Temperature,salinity and water-age variations in a tidal creek network,Bushehr Port,Iran

The spatio-temporal variability of temperature and salinity was studied for a creek network and its adjacent coastal waters along the northwestern coast of the Persian Gulf during warm and cold months. Salinity variations and tidal fluctuations were found to be out of phase throughout the creek. Temperature variations at the creek were exhibit a direct correlation with tidal fluctuations during cold months and were inversely related during warm months. The creek water was colder (warmer) than offshore water during the cold (warm) season. The salinity values observed inside this inverse estuary were higher during the warm season than the corresponding values during the cold season due to a change in evaporation rates; while the open water salinity had an opposite pattern. Using salinity as a tracer, the water-age (WA) was calculated, which shows almost linear increase from the mouth to the head. The maximum WA increases from ~10 days in winter to ~30 days in summer due to the corresponding increase in longitudinal salinity gradient. Based on the calculated non-dimensional Peclet number, the diffusion process is more rapid than the advection process in this water body, especially during the cold season.     

Fuzzy-based wastewater quality indices for pollution classification: a case study in the United Arab Emirates

This paper presents a fuzzy logic-based tool for assessing the pollution concentration of effluents generated by various industrial and commercial activities. The study proposes a fuzzy overall pollution compliance index (FOPCI) (range 0–100) to classify the wastewater discharged from various types of properties present in Ajman, United Arab Emirates. The work mainly focused on three types of pollution that can occur at the inlets of the wastewater treatment plant of Ajman, due to discharge of industrial and commercial effluents, namely pH pollution, salt pollution, and organic pollution. The proposed FOPCI integrates six characteristics, namely pH, Cl^?, SO₄ ^2?, conductivity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and fats, oils, and greases (FOG) values into a readily understandable scale. The FOPCI is developed by using the Fuzzy Inference System Toolbox available in MATLAB in two steps, in which during the first step, three sub-indices, namely fuzzy pH compliance index, fuzzy salt compliance index, and fuzzy organic compliance index are developed. It is then processed in the second stage to develop the FOPCI. Fuzzy rules are used to classify effluents quality into six categories based on the concentration of pollutant in the effluent, namely “Excellent Quality”, “Good Quality”, “Acceptable Quality”, “Moderately Polluting”, “Highly Polluting”, and “Extremely Polluting”. This linguistic classification using fuzzy logic will be helpful as a decision support system to provide an outline for the prioritization of plans for wastewater management based on the values of the indices developed.     

The metabolic fate of 14C‐parathion by some fresh water phytoplankton and its possible effects on the algal metabolism

Abstract

The growth and total carbohydrate contents of Nostoc muscorum and Tolypothrix tenuis were greatly and significantly reduced by the application of parathion. “Chlorophyll a”, carotene biosynthesis and the rate of glucose absorption were enhanced after supplementation of parathion to the culture media of both cyanobacteria. Nitrogen released to the media, total nitrogen content and total nitrogen fixed were increased in both organisms‐ Increase in protein content was accompanied by remarkable drop in amino, peptide and ammonia fractions‐ Phosphorus uptake, RNA, DNA and total phosphorus content were accelerated to reach maximum accumulation at the highest insecticide level. In metabolism study using ¹⁴C‐labelled compound, parathion was readily degraded by Nostoc and Tolypothrix. Following ten days incubation, the aqueous fractions contained 21.1% and 18.1% of the initial activity in Nostoc and Tolypothrix respectively. TLC analysis of the hydrolytic products revealed the presence of three metabolites: p‐aminophenol, p‐nitrophenol and aminoparathion.     

Effect of leachate recirculation on mesophilic anaerobic digestion of food waste

The effects of using untreated leachate for supplemental water addition and liquid recirculation on anaerobic digestion of food waste was evaluated by combining cyclic water recycle operations with batch mesophilic biochemical methane potential (BMP) assays. Cyclic BMP assays indicated that using an appropriate fraction of recycled leachate and fresh make up water can stimulate methanogenic activity and enhance biogas production. Conversely increasing the percentage of recycled leachate in the make up water eventually causes methanogenic inhibition and decrease in the rate of food waste stabilization. The decrease in activity is exacerbated as the number cycles increases. Inhibition is possibly attributed to accumulation and elevated concentrations of ammonia as well as other waste by products in the recycled leachate that inhibit methanogenesis.     

Protective role of a methanolic extract of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) against Pb toxicity in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings: beneficial effects for a plant of a nutraceutical used with animals

Spinach extracts contain powerful natural antioxidants and have been used to improve the response of animal cells to various stress factors. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of a methanolic extract of spinach (SE) used at two concentrations (21.7 and 217 ppm) on the growth, certain enzymes and antioxidant systems in wheat seedlings under lead stress. When wheat seedlings were grown for 7 days in a solution containing Pb(NO₃)₂ (3 mM), germination and growth were impaired, while signs of oxidative stress were observed. SE (217 ppm) pretreatment was able to protect seedlings from Pb toxicity by both reducing Pb uptake and Pb-induced oxidative stress. As a consequence, almost normal germination, elongation, biomass and α-amylase activity were restored by SE (217 ppm) pretreatment of wheat seedlings, in spite of the presence of Pb. Our results support the protective role and the antioxidant effect of SE against Pb. These results show an amazing similarity to the effects of SE in animals, which suggests that providing “nutraceuticals” to plants could improve their “health” status.     

Antioxidant effect of L-cysteine on sodium-valproate-induced oxidative stress in rat liver: biochemical and ultrastructural approaches

L-Cysteine has protective efficacy in cases of oxidative tissue injury. Sodium valproate is widely used as an anticonvulsant and an antidepressant in spite of hepatotoxicity as side effect. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective role of L-cysteine in liver toxicity induced by sodium valproate overdose. Release of the hepatic enzymes, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, and levels of lipid profiles, as well as the oxidative, enzymatic, and non-enzymatic antioxidant were assessed. Liver damage was judged histologically. L-Cysteine decreased the activity of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, as well as improved the level of lipid profile, increased the enzymatic antioxidant (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase), and decreased the lipid peroxidation. L-Cysteine administration inhibited liver injury of sodium valproate.     

Brachidontes variabilis and Patella sp. as quantitative biological indicators for cadmium, lead and mercury in the Lebanese coastal waters

The mussel, Brachidontes variabilis, and the limpet, Patella sp., were used as indicators to monitor cadmium, lead and mercury concentrations along the Lebanese coast. Studies were carried out in order to define the best strategy for assessing and minimizing the effects of size and physiological condition on the metal contents of the molluscs, and corrective models were constructed. Metal concentrations in surface water were measured to estimate bioconcentration factors (BCFs). The BCFs varied from 8.3 x 10(3) to 3.4 x 10(4), from 7.5 x 10(3) to 8.0 x 10(3) and from 3.0 x 10(4) to 3.2 x10(4), for Cd, Pb and Hg, respectively. For limpets, BCFs varied from 1.7 x 10(4) to 7.4 x 10(4) for Cd, from 2.5 x 10(3) to 6 x 10(3) for Pb and remained fairly constant at around 10(4) for Hg. The highest BCFs were associated with lowest contamination levels. The results of the geographical survey exhibited a similar large-scale spatial pattern for the two species and followed the metal concentration distributions measured in the waters.     

A comprehensive systematic review of photocatalytic degradation of pesticides using nano TiO2

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This study has systematically reviewed all of the research articles about the photocatalytic degradation of pesticides using titanium dioxide (TiO2)...