Special Issue: Statistical mathematics for ecological and environmental data

Environmental and Ecological Statistics -     

A comparison of water solubilities by the flask and micro-column methods

A comparative examination of the two procedures of the OECD Test Guideline: Water Solubility was undertaken using carbazole, fluoranthene, anthracene, hexachlorobenzene, p-nitroaniline and diphenylamine. The flask method was modified to provide for dissolution of the solute from the surface of glass beads. By the proposed flask method, one can accurately measure the water solubility down to the order of 10 μg/L as well as those of the order of %. The micro-column method, which requires a number of concentration determinations to ensure that a saturated solution has been obtained, is recommended for the solubility range of 10 mg/L through 10 μg/L. The flask method using the procedures described in this study, covers the range of solubility above 10 μg/L with only two determinations one being a simple preliminary test and the other a precise measurement.     

Concentrations of Heavy Metals in Muscle with Relation to the Growth of Two Marine Fish Species

Heavy metal concentrations in muscle and their relation to thegrowth of two marine fish species,including tonguefish( Cynoglossus arel) and mullet( Mugil cephalus),were studied. The samples were collected in Bach Dang estuary andconcentrations of heavy metals( As,Cd,Co,Mn,Cu,Zn,Pb,and V) in muscle of the fisheswere determined. The result showed that the accumulated trend of heavy metal is different between fish species. The concentration of As,Zn,Mn,V,Cu,Pb,Co and Cd in tonguefish were 73. 7 ± 30. 6,22. 82 ± 4.87,3. 44 ± 2. 13,1. 61 ± 0. 15,0. 71 ± 0. 13,0. 45 ± 0. 24,0. 03 ± 0. 02 and 0. 02 ± 0. 02 mg·g-1,respectively. Meanwhile the concentration of Zn,As,V,Mn,Cu,Pb,Co and Cd in mullet were 83. 41 ±19. 68,9. 78 ± 1. 92,1. 36 ± 0. 54,1. 29 ± 0. 51,0. 65 ± 0. 12,0. 42 ± 0. 20,0. 06 ± 0. 03 and0. 03 ± 0. 01mg·g-1,respectively. Comparison of metal levels among thesespecies indicated that the concentrations of As and Mn in tonguefish were significantly higher than those in mullet,whereas Zn levels in mullet were found to be higher than that in tonguefish. There is no significant differences of Cd,Co,Cu,Pb and V levels in muscle between two species. Significant inversed relationshipsbetween concentration levels of metals and lengths of tonguefish were found for Mn,Cu and Zn,butnot for As,Cd,Pb,and V. There were no significant relationships between the heavy metal concentrations and the length of mullet. In general,decreasesof the heavy metal concentrations corresponded to the increases of fish body lengths,particularly for As,Co,Cu,Mn and V and the exception for Cd. Terefore reduced risks were associated with consuming biggermullet fish,and increased risks of As and Cd were associated with consuming bigger tonguefish in Bach Dang river mouth.     

Trans-Pacific dispersal of loggerhead turtle hatchlings inferred from numerical simulation modeling

We used Lagrangian numerical simulations to examine the trans-Pacific dispersal processes of loggerhead turtle hatchlings. Ten thousand simulated particles were released from each of the three nesting regions in Japan and tracked for 5 years. Results showed many particles moving eastward, drifting in the Kuroshio Current followed by the Kuroshio Extension Current. However, no particles reached Baja California, a known feeding area, through passive processes, indicating that trans-Pacific transportation requires active swimming by turtles. The duration of the trans-Pacific dispersal was estimated to be at least 1.6–3.4 years, with some turtles drifting in the Kuroshio Countercurrent and remaining in the western Pacific even after 5 years. This indicates that as revealed by previous genetic studies, not all loggerheads always disperse along a trans-Pacific route. The findings showed that survival and expected growth rates varied widely according to ambient temperatures during drifting, which in turn depended on nesting location.     

