Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli in sewage and fresh water

Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated consistently from domestic and hospital sewage. In domestic sewage the numbers were usually less than 30,000 per 100 ml whereas counts above 500,000 per 100 ml were frequently obtained in hospital sewage. Correspondingly high counts of Escherichia coli were not found in hospital sewage and the ratio of E. coli to P. aeruginosa was usually less than 25 compared to ratios of over 500 often found in ordinary domestic sewage. During passage through sewage treatment plants the numbers of both bacteria were reduced by about 90% so that their ratio in the effluent remained the same as in raw sewage.In samples from a fresh-water stream the numbers of P. aeruginosa reflected the levels of domestic pollution. Variations in the counts of the organism over the length of the stream usually closely parallelled those of E. coli. However, in samples taken from the stream in lightly populated, agricultural areas P. aeruginosa was frequently not isolated even when the counts of E. coli were high. This was consistent with results from examinations of faecal specimens which confirmed the presence of P. aeruginosa in humans but indicated that in animals the organism was not present in significant numbers.     

The uptake of orthovanadate into various organs of the common eel, Anguilla anguilla, maintained in fresh water

Uptake of ⁴⁸V into elver organs was studied at different concentrations of ⁴⁸V-orthovanadate dissolved in the fresh water environment. At natural environmental concentrations of orthovanadate, approximately 10^?8 M, the rate of uptake into the fish over an 8-week period was 1.8 pmol/h/100 g body wt. After this time the blood had reached a steady state but the levels were still increasing in kidney, liver and bone; these organs concentrated ⁴⁸V over the environmental concentration by factors of 5, 32, 15 and 13 respectively. The rate of uptake of ⁴⁸V was proportional to the environmental concentration of ⁴⁸V-orthovanadate over the range 10^?8 M to 10^?5 M during a 31-day period. Fish maintained in 10^?4 M orthovanadate died between 7 and 26 days.     

Bioassay trials with twenty three pesticides to a fresh water teleost, saccobranchus fossilis

Bioassay tests were conducted with twenty three pesticides taking a fresh water teleost, Saccobranchus fossilis as test animal. Acute toxic ranges and LC₅₀ values for 7 organochlorine, (thiotox, endosulfan, heptachlor, chlordane, aldrin, lindane and BHC), 14 organophosphorus (zolone, ekalux, diazinon, rogor, DDVP, malatox, sumithion, ekatin, metasystox, malathion, phosvel, dipterex, formothion and abate) and 2 carbamate pesticides (carbofuran and sevin) were determined using static testing procedures for a period of 24, 48, 72 and 96 h both by graphical interpolation and probit analysis. 95% fiducial limits and heterogeneity factors X²) only for 96 h LC₅₀ values were calculated. The relative potency of all the 23 pesticides have been calculated with respect to abate. It was in the decreasing order from organochlorines (1–7), to organophosphorus (8–21) and carbamate pesticides (22, 23), respectively. The presumable safe concentrations were computed, using 0.021, 0.024 and 0.026 as arbitrary application factors based on other species for organochlorines, organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides, respectively.     

Toxicological effects of dehydroabietic acid (DHAA) on the trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson, in fresh water

Toxicological and physiological effects of dehydroabietic acid (DHAA), a major poison to fishes in pulp and paper mill effluents, were studied by two experiments with rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson: in the first, fish were acutely exposed for 4 days to an average DHAA concentration of 1.2 mg l⁻¹ (Exp. I) and in the second for 30 days to an average of 20 μg DHAA l⁻¹ (Exp. II).Compared to the controls, fish of Exp. I displayed a decreased relative weight of liver, an increased blood haematocrit, and increased haemoglobin as well as plasma protein concentrations. The aspartate aminotransferase activity of heart muscle was significantly elevated, as was also the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) of white muscle tissue. In the blood plasma, the proportion of muscle type LDH activity was simultaneously increased. UDP-glucuronyl-transferase activities of liver and kidney were strongly decreased. Results suggest an increased and altered use of body energy reserves, decreased plasma volume and impaired liver function.Fish of Exp. II showed an increased relative weight of spleen. In addition, liver and gill LDH shifted towards heart-type. We conclude that 20 μg l⁻¹ is close to the “minimum effective concentration” of DHAA to rainbow trout.     

