In Mexican waters, there is no a formal and well-established monitoring program of harmful algal blooms (HAB) events. Until now, most of the work has been focused on the characterization of organisms present in certain communities. Therefore, the development of new techniques for the rapid detection of HAB species is necessary. Capillary electrophoresis finger print technique (CE-SSCP) is a fingerprinting technique based on the identification of different conformers dependent of its base composition. This technique, coupled with capillary electrophoresis, has been used to compare and identify different conformers. The aim of this study was to determine if CE-SSCP analysis of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene fragments could be used for a rapid identification of toxic and harmful HAB species to improve monitoring activities along the coasts of Baja California Sur, Mexico.Three different highly variable regions of the 18S and 28S rRNA genes were chosen and their suitability for the discrimination of different dinoflagellate species was assessed by CE-SSCP.The CE-SSCP results obtained for the LSU D7 fragment has demonstrated that this technique with this gene region could be useful for the identification of the ten dinoflagellates species of different genera.We have shown that this method can be used to discriminate species and the next step will be to apply it to natural samples to achieve our goal of molecular monitoring for toxic algae in Mexican waters. This strategy will offer an option to improve an early warning system of HAB events for coastal BCS, allowing the possible implementation of mitigation strategies. A monitoring program of HAB species using molecular methods will permit the analysis of several samples in a short period of time, without the pressure of counting with a taxonomic expert in phytoplankton taxonomy.

Mixed pollution is a characteristic of many industrial sites and constructed wetlands. Plants possessing an enzymatic detoxifying system that is able to handle xenobiotics seems to be a viable option for the removal of mixed persistent contaminants such organochlorines (OCs: monochlorobenzene (MCB), 1,4-dichlorobenzene (DCB), 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (TCB), γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)). In this study, Phragmites australis plants were exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of OCs (7 days), in single-exposure (0.8 to 10 mg l⁻¹) and in mixture of OCs (0.2 mg l⁻¹ MCB + 0.2 mg l⁻¹ DCB + 2.5 mg l⁻¹ TCB + 0.175 mg l⁻¹ HCH). Studies were conducted on the detoxification phase II enzymes; glutathione S-transferases (GST), and glucosyltransferases (UGT). Measurements of GST and UGT activities revealed that OCs may be buffered by glutathione and glucose conjugation. There appeared to be a correlation between the effects on phase II enzymes and the degree of chlorination of the benzene ring with, for example, the greatest effects being obtained for HCH exposure. In the case of mixed pollution, the induction of some GST isoenzymes (CDNB, 35 % non-significant) and UGT (118 %) in leaves and the inhibition of phase II enzymes in the other organs were measured. UGTs appear to be key enzymes in the detoxification of OCs.

Diflubenzuron (DFB) is an insecticide commonly used to control forest pests. The objectives of this study were to assess the effect of diflubenzuron on the development of Pinus pinaster seedlings and Pisolithus tinctorius under laboratory conditions and to study the possible protective role of this ectomycorrhizal fungus against the effects of diflubenzuron. In vitro experiments revealed that diflubenzuron inhibited fungal growth at all tested concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 mg L⁻¹). Root growth was inhibited at the two highest diflubenzuron concentrations. The activity of the antioxidant defence system of non-inoculated P. pinaster increased at 1 and 10 mg DFB kg⁻¹ substrate, and inoculation increased the threshold to the highest concentration. The protective role of the ectomycorrhizal fungus was seen in the increase of CAT activity. This study revealed that despite causing no mortality, diflubenzuron has the ability to cause sub-lethal damage to P. pinaster. The disproportionate use of this insecticide may lead to higher amounts of its residues in soil and the biosphere, endangering trees, fungi and their symbiosis.

The formation of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) from 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanol (8:2 FTOH) was studied for the first time in laboratory experiments with brackish water. The water samples were collected from the Baltic Sea, which is one of the largest brackish water areas in the world and is polluted with PFOA and other perfluorinated compounds. The formation of PFOA was studied in closed-bottle experiments at different water temperatures. As a reference experiment, a modified OECD 310 test was conducted with sludge from a wastewater treatment plant and with brackish water. The PFOA and 8:2 FTOH were concentrated from water samples by solid-phase extraction (SPE) and were analysed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The effect of oxygen concentration on the formation of PFOA was studied using surface water samples with high and low oxygen contents. Other experiments were performed with oxygen-rich surface water and oxygen-deficient bottom water. The formation of PFOA was observed in all experiments; it was higher in the trial performed with brackish water than in the reference test carried out with sludge. Clear temperature dependence was observed in the formation of PFOA in brackish water tests; after a 30-day test period, a sixfold increase was observed in the amount of PFOA in surface water between the temperatures of 15 and 20 °C. Microbes were suggested as the major cause of the formation of PFOA, but other environmental characteristics, such as oxygen, could also affect the formation potential of PFOA.

