Survey of estrogenic and androgenic disruption in Swedish coastal waters by the analysis of bile fluid from perch and biomarkers in the three-spined stickleback

The potential for endocrine disruption close to sewage treatment plant and pulp mill effluent discharge points along the Swedish Baltic Sea coast was explored using a dual survey strategy employing two stationary fish species. The levels of vitellogenin and spiggin as biomarkers of endocrine disruption were determined in juvenile three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.) together with the sex ratios and the presence of intersex. As an indication of exposure, estrogenic and androgenic substances were analysed by GC–MS in bile from perch (Perca fluviatilis L.). Spiggin and vitellogenin levels in juvenile three-spined sticklebacks were generally low, and, for most sampling sites no deviation in gonad type ratios were observed. No remarkable levels of natural or synthetic estrogens or androgens were observed in bile fluid from perch, while bisphenol A and 4-nonylphenol were detected in perch from both reference sites and exposed sites. Taken together, the results did not indicate estrogenic or androgenic disruption in the investigated waters.     

Heavy metal contamination in western Xiamen Bay sediments and its vicinity, China

Concentrations of selected heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Ni and Fe) in surface sediments from nine sites in western Xiamen Bay and its vicinity were studied in order to understand current metal contamination due to urbanization and economic development in Xiamen, China. The sediment samples were collected in December 2004 and July 2005 respectively in order to examine temporal variations. In this study, we found that heavy metal concentrations in surface sediments sampled in the western Xiamen Bay and adjacent Maluan Bay and Yuandang Lagoon varied from 19 to 97mg kg(-1) for Cu, 45 to 60mg kg(-1) for Pb, 65 to 223mg kg(-1) for Zn, 0.11 to 1.01mg kg(-1) for Cd, 37 to 134mg kg(-1) for Cr, 25 to 65mg kg(-1) for Ni and 3.08 to 4.81% for Fe. Although all metal concentrations in sediments meets Chinese National Standard Criteria for Marine Sediment Quality, both metal enrichment factors (EF) and geoaccumulation index (I(geo)) show that Pb contamination exists in the entire study area and contamination of other metals are also present in some locations depending on the sources, of which sewage outlets and commercial ports are the main sources of contaminants to the area. This study shows that using the sediment quality standard criteria only to assess sediments cannot properly reflect sediment contamination. A multiple approaches should be applied for the sediment quality assessment.     

Remotely sensed assessment of water quality levels in the Pearl River Estuary, China

In this paper, a method of assessing water quality from satellite data is introduced. The composite pollution index (CPI) was calculated from measured chemical oxygen demand (COD) and nutrient concentration. The relationships between CPI and 240 band combinations of SeaWiFS water-leaving radiance were analyzed and the optimal band combination for estimating CPI was chosen from the 240 band combinations. An algorithm for retrieval of CPI was developed using the optimal band combination, (L₄₄₃ × L₅₁₀)/(L₄₁₂ + L₄₉₀). The CPI was estimated from atmospherically corrected SeaWiFS data by employing the algorithm. Furthermore, the CPI value range for each water quality level was determined based on data obtained from 850 samples taken in the Pearl River Estuary. The remotely sensed CPIs were then transferred to water quality levels and appropriate maps were derived. The remotely sensed water quality level maps displayed a similar distribution of levels based on in situ investigation issued by the State Ocean Administration, China. This study demonstrates that remote sensing can play an important role in water quality assessment.     

Sulphate reduction in the sediment of the Venice canals (Italy)

The sulphur cycle in the sediment of the Venice canal network was investigated by considering the sulphate reduction rate (SRR) and the distribution of sulphur compounds, in both pore water and sediment. Sulphate reduction (SR) is the main process in the metabolism of the organic matter supplied to the network by untreated urban effluents. Although it might account for the decomposition of only a limited percentage of the total organic-C inputs, the estimated rates are among the highest observed in coastal sediments. Measured rates range from 0.26 to 0.99 micromolcm(-3)d(-1), while mean annual values, estimated by a diagenetic model, vary from 0.16 to 0.43 micromolcm(-3)d(-1). The speciation of S in the sediment reveals that pyrite-S is the most abundant component of the total reduced S pool, whereas acid volatile sulphides and elemental sulphur together account for less than 45%. A preliminary budget indicates that the rate of burial of solid-phase S is small compared to the S produced by SR (from 10 to 25%). A large amount of reduced S is then lost from the canal deposits to be re-oxidised at the sediment-water interface or in the overlying water column.     