Environmental geochemistry of technetium

Technetium-99 (⁹⁹Tc) is a radioactive isotope with a half-life of 2.13 × 10⁵ year. ⁹⁹Tc is a major radionuclide contaminant of concern for the world. Therefore, detailed understanding of ⁹⁹Tc environmental chemistry is important for protecting human and ecological health. Here, we review the aqueous geochemistry of ⁹⁹Tc, focusing on chemical properties and behavior of ⁹⁹Tc in the hydrosphere and pedosphere. We describe the general chemistry of Tc including coordination chemistry, isotope chemistry and solid-state chemistry. Then we present anthropogenic and indigenous sources of ⁹⁹Tc and their environmental distribution. We also discuss the radiotoxicity of ⁹⁹Tc and the use of ⁹⁹Tc for medical purpose. Tc biogeochemistry is described through sorption and desorption reactions at the mineral–water interface, thermodynamic of surface complexation, abiotic and biotic redox reaction of Tc(VII). Finally, we summarize the ⁹⁹Tc remediation technologies including cement waste forms, natural remediation, vitrification, nuclear waste transmutation.     

滨海地带地下水面与咸淡水界面伴随着潮汐波动而变化的规律的探讨研究(Ⅰ)二维数值仿真数学模型的建立及其效度的验证

在研究海岸带广泛存在的凸凹不平的不透水层的几何及地质特性的基础上,结合地下水渗流运动的特征,运用数理分析的手法,建立了不同于以往的模拟海岸带含水层咸淡水界面变动规律的二维数值仿真数学模型.其后,通过与实验数据的对比验证了其效度.     

Growth history and inshore migration of the tropical eel, Anguilla marmorata, in the Pacific

A comparative study of the otolith microstructure and microchemistry of Anguilla marmorata glass eels in the western North Pacific (Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia) determined the timing of metamorphosis and age at recruitment to freshwater habitats with a view to learning about the early life history and recruitment of this species of tropical anguillid eel, which has a wide range throughout much of the western Pacific and parts of the Indian Ocean. Three new samples (from Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia) were analyzed and statistically compared along with two other previously published samples that were analyzed using the same techniques. Ages at metamorphosis and recruitment, respectively, were 123ᆡ.4 days (mean-SD) and 154ᆥ.0 days in specimens from Japan, 116ᆢ.6 days and 145ᆣ.6 days in those from Taiwan, 120ᆡ.0 days and 154ᆡ.5 days in the Philippines stock and 132Nj.7 days and 159ᆟ.7 days, and 120ᆣ.6 days and 152ᆣ.2 days in the Indonesian stock. The average duration of the period of metamorphosis estimated from otolith microstructure was very similar (15-17 days) in the specimens from all locations. A close linear relationship was found between the ages at metamorphosis and recruitment at all locations, suggesting that individuals that metamorphosed earlier were recruited to freshwater habitats at a younger age. Back-calculated hatching dates ranged over about 6 months of the year, suggesting that this species may spawn throughout much of the year. It is hypothesized that specimens from all four sites are from the same spawning population originating in a spawning area in the North Equatorial Current of the western North Pacific.     

Evaluation of environmentally friendly lubricant for aluminum cold forging using friction test based on spline extrusion

It is required to replace the aluminum fluoride coating, which is a popular lubricant for aluminum alloy cold forging in Japan, with environmentally friendly lubricants, because the aluminum fluoride coating has high environmental risks and needs much expense. Evaluations of lubrication performance are necessary before lubricant replacement. The authors proposed new friction test based on combined forward spline-backward can extrusion. It can realize large surface expansion, which is a characteristic of aluminum cold forging. In the present paper, a double-layer-type environmentally friendly solid lubricant film and the aluminum fluoride coating were applied to a precipitation hardened aluminum alloy. The lubrication performance was evaluated by the friction test. The double-layer-type lubricant showed superior performance enough for the replacement. The effect of surface treatment applied to workpiece on the lubrication performance was also investigated. The surface asperity generated by a wet-blasting showed high pickup resistance and low friction.     

One-step formation of oligopeptide-like molecules from Glu and Asp in hydrothermal environments

Biopolymer accumulation in the absence of enzymes is an essential step for the chemical evolution of primitive life-like systems, and successful simulation experiments of prebiotic biopolymer formation have suggested that oligopeptides could have formed near submarine hydrothermal vent environments on primitive earth. However, the yield and length of oligopeptides -- typically limited to 6-mers -- seems to be inadequate. One reason is the rapid formation of diketopiperazines (DKPs) from dipeptides. In this study, using a hydrothermal microflow reactor, we show that the one-step synthesis of oligopeptide-like molecules of length up to 20-mers proceeds from Glu and Asp. Yields of up to 0.17-0.57% were obtained in an acidic solution within 183 s at 250-310 degrees C, as evaluated by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) analysis and different types of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses. The present study indicates that Glu and Asp may have played important roles in the chemical evolution of oligopeptide-like molecules in hydrothermal vent environments on primitive earth.