Fish as an indicator of aquatic environment: Multielemental neutron activation analysis of nutrient and pollutant elements in fish from Indian coastal areas

Fish is the main food in coastal areas and its analysis for toxic metals has been used as an indicator of the pollution status of the aquatic environment. Several different fish species from the three Indian coasts, Visakhapatnam in the east, Mumbai in the west and Mangalore in the south west and also inland freshwater fish from Nagpur in the central region for comparison were analyzed for up to 20 elements (As, Au, Ba, Br, Cl, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mn, Na, P, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, Sr, Zn) by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Dried fish samples in powdered form were irradiated with thermal neutrons in a nuclear reactor followed by high resolution gamma ray spectrometry at different intervals. Several Reference Materials (RMs) of biological origin were analyzed for quality assurance and data validation. Elemental contents in different fish species vary in a wide range depending on the species, its size, location, and aquatic environment. Fish from Mangalore showed highest mean contents of Cr (14.8?±?29.9?µg?g^?1), Cu (1005?±?643?µg?g^?1) and Sb (849?±?888?ng?g^?1) whereas those from Mumbai exhibited highest Hg (2066?±?2146?ng?g^?1) and P (20.3?±?4.63?µg?g^?1) but lowest Cu (6.30?±?3.10?µg?g^?1) contents. Fish from all the regions showed significant amounts of nutrient elements such as Na, K, P, Mn, Fe, Se and Zn as well as some pollutant elements (Br, Cr, Sb, Hg). No regularity in variation of elemental contents with the size was observed. Prawn (Panaeus latisulcatus), a popular fish species from four different regions showed wide variation in elemental contents of Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn, Se, P including toxic pollutants, Sb and Hg. An attempt has been made to calculate daily dietary intake (DDI) for some nutrient elements from Indian fish. Elemental data for Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Se, and Zn have been compared with those from other fish exporting countries.     

Ecotoxicological effects of Trichloroethene upon plankton

A case study in an experimental pond was performed to evaluate the ecotoxic effects of Trichloroethene (TRI) upon the population density and productivity of phyto‐ and zooplankton. TRI was continuously released into two pond enclosures over 11 weeks (mean concentrations 1.5 and 7.5 mg/l). The chronic chemical treatment showed distinctive toxic influences upon the biota. Following the high TRI concentration, the phytoplankton density slightly increased; the productivity per single cells, however, was significantly reduced compared to the controls and the low TRI concentration. Cryptophyceae were the most sensitive algae taxa. The density and reproductivity of Daphniae and Phyllopodae decreased by the high TRI concentration. Most of the Rotatoriae were not negatively influenced. With increasing TRI concentrations two different bacteria forms showed a mass development. Small amounts of Trichloroacetic acid were detected in both enclosures as a conversion product of TRI (～3 μg/l after 80 days treatment).     

Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in flora and fauna of Hooghly estuary,east coast of India

Spectroscopic determinations of Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Co and Ni were carried out in 23 organisms including seaweeds, zooplankters, molluscs and fishes from Hooghly estuary at the confluence of Bay of Bengal. Seaweeds and gastropods were more efficient in accumulating levels while zooplankters bivalves and fishes showed intermediate levels. Analyses were performed on the sediment, water and on the individual dissected organs of a mussel, oyster and teleost fish. Bioaccumulation of Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu in the soft body parts (gills, mantle, liver etc.) of the three species showed a high degree of organ specificity in some cases. Major sources of the micropollutants include natural weathering, catchment runoff, urban and industrial discharges that may pose an ecological risk to the local estuarine ecosystem.     

Utility of the QSAR modeling system for predicting the toxicity of substances on the European inventory of existing commercial chemicals∗

Many chemicals are in common commercial use for which no information on the environmental fate or toxicity exists. Recent legislation requires that many substances be assessed for their toxicity to aquatic organisms within a very short time and determine which of these chemicals need to be studied in greater detail. It would be impossible to measure the acute and chronic effects of all of these compounds on a single organism, let alone a battery of different types of organisms, communities or ecosystems. Initially, the chemicals on the European Inventory of Existing Commercial Chemical Substances (EINECS) need to be screened and relative hazard to the environment determined. In response to OECD directives, there has been a great deal of activity by government and industry scientists. At the International Workshop on Advances in Environmental Hazard and Risk Assessment it was concluded that quantitative structure activity relationships (QSAR) could and should be used in the hazard assessment process. Papers published in that volume outline the advantages, disadvantages, limitations, advances and research requirements.

