Self-contamination of aquaculture cages in shallow water

Fish farms, which initially colonized quiet and protected natural coastal areas, are now frequently installed in open flow zones, due to the lack of space along coasts and to the emergence of new environmental constraints. For the past two decades, a salmon fish farm has been located inside the roadstead of Cherbourg (France) to benefit from both sea protection and tide currents which regularly refresh the water. In spite of these favourable environmental conditions, periods of non-negligible fish mortalities have been observed to occur without clear evidence of their origin. This motivated the turbidity measurements and the numerical simulations presented in this paper. Firstly, it is shown that high turbidities in the farm site under study are mainly due to the flow acceleration under the cages, which causes the re-suspension of sediments and bio-deposits. Secondly, particles which enter the fishnet can have different origins (external source, bottom, or the net itself). Numerical simulations, based on the Reynolds equations and on the discrete random walk model for particle dispersion, suggest that the rear area of the net can be reached by particles emerging from below the net. It is observed that turbulent dispersion is a key ingredient for such a behaviour, as it can lead particles towards a large recirculation cell behind the net. Dispersion by realistic unsteady vortices has also been analysed by means of a Lattice-Boltzmann model. Though these computations involve smaller Reynolds numbers, they confirm qualitatively the observations of the random walk model. In addition, they suggest that vortex shedding and unsteady recirculation cells near the bottom can force particles from the sand bed to be lifted up and reach the rear of the net.     

附植藻类对沉水植物狐尾藻生长及生理的影响

为进一步了解附植藻类对沉水植物的影响,以狐尾藻为研究对象,通过室内模拟实验,研究了有无附植藻类情况下,狐尾藻根长、株长、生物量、可溶性蛋白含量、叶绿素含量、MDA含量、SOD、POD以及CAT等的变化情况.结果表明:未添加藻类处理组中狐尾藻的生物量最大是添加藻类处理组的2.49倍,实验末期未添加藻类处理组的叶绿素含量是添加藻类处理组的1.87倍,说明附植藻类的大量繁殖会影响狐尾藻生物量的合成,降低狐尾藻的叶绿素含量;添加附植藻类处理组的POD和CAT酶活性在实验后期均显著高于无附植藻类的处理组,且实验末期狐尾藻的MDA含量显著上升,说明附植藻类的大量繁殖使狐尾藻细胞膜损害严重,影响了抗氧化保护酶系统,最终导致狐尾藻衰败显著.附植藻类的大量繁殖是沉水植物衰败的原因之一.     

Distribution of organochlorine pesticides (OCs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in marine sediments directly exposed to wastewater from Cortiou, Marseille

Introduction

The future ??Calanque National Park?? coastlines of the Bouches-du-Rh?ne and Var departments in France, constitute one of the ten biodiversity hot spots identified in the Mediterranean basin that receives industrial and urban wastewaters discharged from Marseille and its suburbs.

Materials and methods

Organochlorine pesticides (OCs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in sediments collected from 12 sampling sites (C1?CC12) of sewage discharge to the sea from the wastewater treatment plant of Cortiou-Marseille. This study aims to determine the extent of these compounds in the sediments and to establish the possible sources of these contaminants.

Results and discussion

Total pesticides in the sediments ranged from 1.2 to 190.6 ng g^-1 dry weight of sediment. The highest value was found at station C1, with a decreasing trend in total OC concentrations seaward. Among these compounds, the concentrations of the sum of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (??DDT) were the highest, ranging from 0.7 to 114.3 ng g^-1. PCB concentrations, expressed as equivalent to Arochlor 1260, varied from 9.1 to 226.9 ng g^-1. Individually, the dominant coplanar PCB congeners CB-153, CB-138 and CB-101. Generally, PCB concentrations at stations C2, C3, C5 and C7 were higher than those at stations C10, C11 and C12. Through some pollution indices, we showed the long-term contamination input of these OCs (DDT, endosulfan, HCH and heptachlor cases) rather than a recent release resulting from degradation and long-term weathering (dieldrin, aldrin and methoxychlor cases). Occurrence of PCBs might be due to their resistance to degradation processes or/and chronic inputs.

Conclusions

By comparison with available sediment quality guideline (SQG) values, the environmental significance and toxicological implications of PCBs and OCs (i) reveal the probable adverse effects for the sediments from C1, C5, C6, C9 and (ii) confirm the adverse effect for marine biota and more particularly for benthic communities at C2?CC4, C7 and C8.     

H2O2氧化铜绿微囊藻致嗅物质及灭藻效应研究

分别以不同浓度梯度的H_2O_2为氧化剂,研究其对铜绿微囊藻致嗅物质β-环柠檬醛的去除效果和藻细胞的灭活程度.结果表明,当藻细胞密度为1.01×10~6cells·m L~(-1)时,H_2O_2对胞外β-环柠檬醛的氧化较为迅速,反应1 min内即可去除75%以上,而对胞内β-环柠檬醛的降解比较缓慢,只有在投加4或5 mg·L~(-1)时才能取得显著效果;其降解的二级动力学速率常数为57.12 L·mol~(-1)·s~(-1);H_2O_2的氧化能力相对较弱,不足以导致藻细胞剧烈破碎,但也因此而减少了藻毒素的释放;并且H_2O_2可使溶解性有机物各个组分的荧光强度明显降低,荧光峰中心位置也发生了一定的偏移;因细胞壁和细胞膜受到损害,浓度为4 mg·L~(-1)以上的H_2O_2能够充分灭活藻细胞.     

