Use of whole-body and subcellular Cu residues of Lumbriculus variegatus to predict waterborne Cu toxicity to both L. variegatus and Chironomus riparius in fresh water

We tested the use of whole-body and subcellular Cu residues (biologically-active (BAM) and inactive compartments (BIM)), of the oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus to predict Cu toxicity in fresh water. The critical whole-body residue associated with 50% mortality (CBR₅₀) was constant (38.2-55.6 μg g⁻¹ fresh wt.) across water hardness (38-117 mg L⁻¹ as CaCO₃) and exposure times during the chronic exposure. The critical subcellular residue (CSR₅₀) in metal-rich granules (part of BIM) associated with 50% mortality was approximately 5 μg g⁻¹ fresh wt., indicating that Cu bioavailability is correlated with toxicity:subcellular residue is a better predictor of Cu toxicity than whole-body residue. There was a strong correlation between the whole-body residue of L. variegatus (biomonitor) and survival of Chironomus riparius (relatively sensitive species) in a hard water Cu co-exposure. The CBR₅₀ in L. variegatus for predicting mortality of C. riparius was 29.1-45.7 μg g⁻¹ fresh wt., which was consistent within the experimental period; therefore use of Cu residue in an accumulator species to predict bioavailability of Cu to a sensitive species is a promising approach.     

辽宁省淡水鱼类体内多溴联苯醚和六溴环十二烷的富集特征及健康风险评估

分析了辽宁省4个典型城市淡水鱼类中多溴联苯醚（PBDEs）和六溴环十二烷（HBCDs）的富集特征,并进行了健康风险评估。结果表明：淡水鱼类体内PBDEs和HBCDs检出率均为100%,PBDEs和HBCDs的平均质量分数分别为9.73 和21.81 ng/g（脂重）。PBDEs中的单体BDE 183、BDE 209和BDE 153在辽河流域不同鱼类的同源种中占优势,分别占PBDEs的26.8%～40%,17%～44%和14%～22%。在HBCDs的3种同系物中,α-HBCD是主要的单体,其相对贡献率为45.15%~84.71%。辽河流域的工厂企业生产活动对淡水鱼类产生了影响,居民通过消费水产品摄入PBDEs和HBCDs。健康风险评估结果显示：PBDEs和HBCDs的健康风险指数均＜1,说明当地水产品中PBDEs和HBCDs的非致癌风险处于可接受水平。     

Biomonitoring of heavy metals by pollen in urban environment

Abstract Industrial development and consumption of petroleum products leads to increase air pollution levels especially in urban and industrial areas. Heavy metal components associated with air pollutants have far reaching effects with respect to economic and ecological importance of pollens. The pollens are male reproductive organs of the plant and travel through air from flower to flower for pollination purpose. During this period they are exposed to air pollutants. Present investigation thus pertains to study of effect of air pollutants on pollens especially biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals. The pollens of three commonly occurring plants namely Cassia siamea, Cyperus rotundus, Kigelia pinnata have been studied from the NH-6 of Nagpur city, India. The pollens exposed to polluted air showed the presence of higher concentrations of Ca, Al and Fe as compared to unexposed pollens. Higher concentration of these metals was observed in Cyperus rotundus followed by Cassia siamea and Kigelia pinnata. These results indicate that pollens act as good indicator of air pollution giving results in short time of exposure of 5–10 h. Apart from this, it is also reported that some of these metals play crucial role in the metabolic activity in pollens for example Calcium is necessary for growth of pollen tube and other metabolic activities in pollens. The presence of these metals in pollens may also enhance the allergenicity of the pollens. Similarly accumulation of heavy metals may also deteriorate the quality of pollen for their economical use. The viability of pollen is also affected by these pollutants in sensitive species leading to impairment of their fertility.     

An evaluation of selenium concentrations in water, sediment, invertebrates, and fish from the Solomon River Basin

The Solomon River Basin is located in north-central Kansas in an area underlain by marine geologic shales. Selenium is an indigenous constituent of these shales and is readily leached into the surrounding groundwater. Portions of the Basin are irrigated primarily through the pumping of selenium-contaminated groundwater from wells onto fields in agricultural production. Water, sediment, macroinvertebrates, and fish were collected from various sites in the Basin in 1998 and analyzed for selenium. Selenium concentrations were analyzed spatially and temporally and compared to reported selenium toxic effect thresholds for specific ecosystem components: water, sediments, food-chain organisms, and wholebody fish. A selenium aquatic hazard assessment for the Basin was determined based on protocol established by Lemly. Throughout the Basin, water, macroinvertebrate, and whole fish samples exceeded levels suspected of causing reproductive impairment in fish. Population structures of several fish species implied that successful reproduction was occurring; however, the influence of immigration of fish from low-selenium habitats could not be discounted. Site-specific fish reproduction studies are needed to determine the true impact of selenium on fishery resources in the Basin. The U.S. Government’s right to retain a non-exclusive, royalty free license in and to any copyright is acknowledged.     

