EuroBionet: a pan-European biomonitoring network for urban air quality assessment

EuroBionet, the 'European Network for the Assessment of Air Quality by the Use of Bioindicator Plants', is an EU-funded cooperative project currently consisting of public authorities and scientific institutes from 12 cities in 8 countries. In 2000, the bioindicator plants tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum Bel W3), poplar (Populus nigra 'Brandaris'), spiderwort (Tradescantia sp. clone 4430), Italian rye grass (Lolium multiflorum italicum) and curly kale (Brassica oleracea acephala) were exposed to ambient air at 90 monitoring sites according to standardised methods. Visible injuries and growth parameters were assessed and the accumulation of toxic substances in leaves determined. The exposure of tobacco resulted in a gradient with low levels of ozone-induced foliar injury in N and NW Europe, and medium to high values in the southern and central regions. The results of heavy metal and sulphur analyses in rye grass samples generally showed low to very low sulphur and low to medium heavy metal concentrations in leaves. In some cities, however, local hot spots of heavy metal contamination were detected. Analyses of the PAH contents in curly kale leaves gave low to medium values, with locally elevated levels at traffic-exposed sites.     

Methylmercury and total mercury in estuarine organisms from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Guanabara Bay (GB), located in the Rio de Janeiro State, is still a productive estuary on the south-eastern Brazilian coast. It is an ecosystem heavily impacted by organic matter, oil and a number of other toxic compounds, including Hg. The present study aimed to comparatively evaluate the aquatic total mercury (THg) and MeHg contamination, and the ratios of MeHg to THg (% MeHg), in 3 species of marine organisms, Micropogonias furnieri-carnivorous fish (N = 81), Mugil spp.--detritivorous fish (N = 20) and Perna perna--filter-feeding bivalves (N = 190), which are widely consumed by the population. A total of 291 specimens were collected at the bay in different periods between 1988 and 1998. THg concentrations were determined by cold vapour AAS with stannous chloride as a reducing agent. MeHg was extracted by dithizone-benzene and measured by GC-ECD. Analytical quality was checked through certified standards. All organisms presented both low THg and MeHg concentrations and they were below the maximum limit of 1,000 micrograms Hg.kg-1 wet wt. as established for human intake of predatory fish by the new Brazilian legislation. Carnivorous fish showed higher THg and MeHg concentrations, and also % MeHg in muscle tissues, than organisms with other feeding habits and lower trophic levels. The average of THg concentrations in carnivorous fish was 108.9 +/- 58.6 micrograms.kg-1 wet wt. (N = 61) in 1990 and 199.5 +/- 116.2 micrograms.kg-1 wet wt. (N = 20) in 1998, but they presented different total length and body weights. The average THg content in detritivorous fish was 15.4 +/- 5.8 micrograms.kg-1 wet wt., whereas THg concentrations ranged from 4.1 to 53.5 micrograms.kg-1 wet wt. for the molluscs. The THg and MeHg contents of mussel varied according to the sampling point and water quality. MeHg concentration in detritivorous fish was similar to MeHg concentration in molluscs, but there was a significant difference in the MeHg/THg ratio: the carnivorous fish presented higher MeHg percentages (98%) than the detritivorous fish (54%) and the molluscs (33%). Weight-normalised average concentration of THg in carnivorous fish collected in 1990 (0.18 +/- 0.08 microgram.g-1/0.7 kg wet wt.) and in 1998 (0.16 +/- 0.09 microgram.g-1/0.7 kg wet wt.) presented no significant difference (t = 1.34; P < 0.5). In conclusion, the low THg and MeHg concentrations in the organisms from the GB ecosystem, are related to its eutrophic conditions and elevated amounts of suspended matter. In this situation, Hg could be strongly complexed or adsorbed by the particulate, which would dilute the Hg inputs and reduce its residence time in the water column, with a consequent decrease in its availability to organisms.     

