Yeasts as an indicator of pollution

A survey of yeast populations at various points along the St Lawrence River indicates that certain yeast blooms occur after bacteria have degraded the easily metabolizable constituents of the raw sewage and that their numbers could be used as an indicator of pollution.     

An index of marine pollution in the Saronikos Gulf

A method is investigated for monitoring the urban pollution in the Saronikos Gulf. In this research, measurements of nutrients and salinity were carried out. In this phase, the correlations between dilution relating to salinity and diminution coefficients relating to nutrients were defined by classical sampling methods. A wide variability of the pollution level of the. environment is occurring and the continuous analysis of phosphates is proposed in order to monitor the pollution.     

Modeling the stochastic dependence of air pollution index data

The air pollution index (API) is a common tool, which is often used for determining the quality of air in the environment. In this study, a discrete-time Markov chain model is applied for describing the stochastic behaviour of API data. The study reported in this paper is conducted based on the data collected from Klang city in Malaysia for a period of 3 years (2012–2014). Based on the API data, we considered a five-state Markov chain for depicting the five different states of the air pollution. We identified the Markov chain is an ergodic Markov chain and determined the limiting distribution for each state of the air pollution. In addition, we have identified the mean first passage time from one state to another. Based on the limiting distribution and the mean return time, we found that the risk of occurrences for unhealthy events is small. However, the risk remains notably troubling. Therefore, the standard of air quality in Klang falls within a margin that is considered healthy for human beings.     

Use of physiological responses in Mytilus trossulus as integrative bioindicators of sewage pollution

Mussels, Mytilus trossulus (average shell length 43+/-0.8 mm), were sampled from a beach in Alaska that received untreated sewage for several years, a second beach adjacent to a secondary wastewater outfall, and two nearby reference beaches. Survival time in air, byssal thread production rate, and prevalence of trematode parasites were determined for each group. Tolerances to aerial exposure was significantly lower (P<0.05) at both sewage outfall sites than at the reference sites. Mussels exposed to untreated sewage produced fewer byssal threads and had a significantly higher prevalence of encysted trematodes than mussels from the other beaches, including the secondary wastewater site. Survival in air, byssal thread production, and trematode prevalence in mussels may be useful indicators in evaluating the longterm health of beaches exposed to sewage.     

Use of biliary PAH metabolites as a biomarker of pollution in fish from the Baltic Sea

During field campaigns of the BEEP project (Biological Effects of Environmental Pollution in Marine Coastal Ecosystems) in 2001-2002, metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in bile samples from three fish species, flounder (Platichthys flesus), perch (Perca fluviatilis) and eelpout (Zoarces viviparus), from four separate areas in the Baltic Sea. Two determination methods were applied: fixed wavelength fluorescence (FF) for pyrene-type metabolites and high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC). There was a good correlation between the FF method and 1-OH pyrene determined by HPLC. Normalisation of the FF data for absorbance at 380 nm or bile protein concentrations greatly increased variance in one third and decreased it in two thirds of the cases and resulted in a loss of significant differences (protein normalisation) between the sampling stations, but normalisation of the HPLC data had little effect on the results. The biliary PAH metabolite content was usually higher in males than in females. In perch and eelpout the biliary PAH contents were at similar levels, whereas in flounder the levels were lower. The sampling areas arranged in decreasing order of biliary PAH contents were: Wismar Bay > Gulf of Gdansk > Lithuanian coast > Kvadofj?rden (reference area). It is concluded that FF with un-normalised data is a reliable and simple method for monitoring purposes and only one sex of a selected species should be used.     

