Hemolysis,Fish Mortality,and LC-ESI-MS of Cultured Crude and Fractionated Golden Alga (Prymnesium parvum)1

Schug, Kevin A., Theodore R. Skingel, Sandra E. Spencer, Carlos A. Serrano, Cuong Q. Le, Christopher A. Schug, Theodore W. Valenti, Jr., Bryan W. Brooks, Laura D. Mydlarz, and James P. Grover, 2010. Hemolysis, Fish Mortality, and LC-ESI-MS of Cultured Crude and Fractionated Golden Alga (Prymnesium parvum). Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(1):33-44. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2009.00389.x Abstract: Erythrocyte lysis and fish mortality assays, in combination with high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) analysis, were investigated for bioassay-guided fractionation of cultured golden alga (Prymnesium parvum). Intracellular constituents from isolated cell pellets and extracellular supernatant growth medium were fractionated by a variety of common separation modes, including reversed phase and normal phase solid phase extraction step fractionation procedures. For reversed phase fractionation of extracellular growth medium, one fraction was obtained that displayed hemolytic activity and adversely affected fish survival. Effective dose concentrations for this sample were similar in both assays and the LC-ESI-MS analysis of the fraction showed a number of mass spectral signals which were distinct to this fraction. Fractions obtained from separation of an ethanol extract of the lyophilized cell pellet provided one sample that was highly hemolytic, but not toxic to fish. Discrepancies such as this, along with notable fish behavioral responses from other nonhemolytic cell pellet fractions, problems with the use of unbonded silica gel for fractionation, and misleading mass spectral signatures are interesting in the context of our current understanding of P. parvum toxicity and remain to be investigated further. This work provides an account of ongoing research aimed toward comprehensive elucidation of toxic constituents produced by golden alga for the purpose of providing a better understanding and means to potentially remediate the ecological impact of this harmful bloom organism.     

Evaluation of aquatic plants for removing polar microcontaminants: a microcosm experiment

Microcosm wetland systems (5 L containers) planted with Salvinia molesta, Lemna minor, Ceratophyllum demersum, and Elodea canadensis were investigated for the removal of diclofenac, triclosan, naproxen, ibuprofen, caffeine, clofibric acid and MCPA. After 38 days of incubation, 40-99% of triclosan, diclofenac, and naproxen were removed from the planted and unplanted reactors. In covered control reactors no removal was observed. Caffeine and ibuprofen were removed from 40% to 80% in planted reactors whereas removals in control reactors were much lower (2-30%). Removal of clofibric acid and MCPA were negligible in both planted and unplanted reactors. The findings suggested that triclosan, diclofenac, and naproxen were removed predominantly by photodegradation, whereas caffeine and naproxen were removed by biodegradation and/or plant uptake. Pseudo-first-order removal rate constants estimated from nonlinear regressions of time series concentration data were used to describe the contaminant removals. Removal rate constants ranged from 0.003 to 0.299 d(-1), with half-lives from 2 to 248 days. The formation of two major degradation products from ibuprofen, carboxy-ibuprofen and hydroxy-ibuprofen, and a photodegradation product from diclofenac, 1-(8-Chlorocarbazolyl)acetic acid, were followed as a function of time. This study emphasizes that plants contribute to the elimination capacity of microcontaminants in wetlands systems through biodegradation and uptake processes.     

Sorption media for stormwater treatment--a laboratory evaluation of five low-cost media for their ability to remove metals and phosphorus from artificial stormwater

Five sorption materials were studied with a focus on polishing pretreated stormwater: crushed limestone, shell-sand, zeolite, and two granulates of olivine. These materials are commercially available at comparatively low cost and have been subjected to a minimum of modification from their natural states. The sorbents were tested for phosphorus, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel, lead, and zinc at concentration and conditions relevant for typical stormwater. The materials were tested for sorption capacity and kinetics. Desorption was tested under neutral and alkaline conditions and in the presence of chloride. For most sorbent/sorbate combinations, significant sorption occurred within the first minutes of contact between sorbent and sorbate. Treatment to the low microgram per liter range could be achieved by contact times of less than 1 hour. The study indicated that sorption filters can be designed for long life expectancy at comparatively low cost by applying the materials tested.     

