Cadmium and Lead Levels in Fish (Tilapia Nilotica) Tissues as Biological Indicator for Lake Water Pollution

Cadmium and lead were determined in different tissues (muscle,gill, stomach, intestine, liver, vertebral column and scales) of Tilapia nilotica from the High Dam Lake, Aswan (Egypt) to assess the lake water pollution with those toxic metals. Fish samples were chosen from different ages and weights to be analyzed along with samples of the aquatic plant(Najas armeta), sediment and lake water.The results showed that cadmium and lead concentrations were higher in fish scales and vertebral column than in the other parts of the fish. Cadmium and lead levels in High Dam lake water and fish (Tilapia nilotica) were a result of the pollution which uptakes from aquatic plants, sediments andgasoline containing lead that leaks from fishery boats. Tilapia nilotica fish was used as a good bio-assay indicator for the lake pollution with cadmium and lead. The fish musclesin this study were in the safety baseline levels for man consumption.     

武汉东湖湖水的藻类生长潜力(AGP)测试

在东湖湖水样品中添加排入东湖的主要污水或营养物(氮和磷)进行藻类测试,观察它们对斜生橱藻(Scenedesmus obliquus)的生长促进作用.生长反应与添加的污水浓度成正比,其SC_(20)(促进20％增长的浓度)为0.5—4％.单独添加氮或磷,在高浓度情况下也很少促进藻类生长,但共同添加时大多有促进作用.东湖为一严重富营养型湖泊,为了控制其富营养化进程,污水截流应是首先要采取的一项措施.     

Ce(Ⅲ)对UV-B辐射胁迫下大豆幼苗光化学反应的影响

用水培法研究Ce(Ⅲ)对UV-B辐射胁迫下大豆幼苗光化学反应的影响.结果表明, 20 mg·L^-1 CeCl₃使大豆幼苗净光合速率(Pn)、Hill反应、Mg²⁺-ATPase活性与光合磷酸化活力4项指标较对照提高23.2%～14.3%; 有效抑制UV-B辐射(T₁=0.15 W·m^-2和T₂=0.45 W·m^-2)胁迫下4项指标下降, 4项指标降幅［Ce(Ⅲ)+T₁为36.6%～15.9%,Ce(Ⅲ)+T₂为65.6%～33.2%］小于对应的UV-B辐射组(T₁为50.9%～23.3%,T₂为77.3%～51.4%). 动态变化显示, Ce(Ⅲ)减缓了胁迫期4项指标的下降趋势,促进了恢复期4项指标上升幅度. 说明Ce(Ⅲ)通过减轻UV-B辐射对大豆幼苗光化学反应的伤害, 遏制UV-B辐射胁迫下大豆幼苗Pn下降.     

钒对水稻种子萌发及幼苗生长的影响

通过室内培养的方法,研究了不同浓度钒处理对金优63、T优259两个不同品种水稻种子萌发、幼苗生长及部分生理生化指标的影响。结果表明:低浓度的钒处理能在一定程度上促进两种水稻种子的萌发及幼苗的生长,但随着钒污染浓度的增高,逐渐受到抑制,且根长受影响的程度大于芽长。从生长和生理生化各指标变化情况来看,不同浓度钒处理下,两种水稻幼苗根系脱氢酶活性与叶绿素含量均呈先升后降的变化趋势。T优259对钒污染的抗性大于金优63。     

淀山湖浮游植物营养限制因子的研究

通过藻类增长的生物学评价(Nutrient Enrichment Bioassay)研究淀山湖浮游植物生长限制性因子,并采用析因方差分析和事后比较方法分析营养盐（PO^3-₄P、NH₃N、NO^-₃N）对浮游植物生长速度、平均最大现存量和平均最大特定增长率的影响。研究表明：磷对浮游植物生长有明显的促进作用,能提高浮游植物的生长速度和现存量,且促进作用随磷浓度（0.13～0.53 mg/L）的增加而加强,磷是淀山湖浮游植物增长的第一限制性因子;低浓度硝氮（2.91～5.91 mg/L）对浮游植物生长有微小的促进作用,但高浓度（5.91～8.91 mg/L）的硝氮表现出抑制作用;氨氮对浮游植物生长有抑制作用,并随浓度（1.25～7.25 mg/L）的增加而增大;添加磷+硝氮能明显促进浮游植物生长,磷与硝氮之间存在一定的交互作用.     

