.5μg/l. Potential ecotoxicological risks of these biocides are discussed, considering environmental concentrations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Inhibition of larval development of the marine copepod Acartia tonsa by four synthetic musk substances

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wollenberger, Leah; Breitholtz, M.; Kusk, Kresten Ole

2003-01-01

A nitro musk (musk ketone). and three polycyclic musks (Tonalide(TM), Galaxolide(TM) and Celestolide(TM)) were tested for acute and subchronic effects on a marine crustacean, the calanoid copepod Acartia tonsa. Sublethal effects on A. tonsa larvae were investigated with a rapid and cost effective...... bioassay, which is based on the easily detectable morphological change from the last nauplius to the first copepodite stage during copepod larval development. The inhibition of larval development after 5 days exposure was a very sensitive endpoint, with 5-d-EC(50)-values as low as 0.026 mg/l (Tonalide...... of synthetic musks, for which there is little published ecotoxicological information available regarding Crustacea. It is suggested that subchronic and chronic copepod toxicity tests should be used more frequently for risk assessment of environmental pollutants. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights...

Contamination of butyltin compounds in Malaysian marine environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sudaryanto, Agus; Takahashi, Shin; Iwata, Hisato; Tanabe, Shinsuke; Ismail, Ahmad

2004-01-01

Concentration of butyltin compounds (BTs), including tributyltin (TBT), dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT) and total tin (ΣSn) were determined in green mussel (Perna viridis), 10 species of muscle fish and sediment from coastal waters of Malaysia. BTs were detected in all these samples ranging from 3.6 to 900 ng/g wet wt., 3.6 to 210 ng/g wet wt., and 18 to 1400 ng/g dry wt. for mussels, fish and sediments, respectively. The concentrations of BTs in several locations of this study were comparable with the reported values from some developed countries and highest among Asian developing nations. Considerable concentration of BTs in several locations might have ecotoxicological consequences and may cause concern to human health. The parent compound TBT was found to be highest than those of its degradation compounds, DBT and MBT, suggesting recent input of TBT to the Malaysian marine environment. Significant positive correlation (Spearman rank correlation: r 2 =0.82, P<0.0001) was found between BTs and ΣSn, implying considerable anthropogenic input of butyltin compounds to total tin contamination levels. Enormous boating activities may be a major source of BTs in this country, although aquaculture activities may not be ignored. - Lack of any regulation of TBT clearly resulted in a heavy contamination of BTs in Malaysia

Contamination of butyltin compounds in Malaysian marine environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sudaryanto, Agus; Takahashi, Shin; Iwata, Hisato; Tanabe, Shinsuke; Ismail, Ahmad

2004-08-01

Concentration of butyltin compounds (BTs), including tributyltin (TBT), dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT) and total tin ({sigma}Sn) were determined in green mussel (Perna viridis), 10 species of muscle fish and sediment from coastal waters of Malaysia. BTs were detected in all these samples ranging from 3.6 to 900 ng/g wet wt., 3.6 to 210 ng/g wet wt., and 18 to 1400 ng/g dry wt. for mussels, fish and sediments, respectively. The concentrations of BTs in several locations of this study were comparable with the reported values from some developed countries and highest among Asian developing nations. Considerable concentration of BTs in several locations might have ecotoxicological consequences and may cause concern to human health. The parent compound TBT was found to be highest than those of its degradation compounds, DBT and MBT, suggesting recent input of TBT to the Malaysian marine environment. Significant positive correlation (Spearman rank correlation: r{sup 2}=0.82, P<0.0001) was found between BTs and {sigma}Sn, implying considerable anthropogenic input of butyltin compounds to total tin contamination levels. Enormous boating activities may be a major source of BTs in this country, although aquaculture activities may not be ignored. - Lack of any regulation of TBT clearly resulted in a heavy contamination of BTs in Malaysia.

Environmental fate and ecotoxicological risk of the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole across the Katari catchment (Bolivian Altiplano) : application of the GREAT-ER model

OpenAIRE

Archundia, D.; Boithias, Laurie; Duwig, Céline; Morel, M. C.; Aviles, G. F.; Martins, J. M. F.

2018-01-01

Antibiotics are emergent contaminants that can induce adverse effects in terrestrial and aquatic organisms. The surface water compartment is of particular concern as it receives direct waste water discharge. Modeling is highlighted as an essential tool to understand the fate and behavior of these compounds and to assess their eco-toxicological risk. This study aims at testing the ability of the GREAT-ER model in simulating sulfamethoxazole (SMX) concentrations in the surface waters of the ari...

Analysis reports on the ecotoxicological evaluation of discharges of spent water at the cogeneration/central heating plants Alloeverket, Borgaas, Haendeloeverket, Moelnlycke, Saevenaes and Aelmhult; Analysrapporter avseende ekotoxikologisk bedoemning av utslaepp av utgaaende vatten vid Alloeverket, Borgaas, Haendeloeverket, Moelnlycke, Saevenaes och Aelmhult

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andersson, Jonas; Axby, Fredrik; Persson, Maarten; Rossander, Annelie; Schultz, Emma; Svaerd, Sara [Carl Bro AB, Kristianstad (Sweden)

2007-04-15

The discharges to water at six biofuelled Swedish cogeneration/district heating plants are evaluated in light of the EU Water Framework Directive concerning ecotoxicological impacts. Ecotoxicological data for the 33 prioritized substances are also reviewed.

Interactive effects of metal contamination and pathogenic organisms on the introduced marine bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum in European populations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paul-Pont, Ika; Montaudouin, Xavier de; Gonzalez, Patrice; Jude, Florence; Raymond, Natalie; Paillard, Christine; Baudrimont, Magalie

2010-01-01

In natural environment, marine organisms are concomitantly exposed to pollutants and multiple disease agents resulting in detrimental interactions. The present study evaluated interactive effects of metal contamination (cadmium) and pathogenic organisms (trematode parasites Himasthla elongata and pathogenic bacteria Vibrio tapetis) singularly and in combination on the bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum, an introduced species to Europe, under laboratory controlled conditions. After 7 days, metal bioaccumulation and pathogen load were analyzed as well as metallothionein (MT) response and hemocyte concentrations and activities. Results showed that infection by opportunistic pathogens affects metal accumulation, leading to maximal Cd accumulation in co-infected clams. Among stressors only V. tapetis induced significant effects on immune parameters whereas a particular interaction 'trematode-bacteria' was shown on MT responses. Despite low trematode infection in agreement with the resistant status of R. philippinarum to these macroparasites, significant interaction with bacteria and metal occurred. Such results highlight the necessity of taking pathogens into account in ecotoxicological studies. - Co-infection by opportunistic pathogens affects metal accumulation and some defense-related activities in the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum.

Interactive effects of metal contamination and pathogenic organisms on the introduced marine bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum in European populations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paul-Pont, Ika, E-mail: i.paulpont@epoc.u-bordeaux1.f [Universite Bordeaux 1, UMR 5805 CNRS, Station Marine d' Arcachon, place du Dr. Peyneau, Arcachon 33120 (France); Montaudouin, Xavier de; Gonzalez, Patrice; Jude, Florence; Raymond, Natalie [Universite Bordeaux 1, UMR 5805 CNRS, Station Marine d' Arcachon, place du Dr. Peyneau, Arcachon 33120 (France); Paillard, Christine [Universite de Bretagne Occidentale-IUEM, LEMAR UMR 6539 CNRS, Place Nicolas Copernic, Technopole Brest Iroise, 29280 Plouzane (France); Baudrimont, Magalie [Universite Bordeaux 1, UMR 5805 CNRS, Station Marine d' Arcachon, place du Dr. Peyneau, Arcachon 33120 (France)

2010-11-15

In natural environment, marine organisms are concomitantly exposed to pollutants and multiple disease agents resulting in detrimental interactions. The present study evaluated interactive effects of metal contamination (cadmium) and pathogenic organisms (trematode parasites Himasthla elongata and pathogenic bacteria Vibrio tapetis) singularly and in combination on the bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum, an introduced species to Europe, under laboratory controlled conditions. After 7 days, metal bioaccumulation and pathogen load were analyzed as well as metallothionein (MT) response and hemocyte concentrations and activities. Results showed that infection by opportunistic pathogens affects metal accumulation, leading to maximal Cd accumulation in co-infected clams. Among stressors only V. tapetis induced significant effects on immune parameters whereas a particular interaction 'trematode-bacteria' was shown on MT responses. Despite low trematode infection in agreement with the resistant status of R. philippinarum to these macroparasites, significant interaction with bacteria and metal occurred. Such results highlight the necessity of taking pathogens into account in ecotoxicological studies. - Co-infection by opportunistic pathogens affects metal accumulation and some defense-related activities in the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum.

Pollution Assessment of the Biobío River (Chile): Prioritization of Substances of Concern Under an Ecotoxicological Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Alonso, Álvaro; Figueroa, Ricardo; Castro-Díez, Pilar

2017-05-01

The water demand for human activities is rapidly increasing in developing countries. Under these circumstances, preserving aquatic ecosystems should be a priority which requires the development of quality criteria. In this study we perform a preliminary prioritization of the risky substances based on reported ecotoxicological studies and guidelines for the Biobío watershed (Central Chile). Our specific aims are (1) reviewing the scientific information on the aquatic pollution of this watershed, (2) determining the presence and concentration of potential toxic substances in water, sediment and effluents, (3) searching for quality criteria developed by other countries for the selected substances and (4) prioritizing the most risky substances by means of deterministic ecotoxicological risk assessment. We found that paper and mill industries were the main sources of point pollution, while forestry and agriculture were mostly responsible for non-point pollution. The most risky organic substances in the water column were pentachlorophenol and heptachlor, while the most relevant inorganic ones were aluminum, copper, unionized ammonia and mercury. The most risky organic and inorganic substances in the sediment were phenanthrene and mercury, respectively. Our review highlights that an important effort has been done to monitor pollution in the Biobío watershed. However there are emerging pollutants and banned compounds—especially in sediments—that require to be monitored. We suggest that site-specific water quality criteria and sediment quality criteria should be developed for the Biobío watershed, considering the toxicity of mixtures of chemicals to endemic species, and the high natural background level of aluminum in the Biobío.

Studies on marine oil spills and their ecological damage

Science.gov (United States)

Mei, Hong; Yin, Yanjie

2009-09-01

The sources of marine oil spills are mainly from accidents of marine oil tankers or freighters, marine oil-drilling platforms, marine oil pipelines, marine oilfields, terrestrial pollution, oil-bearing atmosphere, and offshore oil production equipment. It is concluded upon analysis that there are two main reasons for marine oil spills: (I) The motive for huge economic benefits of oil industry owners and oil shipping agents far surpasses their sense of ecological risks. (II) Marine ecological safety has not become the main concern of national security. Oil spills are disasters because humans spare no efforts to get economic benefits from oil. The present paper draws another conclusion that marine ecological damage caused by oil spills can be roughly divided into two categories: damage to marine resource value (direct value) and damage to marine ecosystem service value (indirect value). Marine oil spills cause damage to marine biological, fishery, seawater, tourism and mineral resources to various extents, which contributes to the lower quality and value of marine resources.

Field-Based Radiographic Imaging of Marine Megafauna: Marine Iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus as a Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gregory A. Lewbart

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Effective conservation of marine megafauna requires a thorough understanding of the ecology, physiology, population dynamics, and health of vulnerable species. Assessing the health of large, mobile marine animals poses particular challenges, in part because the subjects are difficult to capture and restrain, and in part because standard laboratory and diagnostic tools are difficult to apply in a field setting. Radiography is a critically important diagnostic tool used routinely by veterinarians, but it has seldom been possible to image live marine vertebrates in the field. As a first step toward assessing the feasibility of incorporating radiography into studies of vulnerable species in remote locations, we used portable radiographic equipment to acquire the first digital internal images of living marine iguanas, Amblyrhynchus cristatus, an iconic lizard endemic only to the Galápagos Islands of Ecuador. The radiographic machinery was powered by batteries and performed well on a rocky beach environment of an uninhabited island, despite high heat and humidity. The accuracy of radiographic measurements was validated by computing a snout-vent length (SVL using bone dimensions and comparing this to standard measurements of SVL made externally with a tape measure. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using radiography to study animals in remote sites, a technique that may prove useful for a variety of physiological, ecological, and biomechanical studies in which reliable measurements of skeletal and soft-tissue dimensions must be acquired under challenging field conditions. Refinements are discussed that will help the technology reach its full potential in field studies.

Chemical and ecotoxicological assessments of water samples before and after being processed by a Water Treatment Plant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Regina Teresa Rosim Monteiro

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Physicochemical and ecotoxicological measurements were employed to appraise the water quality of the Corumbataí River raw water (RW intake, and that of its filtered (FW and treated (TW waters, processed by the Water Treatment Plant (WTP of Piracicaba (SP, Brazil during 2010. Some herbicides: ametrine, atrazine, simazine and tebuthiuron, were measured, with levels ranging from 0.01 to 10.3 µg L-1 . These were lower than those required to produce ecotoxicological effects to aquatic life based on published literature. Similarly, trihalomethanes, such as chloroform and bromodichloromethane produced as a result of the WTP process were also shown to be present in concentrations that would neither harm environmental nor human health. Elevated free chlorine concentrations found in FW and TW were credibly responsible for toxicity effects observed in algae and daphnids. (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and Daphnia magna. In contrast, results of toxicity testing conducted with Hydra attenuata suggested that this organism is resistant to free chorine and could be used for drinking water evaluations. Coupling bioassays with chemical analyses proved valuable to uncover putative cause-effect relationships existing between physical, chemical and toxic results, as well as in optimizing data interpretation of water quality.

Effective bioremediation strategy for rapid in situ cleanup of anoxic marine sediments in mesocosm oil spill simulation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria eGenovese

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The purpose of present study was the simulation of an oil spill accompanied by burial of significant amount of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHs in coastal sediments. Approximately 1,000 kg of sediments collected in Messina harbor were spiked with Bunker C furnace fuel oil (6,500 ppm. The rapid consumption of oxygen by aerobic heterotrophs created highly reduced conditions in the sediments with subsequent recession of biodegradation rates. As follows, after three months of ageing, the anaerobic sediments did not exhibit any significant levels of biodegradation and more than 80% of added Bunker C fuel oil remained buried. Anaerobic microbial community exhibited a strong enrichment in sulfate-reducing PHs-degrading and PHs-associated Deltaproteobacteria. As an effective bioremediation strategy to clean up these contaminated sediments, we applied a Modular Slurry System (MSS allowing the containment of sediments and their physical-chemical treatment, e.g. aeration. Aeration for three months has increased the removal of main PHs contaminants up to 98%. As revealed by CARD-FISH, qPCR and 16S rRNA gene clone library analyses, addition of Bunker C fuel oil initially affected the activity of autochthonous aerobic obligate marine hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria (OMHCB, and after one month more than the third of microbial population was represented by Alcanivorax-, Cycloclasticus- and Marinobacter-related organisms. In the end of the experiment, the microbial community composition has returned to a status typically observed in pristine marine ecosystems with no detectable OMHCB present. Eco-toxicological bioassay revealed that the toxicity of sediments after treatment was substantially decreased. Thus, our studies demonstrated that petroleum-contaminated anaerobic marine sediments could efficiently be cleaned through an in situ oxygenation which stimulates their self-cleaning potential due to reawakening of allochtonous aerobic OMHCB.

Whale Multi-Disciplinary Studies: A Marine Education Infusion Unit. Northern New England Marine Education Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Maine Univ., Orono. Coll. of Education.

This multidisciplinary unit deals with whales, whaling lore and history, and the interaction of the whale with the complex marine ecosystem. It seeks to teach adaptation of marine organisms. It portrays the concept that man is part of the marine ecosystem and man's activities can deplete and degrade marine ecosystems, endangering the survival of…

Recommended approaches to the scientific evaluation of ecotoxicological hazards and risks of endocrine-active substances

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Matthiessen, Peter; Ankley, Gerald T.; Biever, Ronald C

2017-01-01

A SETAC Pellston Workshop(®) "Environmental Hazard and Risk Assessment Approaches for Endocrine-Active Substances (EHRA)" was held in February 2016 in Pensacola, Florida, USA. The primary objective of the workshop was to provide advice, based on current scientific understanding, to regulators...... and policy makers; the aim being to make considered, informed decisions on whether to select an ecotoxicological hazard- or a risk-based approach for regulating a given endocrine-disrupting substance (EDS) under review. The workshop additionally considered recent developments in the identification of EDS...... at multiple biological levels of organization for 1 or more ecologically relevant taxa. The substances selected were 17α-ethinylestradiol, perchlorate, propiconazole, 17β-trenbolone, tributyltin, and vinclozolin. The 6 case studies were not comprehensive safety evaluations but provided foundations...

Procedures Involved in Radioecological Studies with Marine Zooplankton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fowler, S.W.; Small, L.F.

1976-01-01

Various procedures in marine radio ecological experiments with zooplankton are considered in the light of the possibility of establishing reference methods for marine radiobiological studies. Methods for collection, handling and maintenance prior to and during experiments are suggested for various types of zooplankton. The importance of physiological and physicochemical parameters are discussed in the context of the experimental design with the aim of achieving comparable results among workers involved in this field of research. (author)

Effect-based tools for monitoring and predicting the ecotoxicological effects of chemicals in the aquatic environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Connon, Richard E; Geist, Juergen; Werner, Inge

2012-01-01

Ecotoxicology faces the challenge of assessing and predicting the effects of an increasing number of chemical stressors on aquatic species and ecosystems. Herein we review currently applied tools in ecological risk assessment, combining information on exposure with expected biological effects or environmental water quality standards; currently applied effect-based tools are presented based on whether exposure occurs in a controlled laboratory environment or in the field. With increasing ecological relevance the reproducibility, specificity and thus suitability for standardisation of methods tends to diminish. We discuss the use of biomarkers in ecotoxicology including ecotoxicogenomics-based endpoints, which are becoming increasingly important for the detection of sublethal effects. Carefully selected sets of biomarkers allow an assessment of exposure to and effects of toxic chemicals, as well as the health status of organisms and, when combined with chemical analysis, identification of toxicant(s). The promising concept of "adverse outcome pathways (AOP)" links mechanistic responses on the cellular level with whole organism, population, community and potentially ecosystem effects and services. For most toxic mechanisms, however, practical application of AOPs will require more information and the identification of key links between responses, as well as key indicators, at different levels of biological organization, ecosystem functioning and ecosystem services.

Effect-Based Tools for Monitoring and Predicting the Ecotoxicological Effects of Chemicals in the Aquatic Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard E. Connon

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Ecotoxicology faces the challenge of assessing and predicting the effects of an increasing number of chemical stressors on aquatic species and ecosystems. Herein we review currently applied tools in ecological risk assessment, combining information on exposure with expected biological effects or environmental water quality standards; currently applied effect-based tools are presented based on whether exposure occurs in a controlled laboratory environment or in the field. With increasing ecological relevance the reproducibility, specificity and thus suitability for standardisation of methods tends to diminish. We discuss the use of biomarkers in ecotoxicology including ecotoxicogenomics-based endpoints, which are becoming increasingly important for the detection of sublethal effects. Carefully selected sets of biomarkers allow an assessment of exposure to and effects of toxic chemicals, as well as the health status of organisms and, when combined with chemical analysis, identification of toxicant(s. The promising concept of “adverse outcome pathways (AOP” links mechanistic responses on the cellular level with whole organism, population, community and potentially ecosystem effects and services. For most toxic mechanisms, however, practical application of AOPs will require more information and the identification of key links between responses, as well as key indicators, at different levels of biological organization, ecosystem functioning and ecosystem services.

Soil quality in the Lomellina area using in vitro models and ecotoxicological assays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baderna, Diego, E-mail: diego.baderna@marionegri.it [Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology, IRCCS—Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Via Giuseppe La Masa 19, 20156 Milan (Italy); Colombo, Andrea [Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology, IRCCS—Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Via Giuseppe La Masa 19, 20156 Milan (Italy); Romeo, Margherita [Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS—Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Via Giuseppe La Masa 19, 20156 Milan (Italy); Cambria, Felice; Teoldi, Federico; Lodi, Marco [Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology, IRCCS—Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Via Giuseppe La Masa 19, 20156 Milan (Italy); Diomede, Luisa [Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, IRCCS—Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Via Giuseppe La Masa 19, 20156 Milan (Italy); Benfenati, Emilio [Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology, IRCCS—Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Via Giuseppe La Masa 19, 20156 Milan (Italy)

2014-08-15

Soil quality is traditionally evaluated by chemical characterization to determine levels of pollutants. Biological tools are now employed for soil monitoring since they can take account of the global biological effects induced by all xenobiotics. A combined monitoring of soils based on chemical analyses, human-related in vitro models and ecotoxicological assay was applied in the Lomellina, a semirural area of northern Italy. Chemical characterization indicated overall good quality of the soils, with low levels of toxic and carcinogenic pollutants such as heavy metals, PAHs, PCDD/Fs and PCBs. HepG2 cells were used as a model for the human liver and BALB/c 3T3 cells to evaluate carcinogenic potential. Cells were treated with soil extractable organic matter (EOM) and the MTS assay, DNA release and morphological transformation were selected as endpoints for toxicity and carcinogenicity. Soil EOMs induced dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth at low doses and cytotoxicity only at doses of 500 and 1000 mg soil equivalents/ml. Potential issues for human health can be hypothesized after ingestion of soil samples from some sites. No statistically significant inductions of foci were recorded after exposure to EOMs, indicating that the levels of the soil-extracted organic pollutants were too low to induce carcinogenesis in our experimental conditions. An acute phytotoxicity test and studies on Caenorhabditis elegans were used as ecotoxicological assays for plants and small invertebrates. No significant alerts for ecotoxicity were found. In this proposed case study, HepG2 cells detected differences in the toxicity of soil EOMs, indicating that this cell line could be appropriate to assess the potential harm caused by the ingestion of contaminated soil. Additional information on the carcinogenic potential of mixtures was provided by the cell transformation assay, strengthening the combined approach. - Highlights: • A combined approach for evaluation of soil quality is

Ecotoxicological evaluation of leachate from the Limeira sanitary landfill with a view to identifying acute toxicity

OpenAIRE

José Euclides Stipp Paterniani; Ronaldo Teixeira Pelegrini; Núbia Natália de Brito Pelegrini

2007-01-01

Final disposal of solid waste is still a cause for serious impacts on the environment. In sanitary landfills, waste undergoes physical, chemical, and biological decomposition, generating biogas and leachate. Leachate is a highly toxic liquid with a very high pollution potential. The purpose of this work is to evaluate toxicity of in natura leachate samples collected from Limeira Sanitary Landfill, in Limeira, SP. The ecotoxicological evaluation comprised acute toxicity assays using as test or...

Are whale sharks exposed to persistent organic pollutants and plastic pollution in the Gulf of California (Mexico)? First ecotoxicological investigation using skin biopsies.

Science.gov (United States)

Fossi, Maria Cristina; Baini, Matteo; Panti, Cristina; Galli, Matteo; Jiménez, Begoña; Muñoz-Arnanz, Juan; Marsili, Letizia; Finoia, Maria Grazia; Ramírez-Macías, Dení

2017-09-01

The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is an endangered species that may be exposed to micro- and macro-plastic ingestion as a result of their filter-feeding activity, particularly on the sea surface. In this pilot project we perform the first ecotoxicological investigation on whale sharks sampled in the Gulf of California exploring the potential interaction of this species with plastic debris (macro-, micro-plastics and related sorbed contaminants). Due to the difficulty in obtaining stranded specimens of this endangered species, an indirect approach, by skin biopsies was used for the evaluation of the whale shark ecotoxicological status. The levels of organochlorine compounds (PCBs, DDTs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) plastic additives, and related biomarkers responses (CYP1A) were investigated for the first time in the whale shark. Twelve whale shark skin biopsy samples were collected in January 2014 in La Paz Bay (BCS, Mexico) and a preliminary investigation on microplastic concentration and polymer composition was also carried out in seawater samples from the same area. The average abundance pattern for the target contaminants was PCBs>DDTs>PBDEs>HCB. Mean concentration values of 8.42ng/g w.w. were found for PCBs, 1.31ng/g w.w. for DDTs, 0.29ng/g w.w. for PBDEs and 0.19ng/g w.w. for HCB. CYP1A-like protein was detected, for the first time, in whale shark skin samples. First data on the average density of microplastics in the superficial zooplankton/microplastic samples showed values ranging from 0.00items/m 3 to 0.14items/m 3 . A focused PCA analysis was performed to evaluate a possible correlation among the size of the whale sharks, contaminants and CYP1A reponses. Further ecotoxicological investigation on whale shark skin biopsies will be carried out for a worldwide ecotoxicological risk assessment of this endangerd species. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the Elodea nuttallii transcriptome in response to mercury and cadmium pollution: development of sensitive tools for rapid ecotoxicological testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Regier, Nicole; Baerlocher, Loïc; Münsterkötter, Martin; Farinelli, Laurent; Cosio, Claudia

2013-08-06

Toxic metals polluting aquatic ecosystems are taken up by inhabitants and accumulate in the food web, affecting species at all trophic levels. It is therefore important to have good tools to assess the level of risk represented by toxic metals in the environment. Macrophytes are potential organisms for the identification of metal-responsive biomarkers but are still underrepresented in ecotoxicology. In the present study, we used next-generation sequencing to investigate the transcriptomic response of Elodea nuttallii exposed to enhanced concentrations of Hg and Cd. We de novo assembled more than 60 000 contigs, of which we found 170 to be regulated dose-dependently by Hg and 212 by Cd. Functional analysis showed that these genes were notably related to energy and metal homeostasis. Expression analysis using nCounter of a subset of genes showed that the gene expression pattern was able to assess toxic metal exposure in complex environmental samples and was more sensitive than other end points (e.g., bioaccumulation, photosynthesis, etc.). In conclusion, we demonstrate the feasibility of using gene expression signatures for the assessment of environmental contamination, using an organism without previous genetic information. This is of interest to ecotoxicology in a wider sense given the possibility to develop specific and sensitive bioassays.

Effect of soil compaction on the degradation and ecotoxicological impact of isoproturon

Science.gov (United States)

Mamy, L.; Vrignaud, P.; Cheviron, N.; Perreau, F.; Belkacem, M.; Brault, A.; Breuil, S.; Delarue, G.; Touton, I.; Chaplain, V.

2009-04-01

Soil is essentially a non-renewable resource which performs many functions and delivers services vital to human activities and ecosystems survival. However the capacity of soil to keep on fully performing its broad variety of crucial functions is damaged by several threats and, among them, chemical contamination by pesticides and compaction due to intensive agriculture practices. How these two threats could interact is largely unknown: compaction may modify the fate of pesticides in soil therefore their effects on the biological functioning of soil. The aim of this work was to study the effect of soil compaction on (1) the degradation of one herbicide, isoproturon (2) the ecotoxicological impact of this herbicide measured through two enzyme activities involved in C (beta-glucosidase) and N (urease) cycles in soil. Undisturbed soil cylinders were sampled in the 2-4 cm layer of La Cage experimental site (INRA, Versailles, France), under intensive agriculture practices. Several soil samples were prepared with different bulk density then treated with isoproturon (IPU). The samples were incubated at 18 ± 1°C in darkness for 63 days. At 0, 2, 7, 14, 28 and 63 days, the concentrations of isoproturon and of two of its main metabolites in soil (monodesmethyl-isoproturon, IPPMU; didesmethyl-isoproturon, IPPU), and the enzyme activities were measured. The results showed that there was no significant difference in IPU degradation under no and moderate soil compaction. IPU was less persistent in the highly compacted soil, but this soil had also higher humidity which is known to increase the degradation. Only one metabolite, IPPMU, was detected independently of the conditions of compaction. The compaction did not modify the effect of IPU on beta-glucosidase and urease activities in the long term, but microbial communities were probably the same in all the soil samples that were initially not compacted. The communities developed in durably compacted zones in the field are

Chemical Investigations of Marine Filamentous and Zoosporic Fungi and Studies in Marine Microbial Chemical Ecology

OpenAIRE

Jenkins, Kelly M.

1998-01-01

The natural products chemistry of marine microorganisms is an emerging area of organic chemistry with the aim of discovering novel secondary metabolites exhibiting both biomedical and ecological activities. While marine bacteria have proven to be a productive source of new natural products, there are many groups of marine microorganisms which have not been fully investigated. In particular, marine fungi represent an untapped and potentially novel source of bioactive secondary metabolites. Whi...

Simultaneous determination of metal traces using SPE preconcentration on Amberlite XAD-7 by ICP-MS in environmental water and sample ecotoxicology assessment

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Holubova, Z.; Sommer, L.; Moos, Martin; Kuta, J.

2012-01-01

Roč. 21, 10A (2012), s. 3127-3135 ISSN 1018-4619 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 Keywords : Solid Phase Extraction * Amberlite XAD-7 * ICP-MS and Waters * Ecotoxicology Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 0.641, year: 2012

Responses of marine plankton to pollutant stress

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjorth, M.

to reveal indirect effects and co-effects with the abiotic environment on three trophic levels, namely bacteria, phytoplankton and zooplankton. The role of mesocosms and community studies in risk assessment and their usefulness in integrating ecological knowledge into ecotoxicology is discussed...... with examples of work done on natural communities of phytoplankton and zooplankton. Abiotic conditions such as UV light and nutrient concentrations are shown to influence pollutant effects....

Environmental risk assessment of triclosan and ibuprofen in marine sediments using individual and sub-individual endpoints.

Science.gov (United States)

Pusceddu, F H; Choueri, R B; Pereira, C D S; Cortez, F S; Santos, D R A; Moreno, B B; Santos, A R; Rogero, J R; Cesar, A

2018-01-01

The guidelines for the Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP) recommend the use of standard ecotoxicity assays and the assessment of endpoints at the individual level to evaluate potential effects of PPCP on biota. However, effects at the sub-individual level can also affect the ecological fitness of marine organisms chronically exposed to PPCP. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the environmental risk of two PPCP in marine sediments: triclosan (TCS) and ibuprofen (IBU), using sub-individual and developmental endpoints. The environmental levels of TCS and IBU were quantified in marine sediments from the vicinities of the Santos submarine sewage outfall (Santos Bay, São Paulo, Brazil) at 15.14 and 49.0 ng g -1 , respectively. A battery (n = 3) of chronic bioassays (embryo-larval development) with a sea urchin (Lytechinus variegatus) and a bivalve (Perna perna) were performed using two exposure conditions: sediment-water interface and elutriates. Moreover, physiological stress through the Neutral Red Retention Time Assay (NRRT) was assessed in the estuarine bivalve Mytella charruana exposed to TCS and IBU spiked sediments. These compounds affected the development of L. variegatus and P. perna (75 ng g -1 for TCS and 15 ng g -1 for IBU), and caused a significant decrease in M. charruana lysosomal membrane stability at environmentally relevant concentrations (0.08 ng g -1 for TCS and 0.15 ng g -1 for IBU). Chemical and ecotoxicological data were integrated and the risk quotient estimated for TCS and IBU were higher than 1.0, indicating a high environmental risk of these compounds in sediments. These are the first data of sediment risk assessment of pharmaceuticals and personal care products of Latin America. In addition, the results suggest that the ERA based only on individual-level and standard toxicity tests may overlook other biological effects that can affect the health of marine organisms

Sector-field ICPMS in marine radioecological studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, J.; Yamada, M.; Aono, T.; Nakanishi, T.; Okubo, A.; Kusakabe, M.

2009-01-01

Full text: There is an increasing interest in the distribution and fate of natural and artificial radionuclides in the marine environment. Their existence and accumulation in the marine environment raises an irradiation threat to human health. On the other hand, radionuclides have served as geochemical tracers for the study of fundamental issues, such as water mass movement, particle scavenging and sediment mixing processes. Over the years, using the highly sensitive ICPMS technique, we identified Pu contamination sources and proposed its transport mechanism, investigated particle scavenging using Pu, 241 Am and 230 Th, and for the first time, obtained vertical distribution profiles of 99 Tc. (author)

Status and recommendations on marine copepod cultivation for use as live feed

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Drillet, Guillaume; Frouël, Stéphane; Sichlau, Mie Hylstofte

2011-01-01

Copepods are important crustaceans studied because of their key role in ecology, trophic biology, fisheries management, in modeling the flow of energy and matter, ecotoxicology, aquaculture and aquarium trade. This paper discusses various aspects of the state of knowledge of copepod culture...

Urban influence on the water quality of the Uberaba River basin: an ecotoxicological assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Luisa Curado

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Ecotoxicological tests applied to Tradescantia pallida, Allium cepa and Lactuca sativa were used to assess the quality of the Uberaba River basin under urban area influence. Water samples were collected at eight different points during the dry season. The samples were assessed using the following toxicity indicators: micronuclei percentage in T. pallida pollen grains (TRAD-MN, seed germination, root growth, mitotic index (MI and micronuclei in A. cepa root-cells, and seed germination and root growth in L. sativa. Water physicochemical parameters such as temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO, pH and electric conductivity were assessed in situ. The three plant species were efficient bio-indicators, since they presented good cost-benefit and fast and easily interpreted results, thus completing the physicochemical parameters. There was strong correlation between seed germination and root growth among the ecotoxicological parameters assessed in L. sativa and A. cepa. The micronuclei percentage in T. pallida and the MI in A. cepa presented strong correlation with water electric conductivity and moderate and negative correlation with DO. Water electric conductivity ranged from 75 to 438 µS.cm-1; and the DO concentrations ranged from 0.5 to 6.9 mg.L-1. The importance of pollution control measures in the Uberaba River basin stands out. From the supply-water capture point, the basin is strongly affected by pollution, mainly in the tributaries that cross the city. It presents a short, or almost absent, riparian forest line, residues on the river banks, and it is impacted by discharges of untreated sewage, among other anthropic actions.

Miniature circulatory systems: A new exposure system for ecotoxicological effect assessments in riverine organisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Feiner, Mona; Beggel, Sebastian; Geist, Juergen

2016-11-01

Long-term effect assessments in ecotoxicological investigations are important, yet there is a lack of suitable exposure systems for these experiments that can be used for riverine species. A cost-efficient miniature circulatory system was developed that was evaluated for its applicability in long-term exposures in 2 stream-dwelling species: brown trout (Salmo trutta) and an amphipod (Gammarus roeseli). In an egg-to-fry exposure of S. trutta, the toxicity of 2 reverse osmosis concentrates was investigated as examples. Control hatching rate of yolk sac fry was 75 ± 7% and thus complies with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development validity criterion (≥66%). The reverse osmosis concentrates did not impair the hatching rate in any tested concentration. In G. roeseli, mortality rates remained below 20% during a 21-d cultivation, fulfilling the common validity criterion in ecotoxicological testing. Mortality was significantly lower when the species was fed with conditioned alder leaves instead of an artificial shrimp food. Finally, a toxicity test on G. roeseli using copper as the test substance revealed median lethal concentration (LC50) values of 156 μg/L after 96 h and 99 μg/L after 264 h, which is in line with literature findings using other accepted exposure units. In conclusion, the miniature circulatory system provides a novel and cost-efficient exposure system for long-term investigations on riverine species that may also be applicable for other species of fishes and macroinvertebrates. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2827-2833. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

The distribution of triclosan and methyl-triclosan in marine sediments of Barker Inlet, South Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Milena; Shareef, Ali; Kookana, Rai; Gaylard, Sam; Hoare, Sonja; Kildea, Tim

2011-04-01

In this work, we investigated the transport and burial of triclosan and its methylated derivative, in surface sediments near the mouth of Barker Inlet in South Australia. The most likely source of this commonly used bactericide to the area is a wastewater outfall discharging at the confluence of the inlet with marine waters. Triclosan was detected in all samples, at concentrations (5-27 μg kg(-1)) comparable to values found in other surface sediments under the influence of marine wastewater outfalls. Its dispersal was closely associated with fine and organic-rich fractions of the sediments. Methyl-triclosan was detected in approximately half of the samples at concentrations compound was linked to both wastewater discharges and biological methylation of the parent compound. Wastewater-borne methyl-triclosan had a smaller spatial footprint than triclosan and was mostly deposited in close proximity to the outfall. In situ methylation of triclosan likely occurs at deeper depositional sites, whereas the absence of methyl-triclosan from shallower sediments was potentially explained by photodegradation of the parent compound. Based on partition equilibrium, a concentration of triclosan in the order of 1 μg L(-1) was estimated in sediment porewaters, a value lower than the threshold reported for harmful effects to occur in the couple of species of marine phytoplankton investigated to date. Methyl-triclosan presents a greater potential for bioaccumulation than triclosan, but the implications of its occurrence to aquatic ecosystem health are difficult to predict given the lack of ecotoxicological data in the current literature.

inducible cytochrome P450 1A in Nile tilapia

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2009-06-03

Jun 3, 2009 ... 1Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Faculty of Fisheries, Kagoshima University, ... 2Department of Animal Wealth Development, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez ..... Review: Ecotoxicological problems associated with.

Interlaboratory study for the validation of an ecotoxicological procedure to monitor the quality of septic sludge received at a wastewater treatment plant.

Science.gov (United States)

Robidoux, P Y; Choucri, A; Bastien, C; Sunahara, G I; López-Gastey, J

2001-01-01

Septic tank sludge is regularly hauled to the Montreal Urban Community (MUC) wastewater treatment plant. It is then discharged and mixed with the wastewater inflow before entering the primary chemical treatment process. An ecotoxicological procedure integrating chemical and toxicological analyses has been recently developed and applied to screen for the illicit discharge of toxic substances in septic sludge. The toxicity tests used were the Microtox, the bacterial-respiration, and the lettuce (Lactuca sativa) root elongation tests. In order to validate the applicability of the proposed procedure, a two-year interlaboratory study was carried out. In general, the results obtained by two independent laboratories (MUC and the Centre d'expertise en analyse environnementale du Quebec) were comparable and reproducible. Some differences were found using the Microtox test. Organic (e.g., phenol and formaldehyde) and inorganic (e.g., nickel and cyanide) spiked septic sludge were detected with good reliability and high efficiency. The relative efficiency to detect spiked substances was > 70% and confirms the results of previous studies. In addition, the respiration test was the most efficient toxicological tool to detect spiked substances, whereas the Microtox was the least efficient (septic sludge.

Assessment of toxic and trace elements in the sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri in the Antartic marine environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alves, Mauricio B.; Favaro, Deborah I.T., E-mail: mbarlera@gmail.com, E-mail: defavaro@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), São Paulo, SP (Brazil). Centro do Reator de Pesquisa; Emerenciano, Andrews K.; Silva, José R. M. C. da, E-mail: andrewskre@usp.br, E-mail: jrmcs@usp.br [Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP (Brazil). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas. Departamento de Histologia e Embriologia; Bordon, Isabella C., E-mail: Isabella.bordon@gmail.com [Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), São Vicente, SP (Brazil)

2017-07-01

Sea urchins are marine and benthic invertebrates, many of them sessile or with reduced mobility. The species Sterechinus neumayeri (Meissner, 1900) is the most abundant in shallow Antarctic seawater. Sea urchins have been frequently applied for ecotoxicological tests, but few studies have assessed these organisms as biomonitors. Comandante Ferraz Antartic Station (FS), part of the Brazilian Antarctic Base located on King George Island, in Admiralty Bay, was chosen for this study, and two sampling sites were chosen for this purpose: Botany as control site and near to the waste disposal of Ferraz Station which was almost destroyed by fire occurred in 2012, consuming about of 70% of the facilities. The micronutrients and some trace element concentrations were determined by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). Results obtained for Br, Co, Cr, Cs, K, Se and Zn presented a higher concentration in the Comandante Ferraz Station. Elements such As, Ba, Fe, Na, Rb and Sc showed no significant difference between sites. Exploratory PCA results showed that the two regions were separated by Br, Cr, Cs, K, Se and Zn. Results indicate the possibility of applying this organism for biomonitoring purposes for metals Cr, Zn and semi-metal Se. (author)

Assessment of toxic and trace elements in the sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri in the Antartic marine environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alves, Mauricio B.; Favaro, Deborah I.T.

2017-01-01

Sea urchins are marine and benthic invertebrates, many of them sessile or with reduced mobility. The species Sterechinus neumayeri (Meissner, 1900) is the most abundant in shallow Antarctic seawater. Sea urchins have been frequently applied for ecotoxicological tests, but few studies have assessed these organisms as biomonitors. Comandante Ferraz Antartic Station (FS), part of the Brazilian Antarctic Base located on King George Island, in Admiralty Bay, was chosen for this study, and two sampling sites were chosen for this purpose: Botany as control site and near to the waste disposal of Ferraz Station which was almost destroyed by fire occurred in 2012, consuming about of 70% of the facilities. The micronutrients and some trace element concentrations were determined by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). Results obtained for Br, Co, Cr, Cs, K, Se and Zn presented a higher concentration in the Comandante Ferraz Station. Elements such As, Ba, Fe, Na, Rb and Sc showed no significant difference between sites. Exploratory PCA results showed that the two regions were separated by Br, Cr, Cs, K, Se and Zn. Results indicate the possibility of applying this organism for biomonitoring purposes for metals Cr, Zn and semi-metal Se. (author)

Micro-computed tomography (μCT) as a novel method in ecotoxicology - determination of morphometric and somatic data in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brinkmann, M.; Rizzo, L.Y.; Lammers, Twan Gerardus Gertudis Maria; Gremse, F.; Schiwy, S.; Kiessling, F.; Hollert, H.

2016-01-01

Fish are important sentinel organisms for the assessment of water quality and play a central role in ecotoxicological research. Of particular importance to the assessment of health and fitness of fish stocks in response to environmental conditions or pollution are morphometric (e.g. Fulton's

Selecting chemical and ecotoxicological test batteries for risk assessment of trace element-contaminated soils (phyto)managed by gentle remediation options (GRO).