The dynamics of mercury and cadmium uptake into different organs of Anodonta cygnea L.

The bioaccumulation of Hg and Cd into various organs of the freshwater mussel Anodonta cygnea was investigated during an 840 h experimental period. Parallel with the metal concentrations the periodicity of activity and the body weight of the animals were also checked.The accumulation of Hg in all of the investigated organs, and that of the Cd into the kidney have two phases, up to 24 h it was non linear, between 24 and 72 h it became linear in most organs up to 840 h, and could be characterized by a regression line. For Hg accumulation the gills while for Cd accumulation the kidney and viscera were exceptions, here saturation was observed after 504 and 672 h, respectively.The speed of Hg and Cd uptake was different in various organs of Anodonta cygnea. Into the kidney the accumulation of Hg was six times faster than that of Cd. As compared to the adductor muscles the Hg and Cd uptake of the kidney was 20 and 10 times faster, respectively.The factor of concentration was in all organs except adductor muscles over 1000, in case of the kidney the rate of bioconcentration for Hg reached nearly 100,000.The dry weight of organs dropped during the metal uptake by 20–60%, but no mortality was observed up to 840 h.In the presence of Hg and Cd the filtering activity of the mussels became reduced as a result of increase of inactive rest periods. Nevertheless, the decrease of activity did not prevent the linear uptake of metals into the animal     

The uptake from fresh water and subsequent clearance of a vanadium burden by the common eel (Anguilla anguilla)

The uptake of ⁴⁸V vanadium from a solution of 10^?5M⁴⁸V-orthovanadate by freshwater elvers and the subsequent depletion of the vanadium burden was studied. At the end of the 8-week loading period, the levels of ⁴⁸V were still increasing in the liver, kidney, bone and carcase. The uptake rate for the whole fish over the 8-week period was 760 pg atom/h/100 g body wt and the depletion rate over the following 5 weeks in clean water was about one tenth of this. Liver contained the highest amount of ⁴⁸V at the end of the 8-week loading period, calculated as equivalent to 1.1 × 10⁴ g atom V/kg wet wt, and this level was unchanged at the end of the 5-week depletion period. Less than 1% of the carcase ⁴⁸V was present in the fraction of MW under 2000.     

Changes in the non-protein thiol pool and production of dissolved gaseous mercury in the marine diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii under mercury exposure

Two detoxification mechanisms working in the marine diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii to cope with mercury toxicity were investigated. Initially, the effect of mercury on the intracellular pool of non-protein thiols was studied in exponentially growing cultures exposed to sub-toxic HgCl₂ concentrations. T. weissflogii cells responded by synthesizing metal-binding peptides, named phytochelatins (PCs), besides increasing the intracellular pool of glutathione and γ-glutamylcysteine (γ-EC). Intracellular Hg and PC concentrations increased with the Hg concentration in the culture medium, exhibiting a distinct dose-response relationship. However, considerations of the PCs-SH:Hg molar ratio suggest that glutathione could also be involved in the intracellular mercury sequestration. The time course of the non-protein thiol pool and Hg intracellular concentration shows that PCs, glutathione and γ-EC represent a rapid cellular response to mercury, although their role in Hg detoxification seems to lose importance at longer incubation times. The occurrence of a process of reduction of Hg(II) to Hg° and subsequent production of dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM) was also investigated at lower Hg concentrations, at which the PC synthesis doesn't seem to be involved. The significant (P < 0.01) correlation between the cellular density in solution and the production of DGM suggests that this diatom is capable of directly producing DGM, both in light and dark conditions. This finding has been confirmed by the absence of DGM production in the culture media containing formaldehyde-killed cells. Finally, the relationship between these two different pathways of Hg detoxification is discussed.     

