Nutrient Bioassays of Growth Parameters for Algae in the North Bosque River of Central Texas1

Abstract: Nutrient dose‐response bioassays were conducted using water from three sites along the North Bosque River. These bioassays provided support data for refinement of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model used in the development of two phosphorus TMDLs for the North Bosque River. Test organisms were native phytoplanktonic algae and stock cultured Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (Korshikov) Hindak. Growth was measured daily by in vivo fluorescence. Algal growth parameters for maximum growth (μ_max) and half‐saturation constants for nitrogen (K_N) or phosphorus (K_P) were determined by fitting maximum growth rates associated with each dose level to a Monod growth rate function. Growth parameters of native algae were compared between locations and to growth parameters of P. subcapitata and literature values. No significant differences in half‐saturation constants were indicated within nutrient treatment for site or algal type. Geometric mean K_N was 32 μg/l and for K_P 7 μg/l. A significant difference was detected in maximum growth rates between algae types but not between sites or nutrient treatments. Mean μ_max was 1.5/day for native algae and 1.2/day for stock algae. These results indicate that watershed‐specific maximum growth rates may need to be considered when modeling algal growth dynamics with regard to nutrients.     

大宁河春季浮游藻类“水华”及其营养限制

报道了大宁河2004年春季和2005年春季浮游藻类的种类组成、垂直分布、数量、生物量以及C含量的调查结果，并应用多样性指数、丰富度指数和均匀性指数对其水质进行了综合评价；对大宁河蓄水后出现的富营养化现象和春季发生“水华”的原因进行了探讨，同时提出了控制水体富营养化的建议。2004年春季，藻类优势种为美丽星杆藻〖WTBX〗（Asterionella formosa）、卵形隐藻（Cryptomonas ovata）、里海小环藻（Cyclotella caspia）和新星形冠盘藻（Stephanodiscus neoastraea）；2005年春季的优势种为实球藻（Pandorina morum）、空球藻（Eudorina elegans）、里海小环藻(Cyclotella caspia)和卵形隐藻(Cryptomonas ovata)〖WTBZ〗。2004年和2005年的细胞密度、生物量和C含量分别平均为171.1×105 cells/L，12.2 mg/L，1 732.2 μg C/L和113.1×105 cells/L，10.1 mg/L，1 395.9μg C/L。对2005年春季熊猫洞采样点“水华”水进行生物测试的结果表明，P是藻类生长的限制因子。研究认为，控制大宁河沿岸带生活污水的排放量并减少由于农田地表径流所带来的营养输入是防止该河加重富营养化和发生“水华”的关键。     

Association between micronuclei frequency in pollen mother cells of Tradescantia and mortality due to cancer and cardiovascular diseases: A preliminary study in Sao José dos Campos, Brazil

The present study was designed to explore the correlation between the frequency of micronuclei in Trad-MN, measured across 28 biomonitoring stations during the period comprised between 11 of May and 2 of October, 2006, and adjusted mortality rates due to cardiovascular, respiratory diseases and cancer in Sao José dos Campos, Brazil, an area with different sources of air pollution. For controlling purposes, mortality rate due to gastrointestinal diseases (an event less prone to be affected by air pollution) was also considered in the analysis. Spatial distribution of micronuclei frequency was determined using average interpolation. The association between health estimators and micronuclei frequency was determined by measures of Pearson's correlation. Higher frequencies of micronuclei were detected in areas with high traffic and close to a petrochemical pole. Significant associations were detected between micronuclei frequency and adjusted mortality rate due to cardiovascular diseases (r = 0.841, p = 0.036) and cancer (r = 0.890, p = 0.018). The association between mortality due to chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases was positive but did not reach statistical significance (r = 0.640, p = 0.172), probably because of the small number of events. Gastrointestinal mortality did not exhibit significant association with micronuclei frequency. Because the small number of observations and the nature of an ecological study, the present findings must be considered with caution and considered as preliminary. Further studies, performed in different conditions of contamination and climate should be done before considering Trad-MN in the evaluation of human health risk imposed by air pollutants.     

A biological safety evaluation on reclaimed water reused as scenic water using a bioassay battery

An assessment method based on three toxicity tests (algae growth inhibition, daphnia immobilization and larval fish toxicity) was used to screen the biological safety of reclaimed water which was reused as sole replenishment for scenic water system in a park (SOF Park) in northern China. A total of 24 water samples were collected from six sites of water system in the SOF Park in four different seasons. The results indicated that: (1) the reclaimed water directly discharged from a reclamation treatment plant near the SOF Park as influent of park had relatively low biological safety (all samples were ranked as C or D); (2) the biological safety of reclaimed water was improved greatly with the ecological reclamation treatment processes composing of artificial wetland system and followed oxidation pond system; (3) the biological safety of reclaimed water in the main lake of SOF Park kept at a health status during different seasons (all samples were ranked as A); (4) there was some certain correlation (R² = 0.5737) between the sum of toxicity scores and dissolved organic carbon for the studied water samples. It was concluded that the assessment method was reliable to screen the safety of reclaimed water reused as scenic water, and the reclaimed water with further ecological purification processes such as artificial wetland and oxidation pond system can be safely reused as scenic water in park.     

