<Emphasis Type="Italic">Mazzaella laminarioides</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sarcothalia crispata</Emphasis> as possible bioindicators of heavy metal contamination in the marine coastal zone of Chile

The suitability of Mazzaella laminarioides and Sarcothalia crispata as heavy metal biomonitors of Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn was assessed by comparing bioaccumulation of these elements in different life stages and frond sizes in samples from three locations, San Vicente Bay (industrial area), Coliumo, and Quidico (the latter as a reference station), where different degrees of heavy metal pollution are recorded. Bioaccumulation and bioconcentration factors of Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn were evaluated. The two macroalgae species showed similar patterns, with higher values of Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn in polluted areas. M. laminarioides bioaccumulated higher concentrations of all metals assessed than S. crispata, independent of life stage and frond size. The results also showed significantly higher Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn concentrations (p < 0.05) in water samples from San Vicente Bay than those measured in Coliumo and Quidico. Concentrations of Cd, Hg, Pb, and Zn in San Vicente Bay and Cd, Hg, and Pb in Coliumo and Quidico exceed the mean values considered to represent natural concentrations (Cu = 3.00 μg L^?1; Zn = 5.00 μg L^?1; Pb = 0.03 μg L^?1; Cd = 0.05 μg L^?1; Hg = 0.05 μg L^?1); however, the concentrations recorded do not cause negative effects on the growth and survival of macroalgae. The assessment of heavy metals bioaccumulated in M. laminarioides and S. crispata, particularly Hg, Pb, and Zn, offers a reliable approach for pollution assessment in rocky intertidal environments. Cu and Cd concentrations in seawater samples from San Vicente and Coliumo Bays were significantly higher than in those from Quidico (p value < 0.05); no significant differences in Cd concentrations were observed between San Vicente and Coliumo Bays (p < 0.05). Exceptionally, Cd is bioaccumulated at high levels independent of its availability in the water, thus reaching high concentrations in control areas. High concentrations of metals like Cu and Zn may limit or inhibit Cd uptake in macroalgae, since the transport channels are saturated by some metals, reducing the accumulation of others. These macroalgae species offer good potential for the development of suitable heavy metal pollution survey tools in rocky intertidal environments.     

Assessment of heavy metals in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Averrhoa bilimbi</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">A. carambola</Emphasis> fruit samples at two developmental stages

Though the fruits of Averrhoa bilimbi and A. carambola are economically and medicinally important, they remain underutilized. The present study reports heavy metal quantitation in the fruit samples of A. bilimbi and A. carambola (Oxalidaceae), collected at two stages of maturity. Heavy metals are known to interfere with the functioning of vital cellular components. Although toxic, some elements are considered essential for human health, in trace quantities. Heavy metals such as Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Pb, and Cd were analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). The samples under investigation included, A. bilimbi unripe (BU) and ripe (BR), A. carambola sour unripe (CSU) and ripe (CSR), and A. carambola sweet unripe (CTU) and ripe (CTR). Heavy metal analysis showed that relatively higher level of heavy metals was present in BR samples compared to the rest of the samples. The highest amount of As and Se were recorded in BU samples while Mn content was highest in CSU samples and Co in CSR. Least amounts of Cr, Zn, Se, Cd, and Pb were noted in CTU while, Mn, Cu, and As were least in CTR. Thus, the sweet types of A. carambola (CTU, CTR) had comparatively lower heavy metal content. There appears to be no reason for concern since different fruit samples of Averrhoa studied presently showed the presence of various heavy metals in trace quantities.     

Antibiotic resistance and plasmid profiling of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vibrio</Emphasis> spp. in tropical waters of Peninsular Malaysia

Vibrio species isolated from four different sampling stations in the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia were screened for their antimicrobial resistance and plasmid profiles. A total of 138 isolates belonging to 15 different species were identified. Vibrio campbellii, V. parahaemolyticus, V. harveyi, and V. tubiashii were found to predominance species at all stations. High incidence of erythromycin, ampicillin, and mecillinam resistance was observed among the Vibrio isolates. In contrast, resistance against aztreonam, cefepime, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole, and sulfonamides was low. All the Vibrio isolates in this study were found to be susceptible to imipenem, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, chloramphenicol, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and oxytetracycline. Ninety-five percent of the Vibrio isolates were resistant to one or more different classes of antibiotic, and 20 different resistance antibiograms were identified. Thirty-two distinct plasmid profiles with molecular weight ranging from 2.2 to 24.8 kb were detected among the resistance isolates. This study showed that multidrug-resistant Vibrio spp. were common in the aquatic environments of west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.     

