Application of an ELISA to the quantification of carbamazepine in ground, surface and wastewaters and validation with LC-MS/MS

Carbamazepine is a psychiatric pharmaceutical widely detected in aquatic environments. Due to its generalized occurrence and environmental persistence it might be considered as an anthropogenic pollution indicator. In this research, a previously developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), based on a commercial monoclonal antibody, was applied to the quantification of carbamazepine in ground, surface and wastewaters and results were validated by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).The performance of the applied ELISA methodology was tested in the presence of high concentrations of sodium chloride and dissolved organic matter. The method was not significantly affected by matrix effects, being adequate for the quantification of carbamazepine in environmental samples, even without sample pre-treatment. This method allows the quantification of carbamazepine in the range of 0.03-10 μg L⁻¹, with a relative error lower than 30%. Due to a pH dependent cross-reactivity with cetirizine, an antihistaminic drug, the assay also enabled the quantification of cetirizine in the samples.The application of the developed method to the quantification of carbamazepine was performed by using environmental samples with very different matrices, collected in the geographical area of Ria de Aveiro, an estuarine system located in the North of Portugal. Carbamazepine was detected in all analyzed wastewater samples and in one surface water with concentrations between 0.1 and 0.7 μg L⁻¹. Validation with LC-MS/MS revealed that results obtained by ELISA are 2-28% overestimated, which was considered highly satisfactory due to the absence of sample pre-treatments.     

Aquaculture effects on environmental and public welfare - the case of Mediterranean mariculture

Aquatic farming has been considered, during the last decades, as the fastest growing food production industry powered by governmental and technological impulsion. Compensation for fisheries decline, creation of new jobs and source of financial windfall are the most important benefits. However, similar to most of the human food-production activities, aquaculture raised several issues related to the environmental welfare and consumer safety. An effort to record the aquaculture-environment and -human safety interactions with regard to the Mediterranean mariculture, is attempted herein. We focused on this geographical area due to its individualities in both the hydrological and physicochemical characteristics and the forms of aquaculture activities. The cage farming of euryhaline marine fish species and more recently of bluefin tuna and mollusk farming are the dominating aquaculture activities. The impacts of these activities to the environment, through wastes offloads, introduction of alien species, genetic interactions, disease transfer, release of chemicals, use of wild recourses, alterations of coastal habitats and disturbance of wildlife, are analytically considered. Also the consumer safety issues related to the farming are assessed, including generation of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms, contaminants transferred to humans though food chain and other hazards from consumption of aquacultured items. Within these, the major literature findings are critically examined and suggestions for scientific areas that need further development are made. The major tasks for future aquaculture development in this region are: (i) to ensure sustainability and (ii) to balance the risks to public or environmental health with the substantial economical benefits. In regard with monitoring, tools must be created or adapted to predict the environmental costs and estimate consumer impact. At a canonistic and legal basis, the establishment of appropriate legal guidelines and common policies from all countries involved should be mandatory.     

Effects on Environment and Agriculture of Geothermal Wastewater and Boron Pollution in Great Menderes Basin

Boron toxicity is an important disorder that can be limit plant growth on soils of arid and semi arid environments through the world. High concentrations of Boron may occur naturally in the soil or in groundwater, or be added to the soil from mining, fertilizers, or irrigation water. Off all the potential resources, irrigation water is the most important contributor to high levels of soil boron, boron is often found in high concentrations in association with saline soil and saline well water. Although of considerable agronomic importance, our understanding of Boron toxicity is rather fragment and limited. In this study, Boron content of Great Menderes River and Basin was researched. Great Menderes Basin is one of the consequence basins having agricultural potential, aspect of water and soil resources in Turkey. Great Menderes River, water resource of the basin was to be polluted by geothermal wastewater and thermal springs including Boron element. Great Menderes Basin has abundant geothermal water resources which contain high amounts of Boron and these ground water are brought to surface and used for various purposes such as power generation, heating or thermal spring and than discharged to Great Menderes River. In order to prevent Boron pollution and hence unproductively in soils, it is necessary not to discharged water with Boron to irrigation water. According to results, it was obtained that Boron content of River was as high in particular Upper Basin where there was a ground thermal water reservoir. Boron has been accumulated more than plant requirement in this area irrigated by this water. Boron content of River was relatively low in rainy months and irrigation season while it was high in dry season. Boron concentration in the River was to decrease from upstream to downstream. If it is no taken measure presently, about 130,000 ha irrigation areas which was constructed irrigation scheme in the Great Menderes basin will expose the Boron pollution and salinity. Even though Boron concentration of river water is under 0.5 ppm limit value, Boron element will store in basin soils, decrease in crop yields, and occur problematic soils in basin.     

Eutrophication Status of Marine Environment of Mumbai and Jawaharlal Nehru Ports

The marine environment of Mumbai and Jawaharlal Nehru ports was monitored for some environmental and biological parameters during three different periods between 2001 and 2002. The results are compared with the records available since 1960s. With the passage of time the environmental status underwent changes, probably due to the increase in anthropogenic activities in the metropolis. The nutrient level especially the nitrate concentration has increased gradually over the years with a simultaneous decrease in dissolved oxygen, indicating increase in the biological activity. Characterization of this environment based on Assessment of Estuarine Trophic Status (ASSETS) model indicates that the current status is poor and may get worsen in future if no appropriate management policies are put into place.     

公布空气质量报告 市民更加关注环境

南京市环境监测中心站在全国率先开展空气质量周报,之后又开展了空气质量日报,向市民公布空气质量状况,使环境监测成果走向社会,服务于百姓,增强了全社会的环境保护意识,提高了市民关心环境,保护环境的自觉性,并推动了空气污染防治工作,促进了环境监测工作,体现了     

环境功能区划与绿洲城市及城镇的环境管理

结合新疆绿洲城市及城镇的自然特点及发展实际,从加强城市环境功能区划工作的角,探讨了对绿洲城市及城镇的环境管理问题。     

排污单位自行监测问题剖析及对策建议

自行监测是排污单位落实主体责任必然要求,是生态环境部门环境管理重要方式.回顾我国自行监测发展历程,梳理当前自行监测在监测方案制定、自动监测和委托第三方检测等方面问题,提出了规范自行监测方案制定、审核备案,加强监督检查,探索建立自动监测设备性能综合评价机制,加大自行监测数据分析和应用等方面建议,从而提高自行监测数据质量.     

水环境中有机污染物与溶解性有机质相互作用研究

溶解性有机质(DOM)是水环境中重要的有机组分,主要通过氢键、范德华力、疏水作用等多种作用吸附结合有机污染物,影响有机污染物的迁移转化等环境行为,同时DOM对水环境中有机污染物的吸附作用还受DOM和有机污染物的性质等诸多因素的影响。     

灰色预测模型在渭河水环境信息系统中的应用

在分析了灰色预测模型的建模原理和流域水质预测的变化性的基础上,建立了灰色GM(1,1)预测模型,结合地理信息系统GIS,将其应用于渭河流域水环境信息系统中,为流域水质管理工作提供了很大的帮助。     

苏南地区城镇化对水环境的胁迫效应

由于城镇规模的不断扩大,小城镇的非点源污染和生活污水污染负荷日益增加。在苏南工业化推动下的城镇化过程中,对水环境的影响具有污染物浓度大、排放集中的特点。市郊小城镇河网水质急剧恶化,已成为新的水环境污染载体,使水体环境容量下降。城镇化过程中水体环境的措施有实施生态工程与环境工程、加强城镇化过程中的环境规划与管理、鼓励非农业人口向重点城镇集聚。