ELISA detection of multixenobiotic resistance transporter induction in indigenous freshwater Chironomidae larvae (Diptera): A biomarker calibration step for in situ monitoring of xenobiotic exposure

A new simple and sensitive method to distinguish chemically polluted from unpolluted situations in freshwater ecosystems is reported. For this purpose, Chironomus gr thumni larvae were collected from a polluted urban river downstream a sewage treatment plant. For the first time, ELISA assay was used to semi-quantify the multixenobiotic resistance transporters (MXR) in these small pertinent bioindicators. The use of samples immediately fixed in the field gives a delay to isolate larvae and allows multi-sampling along a longitudinal transect in a river at a given time. Results exhibit an induction of MXR proteins in larvae from the polluted river and a deinduction in larvae maintained 11days in unpolluted water. They show new evidences to use midge larvae in biomonitoring environmental programs. They answer to first biomarker calibration steps for the ongoing development of MXR transporters as a detection tool of xenobiotic impacts on bioindicator invertebrates in their freshwater habitats.     

Satellite monitoring for carbon monoxide and particulate matter during forest fire episodes in Northern Thailand

This study explored the use of satellite data to monitor carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM) in Northern Thailand during the dry season when forest fires are known to be an important cause of air pollution. Satellite data, including Measurement of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) CO, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer aerosol optical depth (MODIS AOD), and MODIS fire hotspots, were analyzed with air pollution data measured at nine automatic air quality monitoring stations in the study area for February–April months of 2008–2010. The correlation analysis showed that daily CO and PM with size below 10 μm (PM₁₀) were associated with the forest fire hotspot counts, especially in the rural areas with the maximum correlation coefficient (R) of 0.59 for CO and 0.65 for PM₁₀. The correlations between MODIS AOD and PM₁₀, between MOPITT CO and CO, and between MODIS AOD and MOPITT CO were also analyzed, confirming the association between these variables. Two forest fire episodes were selected, and the dispersion of pollution plumes was studied using the MOPITT CO total column and MODIS AOD data, together with the surface wind vectors. The results showed consistency between the plume dispersion, locations of dense hotspots, ground monitoring data, and prevalent winds. The satellite data were shown to be useful in monitoring the regional transport of forest fire plumes.     

Indoor air pollution levels in public buildings in Thailand and exposure assessment

Levels of pollutants including PM2.5 and PM2.5 composition (black carbon and water soluble ions), SO(2), NO(2), CO, CO(2), and BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene) were monitored for indoor and outdoor air at a university campus and a shopping center, both located in the Northern suburb of Bangkok. Sampling was done during December 2005-February 2006 on both weekdays and weekends. At the university, indoor monitoring was done in two different air conditioned classrooms which shows the I/O ratios for all pollutants to be below 0.5-0.8 during the weekends. However, on weekdays the ratios for CO(2) and most detected BTEX were above 1.0. The concept of classroom occupancy was defined using a function of the student number in a lecture hour and the number of lecture hours per day. Classroom 2, which had a higher occupancy than classroom 1, was characterized by higher concentrations of most pollutants. PM2.5 was an exception and was higher in classroom 1 (37 microg/m(3), weekdays) as compared to classroom 2 (26 microg/m(3), weekdays) which was likely linked to the dust resuspension from the carpeted floor in the former. Monitoring was also done in the shopping mall at three different sites. Indoor pollutants levels and the I/O ratios at the shopping mall were higher than at the university. Levels of all pollutants measured at the car park, except for toluene and CO(2), were the highest. I/O ratios of the pollutants at the mall were above 1.0, which indicates the relatively higher influence of the indoor sources. However, the black carbon content in PM2.5 outdoor is higher than indoor, which suggest the important contribution from outdoor combustion sources such as the traffic. Major sources of outdoor air pollution in the areas were briefly discussed. Exposure modeling was applied using the time activity and measured pollutant concentrations to assess the exposure of different groups of people in the study areas. High exposure to PM2.5, especially for the people working in the mall, should be of health effect concern.     

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.     