Landfill Leachate Ecotoxicity Experiments using Lemna minor

The effects of varying concentrations of landfill leachate on the growth, frond area, chlorophyll content and fluorescence of four strains of Lemna minor were assessed. Growth fluorescence and frond chlorophyll content decreased after seven days exposure to leachate, although responses differed between the strains and end parameters. A L. minor bioassay was used to assess leachate toxicity and the effectiveness of a constructed wetland treatment system and pre-treatment aeration and settlement in reducing toxicity. Pre-treatments were found to significantly reduce toxicity, so their incorporation in any treatment system may increase pollutant stripping.     

ALGAL BIOASSAY AND GROSS PRODUCTIVITY EXPERIMENTS USING SEWAGE EFFLUENT IN A MICHIGAN WETLAND'

ABSTRACT: One component of the filamentous algal community of a northern fen ecosystem in central Michigan was studied under conditions of nutrient enrichment by secondarily treated sewage effluent during one growing season. The productivity of Cladophora spp. measured by continuous flow bioassay was 2.6 g dry weight m day at the site of effluent addition compared to 0.085 g m day at the control site. Under conditions of nutrient enrichment, uptake by bioassay Cladophora spp. averaged 12 mg m^?2day^?1for phosphorus and 55 mg m^?2day^?1for nitrogen, compared to 0.01 mg m^?2 day^?1and 0.16 mg m^?2day^?1for phosphorus and nitrogen, respectively, in the control area. At the end of the growing season approximately 4.3 g N m^?2 and 0.96 g P m^?2were immobilized in Cladophora algal biomass. Algal growth temporarily immobilized 3.0 percent of the nitrogen and 1.0 percent of the phosphorus added as sewage effluent. Gross productivity of surface water in the fen averaged 1.5 g O₂m^?2day^?1at the nutrient enriched site, compared to 0.5 g O₂ m^?2day^?1at the control area. Gross productivity, community respiration and reaeration constant values in the fen were similar to data collected by other researchers in shallow water aquatic systems, but only at the fertilized sites.     

ACID MINE DRAINAGE (AMD) AND ITS IMPACT ON A SMALL VIRGINIA STREAM1

ABSTRACT: A study was conducted to 1) chemically characterize three AMD streams entering Chestnut Creek in southwestern Virginia below the town of Galax, Virginia, and 2) to assess the biological and chemical alterations in the creek. Over a six mile reach, the benthic macroinvertebrate population was reduced to zero, the naturally low alkalinity (～25mg/1) of the stream was reduced to less than 5 mg/1, and the pH was reduced from 7.2 to 6.3. Increased concentration of iron from less than 0.01 mg/I to more than 4.0 mg/1 were accompanied by the deposition of a coating of iron hydroxide up to 0.25 in. thick in the stream bed, a phenomenon most likely responsible for the absence of benethic macroinvertebrates. In situ bioassays with bluegill sunfish and one snail species showed that the creek water, after confluence with all the AMD streams, was not toxic in 192 hours to fish, and snails survived 96 hours before they began to die. The undiluted AMD itself was highly toxic.     

QUALITY OF WATER AND BOTTOM SEDIMENTS IN THE TRINITY RIVER1

ABSTRACT: Data were developed to determine the quality of water and bottom sediments in the Trinity River, and the mobility of various contaminants when bottom sediments were mixed with the river water under simulated dredging conditions. Thirteen sampling sites were selected. A number of chemical tests including heavy metals and pesticides were conducted on river water, elutriates, and bottom sediments. Statis bioassays using Daphnia magna were conducted on river water and elutriates. Results indicated that the river in the upper reach is grossly polluted due to discharge of waste water effluents from several large treatment plants. High concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, organic carbon, COD, heavy metals, and pesticides were found in water and bottom sediments. The concentrations of most of these pollutants exceeded the EPA recommended limits. Elutriation gave no consistent results, perhaps because of release or uptake of contaminants from the sediments. High mortality of D. magna were also recorded in the upper reach of the river. The quality of water and bottom sediments gradually improved in lower reaches.     

A BIO ASSAY LABORATORY BOAT WITH COMPARISONS OF CENTRAL VS. BOAT LABORATORY BIOASSAY EVALUATIONS1

ABSTRACT: A laboratory boat designed to investigate toxic effects on site and its use as a bioassay tool in the study of a refinery effluent discharged into the Schuylkill River, a tributary of the Delaware River, is described. Three-hundred thirty-six-hour continuous-flow bioassay s exposing the bluegill sunfish, the channel catfish, the tadpole snail, the grass shrimp, and the sheephead minnow to concentrations of refinery effluent in Schuylkill, Delaware River, and Delaware Bay water, with and without the addition of sediment were performed. Results indicated that the toxicity (lethality) of fresh samples tested aboard the boat (refinery effluent, dilution water, sediment) were considerably higher (i.e., refinery effluent at full strength was 2.2X as lethal to the bluegill, 1.4X as lethal to the channel catfish, 1.5X as lethal to the sheep-head minnow and 100X as lethal to the grass shrimp) than the same test material collected from the refinery outfall and brought to a central laboratory for testing. Chemical analysis and bioassay data is presented showing the effects of aging and irradiation upon the refinery effluent.