Lead contamination of small cetaceans in European waters--the use of stable isotopes for identifying the sources of lead exposure

Lead concentrations and isotopic composition have been measured in bone and teeth of small cetaceans belonging to three species (Delphinus delphis, Phocoena phocoena and Stenella coeruleoalba), to evaluate the toxicological risk and to determine sources of lead in the European waters. Lead concentrations, far lower than threshold value inducing toxic effects in human, were higher in teeth than in bones, but highly correlated between the two tissues (r=0.92, p<0.001). Large variations of 206Pb/207Pb values in bone tissue showed that cetaceans must be submitted to various atmospheric influences. No geographical differences appeared which is consistent with studies on their distribution indicating seasonal movements between Brittany waters and the Bay of Biscay. The negative correlation between 206Pb/207Pb ratios and age of the individuals reflected the decrease in the production of alkyl lead in Europe, i.e., the increasing use of unleaded gasoline.     

Effects of cadmium, zinc and nitrogen status on non-protein thiols in the macroalgae Enteromorpha spp. from the Scheldt Estuary (SW Netherlands, Belgium) and Thermaikos Gulf (N Aegean Sea, Greece)

Enteromorpha prolifera (Scheldt Estuary) and E. linza (Thermaikos Gulf) were incubated at three salinities with 100 and 200microgL(-1)Cd and Zn. The objective was to measure effects of Cd, Zn and nitrogen (N) status on the pools of metal-binding non-protein thiols: glutathione and phytochelatins, (gamma-glutamyl-cysteinyl)(n)-glycine (PC). In E. linza, ammonium pools were higher, but amino acid pools, total N and protein contents were lower than in E. prolifera. Reduced glutathione (GSH) pools were positively correlated with free glutamate and protein contents. In E. linza GSH pools increased and the ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione (GSH:(GSH+0.5GSSG)), an indicator of oxidative stress, decreased with Cd contents, indicating Cd-induced glutathione oxidation. Total glutathione pools (reduced plus oxidized) ranged from 16nmolSgdwt(-1) in controls (at 0.5micromolCdgdwt(-1)) to 179nmolSgdwt(-1) (at 1.9micromolCdgdwt(-1)) at the highest cadmium dosage. Cadmium stimulated PC synthesis in E. prolifera which suggests that in N-rich algae, glutathione pools were high enough for PC synthesis. In both species GSH and protein increased with Zn contents, whereas GSH:(GSH+0.5GSSG) decreased, which would indicate Zn-induced oxidative stress; in E. linza, at the highest salinity the glutathione redox ratio decreased from 0.61 (at 2.9micromolZngdwt(-1)) to 0.26 (at 4.9nmolSgdwt(-1)) (at 0.5molCdgdwt(-1)). PCs were not synthesized in response to Zn, which may have resulted in Zn-induced GSH oxidation. The presence of both oxidative effects (Cd, Zn) and detoxification (Cd) could be identified by observing the responses of glutathione and PC pools to metal stress.     

香港西贡滨珊瑚REE的地球化学特征及其与海平面变化的关系

用ICP-MS技术测定了位于珠江口西岸香港西贡滨珊瑚在1991～2002年(分辨率达到0.5a)的稀土元素(REE)含量。实验结果显示香港滨珊瑚REE具有Ce负异常、重稀土富集这种典型的海水相分布模式。香港滨珊瑚中REE含量处于目前已见报道中的高值范围,与巴布亚新几内亚珊瑚的REE含量相当。通过与不同地区的比较,香港珊瑚高REE含量很可能就是毗邻的珠江水体高REE的直接反映,而且同南海北缘半封闭边缘海的性质有关。香港珊瑚REE的来源主要为珠江口及其相邻的陆缘沉积物。此外,1991～2002年香港珊瑚REE含量年际下降趋势十分明显,Ce负异常和重稀土富集的程度也呈加剧的趋势,分布模式向海水相转化。REE含量与海平面的年际变化之间有显著的负相关关系(r=-0.7～-0.9),而且重稀土与海平面的相关系数优于轻稀土。上述结果揭示了热带滨珊瑚对近期全球变暖、极冰融化和海水膨胀所引起的海平面快速上升的响应。     

Application of satellite infrared data for mapping of thermal plume contamination in coastal ecosystem of Korea