Science.gov (United States)

Kumpiene, Jurate; Bert, Valérie; Dimitriou, Ioannis; Eriksson, Jan; Friesl-Hanl, Wolfgang; Galazka, Rafal; Herzig, Rolf; Janssen, Jolien; Kidd, Petra; Mench, Michel; Müller, Ingo; Neu, Silke; Oustriere, Nadège; Puschenreiter, Markus; Renella, Giancarlo; Roumier, Pierre-Hervé; Siebielec, Grzegorz; Vangronsveld, Jaco; Manier, Nicolas

2014-10-15

During the past decades a number of field trials with gentle remediation options (GRO) have been established on trace element (TE) contaminated sites throughout Europe. Each research group selects different methods to assess the remediation success making it difficult to compare efficacy between various sites and treatments. This study aimed at selecting a minimum risk assessment battery combining chemical and ecotoxicological assays for assessing and comparing the effectiveness of GRO implemented in seven European case studies. Two test batteries were pre-selected; a chemical one for quantifying TE exposure in untreated soils and GRO-managed soils and a biological one for characterizing soil functionality and ecotoxicity. Soil samples from field studies representing one of the main GROs (phytoextraction in Belgium, Sweden, Germany and Switzerland, aided phytoextraction in France, and aided phytostabilization or in situ stabilization/phytoexclusion in Poland, France and Austria) were collected and assessed using the selected test batteries. The best correlations were obtained between NH4NO3-extractable, followed by NaNO3-extractable TE and the ecotoxicological responses. Biometrical parameters and biomarkers of dwarf beans were the most responsive indicators for the soil treatments and changes in soil TE exposures. Plant growth was inhibited at the higher extractable TE concentrations, while plant stress enzyme activities increased with the higher TE extractability. Based on these results, a minimum risk assessment battery to compare/biomonitor the sites phytomanaged by GROs might consist of the NH4NO3 extraction and the bean Plantox test including the stress enzyme activities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ecotoxicological study of pharmaceutical mixture in water solution and its treatability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tominaga, Flavio K.; Boiani, Nathalia F.; Granieri, Reginaldo I.; Borrely, Sueli I.

2015-01-01

Residual pharmaceuticals are found in natural waters as well as in wastewater and in drinkable water treatment plants. In the environment such compounds may affect aquatic biota, biodiversity and cause severe risks to human health due to synergistic effects and represent environmental risks. The anti-inflammatory diclofenac and the antidepressant fluoxetine are some of the compounds found in surface water. They present persistent physicochemical properties and low biodegradability and can not be completely removed by conventional water treatments. Advanced Oxidation Processes are reported as efficient possibility for removing organic compounds and toxicity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute toxicity of the mixture of pharmaceutical diclofenac and fluoxetine on Vibrio fischeri marine bacteria. An industrial electron beam accelerator was used as the radiation source. The radiation induced degradation of the organic matter was determined by Total Organic Carbon analysis. Samples were exposed to different radiation doses: 2.5 kGy; 5.0 kGy; 7.5 kGy and 10 kGy. The toxicity values allow classifying the mixture as very toxic. After irradiation the toxicity decreased. (author)

Ecotoxicological study of pharmaceutical mixture in water solution and its treatability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tominaga, Flavio K.; Boiani, Nathalia F.; Granieri, Reginaldo I.; Borrely, Sueli I., E-mail: flavio_tominaga@hotmail.com, E-mail: naty_boiani@hotmail.com, E-mail: rigranie@ipen.br, E-mail: sborrely@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2015-07-01

Residual pharmaceuticals are found in natural waters as well as in wastewater and in drinkable water treatment plants. In the environment such compounds may affect aquatic biota, biodiversity and cause severe risks to human health due to synergistic effects and represent environmental risks. The anti-inflammatory diclofenac and the antidepressant fluoxetine are some of the compounds found in surface water. They present persistent physicochemical properties and low biodegradability and can not be completely removed by conventional water treatments. Advanced Oxidation Processes are reported as efficient possibility for removing organic compounds and toxicity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute toxicity of the mixture of pharmaceutical diclofenac and fluoxetine on Vibrio fischeri marine bacteria. An industrial electron beam accelerator was used as the radiation source. The radiation induced degradation of the organic matter was determined by Total Organic Carbon analysis. Samples were exposed to different radiation doses: 2.5 kGy; 5.0 kGy; 7.5 kGy and 10 kGy. The toxicity values allow classifying the mixture as very toxic. After irradiation the toxicity decreased. (author)

A study of radionuclide transfer between invertebrates and their marine sedimentary environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amiard-Triquet, Claude.

1975-11-01

Exchanges between sediment and marine organisms were studied in some benthic marine invertebrates, especially Arenicola marina L. (an Annelid). Experiments were carried out on the transfer of 60 Co, 137 Cs and accessorily 59 Fe and 144 Ce. Water was the chief vector for benthic marine invertebrates. These invertebrates seemed to act mainly in sedimentary areas on the redistribution of adsorbed radionuclides within the sediment. Radioactive contamination of the invertebrates was affected by various physiological or ecological factors. Benthic marine invertebrates were then studied as links in food chains. The transfer of 60 Co was studied in three food chains or fractions of food chains. The procedure allowed interesting observations from the health protection point of view and more fundamental investigations on cobalt metabolism (regulation, excretion) in a mollusc, a crustacea and a teleost [fr

Toxicity of benz(a)anthracene and fluoranthene to marine phytoplankton in culture: Does cell size really matter?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Othman, Hiba Ben; Leboulanger, Christophe; Le Floc’h, Emilie; Hadj Mabrouk, Hassine; Sakka Hlaili, Asma

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the marine environment are a hazardous chemical legacy. ► Benz(a)anthracene and fluoranthene are toxic to phytoplankton photosynthesis and growth in culture. ► Acute (photosynthesis) and chronic (population growth) effects have different thresholds. ► Toxicity depends on both the species selected as a model and the compound considered. ► Further study of the size/sensitivity relationship is required to draw more general conclusions. - Abstract: The toxicity of benz(a)anthracene and fluoranthene (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs) was evaluated on seven species of marine algae in culture belonging to pico-, nano-, and microphytoplankton, exposed to increasing concentrations of up to 2 mg L −1 . The short-term (24 h) toxicity was assessed using chlorophyll a fluorescence transients, linked to photosynthetic parameters. The maximum quantum yield Fv/Fm was lower at the highest concentrations tested and the toxicity thresholds were species-dependent. For acute effects, fluoranthene was more toxic than benz(a)anthracene, with LOECs of 50.6 and 186 μg L −1 , respectively. After 72 h exposure, there was a dose-dependent decrease in cell density, fluoranthene being more toxic than benz(a)anthracene. The population endpoint at 72 h was affected to a greater extent than the photosynthetic endpoint at 24 h. EC50 was evaluated using the Hill model, and species sensitivity was negatively correlated to cell biovolume. The largest species tested, the dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella, was almost insensitive to either PAH. The population endpoint EC50s for fluoranthene varied from 54 μg L −1 for the picophytoplankton Picochlorum sp. to 418 μg L −1 for the larger diatom Chaetoceros muelleri. The size/sensitivity relationship is proposed as a useful model when there is a lack of ecotoxicological data on hazardous chemicals, especially in marine microorganisms.

Study of Marine Ecotourism Potential of Cubadak Island West Sumatera Province

OpenAIRE

Yulan, Nofri Andri; Nasution, Syafruddin; Yoswaty, Dessy

2014-01-01

The aim of study is to identify tourist object of Cubadak island and its potential level for marine ecotourism by used of survey method. Both primary and secondary data were collected by meaning, interviewing, and investigating directly. Interviewing sampling method was used purposively, particularly for tourist sample were used as accidental sampling. The result showed that Cubadak Island has a big potential in marine tourism and possess a big chance to develop in marine ecotourism sector. I...

Arsenic rich iron plaque on macrophyte roots--an ecotoxicological risk?

Science.gov (United States)

Taggart, M A; Mateo, R; Charnock, J M; Bahrami, F; Green, A J; Meharg, A A

2009-03-01

Arsenic is known to accumulate with iron plaque on macrophyte roots. Three to four years after the Aznalcóllar mine spill (Spain), residual arsenic contamination left in seasonal wetland habitats has been identified in this form by scanning electron microscopy. Total digestion has determined arsenic concentrations in thoroughly washed 'root+plaque' material in excess of 1000 mg kg(-1), and further analysis using X-ray absorption spectroscopy suggests arsenic exists as both arsenate and arsenite. Certain herbivorous species feed on rhizomes and bulbs of macrophytes in a wide range of global environments, and the ecotoxicological impact of consuming arsenic rich iron plaque associated with such food items remains to be quantified. Here, greylag geese which feed on Scirpus maritimus rhizome and bulb material in areas affected by the Aznalcóllar spill are shown to have elevated levels of arsenic in their feces, which may originate from arsenic rich iron plaque.

Design of laboratory radiotracer studies in marine radioecology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schulte, E.H.

1997-01-01

A condensed description of methods used in laboratory radiotracer studies in marine radioecology is presented showing also the difficulties which may be encountered in order to obtain realistic and comparable information on the general behaviour of radionuclides in marine organisms. Practical guidance on the choice of the biological material and how to setup laboratory experiments and to control properly important experimental conditions are given. Key parameters like concentration factors and biological half-lives are defined and the theoretical estimation and practical determination of input, uptake, accumulation and loss of radionuclides in marine biota are formulated by the aid of mathematical equations. Examples of uptake and loss curves obtained in the laboratory are shown. The importance of some environmental factors (temperature, food, growth) on uptake and loss of radionuclides are demonstrated. Comparison of experimental and field data of concentration factors is reported to show the difficulty in extrapolating from laboratory experiments to nature. (author)

Organic Trace Compounds as Emisions of Incineration Plants and their Toxicological and Ecotoxicological Classification - Part 2. Toxicological and ecotoxicological classification; Organische Spurenstoffe als Emissionen aus Verbrennungsanlagen und deren humantoxikologische und oekotoxikologische Einordnung. T. 2. Humantoxikologische und oekotoxikologische Einordnung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaiser, G.; Wiedmann, T.; Ballschmiter, K.

1998-02-01

In this report (`Organic Trace Compounds as Emissions of Incineration Plants and their Toxicological and Ecotoxicologial Classification - Part 2: Toxicological and Ecotoxicological Classification`) emissions of organic compounds, measured from German municipal waste incineration plants, are compared with toxicological and ecotoxicological data, limits and threshold values and environmental baseline levels. Emission data of other combustion processes are integrated if available. A modern waste incineration plant, observing German emission regulations, emits less of most substances reported here than other industrial processes or e.g. the combustion of wood or coal. (orig.) [Deutsch] Im vorliegenden Arbeitsbericht (`Organische Spurenstoffe als Emissionen aus Verbrennungsanlagen und deren humantoxikologische und oekotoxikologische Einordnung - Teil 2: Humantoxikologische und oekotoxikologische Einordnung`) werden die realen organischen Emissionen von Muellverbrennungsanlagen in groesstmoeglicher stofflicher Differenzierung toxikologisch eingeordnet. Hierzu werden die Daten mit human-/oekotoxikologischen Kenngroessen, Grenz- und Orientierungswerten sowie mit der Hintergrundbelastung verglichen und die inhalative Zusatzbelastung wird berechnet. Diese liegt fuer alle Stoffe im Bereich von 10{sup -9} bis 10{sup -1} Prozent. Eine Ausnahme bilden die Phthalsaeureester mit einem Spitzenwert fuer die Zusatzbelastung von 6,5%. Wenn vorhanden, werden die Emissionsdaten von anderen Verbrennungsprozessen mit in die Einordnung aufgenommen. Von vielen Substanzklassen wird bei einer Abfallverbrennungsanlage, die die Grenzwerte der 17. BImSchV einhaelt, weniger an die Umgebungsluft abgegeben als bei anderen industriellen Prozessen oder z.B. bei der Verbrennung von Kohle oder Holz. (orig.)

Nitrogen and Oxygen Isotopic Studies of the Marine Nitrogen Cycle.

Science.gov (United States)

Casciotti, Karen L

2016-01-01

The marine nitrogen cycle is a complex web of microbially mediated reactions that control the inventory, distribution, and speciation of nitrogen in the marine environment. Because nitrogen is a major nutrient that is required by all life, its availability can control biological productivity and ecosystem structure in both surface and deep-ocean communities. Stable isotopes of nitrogen and oxygen in nitrate and nitrite have provided new insights into the rates and distributions of marine nitrogen cycle processes, especially when analyzed in combination with numerical simulations of ocean circulation and biogeochemistry. This review highlights the insights gained from dual-isotope studies applied at regional to global scales and their incorporation into oceanic biogeochemical models. These studies represent significant new advances in the use of isotopic measurements to understand the modern nitrogen cycle, with implications for the study of past ocean productivity, oxygenation, and nutrient status.

Worldwide marine radioactivity studies assessing the picture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Povinec, P.P.; Togawa, O.

1998-01-01

A growing number of sources of radioactivity from human activities are found in the marine environment. They are known to include global nuclear fallout following atmospheric weapons tests, the Chernobyl accident, discharges of radionuclides from nuclear installations, past dumping of radioactive wastes, nuclear submarine accidents, contributions from nuclear testing sites, loss of radioactive sources, and the burn-up of satellites using radioisotopes as power sources. Overall, the world's marine environment contains radionuclides that differ from one region to another. Differences are due to dynamic marine environmental processes and the particular source of radionuclides in a region. Scientific assessments of marine radioactivity, therefore, require knowledge of both the source terms and oceanic processes. Radioactivity now is deposited unevenly over the world's oceans. Global fallout is known to be mainly due to nuclear weapon tests carried out in the 1960s. On the other hand, discharges from nuclear fuel reprocessing plants or past dumping of liquid and solid radioactive wastes generally are confined to more localized areas. Even so, soluble radionuclides have been transported over long distances by prevailing ocean currents. To estimate radionuclide inputs from local sources, scientists need to better understand the distribution of radionuclides throughout the world's oceans and seas. The understanding is important for analysing the results from scientific investigations of localized areas, such as part dumping sites, which then can be reviewed more thoroughly. As a contribution to fuller understanding of the marine environment, the IAEA's Marine Environment Laboratory (MEL) started a five-year project in 1996 entitled ''Research on Worldwide Marine Radioactivity (MARS)''. The work is supported by Japan's Science and Technology Agency (STA). This article briefly review this project, and describes related research activities and scientific investigations of MEL

Efficient management of marine resources in conflict: an empirical study of marine sand mining, Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Tae-Goun

2009-10-01

This article develops a dynamic model of efficient use of exhaustible marine sand resources in the context of marine mining externalities. The classical Hotelling extraction model is applied to sand mining in Ongjin, Korea and extended to include the estimated marginal external costs that mining imposes on marine fisheries. The socially efficient sand extraction plan is compared with the extraction paths suggested by scientific research. If marginal environmental costs are correctly estimated, the developed efficient extraction plan considering the resource rent may increase the social welfare and reduce the conflicts among the marine sand resource users. The empirical results are interpreted with an emphasis on guidelines for coastal resource management policy.

A review of methodology for studying the transfer of radionuclides in marine foodchains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cross, F.A.; Renfro, W.C.; Gilat, E.

1975-01-01

Understanding the mechanisms by which radionuclides are cycled within marine foodchains is essential for predicting concentrations in harvestable seafoods, evaluating the role of organisms in redistributing radionuclides, and assessing radiation doses to populations. Because of the complex interactions within marine foodchains, detailed radioecological studies in contaminated natural ecosystems and carefully designed, long-term laboratory studies on experimental foodchains are both necessary. The report discusses some of the methodological problems involved in conducting field and laboratory studies on radionuclide transfer in marine foodchains. (author)

Editorial : Laudation to prof.dr. Hans-Toni Tarre- towards conceptual, theory-based ecological science and its transfer to the applied field of ecotoxicology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brock, T.C.M.; Giesy, J.P.; Heimbach, F.; Hollert, H.; Ross-Nickoll, M.; Schaffer, A.; Steinhauser, K.G.

2011-01-01

In order to thank Prof. Dr. Hans-Toni Ratte on the occasion of his retirement for his outstanding experimental and modelling merits in the field of ecotoxicology and ecology and his personal 65th anniversary on November 25th this article will present a laudation.

Marine ecology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1977-01-01

Studies on marine ecology included marine pollution; distribution patterns of Pu and Am in the marine waters, sediments, and organisms of Bikini Atoll and the influence of physical, chemical, and biological factors on their movements through marine biogeochemical systems; transfer and dispersion of organic pollutants from an oil refinery through coastal waters; transfer of particulate pollutants, including sediments dispersed during construction of offshore power plants; and raft culture of the mangrove oysters

Methodology for classification of the H14 criterion according to the directive 2008/98/EC on waste. Proposal of a biotest battery for the classification of hazardous waste. Ecotoxicological testing with bacterium, algae, crustacean and fish embryo; Metodik foer klassificering av H14-kriteriet i Avfallsfoerordningen. Foerslag till biotestbatteri foer klassificering av farligt avfall. Ekotoxikologisk testning med bakterie, alg, kraeftdjur och fiskembryo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stiernstroem, Sara; Hemstroem, Kristian; Wik, Ola; Carlsson, Gunnar; Breitholtz, Magnus

2009-02-15

Waste, including ashes that can cause ecotoxicological effects, should be classified under criterion H-14 in the Directive on Waste 2008/98/EC. The complex nature of ash production and the fact that it has a complex chemical composition makes ecotoxicological hazard and risk assessment of ashes based on mere chemical analysis insufficient. Biological test systems are thus indispensable tools to support the ecotoxicological characterisation and classification of the properties of ashes. The objectives of this study were (1) to develop a leaching procedure suitable for preparation of water extracts for ecotoxicity testing, and (2) to evaluate an ecotoxicological test battery for the characterisation of ashes. A leaching procedure developed for organic compounds was assumed to be more realistic than existing standard methods for preparation of eluates for ecotoxic tests from complex matrices. A modified version of a recirculation column test, the ER-H method, developed for leaching of nonvolatile organic compounds and validated for PAHs and CPs, was used in this study and compared with the batch test EN 14735 (Characterization of waste - Preparation of waste samples for ecotoxicity tests). The ecotoxicological test battery included species representing different trophic levels; the bacterium Vibrio fisheri, a growth inhibition test with the micro algae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata formerly known as Selenastrum capricornutum, a larval development test with the copepod Nitocra spinipes and an embryo toxicity test with sebra fish (Danio rerio). These test species show a relatively low sensitivity to elevated salinity levels. This test battery can be used to test a wide variety of matrices (e.g. single chemicals, complex effluents, eluates and sediments), and therefore offers flexible solutions for testing of leachates with differing and difficult properties. Both the ashes and their leachates were also analyzed chemically for organic and inorganic substances. All the

Comparative safety of the antifouling compound butenolide and 4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (DCOIT) to the marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Lianguo [Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong); Ye, Rui [State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong); Xu, Ying; Gao, Zhaoming [Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong); Au, Doris W.T. [State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong); Qian, Pei-Yuan, E-mail: boqianpy@ust.hk [Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong)

2014-04-01

Highlights: • Adverse effects of antifouling compound butenolide were studied using marine medaka. • The active ingredient in SeaNine 211, DCOIT, was employed as positive control. • Butenolide induced transient, reversible biological effects on marine medaka. • Lower toxicity of butenolide on marine biota highlights its promising application. • The increased sensitivity of male medaka addresses the gender difference. - Abstract: This study evaluated the potential adverse effects of butenolide, a promising antifouling compound, using the marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma), a model fish for marine ecotoxicology. The active ingredient used in the commercial antifoulant SeaNine 211, 4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (DCOIT) was employed as the positive control. Adult marine medaka (4-month-old) were exposed to various concentrations of butenolide or DCOIT for 28 days and then depurated in clean seawater for 14 days (recovery). A suite of sensitive biomarkers, including hepatic oxidative stress, neuronal signal transmission, endocrine disruption, and reproductive function, was used to measure significant biological effects induced by the chemicals. Compared to DCOIT, chronic exposure to butenolide induced a lower extent of oxidative stress in the liver of male and female medaka. Furthermore, butenolide-exposed fish could recover faster from oxidative stress than fish exposed to DCOIT. Regarding neurotransmission, DCOIT significantly inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the brain of both male and female medaka, whereas this was not significant for butenolide. In addition, plasma estradiol (E{sub 2}) level was elevated and testosterone (T) level was decreased in male medaka exposed to DCOIT. This greatly imbalanced sex hormones ratio (E{sub 2}/T) in exposed males, indicating that DCOIT is a potent endocrine disruptive chemical. In contrast, butenolide induced only moderate effects on sex hormone levels in exposed males, which could be

Comparative safety of the antifouling compound butenolide and 4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (DCOIT) to the marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Lianguo; Ye, Rui; Xu, Ying; Gao, Zhaoming; Au, Doris W.T.; Qian, Pei-Yuan

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Adverse effects of antifouling compound butenolide were studied using marine medaka. • The active ingredient in SeaNine 211, DCOIT, was employed as positive control. • Butenolide induced transient, reversible biological effects on marine medaka. • Lower toxicity of butenolide on marine biota highlights its promising application. • The increased sensitivity of male medaka addresses the gender difference. - Abstract: This study evaluated the potential adverse effects of butenolide, a promising antifouling compound, using the marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma), a model fish for marine ecotoxicology. The active ingredient used in the commercial antifoulant SeaNine 211, 4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (DCOIT) was employed as the positive control. Adult marine medaka (4-month-old) were exposed to various concentrations of butenolide or DCOIT for 28 days and then depurated in clean seawater for 14 days (recovery). A suite of sensitive biomarkers, including hepatic oxidative stress, neuronal signal transmission, endocrine disruption, and reproductive function, was used to measure significant biological effects induced by the chemicals. Compared to DCOIT, chronic exposure to butenolide induced a lower extent of oxidative stress in the liver of male and female medaka. Furthermore, butenolide-exposed fish could recover faster from oxidative stress than fish exposed to DCOIT. Regarding neurotransmission, DCOIT significantly inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the brain of both male and female medaka, whereas this was not significant for butenolide. In addition, plasma estradiol (E 2 ) level was elevated and testosterone (T) level was decreased in male medaka exposed to DCOIT. This greatly imbalanced sex hormones ratio (E 2 /T) in exposed males, indicating that DCOIT is a potent endocrine disruptive chemical. In contrast, butenolide induced only moderate effects on sex hormone levels in exposed males, which could be gradually

Ecotoxicological effect characterisation of widely used organic UV filters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaiser, D.; Sieratowicz, A.; Zielke, H.; Oetken, M.; Hollert, H.; Oehlmann, J.

2012-01-01

Chemical UV filters are used in sun protection and personal care products in order to protect consumers from skin cancer induced by ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The present study aims to evaluate the effects of three common UV filters butyl-methoxydibenzoylmethane (B-MDM) ethylhexyl-methoxycinnamate (EHMC) and octocrylene (OCR) on aquatic organism, focussing particularly on infaunal and epibentic invertebrates (Chironomus riparius, Lumbriculus variegatus, Melanoides tuberculata and Potamopyrgus antipodarum). Due to their life habits, these organism are especially affected by lipophilic substances. Additionally, two direct sediment contact assays utilising zebra fish (Danio rerio) embryos and bacteria (Arthrobacter globiformis) were conducted. EHMC caused a toxic effect on reproduction in both snails with lowest observed effect concentrations (LOEC) of 0.4 mg/kg (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) and 10 mg/kg (Melanoides tuberculata). At high concentrations sublethal effects could be observed for D. rerio after exposure to EHMC (NOEC 100 mg/kg). B-MDM and OCR showed no effects on any of the tested organism. - Highlights: ► Ecotoxicological effects of common used UV filters on aquatic invertebrates. ► Butyl-methoxydibenzoylmethane, ethylhexyl-methoxycinnamate, and octocrylene used. ► Sediment based test systems. ► Ethylhexyl-methoxycinnamate caused a toxic effect on reproduction in both snails. ► Other substances showed no effects on any of the tested organism. - Ethylhexyl-methoxycinnamate caused a toxic effect on reproduction in both snails. Butyl-methoxydibenzoylmethane and octocrylene showed no effects on any of the tested organism.

Marine genomics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oliveira Ribeiro, Ângela Maria; Foote, Andrew David; Kupczok, Anne

2017-01-01

Marine ecosystems occupy 71% of the surface of our planet, yet we know little about their diversity. Although the inventory of species is continually increasing, as registered by the Census of Marine Life program, only about 10% of the estimated two million marine species are known. This lag......-throughput sequencing approaches have been helping to improve our knowledge of marine biodiversity, from the rich microbial biota that forms the base of the tree of life to a wealth of plant and animal species. In this review, we present an overview of the applications of genomics to the study of marine life, from...

Use of digestate from a decentralized on-farm biogas plant as fertilizer in soils: An ecotoxicological study for future indicators in risk and life cycle assessment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pivato, Alberto; Vanin, Stefano; Raga, Roberto

2016-01-01

Over the last decade, the number of decentralized farm biogas plants has increased significantly in the EU. This development leads not only to an increasing amount of biogas produced, but also to a higher amount of digestate obtained. One of the most attractive options to manage the digestate......, on the eluate, with the using aquatic organisms and luminescent bacteria showed an LC50 value of 13.61% volume/volume percent, v/v) for D. magna and no toxicityfor Artemia sp. and V. fischeri.The ecotoxicological parameters obtained from the experimental activity have been analyzed so that they could serve...

Contamination of port zone sediments by metals from Large Marine Ecosystems of Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Buruaem, Lucas M; Hortellani, Marcos A; Sarkis, Jorge E; Costa-Lotufo, Leticia V; Abessa, Denis M S

2012-03-01

Sediment contamination by metals poses risks to coastal ecosystems and is considered to be problematic to dredging operations. In Brazil, there are differences in sedimentology along the Large Marine Ecosystems in relation to the metal distributions. We aimed to assess the extent of Al, Fe, Hg, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn contamination in sediments from port zones in northeast (Mucuripe and Pecém) and southeast (Santos) Brazil through geochemical analyses and sediment quality ratings. The metal concentrations found in these port zones were higher than those observed in the continental shelf or the background values in both regions. In the northeast, metals were associated with carbonate, while in Santos, they were associated with mud. Geochemical analyses showed enrichments in Hg, Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn, and a simple application of international sediment quality guidelines failed to predict their impacts, whereas the use of site-specific values that were derived by geochemical and ecotoxicological approaches seemed to be more appropriate in the management of the dredged sediments. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Establishing an agenda for social studies research in marine renewable energy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Watts, Laura; Kerr, Sandy

2014-01-01

To date, academic research relating to Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) has largely focused on resource assessment, technical viability and environmental impact. Experiences from onshore renewable energy tell us that social acceptability is equally critical to project success. However, the specific...... nature of the marine environment, patterns of resource distribution and governance means experiences from onshore may not be directly applicable to MRE and the marine environment. This paper sets out an agenda for social studies research linked to MRE, identifying key topics for future research: (i...... research network of social scientists with interests in marine renewable energy. Importantly, this research agenda has been informed by the experiences of developers, regulators and community groups in Orkney. The Orkney archipelago, off the north coast of Scotland, is home to the most intense cluster...

MARKETING SYSTEM OF MARINE FISH IN BANGLADESH: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

OpenAIRE

Islam, M. Serajul; Miah, Tofazzal Hossain; Haque, Md. Mojammel

2000-01-01

This paper was designed to investigate the present status of marine fish marketing aiming to determine marketing costs, margins and profits of marketing intermediaries both in domestic and export marketing. Primary data were collected by survey method wherein various market intermediaries were interviewed from selected districts for eliciting information at various stages of marine fish marketing. The study revealed that marketing margin as well as marketing profit both were relatively higher...

Ecotoxicological assessment of dewatered drinking water treatment residue for environmental recycling.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Nannan; Wang, Changhui; Wendling, Laura A; Pei, Yuansheng

2017-09-01

The beneficial recycle of drinking water treatment residue (DWTR) in environmental remediation has been demonstrated in many reports. However, the lack of information concerning the potential toxicity of dewatered DWTR hinders its widespread use. The present study examined the ecotoxicity of dewatered aluminum (Al) and iron (Fe) DWTR leachates to a green alga, Chlorella vulgaris. Data from the variations of cell density and chlorophyll a content suggested that algal growth in DWTR leachates was inhibited. The algal cellular oxidation stress was initially induced but completely eliminated within 72 h by antioxidant enzymes. The expression of three photosynthesis-related algae genes (psaB, psbC, and rbcL) also temporarily decreased (within 72 h). Moreover, the algal cells showed intact cytomembranes after exposure to DWTR leachates. Further investigation confirmed that inhibition of algal growth was due to DWTR-induced phosphorus (P) deficiency in growth medium, rather than potentially toxic contaminants (e.g. copper and Al) contained in DWTR. Interestingly, the leachates could potentially promote algal growth via increasing the supply of new components (e.g. calcium, kalium, magnesium, and ammonia nitrogen) from DWTR. In summary, based on the algae toxicity test, the dewatered Fe/Al DWTR was nontoxic and its environment recycling does not represent an ecotoxicological risk to algae.

The future of marine renewable energies. Summary of the Ifremer Futures study on marine renewable energies to 2030

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lacroix, D.; Paillard, M.

2008-01-01

The challenge posed by climate change and the predicted scarcity of fossil fuels is so great that energy questions are increasingly in the headlines. There has, in this context, been an increasing promotion of renewable energies, as is attested by France and the EU's stated objective of producing 20% of consumed energy from renewable sources by 2020. Among the different renewable energies, the ocean represents an immense reserve (tidal and tidal-stream energy, wave and wind power, marine biomass etc.) and a genuine asset for those countries like France which have the good fortune to have many seaboards (both at home and overseas). In order to gauge the potential of marine renewable energies, Ifremer began an enormous foresight exercise in March 2007 examining scenarios to the year 2030 in partnership with the main actors in the maritime world and with methodological support from Futuribles. Denis Lacroix and Michel Paillard, who were members of the steering committee of that study, present the broad outlines of this foresight exercise and the possible prospects for marine renewable energies. After reviewing the various forms of marine energy, they set out the methods followed and the range of possible scenarios selected, together with the potential of the different technologies associated with marine renewable energies. They then show the extent to which these energies could contribute to the French energy supply to 2030, before developing a ''normative'' scenario that can serve as a strategic axis for French energy policy so far as marine renewable energies are concerned (on the basis of a contribution of around 3% to the French energy mix in 2020). (author)

Marine Socio-Environmental Covariates: queryable global layers of environmental and anthropogenic variables for marine ecosystem studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeager, Lauren A; Marchand, Philippe; Gill, David A; Baum, Julia K; McPherson, Jana M

2017-07-01

wide array of end-users with the goal of advancing marine ecosystem studies. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

Ecotoxicological assessment of bioremediation of a petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Renoux, A.Y.; Tyagi, R.D.; Samson, R.

1995-01-01

A battery of bioassays [barley seed germination, barley plant growth, lettuce seed germination, worm mortality, Microtox reg-sign, lettuce root elongation, algae Selenastrum capricornutum growth, Daphnia magna mortality, and SOS Chromotest (±S9)] was used to assess an above-ground heap pile treatment of a soil contaminated with aliphatic petroleum hydrocarbons (12 to 24 carbons). Despite an initial oil and grease concentration of 2,000 mg/kg, no significant (geno)toxicity was apparent in the soil sample before treatment. During the treatment, which decreased oil and grease concentrations to 800 mg/kg, slight toxicity was revealed by three bioassays (barley seed germination, worm mortality, Daphnia magna mortality), and a significant increase in genotoxicity was measured with the SOS Chromotest (± S9). It appears that ecotoxicological evaluation revealed harmful condition(s) that were not detected by chemical assessment. This suggests that the remediation had ceased before complete detoxification occurred. This phenomenon must be further investigated, however, to furnish solid conclusions on the toxicological effectiveness of the biotreatment

Marine habitat mapping at Labuan Marine Park, Federal Territory of Labuan, Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Mustajap, Fazliana; Saleh, Ejria; Madin, John; Hamid, Shahimah Abdul

2015-06-01

Marine habitat mapping has recently become essential in coastal marine science research. It is one of the efforts to understand marine ecosystems, and thus to protect them. Habitat mapping is integral to marine-related industries such as fisheries, aquaculture, forestry and tourism. An assessment of marine habitat mapping was conducted at Labuan Marine Park (LMP), a marine protected area in the Federal Territory of Labuan. It is surrounded by shallow water within its islands (Kuraman, Rusukan Kecil and Rusukan Besar) with an area of 39.7 km2. The objectives of the study are to identify the substrate and types of marine habitat present within the park. Side scan sonar (SSS) (Aquascan TM) was used to determine the substrates and habitat while ground truthings were done through field observation and SCUBA diving survey. Seabed classification and marine habitat was based on NOAA's biogeography program. Three substrate types (sand, rock, silt) were identified in this area. The major marine habitats identified are corals, macro algae and small patches of sea grass. The study area is an important refuge for spawning and juvenile fish and supports the livelihood of the coastal communities on Labuan Island. Therefore, proper management is crucial in order to better maintain the marine protected area. The findings are significant and provide detailed baseline information on marine habitat for conservation, protection and future management in LMP.

Environmental hazard assessment of a marine mine tailings deposit site and potential implications for deep-sea mining.

Science.gov (United States)

Mestre, Nélia C; Rocha, Thiago L; Canals, Miquel; Cardoso, Cátia; Danovaro, Roberto; Dell'Anno, Antonio; Gambi, Cristina; Regoli, Francesco; Sanchez-Vidal, Anna; Bebianno, Maria João

2017-09-01

Portmán Bay is a heavily contaminated area resulting from decades of metal mine tailings disposal, and is considered a suitable shallow-water analogue to investigate the potential ecotoxicological impact of deep-sea mining. Resuspension plumes were artificially created by removing the top layer of the mine tailings deposit by bottom trawling. Mussels were deployed at three sites: i) off the mine tailings deposit area; ii) on the mine tailings deposit beyond the influence from the resuspension plumes; iii) under the influence of the artificially generated resuspension plumes. Surface sediment samples were collected at the same sites for metal analysis and ecotoxicity assessment. Metal concentrations and a battery of biomarkers (oxidative stress, metal exposure, biotransformation and oxidative damage) were measured in different mussel tissues. The environmental hazard posed by the resuspension plumes was investigated by a quantitative weight of evidence (WOE) model that integrated all the data. The resuspension of sediments loaded with metal mine tails demonstrated that chemical contaminants were released by trawling subsequently inducing ecotoxicological impact in mussels' health. Considering as sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) those indicated in Spanish action level B for the disposal of dredged material at sea, the WOE model indicates that the hazard is slight off the mine tailings deposit, moderate on the mine tailings deposit without the influence from the resuspension plumes, and major under the influence of the resuspension plumes. Portmán Bay mine tailings deposit is a by-product of sulphide mining, and despite differences in environmental setting, it can reflect the potential ecotoxic effects to marine fauna from the impact of resuspension of plumes created by deep-sea mining of polymetallic sulphides. A similar approach as in this study could be applied in other areas affected by sediment resuspension and for testing future deep-sea mining sites in

The Pelagos Sanctuary for Mediterranean marine mammals: Marine Protected Area (MPA) or marine polluted area? The case study of the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba).

Science.gov (United States)

Fossi, Maria Cristina; Panti, Cristina; Marsili, Letizia; Maltese, Silvia; Spinsanti, Giacomo; Casini, Silvia; Caliani, Ilaria; Gaspari, Stefania; Muñoz-Arnanz, Juan; Jimenez, Begoña; Finoia, Maria Grazia

2013-05-15

The concurrence of man-made pressures on cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea is potentially affecting population stability and marine biodiversity. This needs to be proven for the only pelagic marine protected area in the Mediterranean Sea: the Pelagos Sanctuary for Mediterranean Marine Mammals. Here we applied a multidisciplinary tool, using diagnostic markers elaborated in a statistical model to rank toxicological stress in Mediterranean cetaceans. As a case study we analyzed persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals combined with a wide range of diagnostic markers of exposure to anthropogenic contaminants and genetic variation as marker of genetic erosion in striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) skin biopsies. Finally, a statistical model was applied to obtain a complete toxicological profile of the striped dolphin in the Pelagos Sanctuary and other Mediterranean areas (Ionian Sea and Strait of Gibraltar). Here we provide the first complete evidence of the toxicological stress in cetaceans living in Pelagos Sanctuary. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metal-contaminated soil remediation by means of paper mill sludges addition: chemical and ecotoxicological evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calace, N.; Campisi, T.; Iacondini, A.; Leoni, M.; Petronio, B.M.; Pietroletti, M.

2005-01-01

Metal pollution of soils is a great environmental problem. The major risks due to metal pollution of soil consist of leaching to groundwater and potential toxicity to plants and/or animals. The objective of this study is to evaluate by means of chemical and ecotoxicological approach the effects of paper mill sludge addition on the mobile metal fraction of polluted metal soils. The study was carried out on acidic soil derived from mining activities and thus polluted with heavy metals, and on two paper mill sludges having different chemical features. The results obtained by leaching experiments showed that the addition of a paper mill sludge, consisting mainly of carbonates, silicates and organic matter, to a heavy-metal polluted soil produces a decrease of available metal forms. The carbonate content seems to play a key role in the chemical stabilisation of metals and consequently in a decrease of toxicity of soil. The leached solutions have a non-toxic effect. The mild remediation by addition of sludge has moreover a lasting effect. - Paper mill sludge decreased available metals

Oil effect in freshly spiked marine sediment on Vibrio fischeri, Corophium volutator and Echinocardium cordatum

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brils, J.M.; Huwer, S.L.; Kater, B.J.; Schout, P.G.; Harmsen, J.; Delvigne, G.A.L.; Scholten, M.C.T.

2002-01-01

The purpose of this study was to provide data to be used in The Netherlands for development of ecotoxicologically based quality criteria for oil-contaminated sediments and dredged material. In addition, the relation of toxicity to specific oil boiling-point fraction ranges was explored. Natural

Impact of soil properties on critical concentrations of cadmium, lead, copper, zinc and mercury in soil and soil solution in view of ecotoxicological effects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vries, de W.; Lofts, S.; Tipping, E.; Meili, M.; Groenenberg, J.E.; Schutze, G.

2007-01-01

Concern about the input of metals to terrestrial ecosystems is related to (i) the ecotoxicological impact on soil organisms and plants (Bringmark et al. 1998; Palmborg et al. 1998) and also on aquatic organisms resulting from runoff to surface water and (ii) the uptake via food chains into animal

Ecotoxicology of bromoacetic acid on estuarine phytoplankton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gordon, Ana R.; Richardson, Tammi L.; Pinckney, James L.

2015-01-01

Bromoacetic acid is formed when effluent containing chlorine residuals react with humics in natural waters containing bromide. The objective of this research was to quantify the effects of bromoacetic acid on estuarine phytoplankton as a proxy for ecosystem productivity. Bioassays were used to measure the EC 50 for growth in cultured species and natural marine communities. Growth inhibition was estimated by changes in chlorophyll a concentrations measured by fluorometry and HPLC. The EC 50 s for cultured Thalassiosira pseudonana were 194 mg L −1 , 240 mg L −1 for Dunaliella tertiolecta and 209 mg L −1 for Rhodomonas salina. Natural phytoplankton communities were more sensitive to contamination with an EC 50 of 80 mg L −1 . Discriminant analysis suggested that bromoacetic acid additions cause an alteration of phytoplankton community structure with implications for higher trophic levels. A two-fold EC 50 decrease in mixed natural phytoplankton populations affirms the importance of field confirmation for establishing water quality criteria. - Highlights: • Bromoacetic acid exposure resulted in lethal impacts to estuarine phytoplankton. • Cultured phytoplankton were less sensitive to bromoacetic acid than natural communities. • Lab results should be confirmed with field experiments whenever possible. - The toxicology of haloacetic acids has been studied in freshwater ecosystems, and urbanization of the coastal zone is making effects in marine ecosystems equally relevant.

Studies on antagonistic marine streptomycetes

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Chandramohan, D.; Nair, S.

three strains inhibited all the test cultures. In addition to the above test cultures marine bacteria (Vibrio sp., Aeromonas spp., Flavobacterium spp., Bacillus sp. and Micrococcus sp.) resistant to few known antibiotics (tetracycline, penicillin...

Effects of Biodiesel Blend on Marine Fuel Characteristics for Marine Vessels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cherng-Yuan Lin

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Biodiesel produced from vegetable oils, animal fats and algae oil is a renewable, environmentally friendly and clean alternative fuel that reduces pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions in marine applications. This study investigates the influence of biodiesel blend on the characteristics of residual and distillate marine fuels. Adequate correlation equations are applied to calculate the fuel properties of the blended marine fuels with biodiesel. Residual marine fuel RMA has inferior fuel characteristics compared with distillate marine fuel DMA and biodiesel. The flash point of marine fuel RMA could be increased by 20% if blended with 20 vol% biodiesel. The sulfur content of residual marine fuel could meet the requirement of the 2008 MARPOL Annex VI Amendment by blending it with 23.0 vol% biodiesel. In addition, the kinematic viscosity of residual marine fuel could be reduced by 12.9% and the carbon residue by 23.6% if 20 vol% and 25 vol% biodiesel are used, respectively. Residual marine fuel blended with 20 vol% biodiesel decreases its lower heating value by 1.9%. Moreover, the fuel properties of residual marine fuel are found to improve more significantly with biodiesel blending than those of distillate marine fuel.

Ecotoxicological risks associated with tannery effluent wastewater.

