Toxic Cyanobacteria in Greek Freshwaters, 1987—2000: Occurrence,Toxicity, and Impacts in the Mediterranean Region

In a survey in Greece from 1987 to 2000 hepatotoxic cyanobacterial blooms were observed in 9 out of 33 freshwaters. Microcystins (MCYSTs) were detected by HPLC in 7 of these lakes, and the total MCYST concentration per scum dry weight ranged from 50.3 to 1638 ± 464 μg g^—1. Cyanobacterial genera (Microcystis, Anabaena, Anabaenopsis, Aphanizomenon, Cylindrospermopsis) with known toxin producing taxa were present in 31 freshwaters. From our data and a review of the literature, it would appear that Mediterranean countries are more likely 1) to have toxic cyanobacterial blooms consisting of Microcystis spp. and 2) to have higher intracellular MCYST concentrations. A case study in Lake Kastoria is used to highlight seasonal patterns of cyanobacterial and MCYST‐LR occurrence and to assess cyanotoxin risk. Cyanobacterial biovolume was high (> 11 μL L^—1) throughout the year and was in excess of Guidance Level 2 (10 μL L^—1) proposed by WHO for recreational waters and Alert Level 2 for drinking water. Further, surface water samples from April to November exceeded Guidance Level 3, with the potential for acute cyanobacterial poisoning. Intracellular MCYST‐LR concentrations (max 3186 μg L^—1) exceeded the WHO guideline for drinking water (1 μg L^—1) from September to November with a high risk of adverse health effects. Preliminary evidence indicates that in 3 lakes microcystins are accumulated in some aquatic organisms. Generally, a high risk level can be deduced from the data for the Mediterranean region.     

Biodegradation and environmental behavior of biodiesel mixtures in the sea: An initial study

Biodiesel, a mixture of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) derived from animal fats or vegetable oils, is rapidly moving towards the mainstream as an alternative source of energy. However, the behavior of biodiesel, or blends of biodiesel with fossil diesel, in the marine environment have yet to be fully understood. Hence, we performed a series of initial laboratory experiments and simple calculations to evaluate the microbial and environmental fate of FAMEs. Aerobic seawater microcosms spiked with biodiesel or mixtures of biodiesel and fossil diesel revealed that the FAMEs were degraded at roughly the same rate as n-alkanes, and more rapidly than other hydrocarbon components. The residues extracted from these different microcosms became indistinguishable within weeks. Preliminary results from physical-chemical calculations suggest that FAMEs in biodiesel mixtures will not affect the evaporation rates of spilled petroleum hydrocarbons but may stabilize oil droplets in the water column and thereby facilitate transport.     

Comparison of LiDAR waveform processing methods for very shallow water bathymetry using Raman,near‐infrared and green signals

Airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) bathymetry appears to be a useful technology for bed topography mapping of non‐navigable areas, offering high data density and a high acquisition rate. However, few studies have focused on continental waters, in particular, on very shallow waters (<2 m) where it is difficult to extract the surface and bottom positions that are typically mixed in the green LiDAR signal. This paper proposes two new processing methods for depth extraction based on the use of different LiDAR signals [green, near‐infrared (NIR), Raman] of the SHOALS‐1000T sensor. They have been tested on a very shallow coastal area (Golfe du Morbihan, France) as an analogy to very shallow rivers. The first method is based on a combination of mathematical and heuristic methods using the green and the NIR LiDAR signals to cross validate the information delivered by each signal. The second method extracts water depths from the Raman signal using statistical methods such as principal components analysis (PCA) and classification and regression tree (CART) analysis. The obtained results are then compared to the reference depths, and the performances of the different methods, as well as their advantages/disadvantages are evaluated. The green/NIR method supplies 42% more points compared to the operator process, with an equivalent mean error (?4·2 cm verusu ?4·5 cm) and a smaller standard deviation (25·3 cm verusu 33·5 cm). The Raman processing method provides very scattered results (standard deviation of 40·3 cm) with the lowest mean error (?3·1 cm) and 40% more points. The minimum detectable depth is also improved by the two presented methods, being around 1 m for the green/NIR approach and 0·5 m for the statistical approach, compared to 1·5 m for the data processed by the operator. Despite its ability to measure other parameters like water temperature, the Raman method needed a large amount of reference data to provide reliable depth measurements, as opposed to the green/NIR method. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Occurrence and distribution of hydrocarbons in the surface microlayer and subsurface water from the urban coastal marine area off Marseilles, Northwestern Mediterranean Sea

Aliphatic (AHs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed in dissolved and particulate material from surface microlayer (SML) and subsurface water (SSW) sampled at nearshore observation stations, sewage effluents and harbour sites from Marseilles coastal area (Northwestern Mediterranean) in 2009 and 2010. Dissolved and particulate AH concentrations ranged 0.05–0.41 and 0.04–4.3 μg l⁻¹ in the SSW, peaking up to 38 and 1366 μg l⁻¹ in the SML, respectively. Dissolved and particulate PAHs ranged 1.9–98 and 1.9–21 ng l⁻¹ in the SSW, amounting up 217 and 1597 ng l⁻¹ in the SML, respectively. In harbours, hydrocarbons were concentrated in the SML, with enrichment factors reaching 1138 for particulate AHs. Besides episodic dominance of biogenic and pyrogenic inputs, a moderate anthropisation from petrogenic sources dominated suggesting the impact of shipping traffic and surface runoffs on this urbanised area. Rainfalls increased hydrocarbon concentrations by a factor 1.9–11.5 in the dissolved phase.     

