Challenges in assessing the toxic effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to marine organisms: a case study on the acute toxicity of pyrene to the European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.)

The acute toxicity (96 h) of pyrene (PY) to European seabass (Dicentrachus labrax) juveniles assessed in a semi-static bioassay (SSB) with medium renewal at each 12 h, and in a static bioassay (SB) without medium renewal was compared in laboratorial conditions (water PY concentrations: 0.07-10 mg L⁻¹). Main findings in the SSB that assessed mainly the toxicity of PY and its metabolites were: increased levels of bile PY metabolites in good agreement with the profile of lipid peroxidation levels (LPO) in exposed fish relating PY exposure and oxidative damage; increased levels of PY-type compounds in the brain indicating their ability to cross the blood-brain barrier; increased levels of these substances in liver and muscle which are edible tissues for humans thus raising concern on potential adverse effects on consumers of fish from PY contaminated areas; a significant inhibition of glutathione S-transferase activity suggesting its involvement in PY detoxication as toxicant scavenger; finally, an almost complete impairment of the swimming velocity at all the PY concentrations linking sub-individual to higher population level effects. In the SB, where the overall toxicity of PY, its metabolites and environmental degradation products was evaluated, 19% and 79% of PY decay in test media was found at 12 and 96 h, respectively. In general, the effects were similar to those of SSB but with significant effects being induced at higher PY concentrations indicating that the parental compound is more toxic than its environmental degradation products. The other main differences relatively to the SSB were: increased levels of PY-type substances in the liver suggesting more accumulation in this organ. Therefore, these findings highlight the need of carefully considering experimental design options when assessing the toxicity of readily degradable substances to marine fish, and stress the importance of taking into consideration the toxicity of environmental degradation products in addition to toxic effects of the parental substance and its metabolites for marine ecological risk assessment.     

Evaluation of effectiveness of EDTA and sodium thiosulfate in removing metal toxicity toward sea urchin embryo-larval applying the TIE

Since the development of the TIE (Toxicity Identification and Evaluation) in 1988 it has been assumed that the capacity of EDTA and sodium thiosulfate to complex some metals, and thus remove their toxicity, can be applied to both freshwater and seawater ecotoxicological tests and the results subsequently interpreted. However, it is now known that there is a wide variability in the extent of this complexation. In this context, the removal of toxicity caused by the presence of Hg²⁺, Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺, Cr⁶⁺, Zn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺, Ag¹⁺ and Se²⁺, through metal complexation by EDTA and sodium thiosulfate, in relation to the performance of embryo-larval tests with the sea urchin Arbacia lixula was investigated. It was observed that EDTA was capable of removing the toxicity of Pb²⁺, Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺ while sodium thiosulfate only reduced the toxicity of Ag¹⁺. Compared to the complexation observed in freshwater ecotoxicological tests, the complexing agents used in this study (EDTA and sodium thiosulfate) have a lower capacity to complex metals in the marine ecotoxicological test with A. lixula.     

改性膨润土作为垃圾渗透液防渗层的实验研究

本文以天然钠基膨润土为原料,采用水溶液聚合法,在室温条件下,通过改性聚丙烯酰胺对膨润土进行直接插层改性,制备了一种新型聚丙烯酰胺改性膨润土防渗材料。以此防渗材料作为防渗层,选用沈阳大辛填埋场的垃圾渗透液为处理对象,在动态实验下,就其对实际垃圾渗滤液中主要污染物去除的有效性和控制垃圾渗滤液渗透的可行性进行研究。抗渗性能测试结果表明,改性膨润土防渗性能较好,渗透系数为1．0×10^-7cm/s,达到固体废物填埋场的防渗材料国家标准1．0×10^-7cm／s的使用要求。改性膨润土防渗层对COD、氨氮、重金属离子去除效果较好,吸附作用较强,COD和氨氮最大去除率分别达到81％和91％,TFe、Zn^2＋和TCr的最大去除率分别达到71％、58％和73％。实验结果验证了本研究所制备的改性膨润土防渗材料具有优良的抗渗、截污性能。     

NAFTA and member country strategies for maritime trade and marine invasive species

Maritime shipping has two vectors of spreading marine invasive species: ballast water inside the ship and biofouling on the hulls outside the ship. While some attention has focused on ballast water, virtually none is focused on biofouling. This paper offers a quantitative analysis of economic incentives for shippers and regulating ports to address both pollution vectors. The strategies to address the vectors are induced by incentive mechanisms involving liability, subsidies and taxes. Results show these offer ample incentives in order to truly foster abatement of both vectors. Data from North America's Pacific coast is included in the analysis.     

