Paleomagnetism and paleoclimate change in the South China Sea since the late Pleistocene

Signal processing techniques of cross-correlation, power spectral analysis and cross-power spectral analysis are used to determine the relationships between paleomagnetic properties and the oxygen isotope record of the South China Sea during the late Pleistocene. On the basis of correlation tests between the δ18O time series of cores V3 and A15 with the paleomagnetic properties of core SCS01, five events of susceptibility and intensity of natural remanent magnetization are identified as glacial events corresponding to δ18O positive events. The magnetic properties of the sediments which are independent of the geomagnetic field are sensitive climatic indicators which have frequencies corresponding to the Milankovitch orbital parameters.     

Rhodamine exclusion activity in primary cultured turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) hepatocytes

Cellular detoxification by direct processes has been investigated in fish by studying the ability of hepatocytes prepared from juvenile aquarium-reared turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) to actively exclude the fluorescent dye rhodamine B (RB). Cell viability was studied by measurements of non-specific esterase activity using fluorescein diacetate. This revealed that turbot hepatocytes can be cultured for a few days with a viability decreasing to 38% after 24 h. The 24-h cultured cells have been used to study the rhodamine B exclusion activity using confocal laser microscopy. Hepatocytes accumulated the dye in a competitive manner with verapamil, thus suggesting that they express a transport system similar to the P-glycoprotein-mediated multixenobiotic resistance process. Incubation of cells with 1 microM RB and 20 microM verapamil led to a 26% increase of cellular fluorescence as compared to the accumulation in absence of competitor. Rhodamine B accumulated in the whole cytoplasm, with more concentrated areas that might correspond to the lysosomal compartment and the cell membrane.     

E24 profile slope stability analysis in Haizhou Opencast Coal Mine of Fuxin

The E24 profile slope analyzed belongs to a series of excavated slopes of the Haizhou Opencast Coal Mine. It seems to be divided into Downslope Part and Upslope Part. Its profile comprises two noticeable coal seams, called the 8# and 9# weak layers, considered as the potential failure surfaces. In consideration of the actual configuration as in the perspective of any modification, assessing the stability of this slope with various profile forms under given conditions, and assessing the risk of instability and quantifying the influence of earthworks or other modifications to the stability of this slope, have constituted the primordial objectives carried out. From assumed potential failure surfaces, any specific profiles and specified slip surfaces are defined. A factor of safety (FoS) is computed for each specified slip surface; the smallest FoS found corresponds to the least favorable slip surface. The safety factor values obtained are compared to the suggested safety factor. Limit equilibrium methods of vertical slices implemented in Slope/W, computer program for slope stability analyses, have been adopted to perform the E24 slope stability analysis. The safety factor values computed with 9# weak layer are lower than for 8#; the factors of safety obtained with Sarma's method are the smallest; more, without groundwater (long term) overall values are greater than those determined under groundwater condition (short term). The lowest safety factor value is found for a profile depending on an adopted earthwork sequence. The E24 profile slope stability analysis shows the instability risk for the deepest weak layer, and also shows the short and long term stability of this slope for the envisaged earth movements. However it demonstrates the existence of instability risk for any earthwork firstly affecting the downslope part.     

Land Utilization in Chengtu Plain, Szechwan

In the north-western part of Szechwan Basin is the famous Chengtu Plain,with an area of 8,000 sq. km. and at 500-700 m. above the sea level. It is a huge alluvial plain formed by cohesion of many alluvial fans, among which the Minking fan is the largest, constituting 2/3 of the area of Chengtu Plain.     

A new method for laboratory estimation of the transverse dispersion coefficient

We introduce a method for identifying the transverse dispersion coefficient in laboratory experiments based on the analytical solution of a pulse injection of a nonreactive solute in a soil column (cylindrical geometry) packed with a homogeneous porous medium. This method takes into account the effect of boundary conditions such as no flux on the column perimeter, and it does not need a priori knowledge of the longitudinal dispersion coefficient. Numerical applications of the method show that it is stable and robust and that the results are reasonably in accordance with those found using the classical maximum likelihood method.     