Relative proportions of <Emphasis Type="Italic">E. coli</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Enterococcus spp.</Emphasis> may be a good indicator of potential health risks associated with the use of roof harvested rainwater stored in tanks

A total of 285 water samples were collected from 71 roof harvested rainwater tanks from four villages in different provinces over a two-year (2013–2014) period during the early (October to December) and late (January to March) rainy season. Water quality was evaluated based on Escherichia coli, faecal coliforms and Enterococcus spp. prevalence using the IDEXX Quanti-Tray quantification system. Real-Time PCR was used to analyse a subset of 168 samples for the presence of Shigella spp., Salmonella spp. and E. coli virulence genes (stx1, stx2 and eaeA). Escherichia coli were detected in 44.1% of the samples, Enterococcus spp. in 57.9% and faecal coliforms in 95.7%. The most prevalent E. coli concentrations in harvested rainwater were observed in 29.1% of samples and 22.5% for Enterococcus spp. and, were within 1–10 cfu/100 ml and 10–100 cfu/100 ml, respectively, whereas those for faecal coliforms (36.6%) were within 100–1000 cfu/100 ml. On average 16.8% of the samples had neither E. coli nor Enterococcus spp. detected, while 33.9% had only Enterococcus spp. and 23.7% had only E. coli. E. coli and Enterococcus spp. were detected together in 25.5% of the samples. Evaluation of samples for potential pathogenic bacteria showed all tested samples to be negative for the Shigella spp. ipaH gene, while five tested positive for Salmonella ipaB gene. None of the samples tested positive for the stx1 and stx2 genes, and only two tested positive for the eaeA gene. These findings are potentially useful in the development of a simplified risk assessment strategy based on the concentrations of indicator bacteria.     

Detection of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stenotrophomonas</Emphasis> species growing in an organic acid and endocrine-disrupting chemical-rich environment of distillery spent wash and its phytotoxicity

Sugarcane molasses-based distillery spent wash (DSW) is well known for its toxicity and complex mixture of various recalcitrant organic pollutants with acidic pH, but the chemical nature of these pollutants is unknown. This study revealed the presence of toxic organic acids (butanedioic acid bis(TMS)ester; 2-hydroxysocaproic acid; benzenepropanoic acid, α-[(TMS)oxy], TMS ester; vanillylpropionic acid, bis(TMS)), and other recalcitrant organic pollutants (2-furancarboxylic acid, 5-[[(TMS)oxy] methyl], TMS ester; benzoic acid 3-methoxy-4-[(TMS)oxy], TMS ester; and tricarballylic acid 3TMS), which are listed as endocrine-disrupting chemicals. In addition, several major heavy metals were detected, including Fe (163.947), Mn (4.556), Zn (2.487), and Ni (1.175 mg l^?1). Bacterial community analysis by restriction fragment length polymorphism revealed that Bacillus and Stenotrophomonas were dominant autochthonous bacterial communities belonging to the phylum Firmicutes and γ-Proteobacteria, respectively. The presence of Bacillus and Stenotrophomonas species in highly acidic environments indicated its broad range adaptation. These findings indicated that these autochthonous bacterial communities were pioneer taxa for in situ remediation of this hazardous waste during ecological succession. Further, phytotoxicity assay of DSW with Phaseolus mungo L. and Triticum aestivum revealed that T. aestivum was more sensitive than P. mungo L. in the seed germination test. The results of this study may be useful for monitoring and toxicity assessment of sugarcane molasses-based distillery waste at disposal sites.     