Air--sea gaseous exchange of PCB at the Venice lagoon (Italy)

Water bodies are important storage media for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and this function is increased in coastal regions because their inputs are higher than those to the open sea. The air-water interface is extensively involved with the global cycling of PCBs because it is the place where they accumulate due to depositional processes and where they may be emitted by gaseous exchange. In this work the parallel collection of air, microlayer and sub-superficial water samples was performed in July 2005 at a site in the Venice lagoon to evaluate the summer gaseous flux of PCBs. The total concentration of PCBs (sum of 118 congeners) in air varies from 87 to 273 pg m(-3), whereas in the operationally defined dissolved phase of microlayer and sub-superficial water samples it varies from 159 to 391 pg L(-1). No significant enrichment of dissolved PCB into the microlayer has been observed, although a preferential accumulation of most hydrophobic congeners occurs. Due to this behaviour, we believe that the modified two-layer model was the most suitable approach for the evaluation of the flux at the air-sea interface, because it takes into account the influence of the microlayer. From its application it appears that PCB volatilize from the lagoon waters with a net flux varying from 58 to 195 ng m(-2)d(-1) (uncertainty: +/-50-64%) due to the strong influence of wind speed. This flux is greater than those reported in the literature for the atmospheric deposition and rivers input and reveals that PCB are actively emitted from the Venice lagoon in summer months.     

High-pressure granulite from Western Kunlun,northwestern China: Its metamorphic evolution,zircon SHRIMP U-Pb ages and tectonic implication

High-pressure mafic granulites occurring as lenticular bodies within garnet-amphibolites in Kangxiwar Fault have been first reported in this paper. The P-T conditions of two metamorphic stages were ob-tained using calibrated geothermal barometers and ThermoCalc Program. The peak metamorphic con-dition of these high-pressure granulites is about 760―820℃,1.0―1.2 GPa and the retrograde meta-morphic condition is about 620―720℃,0.7―0.8 GPa. The petrological studies show that they have a near-isobaric cooling P-T...     

Carbon isotopes and iodine concentrations in a Mississippi River delta core recording land use, sediment transport, and dam building in the river's drainage basin

Sedimentary material from coastal and nearshore areas in the Mississippi Delta region are comprised of different organic carbon sources with diverse ages that require isotopic and elemental records for resolving the various sources of plant residues. Carbon isotopic ((13)C, (14)C) values were used to differentiate contributions from plants using the C3, C4, and/or CAM (crassulacean acid metabolism) carbon fixation pathways., and iodine concentrations indicated that wetland plant residues are a significant source of organic carbon in a sediment core from the Mississippi River delta region collected at a 60 m water depth. This sediment core had been extensively described in Oktay et al. [Oktay, S.D., Santschi, P.H., Moran, J.E., Sharma, P., 2000. The (129)Iodine Bomb Pulse Recorded in Mississippi River delta Sediments: Results from Isotopes of I, Pu, Cs, Pb, and C. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 64 (6), 989-996.] and significantly, includes unique features that had not previously been seen in the marine environment. These special features include a plutonium isotopic close-in fallout record that indicates a purely terrestrial source for these sediment particles and the elements associated with it, and a distinct iodine isotopic peak (as well as peaks for plutonium and cesium isotopes) that indicate little bioturbation in this core. Our carbon isotopic and iodine data can thus be compared to published records of changes in drainage basin land use, river hydrology, and hydrodynamic sorting of suspended particles to elucidate if these changes are reflected in nearshore sediments. This comparison suggests a significant contribution for organic carbon (OC) from C4 plants to these sediments during the 1950's to early 1960's. Relative older carbon isotopes, and episodically high iodine concentrations (up to 34 ppm) were observed during this time period that (1) indicate sediment deposition that is coincident with the times of major hydrological changes induced from dam and levee building in both the upper and lower reaches of the Mississippi River drainage basin, and (2) suggest episodic organic carbon deposition from wetland plant residues.     

Stramonita haemastoma as a bioindicator for organotin contamination in coastal environments

Stramonita haemastoma was investigated as a suitable bioindicator of TBT and TPhT contamination in the tropical Atlantic Ocean by: 1. Imposex induction in healthy females after inoculation with TBT and TPhT in the laboratory; and 2. Determining incidence of imposex in S. haemastoma collected from areas with various levels of tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPhT) and determining the concentrations of these chemical in its tissues and that of its prey, the mussell Perna pernas. Imposex intensities and organotin concentrations in tissues showed good correlation, indicating S. haemastoma as a reliable bioindicator of TBT and TPhT contamination in coastal waters. Body burden threshold of TBT and TPhT for imposex induction was estimated to be 10-20 ng g(-1).     

达尔文翼龙及其对翼龙类系统发育研究的启示

During the last two decades more than twenty phylogenetic analyses of pterosaur relationships have been published. These range from small scale studies restricted to a few species from one clade, to comprehensive analyses that include the majority of known taxa. Most of these contributions can be traced back to data sets published either by Kellner (2003) or Unwin (2003), who, in turn, incorporated data from earlier analyses by Howse and Bennett.