Toxicities of antifouling biocide Irgarol 1051 and its major degraded product to marine primary producers

Irgarol 1051 (2-methythiol-4-tert-butylamino-6-cyclopropylamino-s-triazine) is an algaecide commonly used in antifouling paints. It undergoes photodegradation which yields M1 (2-methylthio-4-tert-butylamino-6-amino-s-triazine) as its major and most stable degradant. Elevated levels of both Irgarol and M1 have been detected in coastal waters worldwide; however, ecotoxicity effects of M1 to various marine autotrophs such as cyanobacteria are still largely unknown. This study firstly examined and compared the 96 h toxicities of Irgarol and M1 to the cyanobacterium Chroococcus minor and two marine diatom species, Skeletonema costatum and Thalassiosira pseudonana. Our results suggested that Irgarol was consistently more toxic to all of the three species than M1 (96 h EC50 values: C. minor, 7.71 microug L(-1) Irgarol vs. > 200 microg L(-1) M1; S. costatum, 0.29 microg L(-1) Irgarol vs. 11.32 microg L(-1)M1; and T. pseudonana, 0.41 microg L(-1) Irgarol vs. 16.50 microg L(-1)M1). Secondly, we conducted a meta-analysis of currently available data on toxicities of Irgarol and M1 to both freshwater and marine primary producers based on species sensitivity distributions (SSDs). Interestingly, freshwater autotrophs are more sensitive to Irgarol than their marine counterparts. For marine autotrophs, microalgae are generally more sensitive to Irgarol than macroalgae and cyanobacteria. With very limited available data on M1 (i.e. five species), M1 might be less toxic than Irgarol; nonetheless this finding warrants further confirmation with additional data on other autotrophic species.     

Determination of Irgarol-1051 and its related s-triazine species in coastal sediments and mussel tissues by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS

A mild, low-temperature analytical approach based on sonication assisted extraction coupled with HPLC electrospray ionization triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry has been developed for the simultaneous qualitative and quantitative determination of the four Irgarol-related s-triazine species, namely Irgarol-1051, M1, M2 and M3, in coastal sediments and Green-lipped mussel samples. Mild extraction conditions were necessary for the preservation of the thermally unstable M2. The Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) mode of detection by ESI-MS/MS enabled reliable qualitative identification and sensitive quantitative determination of those s-triazines. This determination method was applied to evaluate the degree of Irgarol-1051 contamination in the sediments and biota of the coastal environment of Hong Kong - one of the busiest maritime ports in the world. All the four s-triazine species were observed in all of the samples. This is the first time that the newly identified M2 and M3 are detected in coastal sediments and biota tissues.     

Biodegradation of Crude Oil by Individual Bacterial Strains and a Mixed Bacterial Consortium Isolated from Hydrocarbon Contaminated Areas

A preliminary study was undertaken to determine the optimal conditions for the biodegradation of a crude oil. Among 57 oil‐degrading bacterial cultures isolated from oil‐contaminated soil samples, Bacillus sp. IOS1‐7, Corynebacterium sp. BPS2‐6, Pseudomonas sp. HPS2‐5, and Pseudomonas sp. BPS1‐8 were selected for the study based on the efficiency of crude oil utilization. Along with the selected individual strains, a mixed bacterial consortium prepared using the above strains was also used for degradation studies. The mixed bacterial consortium showed more growth and degradation than did individual strains. At 1% crude oil concentration, the mixed bacterial consortium degraded a maximum of 77% of the crude oil. This was followed by 69% by Pseudomonas sp. BPS1‐8, 64% by Bacillus sp. IOS1‐7, 45% by Pseudomonas sp. HPS2‐5, and 41% by Corynebacterium sp. BPS2‐6. The percentage of degradation by the mixed bacterial consortium decreased from 77 to 45% as the concentration of crude oil was increased from 1 to 12%. Temperature of 35°C and pH 7 were found to be optimum for maximum degradation.     

