The contamination of inland waters by microplastic fibres under different anthropogenic pressure: Preliminary study in Central Europe (Poland)

The contamination of freshwater ecosystems with microfibres has not yet been studied in Poland. We analysed samples from a river and three lakes located in central and northeastern Poland. A significantly higher number of fibres were reported in the river, which runs through large cities, compared with the lake situated within the Landscape Park. Fibres smaller than 1.0 mm dominated, especially in the river where they constituted 39% of all fibres detected. We found more microplastics (⩽ 4930 fibres·m−3) by using a mesh size of 20 µm compared with other studies of inland waters. The use of Raman spectroscopy allowed us to identify conventional plastic polymers: polyethylene terephthalate, polyester and polyurethane. We estimated that up to 25 g of microplastic in the form of fibres might be in the lake water under the surface. We found microplastic fibres in Majcz Lake situated within the Masurian Landscape Park. This suggests that microfibres are carried by the wind and rain and enter freshwater isolated from sewage outlets. By using the control sample and an air-test of microfibres in the laboratory, we observed that there is a high probability of contamination with microplastic in the field samples (up to 30% of all fibres detected). The contamination risk noted from the samples cannot be ignored; this could be particularly important for analysis of microplastic in remote freshwater ecosystems.

Download Full-text

Preliminary Study on Fish Larvae at Selected Coastal Waters of Sarawak

Borneo Journal of Resource Science and Technology ◽

10.33736/bjrst.231.2014 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Norhakimi Muhamad ◽

Siti Akmar Khadijah Ab Rahim

Keyword(s):

Coastal Waters ◽

Intertidal Zone ◽

Larval Dispersal ◽

Sampling Methods ◽

Fish Larvae ◽

Mesh Size ◽

Subtidal Zone ◽

Preliminary Study ◽

Study Sites

A survey were carried out from April to November 2012 at five study sites namely Teluk Pandan beach, Rambungan beach, Puteri beach, Sampadi Island and Satang Besar Island, Sarawak. This survey was carried out in order to obtain early documentation of fish larvae at selected coastal waters of Sarawak. Seine net (1 mm mesh size) which was pulled by two persons at intertidal zone; and bridle net (0.5 mm mesh size) that was towed by boat at subtidal zone (Sampadi Island only) were used to collect the samples. A total of 2,562 fish larvae which comprise 25 families were obtained from both sampling methods. A total of 16 families of fish larvae were caught by seine net from the intertidal zone. The same number of families was collected at the subtidal zone of Sampadi Island by bridle net. Ambassidae, Clupeidae, Engraulidae and Gerreidae found to be dominant families in the study sites. Clupeidae and Gerreidae shown a wide larval dispersal area because they were collected at all study sites. These findings seem to indicate that the subtidal zone of Sampadi support more species of fish larvae.

Download Full-text

Environmental flow envelopes: quantifying ecosystem-threatening flow alterations

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-14627 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Vili Virkki ◽

