Biological production of nitrite in seawater

The relative importance of 3 different sources for biological production of nitrite in seawater was studied. Decomposition of fecal pellets of the copepod Calanus helgolandicus (at a concentration of approximately 12 g-at N/l), in seawater medium, released small amounts of ammonia over a 6 week period. It nitrifying bacteria were added to the fecal pellets nitrite was barely detectable over the same period. Decomposition of phytoplankton (present at a concentration of about 8 g-at particulate plant N/l) with added heterotrophic bacteria, released moderate amounts of ammonia over a 12 week period. If the ammonia-oxidizing bacterium Nitrosocystis oceanus was added to the decomposing algae, nitrite was produced at a rate of 0.2 g-at N/l/week. Heterotrophic nitrification was not observed when 7 open-ocean bacteria were tested for their ability to oxidize ammonia. The diatom Skeletonema costatum, either non-starved or starved of nitrogen, produced nitrite when growing with 150 or 50 g-at NO ₂ ^- -N/l at a light intensity of about 0.01 ly/min. When nitrate in the medium was exhausted, S. costatum assimilated nitrite. If starved of vitamin B₁₂, both non-N-starved and N-starved cells of S. costatum produced nitrite in the medium with 150 g-at NO ₃ ^- -N/l. Nitrate was not exhausted and cell densities reached 2x10⁵/ml due to vitamin B₁₂ deficiency. If light intensity was reduced to 0.003 ly/min under otherwise similar conditions, cells did not grow due to insufficient light, and nitrite was not produced. In the sea, it appears that, in certain micro-environments, decomposition of particulate matter releases ammonia with its subsequent oxidation to nitrite. The amounts of these nutrients and the rate at which they are produced are dependent upon the nature of the materials undergoing decomposition and the associated bacteria. In certain other areas of the sea, where phytoplankton standing stock is high and nitrate is non-limiting, excretion by these organisms is a major source of nitrite.     

Fuzzy modelling of chlorophyll production in a Brazilian upwelling system

In the context of coastal management the aim of this paper is to present the development of a fuzzy model through the application of a Genetic algorithm in order to select the most appropriate set of variables and improve our understanding with a set of rules. The case studied is the chlorophyll response as bioindicator of ecological status in the Northeast coastal upwelling system of Rio de Janeiro state, Southeastern of Brazil. The prediction of the fuzzy model has shown an improved performance when compared to the traditional approaches as Multiple Regression modelling. The results show that the set of inferred rules can assess three different water masses. Despite the increased occurrence of upwelling is observed in spring–summer period and some instability of the model, it is able to forecast some chlorophyll peaks. We conclude that the sampling frequency is crucial to reach a better performance.     

基于MODIS模拟的辽东湾叶绿素a的遥感反演模型

叶绿素a浓度对于水质和富营养化评价、赤潮探测及海洋生产力研究有重要意义.利用卫星遥感反演获取叶绿素a浓度弥补了传统采样方法的数据离散化、耗时长且费用高的缺陷,可以实时和全面地观测大尺度海洋叶绿索a分布.通过实测光谱模拟卫星波段,可以在一定程度上削除大气干扰,有助于准确地确定特征波段和建立遥感反演模型.本文以辽东湾为研究区,利用现场实测光谱模拟了MODIS波段,并在光谱特征分析基础上进行叶绿素a的特征波段选择,通过比较单波段和波段比值法等算法,建立了2个具有区域特色的叶绿素a遥感反演模型,并进行了模型验证.结果表明:在辽东湾海域,运用红光附近特征波段667和678 nm来反映叶绿素特征比传统蓝绿光波段(440和550nm)似乎更能削弱其它水体组分的干扰,突出辽东湾水体的特点.利用667、678和551nm的三波段模型要比单纯考虑667和678nm波段比值的模型要好一些,该模型r为0.856,标准差为0.190.模型验证预测值和实测值的相关系数为0.93(p<0.01),表明了模型良好的预测能力.模型具有明显的区域特色,结果是否具有普适性,还需进一步验证.     