Metal uptake in a coastal diatom influenced by major nutrients (N, P, and Si)

The influence of major nutrient additions on trace metal uptake (Cd, Se, and Zn) in a coastal diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana was investigated. A short-term exposure (5 h) was employed to measure the concentration factor (ratio of metal concentration in the cells to metal concentration in the medium) which was used as a kinetic parameter to quantify the relative rate of metal uptake in the cells. Following an initial rapid surface sorption, a linear pattern of uptake over time was typical for Cd, Se and Zn, indicating that these metals may have been transported intracellularly during the short-term exposure period. N addition significantly increased the rates of Cd uptake in the cells. Although the concentration factor of Zn increased with N addition, statistical analysis indicated that N addition did not significantly affect the rate of Zn uptake in the cells. Se uptake in the cells was independent of N additions, but was lowered with increasing Si concentration. Si addition did not significantly affect Cd and Zn uptake. Similarly, P addition did not influence the rates of metal uptake in the cells. There was a significant correlation between the rate of uptake of Cd and Zn and the cell growth rate. This study demonstrated that water quality brought about by a change in nutrient condition could considerably influence the uptake of metals by marine phytoplankton.     

Cryptosporidium and Giardia detection in water bodies of Galicia, Spain

The objective of this study was to determine the mean concentration (per litre) of Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts in recreational river areas (n = 28), drinking water treatments plants (DWTPs; n = 52) and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs; n = 50) in Galicia (NW Spain). Water samples from rivers and from the influent (50–100 l) and the treated effluent (100 l) of the water plants were filtered using Filta-Max filters (IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., Westbrook, ME, USA). A total of 232 samples were processed and the (oo)cysts were concentrated, clarified by IMS and then detected by IFAT. The viability was determined by applying fluorogenic vital dye (PI).In the recreational areas, infective forms of Cryptosporidium and Giardia were detected in 16 (57.1%; 1–60 oocysts per litre) and 17 (60.7%; 1–160 cysts per litre) samples, respectively. In the water flowing into the water treatment plants, oocysts were detected in 21 DWTPs (40.4%; 1–13 oocysts per litre) and cysts were observed in 22 DWTPs (42.3%; 1–7 cysts per litre). In the effluents from the treatment plants, Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts were identified in 17 DWTPs (32.7%; 1–4 oocysts per litre) and in 19 DWTPs (36.5%; 1–5 cysts per litre), respectively. The highest concentrations of (oo)cysts were found in the WWTPs; specifically, oocysts were detected in 29 (58.0%; 1–80 oocysts per litre) and cysts in 49 (98.0%; 2–14.400 cysts per litre) WWTP effluents. Cryptosporidium and Giardia were detected in 32 (64.0%; 1–120 oocysts per litre) and 48 (96.0%; 2–6.000 cysts per litre) WWTP effluents, respectively. The percentage viability of the (oo)cysts ranged between 90.0% and 95.0%. In all samples analysed. Moreover, it was found that the effluents from coastal WWTPs were discharged directly into the sea, while inland WWTPs were discharged directly into rivers. The concentrations of both enteropathogens detected in effluents from WWTPs therefore represent a significant risk to human and animal health.These results demonstrate the wide distribution of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in the environment, the ineffectiveness of treatments in DWTPs and WWTPs in reducing/inactivating both protozoa and the need to monitor the presence, viability and infectivity of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in water bodies. In conclusion, the findings suggest the need for better monitoring of water quality and identification of sources of contamination.     