Acetylcholinesterase,glutathione and hepatosomatic index as potential biomarkers of sewage pollution and depuration in fish

The current study was designed to validate the biomarkers of sewage pollution in Mozambique Tilapia (Tilapia mossambica, Peters) reared in sewage treatment plant (STP) effluent in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emerates, before and following depuration/detoxification. Cellular biomarkers, cholinesterase activity using acetylcholine as a substrate (acetylcholinesterase AChE) and reduced glutathione (GSH) and hepatosomatic index (HSI) were investigated in fresh water fish, Tilapia, raised in a fish farm (Group I/Clean, as Control), treated sewage water/TSW (Group II/Sewage) and thereafter exposed to fresh water in an aquarium for 6 weeks (Group III/Depurated) for depuration. The results showed significantly lower levels of AChE activities in liver (26% p < 0.01) and muscle (30% p < 0.01) of the fish reared in the STP water (Group II/Sewage) as compared to those recorded in the fish from fish farm (Group I/Clean). The depressed AChE level was fully restored in the muscle but partially in the liver after depuration (Group III/Depurated). In contrast, GSH levels were significantly raised in both liver (1.3-fold p < 0.01) and muscle (4-fold) of Group II fish as compared to Group I (control) fish raised in fish farm and following depuration in fresh water (Group III/Depurated) elevated GSH level in liver restored to control values, while remained unchanged in muscle. The average hepatosomatic index (HSI = weight of liver × 100/total fish weight), an indicator of hepatomegaly, in the Group II fish reared in TSW was also significantly higher than that in the reference Group I fish, but decreased to control level in Group III fish following depuration. This study suggests the importance of cellular biomarkers, AChE, GSH and hepatosomatic index in monitoring the impact of sewage water pollution on fish caused by a complex mixture of chemico-biological contaminants and its mitigation following depuration, an effective mean of fish detoxification.     

Characteristics of organic matter as indicators of pollution from small‐scale livestock and nitrate contamination of shallow groundwater in an agricultural area

The main purpose of this study was to examine the hydrogeochemical factors leading to nitrate contamination of shallow groundwater in an agricultural area. Another purpose was to identify relationships between variations in organic matter levels (as estimated by the BOD and COD parameters) of groundwater that transports effluent from small‐scale livestock holdings. Major cations, anions, BOD and COD of organic matter and total coliforms were analysed. It was found that groundwaters beneath cultivated areas and areas carrying livestock had higher concentrations of calcium, nitrate and chloride than did freshwater. Above all, the nitrification process increased concentrations of nitrate. Nitrate levels were depressed in some places where the groundwater was low in dissolved oxygen. Groundwaters affected by livestock activities showed high concentrations of organic matter (BOD, COD) and high microbial concentrations (as indicated by total coliforms). The COD/BOD ratio increased in the downward direction. It was inferred that this was due to the faster loss of easily biodegradable organic matter compared with non‐biodegradable organic matter proceeding away from a discharge. Accordingly, it is possible to trace effluent in a small area back to a point source by monitoring the COD/BOD ratio of groundwater. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

中等地震活动增强作为强震标志的研究

通过对(1990~1996年)发生在我国大陆及边境地区24次6级以上地震的分析研究表明,80%的强震主震前在震源区及附近有中等地震活动增强的过程。异常表现出共同的基本特征,即长期平静→增强活动→震前平静→发震。震前平静至发震大约经历几个月到2年时间(平均10个月左右),可以作为中短期地震预报判据。用岩石蠕变声发射实验来解释这一现象,可把中等地震活动增强看作是稳态蠕变阶段后期发生的广义前震。     

Increasing organic pollution in Kingston Harbour,Jamaica

Kingston Harbour is a multi-purpose resource with more than half a million people and a variety of industries on its shores. Primary treated domestic sewage, raw industrial waste and run-off from agricultural land discharge into the bay. Successive surveys since 1968 show a progressive deterioration and the urgent need for a reduction of organic pollution if the benthic fauna is not to be destroyed.     