Biofilm Detection in a Model Well‐Bore Environment Using Low‐Field NMR

This research addresses the challenges of the lack of non‐invasive methods and poor spatiotemporal resolution associated with monitoring biogeochemical activity central to bioremediation of subsurface contaminants. Remediation efforts often include growth of biofilm to contain or degrade chemical contaminants, such as nitrates, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and some chlorinated solvents. Previous research indicates that nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is sensitive to the biogeochemical processes of biofilm accumulation. The current research focuses on developing methods to use low‐cost NMR technology to support in situ monitoring of biofilm growth and geochemical remediation processes in the subsurface. Biofilm was grown in a lab‐scale radial flow bioreactor designed to model the near wellbore subsurface environment. The Vista Clara Javelin NMR logging device, a slim down‐the‐borehole probe, collected NMR measurements over the course of eight days while biofilm was cultivated in the sand‐packed reactor. Measured NMR mean log T₂ relaxation times decreased from approximately 710 to 389 ms, indicating that the pore environment and bulk fluid properties were changing due to biofilm growth. Destructive sampling employing drop plate microbial population analysis and scanning electron and stereoscopic microscopy confirmed biofilm formation. Our findings demonstrate that the NMR logging tool can detect small to moderate changes in T₂ distribution associated with environmentally relevant quantities of biofilm in quartz sand.     

Geochemistry and magmatic properties of eruption episodes from Haroharo linear vent zone, Okataina Volcanic Centre, New Zealand during the last 10 kyr

Post-10 ka rhyolitic eruptions from the Haroharo linear vent zone, Okataina Volcanic Centre, have occurred from several simultaneously active vents spread over 12 km. Two of the three eruption episodes have tapped multiple compositionally distinct homogeneous magma batches. Three magmas totalling ~8 km³ were erupted during the 9.5 ka Rotoma episode. The most evolved Rotoma magma (SiO₂=76.5–77.9 wt%, Sr=96–112 ppm) erupted from a southeastern vent, and is characterised by a cummingtonite-dominant mineralogy, a temperature of 739±14°C, and fO₂ of NNO+0.52±0.11. The least evolved (SiO₂=75.0–76.4 wt%, Sr=128–138 ppm, orthopyroxene+ hornblende-dominant) Rotoma magma erupted from several vents, and was hotter (764±18°C) and more reduced (NNO+0.40±0.13). The ~11 km³ Whakatane episode occurred at 5.6 ka and also erupted three magmas, each from a separate vent. The most evolved (SiO₂=73.3–76.2 wt%, Sr=88–100 ppm) Whakatane magma erupted from the southwestern (Makatiti) vent and is cummingtonite-dominant, cool (745±11°C), and reduced (NNO+0.34±0.08). The least evolved (SiO₂=72.8–74.1 wt%, Sr=132–134 ppm) magma was erupted from the northeastern (Pararoa) vent and is characterised by an orthopyroxene+ hornblende-dominant mineralogy, temperature of 764±18°C, and fO₂ of NNO+0.40±0.13. Compositionally intermediate magmas were erupted during the Rotoma and Whakatane episodes are likely to be hybrids. A single ~13 km³ magma erupted during the intervening 8.1 ka Mamaku episode was relatively homogeneous in composition (SiO₂=76.1–76.8 wt%, Sr=104–112 ppm), temperature (736±18°C), and oxygen fugacity (NNO+0.19±0.12). Some of the vents tapped a single magma while others tapped several. Deposit stratigraphy suggests that the eruptions alternated between magmas, which were often simultaneously erupted from separate vents. Both effusive and explosive activity alternated, but was predominantly effusive (>75% erupted as lava domes and flows). The plumbing systems which fed the vents are inferred to be complex, with magma experiencing different conditions in the conduits. As the eruption of several magmas was essentially concurrent, the episodes were likely triggered by a common event such as magmatic intrusion or seismic disturbance.     

Site Response in Las Vegas Valley, Nevada from NTS Explosions and Earthquake Data

We report site response in Las Vegas Valley (LVV) from historical recordings of Nevada Test Site (NTS) nuclear explosions and earthquake recordings from permanent and temporary seismic stations. Our data set significantly improves the spatial coverage of LVV over previous studies, especially in the northern, deeper parts of the basin. Site response at stations in LVV was measured for frequencies in the range 0.2–5.0 Hz using Standard Spectral Ratios (SSR) and Horizontal-Vertical Spectral Ratios (HVR). For the SSR measurements we used a reference site (approximately NEHRP B ``rock' classification) located on Frenchman Mountain outside the basin. Site response at sedimentary sites is variable in LVV with average amplifications approaching a factor of 10 at some frequencies. We observed peaks in the site response curves at frequencies clustered near 0.6, 1.2 and 2.0 Hz, with some sites showing additional lower amplitude peaks at higher frequencies. The spatial pattern of site response is strongly correlated with the reported depth to basement for frequencies between 0.2 and 3.0 Hz, although the frequency of peak amplification does not show a similar correlation. For a few sites where we have geotechnical shear velocities, the amplification shows a correlation with the average upper 30-meter shear velocities, V₃₀. We performed two-dimensional finite difference simulations and reproduced the observed peak site amplifications at 0.6 and 1.2 Hz with a low velocity near-surface layer with shear velocities 600–750 m/s and a thickness of 100–200 m. These modeling results indicate that the amplitude and frequencies of site response peaks in LVV are strongly controlled by shallow velocity structure.