The uptake of heavy metals by epiphytic bacteria on Alisma plantago-aquatica

Bacterial epiphytes on the surface of the fresh-water plant Alisma plantago-aquatica collected from a polluted river were found to be a major factor in contributing to the total metal concentrations of the plant. The removal of epiphytes from the leaf surface resulted in significant reductions in the concentrations of Cr (reduced by 15–50%), Cu (30–35%), Fe, Pb, and Zn (10–50%). While numbers of epiphytes and concentrations of heavy metals increased in samples collected from polluted water compared with from unpolluted water, the fraction of metals held by the epiphytes appeared to remain similar for all samples.     

Removal of inorganic mercury from water by bituminous coal

Sorption of inorganic mercury in water onto bituminous coal and activated carbon was investigated in the laboratory. Some coal samples were observed to be comparable to activated carbon in mercury sorption. Chemical pretreatment of coal, e.g. nitric acid oxidation, sulfonation, and sulfurisation further improved the sorption capacity. Column studies indicated the feasibility of using coal for removing mercury from water supplies or industrial wastewater.     

Toxicity of lipid-soluble copper(II) complexes to the marine diatom Nitzschia closterium: Amelioration by humic substances

Algal assays, using the marine diatom Nitzschia closterium, have established that humic acid (5 mg kg⁻¹) can ameliorate the toxicity of the lipophilic complex Cu(oxine)₂ (3 × 10⁻⁸ mol l⁻¹ in unsupplemented seawater). The toxicity of Cu(PAN)₂ is not ameliorated [PAN = 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-napthol]. In conjunction with previous visible absorption spectrophotometry and polarographic measurements it was established that humic acid sequesters copper(II) from the hydrophobic complexes, releasing a ligand molecule. The copper(II) toxicity may be ameliorated provided the ligand itself is not toxic.Fulvic acid was significantly less effective in ameliorating toxicity. Because of the significant competition from Ca(II) and Mg(II) in seawater, it is inferred that humic substances may be more effective in ameliorating toxicity of hydrophobic copper complexes in fresh water.     

Elemental gaseous mercury flux at the water/air interface over the Negro River basin, Amazon, Brazil

The amount of dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM) released annually into the atmosphere by water bodies in each of the 18 major sub-basins of the Negro River tributaries has been estimated for the wet season and adopted for the entire year. Using Remote Sensors (RS) and the Geographic Information System (GIS), an estimate was made for the total flooded area during the period of the wet season (May-July), which corresponds to around 10% of the total basin area. The estimates of DGM evasive flux values were made during four scientific campaigns and ranged from 0.09 to 14 mug m(-2) y(-1). Mercury wet deposition to the same area was estimated using average values of the metal concentration in the rainwater (9.8 ng L(-1)), which varies from 17 to 27 microg m(-2) year(-1). Considering the flooded area of the Negro River Basin as 69,000 km(2), the total amount of mercury emitted by all bodies of water reaches nearly 0.26 ton year(-1), which represents not more than 2% of the total mercury found in wet deposition in this same area.     

Occurrence of Giardia cysts and Cryptosporidium oocysts in raw and treated water from two water treatment plants in Selangor, Malaysia

The occurrence of Giardia cysts and Cryptosporidium oocysts was determined both in the raw water and the treated waters from two water treatment plants in Selangor, Malaysia between July 1994 and January 1995. At each treatment plant, raw and treated water samples were collected fortnightly on 10 separate occasions. Physical parameters, including dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, conductivity, turbidity and free and total chlorine were measured, and samples were also taken for faecal coliform analyses. The isolation and enumeration of cysts and oocysts was according to UK standard methods. Whilst Giardia cysts were detected in 90% of the raw water samples (range 0–60 cysts per litre) no Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected. Higher concentrations of cysts were detected in the raw water of the first treatment plant. All raw water samples were faecally contaminated, as faecal coliform counts ranged from 4.6 × 10⁴ to 1.3 × 10⁵ colony forming units per 100 ml. No correlation between the concentration of Giardia cysts and the concentration of faecal coliforms could be demonstrated statistically, nor was there any correlation between the concentration of Giardia cysts and the physical parameters tested for any of the raw waters. No cysts, oocysts or faecal coliforms were detected in samples of treated water.     