Evaluation of Caging Designs and a Fingernail Clam for Use in an In Situ Bioassay

Two cage designs and fingernail clams(Sphaerium fabale) were evaluated for theirsuitability for use in in situ bioassays toassess the ecological condition of a stream andpredict ecological recovery potential. One design(referred to as tray design) was a modified plastictray about one-fourth full of small gravels andcovered with 1 mm fiberglass mesh. The second design(referred to as tube-plates) consisted of shortplexiglass tubes about one-third full of small gravelsand attached horizontally to a plexiglass plate. Oneend of each tube faced into the current; both endswere covered with mesh. Cages containing clams weredeployed at reference and impacted (test) sites forperiods of 70 to 135 d. Growth and survival were theprimary endpoints evaluated, but the tube-platesallowed isolation of individual clams so that natalityalso could be evaluated as an endpoint. Results ofbenthic macroinvertebrate surveys, performed foranother study, were included to help validate bioassayresults. Both cage designs yielded good quantitative,site-specific results for clam survival and growth;results for natality, though, were less conclusive. Clam survival and growth results were in good generalagreement with the results for the benthicmacroinvertebrate community surveys. At a site wherethe macroinvertebrate community was the mostdepauperate, clam mortality was always rapid. At asite where the condition of the macroinvertebratecommunity was only slightly less impacted than themost impacted site, clam growth was almost alwayssignificantly lower than at reference sites. Survivalof clams was significantly reduced in <25 d at thissite in some trials, but in other trials there waslittle mortality. At a minimally impacted site, clamsurvival was similar to that found at reference sites,and differences in clam growth were not detectableuntil after 40 to 50 d of exposure. The tube-platedesign was easier to use, allowed more flexibility inselection of response parameters, and required lesshandling time of test animals, thus, this was thepreferred design. Our results demonstrated thateither in situ bioassay design can be used toaugment monitoring and assessment programs. Their useas a predictor of ecological recovery, however,requires further evaluation.     

Physicochemical substance properties as indicators for unreliable exposure in microplate-based bioassays

In the last years many efforts were made to transform standardized algal test protocols into low-cost microplate assays. While advantages were pointed out frequently, limitations are not systematically addressed, thus hindering a widespread utilisation. In this study a group of organic substances with a wide distribution of volatility (log K_AW from −6.53 to −2.13) and lipophilicity (log K_OW from 1.26 to 4.92) was investigated with respect to the influence of these physicochemical properties on their algal toxicity in different assays. Therefore the EC₅₀ values were determined with a microplate assay based on ISO 8692 protocol and the results were compared with those of an established algal growth inhibition test conducted in air tight glass vessels. Using the ratio of the EC₅₀ values, a clear connection between biological response and volatility as well as lipophilicity of test substances could be detected. Chemicals with a log K_OW higher than 3 or a Henry coefficient log K_AW higher than −4 were identified as less effective in the microplate assay than in the comparative assay. The loss in nominal concentration due to physicochemical properties could be shown to contribute to this using HPLC analysis. Consequently, when using microplate assay’s one should be aware that lipophilic and volatile chemicals might be underestimated in their toxicity, which could be indicated from evaluating related physicochemical properties modelled from structural information prior to an experimental investigation.     

A fluorescence-based bioassay for aquatic macrophytes and its suitability for effect analysis of non-photosystem II inhibitors