Ecology of neonate loggerhead turtles inhabiting lines of downwelling near a Gulf Stream front

Neonate sea turtles disperse from nesting beaches into the open ocean and develop during a multi-year growth period at sea, but data that characterize their behavior, feeding, and habitat during this developmental period have been few. Limited information has suggested that neonate sea turtles associate with lines of floating debris and biota at areas of surface downwelling. Data from the present study come from measurements of habitat, turtle behavior, and apparent foraging preferences in areas where neonate (post-hatchling) loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) were observed and captured. Turtles were observed (n=293) and captured (n=241 of the 293 observed) in downwelling lines that had formed in the slope water near the Gulf Stream front off east-central Florida, USA. Catch-per-unit-effort averaged 12.4 turtles/h from a vessel moving at 2.5 knots. Turtles were largely inactive and were closely associated with floating material, especially pelagic species of Sargassum. Turtles captured along with samples of floating material and given a gastric-esophageal lavage showed a preference for animal material (35.5% of volume in habitat, 70.9% in lavage) over plant material (60.3% of volume in habitat, 22.5% in lavage). Ingested anthropogenic debris included tar (20% of turtles) and plastics (15% of turtles). Ingested animals were principally small (most <1 mm) and were typically slow-moving or non-motile species or stages. Ingested plants were most commonly Sargassum fragments or seagrasses that bore epiphytic animals. Preferred or commonly ingested animals were hydroids, copepods, and pleuston such as Janthina, Creseis, Porpita, and Halobates. Data support a hypothesis describing post-hatchling loggerheads as facultatively active but principally low-energy float-and-wait foragers both within and outside of downwelling lines. Pelagic dispersal of turtles may be best predicted by a "smart" drifter analogy wherein turtle buoyancy, surface advection, and minimal oriented movement determine their distribution at sea. Conservation implications of plastic and tar ingestion are discussed.     

Photoelectrochemical treatment of ammonium using seawater as a natural supporting electrolyte

In the present study, a photoelectrochemical process containing seawater as a natural low-cost supporting electrolyte was used to remove ammonium from wastewater in a continuous flow mode. Based on central composite design (CCD), response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to evaluate the performance of the process in ammonia removal. The effect of four main independent parameters, including initial ammonium concentration, hydraulic retention time (HRT), current intensity and initial pH on the removal of ammonia was evaluated by the model. The optimal initial ammonium concentration, HRT, current intensity and initial pH were 917 mg NH ₄? N;·L ^?1, 108 min, 1.8 A and 8.4, respectively. The high coefficients (R ²=0.97 and adjusted R ²=0.94) obtained by the analysis of variance (ANOVA) demonstrated close correlation between predicted and experimental values. Also, treating the reject water from the sludge dewatering unit as an ammonium-rich wastewater showed the effectiveness of the process for treating real wastewaters (86% ammonium removal). The results revealed that the present process can be an efficient method for ammonium removal from polluted effluents in coastal areas based on the availability of seawater as a cost-efficient supporting electrolyte.     

酸雨对全生育时期水稻叶绿素荧光的影响

酸雨是全球关注的重大环境污染问题之一,中国亦继西欧和北美之后,成为当今世界第三大酸雨区。光合作用是植物生物量和作物经济产量形成的生理基础,叶绿素荧光常用来判断逆境胁迫对植物光合作用造成的伤害。有研究表明,酸雨会对植物叶绿素荧光造成影响,然不同生长阶段植物对逆境的抵抗能力亦存在差异,采用模拟酸雨（酸雨 pH 值梯度为4.5、3.5、2.5）或模拟天然降水持续胁迫（每隔3天喷施1次）水稻（Oryza sativa）（从幼苗期至灌浆期）,利用原位无损伤叶绿素荧光测定技术（德国Walz公司PAM-210脉冲调制式荧光仪）分别探测和分析幼苗期、分蘖期、孕穗期和灌浆期水稻叶片（处理组和对照组）,研究酸雨对全生育期水稻叶绿素荧光的影响,相关研究未见报道。结果表明,与CK相比,pH 4.5酸雨使幼苗期和孕穗期初始荧光（Fo）显著提高了7.69%、8.84%,使幼苗期、分蘖期和孕穗期非光化学猝灭参数（qN）显著提高了8.64%、4.86%、6.09%,使幼苗期和孕穗期最大光化学量子产量（Fv/Fm）,PSII电子传递速率（ETR）,实际原初光能捕获效率（ΦPSII）,光化学猝灭参数（qP）显著降低,幼苗期、孕穗期降幅依次为Fv/Fm（3.01%、6.88%）、ETR（8.40%、10.24%）、ΦPSII（8.39%、12.23%）、qP（3.79%、12.55%）;pH 3.5、pH 2.5酸雨不同程度地显著降低了各生育时期Fv/Fm、ETR、ΦPSII、qP,幼苗期和孕穗期qN,显著提高了各生育时期Fo,且随酸雨pH值降低,变化幅度增大。同时,pH 4.5或pH 3.5酸雨持续胁迫下,水稻受到伤害大小规律为灌浆期＆lt;幼苗期＆lt;分蘖期＆lt;孕穗期;pH 2.5酸雨持续胁迫下,水稻受到伤害大小规律为分蘖期＜幼苗期＜灌浆期＜孕穗期。总之,酸雨胁迫强度与水稻叶绿素荧光参数存在剂量-效应关系,酸雨持续胁迫会对不同生育时期水稻光合作用造成影响,并且不同生育时期水稻光合作用对酸雨胁迫敏感性存在差异,这些是评价酸雨胁迫对植物影响时需考虑因素。     