利用多物种净水监测仪在线监测水体抗生素药物及有机磷农药

通过多物种净水监测仪(Multispecies Freshwater Biomonitor,MFB)监测斑马鱼在抗生素药物(恩诺沙星、磺胺嘧啶)和有机磷农药(乐果、马拉磷硫)暴露下的行为强度变化,以验证其作为监测水体环境中抗生素类药物和有机磷农药生物指标的可行性.结果表明,恩诺沙星、磺胺嘧啶对斑马鱼没有急性毒性,乐果、马拉硫磷对斑马鱼的LC50-96值(96h半致死浓度)分别是61、5.4mg.L?1.斑马鱼对环境变化的行为反应快速且敏感,随着药物浓度的增加,斑马鱼行为变化的强度增大,反应时间缩短,且行为强度的变化符合环境压力模型(Stepwise Stress Model,SSM).斑马鱼行为的改变与一般急性毒性实验结果有相关性,可以作为对抗生素和有机磷农药污染水质早期预警的生物在线监测指标.     

Concentrations of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in needles of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana L.) growing nearby di erent industrial sources

Emissions from industrial activities pose a serious threat to human health and impose the need for monitoring both inorganic and organic pollutants in industrial areas.We selected Masson pine (Pinus massoniana L.) as potential biomonitor and collected the current (C) and previous year (C+1) needles from three industrial sites dominated by petrochemical, ceramics manufacturing, and iron and steel smelting plants and one remote site to determine heavy metals (Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, Cr, Ni and Co) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in unwashed and water-washed needles. Both unwashed and washed C+1 needles showed generally higher concentrations of heavy metals and PAHs than C needles, although the washed needles more clearly spotlighted the accumulation e ect of PAHs over exposure time. Water-washing resulted in a significant decrease in needle PAH concentrations with more significant e ects shown in C needles. By contrast, needle heavy metal concentrations were much less a ected by washing. Although heavy metals and PAHs might di er in adsorption and uptake strategies, their higher concentrations in the needles at the industrial sites indicated conspicuous contamination due to industrial emissions there. The PAH distribution patterns in pine needles accorded with the real types of energy consumption in the study sites and were e ciently used for pinpointing local pollutant sources.     

Monitoring of the Phytosanitary State of Navarra's Forests, Spain

Between 1988 and 1993 six surveys on the condition of forests in Navarra (North Spain) were carried out. The results, relating to 408 trees in 17 sampling points, showed that the overall percentage of damaged trees increased from 2.86% in 1988 to 18.6% in 1993, which indicates a general large-scale deterioration of forest condition. Among the most common groups of trees, the most severely affected species were Quercus faginea, Quercus robur and Pinus sylvestris. Furthermore, it was observed that defoliation and discoloration processes did not occur randomly between stand trees, but the trees that were damaged one year (1992) were more predisposed to suffer damage in the next year (1993).     

Succession of aquatic microbial communities as a result of the water quality variations in continuous water

The changes of structural and functional parameters of aquatic microbial communities in continuous water on campus of Tsinghua University, China are investigated by polyurethane foam unit(PFU) method. The measured compositions of the communities include alga, protozoa, and some metazoa (such as rotifers). The measured indicators of water quality include water temperature, pH value, dissolved oxygen (DO), potassium permanganate index(CODMn), total nitrogen(TN), total phosphorus(TP) and chlorophyll- a(Chla). The trophic level, expressed by the trophic level indices(TL/c), is assessed with analytic hierarchy process and principal component analysis (AHP-PCA) method. The changing trends of the structural and functional parameters of aquatic microbial communities, such as Margalef index of diversity(D), Shannon-weaver index of diversity (H), Heterotropy index (HI), number of species when the colonization gets equilibrium(Seq), colonizing speed constant(G) and time spent when 90 percent of Seq colonized in PFU ( T90% ), are also analyzed. The experimental results showed the succession of aquatic microbial communities along the water flow is consistent with the water quality changes, so the parameters of microbial community can reflect the changes of water quality from the ecological view.     