Background, Goals and Scope During the last years the miniaturization of toxicity test systems for rapid and parallel measurements of large quantities of samples has often been discussed. For unicellular algae as well as for aquatic macrophytes, fluorescence-based miniaturized test systems have been introduced to analyze photosystem II (PSII) inhibitors. Nevertheless, high-throughput screening should also guarantee the effect detection of a broad range of toxicants in order to ensure routinely applicable, high-throughput measuring device experiments which can cover a broad range of toxicants and modes of action others than PSII inhibition. Thus, the aim of this study was to establish a fast and reproducible measuring system for non-PSII inhibitors for aquatic macrophyte species to overcome major limitations for use. Methods A newly developed imaging pulse-amplitude-modulated chlorophyll fluorometer (I-PAM) was applied as an effect detector in short-term bioassays with the aquatic macrophyte species Lemna minor. This multiwell-plate based measuring device enabled the incubation and measurement of up to 24 samples in parallel. The chemicals paraquat-dichloride, alizarine and triclosan were chosen as representatives for the toxicant groups of non-PSII herbicides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), which are often detected in the aquatic environment. The I-PAM was used (i) to establish and validate the sensitivity of the test system to the three non-PSII inhibitors, (ii) to compare the test systems with standardized and established biotests for aquatic macrophytes, and (iii) to define necessary time scales in aquatic macrophyte testing. For validation of the fluorescence-based assay, the standard growth test with L. minor (ISO/DIS 20079) was performed in parallel for each chemical. Results The results revealed that fluorescence-based measurements with the I-PAM allow rapid and parallel analysis of large amounts of aquatic macrophyte samples. The I-PAM enabled the recording of concentration-effect-curves with L. minor samples on a 24-well plate with single measurements. Fluorescence-based concentration-effect-curves could be detected for all three chemicals after only 1 h of incubation. After 4–5 h incubation time, the maximum inhibition of fluorescence showed an 80–100% effect for the chemicals tested. The EC50 after 24 h incubation were estimated to be 0.06 mg/L, 0.84 mg/L and 1.69 mg/L for paraquatdichloride, alizarine and triclosan, respectively. Discussion The results obtained with the I-PAM after 24 h for the herbicide paraquat-dichloride and the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon alizarine were in good accordance with median effective concentrations (EC50s) obtained by the standardized growth test for L. minor after 7 d incubation (0.09 mg/L and 0.79 mg/L for paraquat-dichloride and alizarine, respectively). Those results were in accordance with literature findings for the two chemicals. In contrast, fluorescence-based EC50 of the antimicrobial agent triclosan proved to be two orders of magnitude greater when compared to the standard growth test with 7 d incubation time (0.026 mg/L) as well as with literature findings. Conclusion Typically, aquatic macrophyte testing is very time consuming and relies on laborious experimental set-ups. The I-PAM measuring device enabled fast effect screening for the three chemicals tested. While established test systems for aquatic macrophytes need incubation times of ≥ 7 d, the I-PAM can detect inhibitory effects much earlier (24 h), even if inhibition of chemicals is not specifically associated with PSII. Thus, the fluorescence-based bioassay with the I-PAM offers a promising approach for the miniaturization and high-throughput testing of chemicals with aquatic macrophytes. For the chemical triclosan, however, the short-term effect prediction with the I-PAM has been shown to be less sensitive than with long-term bioassays, which might be due to physicochemical substance properties such as lipophilicity. Recommendations and Perspectives The results of this study show that the I-PAM represents a promising tool for decreasing the incubation times of aquatic macrophyte toxicity testing to about 24 h as a supplement to existing test batteries. The applicability of this I-PAM bioassay on emergent and submerged aquatic macrophyte species should be investigated in further studies. Regarding considerations that physicochemical properties of the tested substances might play an important role in microplate bioassays, the I-PAM bioassay should either be accompanied by evaluating physicochemical properties modeled from structural information prior to an experimental investigation, or by intensified chemical analyses to identify and determine nominal concentrations of the toxicants tested. The chemicals paraquat-dichloride, alizarine and triclosan were chosen as representatives for the toxicant groups of non-PSII herbicides, PAHs and PPCPs which are often detected in the aquatic environment. Nevertheless, in order to ensure a routinely applicable measuring device, experiments with a broader range of toxicants and samples of surface and/or waste waters are necessary. ESS-Submission Editor: Dr. Markus Hecker (MHecker@Entrix.com)     

Enantioselectivity of racemic metolachlor and S-metolachlor in maize seedlings

Chiral herbicides may have enantioselective effects on plants. In this study, we assessed and compared the enantioselectivity of the chiral herbicides rac-metolachlor and S-metolachlor to maize seedlings. The superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) activity of roots and stem leaves treated by rac-metolachlor was 1.38 and 1.99 times that of roots and stem leaves treated by S-metolachlor. The peroxidase activity (POD) activity of roots and stem leaves was 1.48 and 2.79 times that of roots and stem leaves treated by S-metolachlor, respectively, while the catalase activity (CAT) activity was 4.77 and 8.37 times greater, respectively. The Hill reaction activity of leaves treated by rac-metolachlor were 1.45, 1.33, and 1.14 times those treated by S-metolachlor with treatments of 18.6, 37.2, and 74.4 μM. The differences observed between treatments of rac- and S-metolachlor were significant. Significant differences in maize seedling morphology were also observed between rac- and S-metolachlor treatments. The degradation rate of S-metolachlor in roots was greater than that of rac-metolachlor. The half-lives of rac- and S-metolachlor were 80.6 and 60.3 h at 18.6 μM; 119.5 and 90 h at 37.2 μM; and 169 and 164.8 h at 74.4 μM, respectively. Using the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method, hydroxymetolachlor, deschlorometolachlor and deschlorometolachlor propanol were considered to be possible metabolites. We determined the enantioselective toxicity of rac- and S-metolachlor to maize and speculated on the proposed metabolic pathway of metolachlor in maize roots. These results will help to develop an understanding of the proper application of rac- and S-metolachlor in crops, and give some information for environmental safety evaluation of rac- and S-metolachlor.