福建某河流甲藻水华与污染指标的关系

2009年1-2月份,在福建某河流发现大面积水华,河水呈深褐色经对气温、水温、pH、溶解氧、高锰酸盐指数、氨氮、总氮、总磷以及藻细胞密度、叶绿素a等因子的监测,发现水中有甲藻、隐藻、硅藻、绿藻、蓝藻、裸藻和其它常见种,其中优势种为佩氏拟多甲藻(Peridiniopsis penardii),细胞密度为0.1×10~5-333×10~5cells/L.水体营养盐丰富,总氮浓度为2.50-8.65mg/L、总磷浓度为0.09-1.15mg/L.另外,pH值、溶解氧异常升高,水华反反复复持续一个多月时间.经相关分析,拟多甲藻细胞密度与气温、pH值和总氮相关系数分别为-0.323(P=0.027)、0.327(P=0.025)和0.316(P=0.030),显著相关,偏相关分析表明,拟多甲藻细胞密度与水温相关系数为-0.4894(P=0.008),非常显著负相关.结果显示,pH值和溶解氧升高是甲藻水华产生的表征现象,总氮可能是本次甲藻水华生长的限制因子,而气温和水温的变化既是甲藻水华产生的重要原因,但超过甲藻适宜的生长温度对其也起到一定的抑制作用.由于调查区干旱、少雨、梯级电站过密等因素所导致的水流速过缓,加上足够的营养盐和合适的温度,促使本次拟多甲藻水华的发生.     

Standardization as an Instrument of Environmental Regulation of Water Use

Water Resources - World experience is analyzed to show that the role of standardization in water use management has increased considerably in the recent years. The state of the technical regulation...     

Diffuse pollution by persistent organic pollutants as measured in plastic pellets sampled from various beaches in Greece

Plastic pellets found stranded on beaches are hydrophobic organic materials and thus, they are a favourable medium for persistent organic pollutants to absorb to. In the present study, plastic pellets are used to determine the diffuse pollution of selected Greek beaches. Samples of pellets were taken from these beaches and were analyzed for PCBs, DDTs, HCHs, and PAHs. The observed differences among pellets from various sampling sites are related to the pollution occurring at each site. Plastic pellets collected in Saronikos Gulf beaches demonstrate much higher pollutant loading than the ones collected in a remote island or close to an agricultural area. Based on data collected in this study and the International Pellet Watch program, pollution in Saronikos Gulf, Greece, is comparable to other heavily industrialized places of the world. The present study demonstrates the potential of pellet watch to be utilized as a detailed-scale monitoring tool within a single country.     

Dissolved free amino acids in seawater and organic pollution

Free amino acid concentrations were determined in sea-water at three stations in the Tahiti area. At each station, sampling was done both offshore and in the lagoon. Comparison of results from two stations suggests a relationship between free amino acid levels in lagoon waters and organic man-made pollution.     

Dissolved oxygen as an indicator of bioavailable dissolved organic carbon in groundwater

Concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO) plotted vs. dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in groundwater samples taken from a coastal plain aquifer of South Carolina (SC) showed a statistically significant hyperbolic relationship. In contrast, DO-DOC plots of groundwater samples taken from the eastern San Joaquin Valley of California (CA) showed a random scatter. It was hypothesized that differences in the bioavailability of naturally occurring DOC might contribute to these observations. This hypothesis was examined by comparing nine different biochemical indicators of DOC bioavailability in groundwater sampled from these two systems. Concentrations of DOC, total hydrolysable neutral sugars (THNS), total hydrolysable amino acids (THAA), mole% glycine of THAA, initial bacterial cell counts, bacterial growth rates, and carbon dioxide production/consumption were greater in SC samples relative to CA samples. In contrast, the mole% glucose of THNS and the aromaticity (SUVA(254)) of DOC was greater in CA samples. Each of these indicator parameters were observed to change with depth in the SC system in a manner consistent with active biodegradation. These results are uniformly consistent with the hypothesis that the bioavailability of DOC is greater in SC relative to CA groundwater samples. This, in turn, suggests that the presence/absence of a hyperbolic DO-DOC relationship may be a qualitative indicator of relative DOC bioavailability in groundwater systems.     

The nematode/copepod ratio and its use in pollution ecology

The nematode/copepod ratio is critically examined with a view to adding some precision to its proposed use in pollution ecology. At two unpolluted intertidal sites, differing markedly in sediment grade, the metabolic requirements of copepods are shown to be equivalent to the requirements of that fraction of the nematode population which feeds in the same way. The partitioning of this total energy requirement among individuals depends on the distribution of individual metabolic body sizes and the relative rates of metabolism. The distribution of body sizes is constrained by the sediment granulometry, which affects nematodes and copepods differently. These considerations enable precise predictions of the nematode/copepod ratios expected in unpolluted situations, against which observed ratios can be compared.     