The QSAR, structure‐activity based chemical modeling and information system, which was developed by the US‐Environmental Protection Agency was used to predict the acute toxicity of 113 substances from the “Old Substances”; list of the German government to the four commonly used aquatic toxicity test organisms: Daphnia magna (DM), fathead minnow (FHM), rainbow trout (RBT), and blue‐gill sunfish (BG).

Of these compounds the QSAR system predicted the acute toxicity of 87 substances towards fathead minnow. For the other three species examined the QSAR system could be used to predict toxicity for 78 compounds.

The predicted toxicities were compared to observed toxicities of compounds which have been evaluated and stored in the “Aquire”; data base. Observed toxicity values were available for at least one species for 38 compounds. The toxicities of some compounds are well predicted while those of other compounds were not well predicted. Overall, the QSAR system accurately classified the acute toxicity ranges of 50%, 64%, 56% and 56% of the compounds investigated for DM, FHM, RBT and BG, respectively. Of the compounds studied 10 were very poorly predicted, of these the QSAR system overpredicted the toxicity of three, while underpredicting the toxicity of seven. Of these seven compounds, five contained amino groups.     

Acute toxicity of benzophenone-type UV filters and paraben preservatives to freshwater planarian,Dugesia japonica

Fourteen benzophenone-type UV filters and four paraben preservatives were selected to examine their acute toxicities on Dugesia japonica. The 48-h LC₅₀ values for planarians exposed to benzophenone-type UV filters can be ranked as oxybenzone?>?mexenone?>?5-chloro-2-hydroxybenzophenone?> 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone?>?2-hydroxybenzophenone?>?dioxybenzone?>?benzophenone?>?2,2′,4,4′-tetrahydroxybenzophenone?>?4-hydroxybenzophenone?> 3-hydroxybenzophenone?>?4,4′-dihydroxybenzophenone?>?2,2′-dihydroxy-4,4′-dimethoxybenzophenone?>?2,3,4-trihydroxybenzophenone?>?sulisobenzone with a range from 0.9 to 145?mg?L^?1 with a similar sequence for the 96?h LC₅₀ values, ranging from 0.5 to 77?mg?L^?1. The 48 and 96?LC₅₀ values for planarians exposed to paraben preservatives can be ranked as butylparaben?>?propylparaben?>?ethylparaben?>?methylparaben. Among all the tested chemicals, oxybenzone was the most toxic and sulisobenzone the least toxic chemical to planarian at each exposure period. Most benzophenone-type UV filters are toxic to aquatic animals with 48?h LC₅₀ values less than 10 mg?L^?1, except for 2,2′-dihydroxy-4,4′-dimethoxybenzophenone, 2,3,4-trihydroxybenzophenone, and sulisobenzone. Because of their common occurrence in aquatic environment, more studies on aquatic toxicities of benzophenone-type UV filters and paraben preservativs are needed to provide important information to adequately assess their ecological risk.     

岩石边坡生境形态结构特征对植被自然恢复能力的指示性

构建植被恢复指数(IVR),对鲁中山区公路花岗岩边坡的植被自然恢复成效进行样方评价,识别影响植被自然恢复能力的关键生境因子,并建立基于岩缝与岩台面积指数和恢复年限的植被恢复成效预测模型.结果表明,不同生境条件下公路岩石边坡植被的自然恢复效果差异较大,样方IVR的最高值和最低值分别为1.89和0.29,恢复较差样方(A)组平均盖度为35.7％,平均地上生物量为147.7 g·m-2,分别不及恢复较好样方(C)组1/2和1/3;岩缝与岩台面积、恢复年限、岩台面积、平均土层厚度、岩缝面积、坡位和岩台土层厚度这7个生境因子与IVR密切相关,其参数值在A组和C组间差异显著(P＜0.05),表明岩石边坡植被自然恢复成效和恢复能力与生境形态结构特征有很大关联性,而岩缝与岩台发育程度和数量多寡对其影响最大.岩缝与岩台面积指数是指示边坡裸岩植被自然恢复能力和预测植被自然恢复成效的重要参数.     

