An aerobiological study on pollen grains in the atmosphere of North-West Turkey

A continuous aerobiological survey of the atmosphere of Bursa was carried out from 1st January 2003 to 31st December 2004 by means of the volumetric method using a Lanzoni trap. During 2 years, a total of 57,124 pollen grains/m(3), which belonged to 66 taxa and 869 unidentified pollen grains, were recorded. In the region investigated, Pinus sp., Olea sp., Platanus sp., Cupressaceae/Taxaceae, Quercus sp., Poaceae, Moraceae, Urticaceae, and Castanea sp. were responsible for the greatest amounts of pollen. During the study period, the pollen concentration reached the highest level in May. A correlation analyses was made between the daily fluctuations of the main pollen types and meteorological parameters.     

Recent biosensing developments in environmental security

Environmental security is one of the fundamental requirements of our well being. However, it still remains a major global challenge. Therefore, in addition to reducing and/or eliminating the amounts of toxic discharges into the environment, there is need to develop techniques that can detect and monitor these environmental pollutants in a sensitive and selective manner to enable effective remediation. Because of their integrated nature, biosensors are ideal for environmental monitoring and detection as they can be portable and provide selective and sensitive rapid responses in real time. In this review we discuss the main concepts behind the development of biosensors that have most relevant applications in the field of environmental monitoring and detection. We also review and document recent trends and challenges in biosensor research and development particularly in the detection of species of environmental significance such as organophosphate nerve agents, heavy metals, organic contaminants, pathogenic microorganisms and their toxins. Special focus will be given to the trends that have the most promising applications in environmental security. We conclude by highlighting the directions towards which future biosensors research in environmental security sector might proceed.     

Origin and characterisation of microparticles in an ice core from the Central Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica

The scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopic (SEM-EDS) study of selected samples from an ice core collected from Central Dronning Maud Land (CDML), East Antarctica, revealed several microparticles. They are mainly siliceous and carbonaceous particles and have distinct variations in their shape and composition. The morphology and major element chemistry of the particles suggest their origin from either volcanic eruptions or continental dust. The EDS analysis revealed that the volcanic particles are enriched in silica (average SiO2 62%), compared to the continental dust particle (average SiO2 56%). We found that the tephra relating to Agung (1963) and Karkatau (1883) volcanic eruptions, as recorded, in the ice core harbored microbial cells (both coocoid and rods). The occurrence of organic and inorganic particles which bear relation to volcanic eruption and continental dust implies significant environmental changes in the recent past.     

Principal response curves technique for the analysis of multivariate biomonitoring time series

Although chemical and biological monitoring is often used to evaluate the quality of surface waters for regulatory purposes and/or to evaluate environmental status and trends, the resulting biological and chemical data sets are large and difficult to evaluate. Multivariate techniques have long been used to analyse complex data sets. This paper discusses the methods currently in use and introduces the principal response curves method, which overcomes the problem of cluttered graphical results representation that is a great drawback of most conventional methods. To illustrate this, two example data sets are analysed using two ordination techniques, principal component analysis and principal response curves. Whereas PCA results in a difficult-to-interpret diagram, principal response curves related methods are able to show changes in community composition in a diagram that is easy to read. The principal response curves method is used to show trends over time with an internal reference (overall mean or reference year) or external reference (e.g. preferred water quality or reference site). Advantages and disadvantages of both methods are discussed and illustrated.     

Comparative study of the sensitivity to cadmium of two populations of Gambusia affinis from two different sites

This study aims to demonstrate the influence of animals' origin on their sensitivity toward heavy metals. For this purpose, we compared LC(50) of cadmium in two populations of Gambusia affinis captured in two geographically isolated environments in the east of Tunisia; Oued El Gsil in the city of Monastir (S2) and Oued Chenini in the region of Gabes (S1). Although physicochemical parameters of the water (pH, dissolved oxygen and salinity) are similar in the two studied sites, cadmium concentrations in water, sediments and fish tissues from S1 are significantly higher (P < 0.01) than those from S2, 48-h and 96-h LC(50) of the (S1) population are significantly higher than those from S2. In the same way, the offspring of the polluted site (S1) population exhibit 48-h and 96-h LC(50) values much higher than those of the reference site (S2) population. These results show that the population of the Gabes region is more resistant to cadmium than that of the Monastir region and that this resistance could have a genetic basis. These results indicate the influence of the origin of animals that has to be taken into account not only in laboratory toxicity tests, but also in field ecotoxicological studies.     

Urban impact on ecological integrity of nearby rivers in developing countries: the Borkena River in highland Ethiopia

Accelerated pollution and eutrophication of rivers and streams because of human activity are a concern throughout the world and severe in Africa where Ethiopia is case in point. The objective of this study was to assess the urban impact on the ecological integrity of the Borkena River at the eastern escarpment of the central Ethiopian highlands. The water quality status and macroinvertebrate distribution and diversity of the river were assessed during the dry and wet seasons. Diversity indices revealed that a severe decline in the ecological integrity of the Borkena River downstream of Dessie and within Kombolcha towns in terms of macroinvertebrate abundance and composition. Clustering and ordination analysis clearly separated reference sites from urban impacted sites. At the urban-impacted sites, dissolved oxygen was also depleted to 0.5 mg/l and BOD5 values were reached to a level of above 1,000 mg/l, with extremely low biological diversity of pollution-sensitive taxa. These patterns are the result of a combination of rampant dumping of untreated wastes exacerbated by geologic, topographic, climatic and land use factors.     