基于EPMA的背角无齿蚌贝壳中元素分布的初步研究

应用电子显微探针元素分析技术,对背角无齿蚌（Anodonta woodiana）的贝壳（棱柱层和珍珠层）进行了19种元素（Ag、Al、Au、Ca、Co、Cu、Fe、Hf、Mg、Mn、Mo、Na、Re、Se、Sn、Sr、Tl、V、Zn）分布特征的初步研究.元素面分布分析和定量线分析结果均直观而明显地表明：贝壳中Ca含量最高,Hf、Re、Mn、Al、Co、Fe、Sr、Cu和Na的含量较低,而Au、Mg、Tl、Zn、Sn、Ag、V、Mo和Se的含量甚少.Mn在珍珠层的分布高于棱柱层,壳顶区域的珍珠层的含量（0.087±0.045）%显著高于棱柱层（0.030±0.025）%（P<0.05）,腹缘区域的珍珠层的含量（0.072±0.055）%亦显著高于棱柱层（0.044±0.025）%（P<0.05）,而其余元素在贝壳中均匀分布.     

Metals in the sediment and liver of four fish species from different trophic levels in Tisza River,Serbia

In aquatic environments metals originate from various natural and anthropogenic sources. The degree of contamination in fish tissues depends on the pollutant, fish species, their mode of feeding, sampling site and trophic level. This study presents concentrations of Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr and Zn in sediment and liver of four ecologically different fish species: piscivorous northern pike (Esox lucius L.), benthivorous sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus L.) and silver bream (Brama brama L.), and omnivorous common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.). Fish were caught at four sites along the stretch of the River Tisza in Serbia during October 2010. The concentrations of metals have been assessed using the inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectrometry. Results revealed that metals with the highest values in sediment and fish samples were Al and Fe, respectively and sometimes concentrations of Zn are in the same order of magnitude as Fe concentrations. The highest concentration of metals was recorded in omnivorous common carp.     

Interspecific variation of heavy metal concentrations in the different tissues of tropical intertidal gastropods from Malaysia

The present study aims to determine the concentrations of Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the different tissues of five species of tropical intertidal gastropods from Malaysia. Each of the species have organs/tissues that highly accumulated certain metals. For Cu, the mantles of Cerithidea obtusa, Pugilina cochlidium, and Murex trapa; and the digestive caeca of Thais sp. and Chicoreus capucinus highly accumulated Cu. The shells of Chi. capucinus and M. trapa, the digestive caeca of P. cochlidium, and the digestive glands of Thais sp. and Chi. capucinus highly accumulated Cd. The tentacles and the digestive caeca of Cer. obtusa and P. cochlidium, respectively, highly accumulated Zn, the digestive glands of Thais sp., Chi. capucinus, and M. trapa also highly accumulated Zn. The shells of most of the gastropods accumulated high levels of Pb and Ni. The opercula of most of the gastropods, besides the digestive glands for Thais sp., accumulated high levels of Fe. The present study on interspecific variations of heavy metals in gastropods provided information on differences of metal distributions in the different tissues, which could be useful in proposing potential tissues as better biomonitoring tools of heavy metal bioavailabilities in the coastal waters of Peninsular Malaysia.     

Roe and red deer as bioindicators of heavy metals contamination in north-western Poland

The present paper examines the degree of environmental contamination in areas covered by the Natura 2000 programme, located in north-western Poland, with selected heavy metals based on their concentration in target organs of roe and red deer. Lead, cadmium, copper, iron, and zinc concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry. Residues of lead and cadmium were found in most of the analysed samples of roe and red deer organs The concentration of cadmium in the organs of the animals studied was much higher than that of lead. The median for Pb in liver and kidneys was 0.055 and 0.092 μg/g dry weight (d.w.) in roe deer, and 0.067 and 0.081 μg/g d.w. in red deer, respectively. The median for liver and kidney cadmium was 0.770 and 6.139 μg/g d.w. in roe deer, and 0.422 and 6.365 μg/g d.w. in red deer, respectively. Our study has demonstrated that this area is laden with lead and cadmium. This is evidenced by the fact that maximum permissible levels of these elements in the organs of red and roe deer, which were used as bioindicators of environmental contamination, were exceeded.