Cadmium in ocean-skaters,Halobates sericeus (Insecta), and in their seabird predators

Between February 1978 and February 1981, the content of cadmium was measured (1) in specimens of Halobates sericeus picked out from regurgitates of 9 species of seabirds, and (2) in the feathers of some seabirds which nested on 8 islands or atolls in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. In the 4 major avian predators of this oceanskater, the Cd concentrations increased from roughly 2 to 8 g g^-1 dry wt towards the northwest, over a linear distance of about 1500 km. The correlation between Cd levels in the insects and in the feathers of their predators suggests that this heavy metal is transmitted along the food chain.     

Feeding deterrence properties of apo-fucoxanthinoids from marine diatoms. I. Chemical structures of apo-fucoxanthinoids produced by Phaeodactylum tricornutum

Methanol extracts of freshly harvested cells of the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum were found to produce a feeding deterrent effect in the copepod Tigriopus californicus. Bioassay guided fractionation of the methanol extracts led to the isolation of four compounds possessing feeding deterrent activity. The compounds were identified as apo-10-fucoxanthinal (1), apo-12-fucoxanthinal (2), apo-12-fucoxanthinal (3), and apo-13-fucoxanthinone (4) by detailed spectroscopic analysis and comparison with authentic compounds produced semi-synthetically from fucoxanthin. Compounds 1 to 4 exhibited feeding deterrent responses in T. californicus at concentrations of less than 20 ppm.     

Contaminants of food

A scheme has been developed to rank 70 industrial organic chemicals in order of their priority for further study as potential contaminants of food. Numerical scales were developed for the following seven key criteria concerning environmental issues, food and toxicity:

-Production volume

-Pattern of usage

-Possible fate in the environment

-Likelihood of chemical entering the food chain

-Mechanism of entry into the food chain

-Persistence and accumulation in the food chain

-Toxicity.

Each chemical was assigned a score for the above criteria, which were combined to give an overall ranking for the chemicals. This scheme has been endorsed by the MAFF Steering Group on Chemical Aspects of Food Surveillance. It will be used in the assessment of relative priorities for further non-statutory surveillance for these contaminants in the UK food supply.     

Estimation of the net air-sea flux of ammonia over the southern bight of the North Sea

Measurements of airborne gaseous ammonia and total dissolved ammonium in sea water determined on cruises on the North Sea have been used to calculate net fluxes of ammonia between air and sea. The system is finely balanced with the majority of net fluxes from air to sea, but some periods occur when the sea becomes a net source of ammonia in air. Examination of the field data suggests that the main factor determining the direction of flux is the airborne ammonia concentration, which when elevated causes ammonia deposition to the sea. It is calculated that ammonia deposition to the southern bight of the North Sea (below 56°N) amounts to 7.6 x 103 tonnes N per year, about one-half of an earlier upper limit estimate. Comparison with studies from the Pacific Ocean, in which the sea acts as a source of atmospheric ammonia, reveals that the major differences arise from much higher concentrations of airborne ammonia in the North Sea atmosphere caused by advection from adjacent land.     

Development of a personal monitoring method for nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide with Sep-Pak C18 cartridge sampling and ion chromatographic determination

Personal monitoring methods for the determination of hourly integrated concentrations of NO2 and SO2 in ambient air have been developed. Triethanolamine (TEA)-impregnated C18 Sep-Pak cartridges were used to collect NO2 and SO2 simultaneously. After sampling, NO2 and SO2 as their nitrite, nitrate, sulfite and sulfate analogues were stripped from the cartridges with a solution of 5% methanol in distilled, deionized water (DDW) and then determined by ion chromatography. Laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate the sampling rate, collection and recovery efficiencies, breakthrough volumes, absorption capacity, interference and sample stability on the cartridge during storage. NO2 and SO2 detection limits of 0.3 and 0.4 ppb respectively for 1 h samples were obtained. Recoveries for both NO2 and SO2 exceeded 85%.     