Science.gov (United States)

Shakir, Lubna; Ejaz, Sohail; Ashraf, Muhammad; Qureshi, Naureen Aziz; Anjum, Aftab Ahmad; Iltaf, Imran; Javeed, Aqeel

2012-09-01

The problem of water pollution acquires greater relevance in the context of a developing agrarian economy like Pakistan. Even though, the leather industry is a leading economic sector in Pakistan, there is an increasing environmental concern regarding tanneries because they produce large amounts of potentially toxic wastewater containing both trivalent and hexavalent chromium, which are equally hazardous for human population, aquaculture and agricultural activities in the area. Therefore, we defined the scope of the present study as to employ different bioassays to determine the eco-toxic potential of tannery effluent wastewater (TW) and its chromium based components, i.e., potassium dichromate (K(2)Cr(2)O(7)) and chromium sulfate Cr(2)(SO(4))(3). Particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis of TW was carried out to determine the concentration of chromium in TW and then equal concentrations of hexavalent (K(2)Cr(2)O(7)) and trivalent chromium Cr(2)(SO(4))(3) were obtained for this study. Cytotoxicity assay, artemia bioassay and phytotoxicity assay was utilized to investigate the eco-toxicological potential of different concentrations of TW, K(2)Cr(2)O(7) and Cr(2)(SO(4))(3). All the dilutions of TW, K(2)Cr(2)O(7) and Cr(2)(SO(4))(3) presented concentration dependent cytotoxic effects in these assays. The data clearly represents that among all three tested materials, different dilutions of K(2)Cr(2)O(7) caused significantly more damage (P<0.001) to vero cell, brine shrimp and germination of maize seeds. Interestingly, the overall toxicity effects of TW treated groups were subsequent to K(2)Cr(2)O(7) treated group. Based on biological evidences presented in this article, it is concluded that hexavalent chromium (K(2)Cr(2)O(7)) and TW has got significant eco-damaging potential clearly elaborating that environmental burden in district Kasur is numerous and high levels of chromium is posing a considerable risk to the human population, aquaculture and agricultural

Ecotoxicology of aluminum to fish and wildlife

Science.gov (United States)

Sparling, D.W.; Lowe, T.P.; Campbell, P.G.C.; Yokel, Robert A.; Golub, Mari S.

1997-01-01

The toxicity of aluminum has been studied extensively in fish, less so in invertebrates, amphibians, and birds, and not at all in reptiles and free-ranging mammals. For aquatic organisms, Al bioavailability and toxicity are intimately related to ambient pH; changes in ambient acidity may affect Al solubility, dissolved Al speciation, and organism sensitivity to Al. At moderate acidity (pH 5.5 to 7.0), fish and invertebrates may be stressed due to Al adsorption onto gill surfaces and subsequent asphyxiation. At pH 4.5 to 5.5, Al can impair ion regulation and augment the toxicity of H+. At lower pH, elevated Al can temporarily ameliorate the toxic effects of acidity by competing for binding sites with H+. Aluminum toxicity in aquatic environments is further affected by the concentration of ligands such as dissolved organic matter, fluoride, or sulfate, and of other cations such as Ca and Mg which compete for cellular binding sites. Although risk of Al toxicity is often based on a model of free-ion (Al3+) activity, recent evidence suggests that factors determining Al toxicity may be more complex. In general, aquatic invertebrates are less sensitive to Al toxicity and acidity than fish; thus acidified, Al-rich waters may actually reduce predation pressure. Fish may be affected by asphyxiation at moderate acidic conditions or electrolyte imbalances at lower pH. In amphibians, embryos and young larvae are typically more sensitive than older larvae. Early breeding amphibians, which lay eggs in ephemeral ponds and streams subject to spring runoff, are most at risk from Al and acidification; those that breed later in the year in lakes or rivers are least vulnerable. Birds and mammals are most likely exposed through dietary ingestion of soil or Al-contaminated foods. Concentrations > 1000 mg.kg-1 in food may be toxic to young birds and mammals. Clinical signs in these animals are consistent with rickets because Al precipitates with P in the gut. Suggestions for additional

Toxicological and ecotoxicological risk-based prioritization of pharmaceuticals in the natural environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Jiahua; Sinclair, Chris J; Selby, Katherine; Boxall, Alistair B A

2016-06-01

Approximately 1500 active pharmaceutical ingredients are currently in use; however, the environmental occurrence and impacts of only a small proportion of these have been investigated. Recognizing that it would be impractical to monitor and assess all pharmaceuticals that are in use, several previous studies have proposed the use of prioritization approaches to identify substances of most concern so that resources can be focused on these. All of these previous approaches suffer from limitations. In the present study, the authors draw on experience from previous prioritization exercises and present a holistic approach for prioritizing pharmaceuticals in the environment in terms of risks to aquatic and soil organisms, avian and mammalian wildlife, and humans. The approach considers both apical ecotoxicological endpoints as well as potential nonapical effects related to the therapeutic mode of action. Application of the approach is illustrated for 146 active pharmaceuticals that are used either in the community or in hospital settings in the United Kingdom. Using the approach, 16 compounds were identified as a potential priority. These substances include compounds belonging to the antibiotic, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antiobesity, and estrogen classes as well as associated metabolites. In the future, the prioritization approach should be applied more broadly around the different regions of the world. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:1550-1559. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

Acute toxicity tests and meta-analysis identify gaps in tropical ecotoxicology for amphibians.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghose, Sonia L; Donnelly, Maureen A; Kerby, Jacob; Whitfield, Steven M

2014-09-01

Amphibian populations are declining worldwide, particularly in tropical regions where amphibian diversity is highest. Pollutants, including agricultural pesticides, have been identified as a potential contributor to decline, yet toxicological studies of tropical amphibians are very rare. The present study assesses toxic effects on amphibians of 10 commonly used commercial pesticides in tropical agriculture using 2 approaches. First, the authors conducted 8-d toxicity assays with formulations of each pesticide using individually reared red-eyed tree frog (Agalychnis callidryas) tadpoles. Second, they conducted a review of available data for the lethal concentration to kill 50% of test animals from the US Environmental Protection Agency's ECOTOX database to allow comparison with their findings. Lethal concentration estimates from the assays ranged over several orders of magnitude. The nematicides terbufos and ethoprophos and the fungicide chlorothalonil were very highly toxic, with evident effects within an order of magnitude of environmental concentrations. Acute toxicity assays and meta-analysis show that nematicides and fungicides are generally more toxic than herbicides yet receive far less research attention than less toxic herbicides. Given that the tropics have a high diversity of amphibians, the findings emphasize the need for research into the effects of commonly used pesticides in tropical countries and should help guide future ecotoxicological research in tropical regions. © 2014 SETAC.

Willingness-To-Pay for Improving Marine Biodiversity: A Case Study of Lastovo Archipelago Marine Park (Croatia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Getzner

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The sustainable financing of marine protected areas is still an important issue on the conservation agenda even in European countries with strong governance and regulatory frameworks. With the example of the Lastovo Archipelago Marine Park in Croatia, this paper discusses options for funding based on visitors’ willingness-to-pay to conserve marine biodiversity. The site is attractive to general tourists coming by ferries and sailors with private boats alike, which is at the same time a challenge and an opportunity for designing an efficient and effective funding scheme. The authors investigate the willingness-to-pay (WTP of these two groups of visitors for the conservation of characteristic habitats and species based on the visualization of three different scenarios. In the statistical analysis, the authors find a significant WTP that could contribute to the long-term management and financing of the site, taking into account the perceptions and attitudes of the different groups of tourists. All in all, this study provides several conclusions for levying entry fees depending on a segmentation of tourists with respect to their preferences, behavior, socio-economic characteristics, and alternative destinations.

Marine Robot Autonomy

CERN Document Server

2013-01-01

Autonomy for Marine Robots provides a timely and insightful overview of intelligent autonomy in marine robots. A brief history of this emerging field is provided, along with a discussion of the challenges unique to the underwater environment and their impact on the level of intelligent autonomy required.  Topics covered at length examine advanced frameworks, path-planning, fault tolerance, machine learning, and cooperation as relevant to marine robots that need intelligent autonomy.  This book also: Discusses and offers solutions for the unique challenges presented by more complex missions and the dynamic underwater environment when operating autonomous marine robots Includes case studies that demonstrate intelligent autonomy in marine robots to perform underwater simultaneous localization and mapping  Autonomy for Marine Robots is an ideal book for researchers and engineers interested in the field of marine robots.      

Characterizing Marine Soundscapes.

Science.gov (United States)

Erbe, Christine; McCauley, Robert; Gavrilov, Alexander

2016-01-01

The study of marine soundscapes is becoming widespread and the amount of data collected is increasing rapidly. Data owners (typically academia, industry, government, and defense) are negotiating data sharing and generating potential for data syntheses, comparative studies, analyses of trends, and large-scale and long-term acoustic ecology research. A problem is the lack of standards and commonly agreed protocols for the recording of marine soundscapes, data analysis, and reporting that make a synthesis and comparison of results difficult. We provide a brief overview of the components in a marine soundscape, the hard- and software tools for recording and analyzing marine soundscapes, and common reporting formats.

A contribution to the study of atmospheric aerosols in urban, marine and oceanic areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butor, Jean-Francois

1980-01-01

A study of atmospheric aerosols, especially marine aerosols, was carried out, using impactors and nuclepore filters in association with electron microscopy techniques. The performances of the experimental device were first determined carefully and a generator of monodisperse aerosols was built at the laboratory in order to measure the efficiency of the filters used. It was demonstrated that the chief atmospheric particulate constituents could be determined by electron microscopy. The particle-size distribution of oceanic aerosols was next studied on the basis of the results of three measurement campaigns carried out in the Atlantic ocean. In Brest, where urban aerosols more or less affected by the meteorological conditions can be found superimposed to marine aerosols, an assessment was made of the effects of moderate anthropogeneous pollution on marine aerosols as measured in the Atlantic ocean. Two cases of marine aerosol disturbance, the former by an accidental marine pollution, the latter linked to a natural local phenomenon are related and a model of the marine aerosol in the Northern Atlantic ocean is proposed which takes into account the mean particle size spectra, the characteristic parameters of its three-modal distribution and the qualitative analysis of particles. (author) [fr

Chemical and ecotoxicological evaluation of biochar produced from residues of biogas production.

Science.gov (United States)

Stefaniuk, Magdalena; Oleszczuk, Patryk; Bartmiński, Piotr

2016-11-15

Analyses were carried out for biochars produced at three temperatures of pyrolysis (400, 600 and 800°C) from solid residue from biogas production (RBP). Separated and non-separated RBP from biogas plants employing different biogas production conditions were pyrolyzed. The contents of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (16 PAH US EPA) were analyzed in biochars. The analyses showed that with an increased pyrolysis temperature, there was an increase in the contents of PAHs and of certain heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Cd, Pb and Mn). In the ecotoxicological tests, it was noted that the effect depended on the temperature of pyrolysis and on the feedstock from which the biochar was produced. The least harmful effect on the test organisms was from biochar produced by separated RBP in a biogas plant operating in mesophilic conditions. The most negative effect on the test organisms was characteristic of biochar produced from non-separated mesophilic RBP. This study shows that the main factors determining the level of toxicity of biochars produced from RBP towards various living organisms are both the method of feedstock production and the temperature at which the process of pyrolysis is conducted. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Global patterns of extinction risk in marine and non-marine systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Webb, Thomas J; Mindel, Beth L

2015-02-16

Despite increasing concern over the effects of human activities on marine ecosystems, extinction in the sea remains scarce: 19-24 out of a total of >850 recorded extinctions implies a 9-fold lower marine extinction rate compared to non-marine systems. The extent of threats faced by marine systems, and their resilience to them, receive considerable attention, but the detectability of marine extinctions is less well understood. Before its extinction or threat status is recorded, a species must be both taxonomically described and then formally assessed; lower rates of either process for marine species could thus impact patterns of extinction risk, especially as species missing from taxonomic inventories may often be more vulnerable than described species. We combine data on taxonomic description with conservation assessments from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to test these possibilities across almost all marine and non-marine eukaryotes. We find that the 9-fold lower rate of recorded extinctions and 4-fold lower rate of ongoing extinction risk across marine species can be explained in part by differences in the proportion of species assessed by the IUCN (3% cf. 4% of non-marine species). Furthermore, once taxonomic knowledge and conservation assessments pass a threshold level, differences in extinction risk between marine and non-marine groups largely disappear. Indeed, across the best-studied taxonomic groups, there is no difference between marine and non-marine systems, with on average between 20% and 25% of species being threatened with extinction, regardless of realm. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Insights into the CuO nanoparticle ecotoxicity with suitable marine model species.

Science.gov (United States)

Rotini, A; Gallo, A; Parlapiano, I; Berducci, M T; Boni, R; Tosti, E; Prato, E; Maggi, C; Cicero, A M; Migliore, L; Manfra, L

2018-01-01

Metal oxide nanoparticles, among them copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs), are widely used in different applications (e.g. batteries, gas sensors, superconductors, plastics and metallic coatings), increasing their potential release in the environment. In aquatic matrix, the behavior of CuO NPs may strongly change, depending on their surface charge and some physical-chemical characteristics of the medium (e.g. ionic strength, salinity, pH and natural organic matter content). Ecotoxicity of CuO NPs to aquatic organisms was mainly studied on freshwater species, few tests being performed on marine biota. The aim of this study was to assess the toxicity of CuO NPs on suitable indicator species, belonging to the ecologically relevant level of consumers. The selected bioassays use reference protocols to identify Effect/Lethal Concentrations (E(L)C), by assessing lethal and sub-lethal endpoints. Mortality tests were performed on rotifer (Brachionus plicatilis), shrimp (Artemia franciscana) and copepod (Tigriopus fulvus). While moult release failure and fertilization rate were studied, as sub-lethal endpoints, on T. fulvus and sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus), respectively. The size distribution and sedimentation rates of CuO NPs, together with the copper dissolution, were also analyzed in the exposure media. The CuO NP ecotoxicity assessment showed a concentration-dependent response for all species, indicating similar mortality for B. plicatilis (48hLC 50 = 16.94 ± 2.68mg/l) and T. fulvus (96hLC 50 = 12.35 ± 0.48mg/l), followed by A. franciscana (48hLC 50 = 64.55 ± 3.54mg/l). Comparable EC 50 values were also obtained for the sub-lethal endpoints in P. lividus (EC 50 = 2.28 ± 0.06mg/l) and T. fulvus (EC 50 = 2.38 ± 0.20mg/l). Copper salts showed higher toxicity than CuO NPs for all species, with common sensitivity trend as follows: P. lividus ≥ T. fulvus (sublethal endpoint) ≥ B. plicatilis >T. fulvus (lethal endpoint) >A. franciscana. CuO NP micrometric

Toxicity of benz(a)anthracene and fluoranthene to marine phytoplankton in culture: Does cell size really matter?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Othman, Hiba Ben [UMR 5119 ECOSYM, CNRS-IRD-Universite Montpellier II-Ifremer-Universite Montpellier I, SMEL 2 rue des Chantiers, F-34200 Sete (France); Laboratoire de Cytologie Vegetale et Phytoplanctonologie, Faculte des Sciences de Bizerte, Universite de Carthage, Zarzouna 7021, Bizerte (Tunisia); Leboulanger, Christophe, E-mail: christophe.leboulanger@ird.fr [UMR 5119 ECOSYM, CNRS-IRD-Universite Montpellier II-Ifremer-Universite Montpellier I, SMEL 2 rue des Chantiers, F-34200 Sete (France); Le Floc' h, Emilie [UMS MEDIMEER, CNRS-Universite Montpellier II, SMEL 2 rue des Chantiers F-34200 Sete (France); Hadj Mabrouk, Hassine; Sakka Hlaili, Asma [Laboratoire de Cytologie Vegetale et Phytoplanctonologie, Faculte des Sciences de Bizerte, Universite de Carthage, Zarzouna 7021, Bizerte (Tunisia)

2012-12-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the marine environment are a hazardous chemical legacy. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Benz(a)anthracene and fluoranthene are toxic to phytoplankton photosynthesis and growth in culture. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Acute (photosynthesis) and chronic (population growth) effects have different thresholds. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Toxicity depends on both the species selected as a model and the compound considered. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Further study of the size/sensitivity relationship is required to draw more general conclusions. - Abstract: The toxicity of benz(a)anthracene and fluoranthene (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs) was evaluated on seven species of marine algae in culture belonging to pico-, nano-, and microphytoplankton, exposed to increasing concentrations of up to 2 mg L{sup -1}. The short-term (24 h) toxicity was assessed using chlorophyll a fluorescence transients, linked to photosynthetic parameters. The maximum quantum yield Fv/Fm was lower at the highest concentrations tested and the toxicity thresholds were species-dependent. For acute effects, fluoranthene was more toxic than benz(a)anthracene, with LOECs of 50.6 and 186 {mu}g L{sup -1}, respectively. After 72 h exposure, there was a dose-dependent decrease in cell density, fluoranthene being more toxic than benz(a)anthracene. The population endpoint at 72 h was affected to a greater extent than the photosynthetic endpoint at 24 h. EC50 was evaluated using the Hill model, and species sensitivity was negatively correlated to cell biovolume. The largest species tested, the dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella, was almost insensitive to either PAH. The population endpoint EC50s for fluoranthene varied from 54 {mu}g L{sup -1} for the picophytoplankton Picochlorum sp. to 418 {mu}g L{sup -1} for the larger diatom Chaetoceros muelleri. The size/sensitivity relationship is proposed as a useful model when

Stable isotopic techniques to address marine pollution: Karachi coast as a case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, N.; Mashiatullah, A.; Javed, T.; Chaudhary, M.Z.; Fazil, M.; Khan, M.S.; Qureshi, R.M.

2011-01-01

Seawater of the coastal regions near heavily industrialized and thickly populated urbanized centers normally receive large quantities of domestic, agricultural and industrial sewage. Ocean systems generally appear to be unlimited in their ability to dilute these human discharges and industrial wastes. This limit is now being exceeded in coastal waters in the vicinity of many large industrial and heavy populated coastal zones, causing threat to marine coastal resources of these areas. Considering the increasing threats of the unplanned inventory of untreated wastes into the marine coastal environment, the strength of isotope tools (delta/sup 13/C) is used to understand the complex ecological systems in the marine coastal environment. This technique has been applied to study transport, behavior and fate of organic pollutants in marine coastal ecosystems of Karachi coast mainly as model studies. Carbon flow in heavily contaminated harbour channel (Manora Channel) , southeast and northwest coast have been investigated. The results indicate that shallow marine coastal waters tend to be depleted in /sup 13/C (TDIC) where polluted rivers through the coastal dwellings enter and get mixed with the seawater. Gradual increase in /sup 13/C (TDIC) are observed as the distance from pollution source is increased. Extremely depleted /sup 13/C/sub org/ was observed in sediment of Layari river out fall zone and Karachi fish harbor indicating input of domestic sewage through Layari river. Studies have proved that stable carbon isotope ratios of total dissolved inorganic carbon (TDIC) can be used as an effective tracer of sewage discharge and their transport in shallow marine environment. (author)

Ecotoxicology of Hexavalent Chromium in Freshwater Fish: A Critical Review

Science.gov (United States)

Velma, Venkatramreddy; Vutukuru, S.S.; Tchounwou, Paul B.

2010-01-01

Chromium (Cr) is a naturally occurring element found in rocks, animals, plants, and soil, predominantly in its insoluble trivalent form [Cr(III)]. Intense industrialization and other anthropogenic activities have led to the global occurrence of soluble Cr(VI), which is readily leached from soil to groundwater or surface water, in concentrations above permissible levels. The ecotoxicology of Cr(VI) is linked to its environmental persistence and the ability to induce a variety of adverse effects in biologic systems, including fish. In aquatic ecosystems, Cr(VI) exposure poses a significant threat to aquatic life. This paper reviews the fate and transport of Cr(VI) in the environment and its acute and chronic effects on fish. We also discuss Cr(VI) toxicity at the cellular, biochemical, and genetic levels. An attempt is made in this review to comprehend the staggered data on the toxic effects of Cr(VI) to various species of fish. Such data are extremely useful to the scientific community and public officials involved in health risk assessment and management of environmental contaminants as a guide to the best course of action to restore ecosystems and, in turn, to preserve human health. PMID:19658319

BACTERIAL COMMUNITY DYNAMICS AND ECOTOXICOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT DURING BIOREMEDIATION OF SOILS CONTAMINATED BY BIODIESEL AND DIESEL/BIODIESEL BLENDS.

Science.gov (United States)

Matos, G I; Junior, C S; Oliva, T C; Subtil, D F; Matsushita, L Y; Chaves, A L; Lutterbach, M T; Sérvulo, E F; Agathos, S N; Stenuit, B

2015-01-01

The gradual introduction of biodiesel in the Brazilian energy landscape has primarily occurred through its blending with conventional petroleum diesel (e.g., B20 (20% biodiesel) and B5 (5% biodiesel) formulations). Because B20 and lower-level blends generally do not require engine modifications, their use as transportation fuel is increasing in the Brazilian distribution networks. However, the environmental fate of low-level biodiesel blends and pure biodiesel (B100) is poorly understood and the ecotoxicological-safety endpoints of biodiesel-contaminated environments are unknown. Using laboratory microcosms consisting of closed reactor columns filled with clay loam soil contaminated with pure biodiesel (EXPB100) and a low-level blend (EXPB5) (10% w/v), this study presents soil ecotoxicity assessement and dynamics of culturable heterotrophic bacteria. Most-probable-number (MPN) procedures for enumeration of bacteria, dehydrogenase assays and soil ecotoxicological tests using Eisenia fetida have been performed at different column depths over the course of incubation. After 60 days of incubation, the ecotoxicity of EXPB100-derived samples showed a decrease from 63% of mortality to 0% while EXPB5-derived samples exhibited a reduction from 100% to 53% and 90% on the top and at the bottom of the reactor column, respectively. The dehydrogenase activity of samples from EXPB100 and EXPB5 increased significantly compared to pristine soil after 60 days of incubation. Growth of aerobic bacterial biomass was only observed on the top of the reactor column while the anaerobic bacteria exhibited significant growth at different column depths in EXPB100 and EXPB5. These preliminary results suggest the involvement of soil indigenous microbiota in the biodegradation of biodiesel and blends. However, GC-FID analyses for quantification of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) and aliphatic hydrocarbons and targeted sequencing of 16S rRNA tags using illumina platforms will provide important

Sorption kinetics of TNT and RDX in anaerobic freshwater and marine sediments: Batch studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Ariyarathna, Thivanka; Vlahos, Penny; Tobias, Craig; Smith, Richard

2016-01-01

Examination of the partitioning of explosives onto sediment in marine environments is critical to predict the toxicological impacts of worldwide explosive-contaminated sites adjacent to estuaries, wetlands, and the coastal ocean. Marine sediments have been identified as sites of enhanced munitions removal, yet most studies addressing these interactions focus on soils and freshwater sediments. The present study measured the kinetics of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) sorption onto 2 marine sediments of varying grain sizes (silt vs sand) and organic carbon (OC) content. Abiotic sediment sorption tests were performed at 23 °C, 15 °C, and 4 °C by spiking TNT and RDX solutions directly into anaerobic sediment slurries. Marine sediments showed significantly higher compound uptake rates (0.30-0.80 h(-1) ) than freshwater silt (0.0046-0.0065 h(-1) ) for both compounds, probably because of lower compound solubilities and a higher pH in marine systems. Equilibrium partition constants are on the same order of magnitude for marine silt (1.1-2.0 L kg(-1) sediment) and freshwater silt (1.4-3.1 L kg(-1) sediment) but lower for marine sand (0.72-0.92 L kg(-1) sediment). Total organic carbon content in marine sediments varied linearly with equilibrium partition constants for TNT and was moderately linear for RDX. Uptake rates and equilibrium constants of explosives are inversely correlated to temperature regardless of sediment type because of kinetic barriers associated with low temperatures. © 2015 SETAC.

A study on behaviour of 110mAg in marine environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Yunmian; Tang Wenqiao; Meng Jianyi

2000-01-01

The author describes a study on the behaviour of 110m Ag in marine environment. It includes the chemical species of 110m Ag in seawater, the absorption factor K d in/on sea sediment and biological concentration factor B f of marine biome for 110m Ag. The experiment and theoretical calculation indicate that 110 Ag exists as 110m AgCl 2 - : 110m Ag + ≅10 5 in seawater and AgCl precipitation is formed when [Ag + ][Cl - ]≥1.56 x 10 -10 . K d in/on sediment decreases with increasing of temperature and/or liquid/solid ratio. The effect of water nature on K d is very considerable. And the K d on sediment is in the order of 10 2 mL/g under the seawater atmosphere, which is two orders lower than under the freshwater atom sphere, 110m Ag is concentrated by marine biome strongly. B f is in the range of 10 2 -10 4 depending on different kind of marine biome

The use of cryopreserved sea urchin embryos (Paracentrotus lividus) in marine quality assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Paredes, E; Bellas, J

2015-06-01

We have established for first time an ecotoxicological bioassay using cryopreserved sea urchin embryos (Paracentotus lividus) and provided a comparison to the already standardized sea urchin embryo-larval bioassay, using selected (organic and inorganic) pollutants and sediment elutriates from 4 different locations from Ria de Vigo harbour (Galicia, NW Iberian Peninsula). A cryopreservation protocol was designed in order to enable the successful cryopreservation and cryobanking of gametes and embryos to be used for marine quality assessment and ensure the accessibility to high quality reproductive material all year round, as an option to conditioning adults for out of season reproduction. The calculated EC50 using the cryopreserved blastula was 53.7 μg L(-1) for copper, 81.0 μg L(-1) for lead, 300.6 μg L(-1) for BP-3 and 300.6 μg L(-1) for 4-MBC. The sensitivity of the classic sea urchin embryo-larval bioassay was compared with the bioassay conducted with cryopreserved blastula. The results showed that the use of cryopreserved blastula bioassay allows detecting lower concentrations of pollutants in comparison with the classic bioassay. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The durability of private sector-led marine conservation: A case study of two entrepreneurial marine protected areas in Indonesia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bottema, M.J.M.; Bush, S.R.

2012-01-01

This paper investigates the durability of entrepreneurial marine protected areas (EMPAs) by exploring the role of the private sector in marine conservation. Set within a wider set of social science questions around the marine protected areas as negotiated interventions, we focus on whether and how

Ecotoxicological screen of Potential Release Site 50-006(d) of Operable Unit 1147 of Mortandad Canyon and relationship to the Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facilities project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzales, G.J.; Newell, P.G.

1996-04-01

Potential ecological risk associated with soil contaminants in Potential Release Site (PRS) 50-006(d) of Mortandad Canyon at the Los Alamos National Laboratory was assessed by performing an ecotoxicological risk screen. The PRS surrounds Outfall 051, which discharges treated effluent from the Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility. Discharge at the outfall is permitted under the Clean Water Act National Pollution Discharge Elimination System. Radionuclide discharge is regulated by US Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5400.5. Ecotoxicological Screening Action Levels (ESALSs) were computed for nonradionuclide constituents in the soil, and human risk SALs for radionuclides were used as ESALs. Within the PRS and beginning at Outfall 051, soil was sampled at three points along each of nine linear transects at 100-ft intervals. Soil samples from 3 depths for each sampling point were analyzed for the concentration of a total of 121 constituents. Only the results of the surface sampling are reported in this report

Selection of reference genes for quantitative RT-PCR studies in striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba skin biopsies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Casini Silvia

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Odontocete cetaceans occupy the top position of the marine food-web and are particularly sensitive to the bioaccumulation of lipophilic contaminants. The effects of environmental pollution on these species are highly debated and various ecotoxicological studies have addressed the impact of xenobiotic compounds on marine mammals, raising conservational concerns. Despite its sensitivity, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR has never been used to quantify gene induction caused by exposure of cetaceans to contaminants. A limitation for the application of qRT-PCR is the need for appropriate reference genes which allow the correct quantification of gene expression. A systematic evaluation of potential reference genes in cetacean skin biopsies is presented, in order to validate future qRT-PCR studies aiming at using the expression of selected genes as non-lethal biomarkers. Results Ten commonly used housekeeping genes (HKGs were partially sequenced in the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba and, for each gene, PCR primer pairs were specifically designed and tested in qRT-PCR assays. The expression of these potential control genes was examined in 30 striped dolphin skin biopsy samples, obtained from specimens sampled in the north-western Mediterranean Sea. The stability of selected control genes was determined using three different specific VBA applets (geNorm, NormFinder and BestKeeper which produce highly comparable results. Glyceraldehyde-3P-dehydrogenase (GAPDH and tyrosine 3-monooxygenase (YWHAZ always rank as the two most stably expressed HKGs according to the analysis with geNorm and Normfinder, and are defined as optimal control genes by BestKepeer. Ribosomal protein L4 (RPL4 and S18 (RPS18 also exhibit a remarkable stability of their expression levels. On the other hand, transferrin receptor (TFRC, phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1, hypoxanthine ribosyltransferase (HPRT1 and β-2-microglobin (B2M show variable expression

Studies on experimental culture of a marine ciliate Fabrea salina

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Rattan, R.; Ansari, Z.A.; Chatterji, A.

Studies were conducted on the culture of a marine ciliate, Fabrea salina in the laboratory condition. Three types of inert feed; commercial yeast, fermented wheat bran and fermented rise bran were tested to study their suitability as artificial feed...

Establishing an agenda for social studies research in marine renewable energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerr, Sandy; Watts, Laura; Colton, John; Conway, Flaxen; Hull, Angela; Johnson, Kate; Jude, Simon; Kannen, Andreas; MacDougall, Shelley; McLachlan, Carly; Potts, Tavis; Vergunst, Jo

2014-01-01

To date, academic research relating to Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) has largely focused on resource assessment, technical viability and environmental impact. Experiences from onshore renewable energy tell us that social acceptability is equally critical to project success. However, the specific nature of the marine environment, patterns of resource distribution and governance means experiences from onshore may not be directly applicable to MRE and the marine environment. This paper sets out an agenda for social studies research linked to MRE, identifying key topics for future research: (i) economic impacts; (ii) wealth distribution and community benefits; (iii) communication and knowledge flow; (iv) consultation processes; (v) dealing with uncertainty; (vi) public attitudes; and (vii) planning processes. This agenda is based on the findings of the first workshop of ISSMER, an international research network of social scientists with interests in marine renewable energy. Importantly, this research agenda has been informed by the experiences of developers, regulators and community groups in Orkney. The Orkney archipelago, off the north coast of Scotland, is home to the most intense cluster of MRE research, development and deployment activity in the world today. - Highlights: • Existing marine renewable energy (MRE) research fails to address many social issues. • Social acceptability is essential to the future viability of the MRE industry. • An agenda is established for social science research into MRE

Evaluation of Sediment Contamination in Pearl Harbor

Science.gov (United States)

1992-06-01

ancient Hawaiians, was a large natural inland lagoon. Numerous walled fishponds located inside the harbor were used to cultivate various species of fishes... Ecotoxicology , Commission on Natural Resources, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 103 pp. National Research Council, 1989. Contaminated Marine

Neutron activation analysis studies of marine biological species and related marine sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guinn, V.P.; Di Casa, M.; de Goeij, J.J.M.; Young, D.R.

1974-01-01

To assess the effects, if any, of elemental pollution of the Pacific Ocean from the major Southern California sewage outfalls, samples of ocean sediments were obtained and specimens of Dover Sole were caught in a number of locations. Liver tissue samples from Dover Sole specimens were analyzed for 12 elements and sediment samples for 4 elements. Although a number of the elements were highly concentrated in the surface sediments in the heavily-polluted areas, the Dover Sole showed no evidence of picking up any of the 12 elements from these polluted sediments. Sediment profiles, versus depth, (0-34 cm) were also determined for As, Sb, Se, and Hg. Stemming partly from the results of the NSF Baseline Study, the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP) became interested in a more intensive multi-element study of marine biological species and ocean sediments off the coast of Southern California. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects, if any, of a number of selected elements of interest being discharged into the Pacific Ocean from the principal sewage outfalls in the Southern California (Los Angeles) area upon marine biological species. The 12 elements selected for study were Cr, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, and Hg. Since a number of these elements were not amenable to purely instrumental NAA measurements, a suitable post-irradiation radiochemical separation procedure was devised, thoroughly tested, and then applied to 39 samples of liver tissue from specimens of Dover Sole caught in non-polluted, slightly-polluted, fairly-polluted, and heavily-polluted areas along the coast. A number of surface sediment samples from these same locations were also analyzed, by both instrumental and radiochemical NAA. In the following sections, the samples analyzed are cited, the procedures developed and employed are described, the results obtained are presented, and the conclusions reached are discussed

Terrestrial Eco-Toxicological Tests as Screening Tool to Assess Soil Contamination in Krompachy Area

Science.gov (United States)

Ol'ga, Šestinová; Findoráková, Lenka; Hančuľák, Jozef; Fedorová, Erika; Tomislav, Špaldon

2016-10-01

In this study, we present screening tool of heavy metal inputs to agricultural and permanent grass vegetation of the soils in Krompachy. This study is devoted to Ecotoxicity tests, Terrestrial Plant Test (modification of OECD 208, Phytotoxkit microbiotest on Sinapis Alba) and chronic tests of Earthworm (Dendrobaena veneta, modification of OECD Guidelines for the testing of chemicals 317, Bioaccumulation in Terrestrial Oligochaetes) as practical and sensitive screening method for assessing the effects of heavy metals in Krompachy soils. The total Cu, Zn, As, Pb and Hg concentrations and eco-toxicological tests of soils from the Krompachy area were determined of 4 sampling sites in 2015. An influence of the sampling sites distance from the copper smeltery on the absolutely concentrations of metals were recorded for copper, lead, zinc, arsenic and mercury. The highest concentrations of these metals were detected on the sampling sites up to 3 km from the copper smeltery. The samples of soil were used to assess of phytotoxic effect. Total mortality was established at earthworms using chronic toxicity test after 7 exposure days. The results of our study confirmed that no mortality was observed in any of the study soils. Based on the phytotoxicity testing, phytotoxic effects of the metals contaminated soils from the samples 3KR (7-9) S.alba seeds was observed.

Environmental impact of industrial wastes on marine area, case study: Port Sudan coastal area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdalrahman, E. A. H.

2004-05-01

This study was carried out to determine the effect of the industrial wastes on marine environment in Port Sudan area. A very intensive study has been made to identify types of pollutions drained in seawater at study area of Red Sea coast. Samples were taken from three stations (1, 2 and 3) at study area and the following analysis were made: Temperature, salinity, hydrogen ion concentration, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, nutrient, oil and grease. The laboratory results revealed that wastes pollute the marine environment as the cooling water from studied industries which is drain into the seawater increases the degree of temperature approximately from 6 to 12 C degree above the allowed rate, the matter which was adverse effect on the environment and living marine creatures due to the sudden change of temperature degree. Also, it was found that the great amount of oil spills discharged into seawater due to many factors such as: cooling water, oil spills from ships and loading and discharging operations of crude oil ships. Accordingly these oils spills might have a deadly effect on living marine creatures, which have been mention in details through out this research. Hence, and to minimize this adverse effect of industrial wastes and others on the marine environment, may recommend to the following: Pretreatment to the industrial wastes should be taking before its draining into the Red Sea coastal area. Surveillance all ships into the port and observing loading and discharging operations as well as those ships in the regional waters and implementing the international maritime laws. Enlightenment the industrial administrators and manpower working with them about the severity which will definitely cause the marine environmental deterioration as a result of industrial wastes. To punish every one who violates the laws of environment protection. Thus, can be safeguarding the environment from pollutions and consequently develop the natural resources and proceed

A comparative approach using ecotoxicological methods from single-species bioassays to model ecosystems.

Science.gov (United States)

Haegerbaeumer, Arne; Höss, Sebastian; Ristau, Kai; Claus, Evelyn; Möhlenkamp, Christel; Heininger, Peter; Traunspurger, Walter

2016-12-01

Soft sediments are often hotspots of chemical contamination, and a thorough ecotoxicological assessment of this habitat can help to identify the causes of stress and to improve the health of the respective ecosystems. As an important component of the ecologically relevant meiobenthic fauna, nematodes can be used for sediment assessments, with various assay tools ranging from single-species toxicity tests to field studies. In the present study, microcosms containing sediment were used to investigate direct and indirect effects of zinc on natural nematode assemblages, and acute community toxicity tests considering only direct toxicity were conducted. The responses of the various freshwater nematode species in both approaches were compared with those of Caenorhabditis elegans, determined in standardized tests (ISO 10872). At a median lethal concentration (LC50) of 20 mg Zn/L, C. elegans represented the median susceptibility of 15 examined nematode species examined in the acute community toxicity tests. In the microcosms, Zn affected the nematodes dose-dependently, with changes in species composition first detected at 13 mg Zn/kg to 19 mg Zn/kg sediment dry weight. The observed species sensitivities in the microcosms corresponded better to field observations than to the results of the acute community toxicity tests. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2987-2997. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

Trans-Disciplinary Education for Sustainable Marine and Coastal Management: A Case Study in Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hsiao-Chien Lee

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The present study aims to investigate the effect of a trans-disciplinary design of curricula, deemed a powerful tool for teaching and research on complex environmental problems, with a goal to help solve the real problems that climate change has brought to the coastal environment in Taiwan. Three major real-life problems in southern Taiwan—declining mullet fisheries, flooding, and coral bleaching—were integrated into four courses. Adopting a qualitative case study method, the researchers investigated the student perceptions of the trans-disciplinary learning experiences, their attitudes toward marine and coastal environmental protection, and their capability of solving the problems related to marine and coastal environments. The researchers employed various methods to analyze the student reflection reports, student self-evaluation forms, and the tape-recorded class meetings. The findings suggest the following: the trans-disciplinary curriculum stands to be an innovative yet indispensable design for coastal management education; such a curriculum benefits students by equipping them with essential knowledge and skills to succeed in future marine conservation; action learning for marine and coastal sustainability serves as the final goal of trans-disciplinary learning project; a trans-disciplinary case study on the design of curricula provides effective knowledge integration of marine and coastal sustainability.

Cultivation of the heart urchin Echinocardium cordatum and validation of its use in marine toxicity testing for environmental risk assessment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schipper, C.A.; Dubbeldam, M.; Feist, S.W.; Rietjens, I.M.C.M.; Murk, A.J.

2008-01-01

To study environmental risk assessment, echinoderms provide a useful model for ecotoxicological testing. However, limited knowledge of the life history of field collected heart urchins is a problem and the use of cultured urchins has been investigated here. The present study describes a culture

T4 genes in the marine ecosystem: studies of the T4-like cyanophages and their role in marine ecology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Millard Andrew D

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract From genomic sequencing it has become apparent that the marine cyanomyoviruses capable of infecting strains of unicellular cyanobacteria assigned to the genera Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus are not only morphologically similar to T4, but are also genetically related, typically sharing some 40-48 genes. The large majority of these common genes are the same in all marine cyanomyoviruses so far characterized. Given the fundamental physiological differences between marine unicellular cyanobacteria and heterotrophic hosts of T4-like phages it is not surprising that the study of cyanomyoviruses has revealed novel and fascinating facets of the phage-host relationship. One of the most interesting features of the marine cyanomyoviruses is their possession of a number of genes that are clearly of host origin such as those involved in photosynthesis, like the psbA gene that encodes a core component of the photosystem II reaction centre. Other host-derived genes encode enzymes involved in carbon metabolism, phosphate acquisition and ppGpp metabolism. The impact of these host-derived genes on phage fitness has still largely to be assessed and represents one of the most important topics in the study of this group of T4-like phages in the laboratory. However, these phages are also of considerable environmental significance by virtue of their impact on key contributors to oceanic primary production and the true extent and nature of this impact has still to be accurately assessed.

A New, Sensitive Marine Microalgal Recombinant Biosensor Using Luminescence Monitoring for Toxicity Testing of Antifouling Biocides

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez-Ferandin, Sophie; Leroy, Fanny; Bouget, François-Yves

2013-01-01

In this study, we propose the use of the marine green alga Ostreococcus tauri, the smallest free-living eukaryotic cell known to date, as a new luminescent biosensor for toxicity testing in the environment. Diuron and Irgarol 1051, two antifouling biocides commonly encountered in coastal waters, were chosen to test this new biosensor along with two degradation products of diuron. The effects of various concentrations of the antifoulants on four genetic constructs of O. tauri (based on genes involved in photosynthesis, cell cycle, and circadian clock) were compared using 96-well culture microplates and a luminometer to automatically measure luminescence over 3 days. This was compared to growth inhibition of O. tauri wild type under the same conditions. Luminescence appeared to be more sensitive than growth inhibition as an indicator of toxicity. Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDKA), a protein involved in the cell cycle, fused to luciferase (CDKA-Luc) was found to be the most sensitive of the biosensors, allowing an accurate determination of the 50% effective concentration (EC50) after only 2 days (diuron, 5.65 ± 0.44 μg/liter; Irgarol 1015, 0.76 ± 0.10 μg/liter). The effects of the antifoulants on the CDKA-Luc biosensor were then compared to growth inhibition in natural marine phytoplankton. The effective concentrations of diuron and Irgarol 1051 were found to be similar, indicating that this biosensor would be suitable as a reliable ecotoxicological test. The advantage of this biosensor over cell growth inhibition testing is that the process can be easily automated and could provide a high-throughput laboratory approach to perform short-term toxicity tests. The ability to genetically transform and culture recombinant O. tauri gives it huge potential for screening many other toxic compounds. PMID:23144143

Ecotoxicological assessment of solar cell leachates: Copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) cells show higher activity than organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brun, Nadja Rebecca [University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, School of Life Sciences, Gründenstrasse 40, CH-4132 Muttenz (Switzerland); Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zurich, Universitätsstrasse 16, CH-8092 Zürich (Switzerland); Wehrli, Bernhard [Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zurich, Universitätsstrasse 16, CH-8092 Zürich (Switzerland); Fent, Karl, E-mail: karl.fent@fhnw.ch [University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, School of Life Sciences, Gründenstrasse 40, CH-4132 Muttenz (Switzerland); Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zurich, Universitätsstrasse 16, CH-8092 Zürich (Switzerland)

2016-02-01

Despite the increasing use of photovoltaics their potential environmental risks are poorly understood. Here, we compared ecotoxicological effects of two thin-film photovoltaics: established copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) and organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells. Leachates were produced by exposing photovoltaics to UV light, physical damage, and exposure to environmentally relevant model waters, representing mesotrophic lake water, acidic rain, and seawater. CIGS cell leachates contained 583 μg L{sup −1} molybdenum at lake water, whereas at acidic rain and seawater conditions, iron, copper, zinc, molybdenum, cadmium, silver, and tin were present up to 7219 μg L{sup −1}. From OPV, copper (14 μg L{sup −1}), zinc (87 μg L{sup −1}) and silver (78 μg L{sup −1}) leached. Zebrafish embryos were exposed until 120 h post-fertilization to these extracts. CIGS leachates produced under acidic rain, as well as CIGS and OPV leachates produced under seawater conditions resulted in a marked hatching delay and increase in heart edema. Depending on model water and solar cell, transcriptional alterations occurred in genes involved in oxidative stress (cat), hormonal activity (vtg1, ar), metallothionein (mt2), ER stress (bip, chop), and apoptosis (casp9). The effects were dependent on the concentrations of cationic metals in leachates. Addition of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid protected zebrafish embryos from morphological and molecular effects. Our study suggests that metals leaching from damaged CIGS cells, may pose a potential environmental risk. - Highlights: • Photovoltaics may be disposed in the environment after usage. • Copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) and organic (OPV) cells were compared. • Morphological and molecular effects were assessed in zebrafish embryos. • Environmental condition affected metal leaching and ecotoxicological activity. • Damaged CIGS cells pose higher risk to the environment than OPV cells.