Assessment of oxidative stress and metabolic changes in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) acutely exposed to different concentrations of the fungicide tebuconazole

The aim of this research is to determine the lethal concentration (LC(50-96 h)) of fungicide tebuconazole for common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and to investigate the occurrence of oxidative stress and metabolic changes after acute exposure to different concentrations of tebuconazole. For this purpose, several parameters were assessed as whole-body levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS), protein carbonyl, catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione S-transferase, nonprotein thiols, ascorbic acid, glycogen, glucose, lactate, protein, amino acids and ammonia in tebuconazole-exposed fish. The calculated LC(50-96 h) was 2.37 mg L(-1). Fish exhibited significant increase in TBARS levels in all concentrations used while the enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants were decreased. Among the metabolic parameters, glycogen and glucose increased at 1.19 mg L(-1) and protein levels decreased at 1.78 and 2.37 mg L(-1). In conclusion, the fish health was adversely affected by exposure to tebuconazole, and those changes can compromise animal survival in the natural environment. The results indicate that the some of the parameters measured like a possible biomarkers of exposure to tebuconazole for this species of fish.     

Effect of surfactant-coated iron oxide nanoparticles on the effluent water quality from a simulated sequencing batch reactor treating domestic wastewater

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of commercially available engineered iron oxide nanoparticles coated with a surfactant (ENP_Fe-surf) on effluent water quality from a lab-scale sequencing batch reactor as a model secondary biological wastewater treatment. Results showed that ∼8.7% of ENP_Fe-surf applied were present in the effluent stream. The stable presence of ENP_Fe-surf was confirmed by analyzing the mean particle diameter and iron concentration in the effluent. Consequently, aqueous ENP_Fe-surf deteriorated the effluent water quality at a statistically significant level (p < 0.05) with respect to soluble chemical oxygen demand, turbidity, and apparent color. This implied that ENP_Fe-surf would be introduced into environmental receptors through the treated effluent and could potentially impact them.     

Long term remediation of highly polluted acid mine drainage: a sustainable approach to restore the environmental quality of the Odiel river basin

During 20 months of proper operation the full scale passive treatment in Mina Esperanza (SW Spain) produced around 100 mg/L of ferric iron in the aeration cascades, removing an average net acidity up to 1500 mg/L as CaCO₃ and not having any significant clogging problem. Complete Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ti and V removal from the water was accomplished through almost the entire operation time while Fe removal ranged between 170 and 620 mg/L. The system operated at a mean inflow rate of 43 m³/day achieving an acid load reduction of 597 g·(m² day)⁻¹, more than 10 times higher than the generally accepted 40 g·(m² day)⁻¹ value commonly used as a passive treatment system designing criteria. The high performance achieved by the passive treatment system at Mina Esperanza demonstrates that this innovative treatment design is a simple, efficient and long lasting remediation option to treat highly polluted acid mine drainage.     

Trophodynamics and distribution of silver in a Patagonia mountain lake

Silver (Ag) ions are among the most toxic metallic ions to aquatic biota. In southern Argentina, fish from Patagonian lakes have liver Ag concentrations [Ag] among the highest ever reported globally. Silver concentration in phytoplankton from Lake Moreno (1.82 ± 3.00 μg g⁻¹ dry weight, DW) was found to be significantly higher than [Ag] in zooplankton (0.25 ± 0.13 μg g⁻¹). Values in snails and decapods (0.60 ± 0.28 μg g⁻¹ and 0.47 ± 0.03 μg g⁻¹ respectively), were higher than in insect larvae (0.28 ± 0.39 μg g⁻¹ for Trichoptera). We examined trophic transfer of Ag in the biota using stable nitrogen and carbon isotopes ratios (δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C respectively). Silver concentrations in the biota of Lake Moreno were not associated with any particular C source, as assessed by δ¹³C. Hepatic [Ag] significantly increased with trophic position, as measured by δ¹⁵N, within the brook trout sample set. Biodilution of Ag was observed between primary producers and small forage fish when whole body [Ag] was analyzed. Nevertheless, when considering whole food web biomagnification and hepatic [Ag] of top predator fish, a significant positive regression was found between [Ag] and trophic position, as measured by δ¹⁵N. The importance of species-specific and tissue-specific considerations to obtain more information on Ag trophodynamics than that usually presented in the literature is shown. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in assessing Ag trophodynamics and tissue-specific biomagnification in a whole freshwater food web.     