Time-dependent variation of mercury in a stream sediment and the effect upon mercury content in Gammarus pulex (L.)

A 3-month investigation has been carried out in a stream environment, on the fluctuation of the level of mercury within the sediment and the Gammarus pulex population. A positive correlation is found between the organic content and the mercury content (μg g⁻¹ dry wt) of the samples. The mean mercury concentration in the organic fraction can be read from the regression line. Of the units: μg g⁻¹ dry wt, μg g⁻¹ ashfree dry wt and μg cm⁻³, the values expressed g⁻¹ ashfree dry wt are considered to be of greatest validity for comparing different localities, and for establishing the pollution level in a stream sediment. Within the investigation period a very high fluctuation is found in the mercury content of analyzed Gammarus pulex. The phenomenon may be explained through fluctuations in the methylating processes within the sediment. No positive correlation is found between mercury in Gammarus pulex and in sediement taken from identical sample locations.     

Effect of water/cement ratio on the fresh and hardened properties of self-compacting concrete

The use of self-compacting concrete (SCC) with its improving production techniques is increasing every day in concrete production. However, mix design methods and testing procedures are still developing. Mix design criterions are mostly focused on the type and mixture proportions of the constituents. Adjustment of the water/cement ratio and superplasticizer dosage is one of the main key properties in proportioning of SCC mixtures. In this study, five mixtures with different combinations of water/cement ratio and superplasticizer dosage levels were investigated. Several tests such as slump flow, V-funnel, L-box were carried out to determine optimum parameters for the self-compactibility of mixtures. Compressive strength development, modulus of elasticity and splitting tensile strength of mixtures were also studied.     

Inversion-chronopotentiometric analysis of mercury in water

We have developed a technique for determination of mercury in drinking and natural waters (0.5 μg/dm³) based on the improved method of inverse chronopotentiometry using an M-XA1000-5 analyzer. The article has discussed the expediency of using this method for monitoring the state of the environment.     

Oxygen uptake of bottom sediments studied in situ and in the laboratory

Oxygen uptake by soft bottom sediments was measured in situ with an oxygen electrode in a bell jar. Values in the range 0·3-3·0 g O₂ m⁻² d⁻¹ were obtained at 19 localities in fresh and brackish water. Comparative measurements were made in the laboratory on sediment cores. These gave consistently lower values than the in situ measurements. Laboratory experiments showed that the oxygen uptake depended on the oxygen concentration and that the temperature coefficient decreased with increasing temperature. There was no simple correlation between oxygen uptake and content organic matter in sediments.     

Binding, distribution, and plant uptake of mercury in a soil from Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA

A large amount of mercury has been discharged on the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Site (Tennessee) as a part of the U.S. nuclear weapon program during the 1950s through the early 1960s. Increases in mercury concentration in fish and in lower East Fork Poplar Creek of Oak Ridge have been recently reported. This is an experimental study mimicking the initial stage of transformation and redistribution of mercury in soils, which are comparable to those of the Oak Ridge site. The objectives of this study were to investigate potential transformation, distribution, and plant uptake of mercury compounds in soils. Results show that the H(2)O(2)-oxidizable mercury fraction (organically bound mercury) was the major solid-phase fraction in soils freshly contaminated with soluble mercury compounds, while cinnabar fraction was the major solid phase fraction in soils contaminated with HgS. Langmuir relationships were found between mercury concentrations in plant shoots and in soil solid-phase components. Mercury in HgS-contaminated soils was to some extent phytoavailable to plants. Mercury transformation occurred from more labile fractions into more stable fractions, resulting in strong binding of mercury and decreasing its phytoavailability in soils. In addition, high mercury losses from soils contaminated with soluble mercury compounds were observed during a growing season through volatilization, accounting for 20-62% of the total initial mercury in soils.