Biotests and Biosensors for Ecotoxicology of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles: A Minireview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaja Kasemets

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Nanotechnologies have become a significant priority worldwide. Several manufactured nanoparticles - particles with one dimension less than 100 nm - are increasingly used in consumer products. At nanosize range, the properties of materials differ substantially from bulk materials of the same composition, mostly due to the increased specific surface area and reactivity, which may lead to increased bioavailability and toxicity. Thus, for the assessment of sustainability of nanotechnologies, hazards of manufactured nanoparticles have to be studied. Despite all the above mentioned, the data on the potential environmental effects of nanoparticles are rare. This mini-review is summarizing the emerging information on different aspects of ecotoxicological hazard of metal oxide nanoparticles, focusing on TiO2, ZnO and CuO. Various biotests that have been successfully used for evaluation of ecotoxic properties of pollutants to invertebrates, algae and bacteria and now increasingly applied for evaluation of hazard of nanoparticles at different levels of the aquatic food-web are discussed. Knowing the benefits and potential drawbacks of these systems, a suite of tests for evaluation of environmental hazard of nanoparticles is proposed. Special attention is paid to the influence of particle solubility and to recombinant metal-sensing bacteria as powerful tools for quantification of metal bioavailability. Using recombinant metal-specific bacterial biosensors and multitrophic ecotoxicity assays in tandem will create new scientific knowledge on the respective role of ionic species and of particles in toxicity of metal oxide nanoparticles.

STUDY OF THE ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF CERTAIN SAPROPHYTIC OBLIGATE MARINE FUNGI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kalyuzhnaya O.S.

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Today promising area of the development and introduction of new antimicrobial agents is to search for new antibiotics from natural sources, namely among marine organisms - microscopic fungi. Such saprophytic fungi as Ascomycota (families Arenariomyces, Ceriosporopsis, Corollospora, Halosphaeria and Basidiomycota (family Nia, which are widely spreaded in Ukraine (salty estuaries and the coast of the Black Sea, are the objects of the study of this work. These types of marine organisms have been provided by the Odessa Branch of the Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas after collecting samples of water, sediment, cellulose substrates and subsequent isolation and obtain pure cultures by accumulation in the form fruiting bodies of Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes - ascocarps and basidiocarps that can be stored 3-5 months in sterile seawater. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of antimicrobial properties of saprophytic fungi obligate marine, which are characteristic for residents in Ukraine, namely the Black Sea. Materials and methods. At this stage the study of antimicrobial activity was performed by agar diffusion method and method of cocultivation of marine fungi with test strains in liquid culture medium. We have used reference strains of microorganisms: Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Proteus vulgaris ATCC 6896, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and opportunistic fungus Candida albicans ATCC 885-653. Results and Discussion. Determination of antimicrobial activity by agar diffusion method showed that all samples had antimicrobial activity against the Gram-positive test strains (S. aureus and B. subtilis, effect for the Gramnegative bacteria (E. coli, P. vulgaris, P. aeruginosa was much smaller or non-existent, and it isn’t observed against C. albicans (exclusion Nia vibrissa with zone of growth inhibition – 6.2 mm. The results of the counting of cells test strains

Ecorad 2001. Radioecology/ ecotoxicology in continental and estuarine media; Ecorad 2001. Radioecologie / ecotoxicologie des milieux continentaux et estuariens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-11-01

This conference about radioecology is divided in eight sessions that concern the following subjects: behaviour and transfer of radionuclides in soil, in terrestrial ecosystems (plants and animal transfers), in freshwater ecosystems, in estuaries are the subjects of the four first sessions. The effects of toxicants in environment are detailed in the fifth session. The sixth session is devoted to the methods of measurement of environmental radioactivity. The seventh session is relative to the consequences of accidental and chronicle situations (Chernobyl consequences, countermeasures and decontamination). This conference ends with the ethical aspects of environmental radio ecotoxicology with the eighth session. (N.C.)

A study on biological activity of marine fungi from different habitats in coastal regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Songlin; Wang, Min; Feng, Qi; Lin, Yingying; Zhao, Huange

2016-01-01

In recent years, marine fungi have become an important source of active marine natural products. Former researches are limited in habitats selection of fungi with bioactive compounds. In this paper were to measure antibacterial and antitumor cell activity for secondary metabolites of marine fungi, which were isolated from different habitats in coastal regions. 195 strains of marine fungi were isolated and purified from three different habitats. They biologically active experiment results showed that fungi isolation from the mangrove habitats had stronger antibacterial activity than others, and the stains isolated from the estuarial habitats had the least antibacterial activity. However, the strains separated from beach habitats strongly inhibited tumor cell proliferation in vitro, and fungi of mangrove forest habitats had the weakest activity of inhibiting tumor. Meanwhile, 195 fungal strains belonged to 46 families, 84 genera, 142 species and also showed 137 different types of activity combinations by analyzing the inhibitory activity of the metabolites fungi for 4 strains of pathogenic bacteria and B-16 cells. The study investigated the biological activity of marine fungi isolated from different habitats in Haikou coastal regions. The results help us to understand bioactive metabolites of marine fungi from different habitats, and how to selected biological activity fungi from various marine habitats effectively.

Anthropogenic radionuclides in the marine environment: Case studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carpenter, R.

1997-01-01

This chapter discusses three case studies of greatly different types of discharges of anthropogenic radionuclides to the marine environment. The SNAP 9A satellite burnup dispersed almost pure 238 Pu into the atmosphere over the Mozambique channel at about 25 deg. S latitude in 1964. A much more heterogeneous mixture of liquids and solids containing a variety of radionuclides of low activity levels were packaged in steel drums and sunk to the sea floor near the Farallon Islands off San Francisco, California, USA between 1994 and 1964. An extensive series of tests of nuclear and thermonuclear devices with a total yield of many megatons was conducted by the U.S. at the remote coral atolls of the Marshall Islands at 110 deg. N and 160-165 deg. E, making them the most radioactively contaminated parts of the marine environment. The chapter briefly summarizes each of these cases, and stresses the major points learned about radionuclide cycling and about environmental processes from each of them. (author)

Studies on marine toxins: chemical and biological aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stonik, Valentin A; Stonik, Inna V

2010-01-01

The structures and mechanisms of biological action of the best known representatives of the main groups of marine toxins are presented. It is shown that many compounds have complex chemical structures and possess extremely high toxicities. Characteristic features of isolation, structure determination and syntheses of these compounds using the achievement of modern organic chemistry are discussed. The methods of identification and quantitative analysis of marine toxins are briefly reviewed.

The effectiveness of the mitigation hierarchy in environmental impact studies on marine ecosystems: A case study in France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacob, Céline; Pioch, Sylvain; Thorin, Sébastien

2016-01-01

While the development of maritime economic activity is increasingly encouraged, the consideration of its impacts constitutes a real challenge. The limitations of the implementation of the mitigation hierarchy have been widely discussed in scientific literature, yet data on marine biodiversity offset practices remains scarce. In this study, we investigated the use of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) as suitable instruments to achieve the No Net Loss objective. Drawing on a French approach developed for the initial assessment of the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive, we examined the pressures and impacts related to various marine development projects and the effectiveness of the mitigation hierarchy in limiting these. An analysis of 55 recent French environmental impact studies showed that only 7% of the proposed measures had the aim of offsetting predicted degradation of sites of remarkable biodiversity. This can be partly explained by the lack of a clear definition of ‘significant impact’, which varies greatly depending on what is impacted, in turn allowing socio-economic activities to benefit more easily from offset. Furthermore, offsetting does not always constitute the final step of the mitigation hierarchy, highlighting the need to reinforce avoidance and reduction steps. Although we acknowledge the role of EIA in mitigating the negative impacts of development projects, synergies with other European marine environmental policies such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and the Maritime Spatial Planning directive (MSP) should be developed in order to improve current practices. - Highlights: • Avoidance measures were not well represented in the Environmental Impact Assessments studied. • Few significant residual impacts and measures to offset these were described. • Common biodiversity did not benefit from offset measures. • The equivalency of proposed marine offsets is questionable.

The effectiveness of the mitigation hierarchy in environmental impact studies on marine ecosystems: A case study in France

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jacob, Céline, E-mail: celine.jacob@cefe.cnrs.fr [CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier, Route de Mende 34 199 Montpellier Cedex 5 (France); CREOCEAN, Les Belvédères, Bâtiment B, 128, Avenue de Fès, 34080 Montpellier (France); Pioch, Sylvain, E-mail: sylvain.pioch@gmail.com [CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier, Route de Mende 34 199 Montpellier Cedex 5 (France); Thorin, Sébastien, E-mail: thorin@creocean.fr [CREOCEAN, Les Belvédères, Bâtiment B, 128, Avenue de Fès, 34080 Montpellier (France)

2016-09-15

While the development of maritime economic activity is increasingly encouraged, the consideration of its impacts constitutes a real challenge. The limitations of the implementation of the mitigation hierarchy have been widely discussed in scientific literature, yet data on marine biodiversity offset practices remains scarce. In this study, we investigated the use of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) as suitable instruments to achieve the No Net Loss objective. Drawing on a French approach developed for the initial assessment of the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive, we examined the pressures and impacts related to various marine development projects and the effectiveness of the mitigation hierarchy in limiting these. An analysis of 55 recent French environmental impact studies showed that only 7% of the proposed measures had the aim of offsetting predicted degradation of sites of remarkable biodiversity. This can be partly explained by the lack of a clear definition of ‘significant impact’, which varies greatly depending on what is impacted, in turn allowing socio-economic activities to benefit more easily from offset. Furthermore, offsetting does not always constitute the final step of the mitigation hierarchy, highlighting the need to reinforce avoidance and reduction steps. Although we acknowledge the role of EIA in mitigating the negative impacts of development projects, synergies with other European marine environmental policies such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and the Maritime Spatial Planning directive (MSP) should be developed in order to improve current practices. - Highlights: • Avoidance measures were not well represented in the Environmental Impact Assessments studied. • Few significant residual impacts and measures to offset these were described. • Common biodiversity did not benefit from offset measures. • The equivalency of proposed marine offsets is questionable.

Dereplication and chemotaxonomical studies of marine algae of the Ochrophyta and Rhodophyta phyla.

Science.gov (United States)

Brkljača, Robert; Gӧker, Emrehan Semih; Urban, Sylvia

2015-04-30

Dereplication and chemotaxonomic studies of six marine algae of the Ochrophyta and one of the Rhodophyta phyla resulted in the detection of 22 separate compounds. All 16 secondary metabolites, including four new compounds (16-19), could be rapidly dereplicated using HPLC-NMR and HPLC-MS methodologies in conjunction with the MarinLit database. This study highlights the advantages of using NMR data (acquired via HPLC-NMR) for database searching and for the overall dereplication of natural products.

AMOP (Arctic Marine Oil Spill Program) studies reviewed

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1978-06-05

A discussion of the Arctic Marine Oil Spill Program organized in 1976 by the Canadian Federal Government includes: an Arctic Atlas compiled by Fenco Consultants Ltd. to give background information necessary for developing marine oil spill countermeasures for the Arctic north of 60/sup 0/ including the west Greenland coast and the Labrador shelf (geology, meteorology and oceanography, ice conditions, biology, and social factors); program in emergency transport of spill-combatting equipment; and the factors which influence the choice of conveyance, i.e., accessibility of the site, urgency for response, and quantity of material required; laboratory studies involving the release of oil under artificial sea ice in simulated ice formation and decay purposes to determine the interaction of crude oil and first-year sea ice; inability of companies and government to control a major spill in the Labrador Sea because of poor and inadequate transport facilities, communications, and navigational aids, severe environmental conditions, and logistics problems; and studies on the effects of oil-well blowouts in deep water, including formation of oil and gas hydrates, design of oil skimmers, the use of hovercraft, and specifications for an airborne multisensor system for oil detection in ice-infested waters.

Comparative safety of the antifouling compound butenolide and 4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (DCOIT) to the marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma).

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Lianguo; Ye, Rui; Xu, Ying; Gao, Zhaoming; Au, Doris W T; Qian, Pei-Yuan

2014-04-01

This study evaluated the potential adverse effects of butenolide, a promising antifouling compound, using the marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma), a model fish for marine ecotoxicology. The active ingredient used in the commercial antifoulant SeaNine 211, 4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (DCOIT) was employed as the positive control. Adult marine medaka (4-month-old) were exposed to various concentrations of butenolide or DCOIT for 28 days and then depurated in clean seawater for 14 days (recovery). A suite of sensitive biomarkers, including hepatic oxidative stress, neuronal signal transmission, endocrine disruption, and reproductive function, was used to measure significant biological effects induced by the chemicals. Compared to DCOIT, chronic exposure to butenolide induced a lower extent of oxidative stress in the liver of male and female medaka. Furthermore, butenolide-exposed fish could recover faster from oxidative stress than fish exposed to DCOIT. Regarding neurotransmission, DCOIT significantly inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the brain of both male and female medaka, whereas this was not significant for butenolide. In addition, plasma estradiol (E2) level was elevated and testosterone (T) level was decreased in male medaka exposed to DCOIT. This greatly imbalanced sex hormones ratio (E2/T) in exposed males, indicating that DCOIT is a potent endocrine disruptive chemical. In contrast, butenolide induced only moderate effects on sex hormone levels in exposed males, which could be gradually recovered during depuration. Moreover, the endocrine disruptive effect induced by butenolide did not affect normal development of offspring. In contrast, DCOIT-exposed fish exhibited a decrease of egg production and impaired reproductive success. Overall, the above findings demonstrated that chronic exposure to butenolide induced transient, reversible biological effect on marine medaka, while DCOIT could impair reproductive success of fish, as

Comparative safety of the antifouling compound butenolide and 4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (DCOIT) to the marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma)

KAUST Repository

Chen, Lianguo

2014-04-01

This study evaluated the potential adverse effects of butenolide, a promising antifouling compound, using the marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma), a model fish for marine ecotoxicology. The active ingredient used in the commercial antifoulant SeaNine 211, 4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (DCOIT) was employed as the positive control. Adult marine medaka (4-month-old) were exposed to various concentrations of butenolide or DCOIT for 28 days and then depurated in clean seawater for 14 days (recovery). A suite of sensitive biomarkers, including hepatic oxidative stress, neuronal signal transmission, endocrine disruption, and reproductive function, was used to measure significant biological effects induced by the chemicals. Compared to DCOIT, chronic exposure to butenolide induced a lower extent of oxidative stress in the liver of male and female medaka. Furthermore, butenolide-exposed fish could recover faster from oxidative stress than fish exposed to DCOIT. Regarding neurotransmission, DCOIT significantly inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the brain of both male and female medaka, whereas this was not significant for butenolide. In addition, plasma estradiol (E2) level was elevated and testosterone (T) level was decreased in male medaka exposed to DCOIT. This greatly imbalanced sex hormones ratio (E2/T) in exposed males, indicating that DCOIT is a potent endocrine disruptive chemical. In contrast, butenolide induced only moderate effects on sex hormone levels in exposed males, which could be gradually recovered during depuration. Moreover, the endocrine disruptive effect induced by butenolide did not affect normal development of offspring. In contrast, DCOIT-exposed fish exhibited a decrease of egg production and impaired reproductive success. Overall, the above findings demonstrated that chronic exposure to butenolide induced transient, reversible biological effect on marine medaka, while DCOIT could impair reproductive success of fish, as

Rare earth elements in freshwater, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems in the eastern Canadian Arctic.

Science.gov (United States)

MacMillan, Gwyneth Anne; Chételat, John; Heath, Joel P; Mickpegak, Raymond; Amyot, Marc

2017-10-18

Few ecotoxicological studies exist for rare earth elements (REEs), particularly field-based studies on their bioaccumulation and food web dynamics. REE mining has led to significant environmental impacts in several countries (China, Brazil, U.S.), yet little is known about the fate and transport of these contaminants of emerging concern. Northern ecosystems are potentially vulnerable to REE enrichment from prospective mining projects at high latitudes. To understand how REEs behave in remote northern food webs, we measured REE concentrations and carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (∂ 15 N, ∂ 13 C) in biota from marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems of the eastern Canadian Arctic (N = 339). Wildlife harvesting and tissue sampling was partly conducted by local hunters through a community-based monitoring project. Results show that REEs generally follow a coherent bioaccumulation pattern for sample tissues, with some anomalies for redox-sensitive elements (Ce, Eu). Highest REE concentrations were found at low trophic levels, especially in vegetation and aquatic invertebrates. Terrestrial herbivores, ringed seal, and fish had low total REE levels in muscle tissue (∑REE for 15 elements <0.1 nmol g -1 ), yet accumulation was an order of magnitude higher in liver tissues. Age- and length-dependent REE accumulation also suggest that REE uptake is faster than elimination for some species. Overall, REE bioaccumulation patterns appear to be species- and tissue-specific, with limited potential for biomagnification. This study provides novel data on the behaviour of REEs in ecosystems and will be useful for environmental impact assessment of REE enrichment in northern regions.

Competing Interests, Economics, and Marine Fisheries Management: An Educational Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Thorson, James T.; Berkson, Jim; Murphy, Brian

2010-01-01

Managing fish resources in the ocean, known as marine fisheries management, often involves disagreement among many groups of people: commercial fishers, recreational anglers, national and local conservationists, and several branches of government. While managing marine fisheries in federal waters, the federal government must rebuild marine fish…

Preliminary study on the dye removal efficacy of immobilized marine ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Preliminary study on the dye removal efficacy of immobilized marine and freshwater microalgal beads from textile wastewater. SD Kumar, P Santhanam, R Nandakumar, S Anath, B Balaji Prasath, A Shenbaga Devi, S Jeyanthi, T Jayalakshima, P Ananthi ...

Otters, Marine

Science.gov (United States)

Estes, James A.; Bodkin, James L.; Ben-David, M.; Perrin, William F.; Würsing, Bernd; Thewissen, J.G.M.

2009-01-01

The otters (Mustelidae; Lutrinae) provide an exceptional perspective into the evolution of marine living by mammals. Most extant marine mammals (e.g. the cetaceans, pinnipeds, and sirenians) have been so highly modified by long periods of selection for life in the sea that they bear little resemblance to their terrestrial ancestors. Marine otters, in contrast, are more recent expatriates from freshwater habitats and some species still live in both environments. Contrasts among species within the otters, and among the otters, terrestrial mammals, and the more highly adapted pinnipeds and cetaceans provide powerful insights into mammalian adaptations to life in the sea (Estes, 1989). Among the marine mammals, sea otters (Enhydra lutris, Fig. 1) provide the clearest understanding of consumer-induced effects on ecosystem function. This is due in part to opportunities provided by history and in part to the relative ease with which shallow coastal systems where sea otters live can be observed and studied. Although more difficult to study than sea otters, other otter species reveal the connectivity among the marine, freshwater, and terrestrial systems. These three qualities of the otters – their comparative biology, their role as predators, and their role as agents of ecosystem connectivity – are what make them interesting to marine mammalogy.The following account provides a broad overview of the comparative biology and ecology of the otters, with particular emphasis on those species or populations that live in the sea. Sea otters are features prominently, in part because they live exclusively in the sea whereas other otters have obligate associations with freshwater and terrestrial environments (Kenyon, 1969; Riedman and Estes, 1990).

Dereplication and Chemotaxonomical Studies of Marine Algae of the Ochrophyta and Rhodophyta Phyla

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert Brkljača

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Dereplication and chemotaxonomic studies of six marine algae of the Ochrophyta and one of the Rhodophyta phyla resulted in the detection of 22 separate compounds. All 16 secondary metabolites, including four new compounds (16–19, could be rapidly dereplicated using HPLC-NMR and HPLC-MS methodologies in conjunction with the MarinLit database. This study highlights the advantages of using NMR data (acquired via HPLC-NMR for database searching and for the overall dereplication of natural products.

Assessment of ecotoxicological risks of element leaching from pulverized coal ashes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jenner, H.A.

1995-05-01

The main objective of this study was to assess the effects on representative organisms, after exposure to pulverized fuel ashes (PFA) or leachates of PFA. The studies dealt primarily with toxic effects and focused on the impact of PFA on single species and groups of related species including their acute effects, bioconcentration and ultimate body burden. Emphasis was placed on reproductive effects in this study. Crawling behaviour of mussels was also studied to reflection to the physical differences of PFA from other substrates. A newly developed device was therefore used for valve movement monitoring. A phytomonitoring system with duckweed was developed for assessing effects on yield, using image processing. The results are presented in three parts according to the environmental compartments concerned i.e. marine, freshwater and terrestrial. In Part 1, marine studies with benthic invertebrates were carried out in model ecosystems with different compositions of PFA and Waddensea sediment. In Part 2, the freshwater studies were carried out in flow chambers using the painters mussel Unio pictorum. Besides behavioural studies with PFA specific research was carried out with selenium on body burden and effects on reproduction. Selenium is a prominent constituent of PFA. In Part 3 research is described on the monitoring of leachates of PFA with duckweed. A separate chapter deals with growth, mortality and accumulation in plants and worms exposed to coal gasification slag. figs., tabs., refs

Occurrence, fate and ecotoxicological assessment of pharmaceutically active compounds in wastewater and sludge from wastewater treatment plants in Chongqing, the Three Gorges Reservoir Area

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yan, Qing, E-mail: qyan2005@hotmail.com [Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region' s Eco-Environments of Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045 (China); College of Geography Science and Tourism, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 400047 (China); Gao, Xu, E-mail: gaoxu@cqu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region' s Eco-Environments of Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045 (China); Chen, You-Peng [Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region' s Eco-Environments of Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045 (China); Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 401122 (China); Peng, Xu-Ya; Zhang, Yi-Xin; Gan, Xiu-Mei; Zi, Cheng-Fang [Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region' s Eco-Environments of Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045 (China); Guo, Jin-Song [Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region' s Eco-Environments of Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045 (China); Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 401122 (China)

2014-02-01

The occurrence, removal and ecotoxicological assessment of 21 pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) including antibiotics, analgesics, antiepileptics, antilipidemics and antihypersensitives, were studied at four municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in Chongqing, the Three Gorges Reservoir Area. Individual treatment unit effluents, as well as primary and secondary sludge, were sampled and analyzed for the selected PhACs to evaluate their biodegradation, persistence and partitioning behaviors. PhACs were identified and quantified using high performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry after solid-phase extraction. All the 21 analyzed PhACs were detected in wastewater and the target PhACs except acetaminophen, ibuprofen and gemfibrozil, were also found in sludge. The concentrations of the antibiotics and SVT were comparable to or even higher than those reported in developed countries, while the case of other target PhACs was opposite. The elimination of PhACs except acetaminophen was incomplete and a wide range of elimination efficiencies during the treatment were observed, i.e. from “negative removal” to 99.5%. The removal of PhACs was insignificant in primary and disinfection processes, and was mainly achieved during the biological treatment. Based on the mass balance analysis, biodegradation is believed to be the primary removal mechanism, whereas only about 1.5% of the total mass load of the target PhACs was removed by sorption. Experimentally estimated distribution coefficients (< 500 L/kg, with a few exceptions) also indicate that biodegradation/transformation was responsible for the removal of the target PhACs. Ecotoxicological assessment indicated that the environment concentrations of single compounds (including sulfadiazine, sulfamethoxazole, ofloxacin, azithromycin and erythromycin-H{sub 2}O) in effluent and sludge, as well as the mixture of the 21 detected PhACs in effluent, sludge and receiving water had a significant

Water and Electricity Do Mix: Studying Plates, Petroleum, and Permafrost using Marine Electromagnetism

Science.gov (United States)

Constable, S.

2015-12-01

Marine magnetotelluric (MT) and controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) sounding methods were developed in the early 1980's as deep-water academic tools to study the oceanic lithosphere and mantle. Electrical conductivity is a strong function of porosity, temperature, melting, and volatile content, and so marine MT and CSEM data can be used to address a variety of geological questions related to plate tectonics. These include the distribution of melt at mid-ocean ridges, the fate of fluids in subduction zones, and the nature of the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary. With the advent of deepwater oil and gas drilling in the late 1990's, marine EM methods were embraced by the exploration community, and are now routinely used to assist in exploration and make drilling decisions for wells costing $100M or more. For countries without conventional hydrocarbon resources, gas hydrate offers the potential for energy production, and marine CSEM methods may be the only effective way to explore for and characterize this resource. The use of EM methods to map geothermal, groundwater, and mineral resources also has application in the marine environment. Water and electricity has proved to be a very successful mix!

Genome-Based Studies of Marine Microorganisms to Maximize the Diversity of Natural Products Discovery for Medical Treatments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xin-Qing Zhao

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Marine microorganisms are rich source for natural products which play important roles in pharmaceutical industry. Over the past decade, genome-based studies of marine microorganisms have unveiled the tremendous diversity of the producers of natural products and also contributed to the efficiency of harness the strain diversity and chemical diversity, as well as the genetic diversity of marine microorganisms for the rapid discovery and generation of new natural products. In the meantime, genomic information retrieved from marine symbiotic microorganisms can also be employed for the discovery of new medical molecules from yet-unculturable microorganisms. In this paper, the recent progress in the genomic research of marine microorganisms is reviewed; new tools of genome mining as well as the advance in the activation of orphan pathways and metagenomic studies are summarized. Genome-based research of marine microorganisms will maximize the biodiscovery process and solve the problems of supply and sustainability of drug molecules for medical treatments.

Assessment of the disinfection capacity and eco-toxicological impact of atmospheric cold plasma for treatment of food industry effluents.

Science.gov (United States)

Patange, Apurva; Boehm, Daniela; Giltrap, Michelle; Lu, Peng; Cullen, P J; Bourke, Paula

2018-08-01

Generation of wastewater is one of the main environmental sustainability issues across food sector industries. The constituents of food process effluents are often complex and require high energy and processing for regulatory compliance. Wastewater streams are the subject of microbiological and chemical criteria, and can have a significant eco-toxicological impact on the aquatic life. Thus, innovative treatment approaches are required to mitigate environmental impact in an energy efficient manner. Here, dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) was evaluated for control of key microbial indicators encountered in food industry effluent. This study also investigated the eco-toxicological impact of cold plasma treatment of the effluents using a range of aquatic bioassays. Continuous ACP treatment was applied to synthetic dairy and meat effluents. Microbial inactivation showed treatment time dependence with significant reduction in microbial populations within 120 s, and to undetectable levels after 300 s. Post treatment retention time emerged as critical control parameter which promoted ACP bacterial inactivation efficiency. Moreover, ACP treatment for 20 min achieved significant reduction (≥2 Log 10 ) in Bacillus megaterium endospores in wastewater effluent. Acute aquatic toxicity was assessed using two fish cell lines (PLHC-1 and RTG-2) and a crustacean model (Daphnia magna). Untreated effluents were toxic to the aquatic models, however, plasma treatment limited the toxic effects. Differing sensitivities were observed to ACP treated effluents across the different test bio-assays in the following order: PLHC-1 > RTG-2 ≥ D. magna; with greater sensitivity retained to plasma treated meat effluent than dairy effluent. The toxic effects were dependent on concentration and treatment time of the ACP treated effluent; with 30% cytotoxicity in D. magna and fish cells observed after 24 h of exposure to ACP treated effluent for

Tracer a application in marine outfall studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Genders, S.

1979-01-01

The applicability of radioactive and fluorescent tracers for field studies to predict or investigate waste water transport and dispersion from marine outfalls is evaluated. The application of either instantaneous or continuous tracer release, 'in situ' detection of tracers and data processing are considered. The necessity of a combined use of tracer techniques and conventional hydrographic methods for a statistical prediction of transport and dillution of waste water are pointed out. A procedure to determine an outlet distance from the coast, which satisfy bathing water criteria is outlined. (M.A.) [pt

Radionuclide transfer to marine biota species: review of Russian language studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Fesenko, S; Fesenko, E; Titov, I; Karpenko, E; Sanzharova, N; Fonseca, A Gondin; Brown, J

2010-11-01

An extensive programme of experiments on transfer of radionuclides to aquatic species was conducted in the former USSR starting from the early 1950s. Only a few of these studies were made available in the English language literature or taken into account in international reviews of radionuclide behaviour in marine ecosystems. Therefore, an overview of original information on radionuclide transfer to marine biota species available from Russian language literature sources is presented here. The concentration ratio (CR) values for many radionuclides and for marine species such as: (239)Pu, (106)Ru and (95)Zr (crustacean), (54)Mn, (90)Sr, (95)Nb, (106)Ru, (137)Cs (239)Pu, (241)Am and natural U (molluscs), and (54)Mn, (90)Sr, (137)Cs and (144)Ce (fish) are in good agreement with those previously published, whilst for some of them, in particular, for (32)P and (110)Ag (crustaceans), (35)S (molluscs), (32)P, (35)S, (95)Nb, and (106)Ru (macroalgae) and (60)Co and (239,240)Pu (fish) the data presented here suggest that changes in the default CR reference values presented in recent marine reviews may be required. The data presented here are intended to supplement substantially the CR values being collated within the handbook on Wildlife Transfer Coefficients, coordinated under the IAEA EMRAS II programme.

Comparison of solid-phase and eluate assays to gauge the ecotoxicological risk of organic wastes on soil organisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Domene, Xavier; Alcaniz, Josep M.; Andres, Pilar

2008-01-01

Development of methodologies to assess the safety of reusing polluted organic wastes in soil is a priority in Europe. In this study, and coupled with chemical analysis, seven organic wastes were subjected to different aquatic and soil bioassays. Tests were carried out with solid-phase waste and three different waste eluates (water, methanol, and dichloromethane). Solid-phase assays were indicated as the most suitable for waste testing not only in terms of relevance for real situations, but also because toxicity in eluates was generally not representative of the chronic effects in solid-phase. No general correlations were found between toxicity and waste pollutant burden, neither in solid-phase nor in eluate assays, showing the inability of chemical methods to predict the ecotoxicological risks of wastes. On the contrary, several physicochemical parameters reflecting the degree of low organic matter stability in wastes were the main contributors to the acute toxicity seen in collembolans and daphnids. - Comparison of solid-phase and eluate bioassays for organic waste testing

AMEG: the new SETAC advisory group on aquatic macrophyte ecotoxicology.

Science.gov (United States)

Arts, Gertie; Davies, Jo; Dobbs, Michael; Ebke, Peter; Hanson, Mark; Hommen, Udo; Knauer, Katja; Loutseti, Stefania; Maltby, Lorraine; Mohr, Silvia; Poovey, Angela; Poulsen, Véronique

2010-05-01

Primary producers play critical structural and functional roles in aquatic ecosystems; therefore, it is imperative that the potential risks of toxicants to aquatic plants are adequately assessed in the risk assessment of chemicals. The standard required macrophyte test species is the floating (non-sediment-rooted) duckweed Lemna spp. This macrophyte species might not be representative of all floating, rooted, emergent, and submerged macrophyte species because of differences in the duration and mode of exposure; sensitivity to the specific toxic mode of action of the chemical; and species-specific traits (e.g., duckweed's very short generation time). These topics were addressed during the workshop entitled "Aquatic Macrophyte Risk Assessment for Pesticides" (AMRAP) where a risk assessment scheme for aquatic macrophytes was proposed. Four working groups evolved from this workshop and were charged with the task of developing Tier 1 and higher-tier aquatic macrophyte risk assessment procedures. Subsequently, a SETAC Advisory Group, the Macrophyte Ecotoxicology Group (AMEG) was formed as an umbrella organization for various macrophyte working groups. The purpose of AMEG is to provide scientifically based guidance in all aspects of aquatic macrophyte testing in the laboratory and field, including prospective as well as retrospective risk assessments for chemicals. As AMEG expands, it will begin to address new topics including bioremediation and sustainable management of aquatic macrophytes in the context of ecosystem services.

Implementing and Innovating Marine Monitoring Approaches for Assessing Marine Environmental Status

KAUST Repository

Danovaro, Roberto; Carugati, Laura; Berzano, Marco; Cahill, Abigail E.; Carvalho, Susana; Chenuil, Anne; Corinaldesi, Cinzia; Cristina, Sonia; David, Romain; Dell'Anno, Antonio; Dzhembekova, Nina; Garcé s, Esther; Gasol, Joseph M.; Goela, Priscila; Fé ral, Jean-Pierre; Ferrera, Isabel; Forster, Rodney M.; Kurekin, Andrey A.; Rastelli, Eugenio; Marinova, Veselka; Miller, Peter I.; Moncheva, Snejana; Newton, Alice; Pearman, John K.; Pitois, Sophie G.; Reñ é , Albert; Rodrí guez-Ezpeleta, Naiara; Saggiomo, Vincenzo; Simis, Stefan G. H.; Stefanova, Kremena; Wilson, Christian; Lo Martire, Marco; Greco, Silvestro; Cochrane, Sabine K. J.; Mangoni, Olga; Borja, Angel

2016-01-01

Marine environmental monitoring has tended to focus on site-specific methods of investigation. These traditional methods have low spatial and temporal resolution and are relatively labor intensive per unit area/time that they cover. To implement the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), European Member States are required to improve marine monitoring and design monitoring networks. This can be achieved by developing and testing innovative and cost-effective monitoring systems, as well as indicators of environmental status. Here, we present several recently developed methodologies and technologies to improve marine biodiversity indicators and monitoring methods. The innovative tools are discussed concerning the technologies presently utilized as well as the advantages and disadvantages of their use in routine monitoring. In particular, the present analysis focuses on: (i) molecular approaches, including microarray, Real Time quantitative PCR (qPCR), and metagenetic (metabarcoding) tools; (ii) optical (remote) sensing and acoustic methods; and (iii) in situ monitoring instruments. We also discuss their applications in marine monitoring within the MSFD through the analysis of case studies in order to evaluate their potential utilization in future routine marine monitoring. We show that these recently-developed technologies can present clear advantages in accuracy, efficiency and cost.

Implementing and Innovating Marine Monitoring Approaches for Assessing Marine Environmental Status

KAUST Repository

Danovaro, Roberto

2016-11-23

Marine environmental monitoring has tended to focus on site-specific methods of investigation. These traditional methods have low spatial and temporal resolution and are relatively labor intensive per unit area/time that they cover. To implement the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), European Member States are required to improve marine monitoring and design monitoring networks. This can be achieved by developing and testing innovative and cost-effective monitoring systems, as well as indicators of environmental status. Here, we present several recently developed methodologies and technologies to improve marine biodiversity indicators and monitoring methods. The innovative tools are discussed concerning the technologies presently utilized as well as the advantages and disadvantages of their use in routine monitoring. In particular, the present analysis focuses on: (i) molecular approaches, including microarray, Real Time quantitative PCR (qPCR), and metagenetic (metabarcoding) tools; (ii) optical (remote) sensing and acoustic methods; and (iii) in situ monitoring instruments. We also discuss their applications in marine monitoring within the MSFD through the analysis of case studies in order to evaluate their potential utilization in future routine marine monitoring. We show that these recently-developed technologies can present clear advantages in accuracy, efficiency and cost.

Marine Fish Hybridization

KAUST Repository

He, Song

2017-04-01

Natural hybridization is reproduction (without artificial influence) between two or more species/populations which are distinguishable from each other by heritable characters. Natural hybridizations among marine fishes were highly underappreciated due to limited research effort; it seems that this phenomenon occurs more often than is commonly recognized. As hybridization plays an important role in biodiversity processes in the marine environment, detecting hybridization events and investigating hybridization is important to understand and protect biodiversity. The first chapter sets the framework for this disseration study. The Cohesion Species Concept was selected as the working definition of a species for this study as it can handle marine fish hybridization events. The concept does not require restrictive species boundaries. A general history and background of natural hybridization in marine fishes is reviewed during in chapter as well. Four marine fish hybridization cases were examed and documented in Chapters 2 to 5. In each case study, at least one diagnostic nuclear marker, screened from among ~14 candidate markers, was found to discriminate the putative hybridizing parent species. To further investigate genetic evidence to support the hybrid status for each hybrid offspring in each case, haploweb analysis on diagnostic markers (nuclear and/or mitochondrial) and the DAPC/PCA analysis on microsatellite data were used. By combining the genetic evidences, morphological traits, and ecological observations together, the potential reasons that triggered each hybridization events and the potential genetic/ecology effects could be discussed. In the last chapter, sequences from 82 pairs of hybridizing parents species (for which COI barcoding sequences were available either on GenBank or in our lab) were collected. By comparing the COI fragment p-distance between each hybridizing parent species, some general questions about marine fish hybridization were discussed: Is

West African Journal of Industrial and Academic Research ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Prof. Osuagwwu

metals also occur in small amounts naturally and may enter into aquatic system through leaching of rocks, airborne dust, forest fires and .... [3] LG Fernandez and HY Olalla, “Toxicity and bioaccumulation of lead and cadmium in marine protozoan communities”, Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, vol. 47, pp. 266-276 ...

In silico studies on marine actinomycetes as potential inhibitors for Glioblastoma multiforme

Science.gov (United States)

Kirubakaran, Palani; Kothapalli, Roopa; Singh, Kh Dhanachandra; Nagamani, Selvaraman; Arjunan, Subramanian; Muthusamy, Karthikeyan

2011-01-01

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is considered to be the most common and often deadly disorder which affects the brain. It is caused by the over expression of proteins such as ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and EGFRvIII. These 3 proteins are considered to be the potential therapeutic targets for GBM. Among these, EphA2 is reported to be over-expressed in ˜90% of GBM. Herein we selected 35 compounds from marine actinomycetes, 5 in vitro and in vivo studied drug candidates and 4 commercially available drugs for GBM which were identified from literature and analysed by using comparative docking studies. Based on the glide scores and other in silico parameters available in Schrödinger, two selected marine actinomycetes compounds which include Tetracenomycin D and Chartreusin exhibited better binding energy among all the compounds studied in comparative docking. In this study we have demonstrated the inhibition of the 3 selected targets by the two bioactive compounds from marine actinomycetes through in-silico docking studies. Furthermore molecular dynamics simulation were also been performed to check the stability and the amino acids interacted with the 3 molecular targets (EphA2 receptor, EGFR, EGFRvIII) for GBM. Our results suggest that Tetracinomycin D and Chartreusin are the novel and potential inhibitor for the treatment of GBM. PMID:21584184

Automated Video Surveillance for the Study of Marine Mammal Behavior and Cognition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeremy Karnowski

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Systems for detecting and tracking social marine mammals, including dolphins, can provide data to help explain their social dynamics, predict their behavior, and measure the impact of human interference. Data collected from video surveillance methods can be consistently and systematically sampled for studies of behavior, and frame-by-frame analyses can uncover insights impossible to observe from real-time, freely occurring natural behavior. Advances in boat-based, aerial, and underwater recording platforms provide opportunities to document the behavior of marine mammals and create massive datasets. The use of human experts to detect, track, identify individuals, and recognize activity in video demands significant time and financial investment. This paper examines automated methods designed to analyze large video corpora containing marine mammals. While research is converging on best solutions for some automated tasks, particularly detection and classification, many research domains are ripe for exploration.

Evaluation of the threat of marine CO2 leakage-associated acidification on the toxicity of sediment metals to juvenile bivalves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basallote, M. Dolores; Rodríguez-Romero, Araceli; De Orte, Manoela R.; Del Valls, T. Ángel; Riba, Inmaculada

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Short-term tests using juveniles of bivalves to study the effects of CO 2 dissolved. • CO 2 causes effects if the threshold concentration of the organism is overlapped. • Flows of escaped CO 2 would affect the geochemical composition of sediment–seawater. • CO 2 -induced acidification would affect differently to marine sediment toxicity. - Abstract: The effects of the acidification associated with CO 2 leakage from sub-seabed geological storage was studied by the evaluation of the short-term effects of CO 2 -induced acidification on juveniles of the bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum. Laboratory scale experiments were performed using a CO 2 -bubbling system designed to conduct ecotoxicological assays. The organisms were exposed for 10 days to elutriates of sediments collected in different littoral areas that were subjected to various pH treatments (pH 7.1, 6.6, 6.1). The acute pH-associated effects on the bivalves were observed, and the dissolved metals in the elutriates were measured. The median toxic effect pH was calculated, which ranged from 6.33 to 6.45. The amount of dissolved Zn in the sediment elutriates increased in parallel with the pH reductions and was correlated with the proton concentrations. The pH, the pCO 2 and the dissolved metal concentrations (Zn and Fe) were linked with the mortality of the exposed bivalves

Application of acteylcholineesterase activity in marine organisms as a biomarker of coastal pollution

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Sarkar, A.; Holkar, P.K.R.; Patil, S.S.