Cadmium in the shore crab <Emphasis Type="Italic">Carcinus maenas</Emphasis> along the Norwegian coast: geographical and seasonal variation and correlation to physiological parameters

Previously, high concentrations of cadmium have been found in the hepatopancreas of the edible or brown crab (Cancer pagurus) sampled from positions north of about 67° N, compared to regions further south along the Norwegian coast, with no clear understanding why. In order to study a similar organism in the same ecosystem, the present study analyzed 210 shore crabs (Carcinus maenas) from four different locations along the Norwegian coast, two in the North and two in the South. The physiological variables size, sex, molting stage, hepatosomatic index, carapace color, and gonad maturation were registered, in attempt to explain the high inter-individual variation in cadmium levels in hepatopancreas. In contrast to the brown crabs, the shore crabs showed no clear geographical differences in cadmium concentrations. This indicates physiological differences between the two crab species. No clear and consistent correlations were found between cadmium levels and physiological parameters, except for sex, where cadmium concentration in hepatopancreas was twice as high in males compared to females. The cadmium levels also varied with season, with approximately 40 and 60% lower cadmium concentration in April than August for male and female shore crabs, respectively. None of the analyzed cadmium concentrations in muscle meat from claws exceeded EUs food safety limit, and low cadmium levels in soup prepared from shore crabs clearly indicated that this dish is not problematic regarding food safety.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Synechococcus</Emphasis> production and grazing loss rates in nearshore tropical waters

Temporal variation of Synechococcus, its production (μ) and grazing loss (g) rates were studied for 2 years at nearshore stations, i.e. Port Dickson and Port Klang along the Straits of Malacca. Synechococcus abundance at Port Dickson (0.3–2.3 × 10⁵ cell ml^?1) was always higher than at Port Klang (0.3–7.1 × 10⁴ cell ml^?1) (p < 0.001). μ ranged up to 0.98 day^?1 (0.51 ± 0.29 day^?1), while g ranged from 0.02 to 0.31 day^?1 (0.15 ± 0.07 day^?1) at Port Klang. At Port Dickson, μ and g averaged 0.47 ± 0.13 day^?1 (0.29–0.82 day^?1) and 0.31 ± 0.14 day^?1 (0.13–0.63 day^?1), respectively. Synechococcus abundance did not correlate with temperature (p > 0.25), but nutrient and light availability were important factors for their distribution. The relationship was modelled as log Synechococcus = 0.37Secchi ? 0.01DIN + 4.52 where light availability (as Secchi disc depth) was a more important determinant. From a two-factorial experiment, nutrients were not significant for Synechococcus growth as in situ nutrient concentrations exceeded the threshold for saturated growth. However, light availability was important and elevated Synechococcus growth rates especially at Port Dickson (F = 5.94, p < 0.05). As for grazing loss rates, they were independent of either nutrients or light intensity (p > 0.30). In nearshore tropical waters, an estimated 69 % of Synechococcus production could be grazed.     

Assessment of physicochemical parameters and prevalence of virulent and multiple-antibiotic-resistant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> in treated effluent of two wastewater treatment plants and receiving aquatic <Emphasis Type="Italic">milieu</Emphasis> in Durban,South Africa

The poor operational status of some wastewater treatment plants often result in the discharge of inadequately treated effluent into receiving surface waters. This is of significant public health concern as there are many informal settlement dwellers (ISDs) that rely on these surface waters for their domestic use. This study investigated the treatment efficiency of two independent wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Durban, South Africa and determined the impact of treated effluent discharge on the physicochemical and microbial quality of the receiving water bodies over a 6-month period. Presumptive Escherichia coli isolates were identified using biochemical tests and detection of the mdh gene via PCR. Six major virulence genes namely eae, hly, fliC, stx1, stx2, and rfbE were also detected via PCR while antibiotic resistance profiles of the isolates were determined using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion assay. The physicochemical parameters of the wastewater samples ranged variously between 9 and 313.33 mg/L, 1.52 and 76.43 NTUs, and 6.30 and 7.87 for COD, turbidity, and pH respectively, while the E. coli counts ranged between 0 and 31.2?×?10³ CFU/ml. Of the 200 selected E. coli isolates, the hly gene was found in 28 %, fliC in 20 %, stx2 in 17 %, eae in 14 %, with stx1 and rfbE in only 4 % of the isolates. Notable resistance was observed toward trimethoprim (97 %), tetracycline (56 %), and ampicillin (52.5 %). These results further highlight the poor operational status of these WWTPs and outline the need for improved water quality monitoring and enforcement of stringent guidelines.     