Mercury in the biotic compartments of Northwest Patagonia lakes, Argentina

We report on total mercury (THg) concentrations in the principal components of food webs of selected Northern Patagonia Andean Range ultraoligotrophic lakes, Argentina. The THg contents were determined using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis in muscle and liver of four fish species occupying the higher trophic positions (the introduced Salmo trutta, Oncorhynchus mykiss and Salvelinus fontinalis, and the native Percichthys trucha) accounted for eight lakes belonging to Nahuel Huapi and Los Alerces National Parks. We studied the food web components of both the West and East branches of Lake Moreno, including benthic primary producers such as biofilm, mosses, and macrophytes, three plankton fractions, fish, riparian tree leaves, and benthic invertebrates, namely decapods, molluscs, insect larvae, leeches, oligochaetes, and amphipods.Mercury concentrations in fish muscle varied in a wide range, from less than 0.05 to 4 μg g⁻¹ dry weight (DW), without a distribution pattern among species but showing higher values for P. trucha and S. fontinalis, particularly in Lake Moreno.The THg contents of the food web components of Lake Moreno varied within 4 orders of magnitude, with the lower values ranging from 0.01 to 0.5 μg g⁻¹ DW in tree leaves, some macrophytes, juvenile salmonids or benthic macroinvertebrates, and reaching concentrations over 200 μg g⁻¹ DW in the plankton. Juvenile Galaxias maculatus caught in the pelagic area presented the highest THg contents of all fish sampled, reaching 10 μg g⁻¹ DW, contents that could be associated with the high THg concentrations in plankton since it is their main food source. Although Lake Moreno is a system without local point sources of contamination, situated in a protected area, some benthic organisms presented high THg contents when compared with those from polluted ecosystems.     

Anaerobic digestion of the liquid fraction of dairy manure in pilot plant for biogas production: residual methane yield of digestate

The performance of the only dairy manure biogas plant in Cantabria (Northern coast of Spain) was evaluated in terms of liquid-solid separation and anaerobic digestion of the liquid fraction. Screened liquid fraction was satisfactorily treated in a CSTR digester at HRTs from 20 to 10 days with organic loading rates ranging from 2.0 to 4.5 kg VS/(m(3)d). Stable biogas productions from 0.66 to 1.47 m(3)/(m(3)d) were achieved. Four anaerobic effluents collected from the digester at different HRTs were analyzed to measure their residual methane potentials, which ranged from 12.7 to 102.4 L/gVS. These methane potentials were highly influenced by the feed quality and HRT of the previous CSTR anaerobic digestion process. Biomethanization of the screened liquid fraction of dairy manure from intensive farming has the potential to provide up to 2% of total electrical power in the region of Cantabria.     

Local waste management constraints and waste administrators in China

Local level waste authorities and their officials directly interact and serve the people on behalf of higher governments. Given the influential positions they have on the quality of life of the citizens, these local waste authorities deserve more attention from researchers. This study throws light on the factors related to local waste management and administrators that have caused waste management failures in three mainland Chinese cities. Based on a survey conducted in 2002-2003, it was found that waste administrators in these cities are not professionally competent in their jobs and they are also not confident in using economic instruments to address waste management issues in their cities. These local waste authorities are generally under-funded, and funding politics has to some extent eroded the incentives to carry out the instructions of higher waste authorities. The community at large also does not respect local waste management work. The residents frequently litter, are unobservant of waste collection times and are unwilling to pay for waste collection service. All of these are handicapping environmentally sound waste management.