Elina Alanärä ◽

Miina Porkka ◽

Lauri Ahopelto ◽

Tom Gleeson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lower Bound ◽

Upper Bound ◽

Human Impacts ◽

Well Being ◽

Environmental Flow ◽

Freshwater Ecosystems ◽

Low Flow ◽

Anthropogenic Pressure ◽

Basin Scale ◽

Climate Forcings

The benefits of harnessing rivers into human use should not come with a disproportionate expense on the Earth system. Especially, freshwater ecosystems suffer greatly from direct and indirect human impacts, such as excessive water withdrawals and climate change, which are expected to only increase in the near future. Here, we aim for quantifying the extent and degree of considerable flow alterations that threaten the well-being of freshwater ecosystems, across the world.At the global scale, the ecological status of river systems is often assessed using global hydrological models (GHMs) and hydrological environmental flow (EF) methods. These suffer from substantial uncertainties: 1) the GHMs parameterised with variable climate forcings may give highly dispersed discharge estimates and 2) individual hydrological EF methods capture ecosystem water needs poorly. We tackle these sources of uncertainty by introducing a novel methodology: environmental flow envelopes (EFEs). The EFE is an envelope of safe discharge variability between a lower and an upper bound, defined at the sub-basin scale in monthly time resolution. It is based on pre-industrial (1801-1860) discharge and a large ensemble of EF methods, GHMs, and climate forcings, using ISI-MIP2b data. Using the EFE, we can simultaneously assess the frequency and severity of ecosystem-threatening flow alterations.Comparing post-industrial (1976-2005) discharge to the EFEs, discharge in 32.7% of the total 3860 sub-basins, covering 28.4% of the global landmass, violates the EFE during more than 10% of all months across four GHMs. These violations are considered as severe threats to freshwater ecosystems. The most impacted regions include areas with high anthropogenic pressure, such as the Middle East, India, Eastern Asia, and Middle America. The violations clearly concentrate on the EFE lower bound during low or intermediate flow seasons. Discharge in 61.4% of sub-basins violates the EFE during more than 10% of low flow season months, average violation being 47.5% below the safe limit denoted by EFE lower bound. Indications of significantly increased flows by violations of the EFE upper bound are fewer and further apart, as well as lower bound violations during high flow season.Although fractional discharge allocations alone cannot fully capture the ecosystem water needs, this study is a step towards less uncertainty in global EF assessments. The introduced method provides a novel, globally robust way of estimating ecosystem water needs at the sub-basin scale. The results of this study underline the importance of the low flow season, during which EFE violations are the most prevalent. While only preliminary evidence of significantly increased flows emerges in relatively few areas, the EFE upper bound would benefit from further research. The EFE methodology can be used for exploring macro-regional areas where anthropogenic flow alteration threatens freshwater ecosystems the most. However, case-specific studies incorporating factors beyond quantitative flow only are required for practical implications.

Download Full-text

The Impact of Conventional War on Natural Areas of the USSR

Environmental Conservation ◽

10.1017/s0376892900009735 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 317-321 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Nicolai N. Smirnov

Keyword(s):

Freshwater Ecosystems ◽

Fish Populations ◽

Inland Waters ◽

Natural Areas ◽

Wide Range ◽

Bodies Of Water ◽

The Impact

Military destruction by conventional arms of both terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems is described, with emphasis placed on the effects of World Wars I and II on the territory of the USSR (especially of Russia, Byelorussia, and Ukraine). It is shown that a wide range of serious damage is done in terrestrial natural areas: to forests which may be decimated, to mammals which are commonly killed, and to the land which is extensively disturbed and rendered infertile or even uncultivable. Inland waters, too, are widely disturbed, though numerous new bodies of water may be formed in various ways, while fisheries are commonly disturbed, though ‘Wartime military activities can greatly reduce fish catches, to the benefit of fish populations.’

Download Full-text

Essential Oils from the Leaves of Ocimum Basilicum L., Persicaria Odorata and Coriandrum Sativum L. In Malaysia: Antiurolithic Activity Study Based On Calcium Oxalate Crystallisation

Science Letters ◽

10.24191/sl.v15i2.13809 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 13-25

Author(s):

Nurul Elyni Mat Shaari ◽

◽

Deny Susanti ◽

Shafida Abd Hamid ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Calcium Oxalate ◽