我国湿地的主要生态问题及治理对策

在参阅相关文献和实地调查的基础上,分析了我国湿地面临的主要生态问题,将湿地生态系统结构与功能的退化划分为缺水萎缩、污染退化、泥沙淤积退化、疏干排水退化、生物资源过度利用与生物多样性受损、红树林破坏、生物入侵退化等7个类型。在此基础上,提出湿地生态保育与治理的若干对策。     

沈抚污灌区结冻土壤中微生物群落及石油烃优势降解菌的筛选

针对已有50余年污水灌溉历史的沈抚污灌区石油污染结冻土壤中微生物种群及石油优势降解菌株进行了分离、筛选及初步鉴定。结果表明:石油污染土壤中的细菌总数是未污染土壤的100倍左右,其真菌和放线菌数量也明显超过未污染土壤。通过筛选,共得到17株石油烃优势降解细菌和11株真菌,其中,降解性能较强的细菌为12号,石油烃降解率为30.54%,初步鉴定为芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus);降解性能较强的真菌为22号真菌,石油烃降解率为34.21%,初步鉴定为常现青霉(Penicil-liam freguentans Westling)。     

不同河岸植物带对非点源污染河水污染物降解的试验研究

利用2种植物带(芦苇、香蒲与芦苇)对受非点源污染河水进行植物带处理污染物的降解效果模拟试验研究。结果表明,植物带处理污染物的降解效果明显优于无植物带,且以混合植物带效果最好。香蒲与芦苇植物带对COD、TN、TP和NH3-N去除率的周平均值分别为31.62%、37.84%、30.65%和34.31%。植物带能够截留地表径流中的颗粒物,提高水域中的溶解氧含量,对防止水土流失与改善流域水质均有显著作用。     

Comparative proteome analysis of butachlor-degrading bacteria

A Pseudomonas putida strain, named ER1, was isolated from an agricultural soil and found to actively degrade the herbicide butachlor. The enzyme extracted from ER1 could degrade butachlor. Furthermore, incubation of ER1 in a medium containing 50 mg/kg of butachlor after 3 days resulted in the high butachlor-degrading enzyme activity of ER1. Response of ER1 to butachlor might be related to changes in protein composition at both quantitative and qualitative levels. Total proteins were extracted from control strain (incubated in the medium without butachlor) and the treated strain (incubated in the medium with butachlor). The proteins were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Of the total number of ER1 protein, 11 spots were significantly changed under butachlor stress. Analysis by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry coupled with database searching allowed the function of some proteins which were similar to the hydrolases activity or oxidoreductase activity.     

Slow regolith degradation without creep determined by cosmogenic nuclide measurements in Arena Valley, Antarctica

Estimates of regolith degradation in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica are currently based on indirect evidence and ancient ashes at or near the soil surface that suggest excellent preservation of surfaces. On the other hand, the existing cosmogenic-nuclide surface exposure ages from many parts of the Dry Valleys are younger than the age of surface deposits inferred from stratigraphic relations. This suggests some combination of surface erosion or past ice cover, both of which would reduce the apparent exposure age. This paper quantifies the regolith degradation and/or past ice cover by measuring ¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al from a landslide deposit that contains 11.3 Ma volcanic ash. The surface sample yields an apparent exposure age of only 0.4 Ma. However, measurements of the subsurface nuclide concentrations show that the deposit has not been shielded by ice, and that the age of the ash does not conflict with the apparent exposure age when slow degradation of the deposit (2 m Ma⁻¹) is taken into account. Soil creep, which is a common degradational process in a wide variety of environments, is non-existent at this field site, which likely reflects the persistent lack of bio- and cryoturbation.     

Terbuthylazine and Deethylterbuthylazine in Rain and Surface Water – Determination by Enzyme Immunoassay and Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

Rain and surface water samples from Southern Germany were investigated from 1991 to 1995 for terbuthylazine and one of its major metabolites, deethylterbuthylazine. The concentrations observed were compared to the concentrations found for atrazine and deethylatrazine in the same water samples. Concentrations ranged from < 0.02 μg/L to 0.7 μg/L for terbuthylazine and from < 0.02 μg/L to 0.6 μg/L for deethylterbuthylazine, compared to concentrations of < 0.02 μg/L to 3 μg/L and < 0.02 μg/L to 0.5 μg/L for atrazine and deethylatrazine, respectively. The ratios of metabolite concentrations to parent compound concentrations were calculated for deethylterbuthylazine to terbuthylazine (DTR) and deethylatrazine to atrazine (DAR). In rain water, DTR of 0.8…3.0 and DAR of 0.3… 1.9 were determined with mean values of 0.9… 1.7 for DTR and 0.6…0.9 for DAR in the different years. The ratios increased during summer periods. The highest ratios were observed in samples from forest stands, showing that degradation of the herbicide has occurred during transport between the source and the sampling site. The DTR in rain water were about 50… 100% higher than the DAR. This indicates a higher degradation rate of terbuthylazine during atmospheric transport. In surface water, DTR of 0.3… 1.2 with mean values of 0.5…0.8 and DAR of 0.2…2.2 with mean values of 0.2… 1.3 were observed. The ratios increased from June to September.