High precision during food recruitment of experienced (reactivated) foragers in the stingless bee<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Scaptotrigona mexicana</Emphasis> (Apidae,Meliponini)

Several studies have examined the existence of recruitment communication mechanisms in stingless bees. However, the spatial accuracy of location-specific recruitment has not been examined. Moreover, the location-specific recruitment of reactivated foragers, i.e., foragers that have previously experienced the same food source at a different location and time, has not been explicitly examined. However, such foragers may also play a significant role in colony foraging, particularly in small colonies. Here we report that reactivated Scaptotrigona mexicana foragers can recruit with high precision to a specific food location. The recruitment precision of reactivated foragers was evaluated by placing control feeders to the left and the right of the training feeder (direction-precision tests) and between the nest and the training feeder and beyond it (distance-precision tests). Reactivated foragers arrived at the correct location with high precision: 98.44% arrived at the training feeder in the direction trials (five-feeder fan-shaped array, accuracy of at least ±6° of azimuth at 50 m from the nest), and 88.62% arrived at the training feeder in the distance trials (five-feeder linear array, accuracy of at least ±5 m or ±10% at 50 m from the nest). Thus, S. mexicana reactivated foragers can find the indicated food source at a specific distance and direction with high precision, higher than that shown by honeybees, Apis mellifera, which do not communicate food location at such close distances to the nest.     

Degradation of diuron by the electro-Fenton process

The degradation of the herbicide diuron has been undertaken by electrochemical advanced oxidation in aqueous solution. This process generates catalytically hydroxyl radicals that are strong oxidizing reagents for the oxidation of organic substances. Hydroxyl radicals degrade diuron in less than 10 min. Kinetic results evidence a pseudo-first-order degradation, with a rate constant of reaction between diuron and hydroxyl radicals of 4.8x10⁹ M^–1 s^–1. Several degradation products were identified by chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The mineralization degree of a 1.7x10^–4 M diuron solution reached 93% at 1,000 coulombs.     

关于中国固体废物环境监测分析方法标准的思考与建议

研究了中国固体废物环境监测分析方法标准的发展历程及现状。通过分析现行固体废物环境监测分析方法标准现状与需求,发现中国固体废物环境监测分析方法标准存在不能完全满足现行固体废物污染控制标准和危险废物鉴别标准的测定需求,部分标准规范性有待提高,标准基础研究较为薄弱,同一污染物项目不同方法标准之间的可比性研究有待加强等诸多问题。针对存在的问题,建议从加快标准制修订,加强基础科研和顶层设计,加大可比性研究等方面完善中国固体废物环境监测分析方法标准,以期推动中国固体废物环境监测分析方法标准体系的建设与发展。     

21,000 Years of Ethiopian African monsoon variability recorded in sediments of the western Nile deep-sea fan

The Nile delta sedimentation constitutes a continuous high-resolution record of Ethiopian African monsoon (EAM) regime intensity. Multi-proxy analyses performed on hemipelagic sediments deposited on the Nile deep-sea fan allow the quantification of the Saharan aeolian dust and the Blue/White Nile River suspended matter frequency fluctuations during the last 21,000 years. The radiogenic strontium and neodymium isotopes, clay mineralogy, elemental composition and preliminary palynological analyses reveal large changes in source components, oscillating between a dominant aeolian Saharan contribution during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and the late Holocene (~4,000–2,000 years), a dominant Blue/Atbara Nile River contribution during the early Holocene (15,000–8,000 years) and a probable White Nile River contribution during the middle Holocene (8,000–4,000 years). The following main features are highlighted: (1) The rapid shift from the LGM arid conditions to the African Humid Period (AHP) started at about 15,000 years. The AHP extends until 8,000 years, and we suggest that the EAM maximum between 15,000 and 8,000 years is responsible for a larger Blue/Atbara Nile sediment load and freshwater input into the eastern Mediterranean Sea. (2) The transition between the AHP and the arid late Holocene is gradual and occurs in two main phases between 8,400–6,500 years and 6,500–3,200 years. We suggest that the main rain belt shifted southward from 8,000 to ~4,000 years and was responsible for progressively reduced sediment load and freshwater input into the eastern Mediterranean Sea. (3) The aridification along the Nile catchments occurred from ~4,000 to 2,000 years. This dry period, which culminates at 3,200 year, seems to coincide with a re-establishment of increased oceanic primary productivity in the western Mediterranean Sea. Such a pattern imposes a large and rapid northward shift of the rain belt over the Ethiopian highlands (5–15°N) since 15,000 years. Precipitation over Ethiopia increased from 15,000 to 8,000 years. It was followed by a gradual southward shift of the rain belt over the equator from 8,000 to 4,000 years and finally a large shift of the rain belt south the equator between 4,000 and 2,000 years inducing North African aridification. We postulate that the decrease in thermohaline water Mediterranean circulation could be part of a response to huge volumes of freshwater delivered principally by the Nile River from 15,000 to 8,000 years in the eastern Mediterranean.     

From social ‘acceptance’ to social ‘acceptability’ of wind energy projects: towards a territorial perspective

Social acceptance is central in many debates surrounding energy projects. Wind energy, in particular, has been described as a ‘learning laboratory’ in terms of social acceptance of energy projects. It has given way to a socio-technical paradox: the social dimension has become a factor of equal importance to technology in the wind farms implementation. Based on a literature review concerned with the social acceptance of wind energy, the paper seeks to demonstrate both the richness and the limits of the key concepts that inform the ongoing work of scholars. By doing so, we intend to emphasise the complex processes underneath in order to then elaborate a conceptual definition of social acceptability. Various modulations and limits that characterise current thinking are thus underlined. We then propose a grid analysis relying on a territorial perspective. It is structured around three levels that connect micro-social, meso-political and macro-economic processes.