Residues and sources recognition of polychlorinated biphenyls in surface sediments of Jiaojiang Estuary, East China Sea

Twenty-three surface sediment samples were collected from Jiaojiang Estuary, East China Sea in order to assess the distribution, possible sources, and potential risk of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the environment. Total concentrations of PCBs ranged from 4.93 to 108.79 ng g(-1) dry weight for all sampling stations, with a substantial higher concentration in the inner part of the estuary than the outer part of the estuary. PCB patterns in sediments from sites 1-8 were extremely dominated by tetra-PCBs, which probably due to the discharge of local industrial plants but not the expected input from the nearby e-waste recycling areas. Principal component analysis revealed that the sources of PCBs for sites 9-23 were associated with Aroclor 1248 or Aroclor 1221. However, physical migration and bio-degradation may also play a role on PCB distribution. Hazard assessment of PCBs indicated possible toxic potential, particularly in areas close to point sources.     

基于图形处理器的伪谱和高阶有限 差分混合方法地震波数值模拟

伪谱和高阶有限差分混合方法, 在垂直方向采用交错网格有限差分算子, 利用其并行程度高的特点, 在水平方向采用伪谱算子, 保留其高精度的优势, 是计算地震波场的有效方法. 图形处理器(graphic processing unit, 简写为GPU) 由于其高度并行性, 在计算此类问题中有显著的优势. 由英伟达(NVIDIA)公司推出的统一计算设备架构(compute unified device architecture, 简写为CUDA)平台极大地简化了GPU编程的难度. 为提高计算效率, 本文实现了基于CUDA 平台的混合方法二维地震波场模拟. 然后基于二维均匀介质模型将CPU与GPU版本的运行时间进行对比. 实际测试结果表明, 基于CUDA 的并行模拟方法在保证计算精度的同时显著地提高了计算速度, 为开展大规模非均匀地球介质地震波传播数值模拟提供了一种可选的方法.      

Hydrocarbon degraders from tropical marine environments

Analysis of 20 samples of marine mud and water around Mumbai resulted in the isolation of 17 bacteria and yeasts all of which were able to degrade more than 10% of the supplied crude oil. The yeasts strains were important degraders of the aliphatic fraction of crude. All the isolated yeasts belonged to the genus Candida. Using biochemical tests these were identified as Candida parapsilosis, C. albicans, C. guilliermondii, Yarrowia lipolytica, C. tropicalis and C. intermedia. Y. lipolytica was the best degrader utilizing 78% of the aliphatic fraction of Bombay High crude oil. None of these isolates degraded the aromatic or ashphaltene fractions. All the isolates required aeration, nitrogen and phosphate supplementation for optimal degradation. Four out of the six yeasts are human pathogens.     

对多分量地震资料P-和SV-波场分解

在多分量地震勘探资料中,水平和垂直分量都记录有P波和SV波。本文研究了P波和SV波波场分解的方法。当上行P波和S波分别入射时,通过研究它们引起的水平和垂直位移,把地震记录的水平和垂直分量进行分解,得到纵波和转换波;在已知海底介质中纵横波速度和介质密度的情况下,可以在τ-P域内实现波场分解,然后变换到时间域,得到时间域内的纵波和转换波剖面。把本文研究的波场分解方法应用于合成资料,能够有效地分解得到纵波波场和转换波波场。最后,海上多分量实际资料的实例应用表明,本文研究的波场分解方法是可行有效的。本方法也适用于自由表面的资料。     

Trace metals in fish and invertebrates of three California coastal Wetlands

Metal concentrations were measured in selected fish and invertebrate species from Mugu Lagoon, Malibu Lagoon and Ballona Wetlands in southern California in order to assess the extent of metal contamination in these three wetlands. Ranges of element concentrations (in microgram/g) found in biota were: Zn 12-650; Cu 1.9-440; Ni < 1-37; Cr < 1-55; Pb < 0.5-6.8; As < 1-8.5; Se < 1-3.8; Cd < 0.2-0.90; and Ag < 0.3-5.9. Relative to previous studies of California biota, the highest metal concentrations found were for chromium and nickel. The highest levels were in one of the two bottom-dwelling fish (juvenile Leptocottus armatus) (55 micrograms/g) and the two water-column fish sampled (Fundulus parvipinnis and Atherinops affinis) (30 and 24 micrograms/g). At Ballona Lagoon, elevated levels of copper and silver were found in the bivalve Tagelus californianus (440 and 5.9 micrograms/g). Chromium and nickel appeared to be most persistent in fish from Mugu (4.6-55 and 2.6-37 micrograms/g), the most northern site and an active military base, and Ballona (< 1-30 and < 1-16 micrograms/g), believed to be the most metal-contaminated site. Compared to previously measured metal concentrations in species of California coastal waters, these regions revealed higher levels of chromium, nickel, silver, arsenic, zinc, copper and, to a lesser extent, cadmium and selenium. Chromium and silver were present at high enough levels at all three sites to be considered environmental health hazards.     

2,4,6-trinitrotoluene transformation by a tropical marine yeast, Yarrowia lipolytica NCIM 3589

Yarrowia lipolytica NCIM 3589, a tropical marine degrader of hydrocarbons and triglycerides transformed 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) very efficiently. Though this yeast could not utilize TNT as the sole carbon or nitrogen source, it was capable of reducing the nitro groups in TNT to aminodinitrotoluene (ADNT). In a complete medium containing glucose and ammonium sulphate as the available carbon and nitrogen sources respectively, the culture was able to completely transform 1 mM (227 ppm) of TNT under such conditions. A dual pathway was found to be functional, one of which resulted in the formation of the hydride-Meisenheimer complex (H(-)TNT) as a transiently accumulating metabolite that was subsequently denitrated to 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT), whereas the other pathway resulted in the formation of amino derivatives. The presence of increasing amounts of reducing equivalents in the form of glucose promoted better growth and the nitroreductases of this yeast to reduce the aromatic ring to 2,4-DNT although, the reduction of the nitro groups to amino groups was the major functional pathway. The ability of this tropical marine yeast to transform TNT into products such as 2,4-DNT which in turn could be metabolized by other microbes has implications in the use of this yeast for bioremediation of TNT polluted marine environments.