Antioxidants in the black mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) as an indicator of Black Sea coastal pollution

The biologically active compounds, antioxidant activities, and free radical scavenging effects of black mussel dry matter (Mytilus galloprovincialis)--(BMDM) were investigated. The extract from BMDM with absolute methanol (BMDMAMet) showed the strongest inhibition of lipid peroxidation as a function of its concentration, and was comparable to the antioxidant activity of butylated hydroxyanisole, at the same concentration of 0.2 mg/ml. The extract with 50%methanol/water (BMDM50%Met) had the weakest antioxidant activity, whereas other extracts such as 1.2 M HCl in 50%methanol/water (BMDM50%Met/HCl) exhibited an average inhibition of lipid peroxidation. BMDMAMet extract showed marked activities in free radical scavenging determined by beta-carotene bleaching (beta-carotene), nitric oxide (NO*) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) radical cation (ABTS*+ methods. The antioxidant activities of BMDMAMet extract determined beta-carotene, NO* and ABTS*+ methods showed the highest correlation coefficients (R2) such as 0.998, 0.9976 and 0.6103, respectively, with the presence of total polyphenols. BMDM50%Met had lower antioxidant ability than BMDM50%Met/HCl in different scavenging methods, indicating that the major antioxidant components in these extracts must be derived from the polyphenols. Correlation between proteins and antioxidants was very low (0.0318 and 0.0433). The mussel extracts from polluted areas have shown by all using methods higher antioxidant activity than from the clean ones. The results presented in this report indicate that the antioxidant activities of mussel extracts could possibly be an additional index of pollution characterization.     

The impact of organic pollution on the Kirmir Creek and Sakarya River in Turkey

The qualitative and quantitative characteristics and seasonal distribution of macroinvertebrates in the Kirmir Creek are determined by samples of bottom sediments and water.     

Enchytraeid oligochaetes as marine pollution indicators

Fifteen species of enchytraeid oligochaetes have been collected from a pulp mill waste receiving area. Of these, one species Lumbricillus lineatus which is a known stressresistant intertidal form is predominant within 1.5 km of the mill outfall. Beyond that distance the species is replaced by a variable association of 14 other species from the genera Lumbricillus, Marionina and Enchytraeus. L. lineatus is common in Europe and eastern North America in upper intertidal drift habitats, but on the Pacific Coast is not indigenous. In British Columbia it has only been collected adjacent to three pulp mills, not at five other such mills, nor at ten undisturbed intertidal stations at each of which a diverse association of Enchytraeid species occurs. L. lineatus can serve as an index of the impact of pulp mill effluent at the site investigated. The most practical index is percentage of total adult enchytraeids represented by L. lineatus.     

江苏地磁加卸载响应比的异常标志体系

应用曾小苹等人提出的地磁加卸载响应比法,研究了江苏地磁台网1983~1997年的加卸载响应比异常及其间台网内和网缘附近M_s4.6以上地震之间的关系,提出了适用于江苏地磁台网分析预报的标志体系,并对其内检预报效能进行了评价。     

Tunicate species as marine pollution indicators

Tunicates may serve as marine pollution indicators for monitoring the release of industrial and/or radioactive wastes into the marine environment. Their ability to accumulate certain trace elements from the seawater can be employed in order to define a suitable organism as indicator for some specific pollutants. In this work the concentration of the elements cobalt, zinc, chromium, caesium, silver, iron, rubidium, selenium, scandium and antimony has been determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis and γ-ray spectroscopy, in two tunicates, Microcosmus sulcatus (Pyuridae) and Ciona intestinalis (Cionidae).According to the concentration factors found for these species Ciona intestinalis can be used as indicator for iron, while Microcosmus sulcatus as indicator for the elements selenium, chromium, zinc and cobalt.