Microbiological profile of crude oil in storage tanks

Microbiological quality of crude oil storage tanks was determined. The samples were taken from crude oil storage tanks in three stations, at Ughelli, Escravos and Forcados tank farms in the Delta State of Nigeria. Two tanks were sampled at each station with samples collected from three levels of the tank, namely the oil layer, oil water interface, and effluent layer. Samples from the inner walls and bottom sediment of the only empty tank in Ughelli during the study were also taken. The total heterotrophic count of bacteria and total fungal count were obtained by plating samples on nutrient agar and sabouraud's glucose agar respectively and incubated for 14 days at 28 °C±2 °C. Oilutilizing bacteria and fungi were isolated on oil agar using fungizone and antibiotics to inhibit fungal and bacterial growth respectively. Pure cultures of bacteria and fungi were prepared on nutrient agar and sabouraud's glucose agar respectively at 28 °C±2 °C for 4 days. Isolates were identified using approved standard methods. Three bacterial genera, Pseudomonas, Proteus and Bacillus, and one actinomycete, Actinomyces and two fungal genera, Penicillium and Cunninghamella, were isolated. Pseudomonas was dominant among the bacteria (41.62%) and Penicillium dominant among the fungi (94%). It was also found that the total microbial load of the effluent layer was higher than that of the oil layer.     

Organochlorine contaminants in the estuarine and coastal marine environments of the Fiji Islands

No information has been published on the presence of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in the Fiji Islands. This paper reports the first data on the concentration of a range of organochlorine compounds in sediments and shellfish in the estuarine and coastal marine environment around Fiji. Twenty-three sediment and two shellfish samples were analysed for 22 pesticides and related residues, and PCBs. While a significant number of organochlorines (20 pesticide related species and PCBs) was detected, the concentrations were generally very low (< 10 ng g), indicative of a relatively 'less contaminated' marine environment. Relatively high concentrations were observed only near the two major ports (Suva and Lautoka), with Suva harbour samples having the largest number of detectable species and the largest total concentrations of organochlorines (up to 91 ng g). No PCBs were detected in areas away from major industrial centres. The variations in the concentrations found, and the possible sources and movement of the organochlorine contaminants are discussed.     

Tetrasomy 12p (Pallister-Killian syndrome): Ultrasound indicators and confirmation by interphase fish

Tetrasomy 12p (Pallister-Killian syndrome) is a mosaic aneuploidy syndrome in which the isochromosome is present in amniocytes with a much greater percentage than fetal lymphocytes. Two new cases identified by prenatal diagnosis are reported. Indications for prenatal diagnosis were advanced maternal age and fetal anomalies. The most consistent reported prenatal ultrasound findings for tetrasomy 12p include polyhydramnios with short femurs and a diaphragmatic hernia. Recognition of congenital malformation patterns prenatally may allow appropriate selection of tissue for chromosome analysis. Molecular cytogenetic analysis using fluorescence in situ hybridization was used retrospectively to confirm the presence of the isochromosome 12p in various formalin-fixed fetal tissues. The levels of mosaicism detected in fetal and placental tissues were lower than those detected prenatally.     

Effect of organic acid on Cd toxicityin tomato and bean growth

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Effects of monospecific algal diets of varying biochemical composition on the growth and survival of Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) larvae

Using monospecific diets of Thalassiosira pseudonana cells grown under different steady-state conditions, it was determined that higher growth rates of larval Crassostrea gigas Thunberg were obtained when fed T. pseudonana cells grown under high light. High light grown T. pseudonana cells consistently contained relatively more of the saturated fatty acids 14:0 and 16:0. Considered over three independent experiments, high light grown T. pseudonana cells were lower in protein and higher in carbohydrate than low light grown cells. Higher growth rates of larval C. gigas were obtained on diets with more of the essential fatty acid (EFA) 22:63, and less of the other EFA, 20:53. The relative requirements of C. gigas larvae for the essential fatty acids 20:53 and 22:63 are discussed. Faster growing larvae contained higher percentages of the fatty acids 14:0 and 16:0, and lower percentages of 22:2j. Oyster growth rates were correlated with their content of the fatty acids: 14:0, 16:0 and 22:2j in two experiments utilizing separately spawned batches of larvae. Fatty acid profiles are proposed as a technique for assessing larval condition. C. gigas larvae contained ten times the percent composition of the FAs 16:43, 18:17, 20:17 and 22:2j compared with their diet. Correlation analysis suggests that the dietary source of 18:17, 20:17 and 22:2j was 16:17. It is concluded that T. pseudonana cells grown under high light are a superior diet for C. gigas larvae in comparison with low light grown cells of the same species.