COMPARISON OF FOUR ARTIFICIAL SUBSTRATES AND THE PONAR GRAB FOR BENTHIC INVERTEBRATE COLLECTION1

ABSTRACT: Four different bottom-placed artificial substrates were compared with the Ponar grab for collecting benthic invertebrates. Artificial substrate samples of organisms were larger and more diverse than those of the grab. Barbeque Basket samplers caught the most taxa and individuals and Beak Trays caught the least. Chironomids and crustaceans were dominant in artificial substrate samples. Exposure habitat (left or right bank) determined taxa availability, whereas sampler design determined suitability for colonization by the taxa. Diversity for Beak Tray samples was lower than that for other artificial substrates but higher than for Ponar samples. The Barbeque Basket, Bull Basket, and Multiple Plate samples were taxonomically similar. Ponar samples were different, and Beak Trays were of intermediate similarity. As qualitative samplers, Barbeque Baskets were 63 percent efficient, followed by Bull Baskets (55 percent), Multiple Plates (48 percent), Beak Trays (38 percent), and Ponar Grabs (6–10 percent). Bull Baskets required the least and Beak Trays the most replicates to be within a preselected percentage error of the mean at the 95 percent probability level for numbers of taxa and individuals, and for diversity. Under conditions of the study, Bull Baskets ranked highest, followed by Barbeque Baskets and Multiple Plates, in selected performance criteria. Differences between grab and artificial substrate samples are explainable in terms of major riverine habitats and characteristics of the collection methods.     

Glutathione S-tranferases and cytochrome P450 activities in Mytilus galloprovincialis from the South coast of Portugal: effect of abiotic factors

To assess the health of aquatic organisms, biomarkers that measure changes at the biochemical level have been used as effective early warning tools in ecological risk assessment. In order to develop an integrated risk assessment strategy for the south coast of Portugal, mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis were collected from six sites along the coast with different organic contaminant characteristics. Additionally, an active biomonitoring approach was followed by transplanting indigenous mussels from site 4 to 6 and vice versa (from site 6 to 4) for 28 days. PAHs and PCBs contents were measured and the associated responses of phase I and phase II detoxification mechanisms evaluated by measuring cytochrome P450 and GST activities. GST activity was also determined on different tissues (gills, digestive gland, foot, mantle and gonads) of M. galloprovincialis and the impact of abiotic parameters (temperature, salinity, pH, conductivity and dissolved oxygen) on the GST activity assessed. Results indicate that CYP 450 follow the same pattern of PAHs and a direct relationship exist between CYP 450 and PAH levels from the different sites. Although there is a decrease between GST and PAHs concentrations it was not significant. The majority of the GST activity was in the gills and the digestive gland (around of 75% of the activity measured in all tissues) followed in decreasing order by the mantle, gonads. An inverse relationship between GST activity and salinity was detected along with temperature although not significant. These two biomarkers respond to changes of these two groups of compounds and to salinity especially for GST. In conclusion CYP 450 in mussels gives a reliable response as biomarker for organic contaminants in risk assessment in the South Coast of Portugal.     

Environmental remediation processes by zero valence copper: reaction mechanisms

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Recent studies have shown Cu(0) as a promising material for the removal of organic and inorganic pollutants. However, there is no review addressing...     

Residues of legacy organochlorine pesticides and DDT metabolites in highly consumed fish from the polluted Guanabara Bay,Brazil: distribution and assessment of human health risk

Abstract

Organochlorine (OCP) pesticides were determined in samples of sardine (Sardinella brasiliensis), whitemouth croaker (Micropogonias furnieri), and mullet (Mugil liza) from Guanabara Bay (state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). OCP concentrations and fish consumption were linked with acceptable daily intake values in order to assess the human health risk for the Brazilian population. The total concentrations of OCPs (Σ OCP) was 6.6?ng/g f.w., 7.5?ng/g f.w., and 2.8?ng/g f.w. for sardines, corvina, and mullet, respectively. There was a significant difference (P?<?0.05) among the species related to o,p’-DDD and o,p’-DDT concentrations. Both DDT-related compounds were 5 and 76 times more abundant in sardines than in whitemouth croaker and mullet. Newly discovered DDT metabolite, o-Cl-DDMU, was frequently detected in the fish. None of the samples exceeded the maximum limits for acceptable levels of OCP residues. According to the data of average intake of Brazilian population, none of three species exceeded toxicological parameter. The investigated fishes are considered as safe for human consumption in regard to exposure of the studied OCPs. However, fish may be a intake source of OCP metabolites such as o-Cl-DDMU whose toxicity is still unknown.     