酸雨胁迫对木荷叶片气体交换和叶绿素荧光参数的影响

通过盆栽试验,研究了3种不同pH值（2.5、4.0、5.6）的模拟酸雨溶液对2年生木荷（Schima superba）幼苗叶片气体交换和荧光参数的影响。结果表明：在不同酸雨处理下,净光合速率和气孔导度日变化均呈＂双峰＂型,最大净光合速率和最高表观量子效率（AQE）变化趋势依次是pH4.0〉pH5.6〉pH2.5,说明pH4.0处理对木荷光合作用有促进作用;在不同酸雨处理下,PSⅡ原初光能转换效率（Fv/Fm）、PSⅡ潜在活性（Fv/Fo）和相对叶绿素含量均呈现出pH4.0〉pH5.6〉pH2.5的变化趋势,pH4.0酸雨处理下表现出最高值,说明适度降低酸雨pH值（pH4.0）并不会对木荷的光合系统活性造成损伤,反而有促进作用,表明木荷对酸雨有较强的适应能力。     

Dye tracing of a subsurface chlorophyll maximum of a red-tide dinoflagellate to surface frontal regions

Rhodamine dye (3701) was injected into a 22-m subsurface chlorophyll maximum of the red-tide forming dinoflagellate Prorocentrum mariae-lebouriae var. minimum in the northern Chesapeake Bay (USA) and traced for a sixday period as it spread over a 600 km² area. The precise physical mechanisms, which resulted in the transfer of dye and organisms to the surface, are documented. The major component of the dye and organisms was transported from the central bay into major tributary estuaries via net nontidal flow of bottom waters and surfaced upstream in frontal regions. Once in surface waters, the dye and organisms flowed downriver toward the bay. Due to the three-layer flow of the rivers at this time, the dinoflagellate and the rhodamine re-entered the bay proper at middepth below the fresher Susquehanna plume, thus forming a near-surface chlorophyll maximum (4–6 m) flowing in an opposite direction to the deep subsurface chlorophyll maximum (18–26 m). Current meter arrays verified the opposite flows of these two lenses. The near-surface, southward-flowing lens was followed downstream to an area where the influence of the Susquehanna begins to subside as indicated by isopycnals inclined to the surface. Here the near-surface lens is mixed upward to the surface forming massive red tides (25 000 cells ml^–1) delineated by a frontal region. In addition to the predominant along channel flow, major cross stream Ekman transport and upwelling of dye and organisms was detected in response to wind forcing resulting in localized surface patch formation along the western shore shoaling regions of the bay proper. Thus, annual variations in the locations of surface red tides can be correlated to streamflow and windinduced variations in the locations of frontal regions.     

Enhancement of association of organic molecules on silica gel by surface water: surface photoreaction of stilbene

Here, we show that association of stilbene molecules is facilitated by water on silica gel because of hydrophobic interaction and photodimerization becomes the main photochemical process. Irradiation of trans-stilbene (t-1) on silica gel gives cis-stilbene (c-1), phenanthrene (2), benzaldehyde (3), and dimers r-ctt-4 and r-tct-4. The yields of the dimers increase and those of 2 and 3 decrease with an increase in the amount of t-1 loaded on silica gel. Atmospheric oxygen is responsible for the formation of 2 and 3. The yields of the dimers also increase with an increase in the water on a silica-gel surface and change drastically at the point where the percentage of water to silica gel is around 25 wt%. All active sites on a silica-gel surface would be covered completely with 25 wt% of water.     

