Offshore experiments on styrene spillage in marine waters for risk assessment

Within the context of risk evaluation of chemical spillages into the marine environment, this paper reports on an offshore experiment to study the behaviour of styrene spilled into sea under natural conditions and discusses theoretical approaches. Floating structures were used to enclose the spillage and the gaseous cloud formation, and dissolution processes were in situ monitored. The identification of spill risks for man and marine environment through GESAMP's hazard profile is described for styrene: Styrene is rated as a chemical with a significant health hazard that will float but also evaporate. However, monitoring of the water column in the experiments showed that the concentration of styrene in water during the first hour represents 50% of the product spilled. For the potentially exposed public, the GESAMP hazard rating recommends the closure of beaches and evacuation. The risk assessment developed from experimental data confirms this safety advice.     

Reproductive characteristics and steroid levels in the scleractinian coral Oculina patagonica inhabiting contaminated sites along the Israeli Mediterranean coast

In this study we compared reproductive characteristics and steroid hormone levels in the non-indigenous scleractinian coral, Oculina patagonica, inhabiting contaminated vs. uncontaminated reference sites along the Israeli Mediterranean coast. Our results indicate significantly higher steroid levels in both seawater and coral tissue samples from contaminated sites as compared to reference sites, suggesting that corals tend to accumulate steroids from the surrounding waters. Despite their higher steroid levels, corals from the contaminated sites showed reproductive potential comparable to those of the reference sites. Interestingly, a clear distinction could be seen between corals exposed to pollution for long vs. short durations, with the latter showing a failure to complete gametogenesis. This suggests that reproduction in O. patagonica is susceptible to acute rather than chronic stress. The involvement of adjustment/adaptation processes may explain this species tolerance, and may reflect the ability of O. patagonica to successfully invade new areas in the Mediterranean Sea.     

Effects of nitrate on nitrite toxicity to Microcystis aeruginosa

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of nitrate on nitrite toxicity to Microcystis aeruginosa. Short-term uptake experiment revealed nitrate could depress the nitrite active uptake. The long-term experiment of nitrate effects on nitrite toxicity showed a negative relationship between the growth and intracellular nitrite levels of M. aeruginosa. The net nitrite uptake displayed a decline in the range of 0-150 mg NO(3)(-)-NL(-1) and an elevation at 200mg NO(3)(-)-NL(-1), whereas the activities of nitrate reductase (NR) were more sensitive to nitrate than nitrite reductase (NiR). As a result, the total intracellular nitrite levels tended to decrease up to 100 mg NO(3)(-)-NL(-1) then increased at 150-200 mg NO(3)(-)-NL(-1). These results suggested the existence of external nitrate could affect the toxicity of nitrite to alga through changing intracellular nitrite content.     

Setting new thermal standards for transitional and coastal (TraC) waters

The construction of a new generation of coastal power stations in the UK and other western European countries has highlighted the absence of robust standards for thermal discharges to transitional and coastal waters. The proposed discharge volumes are greater than hitherto, yet there has been little independent critical examination of their potential impact, whilst much of the existing guidance has been adapted from freshwater practice. This review considers the available knowledge on the tolerance and behaviour of fish and other marine biota to heated effluents. Appropriate ways are suggested of grouping fish species to reflect their sensitivity to thermal effects. The plethora of existing standards are considered and their validity assessed in a framework of predicted seawater temperature rise. Those species or groups of organisms most likely to be affected are identified and finally specific recommendations for thermal standards consistent with long term sustainability are proposed.     

Prevalence and diversity of norovirus genogroups I and II in Hong Kong marine waters and detection by real-time PCR

Marine waters from six sites around Hong Kong with varying levels of sewage pollution were examined for noroviruses (NoVs) by PCR cloning and sequencing of a highly-variable N-terminal region of the VP1 capsid gene, at the ORF1-ORF2 junction of NoV. Phylogenetic analysis of genogroups GI- and GII-specific PCR clones obtained from different marine sites indicated that human NoV GI.1 and GII.4 strains are the most prevalent genotypes circulating in Hong Kong waters. GI- and GII-specific TaqMan-based real-time PCR assays targeting the ORF1-ORF2 junction of NoVs were used to quantify NoV particles in marine water samples in parallel with total Escherichia coli counts which were enumerated on TBX medium. No correlation of any significance between NoV and E. coli counts was observed which highlighted the inadequacy in using E. coli as a fecal indicator to predict the level of NoVs in marine waters to protect public health.     