Effect of citric acid on metals mobility in pruning wastes and biosolids compost and metals uptake in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Atriplex halimus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rosmarinus officinalis</Emphasis>

To assess metal mobility in pruning waste and biosolids compost (pH?6.9 and total concentration of metals in milligram per kilogram of Cd 1.9, Cu 132, Fe 8,513, Mn 192, Pb 81, and Zn 313), shrubs species Atriplex halimus and Rosmarinus officinalis were transplanted in this substrate and irrigated with citric acid (4 g?L^?1, pH?2.9) and nutrient solution daily for 60 days. Citric acid significantly increased the concentrations of soluble Mn and Fe in the nutrient substrate solution measured by suction probes, while other metals did not vary in concentration (Cu and Zn) or were not observed at detectable levels (Cd and Pb). In plants, citric acid significantly increased the concentrations of Cu (2.7?±?0.1–3.3?±?0.1 mg?kg^?1), Fe (49.2?±?5.2–76.8?±?6.8 mg?kg^?1), and Mn (7.2?±?1.1–11.4?±?0.7 mg?kg^?1) in leaves of R. officinalis, whereas the concentration of only Mn (25.4?±?0.3–42.2?±?2.9 mg?kg^?1) was increased in A. halimus. Increasing Fe and Mn solubility by citric acid addition indicates the possibility of using it to improve plant nutrition. The mobility of metals in this substrate was influenced for the concentration of the metal, the degree of humification of organic matter and its high Fe content.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Noctiluca</Emphasis> and copepods grazing on the phytoplankton community in a nutrient-enriched coastal environment along the southwest coast of India

The relative grazing impact of Noctiluca scintillans (hereafter referred only Noctiluca) and copepods (Acrocalanus gracilis, Paracalanus parvus, Acartia danae and Oithona similis) on the phytoplankton community in an upwelling–mudbank environment along the southwest coast India is presented here. This study was carried out during the Pre-Southwest Monsoon (April–May) to the Late Southwest Monsoon (August) period in 2014. During the sampling period, large hydrographical transformation was evident in the study area (off Alappuzha, Southwest coast of India); warmer Pre-Southwest Monsoon water column condition got transformed into cooler and nitrate-rich hypoxic waters during the Southwest Monsoon (June–August) due to intense coastal upwelling. Copepods were present in the study area throughout the sampling period with a noticeable increase in their abundance during the Southwest Monsoon. On the other hand, the first appearance of Noctiluca in the sampling location was during the Early Southwest Monsoon (mid-June) and thereafter their abundance increased towards the Peak Southwest Monsoon. The grazing experiments carried out as per the food removal method showed noticeable differences in the feeding preferences of Noctiluca and copepods, especially on the different size fractions of phytoplankton. Noctiluca showed the highest positive electivity for the phytoplankton micro-fraction (av. 0.49 ± 0.04), followed by nano-fraction (av. 0.17 ± 0.04) and a negative electivity for the pico-fraction (av. ?0.66 ± 0.06). In total ingestion of Noctiluca, micro-fraction contribution (83.7%) was significantly higher compared to the nano- (15.7%) and pico-fractions (0.58%). On the other hand, copepods showed the highest positive electivity for the phytoplankton nano-fraction (av. 0.38 ± 0.04) followed by micro- (av. -0.17 ± 0.05) and pico-fractions (av. ?0.35 ± 0.05). Similarly, in total ingestion of copepods, nano-fraction (69.7%) was the highest followed by micro- (28.9%) and pico-fractions (1.37%). The grazing pressure of Noctiluca on the total phytoplankton was found to be 27.7% of the standing stock and 45.6% of the production, whereas in the case of copepods, it was 9.95% of the standing stock and 16.6% of the production. The study showed that the grazing pressure of Noctiluca on the total phytoplankton as well as larger phytoplankton fraction was 2.8- and 8-folds higher than that of the copepods. This suggests the leading role of Noctiluca as an effective grazer of larger phytoplankton along the southwest west coast of India, especially during the Peak/Late Southwest Monsoon.     