Removal efficiencies of natural and synthetic progesterones in hospital wastewater treated by different disinfection processes

● The concentrations of 61 progesterones in HWW, PFTE, SBTE were evaluated. ● The removal efficiencies of progesterones by PFT and SBT were identified. ● Compared the removal efficiencies of progeste rones in five disinfection processes. Progesterones are ubiquitous in hospital wastewater (HWW) with concentrations much higher than those of estrogens and androgens. To ensure that these water systems are safe to use, disinfection is crucial during HWW treatment by providing “front line” defense against biological contaminations. Here, five disinfection processes, namely, chlorine (Cl₂), chlorine dioxide (ClO₂), ozone (O₃), ultraviolet (UV)), and UV/chlorine (UV/Cl₂), were selected to investigate their removal efficiencies for progesterones in primary filtration and secondary biological treatment effluents. There were 61 natural and synthetic progesterones detected in HWW, with the natural progesterones being the main components with a concentration of 845.51 ng/L and contributing to 75.08% of the total progesterones. The primary filtration treatment presented insignificant removal effects on the progesterones, while the secondary biological treatment significantly reduced the progesterone content by biodegradation. The order of removal efficiencies of total progesterones by different disinfection processes was UV/Cl₂ > Cl ₂ > O ₃ > ClO ₂ > UV. UV/Cl ₂ showed the highest removal efficiency against progesterones mainly due to the activation of Cl₂ by ultraviolet (UV) photolysis, which helps open the heterocyclic, aromatic, and phenolic rings, thus accelerating progesterone degradation. In addition, the removal efficiencies of natural progesterones in the five disinfection processes were higher than those of synthetic progesterones (progesterone derivatives, 19-nortestosterone derivatives, and 17α-hydroxyprogesterone derivatives).     

Rate and extent of decomposition of dissolved organic matter in surface seawater

An experiment on the decomposition of the dissolved organic matter (DOM) in surface seawater was carried out under controlled laboratory conditions during a cruise of the R.V. Hakuho-Maru in the North-Equatorial Pacific (August/November, 1969). Surface seawater was placed in 300 ml oxygen bottles and incubated in the dark at 25°C. After selected time intervals, the dissolved organic-carbon (DOC) and the dissolved oxygen (DO) were determined for each bottle. The DOM in the surface seawater was described in terms of two labile fractions and a refractory one. The DOC decreased from 0.96 to 0.74 mgC/l during the first 50 days of incubation. Approximately 20% of the initial DOC (Fraction F_I) was oxidized. The other labile fraction, F_II was assumed to be 30 to 40% of the total DOM. The remaining half of the total DOM (Fraction F_III) is probably refractory and resistant to biochemical oxidation. The rate constant for decomposition was 0.0052 day^–1 for the total DOM and 0.033 day^–1 for F _I.     

Vertical distribution of phytoplankton during investigations of a natural surface film

An interdisciplinary research program (Kombiniertes Oberflächenfilmprojekt KOFF), in the North Sea area about 75 km west of the Island of Sylt, is directed towards gaining further knowledge on the biological importance of the natural surface film. The investigations include the water body below the film as well as dynamic processes at the surface. Persistence of calm weather conditions (cloudless sky) before and during the investigations permitted observations of the diurnal species-specific vertical migration of Dinophyceae. Two groups could be distinguished: (1) Prorocentrum micans and Ceratium furca; (2) C. horridum, C. macroceros and C. fusus. The active accumulation of P. micans in the slick was verified by a significant correlation coefficient—linearly correlated with the time of day. The results presented reveal continuity between surface film and underlying water column.This work was supported by the Sonderforschungsbereich (SFB) 94, Hamburg, of the Deutsche For-schungsgemeinschaft.     