Essential Oils ◽

Crystal Size ◽

Therapeutic Potential ◽

Control Sample ◽

Calcium Oxalate Monohydrate ◽

Adverse Side Effect ◽

High Concentration ◽

Synthetic Drugs ◽

Preliminary Study

Calcium oxalate is one of the most common components in urolithiasis. Its treatment includes the use of synthetic drugs, ultrasound and surgery. However, cheaper alternative treatment using herbal medicine with less adverse side effect is preferred. Essential oils from Thai basil (Ocimum bacilicum L.), Vietnamese coriander (Persicaria odorata) and Chinese parsley (Coriandum sativum L.) were extracted and investigated for antiurolithic activity based on calcium oxalate crystallisation. Most of the crystals formed in control sample were hexagonal calcium oxalate monohydrate with sizes ranging between 3 to 4 m. The size of the crystals was found to be slightly reduced in O. bacilicum oil (2-4 m) at high concentration with less aggregation of crystals. Samples with P. odorata oil gave smaller crystal size (3 m) mainly in dehydrate form and the oil was also found to inhibit the aggregation of the crystals at high concentration. C. sativum oil enhanced crystallisation (5-6 m) with increased concentration and showed high aggregation of the crystals. This preliminary study shows the therapeutic potential of these medicinal plants to be used in traditional anti-urolithic therapy.

Download Full-text

Assessment of the Potential Ability to Penetrate into the Hard Tissues of the Root of an Experimental Preparation with the Characteristics of a Dental Infiltrate, Enriched with an Antimicrobial Component—Preliminary Study

Materials ◽

10.3390/ma14195654 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (19) ◽

pp. 5654

Author(s):

Małgorzata Fischer ◽

Małgorzata Skucha-Nowak ◽

Bartosz Chmiela ◽

Anna Korytkowska-Wałach

Keyword(s):

Elderly Patients ◽

Bacterial Adhesion ◽

Control Sample ◽

Human Teeth ◽

Low Viscosity ◽

Carious Lesions ◽

Electron And Light Microscopy ◽

Preliminary Study ◽

Tooth Tissue ◽

Experimental Preparation

Infiltration is a method of penetration with a low viscosity resin that penetrates deep into demineralised tooth tissue and fills the intergranular spaces, hence reducing porosity. Carious lesions initially located at the enamel–cement junction are usually found in elderly patients. Those spots are predisposed to bacterial adhesion originating both from biofilm and from gingival pocket bacteria. The aim of this study was to evaluate the penetration of an experimental preparation, which has the characteristics of a dental infiltrant, enriched with an antibacterial component, into the decalcified root cement tissues of extracted human teeth in elderly patients. An experimental preparation with the characteristics of a dental infiltrant was prepared, applied, and polymerised on the surface of extracted, previously decalcified human teeth. The control sample was Icon (DMG, Hamburg, Germany). The ability of the preparations to penetrate deep into the root cement was evaluated using scanning electron and light microscopy. The study showed that an experimental preparation could potentially be used for treatment of early carious lesions within the tooth root in elderly patients, among others, as it penetrates deep into demineralised tissues. More research is needed.

Download Full-text

Qualitative assessment of the impact of some anthropogenic factors on natural foci of tularemia in the Rostov agglomeration

I P Pavlov Russian Medical Biological Herald ◽

10.17816/pavlovj63519 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 29 (3) ◽

pp. 347-354

Author(s):

Lyudmila V. Sudina ◽

Natalia L. Pichurina ◽

Anna P Khametova ◽

Elena P. Sokolova ◽

Igor' V. Orekhov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Native Species ◽

Qualitative Assessment ◽

Anthropogenic Factors ◽

Federal State ◽

Circulation System ◽

Anthropogenic Pressure ◽

Rostov Region ◽

Field Samples ◽

Natural Foci ◽

The Impact

AIM: To qualitatively assess the impact of some anthropogenic factors (construction of industrial facilities, transport networks, intensification of agriculture) on natural foci of tularemia in the Rostov agglomeration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The official data and reports of the Federal State Budgetary Institution Rosselkhoznadzor, the data of the Department of Rospotrebnadzor for the Rostov region, the Federal State Budgetary Institution Center of Hygiene and Epidemiology in the Rostov Region of Rospotrebnadzor were analyzed. Zoological and parasitological studies were carried out in accordance with modern regulatory documents in force. The detection of F. tularensis markers in field samples was carried out using serological and molecular genetic methods. RESULTS: It was found that the existing territories under natural protection of the Russian agglomeration restrict degradation processes, while maintaining the simultaneous coexistence of native species and synanthropic animals that make up the parasitic circulation system of the tularemia pathogen. CONCLUSION: The qualitative assessment of anthropogenic pressure/action can probably be interpreted as conditionally neutral. This could lead to potential risks of infection of the unvaccinated population of the Rostov agglomeration in natural foci of tularemia. The dynamism of the processes of anthropogenic action requires constant monitoring of the changes in the species diversity of carriers and vectors, their abundance, and infection in the natural foci of tularemia in the Rostov agglomeration.

