Bird Banding and the Environmental Humanities

This article tells a history of bird banding—the practice of catching and affixing birds with durable bands with the intent of tracking their movements and behavior—by focusing on the embodied aspects of this method in field ornithology. Going beyond a straightforward, institutional history of bird banding, the article uses the writings of biologists in the US Bureau of Biological Survey and the US Fish and Wildlife Service to describe the historical practices of bird banding and the phenomenological experience of banding, both for the scientists and the birds (via their banding interlocutors). The article then presents the career and research of Margaret Morse Nice as an exemplar of the embodied practice of banding for the purposes of understanding bird behavior. Finally the article uses the example and heritage of Nice as well as banders and scientists like her to discuss a phenomenological approach common to any number of observation-based field biology disciplines (including, especially, ethology) and deep connections between human and animal subjectivities. And these connections, in turn, have implications for the environmental humanities, environmental conservation, and the ethics of knowing the nonhuman world.

Microbiological quality and genotoxicity of domestic water sources: A combined approach using Micro Biological Survey method and mutagenesis assay (micronucleus test) in root tips of Vicia faba in the West region of Cameroon

At least 2.1 billion people around the world use contaminated drinking water, causing 485,000 diarrheal deaths each year, mostly among children under 5 years old. A study conducted 10 years ago in Bafoussam (West Cameroon) recorded concentrations of bacteria among surface and groundwater. High levels of bicarbonates, phosphates, chlorides and suspended matters were also found. The aim of this study was to assess the microbiological and chemical qualities of domestic water sources in 5 localities of the West region of Cameroon. Water samples from 22 water sources (wells, springs, water drilling and river) were aseptically collected in plastic bottles and transferred in 50 ml sterile tubes. For chlorinated water sources, 1 ml of Thiosulfate was added to the water sample; immediately placed in an ice box and transported to the laboratory for analysis. Water temperature and pH were measured on site. The microbiological quality of water was determined by testing Total Coliforms (TC) using the Micro Biological Survey method. 1 ml of each water sample was inoculated in the MBS vial initially rehydrated with 10 ml of sterile distilled water. The initial color of the vials is red. Color changes were monitored at three different time intervals (12h, 19h and 24h), corresponding to three levels of contamination. The chemical quality of water was assessed using micronucleus (MN) test in selected Vicia faba seeds secondary root tips permanently mounted in Dibutylphthalate Polystyrene Xylene mountant for histology after 72 hours of direct exposition in water samples and in dark. The mitotic indices and MN frequencies were evaluated in 10 root tips per site analysing 5000 cells per tip. Statistical analyses were done using Stata IC/15.0 software. The Student t-test was used for mean comparison and the significance level was set at 1%. The majority of samples were collected from wells (63.6%). The mean water pH ranged from 5.5 to 8.3 and the temperature varied from 23 to 26°C. A very high concentration of TC [>103 CFU/ml] was found in 8 (36.4%) samples. 10 (45.5%) and 2 (9.1%) samples turned yellow at 19 and 24 hours respectively after incubation corresponding to TC concentration of [10<x<103 CFU/ml] and [1<x< 10 CFU/ml]. The MN frequency was higher (P ≤ 0.01) compared to the negative control in 9 (40.9%) water samples indicating significant genotoxic effects of these water sources. This study highlighted the poor quality of domestic water sources in West region of Cameroon and the need to conduct regular monitoring of drinking water sources. Community capacity building on water treatment methods, including good wastes management should be implemented to help improve water quality.

Application of the Micro Biological Survey analytical method for the determination of bacterial load in cow raw milk

The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of “Micro Biological Survey – MBS Test” in the enumeration of bacterial load in cow raw milk. The MBS test is based on a colorimetric method recently developed and patented by “Roma Tre” University, Italy. The evaluation of the performance of the MBS method was carried out by comparison with plate count at 30°C (gold standard) and flow cytometry. Thirteen independent set of experiments were performed analyzing a total of 104 samples of cow raw milk with the selected methods. Results obtained using the MBS method are comparable with those obtained with the plate count method at 30°C (CFU/mL) and flow cytometry technology; in particular, the results obtained with the MBS method are very close to plate count’s at 30°C. On the other hand, there are statistically significant differences between these two methods’ and flow cytometry technology’s results that could be due to the different experimental conditions.

Microbiological Quality of Ready-to-Eat Leafy Green Salads during Shelf-Life and Home-Refrigeration

The market of ready-to-eat leafy green salads is experiencing a noticeable growth in Europe. Since they are intended to be consumed without additional treatments, these ready-to-eat products are associated with a high microbiological risk. The aim of this work was to evaluate the microbiological quality and safety of ready-to-eat leafy green salads sold in widespread supermarket chains in Lazio, Italy, on the packaging date during shelf-life and during home-refrigeration. The study also aimed to determine the differences between low-, medium-, and high-cost products. Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes were chosen as safety indicators as specified by European regulations while total aerobic mesophilic bacteria and Escherichia coli were chosen as quality indicators as suggested by national guidelines. Analyses were performed following the ISO standards and in parallel for the evaluation of total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, with an alternative colorimetric system, the Micro Biological Survey method, in order to propose a simple, affordable and accurate alternative for testing the microbiological quality of products, especially suitable for small and medium enterprises and on-site analyses. The study revealed high, unsatisfactory, total bacterial loads in all analyzed samples on the packaging date and expiry date and a very high prevalence of Salmonella spp. (67%) regardless of the selected varieties and cost categories; L. monocytogenes was not recovered aligning with the results obtained in other studies.

Microbiological Quality of Ready-to-Eat Salads During Shelf Life and Home Refrigeration

The market of ready-to-eat salads is experiencing a noticeable growth in Europe. Since they are intended to be consumed without additional treatments, these ready-to-eat products are associated with a high microbiological risk. The aim of this work was to evaluate the microbiological quality and safety of ready-to-eat salads sold in widespread supermarket chains in Lazio, Italy, at the packaging date, during shelf-life and during home-refrigeration. The study also aimed to determine the differences between low, medium, and high cost products. Salmonella spp., L. monocytogenes were chosen as safety indicators as specified by European regulations while total aerobic mesophilic bacteria and Escherichia coli were chosen as quality indicators as suggested by national guidelines. Analyses were performed following the ISO standards and in parallel, for the evaluation of total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, with an alternative colorimetric system, the Micro Biological Survey method, in order to propose a simple, affordable and accurate alternative for testing the microbiological quality of products, especially suitable for small and medium enterprises and on-site analyses. The study revealed high, unsatisfactory, total bacterial loads in all analyzed samples at the packaging date and expiring date and a very high prevalence of Salmonella spp. (67%) regardless of the selected varieties and cost-categories; L. monocytogenes was instead not recovered aligning with the results obtained in other studies.