Products of photosynthesis in natural populations of marine phytoplankton from the Gulf of Maine

We have measured the photosynthetic assimilation of ¹⁴C-carbon dioxide into (1) ethanol-soluble, (2) hot-trichloroacetic acid (TCA)-soluble (polysaccharide), and (3) protein fractions of natural populations of marine phytoplankton. Diurnal studies showed a continuing incorporation of carbon-14 into the protein fraction during hours of darkness. This was accompanied by a concomitant decrease in the proportion assimilated into polysaccharide. When incorporation was measured under constant experimental conditions, the pattern of photosynthesis did not vary from one time of day to another. At one station approximately 12 km south of Boothbay Harbor, the proportion of carbon entering protein showed marked seasonal changes. During the winter, approximately 10 to 20% of the fixed carbon was incorporated into protein. During the summer the value increased to 22 to 35%. Between these times, a transient high value of 37 to 47% of the fixed carbon entering protein coincided with the spring bloom. The increases in proportion incorporated into protein were largely paralleled by equivalent decreases in the polysaccharide fraction. The proportion of carbon incorporated into protein during photosynthesis also increased markedly at reduced light intensities. This increase occurred both when populations were incubated in neutral-density filters and when incubated at increasing depths in the photic zone. There was little consistent and significant difference between the neutral-density filters and depth in the water column, suggesting a minimal role for light quality. The extent of the increased relative rate of protein synthesis at the lower light intensities depended on the nutritional state of the phytoplankton. For example, summer populations from water containing low concentrations of inorganic nutrients responded less dramatically to reduced light intensities than did populations from nutrient-rich waters.     

Studies on influence of natural biowastes on cellulase production by Aspergillus niger

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of natural biowaste substrates such as banana peel powder and coir powder at varying environmental parameters of pH (4-9) and temperature (20-50 degrees C) on the cellulase enzyme production by Aspergillus niger. The cellulase enzyme production was analyzed by measuring the amount of glucose liberated in IU ml(-1) by using the dinitrosalicylic acid assay method. The substrates were pretreated with 1% NaOH (alkaline treatment) and autoclaved. The maximum activity of the enzyme was assayed at varying pH with temperatures being constant and varying temperatures with pH being constant. The highest activity of the enzyme at varying pH was recorded at pH 6 for banana peel powder (0.068 +/- 0.002 IU ml) and coir powder (0.049 +/- 0.002 IU ml(-1)) and the maximum activity of the enzyme at varying temperature was recorded at 35 degrees C for both banana peel powder (0.072 +/- 0.001 IU ml(-1)) and coir powder (0.046 +/- 0.003 IU ml(-1)). At varying temperatures and pH the high level of enzyme production was obtained at 35 degrees C and pH 6 by using both the substrates, respectively. However among the two substrates used for the production of cellulases by Aspergillus niger banana peel powder showed maximum enzymatic activity than coir powder as substrate.     

自然水体生物膜有机组分对Cd2+的吸附特征

室内模拟研究了长春南湖水生物膜中有机组分即胞外聚合物、微生物非活性细胞和微生物活性细胞对Cd^2＋的吸附特征及其影响因素。结果表明：3种有机组分对Cd^2＋的吸附过程分为快速和慢速阶段，达到吸附平衡的时间分别为360、100和100min；Cd^2＋的吸附最均在pH为6h达到最佳；在实验所选温度范围内，胞外聚合物在30℃时对Cd^2＋的吸附量最大．而温度对Cd^2＋在微生物非活性细胞和活性细胞的影响不显著；Cd^2＋在3种有机组分上的吸附均符合Langmuir和Freundlish热力学方程，吸附能力为胞外聚合物〉微生物非活性细胞〉微生物活性细胞。在有Pb^2＋共存的条件下，Langmuir和Freundlish热力学方程仍然适合描述3种有机组分对Cd^2＋的热力学吸附过程，但Cd^2＋的吸附量和饱和吸附最均减小。     

A comparative study of microbial communities in soils amended by manures from pigs fed with organic versus synthetic feeds

