Impact of heavy metals on bacterial communities from mangrove soils of the Mahanadi Delta (India)

This study aimed to assess soil nutrient status and heavy metal content and their impact on the predominant soil bacterial communities of mangroves of the Mahanadi Delta. Mangrove soil of the Mahanadi Delta is slightly acidic and the levels of soil nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and potash vary with season and site. The seasonal average concentrations (μg/g) of various heavy metals were in the range: 14 810–63 370 (Fe), 2.8–32.6 (Cu), 13.4–55.7 (Ni), 1.8–7.9 (Cd), 16.6–54.7 (Pb), 24.4–132.5 (Zn) and 13.3–48.2 (Co). Among the different heavy metals analysed, Co, Cu and Cd were above their permissible limits, as prescribed by Indian Standards (Co=17 μg/g, Cu=30 μ g/g, Cd=3–6 μ g/g), indicating pollution in the mangrove soil. A viable plate count revealed the presence of different groups of bacteria in the mangrove soil, i.e. heterotrophs, free-living N₂ fixers, nitrifyers, denitrifyers, phosphate solubilisers, cellulose degraders and sulfur oxidisers. Principal component analysis performed using multivariate statistical methods showed a positive relationship between soil nutrients and microbial load. Whereas metal content such as Cu, Co and Ni showed a negative impact on some of the studied soil bacteria.     

Behaviour of pendimethalin and oxyfluorfen in peanut field soil: effects on soil biological and biochemical activities

A field experiment was conducted to study the dissipation kinetics of herbicides pendimethalin and oxyfluorfen in black soil of peanut field at half recommended rate (HRE), recommended rate and double recommended rate as well as to assess their effects on soil microbial parameters and enzymatic activities. In addition, their role in the transformations and availability of some plant nutrients like nitrogen transformation (through ammonification and nitrification processes) and availability of phosphorous were also studied. Incorporation of these herbicides was found to stimulate the activity of soil microbial biomass carbon, fluorescein diacetate hydrolysing activity, alkaline phosphatase and ammonification rates, while dehydrogenase activity, acid phosphatase, nitrification rate and available phosphorous was adversely affected. However, urease remains almost unchanged except for little stimulation at later stages. Dissipation of pendimethalin and oxy?uorfen followed first-order reaction kinetics with half-life (T_1/2) of 13.7–20.1 and 21.5–27.4 days, respectively. Residues of both herbicides persisted up to 60 days in the soil at all the doses except 45 days for pendimethalin at HRE.     

Some aspects of heavy metals contamination remediation and role of biosurfactants

Contamination by heavy metals is the result of different industrial activities. The presence of heavy metals in soil and water causes serious problems, as these materials are not biodegradable and do contaminate both biological systems and the subsoil. Biological surface-active compounds otherwise known as biosurfactants in general and rhamnolipids biosurfactants in particular have been successfully employed in the remediation of environments contaminated with heavy metal ions. The aim of the present review is to highlight potential applications of these tensioactive compounds for use in environmental heavy metals removal and bioremediation and processes involved.     

Particulate organic matter in the Northern and Central Adriatic

The particulate organic matter distribution and its elemental composition in the northern and central Adriatic Sea during different seasonal periods are shown, highlighting the principal processes and factors influencing their distribution and characteristics. In the low salinity waters the concentrations of particulate carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus were higher and more variable than in the dense waters, mainly due to dilution effects which induce an abundant phytoplankton growth. Generally in summer the particulate organic matter distribution followed the trophic gradient while in winter resuspension events often became more important. Differences between summer and winter were more evident in the diluted waters and were mainly due to the seasonal heat exchanges and to the fresh water inputs. Marked differences in C/P ratios were observed in the POM: high ratios in the northern diluted waters and low in the more saline waters and in the central Adriatic.     

Rare earth elements distribution in seawater and suspended particulate of the Central Mediterranean Sea

Rare earth element (REE) content in suspended and dissolved phases from the Strait of Sicily (Central Mediterranean Sea) has been measured. Vertical profiles of several dissolved REEs along the water column reflect the 3-D oceanographic features of the studied area and identifies the different water masses present there. Shale-normalized REE distribution patterns and derived parameters calculated for the suspended particulate show different atmospheric dust-surface inputs and their interactions with seawater. Finally, combined information from [La/Yb]_N, ratios, REE/La ratios and Eu anomalies measured in the suspended particulate suggest an important contribution of volcanic materials from the Etna volcano and Saharan dust to the lithogenic fraction of the suspended particulate.     