, Cerethedia cingulata from different sites along the Goa coast as a useful biomarker technique for evaluation of the ecotoxicological impact of neurotoxic compounds. The AChE activity was measured by the standard method using acetylcholine bromide...

A prospective study of marine phytoplankton and reported illness among recreational beachgoers in Puerto Rico, 2009

Science.gov (United States)

BACKGROUND: Blooms of marine phytoplankton may adversely affect human health. The potential public health impact of low-level exposures is not well established, and few prospective cohort studies of recreational exposures to marine phytoplankton have been conducted.OBJECTIVE: We ...

Marine biology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thurman, H.V.; Webber, H.H.

1984-01-01

This book discusses both taxonomic and ecological topics on marine biology. Full coverage of marine organisms of all five kingdoms is provided, along with interesting and thorough discussion of all major marine habitats. Organization into six major parts allows flexibility. It also provides insight into important topics such as disposal of nuclear waste at sea, the idea that life began on the ocean floor, and how whales, krill, and people interact. A full-color photo chapter reviews questions, and exercises. The contents are: an overview marine biology: fundamental concepts/investigating life in the ocean; the physical ocean, the ocean floor, the nature of water, the nature and motion of ocean water; general ecology, conditions for life in the sea, biological productivity and energy transfer; marine organisms; monera, protista, mycota and metaphyta; the smaller marine animals, the large animals marine habitats, the intertidal zone/benthos of the continental shelf, the photic zone, the deep ocean, the ocean under stress, marine pollution, appendix a: the metric system and conversion factors/ appendix b: prefixes and suffixes/ appendix c: taxonomic classification of common marine organisms, and glossary, and index

Evaluating legacy contaminants and emerging chemicals in marine environments using adverse outcome pathways and biological effects-directed analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hutchinson, Thomas H; Lyons, Brett P; Thain, John E; Law, Robin J

2013-09-30

important scientific, economic and health challenges. In order to meet these challenges and pursue cost-effective scientific approaches that can provide evidence necessary to support policy needs (e.g. the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive), it is widely recognised that there is a need to (i) provide marine exposure assessments for priority contaminants using a range of validated models, passive samplers and biomarkers; (ii) integrate chemical monitoring data with biological effects data across spatial and temporal scales (including quality controls); and (iii) strengthen the evidence base to understand the relationship between exposure to complex chemical mixtures, biological and ecological impacts through integrated approaches and molecular data (e.g. genomics, proteomics and metabolomics). Additionally, we support the widely held view that (iv) that rather than increasing the analytical chemistry monitoring of large number of emerging contaminants, it will be important to target analytical chemistry towards key groups of chemicals of concern using effects-directed analysis. It is also important to evaluate to what extent existing biomarkers and bioassays can address various classes of emerging chemicals using the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) approach now being developed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) with respect to human toxicology and ecotoxicology. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating legacy contaminants and emerging chemicals in marine environments using adverse outcome pathways and biological effects-directed analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hutchinson, Thomas H.; Lyons, Brett P.; Thain, John E.; Law, Robin J.

2013-01-01

important scientific, economic and health challenges. In order to meet these challenges and pursue cost-effective scientific approaches that can provide evidence necessary to support policy needs (e.g. the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive), it is widely recognised that there is a need to (i) provide marine exposure assessments for priority contaminants using a range of validated models, passive samplers and biomarkers; (ii) integrate chemical monitoring data with biological effects data across spatial and temporal scales (including quality controls); and (iii) strengthen the evidence base to understand the relationship between exposure to complex chemical mixtures, biological and ecological impacts through integrated approaches and molecular data (e.g. genomics, proteomics and metabolomics). Additionally, we support the widely held view that (iv) that rather than increasing the analytical chemistry monitoring of large number of emerging contaminants, it will be important to target analytical chemistry towards key groups of chemicals of concern using effects-directed analysis. It is also important to evaluate to what extent existing biomarkers and bioassays can address various classes of emerging chemicals using the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) approach now being developed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) with respect to human toxicology and ecotoxicology

River catchment responses to anthropogenic acidification in relationship with sewage effluent: An ecotoxicology screening application.

Science.gov (United States)

Oberholster, P J; Botha, A-M; Hill, L; Strydom, W F

2017-12-01

Rising environmental pressures on water resources and resource quality associated with urbanisation, industrialisation, mining and agriculture are a global concern. In the current study the upper Olifants River catchment as case study was used, to show that acid mine drainage (AMD) and acid precipitation were the two most important drivers of possible acidification during a four-year study period. Over the study period 59% of the precipitation sampled was classified as acidic with a pH value below 5.6. Traces of acidification in the river system using aquatic organisms at different trophic levels were only evident in areas of AMD point sources. Data gathered from the ecotoxicology screening tools, revealed that discharge of untreated and partially treated domestic sewage from municipal sewage treatment works and informal housing partially mitigate any traces of acidification by AMD and acid precipitation in the main stem of the upper Olifants River. The outcome of the study using phytoplankton and macroinvertebrates as indicator organisms revealed that the high loads of sewage effluent might have played a major role in the neutralization of acidic surface water conditions caused by AMD and acid precipitation. Although previous multi-stage and microcosm studies confirmed the decrease in acidity and metals concentrations by municipal wastewater, the current study is the first to provide supportive evidence of this co-attenuation on catchment scale. These findings are important for integrated water resource management on catchment level, especially in river systems with a complex mixture of pollutants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A prospective study of marine phytoplankton and reported ...

Science.gov (United States)

BACKGROUND: Blooms of marine phytoplankton may adversely affect human health. The potential public health impact of low-level exposures is not well established, and few prospective cohort studies of recreational exposures to marine phytoplankton have been conducted.OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the association between phytoplankton cell counts and subsequent illness among recreational beachgoers.METHODS:We recruited beachgoers at Boquer6n Beach, Puerto Rico, during the summer of 2009. We conducted interviews at three time points to assess baseline health, water activities, and subsequent illness. Daily water samples were quantitatively assayed for phytoplankton cell count. Logistic regression models, adjusted for age and sex, were used to assess the association between exposure to three categories of phytoplankton concentration and subsequent illness.RESULTS: During 26 study days, 15,726 individuals successfully completed all three interviews. Daily total phytoplankton cell counts ranged from 346 to 2,012 cells/ml (median, 712 cells/ml). The category with the highest (≥75th percentile) total phytoplankton cell count was associated with eye irritation [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.30; 95% confidence interval (Cl): 1.01, 1.66], rash (OR = 1.27; 95% Cl: 1.02, 1.57), and earache (OR = 1.25; 95% Cl: 0.88, 1.77). In phytoplankton group-specific analyses, the category with the highest Cyanobacteria counts was associated with respiratory illness (OR = 1.37; 95% Cl: 1.12, 1

Marine Ecosystem Services

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hasler, Berit; Ahtiainen, Heini; Hasselström, Linus

MARECOS (Marine Ecosystem Services) er et tværfagligt studie, der har haft til formål at tilvejebringe information vedrørende kortlægning og værdisætning af økosystemtjenester, som kan anvendes i forbindelse med udformning af regulering på det marine område såvel nationalt, som regionalt og inter...

Viruses manipulate the marine environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Rohwer, Forest; Thurber, Rebecca Vega

2009-05-14

Marine viruses affect Bacteria, Archaea and eukaryotic organisms and are major components of the marine food web. Most studies have focused on their role as predators and parasites, but many of the interactions between marine viruses and their hosts are much more complicated. A series of recent studies has shown that viruses have the ability to manipulate the life histories and evolution of their hosts in remarkable ways, challenging our understanding of this almost invisible world.

Contribution to the study of radioactivity in marine organisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos Gouvea, R. de C. dos; Santos, P.L. dos

1986-01-01

The bioaccumulation of natural radionuclides in marine organisms along the Rio de Janeiro coast was studied. Significant levels of 210 Po were found in the edible bivalve Perna perna linnaeus, 1758. The level of 210 Po in the soft tissue of bivalves collected along the Ponta Negra rock there was three times higher than that of similar organisms collected near Boa Viagem. (M.A.C.) [pt

Marine conservation strategies for Maharashtra Coast

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Untawale, A.G.; Dhargalkar, V.K.

, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Marine Parks and Protected Areas. Detailed studies of 37 sites along the Maharashtra Coast, for their marine biota and also the ecological conditions, were taken up. Out of these, seven most luxuriant areas in marine biodiversity have...

Marine pollution studies in Pakistan by nuclear techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qureshi, R.M.; Mashiatullah, A.; Javed, T.; Tasneem, M.A.

2001-01-01

This paper describes a comprehensive study on pollution aspects of Manora Channel-Karachi Coast, Pakistan. In addition to use of conventional non-nuclear pollution monitoring tools (Coliform population, electrical conductivity, turbidity etc.), we evaluate the role of environmental stable carbon isotope technique (delta /sup 13/C of the total dissolved inorganic carbon-TDIC) to establish marine pollution transport scenario for Manora Channel. Data shows that tidal fluctuations play a key role in distribution of contamination inventories in Manora Channel. (author)

Ecotoxicology in Baden-Wuerttemberg. Research profile and possible joint research projects; Oekotoxikologie in Baden-Wuerttemberg. Forschungsprofil und moegliche Forschungsverbuende

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Flaig, H.; Lohmann, U.; Ballschmiter, K.; Deissler, A.; Froescheis, O.; Kochte-Clemens, B.

2000-07-01

In 1996 the 'Landesforschungsbeirat Baden-Wuerttemberg' (Research Council of the Federal State) recommended a critical inventory of ecotoxicological research activities in Baden-Wuerttemberg in order to get a clearly defined orientation as well as a promotion of research. Assigned by the Ministry of Science, Research and Arts Baden-Wuerttemberg, the Center of Technology Assessment (Center of TA) designed and performed a project 'The Research Profile of Ecotoxicology in Baden-Wuerttemberg' with a focus on universities. Research activities in the federal state were registered, documented, and classified. In two round table discussions with experts from university and non-university research institutions, chemical industry, and ministries, the concept of the Center of TA for joint research projects in the field of ecotoxicology in Baden-Wuerttemberg was put in concrete terms. Joint research projects beyond university boundaries are presumably the most promising tool for ecotoxicology to grain profile as a discipline. Ideally, the strong points of several subjects should be combined; thus, creating synergy effects and enabling a comprehensive view of the research topic. We assume some organizational preconditions to be necessary for joint projects in order to be successful. Apart from a tight coordination, integrating measures are particularly important. Thus, a project should be obligatorily performed by at least one representative of environmental chemistry and one representative of research on biological effects. Financial means must be assigned, too, e.g. for the exchange of scientists and joint seminars, workshops or conferences. It should be checked thoroughly whether the 'Transregio'-program of the 'Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft' could serve as a model for implementing these integrating measures. Moreover, the results of the different working groups should be regularly combined and condensed to a comprehensive view of

Consumer Preferences Toward Marine Tourism Area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvy Fauziah

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The marine zone tourism is growing attracting more tourists. Pramuka Island is marine conservation area enriched with marine biodiversity in coral reefs and other natural resources. To develop this potential tourist destination, a customer-based marketing program is required to attract domestic and foreign tourists. The main vision is to understand tourist preferences for marine tourism activities and facilities. A research was conducted on Pramuka Island as a well-known marine tourism zone. The objective was to determine the key tourist preferences for marine tourism destination. Research methods utilized Cochran Q test and Conjoint analysis where the primary data were obtained from tourist respondents. The result showed that there was a tourist preference based on the five attributes considered most important, namely tourism activities, tourist attractions, types of accommodation, food and souvenirs types. This study provided marine tourism destination management with useful guidance for broader implications of the implementation of marketing programs and tourism attraction. Moreover, the results of this study consolidated the learning of a variety of academic and industrial research papers in particular for the measurement of customer preferences towards marine tourism destination.

The 2015 Annual Meeting of SETAC German Language Branch in Zurich (7-10 September, 2015): ecotoxicology and environmental chemistry-from research to application

OpenAIRE

Werner, Inge; Aldrich, Annette; Becker, Benjamin; Becker, Dennis; Brinkmann, Markus; Burkhardt, Michael; Caspers, Norbert; Campiche, Sophie; Chèvre, Nathalie; Düring, Rolf-Alexander; Escher, Beate I.; Fischer, Fabian; Giebner, Sabrina; Heye, Katharina; Hollert, Henner

2016-01-01

This report provides a brief review of the 20th annual meeting of the German Language Branch of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC GLB) held from September 7th to 10th 2015 at ETH (Swiss Technical University) in Zurich, Switzerland. The event was chaired by Inge Werner, Director of the Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology (Ecotox Centre) Eawag-EPFL, and organized by a team from Ecotox Centre, Eawag, Federal Office of the Environment, Federal Office of Agriculture, ...

United States Marine Corps Assault Amphibian Vehicle Egress Study

Science.gov (United States)

2014-06-01

Variance, ANOVA, Design of Experiment, DOE, Marine Corps, USMC, Full Factorial 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 147 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION...effects include learning, fatigue, catching on, assimilation and contrast ( Price , 2005). McLean et al. (1995) also randomized between the groups...readers Snacks  for you Document folders Batteries for Actiwatch Snacks  for the Marines! Scissors Screw Driver for Actiwatch A hat Burnable CD’s Chargers

A study on the development program of the advanced marine reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, H.; Sako, K.; Iida, H.; Yamaji, A.

1992-01-01

JAERI has formulated two attractive concepts of advanced marine reactors. One is 100 MWt MRX (Marine Reactor X) for an icebreaker and the other is 150 kWe DRX (Deep-sea Reactor X) for a deep sea research submersible. They adopt new technologies such as an integral type PWR, in-vessel type control rod drive mechanisms, a water-filled containment vessel and a passive decay heat removal system, which would enable to satisfy the essential requirements for marine reactors for next generation, i.e.; compact, light, highly passive safe and easy to operate. From now on, following conceptual design, the engineering design phase is going to start in order to advance the research and development of MRX and DRX further and to obtain the data necessary for the detail design and construction of the actual reactors. JAERI is studying on the program to develop the engineering design research on MRX and DRX, which consists mainly of the particularization of design, the data acquisition by experiments (synthetic hydrothermal dynamics experiments, fundamental tests related to passive core cooling and demonstration tests on reliability and operability), the development of particular components and the development of advanced design tools. (author)

Events Calendar: Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit: Smithsonian Marine

Science.gov (United States)

current Smithsonian research on the plants and animals of the Indian River Lagoon and marine environments Station (SMS) at Fort Pierce Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce Website Search Box History Modeling Ecosystems Virtual Tour Facebook Instagram Twitter SMS Home › Smithsonian Marine

Gram-positive bacteria of marine origin: a numerical taxonomic study on Mediterranean isolates.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortigosa, M; Garay, E; Pujalte, M J

1997-12-01

A numerical taxonomic study was performed on 65 Gram-positive wild strains of heterotrophic, aerobic, marine bacteria, and 9 reference strains. The isolates were obtained from oysters and seawater sampled monthly over one year, by direct plating on Marine Agar. The strains were characterized by 96 morphological, biochemical, physiological and nutritional tests. Clustering yielded 13 phena at 0.62 similarity level (Sl coefficient). Only one of the seven phena containing wild isolates could be identified (Bacillus marinus). A pronounced salt requirement was found in most isolates.

Experimental and Modeling Studies of Interactions of Marine Aerosols and Clouds

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Kreidenweis, Sonia

1995-01-01

The specific objectives of the modeling component are to develop models of the marine boundary layer, including models that predict cloud formation and evolution and the effects of such processes on the marine aerosol (and vice versa...

From the sea to the laboratory: Characterization of microplastic as prerequisite for the assessment of ecotoxicological impact.

Science.gov (United States)

Potthoff, Annegret; Oelschlägel, Kathrin; Schmitt-Jansen, Mechthild; Rummel, Christoph Daniel; Kühnel, Dana

2017-05-01

The presence of microplastic (MP) in the aquatic environment is recognized as a global-scale pollution issue. Secondary MP particles result from an ongoing fragmentation process governed by various biotic and abiotic factors. For a reliable risk assessment of these MP particles, knowledge about interactions with biota is needed. However, extensive testing with standard organisms under reproducible laboratory conditions with well-characterized MP suspensions is not available yet. As MP in the environment represents a mixture of particles differing in properties (e.g., size, color, polymer type, surface characteristics), it is likely that only specific particle fractions pose a threat towards organisms. In order to assign hazardous effects to specific particle properties, these characteristics need to be analyzed. As shown by the testing of particles (e.g. nanoparticles), characteristics other than chemical properties are important for the emergence of toxicity in organisms, and parameters such as surface area or size distribution need consideration. Therefore, the use of "well-defined" particles for ecotoxicological testing (i.e., standard particles) facilitates the establishment of causal links between physical-chemical properties of MP particles and toxic effects in organisms. However, the benefits of well-defined particles under laboratory conditions are offset by the disadvantage of the unknown comparability with MP in the environment. Therefore, weathering effects caused by biological, chemical, physical or mechanical processes have to be considered. To date, the characterization of the progression of MP weathering based on powder and suspension characterization methods is in its infancy. The aim of this commentary is to illustrate the prerequisites for testing MP in the laboratory from 3 perspectives: (i) knowledge of particle properties; (ii) behavior of MP in test setups involving ecotoxicological test organisms; and (iii) accordingly, test conditions that

Marine bioacoustics and technology: The new world of marine acoustic ecology

Science.gov (United States)

Hastings, Mardi C.; Au, Whitlow W. L.

2012-11-01

Marine animals use sound for communication, navigation, predator avoidance, and prey detection. Thus the rise in acoustic energy associated with increasing human activity in the ocean has potential to impact the lives of marine animals. Thirty years ago marine bioacoustics primarily focused on evaluating effects of human-generated sound on hearing and behavior by testing captive animals and visually observing wild animals. Since that time rapidly changing electronic and computing technologies have yielded three tools that revolutionized how bioacousticians study marine animals. These tools are (1) portable systems for measuring electrophysiological auditory evoked potentials, (2) miniaturized tags equipped with positioning sensors and acoustic recording devices for continuous short-term acoustical observation rather than intermittent visual observation, and (3) passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) systems for remote long-term acoustic observations at specific locations. The beauty of these breakthroughs is their direct applicability to wild animals in natural habitats rather than only to animals held in captivity. Hearing capabilities of many wild species including polar bears, beaked whales, and reef fishes have now been assessed by measuring their auditory evoked potentials. Miniaturized acoustic tags temporarily attached to an animal to record its movements and acoustic environment have revealed the acoustic foraging behavior of sperm and beaked whales. Now tags are being adapted to fishes in effort to understand their behavior in the presence of noise. Moving and static PAM systems automatically detect and characterize biological and physical features of an ocean area without adding any acoustic energy to the environment. PAM is becoming a powerful technique for understanding and managing marine habitats. This paper will review the influence of these transformative tools on the knowledge base of marine bioacoustics and elucidation of relationships between marine

The English Channel: Contamination status of its transitional and coastal waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tappin, A.D.; Millward, G.E.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Trends show reductions in contaminant loads (not N) as a result of input controls. • Most contaminant loads generally highly uncertain or unknown. • Ecotoxicological impacts of contaminants on fauna and flora not widely observed. • Nutrient inputs markedly influence algal biomass and toxin production. • Ecotoxicological impact studies require more cross-disciplinary approach. - Abstract: The chemical contamination (organic compounds, metals, radionuclides, microplastics, nutrients) of English Channel waters has been reviewed, focussing on the sources, concentrations and impacts. River loads were only reliable for Pb, whereas atmospheric loads appeared robust for Cd, Pb, Hg, PCB-153 and γ-HCH. Temporal trends in atmospheric inputs were decreasing. Contaminant concentrations in biota were relatively constant or decreasing, but not for Cd, Hg and HBCDD, and deleterious impacts on fish and copepods were reported. However, data on ecotoxicological effects were generally sparse for legacy and emerging contaminants. Intercomparison of activity concentrations of artificial radionuclides in sediments and biota on both Channel coasts was hindered by differences in methodological approaches. Riverine phosphate loads decreased with time, while nitrate loads remained uniform. Increased biomass of algae, attributable to terrestrial inputs of nutrients, has affected benthic production and shellfisheries. A strategic approach to the identification of contaminant impacts on marine biota is recommended

Linking Marine Ecosystem Services to the North Sea’s Energy Fields in Transnational Marine Spatial Planning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christina Vogel

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Marine spatial planning temporally and spatially allocates marine resources to different users. The ecosystem approach aims at optimising the social and economic benefits people derive from marine resources while preserving the ecosystem’s health. Marine ecosystem services are defined as the benefits people obtain from marine ecosystems. The aim of this study is to determine which interrelations between marine ecosystem services and the marine energy industry can be identified for use in transnational marine spatial planning exemplified in the North Sea region. As the North Sea is one of the busiest seas worldwide, the risk of impairing the ecosystems through anthropogenic pressures is high. Drawing on a literature-based review, 23 marine ecosystem services provided by the North Sea region were defined and linked to seven offshore energy fields comprising oil and natural gas, wind, tides and currents, waves, salinity gradients, algal biomass, and geothermal heat. The interactions were divided into four categories: dependence, impact, bidirectional, or no interaction. Oil and natural gas, as well as algae biomass, are the fields with the most relations with marine ecosystem services while waves and salinity gradients exhibit the least. Some marine ecosystem services (Conditions for Infrastructure, Regulation of Water Flows, and Cognitive Development are needed for all fields; Recreation and Tourism, Aesthetic and Cultural Perceptions and Traditions, Cognitive Development, and Sea Scape are impacted by all fields. The results of this research provide an improved basis for an ecosystem approach in transnational marine spatial planning.

Radiochemical tracers in marine biology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrocelli, S.R.; Anderson, J.W.; Neff, J.M.

1977-01-01

Tracers have been used in a great variety of experimentation. More recently, labeled materials have been applied in marine biological research. Some of the existing tracer techniques have been utilized directly, while others have been modified to suit the specific needs of marine biologists. This chapter describes some of the uses of tracers in marine biological research. It also mentions the problems encountered as well as offering possible solutions and discusses further applications of these techniques. Only pertinent references are cited and additional information may be obtained by consulting these references. Due to their relative ease of maintenance, freshwater species are also utilized in studies which involve radiotracer techniques. Since most of these techniques e directly applicable to marine species, some of these studies will also be included

No increase in marine microplastic concentration over the last three decades – A case study from the Baltic Sea

OpenAIRE

Beer, Sabrina; Garm, Anders; Huwer, Bastian; Dierking, Jan; Nielsen, Torkel Gissel

2018-01-01

Highlights: • First long-term study on microplastic in the marine environment • Case study based on a unique sample set from the highly human impacted Baltic Sea • Water column microplastic concentration constant over past three decades • Microplastic concentration in forage fish constant over past three decades • We hypothesise that household waste is the dominant source of Baltic marine plastics. Abstract Microplastic is considered a potential threat to marine life as i...

Reliability Based Management of Marine Fouling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Faber, Michael Havbro; Hansen, Peter Friis

1999-01-01

The present paper describes the results of a recent study on the application of methods from structural reliability to optimise management of marine fouling on jacket type structures.In particular the study addresses effects on the structural response by assessment and quantification of uncertain......The present paper describes the results of a recent study on the application of methods from structural reliability to optimise management of marine fouling on jacket type structures.In particular the study addresses effects on the structural response by assessment and quantification...... of uncertainties of a set of parameters. These are the seasonal variation of marine fouling parameters, the wave loading (taking into account the seasonal variation in sea-state statistics), and the effects of spatial variations and seasonal effects of marine fouling parameters. Comparison of design values...

Review of the ecotoxicological effects of emerging contaminants to soil biota.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes, Ana R; Justino, Celine; Rocha-Santos, Teresa; Freitas, Ana C; Duarte, Armando C; Pereira, Ruth

2017-08-24

In recent years, emerging contaminants (e.g. pesticides and their metabolites, pharmaceuticals, personal and house care products, life-style compounds, food additives, industrial products and wastes, as well as nanomaterials) have become a problem to the environment. In fact, the cumulative use of a panoply of chemical substances in agriculture, industrial activities, in our homes and in health care services has led to their recent appearance in detectable levels in soils, surface, and groundwater resources, with unpredictable consequences for these ecosystems. Few data exist regarding the toxicity and potential for bioaccumulation in biota. When available, data were obtained only for some representatives of the main groups of chemical substances, and for a limited number of species, following non-standard protocols. This makes difficult the calculation of predicted no effect concentrations (PNEC) and the existence of sufficient data to set limits for their release into the environment. This is particularly concerning for the soil compartment, since only recently the scientific community, regulators, and the public have realised the importance of protecting this natural resource and its services to guarantee the sustainability of terrestrial ecosystems and human well-being. In this context, this review paper aims to identify the major groups of soil emerging contaminants, their sources, pathways and receptors, and in parallel to analyse existing ecotoxicological data for soil biota.

The Source Book of Marine Sciences.

Science.gov (United States)

Beakley, John C.; And Others

Included is a teachers resource collection of 42 marine science activities for high school students. Both the biological and the physical factors of the marine environment are investigated, including the study of tides, local currents, microscope measuring, beaches, turbidity, sea water solids, pH, and salinity, marine bacteriology, microbiology,…

Prevalence of marine debris in marine birds from the North Atlantic.

Science.gov (United States)

Provencher, Jennifer F; Bond, Alexander L; Hedd, April; Montevecchi, William A; Muzaffar, Sabir Bin; Courchesne, Sarah J; Gilchrist, H Grant; Jamieson, Sarah E; Merkel, Flemming R; Falk, Knud; Durinck, Jan; Mallory, Mark L

2014-07-15

Marine birds have been found to ingest plastic debris in many of the world's oceans. Plastic accumulation data from necropsies findings and regurgitation studies are presented on 13 species of marine birds in the North Atlantic, from Georgia, USA to Nunavut, Canada and east to southwest Greenland and the Norwegian Sea. Of the species examined, the two surface plungers (great shearwaters Puffinus gravis; northern fulmars Fulmarus glacialis) had the highest prevalence of ingested plastic (71% and 51%, respectively). Great shearwaters also had the most pieces of plastics in their stomachs, with some individuals containing as many of 36 items. Seven species contained no evidence of plastic debris. Reporting of baseline data as done here is needed to ensure that data are available for marine birds over time and space scales in which we see changes in historical debris patterns in marine environments (i.e. decades) and among oceanographic regions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Indicator-based assessment of marine biological diversity – lessons from 10 case studies across the European Seas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Uusitalo

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The Marine Strategy Framework Directive requires the environmental status of European marine waters to be assessed using biodiversity as one out of 11 descriptors, but the complexity of marine biodiversity and its large span across latitudinal and salinity gradients have been a challenge to the scientific community aiming to produce approaches for integrating information from a broad range of indicators. The Nested Environmental status Assessment Tool (NEAT, developed for the integrated assessment of the status of marine waters, was applied to ten marine ecosystems to test its applicability and compare biodiversity assessments across the four European regional seas. We evaluate the assessment results as well as the assessment designs of the ten cases, and how the assessment design, particularly the choices made regarding the area and indicator selection, affected the results. The results show that only 2 out of the 10 case study areas show more than 50 % probability of being in good status in respect of biodiversity. No strong pattern among the ecosystem components across the case study areas could be detected, but marine mammals, birds, and benthic vegetation indicators tended to indicate poor status while zooplankton indicators indicated good status when included into the assessment. The analysis shows that the assessment design, including the selection of indicators, their target values, geographical resolution and habitats to be assessed, has potentially a high impact on the result, and the assessment structure needs to be understood in order to make an informed assessment. Moreover, recommendations are provided for the best practice of using NEAT for marine status assessments.

Studies on rare earth elements in seawater and uptake by marine organisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, H.; Koyanagi, T.; Saiki, M.

1975-01-01

The contents of rare earth elements in marine environmental samples were determined by neutron activation analysis to examine the existing state in coastal seawater and the concentration by marine organisms of the elements. Seawater was filtered through a Millipore filter GS (pore size 0.22 μm), before the analysis. Some of the seawater was treated with HC1 solution before filtration and some after filtration. Certain marine organisms were also analysed for determination of rare earth elements. These were: flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus); yellowtails (Seriola quinqueradiata); immature anchovy (Engraulis japonica); clams (Meretrix lusoria); green algae (Ulva pertusa); brown algae (Hizikia fusiforme, Sargassum fulvellum, Undaria pinnatifida). In the seawater without HC1 treatment before filtration, considerable amounts of the elements existed in residue on the filter, whereas in the seawater treated with HC1 before filtration, the greater part remained in the dissolved state. Concentration factors calculated from the contents of stable elements, therefore, are affected remarkably by the existing state of the elements in seawater. If only the dissolved state is assumed available for marine organisms, values one order higher are attained compared with the case where total amounts of the elements were used for the calculation. However, the contribution of the insoluble state seems to be not negligible with some organisms. The higher concentration factors for immature anchovy and clams observed in this study were considered to be caused by surface adsorption of elements in particulate form and also ingested sediment with high element concentration. (author)

International laboratory of marine radioactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-08-01

The director's report presents the overall aims and objectives of the laboratory, and some of the significant findings to date. Among these is the different behaviour in oceans of Pu and Am. Thus, fallout Pu, in contrast to Am, tends to remain in the soluble form. The vertical downward transport of Am is much quicker than for Pu. Since 1980, uptake and depuration studies of sup(95m)Tc have been carried out on key marine species. Marine environmental behaviour of Tc is being evaluated carefully in view of its being a significant constituent of nuclear wastes. Growing demands are being made on the laboratory for providing intercalibration and instrument maintenance services, and for providing training for scientists from developing countries. The body of the report is divided into 5 sections dealing with marine biology, marine chemistry, marine geochemistry/sedimentation, environmental studies, and engineering services, respectively. Appendices list laboratory staff, publications by staff members, papers and reports presented at meetings or conferences, consultants to the laboratory from 1967-1980, fellowships, trainees and membership of committees, task forces and working groups

Marine litter from beach-based sources: Case study of an Eastern Mediterranean coastal town.

Science.gov (United States)

Portman, Michelle E; Brennan, Ruth E

2017-11-01

Marine litter has been a serious and growing problem for some decades now. Yet, there is still much speculation among researchers, policy makers and planners about how to tackle marine litter from land-based sources. This paper provides insights into approaches for managing marine litter by reporting and analyzing survey results of litter dispersal and makeup from three areas along an Arab-Israeli coastal town in view of other recent studies conducted around the Mediterranean Sea. Based on our results and analysis, we posit that bathing beach activities should be a high priority for waste managers as a point of intervention and beach-goers must be encouraged to take a more active role in keeping beaches clean. Further, plastic fragments on the beach should be targeted as a first priority for prevention (and cleanup) of marine litter with plastic bottle caps being a high priority to be targeted among plastics. More survey research is needed on non-plastic litter composition for which amounts and geographic dispersal in the region vary greatly from place to place along Mediterranean shores. In general, findings of this study lead us to recommend exploring persuasive beach trash can design coupled with greater enforcement for short term waste management intervention while considering the local socio-economic and institutional context further for long-term efforts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Content of PAHs, activities of γ-radionuclides and ecotoxicological assessment in biochars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gondek Krzysztof

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research was to determine the effect of thermal conversion temperature and plant material addition to sewage sludge on the PAHs content and the activity of selected γ-radionuclides in biochars, and to conduct an ecotoxicological assessment. The pyrolysis of the mixtures of sewage sludge and plant materials at 300°C and such temperature caused an increase in the contents of 2- and 3-ring hydrocarbons. During the pyrolysis of organic materials at 600°C, the amount of the following compounds was reduced in biochars: benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, indeno[1,2,3c,d]pyrene, dibenzo[a,h]anthracene, and benzo[g,h,i]perylene. Among γ-radioisotopes of the elements, natural radiogenic isotopes were dominant. 137Cs was the only artificial radioactive isotope. The pyrolysis of the mixtures of municipal sewage sludge and plant materials revealed that isotope 40K had the highest radioactive activity. In the case of other analysed nuclides, activities of 212Pb, 214Pb, 214Bi, and 137Cs were determined after the sample pyrolysis. The extracts from the mixtures of sewage sludge and plant materials were non-toxic to Vibrio fischeri.

Marine pollution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albaiges, J.

1989-01-01

This book covers the following topics: Transport of marine pollutants; Transformation of pollutants in the marine environment; Biological effects of marine pollutants; Sources and transport of oil pollutants in the Persian Gulf; Trace metals and hydrocarbons in Syrian coastal waters; and Techniques for analysis of trace pollutants

Research on Customer Satisfaction in Marine Cultural and Sustainable Tourism—A Case Study of Shanghai

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuxiang Zheng

2017-05-01

Full Text Available In recent years, marine cultural tourism, an emerging tourism mode, has become more and more popular among tourists, and demonstrates broad market prospects. However, Chinese marine cultural tourism is still in the development and growth stage, and the level of customer satisfaction is uneven. The improvement of the customer satisfaction level is conducive to meeting customers’ demands in marine cultural tourism and enhancing the competitiveness of Chinese marine cultural tourism. Based on theoretical research and the practical situation of marine cultural tourism, this paper implements empirical investigation and research into customer satisfaction in marine cultural tourism in Shanghai, China. According to the research results, it proposes improving the level of customer satisfaction in Chinese marine cultural tourism from the perspectives of ocean culture tourism promotion, customer satisfaction evaluation, service level management and environment construction of scenic spots, tourism branding and the marine cultural accomplishments of tourists, so as to promote the sustainable development of marine cultural tourism.

Marine Peptides and Their Anti-Infective Activities

OpenAIRE

Kang, Hee Kyoung; Seo, Chang Ho; Park, Yoonkyung

2015-01-01

Marine bioresources are a valuable source of bioactive compounds with industrial and nutraceutical potential. Numerous clinical trials evaluating novel chemotherapeutic agents derived from marine sources have revealed novel mechanisms of action. Recently, marine-derived bioactive peptides have attracted attention owing to their numerous beneficial effects. Moreover, several studies have reported that marine peptides exhibit various anti-infective activities, such as antimicrobial, antifungal,...

Ecotoxicological assessments and the setting of limit values for chemicals in the environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-11-01

The Committee on the Setting of Limit Values for Chemicals held its first open conference in Denmark in March 1992 at Mogenstrup Kro, Zealand. The conference proceedings were entitled `Risk Management and Risk Assessment in Different Sectors in Denmark`. The conference focused on risk assessment and the setting of limit values for chemicals in connection with human exposure to chemicals. The conference held in January 1996, which is covered by the present proceedings, dealt with the exposure of the environment to chemicals and the state-of-the-art as well as perspectives of ecotoxicological research. Special emphasis was placed on the illustration and discussion of the problems that have to be solved in order to secure satisfactory levels of protection of soil and aquatic environments in connection with exposure to chemicals. Also, problems connected with exposure through the atmosphere were discussed and exemplified by the work on the setting of limit values for tropospheric ozone. Furthermore, the global problems pertaining to what is believed to be the greenhouse effect and the degradation of the stratospheric ozone layer as well as the damage to crops caused by ozone were mentioned. (au)

Enzymatic Processes in Marine Biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Trincone, Antonio

2017-03-25

In previous review articles the attention of the biocatalytically oriented scientific community towards the marine environment as a source of biocatalysts focused on the habitat-related properties of marine enzymes. Updates have already appeared in the literature, including marine examples of oxidoreductases, hydrolases, transferases, isomerases, ligases, and lyases ready for food and pharmaceutical applications. Here a new approach for searching the literature and presenting a more refined analysis is adopted with respect to previous surveys, centering the attention on the enzymatic process rather than on a single novel activity. Fields of applications are easily individuated: (i) the biorefinery value-chain, where the provision of biomass is one of the most important aspects, with aquaculture as the prominent sector; (ii) the food industry, where the interest in the marine domain is similarly developed to deal with the enzymatic procedures adopted in food manipulation; (iii) the selective and easy extraction/modification of structurally complex marine molecules, where enzymatic treatments are a recognized tool to improve efficiency and selectivity; and (iv) marine biomarkers and derived applications (bioremediation) in pollution monitoring are also included in that these studies could be of high significance for the appreciation of marine bioprocesses.

Ecotoxicological assays of Diethyltoluamide and Lemongrass Essencial Oil in irradiated and non-irradiated aquatic organisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gimiliani, Giovana T.; Rogero, Sizue O.; Martini, Gisela A.; Rogero, Jose R.

2015-01-01

Aquatic invertebrates can be potentially exposed to nonradioactive contaminants in conjunction with ionizing radiation, especially in highly industrialized areas surrounding nuclear facilities, where radionuclides can accidentally be discharged in the aquatic environment containing stable chemicals. The aquatic organisms have continually been exposed to chemical contaminants like personal care products (PCPs) which have been found in various environmental matrices and may cause adverse effects to aquatic life and human health as radioactive products. In this study was used C. silvestrii as bioindicator organism in chronic ecotoxicity assays with lemongrass essencial oil (LEO) and Diethyltoluamide (DEET), both are insect repellent. In addition to exposition of the compounds, the organisms were irradiated with gamma rays from Co-60 source. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the possible synergistic effect of gamma radiation and mosquito repellent products in the reproduction of Ceriodaphnia silvestrii utilizing standardized ecotoxicological tests. The C. silvestrii inhibition concentration (IC25; 7 days) result after DEET exposition was 16.4 ± 1.4 mg L -1 and for LEO was 3.1 ± 1.4 mg L -1 . In the irradiated (25 Gy) C. silvestrii exposed to DEET and LEO, the concentration that inhibited reproduction was 16.1 ± 0.9 mg L -1 and 2.4 ± 0.3 mg L -1 respectively. The results showed that the reproduction of irradiated C. silvestrii was not significantly affected when compared with non-irradiated organisms when exposed to DEET or LEO. (author)

Ecotoxicological assays of Diethyltoluamide and Lemongrass Essencial Oil in irradiated and non-irradiated aquatic organisms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gimiliani, Giovana T.; Rogero, Sizue O.; Martini, Gisela A.; Rogero, Jose R., E-mail: sorogero@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2015-07-01

Aquatic invertebrates can be potentially exposed to nonradioactive contaminants in conjunction with ionizing radiation, especially in highly industrialized areas surrounding nuclear facilities, where radionuclides can accidentally be discharged in the aquatic environment containing stable chemicals. The aquatic organisms have continually been exposed to chemical contaminants like personal care products (PCPs) which have been found in various environmental matrices and may cause adverse effects to aquatic life and human health as radioactive products. In this study was used C. silvestrii as bioindicator organism in chronic ecotoxicity assays with lemongrass essencial oil (LEO) and Diethyltoluamide (DEET), both are insect repellent. In addition to exposition of the compounds, the organisms were irradiated with gamma rays from Co-60 source. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the possible synergistic effect of gamma radiation and mosquito repellent products in the reproduction of Ceriodaphnia silvestrii utilizing standardized ecotoxicological tests. The C. silvestrii inhibition concentration (IC25; 7 days) result after DEET exposition was 16.4 ± 1.4 mg L{sup -1} and for LEO was 3.1 ± 1.4 mg L{sup -1}. In the irradiated (25 Gy) C. silvestrii exposed to DEET and LEO, the concentration that inhibited reproduction was 16.1 ± 0.9 mg L{sup -1} and 2.4 ± 0.3 mg L{sup -1} respectively. The results showed that the reproduction of irradiated C. silvestrii was not significantly affected when compared with non-irradiated organisms when exposed to DEET or LEO. (author)

Will marine productivity wane?

Science.gov (United States)

Laufkötter, Charlotte; Gruber, Nicolas

2018-03-01

If marine algae are impaired severely by global climate change, the resulting reduction in marine primary production would strongly affect marine life and the ocean's biological pump that sequesters substantial amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide in the ocean's interior. Most studies, including the latest generation of Earth system models, project only moderate global decreases in biological production until 2100 (1, 2), suggesting that these concerns are unwarranted. But on page 1139 of this issue, Moore et al. (3) show that this conclusion might be shortsighted and that there may be much larger long-term changes in ocean productivity than previously appreciated.

Ecotoxicological evaluation of four UV filters using marine organisms from different trophic levels Isochrysis galbana, Mytilus galloprovincialis, Paracentrotus lividus, and Siriella armata.

Science.gov (United States)

Paredes, E; Perez, S; Rodil, R; Quintana, J B; Beiras, R

2014-06-01

Due to the concern about the negative effects of exposure to sunlight, combinations of UV filters like 4-Methylbenzylidene-camphor (4-MBC), Benzophenone-3 (BP-3), Benzophenone-4 (BP-4) and 2-Ethylhexyl-4-methoxycinnamate (EHMC) are being introduced in all kind of cosmetic formulas. These chemicals are acquiring a concerning status due to their increasingly common use and the potential risk for the environment. The aim of this study is to assess the behaviour of these compounds in seawater, the toxicity to marine organisms from three trophic levels including autotrophs (Isochrysis galbana), herbivores (Mytilus galloprovincialis and Paracentrotus lividus) and carnivores (Siriella armata), and set a preliminary assessment of potential ecological risk of UV filters in coastal ecosystems. In general, EC50 results show that both EHMC and 4-MBC are the most toxic for our test species, followed by BP-3 and finally BP-4. The most affected species by the presence of these UV filters are the microalgae I. galbana, which showed toxicity thresholds in the range of μg L(-1) units, followed by S. armata>P. Lividus>M. galloprovincialis. The UV filter concentrations measured in the sampled beach water were in the range of tens or even hundreds of ng L(-1). The resulting risk quotients showed appreciable environmental risk in coastal environments for BP-3 and 4-MBC. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Marine products with anti-protozoal activity: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

García, Marley; Monzote, Lianet

2014-01-01

The marine organisms are a rich source of varied natural products with unique functionality. A variety of natural products of new molecular structures with diverse biological activities have been reported from marine flora and fauna for treatment and/or prevention of human diseases. The present review briefly illustrates current status of marine products as antiprotozoal agents. The in vitro and in vivo studies of marine algae, invertebrates and micro-organism against different protozoa parasites are included. The marine products studied, according to international criterions for selection of more promisory products in the different models reported, demonstrated their potentialities as antiprozoal agents. Herein, the interest of scientific community to search new alternatives from marine environment has been demonstrated.

