Effect of prolonged hypoxia on food consumption,respiration, growth and reproduction in marine scavenging gastropod Nassarius festivus

The effects of prolonged exposure to reduced oxygen levels (3.0 and 1.5 mg O₂ l⁻¹) on marine scavenging gastropods Nassarius festivus were studied for 8 weeks. The percentages of individuals engaged in feeding and amount of food consumed were reduced as oxygen level decreased; absorption efficiency, however, did not vary significantly with oxygen level. Oxygen consumption rates and specific oxygen consumption rates were lower at reduced oxygen levels. Reproduction occurred at all oxygen levels with less egg capsules being produced at lower oxygen levels. Egg size and number of eggs per capsule, however, were not significantly affected by oxygen level. The increase in shell length was 12%, 6% and 5% at 6.0 mg O₂ l⁻¹ (normoxia), 3.0 mg O₂ l⁻¹ and 1.5 mg O₂ l⁻¹, respectively. At the end of the experiment, the amount of energy allocated to growth and reproduction decreased at reduced oxygen levels with values obtained at 3.0 mg O₂ l⁻¹ and 1.5 mg O₂ l⁻¹ being 48% and 70% lower than those at 6.0 mg O₂ l⁻¹. At all oxygen levels, most of the accumulated energy was allocated to shell growth and reproduction, and the amount allocated to somatic growth was relatively insignificant. The reduction in energy allocated to reproduction was greater than that to shell growth as the oxygen level was reduced, indicating a strategic energy allocation of marine scavengers under stressful conditions to enhance survival.     

Immune responses to combined effect of hypoxia and high temperature in the green-lipped mussel Perna viridis

Flow cytometry was used to examine immune responses in haemocytes of the green-lipped mussel Perna viridis under six combinations of oxygen level (1.5 mg O₂ l⁻¹, 6.0 mg O₂ l⁻¹) and temperature (20 °C, 25 °C and 30 °C) at 24 h, 48 h, 96 h and 168 h. The mussels were then transferred to normoxic condition (6.0 mg O₂ l⁻¹) at 20 °C for further 24 h to study their recovery from the combined hypoxic and temperature stress. Esterase (Est), reactive oxygen species (ROS), lysosome content (Lyso) and phagocytosis (Pha) were reduced at high temperatures, whereas hypoxia resulted in higher haemocyte mortality (HM) and reduced phagocytosis. For HM and Pha, changes were observed after being exposed to the stresses for 96 h, whereas only a 24 h period was required for ROS and Lyso, and a 48 h one for Est. Recovery from the stresses was observed for HM and Pha but not other immune responses.     

The larvae of congeneric gastropods showed differential responses to the combined effects of ocean acidification,temperature and salinity

The tolerance and physiological responses of the larvae of two congeneric gastropods, the intertidal Nassarius festivus and subtidal Nassarius conoidalis, to the combined effects of ocean acidification (pCO₂ at 380, 950, 1250 ppm), temperature (15, 30 °C) and salinity (10, 30 psu) were compared. Results of three-way ANOVA on cumulative mortality after 72-h exposure showed significant interactive effects in which mortality increased with pCO₂ and temperature, but reduced at higher salinity for both species, with higher mortality being obtained for N. conoidalis. Similarly, respiration rate of the larvae increased with temperature and pCO₂ level for both species, with a larger percentage increase for N. conoidalis. Larval swimming speed increased with temperature and salinity for both species whereas higher pCO₂ reduced swimming speed in N. conoidalis but not N. festivus. The present findings indicated that subtidal congeneric species are more sensitive than their intertidal counterparts to the combined effects of these stressors.     