直缝埋弧焊管氧化铁及粉尘的吸附处理装置

为了克服氧化铁厦粉尘等杂物滞留在直缝焊管缝内,设计并制作了吸附处理装置。介绍了该装置的结构照成、装置特点厘工作流程等＋实际应用表明,这套装置吸附分离效果良好。     

基于植被指数的GF-1与Landsat-OLI石漠化识别能力对比评价

植被指数是运用多源遥感影像提取石漠化过程中的主要参考指标之一。为了在石漠化提取中选择最优植被指数,论文以GF-1和Landsat-OLI为源数据,运用欧氏距离对多种植被指数在石漠化提取过程中的可分性和类型识别能力进行了定量的对比评价。结果表明：Landsat-OLI在石漠化与非石漠化、不同等级石漠化信息提取的可分性上略优于GF-1,共有71个参数的欧氏距离大于等于阈值1.56;通过植被指数光谱特征,可以对非岩溶区与石漠化地区进行较好的区分,其类型间欧氏距离普遍高于阈值;然而由于相邻等级石漠化之间植被覆盖率存在渐近式过渡关系,在遥感影像上光谱反射率接近,比间隔等级石漠化更加难于区分。在石漠化类型识别能力方面,波段差和比方法优于单一光谱指数。对于GF-1和Landsat-OLI而言,石漠化信息提取中推荐使用的最优植被指数均为NDVI,其次为GRNDVI。     

天津市“城-郊-乡”样带土壤种子库特征分析

为了解天津市不同地理位置土壤种子库物种组成和群落结构的变化,沿天津市设置＂城区—城郊—远郊＂的生态样带,在6个典型样地选取20个样方进行土壤种子库的采样工作并进行萌发试验。结果表明：土壤种子库的密度、物种组成及群落结构差异性明显,除趋势对应分析后分异出典型的城市土壤种子库、城郊土壤种子库、远郊土壤种子库3种类型。从远郊到城区,土壤种子库的密度递增,相似性指数也递增,而物种丰富度却递减。相比远郊地区,城区、城郊区土壤种子库物种丰富度损失率分别为66.67%、45.23%。城区因城市化水平较高及频繁的人为干扰致使土壤种子库物种呈现匀质化特点,物种多为一年生的耐踩踏草本。城郊区的多样性指数、生态优势度指数、均匀度指数最低,但是种子库密度较大,物种丰富,萌发种子中木本植物可观,适合用于进行植被恢复的试验研究。     

间伐对杉木人工林林下植被多样性及其营养元素现存量影响

间伐改变了林分结构,影响林下植被的生长和发育,但长期间伐对杉木Cunninghamia lanceolata林下植被多样性的影响尚缺乏系统研究。在浙江开化通过样地调查,采用Simpson指数、Shannon-Wiener指数和Pielou均匀度指数研究3种间伐处理下杉木人工林林下植被多样性的变化;分析林下植被主要营养元素含量,研究间伐对营养元素现存量的影响。以试验区传统经营方式为对照,即林木生长中期（第14年）进行1次轻度间伐（间伐强度约15%,T1）;中度（总间伐强度约35%, T2）和强度（总间伐强度约50%,T3）间伐均在第7年和第14年进行了2次间伐。间伐15年后的结果表明,3种间伐处理下,林下植物种类数分别为18种（T1）、17种（T2）和20种（T3）,林下植被总密度和盖度均随间伐强度增加而增大;林下植物Simpson指数、Shannon-Wiener指数和Pielou均匀度指数在不同间伐处理之间均没有显著差异（P＞0.05）。林下植被全碳（TC）、全磷（TP）和全钾（TK）含量在不同间伐处理之间差异不显著（P＞0.05）,全氮（TN）含量随间伐强度增加而降低,其中T3处理显著低于T1（P＜0.05）。林下植被生物量随间伐强度增大而增加,林下植被TC、TN、TP和TK现存量在不同间伐处理之间均没有显著差异（P＞0.05）。这些试验结果说明杉木人工林间伐15年后间伐强度不会显著影响林下植被多样性和营养元素的积累。