Transcriptomic resources for environmental risk assessment: a case study in the Venice lagoon.

Science.gov (United States)

Milan, M; Pauletto, M; Boffo, L; Carrer, C; Sorrentino, F; Ferrari, G; Pavan, L; Patarnello, T; Bargelloni, L

2015-02-01

The development of new resources to evaluate the environmental status is becoming increasingly important representing a key challenge for ocean and coastal management. Recently, the employment of transcriptomics in aquatic toxicology has led to increasing initiatives proposing to integrate eco-toxicogenomics in the evaluation of marine ecosystem health. However, several technical issues need to be addressed before introducing genomics as a reliable tool in regulatory ecotoxicology. The Venice lagoon constitutes an excellent case, in which the assessment of environmental risks derived from the nearby industrial activities represents a crucial task. In this context, the potential role of genomics to assist environmental monitoring was investigated through the definition of reliable gene expression markers associated to chemical contamination in Manila clams, and their subsequent employment for the classification of Venice lagoon areas. Overall, the present study addresses key issues to evaluate the future outlooks of genomics in the environmental monitoring and risk assessment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spectrophotometric studies of marine surfactants in the southern Baltic Sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Violetta Drozdowska

2015-04-01

Full Text Available It is well known that surfactants in the southern Baltic Sea constitute the organic matter from riverine waters discharges as well as the secondary degradation products of marine phytoplankton excretion. They reach the surface microlayer by the upwellings and turbulent motions of water and in the membranes of the vesicles as well as from the atmosphere. To assess concentration and spatial distribution of marine surfactants in the southern Baltic Sea, the steady-state spectrophotometric and spectrofluorometric measurements of water samples taken from a surface film and a depth of 0.5 m were carried out. Water samples were collected during windless days of the cruise of r/v ‘Oceania’ in November 2012, from the open and the coastal waters having regard to the vicinity of the Vistula and Łeba mouths. In the present paper, fractions of dissolved organic matter having chromophores (CDOM or fluorophores (FDOM are recognized through their specific spectroscopic behavior, i.e., steady-state absorption, fluorescence excitation and fluorescence spectra. The steady-state spectroscopic measurements revealed the CDOM and FDOM molecules characteristic to both the land and marine origin. Moreover, the concentration and spatial distribution of marine surfactants significantly depend on the distance from the river mouth. Finally, higher values of absorbance and fluorescence intensity observed in a surface film in comparison to these values in a depth of 0.5 m clearly suggest the higher concentration of organic matter in a marine film. On the other hand, our results revealed that a surface microlayer is composed of the same CDOM and FDOM as bulk water.

A Numerical Modeling for Study Marine Current in the Manado Bay, North Sulawesi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parabelem Tinno Dolf Rompas

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This study is investigating about marine currents provided electrical energy through the numerical model. The objective of this study is to know the available power distributions in the Manado Bay, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. The Manado Bay was width 2200 m with 79 m of depth. In computation, we are made grids in x and y horizontal were 7 m respectively, also for z vertical of four layers. The results shown that the available power distributions in the Manado Bay at 0.1 Sv were 0.00-20.00 kW/m2 when low tide currents and when high tide currents were 0.00-105 kW/m2. The values will enable for marine currents power plant in the Manado Bay to future.

Financial research support for ecotoxicology and environmental chemistry in Germany. Results of an online survey; Foerdersituation oekotoxikologischer und umweltchemischer Forschung in Deutschland. Ergebnisse einer Online-Befragung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hollert, Henner; Schiwy, Andreas [RWTH Aachen University, Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research (Biology V), Aachen (Germany); Filser, Juliane [University of Bremen, UFT, Department of General and Theoretical Ecology, Bremen (Germany); Haeussling, Roger [RWTH Aachen University, Sociology of Technology and Organization, Institute of Sociology, Aachen (Germany); Hein, Michaela [Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, CITE (Chemicals In The Environment), Department Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Leipzig (Germany); Matthies, Michael [University of Osnabrueck, Institute for Environmental System Research, Osnabrueck (Germany); Oehlmann, Joerg [Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Ratte, Hans-Toni; Ross-Nickoll, Martina; Schaeffer, Andreas [RWTH Aachen University, Chair for Environmental Biology and Chemodynamics, Institute for Environmental Research (Biology V), Aachen (Germany); Scheringer, Martin [ETH Zuerich, HCI G 127, Safety and Environmental Technology Group, Zuerich (Switzerland)

2011-12-15

In recent years several initiatives addressed the inadequate financial support of pollutant-related environmental research in the Federal Republic of Germany. For an objective analysis about the research funding in ecotoxicology and environmental chemistry in Germany, an anonymous online survey was prepared. With support of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) - German Language Branch and the German Chemical Society (GDCh) - Division of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology an invitation to participate in the survey was sent to all members of these two major associations for ecotoxicology and environmental chemistry in Germany (D), Switzerland (CH) and Austria (A). Only senior staff from the areas academics, government and industry was invited. The present article introduces the results of the survey. It is segmented in a section on socio-economic characterization of the participants, a section on support of research by the DFG and a section on funding by other funding organizations. A total of 71 male and female scientists in senior positions from various areas participated in the survey. The results revealed that the participants are to be classified as having excellent records. 48.5 % of the respondents had submitted at least one research proposal to the DFG in the past, but one third actually received financial support by the DFG. 64% are not satisfied with the DFG support of pollutantrelated research, only 7 % are satisfied. It turned out that the research proposals are generally very heterogeneous and thus distributed to various units of the DFG with geosciences, water research and chemistry ranking highest, followed by biology and ecology. 91.2 % of the respondents indicated that they have submitted proposals for research funding to other funding institutions (except the DFG), and 83.6 % already have received appropriate external funding. 62.3 % of the scientists believe that overall support for chemicals-related research in

New Waves in Marine Science Symposium: Marine Animal Communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Betty, Comp.

1989-01-01

Presented are the abstracts from three research projects on marine social systems which were a part of a marine science symposium. Five sets of activities on marine animal communication are included, one each for grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12, and informal education. (CW)

Study of the combined effect of spices and marination on beef meat vacuum packaged

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

DANIELA ISTRATI

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Fresh beef slices were marinated by immersion in marinades based on dry red wine, lime-tree honey, salt, spices and seasoning plants as thyme (Thymus vulgaris, marjoram (Majorana hortensis, garlic (Allium sativum and horseradish (Armoracia rusticana. Control samples were represented by raw meat without marination treatment but stored in the same conditions as marinated samples. After marination, meat pieces were packed under vacuum and stored at refrigeration temperature of 4°C for 12 days. The influence of the combined effect of spices and marination on beef stability was evaluated by monitoring pH evolution, degree of lipid oxidation and by microbiological analysis. For control samples, a mean increase of 0.47 log CFU/g of total mesophilic aerobic bacteria was observed during the 48 h of storage, but for the samples marinated with the addition of spices was observed a decrease of 0.57 log CFU/g. The growth of LAB in control samples was generally limited and did not exceed 5 log CFU/g. During storage at 4°C, marination with the addition in the base marinade (wine, honey, garlic, pepper and salt of thyme, marjoram and horseradish separately inhibited the growth of LAB while marination with the addition in the base marinade of thyme, marjoram and horseradish together resulted in significantly lower levels of LAB. All marination treatments resulted in significantly lower TBA and POV values at the end of storage compared to the control. Marination with dry red wine, lime-tree honey, thyme marjoram, garlic, and horseradish can evidently control total mesophilic aerobic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria and oxidation of beef meat.

A study on biological activity of marine fungi from different habitats in coastal regions

OpenAIRE

Zhou, Songlin; Wang, Min; Feng, Qi; Lin, Yingying; Zhao, Huange

2016-01-01

In recent years, marine fungi have become an important source of active marine natural products. Former researches are limited in habitats selection of fungi with bioactive compounds. In this paper were to measure antibacterial and antitumor cell activity for secondary metabolites of marine fungi, which were isolated from different habitats in coastal regions. 195 strains of marine fungi were isolated and purified from three different habitats. They biologically active experiment results show...

Ecological Significance of Marine Microzooplankton

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Godhantaraman, N.

). Studies concerning microzooplankton in marine coastal, estuarine and brackish-water systems along tropical Indian waters are limited. Hence, in the following sections, I provide the results obtained by the research conducted in the tropical Vellar... estuarine systems, southeast coast of India. This was one of the first comprehensive studies on microzooplankton in India. There are also comparative accounts of microzooplankton researches from my studies in Japanese coastal marine waters. Microzooplankton...

Phylogenomics of Rhodobacteraceae reveals evolutionary adaptation to marine and non-marine habitats.

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Meinhard; Scheuner, Carmen; Meier-Kolthoff, Jan P; Brinkhoff, Thorsten; Wagner-Döbler, Irene; Ulbrich, Marcus; Klenk, Hans-Peter; Schomburg, Dietmar; Petersen, Jörn; Göker, Markus

2017-06-01

Marine Rhodobacteraceae (Alphaproteobacteria) are key players of biogeochemical cycling, comprise up to 30% of bacterial communities in pelagic environments and are often mutualists of eukaryotes. As 'Roseobacter clade', these 'roseobacters' are assumed to be monophyletic, but non-marine Rhodobacteraceae have not yet been included in phylogenomic analyses. Therefore, we analysed 106 genome sequences, particularly emphasizing gene sampling and its effect on phylogenetic stability, and investigated relationships between marine versus non-marine habitat, evolutionary origin and genomic adaptations. Our analyses, providing no unequivocal evidence for the monophyly of roseobacters, indicate several shifts between marine and non-marine habitats that occurred independently and were accompanied by characteristic changes in genomic content of orthologs, enzymes and metabolic pathways. Non-marine Rhodobacteraceae gained high-affinity transporters to cope with much lower sulphate concentrations and lost genes related to the reduced sodium chloride and organohalogen concentrations in their habitats. Marine Rhodobacteraceae gained genes required for fucoidan desulphonation and synthesis of the plant hormone indole 3-acetic acid and the compatible solutes ectoin and carnitin. However, neither plasmid composition, even though typical for the family, nor the degree of oligotrophy shows a systematic difference between marine and non-marine Rhodobacteraceae. We suggest the operational term 'Roseobacter group' for the marine Rhodobacteraceae strains.

De novo transcriptome assembly, functional annotation and differential gene expression analysis of juvenile and adult E. fetida, a model oligochaete used in ecotoxicological studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michelle Thunders

Full Text Available Abstract Background Earthworms are sensitive to toxic chemicals present in the soil and so are useful indicator organisms for soil health. Eisenia fetida are commonly used in ecotoxicological studies; therefore the assembly of a baseline transcriptome is important for subsequent analyses exploring the impact of toxin exposure on genome wide gene expression. Results This paper reports on the de novo transcriptome assembly of E. fetida using Trinity, a freely available software tool. Trinotate was used to carry out functional annotation of the Trinity generated transcriptome file and the transdecoder generated peptide sequence file along with BLASTX, BLASTP and HMMER searches and were loaded into a Sqlite3 database. To identify differentially expressed transcripts; each of the original sequence files were aligned to the de novo assembled transcriptome using Bowtie and then RSEM was used to estimate expression values based on the alignment. EdgeR was used to calculate differential expression between the two conditions, with an FDR corrected P value cut off of 0.001, this returned six significantly differentially expressed genes. Initial BLASTX hits of these putative genes included hits with annelid ferritin and lysozyme proteins, as well as fungal NADH cytochrome b5 reductase and senescence associated proteins. At a cut off of P = 0.01 there were a further 26 differentially expressed genes. Conclusion These data have been made publicly available, and to our knowledge represent the most comprehensive available transcriptome for E. fetida assembled from RNA sequencing data. This provides important groundwork for subsequent ecotoxicogenomic studies exploring the impact of the environment on global gene expression in E. fetida and other earthworm species.

Marine biotoxins

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

2004-01-01

... (ciguatera fish poisoning). It discusses in detail the causative toxins produced by marine organisms, chemical structures and analytical methods, habitat and occurrence of the toxin-producing organisms, case studies and existing regulations...

Marine gamma spectrometric survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kostoglodov, V.V.

1979-01-01

Presented are theoretical problems physical and geochemical prerequisites and possibilities of practical application of the method of continuous submarine gamma-spectrometric survey and radiometric survey destined for rapid study of the surface layer of marine sediments. Shown is high efficiency and advantages of this method in comparison with traditional and widely spread in marine geology methods of bottom sediments investigation

Marine Peptides and Their Anti-Infective Activities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hee Kyoung Kang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Marine bioresources are a valuable source of bioactive compounds with industrial and nutraceutical potential. Numerous clinical trials evaluating novel chemotherapeutic agents derived from marine sources have revealed novel mechanisms of action. Recently, marine-derived bioactive peptides have attracted attention owing to their numerous beneficial effects. Moreover, several studies have reported that marine peptides exhibit various anti-infective activities, such as antimicrobial, antifungal, antimalarial, antiprotozoal, anti-tuberculosis, and antiviral activities. In the last several decades, studies of marine plants, animals, and microbes have revealed tremendous number of structurally diverse and bioactive secondary metabolites. However, the treatments available for many infectious diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses are limited. Thus, the identification of novel antimicrobial peptides should be continued, and all possible strategies should be explored. In this review, we will present the structures and anti-infective activity of peptides isolated from marine sources (sponges, algae, bacteria, fungi and fish from 2006 to the present.

A Framework for Evaluation of Marine Spatial Data Geoportals Using Case Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tavra Marina

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Need for a Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure (MSDI as a component of a National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI is widely recognized. An MSDI is relevant not only for hydrographers and government planners, but also for many other sectors which takes interest in marine spatial data, whether they are data users, data providers, or data managers [9]. An MSDI encompasses marine and coastal geographic and business information. For efficient use of Marine Spatial Data, it is necessary to ensure its valid and accessible distribution. A geoportal is a specialized web portal for sharing spatial information at different levels over the Internet. This paper re-examines the implementation of an MSDI and what it means for data custodians and end users. Several geoportals are reviewed (German and Australian to determine their web services functionality, capabilities and the scope to which they support the sharing and reuse of Marine Spatial Data to assist the development of the Croatian MSDI Geoportal. This framework provides a context for better understanding the information bases on spatial data standards and a tool for evaluation of MSDI dissemination - Geoportal.

Marine nitrogen cycle

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Naqvi, S.W.A.

) such as the Marine nitrogen cycle The marine nitrogen cycle. ‘X’ and ‘Y’ are intra-cellular intermediates that do not accumulate in water column. (Source: Codispoti et al., 2001) Page 1 of 3Marine nitrogen cycle - Encyclopedia of Earth 11/20/2006http://www... and nitrous oxide budgets: Moving targets as we enter the anthropocene?, Sci. Mar., 65, 85-105, 2001. Page 2 of 3Marine nitrogen cycle - Encyclopedia of Earth 11/20/2006http://www.eoearth.org/article/Marine_nitrogen_cycle square6 Gruber, N.: The dynamics...

Research on marine actinobacteria in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Sivakumar, K; Sahu, Maloy Kumar; Thangaradjou, T; Kannan, L

2007-09-01

Marine actinobacteriology is one of the major emerging areas of research in tropics. Marine actinobacteria occur on the sediments and in water and also other biomass (mangrove) and substrates (animal). These organisms are gaining importance not only for their taxonomic and ecological perspectives, but also for their unique metabolites and enzymes. Many earlier studies on these organisms were confined only to the temperate regions. In tropical environment, investigations on them have gained importance only in the last two decades. So far, from the Indian peninsula, 41 species of actinobacteria belonging to 8 genera have been recorded. The genus, Streptomyces of marine origin has been more frequently recorded. Of 9 maritime states of India, only 4 have been extensively covered for the study of marine actinobacteria. Most of the studies conducted pertain to isolation, identification and maintenance of these organisms in different culture media. Further, attention has been focused on studying their antagonistic properties against different pathogens. Their biotechnological potentials are yet to be fully explored.

Freshwater savings from marine protein consumption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gephart, Jessica A; Pace, Michael L; D’Odorico, Paolo

2014-01-01

Marine fisheries provide an essential source of protein for many people around the world. Unlike alternative terrestrial sources of protein, marine fish production requires little to no freshwater inputs. Consuming marine fish protein instead of terrestrial protein therefore represents freshwater savings (equivalent to an avoided water cost) and contributes to a low water footprint diet. These water savings are realized by the producers of alternative protein sources, rather than the consumers of marine protein. This study quantifies freshwater savings from marine fish consumption around the world by estimating the water footprint of replacing marine fish with terrestrial protein based on current consumption patterns. An estimated 7 600 km 3  yr −1 of water is used for human food production. Replacing marine protein with terrestrial protein would require an additional 350 km 3  yr −1 of water, meaning that marine protein provides current water savings of 4.6%. The importance of these freshwater savings is highly uneven around the globe, with savings ranging from as little as 0 to as much as 50%. The largest savings as a per cent of current water footprints occur in Asia, Oceania, and several coastal African nations. The greatest national water savings from marine fish protein occur in Southeast Asia and the United States. As the human population increases, future water savings from marine fish consumption will be increasingly important to food and water security and depend on sustainable harvest of capture fisheries and low water footprint growth of marine aquaculture. (paper)

Evaluation of the threat of marine CO{sub 2} leakage-associated acidification on the toxicity of sediment metals to juvenile bivalves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Basallote, M. Dolores, E-mail: dolores.basallote@uca.es [Cátedra UNESCO/UNITWIN WiCop, Departamento de Química-Física, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Polígono Río San Pedro s/n, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz (Spain); Rodríguez-Romero, Araceli [Departamento de Ecología y Gestión Costera, Instituto de Ciencias Marinas de Andalucía (CSIC), Campus Río San Pedro, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz (Spain); De Orte, Manoela R.; Del Valls, T. Ángel; Riba, Inmaculada [Cátedra UNESCO/UNITWIN WiCop, Departamento de Química-Física, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Polígono Río San Pedro s/n, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz (Spain)

2015-09-15

Highlights: • Short-term tests using juveniles of bivalves to study the effects of CO{sub 2} dissolved. • CO{sub 2} causes effects if the threshold concentration of the organism is overlapped. • Flows of escaped CO{sub 2} would affect the geochemical composition of sediment–seawater. • CO{sub 2}-induced acidification would affect differently to marine sediment toxicity. - Abstract: The effects of the acidification associated with CO{sub 2} leakage from sub-seabed geological storage was studied by the evaluation of the short-term effects of CO{sub 2}-induced acidification on juveniles of the bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum. Laboratory scale experiments were performed using a CO{sub 2}-bubbling system designed to conduct ecotoxicological assays. The organisms were exposed for 10 days to elutriates of sediments collected in different littoral areas that were subjected to various pH treatments (pH 7.1, 6.6, 6.1). The acute pH-associated effects on the bivalves were observed, and the dissolved metals in the elutriates were measured. The median toxic effect pH was calculated, which ranged from 6.33 to 6.45. The amount of dissolved Zn in the sediment elutriates increased in parallel with the pH reductions and was correlated with the proton concentrations. The pH, the pCO{sub 2} and the dissolved metal concentrations (Zn and Fe) were linked with the mortality of the exposed bivalves.

Final Environmental Impact Statement for Oil Refinery, Georgetown, South Carolina. Volume 2.

Science.gov (United States)

1984-09-01

molecular response to oil pollution. Mar. Biol. 44:211-216. Lacaze, J. C. 1974. Ecotoxicology of crude oils and use of experimental marine...life and the ’Amoco Cadiz’. New Scientist. 79: 174-176. Snow, N. B. Undated. The effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on phytoplankton and macrophytes . Ch...VI. D-38 Macrophytes (Effects of Plant Operation) ............................. VII. C-4 Manmmals

Ecological Research Division, Marine Research Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1980-05-01

This report presents program summaries of the various projects sponsored during 1979 by the Marine Research Program of the Ecological Research Division. Program areas include the effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on the marine environment; a study of the baseline ecology of a proposed OTEC site near Puerto Rico; the environmental impact of offshore geothermal energy development; the movement of radionuclides through the marine environment; the environmental aspects of power plant cooling systems; and studies of the physical and biological oceangraphy of the continental shelves bordering the United States.

Ecological Research Division, Marine Research Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-05-01

This report presents program summaries of the various projects sponsored during 1979 by the Marine Research Program of the Ecological Research Division. Program areas include the effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on the marine environment; a study of the baseline ecology of a proposed OTEC site near Puerto Rico; the environmental impact of offshore geothermal energy development; the movement of radionuclides through the marine environment; the environmental aspects of power plant cooling systems; and studies of the physical and biological oceangraphy of the continental shelves bordering the United States

Antimycobacterial Metabolites from Marine Invertebrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Daletos, Georgios; Ancheeva, Elena; Chaidir, Chaidir; Kalscheuer, Rainer; Proksch, Peter

2016-10-01

Marine organisms play an important role in natural product-based drug research due to accumulation of structurally unique and bioactive metabolites. The exploration of marine-derived compounds may significantly extend the scientific knowledge of potential scaffolds for antibiotic drug discovery. Development of novel antitubercular agents is especially significant as the emergence of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains remains threateningly high. Marine invertebrates (i.e., sponges, corals, gorgonians) as a source of new chemical entities are the center of research for several scientific groups, and the wide spectrum of biological activities of marine-derived compounds encourages scientists to carry out investigations in the field of antibiotic research, including tuberculosis treatment. The present review covers published data on antitubercular natural products from marine invertebrates grouped according to their biogenetic origin. Studies on the structure-activity relationships of these important leads are highlighted as well. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A micro flow cytometry system for study of marine phytoplankton from costal waters of Hong Kong

KAUST Repository

Yunyang Ling,

2010-01-01

Although conventional flow cytometers (CFCs) have been widely used for study of marine biology, most CFCs are too bulky to be used for field study in ocean and have corrosion problem due to salty samples. A new computer-controlled micro flow cytometer (MFC) system has been successfully developed using MEMS technology. We demonstrate that this new MFC can analyze mixture of two species of marine phytoplankton: Chlorella autotrophica and Rhodomonas. The results from our MFC are consistent with those from digital fluorescence microscopy. ©2010 IEEE.

Onshore preparedness for hazardous chemical marine vessel accidents: A case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Faisel T. Illiyas

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Hazardous and noxious substances (HNS are widely transported in marine vessels to reach every part of the world. Bulk transportation of hazardous chemicals is carried out in tank container–carrying cargo ships or in designed vessels. Ensuring the safety of HNS containers during maritime transportation is critically important as the accidental release of any substance may be lethal to the on-board crew and marine environment. A general assumption in maritime accidents in open ocean is that it will not create any danger to the coastal population. The case study discussed in this article throws light on the dangers latent in maritime HNS accidents. An accident involving an HNS-carrying marine vessel in the Arabian Sea near the coast of Yemen became a safety issue to the coastal people of Kasargod District of Kerala, India. The ship carried more than 4000 containers, which were lost to the sea in the accident. Six HNS tank containers were carried by the waves and shored at the populated coast of Kasargod, more than 650 nautical miles east from the accident spot. The unanticipated sighting of tank containers in the coast and the response of the administration to the incident, the hurdles faced by the district administration in handling the case, the need for engaging national agencies and lessons learned from the incident are discussed in the article. This case study has proven that accidents in the open ocean have the potential to put the coastal areas at risk if the on-board cargo contains hazardous chemicals. Littoral nations, especially those close to the international waterlines, must include hazardous chemical spills to their oil spill contingency plans.

Marine Biology and Human Affairs

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, F. S.

1976-01-01

Marine biology has become an important area for study throughout the world. The author of this article discusses some of the important discoveries and fields of research in marine biology that are useful for mankind. Topics include food from the sea, fish farming, pesticides, pollution, and conservation. (MA)

Nonlinear acoustics of water-saturated marine sediments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Leif Bjørnø

1976-01-01

Interest in the acoustic qualities of water-saturated marine sediments has increased considerably during recent years. The use of sources of high-intensity sound in oil propsecting, in geophysical and geological studies of bottom and subbottom materials and profiles and recently in marine...... archaeology has emphasized the need of information about the nonlinear acoustic qualities of water-saturated marine sediments. While the acoustic experiments and theoretical investigations hitherto performed have concentrated on a determination of the linear acoustic qualities of water-saturated marine...... sediments, their parameters of nonlinear acoustics are still unexplored. The strong absorption, increasing about linearly with frequency, found in most marine sediments and the occurrence of velocity dispersion by some marine sediments restrict the number of nonlinear acoustic test methods traditionally...

Marine Gradients of Halogens in Moss Studied by Epithermal Neutron Activation Analysis

CERN Document Server

Frontasyeva, M V

2002-01-01

Epithermal neutron activation analysis is known to be a powerful technique for the simultaneous study of chlorine, bromine and iodine in environmental samples. In this paper it is shown to be useful to elucidate marine gradients of these elements. Examples are from a transect study in northern Norway where samples of the feather moss Hylocomium splendens were collected at distances 0-300 km from the coastline. All three elements decreased exponentially as a function of distance from the ocean in the moss samples, strongly indicating that atmospheric supply from the marine environment is the predominant source of these elements to the terrestrial ecosystem. These results are compared with similar data for surface soils along the same gradients. Comparison is also made with previous data for halogens in moss in Norway obtained by conventional NAA and covering similar transects in other geographical regions. The Cl/Br and Br/I ratios in moss showed a regular change distance from the ocean in all transects, and h...

Marine organic geochemistry in industrially affected coastal areas in Greece: Hydrocarbons in surface sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Hatzianestis, Ioannis

2015-04-01

plant in Antikyra bay. High levels of PAHs up to 22,000 ng/g were also found in Aliveri bay, whereas lower values up to 7500 ng/g, but still indicating significant pollution, were measured close to the nickel production plant in Larymna bay. The examination of PAH molecular indices revealed that in Antikyra and Larymna bays more than 80% of the PAHs have pyrolytic origin coming from various combustion sources. On the contrary, in Aliveri bay about 60% of the PAHs are related to petrogenic/petroleum inputs. With respect to ecotoxicological effects, mean quotient Effect-Range Median (m-ERM) values, higher than 1.5, were calculated in Antikyra bay, indicating a high probability (76%) of toxicity. In Aliveri and Larymna bays the m-ERM values were between 0.11 and 0.5 bay suggesting a lower probability (21%) of toxicity. Overall, the results of our study reveal that high quantities of PAHs produced from land point sources such as the industrial units can enter into small coastal marine areas supporting activities such as aquaculture and fishing. Thus, desirable and permitted uses must be well defined and regulatory frameworks must be established.

Transfer parameters of radionuclides in the marine environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-03-01

To increase the accuracy of estimation of exposure dose by radionuclides in the marine, the informations of environmental parameter data in the marine were collected, arranged and discussed. The informations were discussed by 'a sectional committee of marine suspended solids and sediment'. The following problems were investigated and the studies were recorded in this report, clear explanation about the distribution factor (kd), the estimation method of kd, the fluctuating factor of kd data (properties of suspension and sediment, differences among the experimental methods), the physical and chemical behavior of radionuclides, sediment of radionuclides by means of sorption to the suspended particles in the marine, sorption of radionuclides into the marine soil (sediment), re-eluent of radionuclides sorpted in the marine soil (sediment), and relation between marine organism and marine suspended materials and sediment. (S.Y.)

Fate of 14C-labelled compounds in marine environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kale, S.P.; Raghu, K.; Sherkhane, P.D.; Murthy, N.B.K.

1999-01-01

Model ecosystems have played an important role in predicting environmental behavior of agrochemicals. The microcosms used in these studies generally include soil units containing usual biotic components common for that ecosystem. In present studies, scope of two such ecosystems has been extended to study the fate of 14 C-labelled pesticides in marine environment. 14 C-labelled pesticides used in these studies were chlorpyrifos, DDT and HCH. Two systems were developed in laboratory simulating marine environment to study the fate of these pesticides. The first system was developed in an all glass aquarium tank with marine sediments, seawater, clams and algae and is referred to as marine ecosystem. The second system was developed to permit the total 14 C-mass balance studies. It contained marine sediments under moist (60% water holding capacity) or flooded conditions and it is referred to as continuous flow system. Fate of 14 C-DDT was studied in marine ecosystem while degradation of 14 C-chlorpyrifos and 14 C-HCH was studied in continuous flow system. 14 C-DDT did not bioaccumulate in clams while at the end of 60 days 50% of the applied 14 C-activity was present in sediment fraction of marine ecosystem. 14 C-HCH degradation showed about 22-26% mineralization while 45-55% of the applied activity was recovered as organic volatiles. No significant bound residues were formed. 14 C-chorpyrifos underwent considerable degradation in marine environment. TCP was the major degradation product. (author)

Evaluation of the trial design studies for an advanced marine reactor, (2)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ambo, Noriaki; Yokomura, Takeyoshi.

1988-03-01

As for the CARAMEL fuel (plate-type fuel) that was the fuel of the integrated-type reactor which was one of the trial design studies for an Advanced Marine Reactor, its structure and its fuel specific characteristics were studied and compared with a fuel rod (cylindrical fuel), and the total characteristics of the caramel fuel was reviewed and evaluated. (author)

Marine Science

African Journals Online (AJOL)

pod diversity and distribution are important especially since studies on marine biodiversity are scarce .... Method II –. Zamoum &. Furla (2012) protocol. Method III. – Geist et al (2008) protocol ..... Public Library Of Science One 8: 51273.

Strengthened enforcement enhances marine sanctuary performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brendan P. Kelaher

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Marine sanctuaries are areas where the extraction of biota is not permitted. Although most marine sanctuaries have a positive influence on biotic communities, not all sanctuaries are meeting their conservation objectives. Amidst possible explanations (e.g., size, age and isolation, insufficient enforcement is often speculated to be a key driver of marine sanctuary underperformance. Despite this, there are few studies directly linking quantitative enforcement data to changes in biotic communities within marine sanctuaries. Here, we used an asymmetrical-BACI experimental design from 2006–2012 to test whether new enforcement initiatives enhanced abundances of target fishes and threatened species in an existing large sub-tropical marine sanctuary relative to areas open to fishing. Implementation of the new enforcement initiatives in 2010 was associated with a 201% increase in annual fine rate and a significant increase in target fish and elasmobranch abundance, as well as sightings of a critically-endangered shark, in the marine sanctuary relative to areas open to fishing. Overall, these results demonstrate that strengthening enforcement can have a rapid positive influence on target fish and perhaps threatened species in a subtropical marine sanctuary. From this, we contend that increased enforcement guided by risk-based compliance planning and operations may be a useful first step for improving underperforming marine sanctuaries.

An integrated environmental risk assessment and management framework for enhancing the sustainability of marine protected areas: the Cape d'Aguilar Marine Reserve case study in Hong Kong.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Elvis G B; Leung, Kenneth M Y; Morton, Brian; Lee, Joseph H W

2015-02-01

Marine protected areas (MPAs), such as marine parks and reserves, contain natural resources of immense value to the environment and mankind. Since MPAs may be situated in close proximity to urbanized areas and influenced by anthropogenic activities (e.g. continuous discharges of contaminated waters), the marine organisms contained in such waters are probably at risk. This study aimed at developing an integrated environmental risk assessment and management (IERAM) framework for enhancing the sustainability of such MPAs. The IERAM framework integrates conventional environmental risk assessment methods with a multi-layer-DPSIR (Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response) conceptual approach, which can simplify the complex issues embraced by environmental management strategies and provide logical and concise management information. The IERAM process can generate a useful database, offer timely update on the status of MPAs, and assist in the prioritization of management options. We use the Cape d'Aguilar Marine Reserve in Hong Kong as an example to illustrate the IERAM framework. A comprehensive set of indicators were selected, aggregated and analyzed using this framework. Effects of management practices and programs were also assessed by comparing the temporal distributions of these indicators over a certain timeframe. Based on the obtained results, we have identified the most significant components for safeguarding the integrity of the marine reserve, and indicated the existing information gaps concerned with the management of the reserve. Apart from assessing the MPA's present condition, a successful implementation of the IERAM framework as evocated here would also facilitate better-informed decision-making and, hence, indirectly enhance the protection and conservation of the MPA's marine biodiversity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Food enrichment with marine phospholipid emulsions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lu, Henna Fung Sieng; Nielsen, Nina Skall; Baron, Caroline P.

marine PL emulsions with and without addition of fish oil. The oxidative stability of marine PL emulsions was significantly influenced by the chemical composition of marine PL used for emulsions preparation. For instance, emulsions with good oxidative stability could be obtained when using raw materials...... with high purity, low fish oil content and high PL, cholesterol and α-tocopherol content. In addition, non-enzymatic browning reactions may also affect the oxidative stability of the marine PL emulsion. These reactions included Strecker degradation and pyrrolization, and their occurrence were due......Many studies have shown that marine phospholipids (PL) provide more advantages than fish oil. They seem to have better bioavailability, better resistance towards oxidation and higher content of eicosapentaenoic acids and docosahexaenoic acids than fish oil, which essentially contains triglycerides...

Production of Enzymes from Marine Actinobacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, X Q; Xu, X N; Chen, L Y

Marine actinobacteria are well recognized for their capabilities to produce valuable natural products, which have great potential for applications in medical, agricultural, and fine chemical industries. In addition to producing unique enzymes responsible for biosynthesis of natural products, many marine actinobacteria also produce hydrolytic enzymes which are able to degrade various biopolymers, such as cellulose, xylan, and chitin. These enzymes are important to produce biofuels and biochemicals of interest from renewable biomass. In this chapter, the recent reports of novel enzymes produced by marine actinobacteria are reviewed, and advanced technologies that can be applied to search for novel marine enzymes as well as for improved enzyme production by marine actinobacteria are summarized, which include ribosome engineering, genome mining, as well as synthetic biology studies. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Studies on concentration of minor stable elements in marine environmental samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Hamaji; Ishii, Toshiaki; Iimura, Mitsue; Koyanagi, Taku

1978-01-01

Information on the physico-chemical state and quantity of stable elements in marine environments is frequently required to analyze the radioecological behavior of radionuclides released from nuclear facilities into the sea. In this work, determination of stable Mn, Fe, Co, Zn, Zr, Rb, Cs and some rare earth elements (Ce, Eu, Tb, Yb and Lu) in seawater and marine organisms was carried out and the concentration factors were estimated. Seawater and marine organisms were collected on the seashore of Ibaraki Prefecture and analysed by means of neutron activation analysis or atomic absorption spectrometry depending on the elements or samples. Average concentration factors of the rare earth elements by marine organisms are estimated as 3 x 10 1 : muscle of fish, 5 x 10 2 : soft part of clams, and 2 x 10 2 : algae, respectively. Concentration factors by muscle of fishes were 10 3 : Fe, 2 x 10 2 : Co, 5 x 10 2 : Zn, and 5 x 10 1 : Cs, and those by soft part of shellfishes were 10 4 : Fe, 10 3 : Co, 2 x 10 3 : Zn, and 10 1 : Cs, whereas those by algae were 2 x 10 4 : Fe, 5 x 10 2 : Co, 10 3 : Zn, and 3 x 10 1 : Cs, respectively. The high concentration factors for numerous stable elements by shellfishes and algae suggested their suitabilities to the indicator organisms for monitoring of marine pollution by these heavy metals and corresponding radioisotopes and also their significant contribution to the internal radiation exposure to man as radioactive seafoods. (author)

Marine Environmental History

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Bo

2012-01-01

human society and natural marine resources. Within this broad topic, several trends and objectives are discernable. The essay argue that the so-called material marine environmental history has its main focus on trying to reconstruct the presence, development and environmental impact of past fisheries......This essay provides an overview of recent trends in the historiography of marine environmental history, a sub-field of environmental history which has grown tremendously in scope and size over the last c. 15 years. The object of marine environmental history is the changing relationship between...... and whaling operations. This ambition often entails a reconstruction also of how marine life has changed over time. The time frame rages from Paleolithicum to the present era. The field of marine environmental history also includes a more culturally oriented environmental history, which mainly has come...

Methane production from marine macroalgae. A literature study with comments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Josefsen, K.; Aasen, I.M.

1995-06-16

This report is a survey of the published literature on fermentation of marine macroalgae to produce methane. The emphasis is placed on modern fermentation process development, including both bio-technological and economic parameters. Marine macroalgae are mostly good feedstock for methane fermentation. The main carbohydrates in seaweeds are alginate, laminaria and mannitol. Both the N and P content of kelp are usually high enough to avoid nutrient limitation. The biogass produced from marine macroalgae usually contains 50 - 65% methane. Experimentally methane yields in the order of 0.35 - 0.43 m{sup 3}/kg volatile solids (VS) have been obtained from Macrocystis pyrifera and 0.20 - 0.30 m{sup 3}/kg VS for Laminaria sp. at long retention times (50-60 days) in completely mixed reactors. The maximum reported production rate in a completely mixed reactor is 2.7 vol CH{sub 4}/reactor volume x day for M. pyrifera. In reactor configurations giving longer solids retention times (SRT) than liquid retention times (LRT), the highest reported productivity was 3.3 vol/vol x day, with loading rate 9.6 kg VS/m{sup 3} x day, HRT 10 days and SRT 23 days. There are discussions of special problems related to fermentation of marine algae, in particular the sulphur content, the toxicity of H{sub 2}S and the precipitation of heavy metals as sulphides. 72 refs., 5 figs., 13 tabs.

ORTHOMYXO- AND PARAMYXOVIRUSES IN MARINE MAMMALS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina G. Gulyaeva

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract. Aim. Marine mammals play the role of "sentries", standing guard over the health and functioning of marine ecosystems. The analysis of data reported in literature was carried out to understand and to evaluate a circulation of representatives of the Orthomyxoviridae and Paramyxoviridae, dangerous pathogens capable to cause morbidity and mortality in marine warm-blooded animals. Discussion. In the population of marine animals, in the available literature, no more than twenty infectious diseases were described. At the same time, according to preliminary estimates, about 15% of marine mammals die from indicated diseases. Previous studies conducted by various groups of scientists have already shown the circulation of various viral pathogens, which cause different infections in these animals. The present fact indicates the important role of marine mammals in the ecology and spreading of a number of viruses. In accordance with a literature data, representatives of Orthomixoviruses and Paramyxoviruses are among the most dangerous pathogens, which may infect this type of animals. Thus, it was suggested that seals may be infected with a wide range of influenza viruses without prior adaptation. It was emphasized that pinnipeds are one of the reservoir of a human influenza B virus in nature. Infections caused by morbilliviruses, can be the reason of epizootics in a population of seals and among the other species of marine mammals. Signs of a disease are similar to the clinic of carnivore plague. Main conclusions. The data presented in literature is extremely not enough for fully understanding a role of marine mammals as hosts or carriers of potential zoonotic pathogens, such as avian influenza virus (AIV, morbilliviruses and others. Thus, this issue requires further more detailed study.

Ocean acidification and marine microorganisms: responses and consequences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Surajit Das

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Ocean acidification (OA is one of the global issues caused by rising atmospheric CO2. The rising pCO2 and resulting pH decrease has altered ocean carbonate chemistry. Microbes are key components of marine environments involved in nutrient cycles and carbon flow in marine ecosystems. However, these marine microbes and the microbial processes are sensitive to ocean pH shift. Thus, OA affects the microbial diversity, primary productivity and trace gases emission in oceans. Apart from that, it can also manipulate the microbial activities such as quorum sensing, extracellular enzyme activity and nitrogen cycling. Short-term laboratory experiments, mesocosm studies and changing marine diversity scenarios have illustrated undesirable effects of OA on marine microorganisms and ecosystems. However, from the microbial perspective, the current understanding on effect of OA is based mainly on limited experimental studies. It is challenging to predict response of marine microbes based on such experiments for this complex process. To study the response of marine microbes towards OA, multiple approaches should be implemented by using functional genomics, new generation microscopy, small-scale interaction among organisms and/or between organic matter and organisms. This review focuses on the response of marine microorganisms to OA and the experimental approaches to investigate the effect of changing ocean carbonate chemistry on microbial mediated processes.

Metabolism of polychlorinated biphenyls by marine bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carey, A.E.; Harvey, G.R.

1978-01-01

There have been no reports of laboratory studies of PCB metabolism by marine organisms. A few workers have analyzed marine animals for products of PCB metabolism. A search for hydroxylated PCBs in marine fish proved inconclusive. Phenolic metabolites of PCBs have been identified in seals and guillemot. PCBs that had been hydroxylated and excreted by marine organisms would most likely be found in the sediments, so in our laboratory we conducted a search for these compounds in marine sediments. Two kilograms of organic-rich surface sediment from Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, were extracted. The phenolic fraction was isolated and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Neither wide mass scans nor selected mass searches produced any evidence of hydroxylated PCB derivatives. It was felt that if any marine organisms were capable of metabolism of PCBs, some marine bacteria should have that capability. Thus a series of laboratory experiments was conducted to test this possibility. Reported here is the finding of PCB metabolism by marine bacteria in batch culture

Preliminary study on swarming marine bacteria isolated from Pulau Tinggi's sponges

Science.gov (United States)

Sairi, Fareed; Idris, Hamidah; Zakaria, Nur Syuhana; Usup, Gires; Ahmad, Asmat

2015-09-01

Marine sponges were known to produce novel bioactive compounds that have anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-cancer and anti-fungal activities. Most of the bioactive compounds were secreted from the bacteria that lives on the sponges. The bacterial communities also produced biofilm, toxin or biosurfactant that protect the sponges from disease or in-coming predator. In this study, twenty nine marine bacteria with swarming motility characteristic was isolated from 2 different sponge samples collected in Pulau Tinggi These isolates were grown and their genome were extracted for molecular identification using the 16S rRNA approach. Sequence comparison using BLASTn and multiple alignments using MEGA4 was performed to produce a phylogenetic tree. The phylogenetic tree revealed that 20 of the isolates were grouped under α-Proteobacteria that comprised of 19 isolates in the Vibrionaceae family and one belongs to Aeromonadaceae family. Furthermore, six isolates from Actinobacteria family and three isolates from Firmicutes were also detected. The swarming characteristic indicates the possible production of biosurfactant.