Distribution and Environmental Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal in Surface Sediments and Red Mullet (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Mullus barbatus</Emphasis>) from Algiers and BouIsmail Bay (Algeria)

BouIsmail (BIB) and Algiers (AB) are the most important bays in Algeria, where busy shipping activities and various industry complexes introduce different pollutants including heavy metals to the aquatic environment. The main goal of this study was to assess the contamination levels of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Pb, Zn) in surface sediments and red mullet (Mullus barbatus) of the BIB and AB and to examine the possibility of the use of their enrichment factors (EFs) to track down the sources of metals (natural processes or human activity). The geoaccumulation index (I _geo) was calculated as a criterion to indicate the contamination level for each heavy metal. Moreover, geographical information systems based on spatial analysis methods (inverse distance weighting (IDW)) and statistical approaches (the principal component (PCA)) were performed to assess the spatial influences of multiple anthropogenic sources in different sampled areas. The results of both EF and I _geo revealed that the study area is exposed to various anthropogenic activities. The pollution load index (PLI) values of sediment samples in the different sites of Algiers and BIB ranged from 0.2 to 3.4 illustrating highly contaminated sediments. Significant bioaccumulation of Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn (bioaccumulation factor >100%) were observed in muscle and liver of red mullet, suggesting potential health risks through consuming this fish species.     

Diversity of crude oil-degrading bacteria and alkane hydroxylase (<Emphasis Type="Italic">alkB</Emphasis>) genes from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The aim of this study was to survey the response of the microbial community to crude oil and the diversity of alkane hydroxylase (alkB) genes in soil samples from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). The enrichment cultures and clone libraries were used. Finally, 53 isolates and 94 alkB sequences were obtained from 10 pristine soil samples after enrichment at 10 °C with crude oil as sole carbon source. The isolates fell into the phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes, with the dominance of Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter. The composition of degraders was different from polar habitats where Acinetobacter sp. is not a predominant responder of alkane degradative microbial communities. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the alkB genes from isolates and enrichment communities formed eight clusters and mainly related with alkB genes of Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus, and Acinetobacter. The alkB gene diversity in the QTP was lower than marine environments and polar soil samples. In particular, a total of 10 isolates exhibiting vigorous growth with crude oil could detect no crude oil degradation-related gene sequences, such as alkB, P450, almA, ndoB, and xylE genes. The Shannon-Wiener index of the alkB clone libraries from the QTP ranged from 1.00 to 2.24 which is similar with polar pristine soil samples but lower than that of contaminated soils. These results indicated that the Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Rhodococcus genera are the candidate for in situ bioremediation, and the environment of QTP may be still relatively uncontaminated by crude oil.     

Contamination of soil and the medicinal plant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phyllanthus niruri</Emphasis> Linn. with cadmium in ceramic industrial areas

Phyllanthus niruri is a plant that is used to prevent calcium oxalate crystallisation and to block the stone formation in urolithiasis. Contaminants in the environment can be readily taken up by medicinal plants due to their ability to absorb chemicals into their tissues. If contaminated plants are ingested, they have the potential to negatively affect human and environmental health. The aim of this study was to assess contamination in the soil and the medicinal plant P. niruri by cadmium (Cd) in ceramic industrial areas of Monte Carmelo, Brazil. Soil samples and plant samples (divided in root, shoot and leaves) were collected from a contaminated monitoring site and from a rural area (which was used as a reference site for comparative purposes). The Cd concentrations of the samples were analysed with an atomic absorption spectrometer. P. niruri was found to be sensitive to soil contamination by Cd that was attributed to ceramic industrial emissions. The results revealed that Cd bioaccumulation in the roots and shoots of P. niruri was associated with a significant increase (p?<?0.05) in the concentration of active lignan compounds (phyllanthin and hypophyllanthin) in the leaves. The identification of high concentrations of Cd and active lignan compounds suggests a risk of contamination of the site and the risk of a high dose of Cd to people exposed at the site.     