Remediation potential of caffeine,oxybenzone, and triclosan by the salt marsh plants <Emphasis Type="Italic">Spartina maritima</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Halimione portulacoides</Emphasis>

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have attracted increasing concern during the last decade because of their widespread uses and continuous release to the aquatic environment. This work aimed to study the distribution of caffeine (CAF), oxybenzone (MBPh), and triclosan (TCS) when they arrive in salt marsh areas and to assess their remediation potential by two different species of salt marsh plants: Spartina maritima and Halimione portulacoides. Experiments were carried out in the laboratory either in hydroponics (sediment elutriate) or in sediment soaked in elutriate, for 10 days. Controls without plants were also carried out. CAF, MBPh, and TCS were added to the media. In unvegetated sediment soaked in elutriate, CAF was mainly in the liquid phase (83%), whereas MBPh and TCS were in the solid phase (90% and 56%, respectively); the highest remediation was achieved for TCS (40%) and mainly attributed to bioremediation. The presence of plants in sediment soaked in elutriate-enhanced PPCPs remediation, decreasing CAF and TCS levels between approximately 20-30% and MBPh by 40%.. Plant uptake, adsorption to plant roots/sediments, and bio/rhizoremediation are strong hypothesis to explain the decrease of contaminants either in water or sediment fractions, according to PPCPs characteristics.     

Effect of the Incorporation of Lysozyme on the Properties of Jackfruit Starch Films

Jackfruit starch based biodegradable films containing lysozyme were characterized for their antimicrobial activity, thickness, solubility, water vapor permeability and mechanical properties. The biodegradable films had good appearance and antimicrobial activity against Micrococcus lysodeikticus. The thickness of the biodegradable films were not affected by the variation in pH, but the addition of lysozyme increased the thickness, the thickest films being those with the highest lysozyme concentrations. The variation in pH of the filmogenic solutions affected the solubility of the biodegradable films, water solubility being greatest at pH 7.0 and with the highest lysozyme concentration. The permeability of the biodegradable films was increased by incorporating lysozyme. The lysozyme concentration and pH variation caused changes in the mechanical properties. The addition of 8% lysozyme increased the tensile strength and Young’s modulus for all the pH values studied. With respect to the release of antimicrobial activity, the diffusion of lysozyme was shown to follow Fickian transport mechanism.     

Interactions of operating parameters on the production of waste polypropylene pyrolysis oil: neural fuzzy model and genetic algorithm optimization

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - This study aims to maximize the waste polypropylene (WPP) pyrolysis oil yield by regulating the operating parameters. The interactions of operating...     

Evaluation of Noise Pollution in Urban Parks

The present study provides an evaluation of noise pollution in six Urban Parks located in the city of Curitiba, Brazil. Equivalent noise levels (L _eq) were measured in 303 points (each point measured during 3 min) spread throughout the Parks. Measured values were confronted with local legislation (Law 10625) allowed limits, and the Parks were thus classified as “acoustically polluted or unpolluted”. Measured values were also evaluated according to international legislation: Decree no. 12 of the City Council of Rome, DIN 18005 for German cities, the World Health Organization, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Urban parks in the downtown area of Curitiba, surrounded by roads of heavy traffic and in the midst of intense commercial activities, do not satisfy any of the standards used. The most noise-polluted parks in Curitiba were the Public Walk Park and the Botanical Garden Park, with measured L _eq of 64.8 dB(A) and 67 dB(A).     

Assessment of groundwater quality in a region of endemic fluorosis in the northeast of Brazil

The aim of this study was to estimate the risk for caries and fluorosis in a desertification area, applying the calcium/fluoride concentration ratio of underground water and the quality of water in a selected geographical region. This study was performed in the municipality of São João do Rio do Peixe, located in the tropical semiarid lands of Brazil. A total of 111 groundwater samples were collected. Fluoride concentration varied from 0.11 to 9.33 mg/L. Thirty percent of all samples analyzed showed values above 1.5 mg/L, while 64 % were above the ideal limit of 0.7 mg/L. Mean calcium concentration was 47.6 mg/L, and 14.4 % of all samples presented values above the WHO acceptable limits. The proportional value of calcium/fluoride in water showed that only 12 % of the samples were suitable for dental caries prevention with minimal risk for dental fluorosis. Mapping of the fluoride distribution indicated that approximately 2,465 people could be affected by dental fluorosis and 1,057 people might be affected by skeletal fluorosis. It can be concluded that, in addition to fluoride, many water parameters were not suitable for the drinking water. Mapping out calcium/fluoride ratio may indicate areas of water suitability for caries control, whereas the fluoride concentration solely can indicate the areas with the risk for fluorosis. This approach can be relevant for health authorities for identifying communities where dental caries or dental fluorosis is prevalent.