A Feasibility Study on LPG as Marine Fuel; En foerstudie paa gasol som marint braensle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kjartansson, Sveinbjoern

2012-06-15

With the upcoming stricter emission rules fast approaching and the requirements for higher quality fuel, it is inevitable that there will be a change of fuel from HFO to cleaner options. These changes are driven by the knowledge of the health problems associated with emissions from ships in coastal areas. One viable option for meeting these demands for reduced emission is to utilize LPG as a marine fuel. This thesis investigates the harmful chemicals that are present in the exhaust gases, followed by an introduction on LPG as marine fuel. Transport options for LPG and existing engine technology is presented and the feasibility of LPG as a fuel option on the European / Swedish market is studied. The conclusion from this study is that sufficient infrastructure for distribution of LPG is in place to serve potential marine market demand. Engine technology for using LPG as fuel has been developed for a wide range of power outputs. The economic incentive in the fuel price difference alone is likely to attract ship owners to invest in LPG fueled fleets.

Contribution for tier 1 of the ecological risk assessment of Cunha Baixa uranium mine (Central Portugal): II. Soil ecotoxicological screening

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antunes, S.C.; Castro, B.B.; Pereira, R.; Goncalves, F.

2008-01-01

This study presents the first ecotoxicological data concerning the soils of the area surrounding the Cunha Baixa uranium mine. Our main goal was to categorise soils from the area based on their toxicity profiles using a battery of cost- and time-effective bioassays (elutriate approach - Microtox (registered) and Daphnia acute tests; whole-soil approach - Microtox (registered) and avoidance assays with Eisenia andrei), as a part of tier 1 of an ongoing Environmental Risk Assessment. No acute toxicity was found for any of the 10 sites/soils using Microtox (registered) or Daphnia. On the contrary, the behavioural response of E. andrei was found to be an extremely sensitive endpoint, allowing the discrimination of highly to moderately toxic soils based on their toxicity profiles (as a function of soil concentration). Soils exhibiting highest toxicity corresponded to areas subjected to runoffs or sludge deposition from the aquatic effluent, while non-toxic soils were farthest to the mine. Data obtained in avoidance assays strengthen the previous evaluation of risks based on chemical data and supported decisions about proceeding for tier 2

Marine fog: a review

Science.gov (United States)

Koračin, Darko; Dorman, Clive E.; Lewis, John M.; Hudson, James G.; Wilcox, Eric M.; Torregrosa, Alicia

2014-01-01

The objective of this review is to discuss physical processes over a wide range of spatial scales that govern the formation, evolution, and dissipation of marine fog. We consider marine fog as the collective combination of fog over the open sea along with coastal sea fog and coastal land fog. The review includes a history of sea fog research, field programs, forecasting methods, and detection of sea fog via satellite observations where similarity in radiative properties of fog top and the underlying sea induce further complexity. The main thrust of the study is to provide insight into causality of fog including its initiation, maintenance, and destruction. The interplay between the various physical processes behind the several stages of marine fog is among the most challenging aspects of the problem. An effort is made to identify this interplay between processes that include the microphysics of fog formation and maintenance, the influence of large-scale circulation and precipitation/clouds, radiation, turbulence (air-sea interaction), and advection. The environmental impact of marine fog is also addressed. The study concludes with an assessment of our current knowledge of the phenomenon, our principal areas of ignorance, and future lines of research that hold promise for advances in our understanding.

Characterization of elements in marine organisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishii, Toshiaki

1993-01-01

Characterization of elements in marine organisms was carried out to estimate the behavior of radionuclides in marine ecosystem or to clarify the physiological roles of elements in marine organisms. The concentrations of 238 U in fifty-five species of marine organisms were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The concentrations of 238 U in soft tissues of marine animals ranged from 0.076 to 5000ng/g wet wt. Especially, the branchial heart of octopus vulgaris showed the specific accumulation of 238 U. The kidney granules of bivalve molluscs showed very high concentrations of Mn, Zn, 210 Pb, 210 Po etc. The XAFS study for the granules of Cyclosunetta menstrualis indicated that the chemical form of metals in the granules was phosphate (e. g. Mn 3 (PO 4 ) 2 · 4H 2 O). (author)

Proposal of concentration limits for determining the hazard property HP 14 for waste using ecotoxicological tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Hennebert, Pierre

2018-04-01

Different ecotoxicological test batteries and concentration limits have been proposed to assess the hazard property (HP) HP 14 'Ecotoxic' for waste in the European Union and its member states. In test batteries, if the concentration of waste in the culture/dilution medium producing 50% of inhibitory biological effect in one or more test(s) is below the concentration limit of the test, the waste is classified as hazardous. A summarized review of the test batteries proposed since 1998 is presented. The last proposed test battery uses seven aquatic and terrestrial species with standardized methods, but with options and uniform concentration limits of 10% of waste eluate or solid waste in the culture/dilution medium. No attempt was made to match this hazard assessment with the classification made in the European List of Waste (LoW). The aim of this paper is to propose for the same test battery (reduced to 6 tests without options) concentration limits that match with the European List of Waste. This list was taken as reference (despite the fact that waste can be hazardous for other properties than the most frequent HP 14, and its partly political nature for some opinions). The concentration limits (CLs) for tests are the concentrations producing the highest ecotoxicological effects for each test observed in a non-hazardous waste set. Data from Germany, France and Belgium (from in total 5 different sources from 2009 to 2016) with the above-mentioned test battery (without options) were gathered for 81 samples, being the largest set ever published. In total, ten non-hazardous (NH) waste samples (as defined by the LoW and for most of them checked by chemical composition) were used to establish CLs. These CLs were then applied to 13 hazardous (H) waste by the LoW, and all were classified as hazardous. The matching of the resulting classification with the LoW is convincing. For the 58 'mirror entries' in the LoW (hazardous or not depending of the presence of hazardous

Origin of marine planktonic cyanobacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Baracaldo, Patricia

2015-12-01

Marine planktonic cyanobacteria contributed to the widespread oxygenation of the oceans towards the end of the Pre-Cambrian and their evolutionary origin represents a key transition in the geochemical evolution of the Earth surface. Little is known, however, about the evolutionary events that led to the appearance of marine planktonic cyanobacteria. I present here phylogenomic (135 proteins and two ribosomal RNAs), Bayesian relaxed molecular clock (18 proteins, SSU and LSU) and Bayesian stochastic character mapping analyses from 131 cyanobacteria genomes with the aim to unravel key evolutionary steps involved in the origin of marine planktonic cyanobacteria. While filamentous cell types evolved early on at around 2,600-2,300 Mya and likely dominated microbial mats in benthic environments for most of the Proterozoic (2,500-542 Mya), marine planktonic cyanobacteria evolved towards the end of the Proterozoic and early Phanerozoic. Crown groups of modern terrestrial and/or benthic coastal cyanobacteria appeared during the late Paleoproterozoic to early Mesoproterozoic. Decrease in cell diameter and loss of filamentous forms contributed to the evolution of unicellular planktonic lineages during the middle of the Mesoproterozoic (1,600-1,000 Mya) in freshwater environments. This study shows that marine planktonic cyanobacteria evolved from benthic marine and some diverged from freshwater ancestors during the Neoproterozoic (1,000-542 Mya).

Dispersion stability of nanoparticles in ecotoxicological investigations: the need for adequate measurement tools

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tantra, Ratna, E-mail: ratna.tantra@npl.co.uk; Jing Shingheng; Pichaimuthu, Sivaraman K. [National Physical Laboratory (United Kingdom); Walker, Nicholas [University of Exeter, School of Biosciences (United Kingdom); Noble, James [National Physical Laboratory (United Kingdom); Hackley, Vincent A. [National Institute of Standards and Technology (United States)

2011-09-15

One of the main challenges in nanoecotoxicological investigations is in the selection of the most suitable measurement methods and protocols for nanoparticle characterisation. Several parameters have been identified as being important as they govern nanotoxicological activity, with some parameters being better defined than others. For example, as a parameter, there is some ambiguity as to how to measure dispersion stability in the context of ecotoxicological investigations; indeed, there is disagreement over which are the best methods to measure nanoparticle dispersion stability. The purpose of this article is to use various commercially available tools to measure dispersion stability and to understand the information given by each tool. In this study, CeO{sub 2} was dispersed in two different types of media: de-ionised water and electrolyte-containing fish medium. The DLS mean particle size of freshly dispersed sample in DI water was {approx}200 nm in diameter. A visual sedimentation experiment showed that nanoparticle dispersion made in the fish medium was less stable compared to corresponding dispersion in de-ionised water. Stability of these dispersions was monitored using various techniques, for a period of 3 days. Our findings have shown that dispersion stability can be suitably assessed by monitoring: (a) surface charge, (b) sedimentation events and (c) presence of agglomerates, through time. The majority of techniques employed here (zeta potential, particle size via DLS, fluorescence and UV-Vis spectroscopy and SEM) were shown to provide useful, complementary information on dispersion stability. Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) provides useful, quantitative information on the concentration of nanoparticles in suspension, but is limited by its inability to accurately track the motion of large agglomerates found in the fish medium.

Dispersion stability of nanoparticles in ecotoxicological investigations: the need for adequate measurement tools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tantra, Ratna; Jing Shingheng; Pichaimuthu, Sivaraman K.; Walker, Nicholas; Noble, James; Hackley, Vincent A.

2011-01-01

One of the main challenges in nanoecotoxicological investigations is in the selection of the most suitable measurement methods and protocols for nanoparticle characterisation. Several parameters have been identified as being important as they govern nanotoxicological activity, with some parameters being better defined than others. For example, as a parameter, there is some ambiguity as to how to measure dispersion stability in the context of ecotoxicological investigations; indeed, there is disagreement over which are the best methods to measure nanoparticle dispersion stability. The purpose of this article is to use various commercially available tools to measure dispersion stability and to understand the information given by each tool. In this study, CeO 2 was dispersed in two different types of media: de-ionised water and electrolyte-containing fish medium. The DLS mean particle size of freshly dispersed sample in DI water was ∼200 nm in diameter. A visual sedimentation experiment showed that nanoparticle dispersion made in the fish medium was less stable compared to corresponding dispersion in de-ionised water. Stability of these dispersions was monitored using various techniques, for a period of 3 days. Our findings have shown that dispersion stability can be suitably assessed by monitoring: (a) surface charge, (b) sedimentation events and (c) presence of agglomerates, through time. The majority of techniques employed here (zeta potential, particle size via DLS, fluorescence and UV–Vis spectroscopy and SEM) were shown to provide useful, complementary information on dispersion stability. Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) provides useful, quantitative information on the concentration of nanoparticles in suspension, but is limited by its inability to accurately track the motion of large agglomerates found in the fish medium.

Marine natural flavonoids: chemistry and biological activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Martins, Beatriz T; Correia da Silva, Marta; Pinto, Madalena; Cidade, Honorina; Kijjoa, Anake

2018-05-04

As more than 70% of the world's surface is covered by oceans, marine organisms offer a rich and unlimited resource of structurally diverse bioactive compounds. These organisms have developed unique properties and bioactive compounds that are, in majority of them, unparalleled by their terrestrial counterparts due to the different surrounding ecological systems. Marine flavonoids have been extensively studied in the last decades due to a growing interest concerning their promising biological/pharmacological activities. The most common classes of marine flavonoids are flavones and flavonols, which are mostly isolated from marine plants. Although most of flavonoids are hydroxylated and methoxylated, some marine flavonoids possess an unusual substitution pattern, not commonly found in terrestrial organisms, namely the presence of sulphate, chlorine, and amino groups. This review presents, for the first time in a systematic way, the structure, natural occurrence, and biological activities of marine flavonoids.

Ice nuclei in marine air: biogenic particles or dust?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. M. Burrows

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Ice nuclei impact clouds, but their sources and distribution in the atmosphere are still not well known. Particularly little attention has been paid to IN sources in marine environments, although evidence from field studies suggests that IN populations in remote marine regions may be dominated by primary biogenic particles associated with sea spray. In this exploratory model study, we aim to bring attention to this long-neglected topic and identify promising target regions for future field campaigns. We assess the likely global distribution of marine biogenic ice nuclei using a combination of historical observations, satellite data and model output. By comparing simulated marine biogenic immersion IN distributions and dust immersion IN distributions, we predict strong regional differences in the importance of marine biogenic IN relative to dust IN. Our analysis suggests that marine biogenic IN are most likely to play a dominant role in determining IN concentrations in near-surface-air over the Southern Ocean, so future field campaigns aimed at investigating marine biogenic IN should target that region. Climate-related changes in the abundance and emission of biogenic marine IN could affect marine cloud properties, thereby introducing previously unconsidered feedbacks that influence the hydrological cycle and the Earth's energy balance. Furthermore, marine biogenic IN may be an important aspect to consider in proposals for marine cloud brightening by artificial sea spray production.

Multiple Drivers of Local (Non- Compliance in Community-Based Marine Resource Management: Case Studies from the South Pacific

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janne R. Rohe

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The outcomes of marine conservation and related management interventions depend to a large extent on people's compliance with these rule systems. In the South Pacific, community-based marine resource management (CBMRM has gained wide recognition as a strategy for the sustainable management of marine resources. In current practice, CBMRM initiatives often build upon customary forms of marine governance, integrating scientific advice and management principles in collaboration with external partners. However, diverse socio-economic developments as well as limited legal mandates can challenge these approaches. Compliance with and effective (legally-backed enforcement of local management strategies constitute a growing challenge for communities—often resulting in considerable impact on the success or failure of CBMRM. Marine management arrangements are highly dynamic over time, and similarly compliance with rule systems tends to change depending on context. Understanding the factors contributing to (non- compliance in a given setting is key to the design and function of adaptive management approaches. Yet, few empirical studies have looked in depth into the dynamics around local (non- compliance with local marine tenure rules under the transforming management arrangements. Using two case studies from Solomon Islands and Fiji, we investigate what drives local (non- compliance with CBMRM and what hinders or supports its effective enforcement. The case studies reveal that non-compliance is mainly driven by: (1 diminishing perceived legitimacy of local rules and rule-makers; (2 increased incentives to break rules due to market access and/ or lack of alternative income; and (3 relatively weak enforcement of local rules (i.e., low perceptions of risk from sanctions for rule-breaking. These drivers do not stand alone but can act together and add up to impair effective management. We further analyze how enforcement of CBMRM is challenged through a range of

Descriptive sensory analysis of marinated and non-marinated wooden breast fillet portions.

Science.gov (United States)

Maxwell, A D; Bowker, B C; Zhuang, H; Chatterjee, D; Adhikari, K

2018-05-14

The wooden breast (WB) myopathy influences muscle composition and texture characteristics in broiler breast meat. It is unknown if marination reduces the negative influence of WB on meat sensory quality or if WB effects are uniform throughout the Pectoralis major. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of marination on the sensory attributes and instrumental shear force measurements of the ventral (skin-side) and dorsal (bone-side) portions of normal and severe WB meat. Sixty butterfly fillets (30 normal and 30 severe WB) were selected from the deboning line of a commercial processing plant. Individual fillets were portioned into ventral and dorsal halves. Portions from one side of each butterfly were used as non-marinated controls, and portions from the other side were vacuum-tumble marinated (16 rpm, -0.6 atm, 4°C, 20 min) with 20% (wt/wt) marinade to meat ratio. Marinade was formulated to target a concentration of 0.75% (w/v) salt and 0.45% (w/v) sodium tripolyphosphate in the final product. Descriptive sensory analysis (9 trained panelists) was conducted to evaluate visual, texture, and flavor attributes (0-15 point scale) of breast portions along with Warner-Bratzler shear force. Significant interaction effects between WB and marination were not observed for the sensory attributes. Greater springiness, cohesiveness, hardness, fibrousness, and chewiness scores were observed in WB samples (P sensory texture attributes were more apparent in the ventral portions of the breast fillets. Flavor attributes (salty and brothy) increased (P sensory quality is not uniform throughout the Pectoralis major and that WB-related differences in cooked meat sensory texture attributes are lessened but not eliminated by vacuum-tumbling marination.

Public perspective towards marine litter in West Aceh City

Science.gov (United States)

Kusumawati, I.; Setyowati, M.; Riana, E.; Prartono, T.

2018-03-01

Marine litter or marine debris is a man-made solid material discarded, abandoned or lost in coastline or into the sea. To reduce the amount of marine litter in the ocean, raising public awareness is an important way. One of the contributing factors on marine litter is the lack of understanding within the community, but to identify how people notice the problem is required adequate research literature. The purpose of this study is to examine the awareness of West Aceh community on marine litter along western coastal area. The research objectives; 1) to evaluate societal perception towards marine litter; 2) to examine the urgent indicator of public awareness in West Aceh City. This study will employ a survey approach by distributing questionnaires to 383 respondents. It was found that respondents show low awareness on marine litter according to statistical data, but there are some rooms to manage in order to raise the level of public awareness. It concludes that sense of responsibility could be enhanced by involving public in any activities for preventing and eradicating marine litter. Education aspect is also important to increase public understanding about the threats of marine debris on environment, human health and economic income.

Ecotoxicological analysis during the removal of carbofuran in fungal bioaugmented matrices.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruíz-Hidalgo, Karla; Masís-Mora, Mario; Barbieri, Edison; Carazo-Rojas, Elizabeth; Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Carlos E

2016-02-01

Biomixtures are used for the removal of pesticides from agricultural wastewater. As biomixtures employ high content of lignocellulosic substrates, their bioaugmentation with ligninolytic fungi represents a novel approach for their enhancement. Nonetheless, the decrease in the concentration of the pesticide may result in sublethal concentrations that still affect ecosystems. Two matrices, a microcosm of rice husk (lignocellulosic substrate) bioaugmented with the fungus Trametes versicolor and a biomixture that contained fungally colonized rice husk were used in the degradation of the insecticide/nematicide carbofuran (CFN). Elutriates simulating lixiviates from these matrices were used to assay the ecotoxicological effects at sublethal level over Daphnia magna (Straus) and the fish Oreochromis aureus (Steindachner) and Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum). Elutriates obtained after 30 d of treatment in the rice husk microcosms at dilutions over 2.5% increased the offspring of D. magna as a trade-off stress response, and produced mortality of neonates at dilutions over 5%. Elutriates (dilution 1:200) obtained during a 30 d period did not produce alterations on the oxygen consumption and ammonium excretion of O. mykiss, however these physiological parameters were affected in O. aureus at every time point of treatment, irrespective of the decrease in CFN concentration. When the fungally colonized rice husk was used to prepare a biomixture, where more accelerated degradation is expected, similar alterations on the responses by O. aureus were achieved. Results suggest that despite the good removal of the pesticide, it is necessary to optimize biomixtures to minimize their residual toxicity and potential chronic effects on aquatic life. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Baseline study of effects of ionizing radiation on the chromosomes of the marine worm, 'Neanthes arenaceodentata'. Technical note

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pesch, G.G.; Young, J.S.

1981-09-01

Between 1946 and 1970 the United States disposed of low level radioactive waste at several sites in the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. In 1972 the Environmental Protection Agency was authorized under the Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act (PL-92-532) to regulate all ocean disposal activities. This Act requires EPA to establish a program for reviewing and evaluating ocean dumping permit applications. Before EPA can approve permits for ocean dumping of radioactive waste, it will be necessary to determine how such wastes may affect marine biota. The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of using a marine coastal worm, Neanthes arenaceodentata, as a cytogenetic model for assessing radiation damage to ocean organisms. Groups of worms were exposed to cobalt-60, then slide preparations were made and scored for gross chromosome aberrations and damage. All the levels of ionizing radiation tested from 180-680 rads were found to cause significant chromosome damage in N. arenaceodentata. The nature of this damage depended on dose, dose-rate and DNA repair capability of the worm. Worms responded to the same dose range as do mice. Since mice are accepted models for studying radiation effects on humans, this study supports the utility of using this species to study radiation effects on marine organisms

Marine and coastal ecosystem services on the science–policy–practice nexus: challenges and opportunities from 11 European case studies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Drakou, E.G.; Kermagoret, C.; Liquete, C.; Ruiz-Frau, A.; Burkhard, K.; Lillebø, A.I.; van Oudenhoven, A.P.E.; Ballé-Béganton, J.; Rodrigues, J.G.; Nieminen, E.; Oinonen, S.; Ziemba, A.; Gissi, E.; Depellegrin, D.; Veidemane, K.; Ruskule, A.; Delangue, J.; Böhnke-Henrichs, A.; Boon, A.; Wenning, R.; Martino, S.; Hasler, B.; Termansen, M.; Rockel, M.; Hummel, H.; El Serafy, G.; Peev, P.

2017-01-01

We compared and contrasted 11 European case studies to identify challenges and opportunitiestoward the operationalization of marine and coastal ecosystem service (MCES) assessments inEurope. This work is the output of a panel convened by the Marine Working Group of theEcosystemServices Partnership

Global Marine Fisheries with Economic Growth

OpenAIRE

Sugiawan, Yogi; Islam, Moinul; Managi, Shunsuke

2017-01-01

This study explores the state of global marine fisheries and empirically analyzes its relationship to economic factors. We apply the pooled mean group estimator method to examine 70 fishing countries for the period of 1961-2010. We use both catch and the estimated size of stock as proxies for marine ecosystems. Our results confirm that economic growth initially leads to the deterioration of marine ecosystems. However, for a per capita income level of approximately 3,827 USD for the catch mode...

Occurrence, fate and ecotoxicological assessment of pharmaceutically active compounds in wastewater and sludge from wastewater treatment plants in Chongqing, the Three Gorges Reservoir Area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, Qing; Gao, Xu; Chen, You-Peng; Peng, Xu-Ya; Zhang, Yi-Xin; Gan, Xiu-Mei; Zi, Cheng-Fang; Guo, Jin-Song

2014-01-01

The occurrence, removal and ecotoxicological assessment of 21 pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) including antibiotics, analgesics, antiepileptics, antilipidemics and antihypersensitives, were studied at four municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in Chongqing, the Three Gorges Reservoir Area. Individual treatment unit effluents, as well as primary and secondary sludge, were sampled and analyzed for the selected PhACs to evaluate their biodegradation, persistence and partitioning behaviors. PhACs were identified and quantified using high performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry after solid-phase extraction. All the 21 analyzed PhACs were detected in wastewater and the target PhACs except acetaminophen, ibuprofen and gemfibrozil, were also found in sludge. The concentrations of the antibiotics and SVT were comparable to or even higher than those reported in developed countries, while the case of other target PhACs was opposite. The elimination of PhACs except acetaminophen was incomplete and a wide range of elimination efficiencies during the treatment were observed, i.e. from “negative removal” to 99.5%. The removal of PhACs was insignificant in primary and disinfection processes, and was mainly achieved during the biological treatment. Based on the mass balance analysis, biodegradation is believed to be the primary removal mechanism, whereas only about 1.5% of the total mass load of the target PhACs was removed by sorption. Experimentally estimated distribution coefficients ( 2 O) in effluent and sludge, as well as the mixture of the 21 detected PhACs in effluent, sludge and receiving water had a significant ecotoxicological risk to algae. Therefore, further control of PhACs in effluent and sludge is required before their discharge and application to prevent their introduction into the environment. - Highlights: • All the 21 analyzed PhACs were detected in wastewater and 18 in sludge. • The removal of PhACs was insignificant

A nautical study of towed marine seismic streamer cable configurations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pedersen, Egil

1996-12-31

This study concerns marine seismic surveying and especially the towed in-sea hardware which is dominated by recording cables (streamers) that are extremely long compared to their diameter, neutrally buoyant and depth controlled. The present work aims to examine the operations from a nautical viewpoint, and the final objective is to propose improvements to the overall efficiency of marine seismic operations. Full-scale data were gathered from seismic vessels in order to identify which physical parameters affect the dynamic motion of the towing vessel and its in-sea hardware. Experimental test programmes have been carried out, and data bases with the hydrodynamic characteristics of the test equipment have been established at speeds comparable to those used in seismic operations. A basic analysis tool to provide dynamic simulations of a seismic streamer cable has been developed by tailoring the computer program system Riflex, and the validation and accuracy of this modified Riflex system are evaluated by performing uncertainty analyses of measurements and computations. Unexpected, low-frequency depth motions in towed seismic streamer cables occasionally take place when seismic data are being acquired. The phenomenon is analysed and discussed. 99 refs., 116 figs., 5 tabs.

A nautical study of towed marine seismic streamer cable configurations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pedersen, Egil

1997-12-31

This study concerns marine seismic surveying and especially the towed in-sea hardware which is dominated by recording cables (streamers) that are extremely long compared to their diameter, neutrally buoyant and depth controlled. The present work aims to examine the operations from a nautical viewpoint, and the final objective is to propose improvements to the overall efficiency of marine seismic operations. Full-scale data were gathered from seismic vessels in order to identify which physical parameters affect the dynamic motion of the towing vessel and its in-sea hardware. Experimental test programmes have been carried out, and data bases with the hydrodynamic characteristics of the test equipment have been established at speeds comparable to those used in seismic operations. A basic analysis tool to provide dynamic simulations of a seismic streamer cable has been developed by tailoring the computer program system Riflex, and the validation and accuracy of this modified Riflex system are evaluated by performing uncertainty analyses of measurements and computations. Unexpected, low-frequency depth motions in towed seismic streamer cables occasionally take place when seismic data are being acquired. The phenomenon is analysed and discussed. 99 refs., 116 figs., 5 tabs.

Marine renewable energies: prospective foresight study for 2030

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paillard, M.; Lacroix, D.; Lamblin, V.

2009-01-01

The ocean is a huge reservoir of renewable energy sources, such as wind, currents, tides, waves, marine biomass, thermal energy, osmotic power, and so on. Like other maritime nations in Europe, France enjoys significant potential to develop these energy sources, especially overseas. In March 2007, Ifremer's chairman launched a prospective foresight study on these energies for the time horizon of 2030. With support from the Futuribles consulting group, twenty French partners representing the main stakeholders in the sector carried out this work. Their objective was to identify the technologies, specify the socio-economic prerequisites for them to emerge and be competitive and assess their respective impacts on power sources and the environment. What was learned from this study can be applied well beyond France, at a time when a European maritime strategy is taking shape. (authors)

Ecotoxicological impact of highway runoff using brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) as an indicator model.

Science.gov (United States)

Meland, Sondre; Salbu, Brit; Rosseland, Bjørn Olav

2010-03-01

The ecotoxicological impact of highway runoff on brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) was studied in an in situ experiment consisting of four 24 h simulated runoff episodes. Fish were maintained in 5 tanks and exposed to highway runoff from a sedimentation pond close to E6 outside the city of Oslo, Norway. The tanks had the following contaminant loadings during the episodes: stream water (control), pond inlet, pond outlet, pond inlet + stream water and pond outlet + stream water. Opposite to road salt and compared to earlier findings, the first two episodes had rather low concentrations of trace metals, hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. A heavy rainfall before episode 3 increased the concentrations of all the contaminants except road salt which was diluted. In addition, lowered oxygen levels led to hypoxic conditions. Overall the fish exposed to highway runoff had, compared to the control fish, higher concentrations of trace metals in gills and liver, increased activity of the antioxidant defense system represented by superoxide dismutase, catalase and metallothionein, problems with the regulation of plasma Cl and Na, as well as increased levels of blood glucose and pCO(2). Finally, this seemed to affect the metabolism of the fish through reduced condition factor. The observed effects were likely caused by multiple stressors and not by a single contaminant. The sedimentation pond clearly reduced the toxicity of the highway runoff. But even in the least polluted exposure tank (pond outlet + stream water) signs of physiological disturbances were evident.

Studies on uptake and loss of radionuclides by marine organisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koyanagi, Taku; Suzuki, Hamaji; Hirano, Shigeki; Nakahara, Motokazu; Ishii, Toshiaki

1978-01-01

Uptake and loss of 137 Cs, 95 Zr- 95 Nb and 59 fe by marine fishes were observed by the radio-isotope tracer experiments under laboratory conditions and concentration factors and biological half-lives for these radionuclides by the fishes were estimated. Concentration factors of 137 Cs by fish muscles calculated at 200th day as 17.5 - 27.5 were lower than the values obtained by the field survey on stable or radioactive cesium suggesting slow turnover in fish muscles and contribution of food to the accumulation of the nuclide. Transfer of radionuclides associated with sediment to marine benthic organisms was examined by rearing the organisms in contaminated sediment or administering the sediment orally to the organisms. The transfer ratios of the nuclides from sediment to organisms were less than the concentration factors based on seawater by the factors ranging from around 100 to about 5,000 depending on the species of organisms or radionuclides. Accumulation of radionuclides through food chain in marine ecosystem was studied by feeding shellfishes with labelled phytoplankton and seaweeds by feeding fishes with assorted feeds labelled by radioisotopes. Absorption of 60 Co by abalones was affected by the species of the seaweeds as food and 47% of the administered dose was retained through Laminaria japonica, whereas 31% through Undaria and 26% through Eisenia. Absorption of the radionuclides by the fishes fed with labelled feeds was most significant in the case of 137 Cs and 65 Zn and transfer rate showed the maximum values at 48 hours after feeding as 100 and 24%, respectively. About 45% of the former distributed in muscle and 52% of the latter in digestive tract and blood of the fishes. (author)

78 FR 39713 - Marine Mammals; File No. 17751

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-02

... Mammals; File No. 17751 AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric... applicant. The requested permit has been issued under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of... marine mammals (50 CFR part 216). Permit No. 17751 authorizes Dr. Mitani to study gray and killer whales...

Marine Ecological Environment Management Based on Ecological Compensation Mechanisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qunzhen Qu

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The level of marine environmental management is a key factor in the successful implementation of marine power strategies. The improvement in management levels of marine environments requires innovation in marine management. In other words, the transformation of marine environmental management into marine ecological environment management must be done in order to achieve sustainable development of the marine economy. As an environmental economic policy that combines both administrative and market measures, ecological compensation mechanisms have significant advantages in marine ecological environment management. Based on the study of the current development of ecological compensation mechanisms in China, through the analysis of the connotation of marine ecological civilization, existing marine ecological protection practices and marine environmental management methods, this paper posits that the current marine ecological environment management in China should be established on the basis of ecological compensation mechanisms. At present, a lack of laws and regulations for overall marine ecological environment management is the key factor restricting the practice of marine ecological environment management. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the current path of marine ecological environment management in China from the perspective of the construction of legal system of ecological compensation law, the establishment of ecological compensation fees, ecological taxes and ecological compensation fund systems, and the clear status for a marine ecological management and supervision body.

Potential Antiviral Agents from Marine Fungi: An Overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soheil Zorofchian Moghadamtousi

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Biodiversity of the marine world is only partially subjected to detailed scientific scrutiny in comparison to terrestrial life. Life in the marine world depends heavily on marine fungi scavenging the oceans of lifeless plants and animals and entering them into the nutrient cycle by. Approximately 150 to 200 new compounds, including alkaloids, sesquiterpenes, polyketides, and aromatic compounds, are identified from marine fungi annually. In recent years, numerous investigations demonstrated the tremendous potential of marine fungi as a promising source to develop new antivirals against different important viruses, including herpes simplex viruses, the human immunodeficiency virus, and the influenza virus. Various genera of marine fungi such as Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, and Fusarium were subjected to compound isolation and antiviral studies, which led to an illustration of the strong antiviral activity of a variety of marine fungi-derived compounds. The present review strives to summarize all available knowledge on active compounds isolated from marine fungi with antiviral activity.

Biodiversity and studies of marine symbiotic siphonostomatoids off ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Current knowledge of the biodiversity of the symbiotic marine siphonostomatoids from South African waters (136 species) is sparse compared to that globally (1 388 species). The difference is especially apparent when taking into account the diversity of fish (more than 2 000 species) and invertebrates (approximately 12 ...

Marine polar steroids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stonik, Valentin A

2001-01-01

Structures, taxonomic distribution and biological activities of polar steroids isolated from various marine organisms over the last 8-10 years are considered. The peculiarities of steroid biogenesis in the marine biota and their possible biological functions are discussed. Syntheses of some highly active marine polar steroids are described. The bibliography includes 254 references.

India [Marine Radioecology. Current Research and Future Scope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganguly, A.K.; Viswanathan, R.; Patel, B.; Bhatt, Y.M.; Pillai, K.C.

1967-01-01

Present research programme (long-term) - Radioactivity studies in the marine environment of the West Coast of India: (a) To understand the radioactivity and trace-element distribution in the continental shelf in Arabian Sea. This has the twin objectives of gaining basic information on marine geochemistry and marine biochemistry and assessing the capacity of the region to receive radioactive wastes from atomic energy installations. (b) To derive maximum permissible radioactive contamination limits in sea-water, marine organisms and marine products. (c) To collaborate with IAEA in research contract (Project Marina) with objectives stated in (a) and (b) above

The OECD expert meeting on ecotoxicology and environmental fate — Towards the development of improved OECD guidelines for the testing of nanomaterials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kühnel, Dana; Nickel, Carmen

2014-01-01

On behalf of the OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN) an expert meeting on ecotoxicology and environmental fate of nanomaterials (NMs) took place in January 2013 in Berlin. At this meeting experts from science, industry and regulatory bodies discussed the applicability of OECD test guidelines (TGs) for chemicals to nanomaterials. The objective was to discuss the current state of the relevant science and provide recommendations to the OECD WPMN on (1) the need for updating current OECD TGs and the need for developing new ones specific to nanomaterials; and (2) guidance needed for the appropriate and valid testing of environmental fate and ecotoxicity endpoints for NMs. Experts at the workshop agreed that the majority of the OECD TG for chemicals were generally applicable for the testing of NM, with the exception of TG 105 (water solubility) and 106 (adsorption-desorption). Additionally, the workshop also highlighted considerations when conducting OECD chemical TG on nanomaterials (e.g., sample preparation, dispersion, analysis, dosimetry and characterisation). These considerations will lead to the future development of proposals for new TG and guidance documents (GDs) to ensure that OECD TG give meaningful, repeatable, and accurate results when used for nanomaterials. This report provides a short overview of topics discussed during the meeting and the main outcomes. A more detailed report of the workshop will become available through the OECD, however, due to the urgency of having OECD TG relevant for nanomaterials, this brief report is being shared with the scientific community through this communication. - Highlights: • OECD test guidelines (TGs) were developed for the testing of conventional chemicals. • Need for discussion on applicability of current TGs to nanomaterials • An expert meeting addressing this issue was held. • The focus was on TGs covering ecotoxicology and environmental fate. • Recommendations for updating current OECD

Towards Marine Spatial Planning in Southern Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meng-Tsung Lee

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Due to population growth, rapid economic development and inadequate marine control, the use of ocean and coastal regions in Taiwan has become more frequent and intense in recent years. However, the lack of comprehensive marine and coastal planning in this island nation has led to many conflicts over space and resources and limited its ability to prepare for and respond to environmental hazards, thus threatening national security as well as the safety and property of its citizens. This study proposes a marine zoning scheme for southern Taiwan. The results show that many important habitats in the southern sea areas have not been properly protected due to the extremely small size of the marine protected area. Furthermore, the majority of the conflicts derive from the exclusive fishing right vs. other uses such as marine conservation. Therefore, it is crucial to establish the marine spatial planning (MSP for the Southern Taiwan to deal with the conflicts of use seas and uncertainties associated with complex, heterogeneous, and dynamic marine system.

An assessment of natural product discovery from marine (sensu strictu) and marine-derived fungi

Science.gov (United States)

Overy, David P.; Bayman, Paul; Kerr, Russell G.; Bills, Gerald F.

2014-01-01

The natural products community has been investigating secondary metabolites from marine fungi for several decades, but when one attempts to search for validated reports of new natural products from marine fungi, one encounters a literature saturated with reports from ‘marine-derived’ fungi. Of the 1000+ metabolites that have been characterized to date, only approximately 80 of these have been isolated from species from exclusively marine lineages. These metabolites are summarized here along with the lifestyle and habitats of their producing organisms. Furthermore, we address some of the reasons for the apparent disconnect between the stated objectives of discovering new chemistry from marine organisms and the apparent neglect of the truly exceptional obligate marine fungi. We also offer suggestions on how to reinvigorate enthusiasm for marine natural products discovery from fungi from exclusive marine lineages and highlight the need for critically assessing the role of apparently terrestrial fungi in the marine environment. PMID:25379338

Plutonium diffusion in the marine environment: a quantitative study on marine species of the channel shores, from Brest to Honfleur

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fraizier, A.; Guary, J.C.

1977-01-01

Plutonium levels were measured on marine species of the Channel shores, from Cancale to Honfleur in 1975, from Brest to the Cap de La Hague in 1976. Measurements carried out on a lichen: Lichina pygmaea, two algae: Corallina officinalis and Fucus serratus, a spongiae: Hymeniacidon sanguinea and a crustacean: Balanus balanoides, showed the effect of waste disposal from a fuel reprocessing plant on the radioactivity levels of these organisms. This effect, decreasing progressively appeared at distances of at least 150 km from the point of release. As compared to the values observed for samples taken as the far west end of Brittany and also to the plutonium levels in the marine environment resulting from atmosphere fallout only, the levels observed in the studied area were higher and varying according to the geographic position, increasing by a factor of 100 near the emissary. These data are an actual instance of radioactive dispersal following disposal into the sea; they should bring valuable information for the assessment of the radiological capacity of a given coastal area [fr

Marine cloud brightening

Science.gov (United States)

Latham, John; Bower, Keith; Choularton, Tom; Coe, Hugh; Connolly, Paul; Cooper, Gary; Craft, Tim; Foster, Jack; Gadian, Alan; Galbraith, Lee; Iacovides, Hector; Johnston, David; Launder, Brian; Leslie, Brian; Meyer, John; Neukermans, Armand; Ormond, Bob; Parkes, Ben; Rasch, Phillip; Rush, John; Salter, Stephen; Stevenson, Tom; Wang, Hailong; Wang, Qin; Wood, Rob

2012-01-01

The idea behind the marine cloud-brightening (MCB) geoengineering technique is that seeding marine stratocumulus clouds with copious quantities of roughly monodisperse sub-micrometre sea water particles might significantly enhance the cloud droplet number concentration, and thereby the cloud albedo and possibly longevity. This would produce a cooling, which general circulation model (GCM) computations suggest could—subject to satisfactory resolution of technical and scientific problems identified herein—have the capacity to balance global warming up to the carbon dioxide-doubling point. We describe herein an account of our recent research on a number of critical issues associated with MCB. This involves (i) GCM studies, which are our primary tools for evaluating globally the effectiveness of MCB, and assessing its climate impacts on rainfall amounts and distribution, and also polar sea-ice cover and thickness; (ii) high-resolution modelling of the effects of seeding on marine stratocumulus, which are required to understand the complex array of interacting processes involved in cloud brightening; (iii) microphysical modelling sensitivity studies, examining the influence of seeding amount, seed-particle salt-mass, air-mass characteristics, updraught speed and other parameters on cloud–albedo change; (iv) sea water spray-production techniques; (v) computational fluid dynamics studies of possible large-scale periodicities in Flettner rotors; and (vi) the planning of a three-stage limited-area field research experiment, with the primary objectives of technology testing and determining to what extent, if any, cloud albedo might be enhanced by seeding marine stratocumulus clouds on a spatial scale of around 100×100 km. We stress that there would be no justification for deployment of MCB unless it was clearly established that no significant adverse consequences would result. There would also need to be an international agreement firmly in favour of such action

Marine Cloud Brightening

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Latham, John; Bower, Keith; Choularton, Tom; Coe, H.; Connolly, P.; Cooper, Gary; Craft, Tim; Foster, Jack; Gadian, Alan; Galbraith, Lee; Iacovides, Hector; Johnston, David; Launder, Brian; Leslie, Brian; Meyer, John; Neukermans, Armand; Ormond, Bob; Parkes, Ben; Rasch, Philip J.; Rush, John; Salter, Stephen; Stevenson, Tom; Wang, Hailong; Wang, Qin; Wood, Robert

2012-09-07

The idea behind the marine cloud-brightening (MCB) geoengineering technique is that seeding marine stratocumulus clouds with copious quantities of roughly monodisperse sub-micrometre sea water particles might significantly enhance the cloud droplet number concentration, and thereby the cloud albedo and possibly longevity. This would produce a cooling, which general circulation model (GCM) computations suggest could - subject to satisfactory resolution of technical and scientific problems identified herein - have the capacity to balance global warming up to the carbon dioxide-doubling point. We describe herein an account of our recent research on a number of critical issues associated with MCB. This involves (i) GCM studies, which are our primary tools for evaluating globally the effectiveness of MCB, and assessing its climate impacts on rainfall amounts and distribution, and also polar sea-ice cover and thickness; (ii) high-resolution modelling of the effects of seeding on marine stratocumulus, which are required to understand the complex array of interacting processes involved in cloud brightening; (iii) microphysical modelling sensitivity studies, examining the influence of seeding amount, seedparticle salt-mass, air-mass characteristics, updraught speed and other parameters on cloud-albedo change; (iv) sea water spray-production techniques; (v) computational fluid dynamics studies of possible large-scale periodicities in Flettner rotors; and (vi) the planning of a three-stage limited-area field research experiment, with the primary objectives of technology testing and determining to what extent, if any, cloud albedo might be enhanced by seeding marine stratocumulus clouds on a spatial scale of around 100 km. We stress that there would be no justification for deployment of MCB unless it was clearly established that no significant adverse consequences would result. There would also need to be an international agreement firmly in favour of such action.

Marine cloud brightening.