阿留申岛弧的非火山颤动

在阿留申岛弧观测到了一些非火山颤动。在数座火山上的大跨区的地震台网也监测到颤动状的事件,因此不可能与任何一座火山体有关。虽然目前还不能给这些颤动定位,但我们根据多个台网的反射时差和振幅给出了大概的位置。多数非火山颤动是在所推断的太平洋消减板块闭锁区或从蠕动到闭锁转换区记录到的。有一次非火山颤动事件是在拉特群岛和安德烈亚诺夫群岛附近地区地震活动和火山活动增强时期记录到的。类似的同步增加以往在阿留申群岛记录到过,并被假设是由慢滑动事件引起的大范围应力变化造成的。2008年7月12日奥克莫克火山喷发约1小时后在科罗文和大锡特金地震台网记录到显著的非火山颤动。非火山颤动并不是分散地出现在整个阿留申岛弧,而似乎是集中在几个地区。用2500km的消减带,我们有机会检查这些地区并将其与不产生非火山颤动地区加以比较,以便确定产生该颤动的作用因素。     

可用于地震早期预警的家用地震仪

日本气象厅(JMA)已开始推出一项地震早期预警(EEW)的实际服务,预计在不久的未来,将非常密集地布设安装信号接收装置。地震早期预警的接收/预警装置配有中央处理器和内存,并通过互联网进行连接。再加上一个便宜的地震仪和模数(A/D)转换器,该装置就变成了一个实时的地震观测系统,我们称之为家用地震仪(Home Seismometer)。如果这种家用地震仪与地震早期预警的标准接收装置相连接,那么地震观测系统的数量就会极大地增多。在房间里,由人的活动所引起的背景噪声可能非常大,为此我们专门编写了软件,从而能够使用该家用地震仪进行现场预警。我们对软件做了检验,发现该软件能够准确地将噪声和地震分辨开来,并适用于几乎所有的地震事件。     

滑坡编目:地震滑坡危险性分析中必不可少的部分

详细精确的滑坡编目是地震滑坡危险性分析工作中必不可少的一部分。理想的编目要满足如下条件:覆盖整个地震影响区;应包含所有可调查到的滑坡,滑坡的最小长度应小至1～5m左右;编目中的滑坡位置也必须准确,应使用能够反应它们真实的平面形状的区要素来表征。符合上述要求的滑坡编目可以用来进行地震滑坡危险性分析和其他的定量分析研究。详细的地震滑坡编目可以追溯到1960年代初的航空摄影技术的出现与应用。近年来,随着空间技术科学的进步,高分辨率卫星影像获取成为可能,从而使得除最小的滑坡之外可以识别并绘出所有由地震事件触发的滑坡。得益于遥感技术的这种可以观测到地球任何地方的能力,我们可以获取到任何大量地震滑坡发生区域的遥感影像。然而,随着高分辨率遥感影像时代的到来,地震滑坡编目数据不完整也成为当前研究中的一个普遍存在的问题。     

2007年新潟县中越近海地震期间柏崎刈羽核电站垂直阵观测的土的非线性行为

2007年新潟县中越近海地震期间柏崎刈羽核电站遭受到极强的震动。该核电站周围密集的地震检波器阵观测到的加速度记录目前已对公众开放,将会提供有价值的资料。基于在主震及前震、余震中观测到的垂直阵记录,利用归一化输入输出最小化(NIOM)方法研究了S波速度随时间的变化。在地表下50m与50～100m的地层中,发现在主震的主运动期间S波速度显著降低,显示了非线性行为。然而在地表100m以下的基岩层中,观测到了近似线性的行为。并且发现在100m以内的地层中,主运动后不久S波速度增大,说明这些地层没有发生较大的液化。最后,基于得到的S波速度研究了剪切模量和剪应变之间的关系。地表层及中间层的归一化剪切模量(G/G0)降低到约0.2(应变水平1×10-3～1×10-2)和0.6(在应变水平1×10-3～2×10-3)。     

2011年3月胶州湾表层海水pCO2及海-气界面通量

依据2011年3月4日对胶州湾走航连续实测所得pCO2数据,结合水文、化学和生物等要素的同步实测资料,对胶州湾海域pCO2分布及其影响因素进行了初步探讨,并估算了3月海-气CO2通量。结果表明:3月胶州湾表层海水pCO2实测值在191～332μatm之间,平均值为278μatm,海-气CO2通量在-22.76～-7.13mmol·m-2·d-1,平均值为-14.2mmol·m-2·d-1,这一时期胶州湾从大气吸收约1.59×103t C,表现为大气CO2的强汇。生物活动是影响这一时期表层海水pCO2分布的主要原因。