A review and test of predictive models for the bioaccumulation of radiostrontium in fish

Empirical relations between the ⁹⁰Sr concentration factor (CF) and the calcium concentration in freshwater aquatic systems have previously been determined in studies based on data obtained prior to the Chernobyl accident. The purpose of the present research is to review and compare these models, and to test them against a database of post-Chernobyl measurements from rivers and lakes in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and Finland. It was found that two independently developed models, based on pre-Chernobyl empirical data, are in close agreement with each other, and with empirical data. Testing of both models against new data obtained after the Chernobyl accident confirms the models’ predictive ability. An investigation of the influence of fish size on ⁹⁰Sr accumulation showed no significant relationship, though the data set was somewhat limited.     

Heavy metals in Hediste diversicolor (polychaeta: nereididae) and salt marsh sediments from the lagoon of Venice (Italy)

The nereid polychaete Hediste diversicolor was frequently used as biomonitor of heavy metals contamination in estuaries. In the present work, the bioaccumulation of five heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb) in tissues of H. diversicolor collected from six salt marshes in the lagoon of Venice is studied by analysing the relationships between concentrations of the operationally-defined reactive fraction of trace metals in sediments and total concentrations in tissues. The characterisation of sediment samples shows a clear distinction between sites near and far from the Industrial Zone; no analogous pattern is observed for tissue concentrations suggesting that metal bioaccumulation is controlled by complex interactions between metal bioavailability and physiological factors. Considering relationships between metals, strong inverse correlations are observed in polychaetes and sediments for Cu and Cr concentrations suggesting a possible interaction between these two metals. The role played by organic matter (OM) in the availability of metal is highlighted considering inverse relationships found between bioaccumulation factors for Cu, Cr, Cd and OM.     

On the potential of biological treatment for arsenic contaminated soils and groundwater

Bioremediation of arsenic contaminated soils and groundwater shows a great potential for future development due to its environmental compatibility and possible cost-effectiveness. It relies on microbial activity to remove, mobilize, and contain arsenic through sorption, biomethylation–demethylation, complexation, coprecipitation, and oxidation–reduction processes. This paper gives an evaluation on the feasibility of using biological methods for the remediation of arsenic contaminated soils and groundwater. Ex-situ bioleaching can effectively remove bulk arsenic from contaminated soils. Biostimulation such as addition of carbon sources and mineral nutrients can be applied to promote the leaching rate. Biosorption can be used either ex-situ or in-situ to remove arsenic from groundwater by sorption to biomass and/or coprecipitation with biogenic solids or sulfides. Introduction of proper biosorbents or microorganisms to produce active biosorbents in-situ is the key to the success of this method. Phytoremediation depends on arsenic-hyperaccumulating plants to remove arsenic from soils and shallow groundwater by translocating it into plant tissues. Engineering genetic strategies can be employed to increase the arsenic-hyperaccumulating capacity of the plants. Biovolatilization may be developed potentially as an ex-situ treatment technology. Further efforts are needed to focus on increasing the volatilization rate and the post-treatment of volatilization products.     

Potential Long-Term Ecological Impacts Caused by Disturbance of Contaminated Sediments:A Case Study

Several submerged barges were recently removed from the Passaic River, New Jersey, USA, in two areas (areas 1 and 2) where contaminated sediments are known to exist. During removal of the single barge in area 1, elevated turbidity levels and chemical parameters were measured. Greater increases were measured in area 2, where several barges were removed. In both areas, water column concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and several metals exceeded one or more water quality criteria; turbidity levels in area 2 also exceeded regulatory criteria. Potential chemical bioaccumulation from the water column into residential aquatic receptors was estimated using standard models and assumptions. The modeled results predicted that steady-state tissue concentrations of bioaccumulative chemicals would not occur as a result of the brief increase in water column concentrations that occurred during barge removal but that metals and PCDD/Fs could bioaccumulate to levels that exceed regulatory ecological criteria during long-term sediment disturbance activities. In addition, based on some simplistic assumptions regarding settling of suspended sediments, we estimate that chemical bioaccumulation from surface sediments into the food web could result in substantial increases in PCDD/F body burdens in the benthic forage fish, mummichog. Our findings are consistent with the limited number of field studies that have measured increased body burdens of bioaccumulative chemicals following dredging. We suggest that, prior to consideration of extensive dredging as a remedial alternative for any river system, the potential significant and long-term impacts on the food web must be evaluated.