Download Full-text

A multivariate approach to assess habitat integrity in urban streams using benthic macroinvertebrate metrics

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2013.166 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 67 (12) ◽

pp. 2832-2837 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

S. Canobbio ◽

A. Azzellino ◽

R. Cabrini ◽

V. Mezzanotte

Keyword(s):

Habitat Loss ◽

Multiple Stressors ◽

Synergistic Effects ◽

Freshwater Ecosystems ◽

Urban Streams ◽

Anthropogenic Pressure ◽

Multivariate Approach ◽

Urban District ◽

Morphological Alterations ◽

Macroinvertebrate Metrics

Benthic macroinvertebrates are widely used as indicators of the health of freshwater ecosystems, responding both to water quality and to the hydromorphological integrity. In urban streams, evaluations can be tricky for the synergistic effects of multiple stressors and confounding factors. In these situations, the most broadly used multimetric indices can be used to assess the overall damage to the invertebrate community and, thus, the overall anthropogenic pressure, but they do not allow to understand the specific causal effects. Particularly, habitat loss due to morphological alterations can be difficult to evaluate, especially due to the often concurrent disturbance caused by water pollution. We used a multivariate approach to focus on the characteristics of the streams and rivers in an urban district and to define which macroinvertebrate metrics should be used to assess the influence of the different kinds of alteration in a severely damaged environment. Some metrics enabling the assessment of habitat loss (ratio of oligochaeta, ratio of filterers) were identified. These metrics may help to raise a better awareness in the evaluation of river restoration success and, thus, in the support of decision-making processes.

Download Full-text

Preliminary study on the influence of UV-C irradiation on microorganism viability and polyphenol compounds content during winemaking of ‘Regent’ red grape cultivar

Polish Journal of Chemical Technology ◽

10.1515/pjct-2017-0039 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 130-137 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Kamila Mijowska ◽

Krzysztof Cendrowski ◽

Bartłomiej Grygorcewicz ◽

Jan Oszmiański ◽

Paweł Nawrotek ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽

Control Sample ◽

Total Content ◽

Oenococcus Oeni ◽

Nacl Solution ◽

Polyphenol Compounds ◽

Grape Cultivar ◽

Preliminary Study ◽

Red Grape ◽

Uv C

Abstract In this study, UV-C light was tested as an alternative method to inactivate microorganisms in the must of ‘Regent’ red grape cultivar. The control sample containing the microorganism diluted in a physiological NaCl solution was prepared to take into consideration different conditions of liquids, such as turbidity and colour. Additionally, the changes in the composition of polyphenol compounds in the ‘Regent’ must after UV-C exposure were evaluated. The viability of yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and bacteria (Oenococcus oeni) significantly decreased with time; however, the highest decline was noted after the first hour of exposure. The polyphenol compound content was significantly lower after UV-C treatment and this was mainly the result of anthocyanin decomposition. The total content of flavan-3-ols and hydroxycinnamic acids and derivatives increased after irradiation.

Download Full-text

Monitoring of alien aquatic plants in the inland waters of Sicily (Italy)

Webbia ◽

10.36253/jopt-8414 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 75 (1) ◽

pp. 77-83

Author(s):

Angelo Troia ◽

Vincenzo Ilardi ◽

Elisabetta Oddo

Keyword(s):

