Patterns of abundance, population size structure and microhabitat usage of Paracentrotus lividus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) in SW Portugal and NW Italy

In coastal habitats, wave exposure influences several aspects of the life history of marine organisms. Here, we assess how hydrodynamic conditions can generate variation in density, size structure and microhabitat usage of Paracentrotus lividus and whether these effects are consistent between regions that are markedly different for oceanic climate, such as the coasts of SW Portugal and NW Italy. The abundance of P. lividus was ~4 times higher in SW Portugal than in NW Italy, but within each region, there was no effect of wave exposure. In SW Portugal, higher urchin abundances were found at shallower depths, while no effect of depth on urchin abundance emerged in NW Italy. Most of the variation in urchin abundance occurred at small spatial scales (metres), and our results suggest that habitat complexity, that is, the presence of cracks and crevices, is an important determinant of patterns of distribution of this species. The population in NW Italy was characterized by a unimodal size distribution, with a higher proportion of medium-sized individuals. In contrast, in SW Portugal, smaller individuals represented a large proportion of the populations. Size structure varied between exposed and sheltered habitats in SW Portugal, suggesting that the proportion of individuals from different size cohorts may vary along wave-exposure gradients as a result of direct or indirect effects of hydrodynamic forces. In SW Portugal, most urchins occurred in burrows, while in NW Italy, urchins were mainly observed in crevices. These results suggest that creating/occupying burrows might be an adaptive behaviour that allows sea urchins to better withstand stressful hydrodynamic conditions and, therefore, are more common on exposed Atlantic coasts. Overall, our study suggests that the effects of hydrodynamic forces on sea urchin populations are context dependent and vary according to background oceanic climate.     

Terpenylnaphthoquinones are reductively activated by NADH/NADH dehydrogenase

Novel terpenylnaphthoquinones were found to enhance the rate of oxygen consumption in the presence of NADH/NADH dehydrogenase in 1?:?1?v/v mixtures of 40?mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) and DMSO. Initial rates of oxygen consumption increase with an increase in the half-wave reduction potentials of the quinones. The amounts of spin trapped methyl radicals in the presence of DMSO, produced through the Haber–Weiss reaction of the oxygen consumption process, and of the corresponding semiquinones, generated under anaerobic conditions, also correlate with the quinone redox potential. Since this enzymatic system is found in mitochondria, a possible pathway in the cytotoxic activity of these terpenylnaphthoquinones could be the interference or inhibition of mitochondrial respiration by NADH depletion or by mitochondrial degradation due to reactive oxygen species generation.     

Degradation of ethylenethiourea pesticide metabolite from water by photocatalytic processes

In this study, photocatalytic (photo-Fenton and H₂O₂/UV) and dark Fenton processes were used to remove ethylenethiourea (ETU) from water. The experiments were conducted in a photo-reactor with an 80 W mercury vapor lamp. The mineralization of ETU was determined by total organic carbon analysis, and ETU degradation was qualitatively monitored by the reduction of UV absorbance at 232 nm. A higher mineralization efficiency was obtained by using the photo-peroxidation process (UV/H₂O₂). Approximately 77% of ETU was mineralized within 120 min of the reaction using [H₂O₂]₀ = 400 mg L^?1. The photo-Fenton process mineralized 70% of the ETU with [H₂O₂]₀ = 800 mg L^?1 and [Fe²⁺] = 400 mg L^?1, and there is evidence that hydrogen peroxide was the limiting reagent in the reaction because it was rapidly consumed. Moreover, increasing the concentration of H₂O₂ from 800 mg L^?1 to 1200 mg L^?1 did not enhance the degradation of ETU. Kinetics studies revealed that the pseudo-second-order model best fit the experimental conditions. The k values for the UV/H₂O₂ and photo-Fenton processes were determined to be 6.2 × 10^?4 mg L^?1 min^?1 and 7.7 × 10^?4 mg L^?1 min^?1, respectively. The mineralization of ETU in the absence of hydrogen peroxide has led to the conclusion that ETU transformation products are susceptible to photolysis by UV light. These are promising results for further research. The processes that were investigated can be used to remove pesticide metabolites from drinking water sources and wastewater in developing countries.     

