The "bioeffect assessment index" (BAI). A concept for the quantification of effects of marine pollution by an integrated biomarker approach

The "bioeffect assessment index" (BAI) is based on the integration of several pathological endpoints measured in the liver of European flounder (Platichthys flesus (L.)) during a long term study of biological effects of pollution in the German Bight. The BAI represents a modification of the "health assessment index" since it includes solely validated biomarkers reflecting toxically induced alterations at different levels of biological organisation in order to quantify the effects of environmental pollution. The concept of the BAI is based on the observation of progressive deleterious effects from early responses to late effects. Specific "key events" were detected, representing progressive stages of functional deterioration. The biomarkers selected from a whole battery of cellular markers for the BAI calculation reflect deleterious effects of various classes of contaminants such as heavy metals, organochlorines, pesticides, PAHs, and therefore reflect general toxicity in an integrative manner. Selected biomarkers were: lysosomal perturbations (reduced membrane stability), storage disorders (lipid accumulation) as early markers for toxic effects of liver cells, and the size of macrophage aggregates and their acid phosphatase activity. The latter two markers are indicative for the modulation of non-specific immune response which represents longer time scale responses after chronic exposure.     

A procedure for automated analysis of brief pumping tests of domestic wells

A new computer program has been developed to automate analysis of brief single-well pumping tests. Adapted from a procedure developed by Picking (1994) that does not require measurement of the pumping rate, this new program is menu-driven and eliminates one significant source of imprecision in Picking's original method, namely, selection of "well function of u" values by interpolation in a lookup table. This new program has been applied to tests of 25 domestic wells penetrating bedrock, each pumped for <2 min.     

Seafloor asymmetry in the Atlantic Ocean

1　Introduction　Themid oceanridgesystemisthelargestgeologicstructureonEarth .Oneoftheoriginalmodelsonridgeprocessesconsiderstheupwellingoftheunderly ingasthenosphereastheresultoftheactiveascendingofalarge scaleconvectioncellinthemantle (Holmes ,1931;Hess…     

Accumulation of hexavalent chromium by an exopolysaccharide producing marine Enterobacter cloaceae

An exopolysaccharide producing Enterobacter cloaceae (AK-I-MB-71a) was tested for its Cr (VI) tolerance. This isolate was not only resistant to this heavy metal but also showed enhanced growth and exopolysaccharide production in the presence of Cr (VI) at 25, 50 and 100 ppm concentrations. XRF analysis of both the biomass as well as the exopolysaccharide revealed that a sum total of about 60-70% chromium was accumulated by this bacterium. This indicated that this organism could prove to be a potential candidate in the field of bioremediation with respect to chromium removal.     

PSP-toxicification of the carnivorous gastropod Rapana venosa inhabiting the estuary of Nikoh River, Hiroshima Bay, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan

During surveillance on the toxicity of invertebrates such as bivalves inhabiting the coasts of Hiroshima Bay in 2001 and 2002, the carnivorous gastropod rapa whelk Rapana venosa collected in the estuary of Nikoh River, was found to contain toxins which showed paralytic actions in mice; the maximum toxicities (as paralytic shellfish poison, PSP) were 4.2 MU/g (May 2001) and 11.4 MU/g (April 2002). Their total toxicities were 224 and 206 MU/viscera of one specimen throughout the monitoring period. Attempts were made to identify the toxic principle in the gastropod. The viscera were extracted with 80% ethanol acidified with acetic acid, followed by defatting with dichloromethane. The aqueous layer obtained was treated with activated charcoal and then applied to a Sep-Pak C18 cartridge. The unbound toxic fraction was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography techniques. The gastropod toxin was rather unexpectedly identified as PSP. It was comprised of high toxic component (gonyautoxin-3; GTX3, GTX2, saxitoxin; STX) as the major components, which accounted for approximately 91 mol% of all components along with C1 and C2, which are N-sulfocarbamoyl derivatives. Judging from their toxin patterns, it is suggested that the PSP toxification mechanism of the gastropod that PSP toxins produced by phytoplankton such as Alexandrium tamarense, are transferred to and accumulated in plankton feeders such as the short-necked clam, and then transferred to this carnivorous rapa whelk R. venosa through predation.     

The Origin of the Luipo Iron Ore in Western Szechuan

正 Ⅰ. INTRODUCTION Close to the grand canyon of the Chingshakiang near Luipo~1 in western Szechuan (Plate I, Fig. 1), there occurs a more or less.flat-topped mountain, which, stretching from the city of Luipo northeastward to Wenshuicheng~2, is     

THE OROGENIC MOVEMENTS IN CHINA

INTRODUCTION The western Islands (Hsisatao) or the Paracel Reefs form the south-ern-most Chinese territory in the China sea. They are situated between latitudes 15°30′ N., and 17°30′ N. and longitudes E 111-113°. Accordingly     

Notes on the Lava Covered Gold Placer Deposits of Tangshau,Chihsia,Shantung

Introduction:In a clear summer day while standing on one of themountain tops of Linglungshan,~1 Chaoyuan,~2 Shantung,I saw severalmesas rising conspicuously at a distance of about thirty miles to thesoutheast.These topographical features remined me the possible occur-     

巽他大陆东南边缘的白垩纪俯冲,增生和碰撞作用

巽他大陆由不同年代的增生杂岩体和裂离于冈瓦纳大陆之增生微陆块所包围。巽他大陆东、南边缘的大陆增生作用起因于中、新生代沉积物的增生作用和陆块的碰撞作用。