The combined effects of oxygen availability and salinity on physiological responses and scope for growth in the green-lipped mussel Perna viridis

Mussels were maintained for 4 weeks under different combinations of dissolved oxygen concentration (1.5, 3.0 and 6.0 mg O₂ l⁻¹) and salinity (15, 20, 25 and 30) in a 3 × 4 factorial design experiment. Clearance rate (CR), absorption efficiency (AE), respiration rate (RR) and scope for growth (SFG) decreased with decreasing salinity and dissolved oxygen concentration (DO), while excretion rate (ER) increased with decreasing salinity and increasing DO. The O:N ratio was <10 at salinities of 15 and 20, irrespective of DO levels. SFG was negative in most of the treatments, except for those under 6.0 mg O₂ l⁻¹ or at a salinity of 30 when DO was lower. The results may help explain the distribution pattern of Perna viridis in Hong Kong waters and provide guidelines for mussel culture site selection.     

Determination of selected persistent organic pollutants in wastewater from landfill leachates,using an amperometric biosensor

Landfill leachates that contain persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a big threat to groundwater systems and are projected to have hazardous effects in the long term if proper management strategies of the landfills are not put in place by those responsible. Monitoring the levels of POPs in landfill leachates is very crucial. This work presents an amperometric biosensor for determination of selected POPs in landfill leachates. The biosensor is based on kinetic inhibition of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The enzyme was immobilised by electrostatic attachment on a polyaniline-modified Pt electrode surface. Selected POPs inhibited HRP enzyme activity and the decrease in the enzyme activity was used to determine these environmental pollutants. Selected polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were the analytes of choice because they are commonly found in South Africa water systems. Limits of detection for the amperometric biosensor were established as 0.014, 0.018, 0.022, 0.016 and 0.019 μg l⁻¹ for BDE-100, PBB-1, PCB-1, PCB-28 and PCB-101, respectively. The HRP biosensor system gave different linear ranges for; BDE-100 (0.424–25.8 μg l⁻¹), PBB-1 (0.862–13.4 μg l⁻¹), PCB-1 (0.930–18.1 μg l⁻¹), PCB-28 (0.730–15.7 μg l⁻¹) and PCB-101 (0.930–27.1 μg l⁻¹). Inhibition studies on HRP biosensor response toward the reduction of H₂O₂ in the absence and presence of the selected POPs were carried out to investigate the inhibition kinetics and its mechanism. The results obtained indicated that the inhibition mechanism was competitive for PBDEs and non-competitive for biphenyls (PCBs and PBBs). The application of the biosensor was tested on wastewater samples obtained from landfill leachate for determination of selected POPs. The leachate samples were found to contain PCB-28 (0.28 ± 0.03 μg l⁻¹) and PCB-101 (0.31 ± 0.02 μg l⁻¹). The samples were also analysed by GC–MS as a cross-check method and the two sets of results were in close agreement.     

Seasonal patterns of ammonium regeneration from size-fractionated microheterotrophs

Ammonium regeneration by size-fractionated plankton was measured for 1 year at a coastal station in the shallow well-mixed waters of the western English Channel. Rates of ammonium regeneration in the <200 μm fraction varied from 0.6 to 27 nmol N l⁻¹ h⁻¹. On the seasonal scale, these rates were relatively low (<7 nmol N l⁻¹ h⁻¹) in autumn and winter, increased steadily from March to attain a maximum (27 nmol N l⁻¹ h⁻¹) at the end of May and thereafter decreased steadily to the seasonal minimum in December. This pattern is distinctly different from that observed in deep well-mixed waters where the peak ammonium regeneration occurs in summer (Le Corre et al., 1996, Journal of Plankton Research, 18, 355–370). Total ammonium regenerated in a year by the microheterotrophs was 15 g N m⁻², equivalent to about 60% of the total nitrogen uptake. Microplankton (200–15 μm) accounted for about 50% of the regeneration measured between early spring and late summer. Percent contribution of nanoplankton to total ammonium regeneration varied considerably between the seasons, from very high (83–88%) levels in winter to very low (2–13%) levels in summer. Contribution by picoplankton (<1 μm) was high (20–45%) in summer but was less than 20% in other seasons. Ammonium regeneration in micro- and nanoplankton fractions was mainly associated with ciliates and in the picoplankton fraction with bacteria. Macrozooplankton dynamics appears to regulate ammonium regeneration by ciliates and bacteria. Low macrozooplankton biomass in spring may favour a high growth of ciliates and an associated high in ammonium regeneration. In summer, the increase in macrozooplankton may exert a grazing pressure on ciliates. This, coupled with the fact that most of the flagellates are autotrophs, would, in turn, lower the grazing pressure on the bacteria, thus favouring their development and increasing the importance of their role in ammonium regeneration. This situation, where the macrozooplankton dynamics apparently regulates ammonium regeneration in nano- and picoplankton fractions, appears to be different from that in deep well-mixed waters. Here, the relative contribution of ciliates and bacteria to ammonium regeneration shows little variation with an increase in macrozooplankton biomass.     