Assessment of volatile organic compound removal by indoor plants—a novel experimental setup

Indoor plants can remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air. The majority of knowledge comes from laboratory studies where results cannot directly be transferred to real-life settings. The aim of this study was to develop an experimental test system to assess VOC removal by indoor plants which allows for an improved real-life simulation. Parameters such as relative humidity, air exchange rate and VOC concentration are controlled and can be varied to simulate different real-life settings. For example, toluene diffusion through a needle gave concentrations in the range of 0.10–2.35 μg/L with deviations from theoretical values of 3.2–10.5 %. Overall, the system proved to be functional for the assessment of VOC removal by indoor plants with Hedera helix reaching a toluene removal rate of up to 66.5 μg/m²/h. The mode of toluene exposure (semi-dynamic or dynamic) had a significant influence on the removal rate obtained by H. helix.     

Spatial distribution and concentration assessment of total petroleum hydrocarbons in the intertidal zone surface sediment of Todos os Santos Bay, Brazil

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the concentrations and spatial distribution of the total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) in the intertidal zone surface sediment of Todos os Santos Bay, Brazil, to assess the distribution and degree of contamination by TPHs, measure the level of TPH degradation in the surface sediment, and identify the organic matter sources. The surface sediment used in this study was collected in 50 stations, and TPHs, isoprenoid alkanes (pristane and phytane), and unresolved complex mixture (UCM) were analyzed by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector. The total concentrations ranged from 0.22 to 40,101 μg g^?1 dry weight and showed a strong correlation with the total organic carbon (TOC) content. The highest TPH concentrations were observed in samples from the mangrove sediments of a river located near a petroleum refinery. Compared with other studies in the world, the TPH concentrations in the intertidal surface sediment of Todos os Santos Bay were below average in certain stations and above average in others. An analysis of the magnitude of UCM (0.11 to 17,323 μg g^?1 dry weight) and the ratios nC17/Pr and nC18/Ph suggest that an advanced state of oil weathering, which indicates previous contamination. The molar C/N ratios varied between 5 and 43, which indicate organic matter with a mixed origin comprising marine and continental contributions.     

Evaluation of diffusive gradients in thin films technique (DGT) for measuring Al, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Zn in Amazonian rivers

Studies concerning the lability and bioavailability of trace metals have played a prominent role in the search for contamination of water resources. This work describes the first application yet of the diffusive gradients in thin films technique (DGT) to the determination of the fraction of free plus labile metals in waters from the Amazon Basin. Due to the complexity of the use of DGT for samples with low ionic strength and high organic matter content (characteristic of Amazonian rivers), a new analytical procedure was developed. The method is based on the determinations of apparent diffusion coefficients (D_ap) in the laboratory, by performing deployments in samples collected in the corresponding sites of study. The D_ap thereby determined is then used for in situ measurements. The suitability of the proposed approach for determination of labile Al, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Zn in the Amazon River and Rio Negro (English: Black River) was evaluated. Except for Co, Mn (in a deployment at Rio Negro), Ni and Zn (in a deployment at Amazon River), labile in situ measurements were lower or similar to dissolved concentrations, indicating suitability of the proposed approach.     

Distribution, origin and fate of chromium in soils in Guanajuato, Mexico

Total, hexavalent and trivalent chromium were determined in surface and 30-cm depth soil samples from a highly chromium-polluted area in Guanajuato state, central México. Four samples were also analyzed by a sequential extraction procedure. Nearly 0.9 km(2) out of the 8 km(2) area sampled was polluted with chromium, at concentrations up to 12960 mg kg(-1), mostly as Cr(III). Concentrations of Cr(VI) were lower than 0.5 mg kg(-1) in most sampled points, with the exception of one, where the concentration was found to be 65.14 mg kg(-1). Chromiumcontaining dust from a chromate factory accounted for most of the contamination. The highest concentrations of hexavalent chromium in soil, were in the bottom sediments of an abandoned water reservoir used to store polluted water from a well, before use of the water in the factory process. Tannery wastes, dust from a sanitary landfill of chromate compounds and the transport of chromium products are the sources of chromium at other sites. Chromium is fixed preferentially in the hydrous Fe and Mn oxides in the more polluted soils. Less polluted soils have a high proportion of chromium associated with the sulfide and organic fraction. Cr(III) is retained preferentially in the superficial soil layer. Variations in the physical characteristics of the soil, relative abundance of the various soil components and characteristics of the contaminant source, give rise to differences in chromium soil concentrations with depth.