Bioaccumulation of metals in common carp (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cyprinus carpio</Emphasis> L.) from water bodies of Anatolia (Turkey): a review with implications for fisheries and human food consumption

Although fish is widely consumed by humans for its nutritional properties, accumulation of heavy metals can pose serious health hazards. Widespread common carp Cyprinus carpio is cultured worldwide and represents an economically important species for fisheries in several countries. These include Turkey, where C. carpio often makes for a large part of the sales of the locally marketed fish and also for a traditional dish. This study provides a review of bioaccumulation of metals in tissues of C. carpio from water bodies of Anatolia and also includes reference to worldwide studies. From 42 water bodies across the region, 27 metals in total were studied, of which Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were the most widely analysed, mainly in the muscle, liver and gill tissues. Amongst the potentially toxic metals, Cd, Cr and Pb occurred in several water bodies at concentrations not only above maximum allowed limits but also higher relative to other water bodies worldwide, even though As, Hg and Ni were also sometimes present at potentially hazardous concentrations. The essential metals Cu, Fe, Mn, Se and Zn were detected at various concentrations, with the latter two occasionally above limit. All water bodies flagged as having especially critical (i.e. above limit) concentrations of toxic metals supported C. carpio fisheries from highly populated regions, raising concern about food safety and calling for preventative measures. Given the significantly lower bioaccumulation levels in the muscle relative to the liver and gill tissues, it is suggested that consumption of C. carpio as fillets may be safer than after processing into e.g. meat balls and sausages. The limits of 1.0 μg/g for Cr and 1.15 μg/g for Se, currently lacking from the Turkish food safety legislation, are proposed, and it is suggested that a similar meta-analytical approach as adopted in this study may benefit other countries where C. carpio represents an important fisheries resource.     

The distribution and enrichment characteristics of copper in soil and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phragmites australis</Emphasis> of Liao River estuary wetland

The aims of the present investigation were to reveal the distribution and enrichment characteristics of copper in soil and Phragmites australis of Liao River estuary wetland. The concentrations of copper in root, stem, leaf, and ear of Phragmites australis as well as in soil were determined to study the absorption capacity of copper by wild Phragmites australis of Liao River estuary wetland. The study was carried out at test pool of the Shenyang Agricultural University, and the experimental materials (soil, irrigating water and Phragmites australis) were derived from Liao River estuary wetland. The concentrations of copper in soil and Phragmites australis were 16.4441 to 49.0209 mg/kg and 0.8621 to 89.5524 mg/kg, respectively. The results indicated that the enrichment coefficients of copper in different tissues of Phragmites australis changed with the growth of Phragmites australis. The results revealed that the enrichment coefficients of copper in the whole Phragmites australis were greater than 1 at each growing stage of the Phragmites australis. The results also showed that the transfer coefficients of Phragmites australis to copper changed with the growth of Phragmites australis. The results revealed that the Phragmites australis had a good removal effect on copper from soil and had some characteristics of copper hyperaccumulator.     

Cultivable microbiome and its resistance to antimicrobials isolated from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Zaprionus indianus</Emphasis>

The objective of this study was to identify Z. indianus in PEJC and PESCAN. Listed are the following methods: to isolate bacteria from the integument of the Z. indianus species collected and to check the resistance of microorganisms to antibiotics. Collections of Z. indianus were performed in four seasons of the two parks. The results obtained suggest that the low amount of Z. indianus collected can be justified by environmental factors such as high average temperature and low average humidity. It is noted that there is a predominance of bacteria of the Enterobacteriaceae family found in both the PEJC and the PESCAN. The antibiogram performed for the isolated PEJC bacteria shows statistical significance when comparing the edge and inside values of the park. Studies with fungi were also carried out, and it was evidenced that Trichophyton spp. was the genus that most inhabited the two environments studied. The ability of fluconazole and ketoconazole to inhibit fungal growth was also investigated, and considering the concentration tested may suggest that they have good action spectra. Plasmid profile data show that 60% of antibiotic-resistant bacteria have plasmids. The values found show that Z. indianus can act as vectors of microorganisms that affect the healthy animals and humans and that these organisms may be influenced by seasons.     