Lethal doses of oxbile,peptones and thiosulfate-citrate-bile-sucrose agar (TCBS) for Acanthaster planci; exploring alternative population control options

Effective control of outbreaks of Acanthaster planci represents the most immediate and practical intervention to reverse sustained declines in coral cover on reefs in the Indo-Pacific. This study explored the minimum doses of oxbile, oxgall, and thiosulfate-citrate-bile-sucrose agar (TCBS) that result in reliable and comprehensive mortality when injected into adult A. planci. The minimum doses required to induce 100% mortality among starfish (n = 10) were 4 g l⁻¹ of oxbile, 8 g l⁻¹ of oxgall and 22 g l⁻¹ of TCBS. Moreover, there was no evidence of unintended side effects for other coral reef organisms (e.g., scleractinian corals, echinoderms and fishes) when using oxbile, oxgall, or TCBS at minimum doses. The effectiveness of peptones in killing crown-of-thorns starfish was also tested, but inconsistency in the results revealed that these proteins are unreliable.     

Natural antifouling compounds produced by a novel fungus Aureobasidium pullulans HN isolated from marine biofilm

A fungus, Aureobasidium pullulans, was isolated from marine biofilm and identified. A bioassay-guided fractionation procedure was developed to isolate and purify antifouling compounds from A. pullulans HN. The procedure was: fermentation broth—aeration and addition of sodium thiosulfate–graduated pH and liquid–liquid extraction—SPE purification—GC–MS analysis. Firstly, the fermentation broth was tested for its toxicity. Then it was treated with aeration and addition of sodium thiosulfate, and its toxicity was almost not changed. Lastly, antifouling compounds were extracted at different pH, the extract had high toxicity at pH 2 but almost no toxicity at pH 10, which suggested the toxicants should be fatty acids. The EC₅₀ of the extract against Skeletonema costatum was 90.9 μg ml⁻¹, and its LC₅₀ against Balanus amphitrete larvae was 22.2 μg ml⁻¹. After purified by HLB SPE column, the EC₅₀ of the extract against S. costatum was 49.4 μg ml⁻¹. The myristic and palmitic acids were found as the main toxicants by GC–MS.     

Effects of 4-nonylphenol exposure in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and crabs (Carcinus aestuarii) with particular emphasis on vitellogenin induction

Since it is often difficult to estimate possible adverse effects due to contamination in selected ecosystems, multi-species biomonitoring may provide more information, taking into account different routes of exposure, ecological roles and metabolic capabilities of animals. In this context, we exposed for 7 days the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis and the crab Carcinus aestuarii to 4-nonylphenol (NP), a well-known xenoestrogen. In mussels (0–0.2 mg NP l⁻¹), we measured NP bioaccumulation in soft tissues and vitellogenin (Vg)-like protein levels in digestive glands from both males and females by the alkali-labile phosphate assay (ALP). As no reference data were available for crab exposure, the NP 96-h LC₅₀ value was previously determined. Then, in sublethally exposed (0–1.0 mg NP l⁻¹) male crabs, NP bioaccumulation and Vg levels were measured in hemolymph, gonads and digestive gland. Bioaccumulation of NP increased from 43 to 371 μg g⁻¹ d.w. in mussels, and from 3.6 to 37 μg g⁻¹ d.w. in crabs, depending on the NP concentration in water. Dose-dependent Vg-like protein induction was observed in both species, appearing to be related to NP bioaccumulation, although a partial decrease was recorded at the highest concentration tested. A similar trend was observed in both digestive gland and gonad of exposed crabs; Vg increased to a lesser extent, although significantly, in hemolymph. Results demonstrated that NP induces Vg synthesis both in male and female mussels, as well as in male crabs. On the basis of the responsiveness of both species investigated, a multi-species approach is indicated in biomonitoring programmes.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the coastal water,surface sediment and mullet Liza klunzingeri from northern part of Hormuz strait (Persian Gulf)

The concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in mullet (Liza klunzingeri), water and sediment from northern part of Hormuz strait (Persian Gulf). The concentration levels of total PAHs in L. klunzingeri, water and sediment were 133.99–268.57 ng g⁻¹ dry weight, 3.12–5.88 ng l⁻¹ and 42.29–228.9 ng g⁻¹ dry weight, respectively. Based on isomer ratios, analysis of the PAHs source in the sediment demonstrated that the PAHs come from pyrogenic and petrogenic origin. Risk assessment showed PAHs threshold concentrations to occasionally be exceeded in the study area.     

Adsorption behaviour of dibutyl phthalate on marine sediments

Laboratory experiments were carried out to investigate the adsorption behaviour of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) on marine sediments collected from five different sites in Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong. DBP adsorption can be well described by the Langmuir isotherm. The maximum DBP adsorption capacity (Q_max) of the marine sediments ranges from 53 to 79 mg g⁻¹, which has a positive correlation with their organic content. Around 90% of the organic can be removed from the sediments with treatment by H₂O₂ oxidation, and the Q_max then decreases to a range between 13 and 22 mg g⁻¹. The black carbon content of the sediments has a much greater DBP adsorption capacity than does the natural organic matter of the sediments. The amount of DBP adsorbed on the sediments increases as the salinity of the marine water increases.     

Effects of environmental stresses on the responses of mangrove plants to spent lubricating oil

The influence of different environmental stresses, including salinity (5–35‰), tidal cycle (6/6, 12/12 and 24/24 h of high/low tidal regimes) and nutrient addition (1–6 times background nitrogen and phosphorus content) on Bruguiera gymnorrhiza and Aegiceras corniculatum grown in sediment contaminated with spent lubricating oil (7.5 L m⁻²) were investigated. The oil-treated 1-year-old mangrove seedlings subject to low (5‰) and high (35‰) salinity had significantly more reduction in growth, more release of superoxide radical (O₂⁻) and higher activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) than those subject to moderate salinity (15‰). Extended flooding (24/24 h of high/low tidal regime) enhanced O₂⁻ release and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in both oil-treated species but had little negative effects on biomass production (P > 0.05) except the stem of A. corniculatum (P = 0.012). The addition of nutrients had no beneficial or even posed harmful effects on the growth and cellular responses of the oil-treated seedlings.     

The unique environment of the most acidified permanently meromictic lake in the Czech Republic

Changes in the water properties and biological characteristics of the highly acidic Hromnice Lake (Western Bohemia) were investigated. This 110-year-old lake, formed as a consequence of the mining of pyritic shales, is permanently meromictic. Two chemoclines separate an extremely acidic (pH ～ 2.6) mixolimnion from a metal-rich anoxic monimolimnion. The absence of spring mixolimnetic turnover due to ice melting and very slow heat propagation through the chemocline with a 6-month delay were observed. Extreme mixolimnetic oxygen maxima (up to 31 mg l^?1) in phosphorus-rich lake (PO₄^3? up to 1.6 mg l^?1) well correlated with outbursts of phytoplankton. Phytoplankton consist of several acido-tolerant species of the genera Coccomyxa, Lepocinclis, Chlamydomonas and Chromulina. Surface phytoplankton biomass expressed as chlorophyll-a varies from 2 to 140 μg l^?1. Multicellular zooplankton are almost absent with the exception of Cephalodella acidophila, a small rotifer occurring in low numbers. Large red larvae of the midge Chironomus gr. plumosus were found at the bottom close to the shore, with larvulae in the open water. Developmental stages (protonemata) of a moss, resembling filamentous algae, dwell in the otherwise plant-free littoral zone.     