Science.gov (United States)

Latham, John; Bower, Keith; Choularton, Tom; Coe, Hugh; Connolly, Paul; Cooper, Gary; Craft, Tim; Foster, Jack; Gadian, Alan; Galbraith, Lee; Iacovides, Hector; Johnston, David; Launder, Brian; Leslie, Brian; Meyer, John; Neukermans, Armand; Ormond, Bob; Parkes, Ben; Rasch, Phillip; Rush, John; Salter, Stephen; Stevenson, Tom; Wang, Hailong; Wang, Qin; Wood, Rob

2012-09-13

The idea behind the marine cloud-brightening (MCB) geoengineering technique is that seeding marine stratocumulus clouds with copious quantities of roughly monodisperse sub-micrometre sea water particles might significantly enhance the cloud droplet number concentration, and thereby the cloud albedo and possibly longevity. This would produce a cooling, which general circulation model (GCM) computations suggest could-subject to satisfactory resolution of technical and scientific problems identified herein-have the capacity to balance global warming up to the carbon dioxide-doubling point. We describe herein an account of our recent research on a number of critical issues associated with MCB. This involves (i) GCM studies, which are our primary tools for evaluating globally the effectiveness of MCB, and assessing its climate impacts on rainfall amounts and distribution, and also polar sea-ice cover and thickness; (ii) high-resolution modelling of the effects of seeding on marine stratocumulus, which are required to understand the complex array of interacting processes involved in cloud brightening; (iii) microphysical modelling sensitivity studies, examining the influence of seeding amount, seed-particle salt-mass, air-mass characteristics, updraught speed and other parameters on cloud-albedo change; (iv) sea water spray-production techniques; (v) computational fluid dynamics studies of possible large-scale periodicities in Flettner rotors; and (vi) the planning of a three-stage limited-area field research experiment, with the primary objectives of technology testing and determining to what extent, if any, cloud albedo might be enhanced by seeding marine stratocumulus clouds on a spatial scale of around 100×100 km. We stress that there would be no justification for deployment of MCB unless it was clearly established that no significant adverse consequences would result. There would also need to be an international agreement firmly in favour of such action.

Ecotoxicology for risk assessment in arid zones: some key issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Everts, J W

1997-01-01

In the hot arid zones of the world, ecotoxicological research is in statu nascendi. In these zones, the major sources of contamination by toxicants are: (1) plant protection and vector control in wet zones; (2) large-scale crop protection campaigns in dry and ephemeral wet zones; (3) refuse and obsolete pesticides in dry zones; and (4) mining. Economic development in many of these zones requires an adequate knowledge of certain basic principles, i.e., where extrapolating existing knowledge does not apply. The vulnerability of ecosystems to contaminants is closely related to water flow. In dry areas, species are susceptible to factors that interfere with the ecophysiological properties regulating water loss. Most hot arid areas are found at low latitudes where temperatures show striking extremes both in time and space. Living organisms are physiologically resistant and/or show adaptive behavior to these temperature extremes. Very little is known about the effects of toxicants on these key resistant and adaptive functions, although by extrapolation a few assumptions can be made. The effects of hyperthermia, for instance, can be aggravated by GSH depleting substances, and the temporary disabling effects characteristic of many pesticides may prove fatal under these circumstances. Most wet areas show a spatial concentration of both human activity and wildlife. In mesic zones, the contamination of water represents a health risk to both humans and other living organisms. The vast majority of aquatic communities are those inhabiting temporary pools and streams. Their populations are characterized by short reproductive cycles and/or long dormant stages. Toxicants affecting growth in these areas have been shown to have a deleterious effect. In a synthesis of existing knowledge the most prominent gaps are identified and priorities for further research are made.

Encyclopedic approach to Marine History of Russia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrey V. Ishin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Marine direction of foreign policy is for Russia one of key. It is determined geographical position of the Russian state banks of which is washed plenty of Maureies. Also it is related to that considerable part of population lives on the coast of Russian Maureies, and industry, located in an off-shore bar brings, in a large contribution to the economy.Many Russian marine travelers were the discoverers of «new» earths. The contribution of the Russian scientists to the hydrophysical, geological and biological study of Maureies and Oceans is great. Russia possesses a navy, to the constituents approximately one-third of total tonnage of world VMF and one of large in the world a rybopromyslovym fleet. Transport ships under the flag of Russian Federation it is possible to meet planets in the remotest corners. In a number of areas of military shipbuilding and civil shipbuilding Russia had and continues to save priority.Enhanceable interest to the Seas and Oceans found the reflection in the fundamental Russian documents, including, in the Marine doctrine of Russian Federation, ratified Russia President in 2015. In it the value of marine spaces for the Russian state is marked. In the Marine doctrine of Russian Federation is writtenin: «The skilled providing, marine teaching and education play an important role in the increase of efficiency of marine activity. They are directed on preparation, bringing in and maintainance of skilled shots of all levels, maintenance of professionalism, marine traditions and not indifferent relation of citizens to marine history of country, serve positive presentation, propaganda and support of national marine policy, to marine activity and marine service in society».Marine direction, marine science about regions found a reflection in the publications of row of the Russian authors, devoted research of policy of Russia in such regions, as: Black Sea region, Caspian region, Arctic, and also in the series of Encyclopaedias

Tracking Dietary Sources of Short- and Medium-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins in Marine Mammals through a Subtropical Marine Food Web.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Lixi; Lam, James C W; Chen, Hui; Du, Bibai; Leung, Kenneth M Y; Lam, Paul K S

2017-09-05

Our previous study revealed an elevated accumulation of short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs) in marine mammals from Hong Kong waters in the South China Sea. To examine the bioaccumulation potential and biomagnification in these apex predators, we sampled the dietary items of marine mammals and tracked the sources of SCCPs and MCCPs through a marine food web in this region. Sixteen fish species, seven crustacean species, and four mollusk species were collected, and the main prey species were identified for two species of marine mammals. Concentrations of ∑SCCPs and ∑MCCPs in these collected species suggested a moderate pollution level in Hong Kong waters compared to the global range. Lipid content was found to mediate congener-specific bioaccumulation in these marine species. Significantly positive correlations were observed between trophic levels and concentrations of ∑SCCPs or ∑MCCPs (p mammals was observed. This is the first report of dietary source tracking of SCCPs and MCCPs in marine mammals. The elevated biomagnification between prey and marine mammals raises environmental concerns about these contaminants.

he Impact of Primary Marine Aerosol on Atmospheric Chemistry, Radiation and Climate: A CCSM Model Development Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keene, William C. [University of Virginia; Long, Michael S. [University of Virginia

2013-05-20

This project examined the potential large-scale influence of marine aerosol cycling on atmospheric chemistry, physics and radiative transfer. Measurements indicate that the size-dependent generation of marine aerosols by wind waves at the ocean surface and the subsequent production and cycling of halogen-radicals are important but poorly constrained processes that influence climate regionally and globally. A reliable capacity to examine the role of marine aerosol in the global-scale atmospheric system requires that the important size-resolved chemical processes be treated explicitly. But the treatment of multiphase chemistry across the breadth of chemical scenarios encountered throughout the atmosphere is sensitive to the initial conditions and the precision of the solution method. This study examined this sensitivity, constrained it using high-resolution laboratory and field measurements, and deployed it in a coupled chemical-microphysical 3-D atmosphere model. First, laboratory measurements of fresh, unreacted marine aerosol were used to formulate a sea-state based marine aerosol source parameterization that captured the initial organic, inorganic, and physical conditions of the aerosol population. Second, a multiphase chemical mechanism, solved using the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry's MECCA (Module Efficiently Calculating the Chemistry of the Atmosphere) system, was benchmarked across a broad set of observed chemical and physical conditions in the marine atmosphere. Using these results, the mechanism was systematically reduced to maximize computational speed. Finally, the mechanism was coupled to the 3-mode modal aerosol version of the NCAR Community Atmosphere Model (CAM v3.6.33). Decadal-scale simulations with CAM v.3.6.33, were run both with and without reactive-halogen chemistry and with and without explicit treatment of particulate organic carbon in the marine aerosol source function. Simulated results were interpreted (1) to evaluate influences

Protecting the Marine Environment in Cuba

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorisek, Alexandra Sasa

2013-01-01

The Cienfuegos Environmental Studies Centre (CEAC) in Cuba is a marine environmental research centre with expertise in nuclear and isotopic technologies. Cuba’s food security, transportation and tourism depend upon a healthy marine environment. CEAC scientists master resource challenges to produce the validated data needed for better environmental management

Marine metagenomics: strategies for the discovery of novel enzymes with biotechnological applications from marine environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dobson Alan DW

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Metagenomic based strategies have previously been successfully employed as powerful tools to isolate and identify enzymes with novel biocatalytic activities from the unculturable component of microbial communities from various terrestrial environmental niches. Both sequence based and function based screening approaches have been employed to identify genes encoding novel biocatalytic activities and metabolic pathways from metagenomic libraries. While much of the focus to date has centred on terrestrial based microbial ecosystems, it is clear that the marine environment has enormous microbial biodiversity that remains largely unstudied. Marine microbes are both extremely abundant and diverse; the environments they occupy likewise consist of very diverse niches. As culture-dependent methods have thus far resulted in the isolation of only a tiny percentage of the marine microbiota the application of metagenomic strategies holds great potential to study and exploit the enormous microbial biodiversity which is present within these marine environments.

Biosurfactants, bioemulsifiers and exopolysaccharides from marine microorganisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Satpute, Surekha K; Banat, Ibrahim M; Dhakephalkar, Prashant K; Banpurkar, Arun G; Chopade, Balu A

2010-01-01

Marine biosphere offers wealthy flora and fauna, which represents a vast natural resource of imperative functional commercial grade products. Among the various bioactive compounds, biosurfactant (BS)/bioemulsifiers (BE) are attracting major interest and attention due to their structural and functional diversity. The versatile properties of surface active molecules find numerous applications in various industries. Marine microorganisms such as Acinetobacter, Arthrobacter, Pseudomonas, Halomonas, Myroides, Corynebacteria, Bacillus, Alteromonas sp. have been studied for production of BS/BE and exopolysaccharides (EPS). Due to the enormity of marine biosphere, most of the marine microbial world remains unexplored. The discovery of potent BS/BE producing marine microorganism would enhance the use of environmental biodegradable surface active molecule and hopefully reduce total dependence or number of new application oriented towards the chemical synthetic surfactant industry. Our present review gives comprehensive information on BS/BE which has been reported to be produced by marine microorganisms and their possible potential future applications.

Communicating marine reserve science to diverse audiences

Science.gov (United States)

Grorud-Colvert, Kirsten; Lester, Sarah E.; Airamé, Satie; Neeley, Elizabeth; Gaines, Steven D.

2010-01-01

As human impacts cause ecosystem-wide changes in the oceans, the need to protect and restore marine resources has led to increasing calls for and establishment of marine reserves. Scientific information about marine reserves has multiplied over the last decade, providing useful knowledge about this tool for resource users, managers, policy makers, and the general public. This information must be conveyed to nonscientists in a nontechnical, credible, and neutral format, but most scientists are not trained to communicate in this style or to develop effective strategies for sharing their scientific knowledge. Here, we present a case study from California, in which communicating scientific information during the process to establish marine reserves in the Channel Islands and along the California mainland coast expanded into an international communication effort. We discuss how to develop a strategy for communicating marine reserve science to diverse audiences and highlight the influence that effective science communication can have in discussions about marine management. PMID:20427745

Role of bacteria in marine barite precipitation : A case study using Mediterranean seawater

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Torres-Crespo, N.; Martínez-Ruiz, F.; González-Muñoz, M. T.; Bedmar, E. J.; De Lange, G. J.; Jroundi, F.

2015-01-01

Marine bacteria isolated from natural seawater were used to test their capacity to promote barite precipitation under laboratory conditions. Seawater samples were collected in the western and eastern Mediterranean at 250. m and 200. m depths, respectively, since marine barite formation is thought to

Compressibility characteristics of Sabak Bernam Marine Clay

Science.gov (United States)

Lat, D. C.; Ali, N.; Jais, I. B. M.; Baharom, B.; Yunus, N. Z. M.; Salleh, S. M.; Azmi, N. A. C.

2018-04-01

This study is carried out to determine the geotechnical properties and compressibility characteristics of marine clay collected at Sabak Bernam. The compressibility characteristics of this soil are determined from 1-D consolidation test and verified by existing correlations by other researchers. No literature has been found on the compressibility characteristics of Sabak Bernam Marine Clay. It is important to carry out this study since this type of marine clay covers large coastal area of west coast Malaysia. This type of marine clay was found on the main road connecting Klang to Perak and the road keeps experiencing undulation and uneven settlement which jeopardise the safety of the road users. The soil is indicated in the Generalised Soil Map of Peninsular Malaysia as a CLAY with alluvial soil on recent marine and riverine alluvium. Based on the British Standard Soil Classification and Plasticity Chart, the soil is classified as a CLAY with very high plasticity (CV). Results from laboratory test on physical properties and compressibility parameters show that Sabak Bernam Marine Clay (SBMC) is highly compressible, has low permeability and poor drainage characteristics. The compressibility parameters obtained for SBMC is in a good agreement with other researchers in the same field.

Authorized Course of Instruction for the Quinmester Program. Science: Introduction to Marine Science; Recreation and the Sea; Oceanography; Marine Ecology of South Florida, and Invertebrate Marine Biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

All five units, developed for the Dade County Florida Quinmester Program, included in this collection concern some aspect of marine studies. Except for "Recreation and the Sea," intended to give students basic seamanship skills and experience of other marine recreation, all units are designed for students with a background in biology or…

Carotenoids in Marine Animals

Science.gov (United States)

Maoka, Takashi

2011-01-01

Marine animals contain various carotenoids that show structural diversity. These marine animals accumulate carotenoids from foods such as algae and other animals and modify them through metabolic reactions. Many of the carotenoids present in marine animals are metabolites of β-carotene, fucoxanthin, peridinin, diatoxanthin, alloxanthin, and astaxanthin, etc. Carotenoids found in these animals provide the food chain as well as metabolic pathways. In the present review, I will describe marine animal carotenoids from natural product chemistry, metabolism, food chain, and chemosystematic viewpoints, and also describe new structural carotenoids isolated from marine animals over the last decade. PMID:21566799

Classification of solid industrial waste based on ecotoxicology tests using Daphnia magna: an alternative

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William Gerson Matias

2005-11-01

Full Text Available The adequate treatment and final disposal of solid industrial wastes depends on their classification into class I or II. This classification is proposed by NBR 10.004; however, it is complex and time-consuming. With a view to facilitating this classification, the use of assays with Daphnia magna is proposed. These assays make possible the identification of toxic chemicals in the leach, which denotes the presence of one of the characteristics described by NBR 10.004, the toxicity, which is a sufficient argument to put the waste into class I. Ecotoxicological tests were carried out with ten samples of solid wastes of frequent production and, on the basis of the results from EC(I50/48h of those samples in comparison with the official classification of NBR 10.004, limits were established for the classification of wastes into class I or II. A coincidence in the classification of 50% of the analyzed samples was observed. In cases in which there is no coherence between the methods, the method proposed in this work classifies the waste into class I. These data are preliminary, but they reveal that the classification system proposed here is promising because of its quickness and economic viability.

Ecotoxicological and analytical assessment of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils and application to ecological risk assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saterbak, A.; Toy, R.J.; Wong, D.C.L.; McMain, B.J.; Williams, M.P.; Dorn, P.B.; Brzuzy, L.P.; Chai, E.Y.; Salanitro, J.P.

1999-07-01

Ecotoxicological assessments of contaminated soil aim to understand the effect of introduced chemicals on the soil flora and fauna. Ecotoxicity test methods were developed and conducted on hydrocarbon-contaminated soils and on adjacent uncontaminated control soils from eight field locations. Tests included 7-d, 14-d, and chronic survival tests and reproduction assays for the earthworm (Eisenia fetida) and seed germination, root length, and plant growth assays for corn, lettuce, mustard, and wheat. Species-specific responses were observed with no-observed effect concentrations (NOECs) ranging from <1 to 100% contaminated soil. The 14-d earthworm survival NOEC was equal to or greater than the reproduction NOEC values for numbers of cocoons and juveniles, which were similar to one another. Cocoon and juvenile production varied among the control soils. Germination and root length NOECs for mustard and lettuce were less than NOECs for corn and wheat. Root length NOECs were similar to or less than seed germination NOECs. Statistically significant correlations for earthworm survival and seed germination as a function of hydrocarbon measurements were found. The 14-d earthworm survival and the seed germination tests are recommended for use in the context of a risk-based framework for the ecological assessment of contaminated sites.

Microplastics Monitoring in Marine Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agung Dhamar Syakti

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This review summarizes the need for future spatiotemporal comparisons of microplastic abundance across marine environment, through standardized methods for microplastic sampling and analysis in sea water, beach and seabed sediment and marine organism. Pretreatment of the sample prior to the elimination of organic matter should be done using appropriate reagents was also described. Extraction of microplastics from environmental matrices is based on the different density of targeted microplastics with saturated salt solutions (NaCl, NaI, CaCl2, ZnCl2 and lithium metatungstate. Quantification can be achieved by microscopic techniques (binocular, stereomicroscope, fluorescence microscope and scanning electron microscope and discussion on identification methods including FTIR, Pyr-GC/MS and Raman spectroscopy will be provided. This review also endorses the importance of further study regarding the fate and impact of microplastics on marine biota and human health, especially when we acknowledge that co-pollution may occur during the transport on microplastic in marine environment.

Marine Biomedicine

Science.gov (United States)

Bang, Frederik B.

1977-01-01

Describes early scientific research involving marine invertebrate pathologic processes that may have led to new insights into human disease. Discussed are inquiries of Metchnikoff, Loeb, and Cantacuzene (immunolgic responses in sea stars, horseshoe crabs, and marine worms, respectively). Describes current research stemming from these early…

Marine Biology

Science.gov (United States)

Dewees, Christopher M.; Hooper, Jon K.

1976-01-01

A variety of informational material for a course in marine biology or oceanology at the secondary level is presented. Among the topics discussed are: food webs and pyramids, planktonic blooms, marine life, plankton nets, food chains, phytoplankton, zooplankton, larval plankton and filter feeders. (BT)

Conceptual design of the advanced marine reactor MRX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-02-01

Design studies on the advanced marine reactors have been done continuously since 1983 at JAERI in order to develop attractive marine reactors for the next generation. At present, two marine reactor concepts are being formulated. One is 100 MWt MRX (Marine Reactor X) for an icebreaker and the other is 300 kWe DRX (Deep-sea Reactor X) for a deep-sea research vessel. They are characterized by an integral type PWR, built-in type control rod drive mechanisms, a water-filled container and a passive decay heat removal system, which realize highly passive safe and compact reactors. This paper is a detailed report including all major results of the MRX design study. (author)

Biological test methods for the ecotoxicological characterization of wastes. Final report; Biologische Testerverfahren zur oekotoxikologischen Charakterisierung von Abfaellen. Abschlussbericht

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Becker, Roland [Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung, Berlin (Germany); Donnevert, Gerhild [Fachhochschule Giessen-Friedberg (Germany). FB MNI; Roembke, Joerg [ECT Oekotoxikologie GmbH, Floersheim am Main (Germany)

2007-11-15

The ecotoxicological characterization of waste is part of their assessment as hazardous or non-hazardous according to the European Waste List. Despite its transfer into national law in the waste list ordnance 2001 no methodological recommendations have been provided to cover the hazard criterion (H14 ''ecotoxicity'') which was taken over from the legislation on dangerous substances. Based on the recommendations of CEN guideline 14735 (2005), an international ring test was organised by BAM, FH Giessen-Friedberg and ECT GmbH. In total, 67 laboratories from 15 countries participated in the ring test. It was performed with three representative waste types: an ash from an incineration plant mainly contaminated with heavy metals, a soil containing high concentrations of organic contaminants (PAHs) and a preserved wood waste contaminated with copper and other heavy metals. Samples were prepared by BAM (e.g. inter alia dried, sieved and homogenised) and distributed. Parallel to the biological testing the eluates and solid samples were chemically characterized. The basic test battery used in the ring test consisted of three aquatic (Algae test, Daphnia acute test and Microtox test) and three terrestrial (earthworm acute and plant test with two species (oat, rape)) tests. In addition, data were submitted for ten additional tests (five aquatic (including a genotoxicity test) and five terrestrial ones). Almost all tests were performed according to ISO guidelines, providing EC50 values as measurement of toxicity. Data evaluation was done following recent recommendations made by ISO (2002) and Environment Canada (2005). Besides a high number of reference test data, 634 data sets were produced in the basic test battery and 204 data sets in the additional tests. Only few data sets were not acceptable (e.g. due to lack of reference data) and even less results were identified as statistical or biological outliers. For example, in the case of the basic test

Praziquantel degradation in marine aquarium water

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amber Thomas

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Praziquantel (PZQ is a drug commonly utilized to treat both human schistosomiasis and some parasitic infections and infestations in animals. In the aquarium industry, PZQ can be administered in a “bath” to treat the presence of ectoparasites on both the gills and skin of fish and elasmobranchs. In order to fully treat an infestation, the bath treatment has to maintain therapeutic levels of PZQ over a period of days or weeks. It has long been assumed that, once administered, PZQ is stable in a marine environment throughout the treatment interval and must be mechanically removed, but no controlled experiments have been conducted to validate that claim. This study aimed to determine if PZQ would break down naturally within a marine aquarium below its 2 ppm therapeutic level during a typical 30-day treatment: and if so, does the presence of fish or the elimination of all living biological material impact the degradation of PZQ? Three 650 L marine aquarium systems, each containing 12 fish (French grunts: Haemulon flavolineatum, and three 650 L marine aquariums each containing no fish were treated with PZQ (2 ppm and concentrations were measured daily for 30 days. After one round of treatment, the PZQ was no longer detectable in any system after 8 (±1 days. The subsequent two PZQ treatments yielded even faster PZQ breakdown (non-detectable after 2 days and 2 ± 1 day, respectively with slight variations between systems. Linear mixed effects models of the data indicate that day and trial most impact PZQ degradation, while the presence of fish was not a factor in the best-fit models. In a completely sterilized marine system (0.5 L PZQ concentration remained unchanged over 15 days, suggesting that PZQ may be stable in a marine system during this time period. The degradation observed in non-sterile marine systems in this study may be microbial in nature. This work should be taken into consideration when providing PZQ bath treatments to marine animals

Active Marine Station Metadata

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Active Marine Station Metadata is a daily metadata report for active marine bouy and C-MAN (Coastal Marine Automated Network) platforms from the National Data...

Integrative study of the behavior of transuranic elements in the marine environment. Progress report, June 1, 1981-May 31, 1982

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choppin, G.R.; Morse, J.W.

1981-12-01

The laboratory at Florida State University is conducting fundamental research under marine conditions of the speciation of actinide elements in sea water. At the Texas A and M University, the adsorption of actinides from such solutions upon various components of sediments is being studied. This approach should yield radiochemical data directly applicable to the understanding of the distribution and speciation of transuranic elements in the marine environment. A limited number of common sediment components are being studied to determine which factors determine the partitioning of transuranic elements among these components. The individual components then will be combined in synthetic sediments of increasing complexity and the distributions studied between these sediments and solutions. Hopefully, this will lead to studies agreeing with model predictions for the adsorption of transuranic elements in marine sediments

Carotenoids in Marine Animals

OpenAIRE

Maoka, Takashi

2011-01-01

Marine animals contain various carotenoids that show structural diversity. These marine animals accumulate carotenoids from foods such as algae and other animals and modify them through metabolic reactions. Many of the carotenoids present in marine animals are metabolites of β-carotene, fucoxanthin, peridinin, diatoxanthin, alloxanthin, and astaxanthin, etc. Carotenoids found in these animals provide the food chain as well as metabolic pathways. In the present review, I will describe marine a...

Marine Science

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Aims and scope: The Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science provides an avenue for the wide dissem- ination of high ... or by any means without permission in writing from the copyright holder. ..... Journal of Chemical Engineering Research and Design 82 ... Indian Ocean Marine Science Association Technical.

Marine chronometers at Greenwich a catalogue of marine chronometers at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich

CERN Document Server

Betts, Jonathan

2018-01-01

This is a comprehensive, illustrated catalogue of the 200+ marine chronometers in the collections of Royal Museums Greenwich. Every chronometer has been completely dismantled, studied and recorded, and illustrations include especially commissioned line drawings as well as photographs. The collection is also used to illustrate a newly researched and up-to-date chapter describing the history of the marine chronometer, so the book is much more than simply a catalogue. The history chapter naturally includes the story of John Harrison’s pioneering work in creating the first practical marine timekeepers, all four of which are included in the catalogue, newly photographed and described in minute detail for the first time. In fact full technical and historical data are provided for all of the marine chronometers in the collection, to an extent never before attempted, including biographical details of every maker represented. A chapter describes how the 19th century English chronometer was manufactured, and another ...

Research on intact marine ecosystems: a lost era.

Science.gov (United States)

Stachowitsch, Michael

2003-07-01

It is proposed that a new, fifth era should be added to the four historical phases of marine research identified by Rupert Riedl, specifically an era devoted to studying and ameliorating disturbed marine ecosystems. In an age of global environmental deterioration, many marine ecosystems and organisms are high on the list of threatened entities. This poor status prompts research that would otherwise have been unnecessary and hinders research that would normally have been conducted. I argue that research into intact marine ecosystems is becoming increasingly difficult, and that most of our future insights into marine habitats will stem from knowledge gained by examining various disfunctions of those systems rather than their functions. The new era will therefore differ from past research in its underlying aim, the range of topics studied, the selection and funding of those topics, the validity of its conclusions, and in its urgency. Sea turtles and cetaceans are cited as case studies at the organismic level, shallow-water benthic communities, including coral reefs, at the ecosystem level.

Effects of environment temperature rise on marine life. Bibliographic study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ancellin, J.; Eustache, M.; Vilquin, A.

1973-12-01

The effects of a temperature rise in the marine environment resulting from thermal wastes have already been covered by many studies. A body of data acquired on this subject, in the biological field, experimentally and in situ are reviewed. To this are added data concerning the major effects associated with the use of cooling systems, drag effect exerted on organisms by the pumping system and consequences due to the use of anti-fouling substances, as well as some ideas concerning the potential use of thermal wastes in the field of aquaculture [fr

IAEA Reference Materials for Quality Assurance: A Study in the Quality Control of Marine Radioactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pham Mai Khanh; Bartocci, J.; Gastaud, J.; Nies, H.; Vasileva, E.; Betti, M.; Chamizo, E.; Gomez-Guzman, J.-M.

2013-01-01

The IAEA's Marine Environment Laboratories has assisted laboratories in Analytical Quality Control Services (AQCS) for the analysis of radionuclides in the marine environment since the early seventies. The AQCS programme, now named Reference Products for Environment and Trade, is recognized as an essential component of quality assurance and control and for the development and validation of analytical methods, through its worldwide and regional interlaboratory comparisons and the provision of reference methods and Reference Materials/Certified Reference Materials (RMs/CRMs). A total of 49 interlaboratory exercises were organized and 42 RMs/CRMs were produced for marine radioactivity studies. Different techniques such as radiometric methods with X ray, gamma spectrometry, alpha spectrometry, beta counter, liquid scintillation counter as well as mass spectrometry (ICP-MS, AMS, TIMS) are applied for the characterization during certification process. An overview of prepared Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) for radionuclides in marine matrices will be presented as well as lessons learned from interlaboratory comparisons (ICs) and Proficiency Tests (PTs). A characterization of a new CRM for radionuclides in IAEA-446, Baltic Sea seaweed (Fucus vesiculosus), as well as a specific case of using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) technique to characterize I-129 in sea water (IAEA-418) and seaweed sample (IAEA-446), will be discussed. Available RMs/CRMs are listed and can be ordered and purchased through the IAEA website http://nucleus.iaea.org/rpst/. (author)

IAEA Reference Materials for Quality Assurance: A Study in the Quality Control of Marine Radioactivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khanh, Pham Mai; Bartocci, J.; Gastaud, J.; Nies, H.; Vasileva, E.; Betti, M. [International Atomic Energy Agency, Environment Laboratory (Monaco); Chamizo, E.; Gomez-Guzman, J. -M. [Centro Nacional de Aceleradores, Seville (Spain)

2013-07-15

The IAEA's Marine Environment Laboratories has assisted laboratories in Analytical Quality Control Services (AQCS) for the analysis of radionuclides in the marine environment since the early seventies. The AQCS programme, now named Reference Products for Environment and Trade, is recognized as an essential component of quality assurance and control and for the development and validation of analytical methods, through its worldwide and regional interlaboratory comparisons and the provision of reference methods and Reference Materials/Certified Reference Materials (RMs/CRMs). A total of 49 interlaboratory exercises were organized and 42 RMs/CRMs were produced for marine radioactivity studies. Different techniques such as radiometric methods with X ray, gamma spectrometry, alpha spectrometry, beta counter, liquid scintillation counter as well as mass spectrometry (ICP-MS, AMS, TIMS) are applied for the characterization during certification process. An overview of prepared Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) for radionuclides in marine matrices will be presented as well as lessons learned from interlaboratory comparisons (ICs) and Proficiency Tests (PTs). A characterization of a new CRM for radionuclides in IAEA-446, Baltic Sea seaweed (Fucus vesiculosus), as well as a specific case of using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) technique to characterize I-129 in sea water (IAEA-418) and seaweed sample (IAEA-446), will be discussed. Available RMs/CRMs are listed and can be ordered and purchased through the IAEA website http://nucleus.iaea.org/rpst/. (author)

Marine animal stings or bites

Science.gov (United States)

Stings - marine animals; Bites - marine animals ... Things you can do to prevent a marine animal sting or bite include: Swim near a lifeguard. Observe posted signs that may warn of danger from jellyfish or other hazardous marine life. ...

Marine pollution. Proceedings of an international symposium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-07-01

The marine environment - understanding and protecting for the future were at the forefront of the International Symposium on Marine Pollution convened in Monaco from 5 to 9 October 1998, as one of the major events of the UN International Year of Oceans. Over 400 international experts from 61 Member States and 8 international organizations delivered 114 oral presentations in plenary and parallel sessions and made 215 poster presentations. New achievements were reported in identifying the sources of pollution, on the behaviour and fate of contaminants in seawater, biota and sediments, on the use of radioactive and non-radioactive tracers for the studies of transport and circulation processes in the world's oceans and seas, on studies of radioactive waste dumping sites and nuclear weapons test sites, on local, regional and global computer modelling of the transport of contaminants and on many other topics in marine pollution. New developments in high sensitivity analytical measurements of contaminants with emphasis on nuclear and isotopic methods were also presented. Information on global and regional marine pollution studies programmes was also given and participants had the chance to interacts with leading experts in the field and ro discuss future trends in marine pollution studies. This TECDOC contains some of the papers submitted on issues falling within the thematic scope od the symposium which were presented in oral and poster presentations

Marine pollution. Proceedings of an international symposium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-07-01

The marine environment - understanding and protecting for the future were at the forefront of the International Symposium on Marine Pollution convened in Monaco from 5 to 9 October 1998, as one of the major events of the UN International Year of Oceans. Over 400 international experts from 61 Member States and 8 international organizations delivered 114 oral presentations in plenary and parallel sessions and made 215 poster presentations. New achievements were reported in identifying the sources of pollution, on the behaviour and fate of contaminants in seawater, biota and sediments, on the use of radioactive and non-radioactive tracers for the studies of transport and circulation processes in the world`s oceans and seas, on studies of radioactive waste dumping sites and nuclear weapons test sites, on local, regional and global computer modelling of the transport of contaminants and on many other topics in marine pollution. New developments in high sensitivity analytical measurements of contaminants with emphasis on nuclear and isotopic methods were also presented. Information on global and regional marine pollution studies programmes was also given and participants had the chance to interacts with leading experts in the field and ro discuss future trends in marine pollution studies. This TECDOC contains some of the papers submitted on issues falling within the thematic scope od the symposium which were presented in oral and poster presentations Refs, figs, tabs

Understanding sources, sinks, and transport of marine debris

Science.gov (United States)

Law, Kara Lavender; Maximenko, Nikolai

2011-07-01

Fifth International Marine Debris Conference: Hydrodynamics of Marine Debris; Honolulu, Hawaii, 20 March 2011; Ocean pollution in the form of marine debris, especially plastic debris, has received increasing public and media attention in recent years through striking but frequently inaccurate descriptions of “garbage patches.” Marine debris is composed of all manufactured materials, including glass, metal, paper, fibers, and plastic, that have been deliberately dumped or that accidentally entered the marine environment. Marine debris is most visible on beaches, but it has been observed in all oceans and in such remote locations as on the deep seabed and floating in the middle of subtropical ocean gyres. While many initiatives have been developed to solve this pollution problem through prevention and cleanup efforts, there is relatively little scientific information available to assess the current status of the problem or to provide metrics to gauge the success of remediation measures. With this in mind, a full-day workshop entitled “Hydrodynamics of Marine Debris” was convened at the Fifth International Marine Debris Conference in Hawaii, bringing together observational scientists and oceanographic modelers to outline the steps necessary to quantify the major sources and sinks of marine debris and the pathways between them. The ultimate goal in integrating the two approaches of study is to quantify the basinscale and global inventory of marine debris by closing the associated mass budgets.

Culture-Dependent and Independent Studies of Microbial Diversity in Highly Copper-Contaminated Chilean Marine Sediments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Besaury, L.; Marty, F.; Buquet, S.; Mesnage, V.; Muijzer, G.; Quillet, L.

2013-01-01

Cultivation and molecular-based approaches were used to study microbial diversity in two Chilean marine sediments contaminated with high (835 ppm) and very high concentrations of copper (1,533 ppm). The diversity of cultivable bacteria resistant to copper was studied at oxic and anoxic conditions,

From darwin to the census of marine life: marine biology as big science.

Science.gov (United States)

Vermeulen, Niki

2013-01-01

With the development of the Human Genome Project, a heated debate emerged on biology becoming 'big science'. However, biology already has a long tradition of collaboration, as natural historians were part of the first collective scientific efforts: exploring the variety of life on earth. Such mappings of life still continue today, and if field biology is gradually becoming an important subject of studies into big science, research into life in the world's oceans is not taken into account yet. This paper therefore explores marine biology as big science, presenting the historical development of marine research towards the international 'Census of Marine Life' (CoML) making an inventory of life in the world's oceans. Discussing various aspects of collaboration--including size, internationalisation, research practice, technological developments, application, and public communication--I will ask if CoML still resembles traditional collaborations to collect life. While showing both continuity and change, I will argue that marine biology is a form of natural history: a specific way of working together in biology that has transformed substantially in interaction with recent developments in the life sciences and society. As a result, the paper does not only give an overview of transformations towards large scale research in marine biology, but also shines a new light on big biology, suggesting new ways to deepen the understanding of collaboration in the life sciences by distinguishing between different 'collective ways of knowing'.

From darwin to the census of marine life: marine biology as big science.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niki Vermeulen

Full Text Available With the development of the Human Genome Project, a heated debate emerged on biology becoming 'big science'. However, biology already has a long tradition of collaboration, as natural historians were part of the first collective scientific efforts: exploring the variety of life on earth. Such mappings of life still continue today, and if field biology is gradually becoming an important subject of studies into big science, research into life in the world's oceans is not taken into account yet. This paper therefore explores marine biology as big science, presenting the historical development of marine research towards the international 'Census of Marine Life' (CoML making an inventory of life in the world's oceans. Discussing various aspects of collaboration--including size, internationalisation, research practice, technological developments, application, and public communication--I will ask if CoML still resembles traditional collaborations to collect life. While showing both continuity and change, I will argue that marine biology is a form of natural history: a specific way of working together in biology that has transformed substantially in interaction with recent developments in the life sciences and society. As a result, the paper does not only give an overview of transformations towards large scale research in marine biology, but also shines a new light on big biology, suggesting new ways to deepen the understanding of collaboration in the life sciences by distinguishing between different 'collective ways of knowing'.

Primary and Secondary Organic Marine Aerosol and Oceanic Biological Activity: Recent Results and New Perspectives for Future Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matteo Rinaldi

2010-01-01

Full Text Available One of the most important natural aerosol systems at the global level is marine aerosol that comprises both organic and inorganic components of primary and secondary origin. The present paper reviews some new results on primary and secondary organic marine aerosol, achieved during the EU project MAP (Marine Aerosol Production, comparing them with those reported in the recent literature. Marine aerosol samples collected at the coastal site of Mace Head, Ireland, show a chemical composition trend that is influenced by the oceanic biological activity cycle, in agreement with other observations. Laboratory experiments show that sea-spray aerosol from biologically active sea water can be highly enriched in organics, and the authors highlight the need for further studies on the atmospheric fate of such primary organics. With regard to the secondary fraction of organic aerosol, the average chemical composition and molecular tracer (methanesulfonic-acid, amines distribution could be successfully characterized by adopting a multitechnique analytical approach.

Worldwide marine radioactivity studies (WOMARS): Radionuclide levels in oceans and seas. Final report of a coordinated research project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

This publication summarizes the results of the Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on Worldwide Marine Radioactivity Studies (WOMARS) carried out by the IAEA's Marine Environment Laboratory in Monaco. It provides the most comprehensive information on levels of anthropogenic radionuclides in the world ocean. Three anthropogenic radionuclides - 90 Sr, 137 Cs and 239,240 Pu - were chosen as the most representative of anthropogenic radioactivity in the marine environment, comprising beta-, gamma- and alpha-emitters which have the highest potential contribution to radiation doses to humans via seafood consumption. Although the ocean contains the majority of the anthropogenic radionuclides released into the environment, the radiological impact of this contamination is low. Radiation doses from naturally-occurring radionuclides in the marine environment (e.g. 210 Po) are on the average two orders of magnitude higher. The results confirm that the dominant source of anthropogenic radionuclides in the marine environment is global fallout. The total 137 Cs input from global fallout was estimated to be 311 PBq for the Pacific Ocean, 201 PBq for the Atlantic Ocean, 84 PBq for the Indian Ocean and 7.4 PBq for the Arctic Ocean. For comparison, about 40 PBq of 137 Cs was released to the marine environment from Sellafield and Cap de la Hague reprocessing plants. The Chernobyl accident contributed about 16 PBq of 137 Cs to the sea, mainly the Baltic and Black Seas, where the present average concentrations of 137 Cs in surface water were estimated to be about 60 and 25 Bq/m 3 , respectively, while the worldwide average concentration due to global fallout is about 2 Bq/m 3 . For the purposes of this study, the world ocean was divided into latitudinal belts for which average radionuclide concentrations were estimated. Further, where available, time trends in radionuclide concentrations in surface water were studied and mean residence times of radionuclides in these areas as well as in

Mimicking Seawater For Culturing Marine Bacteria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rygaard, Anita Mac; Sonnenschein, Eva; Gram, Lone

2015-01-01

Only about 1% of marine bacteria have been brought into culture using traditional techniques. The purpose of this study was to investigate if mimicking the natural bacterial environment can increase culturability.We used marine substrates containing defined algal polymers or gellan gum as solidif......Only about 1% of marine bacteria have been brought into culture using traditional techniques. The purpose of this study was to investigate if mimicking the natural bacterial environment can increase culturability.We used marine substrates containing defined algal polymers or gellan gum...... as solidifying agents, and enumerated bacteria from seawater and algal exudates. We tested if culturability could be influenced by addition of quorum sensing signals (AHLs). All plates were incubated at 15°C. Bacterial counts (CFU/g) from algal exudates from brown algae were highest on media containing algal...... polymers. In general, bacteria isolated from algal exudates preferred more rich media than bacteria isolated from seawater. Overall, culturability ranged from 0.01 to 0.8% as compared to total cell count. Substitution of agar with gellan gum increased the culturability of seawater bacteria approximately...

Marine Carotenoids and Cardiovascular Risk Markers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorenza Speranza

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Marine carotenoids are important bioactive compounds with physiological activities related to prevention of degenerative diseases.found principally in plants, with potential antioxidant biological properties deriving from their chemical structure and interaction with biological membranes. They are substances with very special and remarkable properties that no other groups of substances possess and that form the basis of their many, varied functions and actions in all kinds of living organisms. The potential beneficial effects of marine carotenoids have been studied particularly in astaxanthin and fucoxanthin as they are the major marine carotenoids. Both these two carotenoids show strong antioxidant activity attributed to quenching singlet oxygen and scavenging free radicals. The potential role of these carotenoids as dietary anti-oxidants has been suggested to be one of the main mechanisms for their preventive effects against cancer and inflammatory diseases. The aim of this short review is to examine the published studies concerning the use of the two marine carotenoids, astaxanthin and fucoxanthin, in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Frequency and gravity of human envenomations caused by marine catfish (suborder siluroidei): a clinical and epidemiological study.

Science.gov (United States)

Haddad, Vidal; Martins, Itamar Alves

2006-06-15

Catfish occur in marine and freshwater environments worldwide. They have three serrated venomous bony stings in the dorsal and pectoral fins that are used for defence against predators and are refilled by glandular tissues under the epithelium. However, some catfishes do not have poisonous glands next to the sting and cause traumatic wounds without poisoning. The objective of this study was to provide data for, and comment on, the epidemiological and clinical problems caused by marine catfish. The authors have observed, followed and documented 127 injuries caused by marine catfish stings during different phases of the envenoming over a time period of 8 years at three points along the Western Atlantic Ocean coast. The patients presented intense pain during the acute phase of envenoming and complications, such as bacterial and fungi infections and retention of bony fragments, in the later phase. Immersion of the affected extremity in hot water was used in about 20% of cases with excellent results. Injuries caused by marine catfish are common (about 20% of injuries caused by marine animals in a series of more than 700 injuries recorded by the author) and cause intense pain and later complications. Immersion of the affected extremity in hot water results in improvement in the acute phase, but does not prevent the appearance of secondary infection or foreign body reactions.

Contributions to the study of the marine algae inhabiting Umluj Seashore, Red Sea