Identification and detection sensitivity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Microcystis aeruginosa</Emphasis> from mixed and field samples using MALDI-TOF MS

To verify the applicability of identifying Microcystis aeruginosa by matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), mixed and field samples were employed to study the sensitivity and the analysis power, respectively. Series diluted samples and artificially mixed samples by the M. aeruginosa NIES-843 strain were designed to verify the sensitivity. The lowest detection limit was 1.955?×?10⁶ cells in pure samples, while for mixed samples, the lowest detection limit and ratio of NIES-843 strain were 2.88?×?10⁶ cells and 33.7%, respectively. The results provided a reference for the reasonable volume of the water sample in which the M. aeruginosa could be detected. Ribosomal protein biomarkers for identifying M. aeruginosa which were successfully detected from the field samples in Taihu Lake, indicated that the identification of M. aeruginosa by MALDI-TOF MS could be applied in field samples. Furthermore, different genetic types of M. aeruginosa strains were also detected at different locations in Taihu Lake, which revealed the diversity of M. aeruginosa and the detection power of MALDI-TOF MS at the strain level for the field samples. The sensitivity and detection power in the analysis of M. aeruginosa by the MALDI-TOF MS demonstrated the applicability of this method in routine environmental monitoring.     

Activity of the endophytic fungi <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phlebia</Emphasis> sp. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paecilomyces formosus</Emphasis> in decolourisation and the reduction of reactive dyes’ cytotoxicity in fish erythrocytes

The current study investigates the potential for discolouration and degradation of Reactive Blue 19 and Reactive Black 5 textile dyes by endophytic fungi Phlebia sp. and Paecilomyces formosus as well as the potential cytotoxicity of products or by-products generated by the treatments in fish erythrocytes. It was observed at 30 days that both endophytes showed biodegradation activity with 0.1 g mL^?1 of dyes. P. formosus showed highest extracellular and intracellular protein content levels after the 15th day, and Phlebia sp. stands out for production of extracellular laccase, indicating that this enzyme may be associated with the decolouration capacity. The dyes showed toxic effects in fishes at 0.01 g mL^?1 concentration, resulting in the appearance of micronuclei in erythrocyte cells. When degraded dyes treated by endophytes were tested, the frequency of micronuclei reduced approximately 20%, indicating the effectiveness of these endophytic in the treatment of textile dyes with less environmental impact, thus indicating a potential for application of these fungi in bioremediation process.     

Metal speciation in sediment and bioaccumulation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Meretrix lyrata</Emphasis> in the Tien Estuary in Vietnam

The concentrations of seven toxic metals (cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn)) were determined in sediments and the soft tissues of a bivalve species (Meretrix lyrata) collected from the Tien Estuary in Tien Giang Province, South Vietnam. The total metal concentrations in sediments (mg/kg dry weight) increased as Cd (0.06) < Cu (5.0) < Pb (13.9) < As (16.3) < Ni (24) < Cr (50) < Zn (62). Speciation analysis revealed that these metals existed mainly in the residual fraction (43–94%), followed by the Fe-Mn oxide-bound (5–35%) and organic/sulfide-bound (0.6–9.2%) fractions. The metal concentrations in M. lyrata (mg/kg dry weight) were in the ranges of 1.3–1.9 (Cd), 1.5–2.8 (Ni), 1.8–3.4 (Cr), 11–16 (As), 0.3–0.6 (Pb), 6.9–8.7 (Cu), and 95–128 (Zn), which are safe for human consumption. The order of the mean biota-sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) of the metals in the non-residual fractions of the sediment for M. lyrata was Cd > Cu > As > Zn > Cr > Ni > Pb. The Risk Assessment Codes (RACs) suggest that the highest mobility of Cd (with RAC = 37%) poses greater environmental risk to aquatic biota. Correlation analysis results show that M. lyrata can be used as a biomonitor of Cd and Cu pollution in the exchangeable, acid-soluble, and non-residual sediment fractions.