Photoproduction of hydrogen peroxide in aqueous solution from model compounds for chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM)

To explore whether quinone moieties are important in chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) photochemistry in natural waters, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) production and associated optical property changes were measured in aqueous solutions irradiated with a Xenon lamp for CDOM model compounds (dihydroquinone, benzoquinone, anthraquinone, napthoquinone, ubiquinone, humic acid HA, fulvic acid FA). All compounds produced H₂O₂ with concentrations ranging from 15 to 500 μM. Production rates were higher for HA vs. FA (1.32 vs. 0.176 mM h⁻¹); values ranged from 6.99 to 0.137 mM h⁻¹ for quinones. Apparent quantum yields (Θ_app; measure of photochemical production efficiency) were higher for HA vs. FA (0.113 vs. 0.016) and ranged from 0.0018 to 0.083 for quinones. Dihydroquinone, the reduced form of benzoquinone, had a higher production rate and efficiency than its oxidized form. Post-irradiation, quinone compounds had absorption spectra similar to HA and FA and 3D-excitation–emission matrix fluorescence spectra (EEMs) with fluorescent peaks in regions associated with CDOM.     

Comparative study of top soil magnetic susceptibility variation based on some human activities

An investigation of the effect of some human activities on the magnetic susceptibility and frequency dependent susceptibility was conducted on top soil samples from, a commercial area, a motor park and a school environment in Jalingo, Taraba State, N-E Nigeria. The purpose was to assess the variation of magnetic susceptibility with different land use, detect pollution hotspots using magnetic proxy parameters and evaluate the contribution of superparamagnetic (SP) grain size contribution to the magnetic susceptibility from calculation of the frequency dependence of magnetic susceptibility (MS). The results of the mass specific low frequency magnetic susceptibility measurements showed significant enhancement with values ranging from 67.8 − 495.3 × 10⁻⁸ m³kg⁻¹ with a mean value of 191.61 × 10⁻⁸ × m³kg⁻¹ for the Jalingo College of Education (JCOE) data; 520.1 − 1612.8 × 10⁻⁸ m³kg⁻¹ with a mean value of 901.34 × 10⁻⁸ m³kg⁻¹ for the Jalingo main Market (JMM) and 188.5 − 1203.6 × 10⁻⁸m³kg⁻¹ with an average value of 574 92 × 10⁻⁶ m³kg⁻¹ for the Jalingo Motor Park (JMP). The significant magnetic enhancement indicates high concentration of ferrimagnetic minerals in the soil and hence increased pollution. The magnetic susceptibility of the different land use studied decreased in the order commercial area (market) > motor park > school premises. The results of the percentage frequency dependence susceptibility showed that most of the samples had a mixture of SP and coarse multi domain grains or SP grains < 0.05 µm. The value of χ_fd% range from 2.68 to 13.80% with an average value of 8.67% in the JCOE samples, 0.49 to 10.04% with an a-verage of 5.05% in the JMM samples and 0.56 to 13.04% with an average value of 5.86% in the JMP samples.     

Distribution and source apportionments of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in mariculture sediments from the Pearl River Delta,South China

Surface and core sediments collected from six mariculture farms in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) were analyzed to evaluate contamination levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The ∑PCBs (37 congeners) concentrations ranged from 5.10 to 11.0 ng g⁻¹ (mean 7.96 ng g⁻¹) in surface and 3.19 to 22.1 ng g⁻¹ (mean 7.75 ng g⁻¹) in core sediments, respectively. The concentrations were significantly higher than that measured in the sediments of their corresponding reference sites, whereby the average enrichment percentages were 62.0% and 42.7% in surface and core sediments, respectively. Significant correlations (R² = 0.77, p < 0.05) of PCB homologue group proportions between fish feeds and surface mariculture sediments suggested that fish feed input was probably the main source for the enrichment of PCBs. Due to the fact that PCBs could be transferred along food chains, PCB contamination in fish feeds and mariculture sediments should not be overlooked.     