Effects of soil amendments on the bioavailability of heavy metals from zinc mine tailings

A study was conducted to test the effects of soil amendments on the bioavailability of heavy metals in a zinc mine tailings containing soil to plants, using the Indian mustard plant (Brassica juncea) as a test organism. Zinc mine tailing containing soil was amended with humus soil (HS) and phosphatic clay (PC). The zinc mine tailing containing soil (ZMTS) was characterized for heavy metals. It was mixed with PC and HS, and four mixtures were prepared. The first mixture contained ZMTS, and served as a control. The second mixture contained ZMTS and PC in the ratio of 1:1 (w/w). The third mixture contained ZMTS and HS in the ratio of 1:1(w/w). The fourth mixture containing ZMTS, PC and HS in the ratio of (2:1:1) (w/w). A slight increase in the bioavailability of Pb, Cu, Zn and Mn was noticed with increase in the incubation time from 14 to 42 days. The bioavailability of Pb, Cu, Zn and Mn from ZMTS alone in Brassica plant was in the range of 94-99% up to 42 days. Addition of PC and HS to the ZMTS soil reduced the bioavailabilities of Pb by (15%), of Cu by (20%), of Zn by (20%) and of Mn by (25%) in the mustard plant. The data showed that PC in the presence of HS had a high affinity for the heavy metals in the order of Pb, Cu, Zn and Mn.     

Reduction of pollutants in pulp paper mill effluent treated by PCP-degrading bacterial strains

Two PCP-degrading bacterial strains, Bacillus cereus (ITRC-S6) and Serratia marcescens (ITRC-S7) were used for the treatment of pulp and paper mill effluent at conditions; 1.0% glucose and 0.5% peptone at 30 +/- 1 degrees C at 120 rpm for 168 h of incubation. These two bacterial strains effectively reduced colour (45-52%), lignin (30-42%), BOD (40-70%), COD (50-60%), total phenol (32-40%) and PCP (85-90%) within 168 h of incubation. However, the highest reduction in colour (62%), lignin (54%), BOD (70%), COD (90%), total phenol (90%) and PCP (100%) was recorded by mixed culture treatment. The bacterial mechanism for the degradation of pulp and paper mill effluent may be explained by an increase in the cells biomass using added co-substrates resulting liberation of significant amount of chloride due to bacterial dechlorination of chlorolignins and chlorophenols this showed reduction in colour, lignin and toxicity in the effluent. Further, GC-MS analysis of ethyl acetate-extractable compounds from treated pulp paper mill effluent reinforces the bacterium capability for the degradation of lignin and pentachlorophenol, as many aromatic compounds such as 2-chlorophenol, 2, 4, 6-trichlorophenol and tetrachlorohydroquinone, 6-chlorohydroxyquinol and tetrachlorohydroquinone detected which were not present in the untreated effluent.     

A comprehensive method for aeolian particle granulometry and micromorphology analyses

The aim of this study was to use a new approach to investigate aeolian particle granulometry and micromorphology. Taking total aeolian deposition into account, we used parameters such as, particle area, perimeter, shape analysis for particle roughness (area/perimeter) and elongation (long/short axis). These parameters were analyzed on temporal and spatial scales at four study sites in the eastern Negev Desert, Israel. The total collection of particles was sorted into three size groups based on particle area to facilitate comparison. The classic definition of particle size (equating particle length with particle diameter) produced relatively small variations among the three size classes (25-38.6%). Our proposed comprehensive method demonstrated significant variation among the three size classes (13.9-60.8%), e.g. the classic method placed 36.4% of the particles in size class two while the new method placed 60.8% of the particles in this size class; the differences were even more significant regarding size class 3 (38.6% vs. 13.9%, respectively). The classic method did not facilitate investigation of particle roughness and elongation. With this new approach, it was possible to clearly define the particles by size class, based on these characteristics. With roughness, the variation among size classes 2 and 3 was about 27%. With elongation, the variation among size classes two and three was about 21%. Applying similar investigation method to study the aeolian particle granulometry and micromorphology can better facilitate more detailed calculation of particle size distribution, roughness and elongation.     

A comparative study of macrobenthic community from harbours along the central west coast of India

Harbours are heavily stressed coastal habitats characterised by high concentration of contaminant and low diversity of benthic community. The west coast of India harbours most of the major harbours compared to the east coast. Very few studies have compared the macrobenthic community between different Indian harbours. The present study was therefore conducted in three important harbour (Ratnagiri, Goa, Karwar) along the central west coast of India. The paper discusses the health status of the three harbours diagnosed using various biotic indices. Sediment samples were collected using van Veen grab (0.11 m(2)) on board CRV Sagar Sukti. A total of 55 macrobenthic taxa were identified and were numerically dominated by polychaete. Biomass was high (0.14-145.7 g m(-2)) and was made largely by echiurans (>80%). Overall, polychaete dominated the macrobenthic diversity. Opportunistic P.pinnata, Notomastus sp. and Mediomastus sp., dominated the macrobenthic community responding to the increased in the harbour. Biotic indices (Polychaete:Amphipod ratio, ABC curve and geometric class abundance) and the dominance of opportunistic species indicate that, the three harbours are under stress from anthropogenic activities.