Evolution of a Mediterranean Coastal Zone: Human Impacts on the Marine Environment of Cape Creus

This study presents an integrated analysis of the evolution of the marine environment and the human uses in Cape Creus, a Mediterranean coastal area where intense commercial fisheries and recreational uses have coexisted over the last fifty years. The investigation synthesizes the documented impacts of human activities on the marine environment of Cap de Creus and integrates them with new data. In particular, the evolution of vulnerable, exploited species is used to evaluate the fishing impacts. The effects of area protection through the establishment of a marine reserve in the late 1990s and the potential climate change impacts are also considered. The evolution of the human uses is marked by the increasing socioeconomic importance of recreational activities (which affect species and habitats) in detriment to artisanal and red coral fisheries (which principally affect at a species level). Overall, populations of sedentary, vulnerable exploited species, hard sessile benthic invertebrates, and ecologically fragile habitats, such as seagrass meadows, the coralligenous and infralittoral algal assemblages have been the most negatively impacted by anthropogenic activities. Albeit human uses currently constitute the largest negative impact on the marine environment of Cap de Creus, climate change is emerging as a key factor that could have considerable implications for the marine environment and tourism activities. The establishment of the marine reserve appears to have had little socioeconomic impact, but there is some evidence that it had some positive biological effects on sedentary, littoral fishes. Results demonstrate that the declaration of a marine reserve alone does not guarantee the sustainability of marine resources and habitats but should be accompanied with an integrated coastal management plan.     

The role of periodic boundary forcing in plankton pattern formation

We consider one and two-dimensional minimal models in plankton dynamics. The influence of oscillating boundary forcing functions as agents for triggering pattern formation is discussed. In particular it is found that in these conditions population waves arise for one dimensional models, while for two dimensional models, different amplitudes and frequencies in the boundary forcing generate definite patterns, mimicking the boundary term. This happens even though the model we investigate is very simple. The emergence of these features is an interesting metaphor for the fundamental biological problem of how pattern formation processes may be inevitable in natural heterogeneous ecosystems.     

渤海排污口邻近海域异养细菌的组成与分布

对渤海4个重点监测排污口（北塘、大蒲河、弥河和虞河）邻近海域异养细菌的组成和分布进行了调查研究。结果表明,分离到的各排污口邻近海域的细菌隶属于变形菌门（Proteobacteria）、厚壁菌门（Firmicutes）、放线菌门（Acti-nobacteria）和拟杆菌门（Bacteroidetes）4个细菌类群,其中变形菌门的细菌最丰富。各排污口的优势菌有所不同,北塘、弥河2个采样点的优势菌分别为Bacillus sp．、Pseudoalteromonas sp．,大蒲河采样点的优势菌为Vibrio sp．和Oceanospirillum sp．,虞河采样点的优势菌为 Shewanella sp．和 Bacillus sp．。多维尺度分析表明,北塘和虞河采样点的细菌种群特征较相近,细菌种群分布特征可能与排污口的海洋环境有一定的相关性。     

厦门市气候特征变化与酸雨形成研究

对地面风场的研究表明,厦门存在局地和海陆风环流,自1955年以来年平均风速、混合层厚度均呈现下降趋势,大气污染物的水平和垂直扩散能力也呈下降趋势。降水酸度随海拔高度的变化情况表明,海陆风环流有利于酸性污染物的积累,且锋面降水过程中的光化学污染加重了降水的酸化程度。     

激发剂作用下的盐石膏废渣的水化过程

运用Kondo模型,研究了在激发剂硫酸钠作用下盐石膏废渣的水化过程.盐石膏废渣的水化过程分为3个阶段,第1、第3阶段受扩散作用控制;第2阶段受相边界反应控制.分别研究了激发剂溶液浓度和温度对相边界反应阶段水化速率的影响,结果表明,在0—0.60 mol.L-1范围内,增大激发剂溶液浓度可使水化速率常数k增大,在12℃≤...