Interannual fluctuations in acoustic biomass estimates and in landings of small pelagic fish populations in relation to hydrology in the Strait of Sicily

The main results of research work carried out since 1998 with regard to the application of hydro-acoustic technologies for the evaluation of biomass and distribution of small pelagic fish species off the southern coast of Sicily are presented, taking into account information from hydrology and from ecology of the fish populations targeted. The biomass estimates and the population‐density charts presented concern the two main species, i.e. sardine Sardina pilchardus (Walbaum, 1792) and anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus (Linnaeus, 1758). Both the sardine and anchovy populations experienced large inter-annual fluctuations, with biomass estimates ranging from 6000 to over 36,000 tonnes (t) (sardine) and from about 7000 to 23,000 t (anchovy). Acoustic estimates are largely consistent with landings recorded in Sciacca (the main fishing port for small pelagic species in the study area) during the year following the evaluation surveys. In addition, trends in sardine and anchovy biomass estimates appears to be negatively correlated with the mean sea surface temperature calculated over the time intervals January–September (sardine) and June–November (anchovy) of the preceding year, which correspond to larval and juvenile growth periods of target species. Observed patterns would suggest the importance of enrichment processes relevant to the survival of early stages, so determining recruitment success and finally higher population sizes.     

Mapping of the benthic communities in the Taranto seas using side-scan sonar and an underwater video camera

Side-scan sonar and underwater video camera records as well as dredging samples were used to map the bottom morphology and biocoenoses in the Taranto seas. A 1:20,000 scale chart has been produced with all the data recorded. Most of the study area consists of biocoenoses affected by the anthropogenic activities of the town of Taranto. Some native broadly tolerant species seem to benefit from these activities and become increasingly dominant. Environmental modifications also seem to favour the settlement of exotic species.     

Comparative study of humic acids of the mound of a wood-feeding termite and of the litter directly below in the Amazon river delta

In order to determine the role of termites in the recycling of organic matter and in humification processes, organic matter from the mound of a wood-feeding termite (Nasutitermes sp.) and from the litter directly below has been studied in secondary forest on the campus of Belem University, in Brazil. The carbon content was slightly lower in the litter (just beneath the mound) than in the mound, but nitrogen was much more abundant in the mound. As a consequence, the C/N ratio of fragmented litter total organic matter is very high, which shows that the humification process is not complete. Therefore, plant debris seemed to be more degraded in the mound than in the litter, indicating a humification gradient from mound to litter. Humic acid extracted from the mound and from the litter was compared by using elemental, E4/E6 ratio, spectroscopic (FTIR) analyses, and Sephadex gel chromatography. First, humic acids were more abundant in the mound than in the litter, showing that humification processes were more advanced in the mound than in the litter. Gel-permeation chromatography showed that the humic acids of the mound contained more low-molecular-weight fractions than those of the litter. In addition, the results of infrared spectra, E4/E6 ratio and elemental composition can confirm the fulvic character of mound material and the humic character of litter material. Therefore, the plant debris seems to follow two different humification pathways in the two environments, as long as the mound is alive.     

Effect of cypermethrin on breeding performances of a freshwater fish,Labeo rohita (Hamilton)

Abstract

Concentrations of the related elements calcium, strontium, barium, and lead were determined in soil extract, consumer stomach contents, and consumers in lead polluted and unpolluted areas. Discrimination against the nonessential metals relative to the nutritious metal calcium, as the metals were transferred through a trophic pathway was determined. Discrimination of metals varied systematically as a function of degree of nonessential element similarity to calcium. The existence of systematic trends of discrimination may facilitate the assessment of natural levels of some toxic elements (e.g. lead) in organisms.     

Biodegradation kinetics of cymoxanil in aquatic system

A potential method to detoxify pesticides in aquatic system is using bioremediation. In this study, four microorganisms (Pseudomonas sp (EB11), Streptomyces sp. (EB12), Aspergillus niger (EB13) and Trichoderma viride (EB14) were isolated from cucumber leaves previously treated with cymoxanil using enrichment technique. These strains were evaluated for their potential to detoxify cymoxanil in aquatic system at the concentration level of 5×10^?4M. The effect of pH and temperature on the growth ability of the tested strains was also investigated by measuring the intracellular protein and mycelia dry weight for bacterial and fungal strains, respectively. Moreover, the remaining toxicity of cymoxanil after 28 days of incubation with tested strains was evaluated to confirm the complete removal of any toxic materials (cymoxanil and its metabolites). The results showed that the optimum pH for the growth of cymoxanil degrading strains (bacteria and fungi) was 7. A temperature of 30°C appears to be the optimum for the growth of either fungal or bacterial strains. Pseudomonas sp. (EB11) was the most effective strain in cymoxanil degradation followed Streptomyces sp (EB12), Trichoderma viride (EB14) and Aspergillus niger (EB13), with half-lives of 4.33, 9.5, 17.3 and 24.7 days, respectively. The degradation of cymoxanil by bacterial strains was much faster than fungal one. There is no remaining toxicity of cymoxanil detected in aqueous media previously treated with Pseudomonas sp. (EB11) for 28 days. The results suggest that bioremediation by Pseudomonas sp. (EB11) are promising for the detoxification of cymoxanil in aqueous media.