We applied pyrosequencing to determine bacterial communities in soil samples taken from test fields amended by manures of pigs fed with green feeds (GPMS), synthetic feeds (APMS), and the reference field without swine manure amendment (NPMS), respectively. For each sample, 7050 effective sequences were selected and utilized to do the bacterial diversity and abundance analysis, respectively. In total, 2986, 2873, and 1602 operational taxonomic units were obtained at a 3% distance cut-off in GPMS, APMS, and NPMS, respectively. Bacterial phylotype richness in GPMS was higher than the other samples. NPMS had the least richness. The most dominant class in both GPMS and APMS is Betaproteobacteria, whereas Alphaproteobacteria is dominant in NPMS. Circa 7.5% sequences in GPMS were found to be affiliated with Burkholderiales order. Bacterial diversity and abundance in the soil varied with swine manure amendment, due to nutrient elements as well as toxic metals in swine manures. Compared with the soil amendment by manures from pigs bred with synthetic feeds, more bacterial diversity but less potentially pathogenic bacterial genera in the soil amended by manures of pigs fed with green feeds were found, which indicated that these manures were better land-applied organic fertilizers.     

Bactericidal properties of natural and synthetic sea water as influenced by addition of low amounts of organic matter

The influence of added organic nutrients on the bactericidal capacity of natural and synthetic sea water was investigated, with special reference to levels below the normal concentration of orgnnic matter in natural sea water. Resting cells of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Serratia marinorubra were used as test organisms. The inactivation of test bacteria in synthetic and filter-sterilized natural sea water could be increased by addition of ZoBell's 2216E-broth (containing peptone and yeast extract), peptone or glucose. This effect of the nutrients depended on chemical nature and concentration as well as on specific properties of the test strains. In regard to peptone, less than 10^-4 mg/ml must be added to induce bacterial kill exceeding that observed with unsupplemented controls. With raw sea water, no fundamentally different results were obtained; however, the influence of marine bacteria was clearly discernible. All findings support a previously offered hypothesis of nutrient-dependent antibacterial activity of sea water which is discussed in detail.     

Stimulation of phytoplankton production in coastal waters by natural rainfall inputs: Nutritional and trophic implications

Recent evaluations of estuarine and coastal nutrient budgets implicate atmospheric deposition as a potentially significant (20 to 30%) source of biologically available nitrogen. We examined the potential growth stimulating impact of atmospheric nitrogen loading (ANL), as local rainfall, in representative shallow, nitrogen limited North Carolina mesohaline estuarine and euhaline coastal Atlantic Ocean habitats. From July 1988 to December 1989, using in situ bioassays, we examined natural phytoplankton growth responses, as¹⁴CO₂ assimilation and chlorophylla production, to rain additions over a range of dilutions mimicking actual input levels. Rainfall at naturally occurring dilutions (0.5 to 5%) stimulated both¹⁴CO₂ assimilation and chlorophylla production, in most cases in a highly significant manner. Parallel nutrient enrichments consistently pointed to nitrogen as the growth stimulating nutrient source. Generally, more acidic rainfall led to greater magnitudes of growth stimulation, especially at lower dilutions. Nutrient analyses of local rainfall from May 1988 to January 1990 indicated an inverse relationship between pH and NO ₃ ^- content. There have been growing concerns regarding increasing coastal and estuarine eutrophication, including ecologically and economically devastating phytoplankton blooms bordering urban and industrial regions of North America, Europe, Japan, and Korea. It appears timely, if not essential, to consider atmospheric nutrient loading in the formulation and implementation of nutrient management strategies aimed at mitigating coastal eutrophication.     

基于改进微库仑法的海水可吸附有机卤素测定

对可吸附有机卤素(adsorable organic halogens,AOX)测定方法的研究主要集中在河流湖泊等饮用水相关的领域,而海水中的测定方法关注较少.受海水中高浓度的无机卤素离子的影响,传统的微库仑法在测定海水中AOX时精密度会下降并产生较大的正偏差.通过对传统的微库仑法进行改进,采用活性炭振荡吸附法-玻璃棒...     

电化学方法检测海水中铁的研究进展

海水中的痕量铁作为限制海洋浮游植物初级生产力的关键因素之一,在海洋生物地球化学循环中起着重要的作用.及时分析海水中铁的不同存在形态及其含量,对于进一步认识铁循环机制和有效预防海洋环境污染具有重要意义.电化学方法较其他分析方法在检测海水中痕量铁的含量,尤其是形态分析方面具有独特的优势.本文总结了运用电化学方法检测海水及其他自然水体中铁的分析方法,以期为发展准确、快速测定海水中痕量铁的形态及其含量的分析技术提供基础性参考.