Embryotoxic and genotoxic effects of heavy metals and pesticides on early life stages of Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas)

This study evaluated embryotoxicity and genotoxicity of two dissolved metals copper and cadmium (Cu and Cd) and two pesticides (metolachlor and irgarol) occurring in Arcachon Bay (SW France) in Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) larvae and investigated the relationship between those two endpoints. Embryotoxicity was measured by calculating the percentage of abnormal D-shaped larvae and genotoxicity was evaluated with DNA strand breaks using the comet assay. After 24 h exposure, significant increases of the percentage of abnormal D-larvae and the DNA strand breaks were observed from 0.1 μg L⁻¹ for Cu, 10 μg L⁻¹ for Cd and 0.01 μg L⁻¹ for both irgarol and metolachlor in comparison with the controls. A strong positive relationship between embryotoxicity and genotoxicity was recorded for Cu, Cd and metolachlor. The current study suggests that copper, irgarol and metolachlor can induce larval abnormalities and DNA damage in a population of exposed oysters at environmentally relevant concentrations.     

Mercury levels in selected bycatch fish species from industrial shrimp-trawl fishery in the SE Gulf of California

Baseline Hg concentration in bycatch fish from the SE Gulf of California were determined in muscle and liver of 19 species. Levels of Hg in muscle were compared with legal limits of this element in national and international legislation. Considering all fish species, mean concentrations in liver (2.458 ± 1.997 μg g⁻¹) were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in muscle (0.993 ± 0.670 μg g⁻¹). The sequence of averaged Hg concentrations in most ichthyofauna was liver > muscle. Highest level of Hg in muscle (2.556 μg g⁻¹) and liver (7.515 μg g⁻¹) corresponded to Diapterus peruvianus and Ophioscion strabo, respectively. Considering muscle samples, none of the species had levels of Hg above the limit (1.0 μg g⁻¹ wet weight) in the Mexican legislation; with respect to the Japanese (0.4 μg g⁻¹ wet weight) and British (0.3 μg g⁻¹ wet weight) legislations, 26.3% and 31.6% of the species respectively, were above the corresponding limits.     

PAH-degrading microbial consortium and its pyrene-degrading plasmids from mangrove sediment samples in Huian,China

PAH-degrading microbial consortium and its pyrene-degrading plasmids were enriched from the sediment samples of Huian mangroves. The consortium YL showed degrading abilities of 92.1%, 87.6%, 92.3%, and 95.8% for pyrene, fluoranthene, phenanthrene, and fluoene at 50 mg l⁻¹ after 21 days incubation, respectively. The dynamics of pH changes in the cultures was consistent with that of PAH concentration change. Bacillus cereus Py5 and Bacillus megaterium Py6 were isolated from the consortium and observed consuming 65.8% and 33.7% of pyrene (50 mg l⁻¹) within three weeks, respectively. The enriched Escherichia coli DH5α cells containing the plasmids of YL were demonstrated to degrade 85.7% of the original pyrene concentration at the 21st day.     

Persistent organic pollutants and stable isotopes in pinnipeds from King George Island,Antarctica

In the present work, fat, skin, liver and muscle samples from Leptonychotes weddellii (Weddell seal, n = 2 individuals), Lobodon carcinophagus (crabeater seal, n = 2), Arctocephalus gazella (Antarctic fur seal, n = 3) and Mirounga leonina (southern elephant seal, n = 1) were collected from King George Island, Antarctica, and analysed for POPs (PCBs, organochlorine pesticides and PBDEs) and stable isotopes (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N in all tissues but fat). PBDEs could be found in only one sample (L. weddellii fat). Generally, PCBs (from 74 to 523 ng g⁻¹ lw), DDTs (from 14 to 168 ng g⁻¹ lw) and chlordanes (from 9 to 78 ng g⁻¹ lw) were the prevailing compounds. Results showed a clear stratification in accordance with ecological data. Nonetheless, stable isotope analyses provide a deeper insight into fluctuations due to migrations and nutritional stress. Correlation between δ¹⁵N and pollutants suggests, to some degree, a considerable ability to metabolize and/or excrete the majority of them.