Native Species ◽

Aquatic Plant ◽

Freshwater Ecosystems ◽

Leaf Mass Per Area ◽

Inland Waters ◽

Emergent Macrophytes ◽

Relative Growth ◽

Efficient Management ◽

Mediterranean Island ◽

The Impact

Updated and reliable data on the presence and distribution of alien aquatic plant species in Sicily are lacking, and there is a need to fill this gap for a proper and efficient management of freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity. This paper reviews the available knowledge about alien aquatic vascular plants in the inland waters of Sicily (Italy). The aim is to provide an updated checklist, as a first step in the study of the impact of those plants on the native species and ecosystems of this Mediterranean island. The paper focuses on the strictly aquatic species (hydrophytes), excluding emergent macrophytes. Four species were listed, all of them free-floating and with American origin. Most of them occur within protected areas, and their introduction in the island appears to be anthropogenic. A set of functional traits of the alien species, such as relative growth rate, leaf mass per area, nitrogen and carbon content, were screened. These traits are useful for assessing the species invasive potential compared to native ones.

Download Full-text

First Report of Strawberry vein banding virus on Strawberry in Italy

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-93-6-0675a ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 93 (6) ◽

pp. 675-675 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

C. Ratti ◽

A. Pisi ◽

C. Rubies Autonell ◽

A. Babini ◽

V. Vicchi

Keyword(s):

Nucleic Acids ◽

Plant Protection ◽

Control Sample ◽

Fruit Production ◽

Positive Control ◽

Poor Growth ◽

Indicator Plants ◽

Strawberry Vein Banding Virus ◽

Field Samples ◽

Emilia Romagna Region

In the summers of 2007 and 2008, diseased strawberry plants (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) were observed in production fields in Ferrara and Forlì-Cesena districts (Emilia-Romagna Region) in northern Italy. Plants exhibited poor growth, leaf chlorosis, decline, and reduced fruit production. Older leaves sometimes displayed a premature purplish discoloration, while the younger leaves appeared chlorotic and were reduced in size with a marked yellow edge. Symptom severity was dependent on the cultivar and growing conditions. Sixty-one leaf samples were collected from diseased plants from production fields and cultivar collections. Each sample was tested by grafting on Fragaria vesca (clone ‘UC4 and UC5’) and F. virginiana (clone ‘UC10’ and ‘UC11’). Forty-five days after indexing different symptoms, characteristic of viral diseases, appeared on indicator plants. In particular, 24 samples showed Strawberry vein banding virus (SVBV)-like symptoms with chlorotic streaks along and on both sides of the main leaf veins of UC5, UC10, and UC11 indicator plants. Molecular methods were also used to better investigate the causal agent. Nucleic acids were extracted from young leaves of field and indicator plants by the cetyltrimethylammoniumbromide method (1). PCR analyses were performed with primer pair SVBVdeta/SVBVdetb as previously described to specifically amplify a product of 423 bp (2). SVBV was detected on all symptomatic indicator plants and corresponding field samples as well as on the positive control sample (supplied by J. D. Postman, National Clonal Germplasm Repository, Corvallis, OR and I. E. Tzanetakis, Oregon State University, Corvallis). No amplicons were detected from nucleic acids extracted from symptomless strawberry plants. PCR products, amplified from four Italian SVBV isolates, were cloned and sequenced and represent part of ORF IV of the SVBV genome that codes for the coat protein (CP). Italian SVBV isolates were more similar to the U.S. isolates than to the Chinese isolates (Genbank Accession Nos. AY862389, AY955374, X97304, AY605662, AY605663, and AY605664), showing 93 and 86% nt sequence identity, respectively. Strawberry vein banding disease has been reported previously in Italy in 1986 (3), but to our knowledge, this is the first finding of SVBV on strawberry field plants in Italy. SVBV was listed as a quarantine pest by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (OEPP/EPPO) in 1978, but its spread has been increasing within European countries. Further studies should be done to ensure that strawberry propagating material is free of known viruses including SVBV. References: (1) N. Boonham et al. J. Virol. Methods 101:37, 48, 2000. (2) J. R. Thompson et al. J. Virol. Methods 111:85, 93, 2003. (3) A. Pisi. EPPO Bull. 16:353, 358, 1986.

Download Full-text