Contamination of drinking water resources in the Mekong delta floodplains: arsenic and other trace metals pose serious health risks to population

This study presents a transnational groundwater survey of the 62,000 km(2) Mekong delta floodplain (Southern Vietnam and bordering Cambodia) and assesses human health risks associated with elevated concentrations of dissolved toxic elements. The lower Mekong delta generally features saline groundwater. However, where groundwater salinity is <1 g L(-)(1) Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), the rural population started exploiting shallow groundwater as drinking water in replacement of microbially contaminated surface water. In groundwater used as drinking water, arsenic concentrations ranged from 0.1-1340 microg L(-)(1), with 37% of the studied wells exceeding the WHO guidelines of 10 microg L(-)(1) arsenic. In addition, 50% exceeded the manganese WHO guideline of 0.4 mg L(-)(1), with concentrations being particularly high in Vietnam (range 1.0-34 mg L(-)(1)). Other elements of (minor) concern are Ba, Cd, Ni, Se, Pb and U. Our measurements imply that groundwater contamination is of geogenic origin and caused by natural anoxic conditions in the aquifers. Chronic arsenic poisoning is the most serious health risk for the ~2 million people drinking this groundwater without treatment, followed by malfunction in children's development through excessive manganese uptake. Government agencies, water specialists and scientists must get aware of the serious situation. Mitigation measures are urgently needed to protect the unaware people from such health problems.     

Towards eco-agro industrial clusters in aquatic production: the case of shrimp processing industry in Vietnam

The concept of industrial ecology has been applied in this research to study possibilities to develop an eco-industrial cluster model for fishery production industry in Vietnam. By learning from experiments of other developed countries, we apply the principles of Industrial Ecology and of Ecological Modernization in the context of Vietnam. We design a physical-technological conceptual model for minimizing waste in agro-industries, with a case study of frozen shrimp production. The results indicate that it is possible and feasible to develop an eco-industrial cluster including aquaculture, fishery processing companies, by-product plants, and wastewater treatment units. By doing so, aquaculture and industry can cooperate for environmentally sound development. Actors and institutions that may govern the proposed eco-industrial cluster of shrimp processing industry are also analysed in this paper. The economic feasibility of the designed eco-agro industrial cluster for fish production in Vietnam depends on the energy savings and effective revenues gained from selling the produced valuable materials, such as Chitosan and animal feed.     

Drivers of Forest Cover Dynamics in Smallholder Farming Systems: The Case of Northwestern Vietnam

The national-scale forest recovery of Vietnam started in the early 1990s and is associated with a shift from net deforestation to net reforestation. Large disparities in forest cover dynamics are, however, observed at the local scale. This study aims to unravel the mechanisms driving forest cover change for a mountainous region located in northwest Vietnam. Statistical analyses were used to explore the association between forest cover change and household characteristics. In Sa Pa district, deforestation rates are decreasing, but forest degradation continues at similar rates. Deforestation is not necessarily associated with impoverished ethnic communities or high levels of subsistence farming, and the largest forest cover dynamics are found in villages with the best socio-economic conditions. Our empirical study does not provide strong evidence of a dominant role of agriculture in forest cover dynamics. It shows that empirical studies on local-scale forest dynamics remain important to unravel the complexity of human–environment interactions.     

Modeling groundwater flow and its associated environmental problem in a lowland coastal plain: a first step towards a sustainable development plan

Groundwater is an important resource in the alluvial coastal lowland plains. In the Shiroishi lowland plain, southwestern Kyushu Island of Japan, land subsidence due to groundwater development has long been recognized as an environmental issue. Land subsidence can have several negative economic and social implications. In this study, an integrated numerical groundwater and land subsidence model, which combines a three-dimensional numerical groundwater flow model and a one-dimensional soil consolidation model, was used to simulate the dynamic groundwater flow and ground subsidence due to pumping. On the other hand, a groundwater optimization model was also formulated to search for an optimal safe yield of groundwater pumping without violating physical, environmental, social-economic constraints. The model results reveal that groundwater levels in the aquifers greatly vary from season to season in response to varying climatic and pumping conditions. Consequently, land subsidence has rapidly occurred throughout the area with the central prone in Shiroishi plain. The study also proposes a countermeasure against subsiding process in the area by means of numerical models. The optimization model result suggests that pumping can be increased in the northern part of the study area without leading to significant land subsidence.