Temporal trends of mercury in marine biota of west and northwest Greenland

Temporal trends in mercury concentrations ([Hg]) during the last two to three decades were determined in liver of shorthorn sculpin, ringed seal and Atlantic walrus from northwest Greenland (NWG, 77 degrees N) and in liver of shorthorn sculpin and ringed seal from central west Greenland (CWG, 69 degrees N) during the last decade. Stable-nitrogen (delta(15)N) and carbon (delta(13)C) isotope values were determined in muscle of ringed seals to provide insight into potential trophic level changes through time. Log-linear regressions on annual median [Hg] did not reveal any temporal trend in shorthorn sculpin from CWG and NWG and walrus from NWG. In ringed seals from NWG, an increase in [Hg] of 7.8% per year was observed. When based on delta(15)N-adjusted [Hg] this rate increased to 8.5% but was still non-significant. In ringed seal from CWG no trend was found in [Hg] during the period 1994-2004. However, during the last part of the period (1999-2004) the [Hg] increased significantly. Including tissue delta(15)N values as a covariate had a marked effect on these results. The annual changes in delta(15)N-adjusted [Hg] was estimated to -5.0% for the whole period and 2.2% during the last 5 years compared to -1.3% and 12.4%, respectively, for the non-adjusted [Hg].     

A revisitation of TRIX for trophic status assessment in the light of the European Water Framework Directive: application to Italian coastal waters

The trophic status classification of coastal waters at the European scale requires the availability of harmonised indicators and procedures. The composite trophic status index (TRIX) provides useful metrics for the assessment of the trophic status of coastal waters. It was originally developed for Italian coastal waters and then applied in many European seas (Adriatic, Tyrrhenian, Baltic, Black and Northern seas). The TRIX index does not fulfil the classification procedure suggested by the WFD for two reasons: (a) it is based on an absolute trophic scale without any normalization to type-specific reference conditions; (b) it makes an ex ante aggregation of biological (Chl-a) and physico-chemical (oxygen, nutrients) quality elements, instead of an ex post integration of separate evaluations of biological and subsequent chemical quality elements. A revisitation of the TRIX index in the light of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000/60/EC) and new TRIX derived tools are presented in this paper. A number of Italian coastal sites were grouped into different types based on a thorough analysis of their hydro-morphological conditions, and type-specific reference sites were selected. Unscaled TRIX values (UNTRIX) for reference and impacted sites have been calculated and two alternative UNTRIX-based classification procedures are discussed. The proposed procedures, to be validated on a broader scale, provide users with simple tools that give an integrated view of nutrient enrichment and its effects on algal biomass (Chl-a) and on oxygen levels. This trophic evaluation along with phytoplankton indicator species and algal blooms contribute to the comprehensive assessment of phytoplankton, one of the biological quality elements in coastal waters.     

Effects of exposure to petroleum hydrocarbons upon the metabolism of the common sole Solea solea

On December 12th, 1999, the oil tanker Erika sank off the southern coast of Brittany (France), releasing 20000-30000tons of heavy oil in the open sea. Among the affected coastal habitats were important nurseries for numerous flatfish species and particularly for the common sole, Solea solea. To investigate the potential impact of the spill on this economically significant resource, we employed Fry's concept of metabolic scope for activity to assess the deleterious effect of fuel exposure on the functional integrity of juvenile sole. Fish were captured from uncontaminated areas and experimentally exposed to contamination conditions mimicking those encountered during the weeks that followed the Erika spill. Using respirometry techniques we measured basal and active metabolic rates, and calculated aerobic metabolic scope, in control and fuel-exposed sole. We then compared the ability of control and fuel-exposed sole to face an episode of reduced oxygen availability. We found that whereas basal metabolic rate was not altered in fuel-exposed fish, active metabolic rate (-27%), and therefore aerobic metabolic scope, were impacted. These changes in metabolic scope were viewed as indicating changes in fishes' ability to face environmental contingencies. Finally the ability of sole to face an episode of reduced oxygen availability was found to be significantly altered following fuel exposure as indicated by a 65% increase in the critical oxygen level. It is concluded that fuel-exposed sole are functionally impaired and less able to face environmental challenges. The link between these results and the recently reported fall in the abundance of the year class that suffered the Erika oil spill is discussed.     

Estrogenic activity in sediments contaminated by nonylphenol in Tokyo Bay (Japan) evaluated by vitellogenin induction in male mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus)

Estrogenic activity was determined in sediments collected from Tokyo Bay. Sampling was performed at five stations including the site near the sewage treatment plant. The most estrogenic sediment collected near the sewage treatment plant was fractionated into ten fractions using normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Chemical analysis was carried out for each fraction and nonylphenol (NP, 20,700 ng g⁻¹ dry wt) was detected at a higher concentration than estron (2.39 ng g⁻¹ dry wt) and 17β-estradiol (<0.7 ng g⁻¹ dry wt). Furthermore, each fraction was administered to male mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus), and vitellogenin (Vtg) was measured after two weeks. The induction of Vtg was observed; this estrogenic potency could be attributed to the NP content in this fraction. This is the first report to suggest that the high NP concentration in the sediments from Tokyo Bay has the potential to induce Vtg in wild fish.