The 5900 MW Younggwang nuclear power station on the west coast of Korea discharges warm water affecting coastal ecology [KORDI report (2003). Wide area observation of the impact of the operation of Younggwang nuclear power plant 5 and 6, No. BSPI 319-00-1426-3, KORDI, Seoul, Korea]. Here the spatial and temporal characteristics of the thermal plume signature of warm water are reported from a time series (1985-2003) of space-borne, thermal infrared data from Landsat and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellites. Sea surface temperature (SST) were characterized using advanced very high resolution radiometer data from the NOAA satellites. These data demonstrated the general pattern and extension of the thermal plume signature in the Younggwang coastal areas. In contrast, the analysis of SST from thematic mapper data using the Landsat-5 and 7 satellites provided enhanced information about the plume shape, dimension and direction of dispersion in these waters. The thermal plume signature was detected from 70 to 100 km to the south of the discharge during the summer monsoon and 50 to 70 km to the northwest during the winter monsoon. The mean detected plume temperature was 28 degrees C in summer and 12 degrees C in winter. The DeltaT varied from 2 to 4 degrees C in winter and 2 degrees C in summer. These values are lower than the re-circulating water temperature (6-9 degrees C). In addition the temperature difference between tidal flats and offshore (SSTtidal flats - SSToffsore) was found to vary from 5.4 to 8.5 degrees C during the flood tides and 3.5 degrees C during the ebb tide. The data also suggest that water heated by direct solar radiation on the tidal flats during the flood tides might have been transported offshore during the ebb tide. Based on these results we suggest that there is an urgent need to protect the health of Younggwang coastal marine ecosystem from the severe thermal impact by the large quantity of warm water discharged from the Younggwang nuclear power plant.     

Seasonal variations of phytoplankton diversity in the Coleroon coastal waters, southeast coast of India

The results of an investigation carried out during June 2005 to May 2007 on physico-chemical parameters,species composition and community structure of phytoplankton including Chlorophyll a(Chl-a) at the Coleroon coastal waters(Southeast coast of India) are reported.Air and surface water temperatures(°C) varied from 25.1 to 30.1 and from 24.5 to 28.5 respectively.Salinity values varied from 6 to 28.5 and the pH ranged between 7.0 and 8.3.Variation in dissolved oxygen content was from 3.1 to 7.5 mg/dm-3 while the light extinction coefficient values(LEC) ranged between 3.1 and 10.1 cm.The ranges of inorganic nutrients(μmol/dm-3) viz.,nitrate,nitrite,phosphate and silicate were 10.1-23.4,1.2-8.9,0.2-3.1 and 55-125,respectively.The ranges of Chlorophyll a(μg/dm-3) values was 2.0-7.5.Presently,124 phytoplankton species representing different classes viz:Bacillariophyceae(77),Dinophyceae(19),Cyanophyceae(15),Chlorophyceae(10) and Chrysophyceae(3) were recorded.The phytoplankton cell abundance varied from 0.290 to 111.662 cells/cm-3,with peak diversity(3.38 bits/ind.) during summer season.The maximum abundance was found during summer season coinciding with the stable hydrographical conditions.The seasonal distribution and abundance of phytoplankton are discussed in relation to hydrographical parameters.Canonical Correspondence Analysis(CCA) was applied in this paper for discriminating environmental factors having effect on phytoplankton community at species level.Coleroon coastal water is subjected to long term fluctuations in physico-chemical parameters depending upon the seasonal tidal amplitude and freshwater influx resulting in a continuous exchange of organic,inorganic,plant and animal matters.     

