Assessing degradation capability of aerobic indigenous microflora in PAH-contaminated brackish sediments

A study was conducted to determine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) distribution and microbial population changes in brackish sediments from an Italian lagoon included in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance. The presence and level of PAH-degrading bacteria were estimated by the most probable number (MPN) enumeration technique, whereas degradation capability towards target compounds was checked against loss of spiked PAHs (Phenanthrene, Anthracene and Fluoranthene) in MPN tubes after incubation in optimal conditions. Chemical analyses and microbiological counts suggested a potential for PAHs biodegradation by natural occurring populations of sediment microorganisms, thus indicating an "optimal range" in sediment PAHs concentrations, outside of which the natural selection of the indigenous microflora did not occur. The MPN procedure here described, provided an effective and reliable way to simultaneously determine microbial population densities and subsequent confirmation of the biodegradation capability of sediment indigenous microflora when exposed to laboratory and environmental concentrations of PAHs.     

Variations of antioxidant efficiency and presence of endosymbiotic diatoms in the Antarctic porifera Haliclona dancoi

The role of endosymbiotic diatoms as pro-oxidant stressors in porifera has been investigated in the Antarctic sponge Haliclona dancoi in which the presence of diatoms is influenced by marked seasonal variations during the austral summer. Both chlorophaeopigments and frustules were absent in sponge tissues sampled in early November at the beginning of the summer and increased from the mid of December with slightly shifted temporal trends. The efficiency of antioxidant defenses in the sponge showed a marked response to symbionts with clearly enhanced values corresponding to the peak of diatoms.     

Measurement of DNA single-strand breaks in gill and hemolymph cells of mussels, Mytilus sp., collected on the French Atlantic Coast

DNA single-strand breaks were measured by the comet assay in both gill and hemolymph cells of mussels collected in 3 sampling areas of the French coast (Pointe du Castelli, Pen Bron and Saint-Nazaire Harbour). Whole mussel tissue samples were also collected for the chemical determination of PAH, PCB and heavy metal concentrations. In mussel, a higher level of DNA strand breaks was measured in gill than in hemolymph cells (p < 0.01). Despite a factor of contamination from 2 to 3 between sites, no difference in the extent of mussel DNA strand breaks was shown between sampling locations (p > 0.05), questioning the sensitivity of the assays used in biomonitoring studies.     

Oxidative stress in ecotoxicology: from the analysis of individual antioxidants to a more integrated approach

An integrate approach will be discussed for investigations on oxidative stress in xenobiotic toxicity. While the analysis of individual antioxidants is useful for their sensitivity and to understand the mode of action of a stressor, the integration with the analysis of the total antioxidant capacity provides a more holistic assessment of the overall biological significance of such variations. TOSC has a greater predictive value on the health condition of the organisms and allows to discriminate the different role of specific ROS in oxidative stress syndrome.     

BD-74型多晶X光衍射仪研制成功

多晶X光衍射法在工业和科研的许多领域已应用多年。近年来,由于粒子探测技术和测角方法的改进,仪器的稳定度、分辨率、重复性不断提高。六十年代以后,多晶衍射术在海洋地质领域也广泛采用。深海钻探船<格洛玛>号就以此法作为海洋海底岩心矿物分析的主要手段。此外,如海洋粘土的层错     

激光器在水下的应用

激光(Laser)这个词最初是受激辐射光放大(Light Amplification by Stimu-lated Emission of Radiation)这个词组主要词的首字母缩合而成,现在已经使用了二十多年。虽然激光器长时间被认为是一种没有什么用途的器具,但是后来在大量的应用中它已经成为必不可少的东西了。当然,到目前为止,由于种种原因,基本的激光器系统在水下的应用还一直局限于实验性阶段,但是随着激光技术的快速发展和水下作业需求的日     

第23章 DNS模式:一种为大洋波浪预报而改进的谱模式

23.1 介绍 模拟与频率和方向相关的大洋波谱F（f,θ）的工作是极其困难的。唯一有点统一的理论（Hasselmann,1967）也还没有简化成一种实用形式。这篇研究中所探讨的是结合零散的,现有的理论,以达到这样一种目的:即发展一种与我们目前对风浪成长谱的了解相一致 ·95.的波谱模式。本章中我们将讨论一种离散的谱模式,这种模式采用了一种改进的能量传播的特征方法。数值方法最早是由Barnett等（1969）提出的。     

大西洋扇贝贝壳生长年轮的氧同位素研究

两只活的大洋扇贝Placopecten magellanicus分别于1983和1985年采自加拿大诺瓦·斯科舍省布朗斯浅滩,其氧同位素记录展示出一种年度性的循环,并与由环境海水的实测温度和同位素组成所预计的贝壳同位素组成十分接近。外生长线的位置与这些循环中δ~(18)O的最大值吻合,这说明外生长线于底层海水温度最低时(春季)形成。据测定的δ~(18)O的结果证明,外生长线是年度性形成的,这与生物学证据一致。