太平洋东北部水合物脊现代甲烷渗漏区有孔虫记录甲烷的碳同位素证据

俄勒冈州外海水合物脊现代甲烷渗漏区的发现,为研究甲烷对活体有孔虫生态和地球化学方面的影响提供了机会。2002年在水合物脊南部高点获取一批岩心。样品经保存和染色后用来测定Uvigerina peregrina、Cibicidoidesmckannai和Globobuliminaauriculata3个底栖有孔虫属种的活体（经染色）和死体的碳同位素（δ13C）组成。有孔虫样经光学显微镜和扫描电镜检查,未发现有成岩作用或自生碳酸盐沉淀作用的迹象。渗漏区活底栖有孔虫单体记录的乎δ13C值在-0．4％--21．2％0之间,说明受高浓度甲烷碳同位素的影响。渗漏区底栖有孔虫护C平均值（由单体样品计算）范围在-1．28％--5．64％0之间,而背景区（没有甲烷渗漏）的介于-0．81％--0．85％之间。为了解环境因素对底栖有孔虫δ13C值的影响,对细菌席和蛤床两种截然不同的甲烷渗漏环境的底栖有孔虫进行研究。细菌席区的有孔虫单体比蛤床区的具有更负的δ13C值。我们解释这种差异是食物来源或共生细菌对底栖有孔虫δ13C值影响的结果,通过溶解无机碳（DIC）作用于底栖有孔虫,使其δ13C值负偏移。对比活体和死体底栖有孔虫的δ13C值,并未发现统计上的差异。这说明自生碳酸盐沉淀作用未在观测到的同位素组成中起主导作用。然而,少量极度亏损δ13C（〈-12％）的死体底栖有孔虫确实显示了自生碳酸盐岩沉积对有孔虫δ13C值影响的潜在证据。     

Effect of Dietary Phosphorus on the Growth and Body Components of Juvenile Synechogobius hasta

The effect of dietary phosphorus on the growth and body components of juvenile Synechogobius hasta was determined. Different percentages of dietary phosphorus (0.63, 0.77, 0.93, 1.06, 1.22 and 1.36) were tested by feeding the fish (body weight, 15.81 g ± 0.32 g; 20 individuals each group; 3 groups each percentage) at a surplus of 5%–10% above satiation for 35 d. Dietary phosphorus did not significantly affect the specific growth rate, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency rate. Nitrogen ...     

Detection of the end point temperature of thermal denatured protein in fish and chicken meat through SDS-PAGE electrophoresis

Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was applied in the detection of the end point temperature (EPT) of thermal denatured protein in fish and meat in this study. It was also used in studying the thermal denatured temperature range of proteins in salmon and chicken meat. The results show that the temperature ranges of denatured proteins were from 65 ℃ to 75 ℃ , and these temperature ranges were influenced by the processing methods. Through SDS-PAGE, the features of repeated he...     

The Effect of Temperature on Growth and Energy Budget of the Polychaete,Neanthes japonica Izuka

Growth and energy budget of the polychaete, Neanthesjaponica, at various temperatures (17, 20, 23, 26 and 29 ℃) were investigated in this study. The growth, as indicated by final dry weight and specific growth rate (SGR), increased with increasing temperature, with the maximum level at 26℃, and then decreased significantly at 29℃. A similar trend was observed in feeding rate, food conversion efficiency (FCE) and apparent digestive rate (ADR). However, no significant differences were detected in ADR among all the temperature treatments. In the pattern of energy allocation, faeces energy was only a small component of energy budget and had little influence on the proportion of food energy allocated to growth. The metabolic energy accounted for a large portion of energy intake for each temperature treatment. The nitrogen excretion was appreciable with changing temperature. The two expendi-ture terms (respiration energy and excretion energy) in energy budget were the major factors influencing the proportion of food en-ergy allocated to growth. These results revealed that temperature affected the growth of N. japonica mainly by influencing feeding rate and FCE. In addition, regression equations describing the relationship between feeding rate, faecal production, SGR, FCE and temperature were obtained. The optimum temperatures for feeding rate, FCE and SGR were estimated at 25.01 ℃, 24.24℃ and 24.73 ℃, respectively, from the regression equations.     

THERMAL EFFECTS OF BUILDING′S EXTERNAL SURFACES IN CITY——Characteristics of Heat Flux into and out of External Wall Surfaces

1INTRODUCTIONWiththerecentmodernizationandurbanizationofChi-na,urbanareashavegreatlyincreased, andgiantbuild-ings,especiallythosetallerthan100m,havebeendomi-nantincities,whichhave resultedinthegreatincreaseintheproportionofbuilding'sexternalsurfacetototalurbanarea.Thedifferencesofthermalpropertiesmain-lyinducedbysolarradiationbetweenbuilding'sexter-nalsurfacesareobviousfordifferentexposures,whichcaninevitablyinfluencethedistributionsofairtempera-turenearby,eventheverticaldistributionsofurb…