Dynamics of livestock and poultry manure nutrient was analyzed at a provincial scale from 2002 to 2008. The nutrient capacity of 18 kinds of croplands and grasslands to assimilate nutrients was assessed in the same temporal–spatial scale. Manure nitrogen (N) had increased from 5.111 to 6.228 million tons (MT), while manure phosphorus (P) increased from 1.382 to 1.607 MT. Manure N and P share similar spatial patterns of yields, but proportion of specialized livestock husbandry and contribution of leading livestock categories (swine, cattle, cow, sheep, layer chicken, broiler chicken) were different. The nutrients generated from dominant seven provinces took more than about half of total manure N in China. After subtracting the chemical fertilizers, there were some manure nutrient capacities in western part of China. Risk analysis of manure nutrient pollution overload in eastern and southern parts of China was serious, which should restrict livestock's developments. Amount of chemical fertilizers applied should be reduced to make room for manure nutrients. For the sake of greenhouse effects, the emission of methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (NO ₓ ) emissions in China is serious for the global change, thus merits further statistics and studies. The spatial and temporal pattern of Chinese manure nutrient pollution from livestock and the assimilation capacity of cropland and grassland can provide useful information for policy development on Chinese soil environment and livestock.

The impact of the insecticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) on the mammalian digestive system has been poorly described. The present study aimed at evaluating the effect of chronic, low-dose exposure to CPF on the composition of the gut microbiota in a Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem: the SHIME® and in rats. The SHIME® comprises six reactor vessels (stomach to colon). The colonic segments were inoculated with feces from healthy humans. Then, the simulator was exposed to a daily dose of 1 mg of CPF for 30 days. The changes over time in the populations of bacteria were examined at different time points: prior to pesticide exposure (as a control) and after exposure. In parallel, pregnant rats were gavaged daily with 1 mg/kg of CPF (or vehicle) until the pups were weaned. Next, the rats were gavaged with same dose of CPF until 60 days of age (adulthood). Then, samples of different parts of the digestive tract were collected under sterile conditions for microbiological assessment. Chronic, low-dose exposure to CPF in the SHIME® and in the rat was found to induce dysbiosis in the microbial community with, in particular, proliferation of subpopulations of some strains and a decrease in the numbers of others bacteria. In compliance with European guidelines, the use of the SHIME® in vitro tool would help to (1) elucidate the final health effect of toxic agents and (2) minimize (though not fully replace) animal testing. Indeed, certain parameters would still have to be studied further in vivo.

A permeable reactive barrier (PRB) was installed in Aznalcóllar (Spain) in order to rehabilitate the Agrio aquifer groundwater severely contaminated with acid mine drainage after a serious mining accident. The filling material of the PRB consisted of a mixture of calcite, vegetal compost and, locally, Fe(0) and sewage sludge. Among the successes of the PRB are the continuous neutralisation of pH and the removal of metals from groundwater within the PRB (removals of >95 %). Among the shortcomings are the improper PRB design due to the complexity of the internal structure of the Agrio alluvial deposits (which resulted in an inefficient capture of the contaminated plume), the poor degradability of the compost used and the short residence time within the PRB (which hindered a complete sulphate reduction), the clogging of a section of the PRB and the heterogeneities of the filling material (which resulted in preferential flows within the PRB). Undoubtedly, it is only through accumulated experience at field-scale systems that the potentials and limits of the PRB technology can be determined.

The purpose of this research is to use a simple method to prepare magnetic modified biomass with good adsorption performances for cationic ions. The magnetic modified biomass was prepared by two steps: (1) preparation of pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) modified biomass in N, N-dimethylacetamide solution and (2) preparation of magnetic PMDA modified biomass by a situ co-precipitation method under the assistance of ultrasound irradiation in ammonia water. The adsorption potential of the as-prepared magnetic modified biomass was analyzed by using cationic dyes: methylene blue and basic magenta as model dyes. Optical micrograph and x-ray diffraction analyses showed that Fe₃O₄ particles were precipitated on the modified biomass surface. The as-prepared biosorbent could be recycled easily by using an applied magnetic field. Titration analysis showed that the total concentration of the functional groups on the magnetic PMDA modified biomass was calculated to be 0.75 mmol g⁻¹ by using the first derivative method. The adsorption capacities (q ₘ) of the magnetic PMDA modified biomass for methylene blue and basic magenta were 609.0 and 520.9 mg g⁻¹, respectively, according to the Langmuir equation. Kinetics experiment showed that adsorption could be completed within 150 min for both dyes. The desorption experiment showed that the magnetic sorbent could be used repeatedly after regeneration. The as-prepared magnetic modified sorbent had a potential in the dyeing industry wastewater treatment.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and metal-polluted sites caused by abandoned coking plants are receiving wide attention. To address the associated environmental concerns, innovative remediation technologies are urgently needed. This study was initiated to investigate the feasibility of a cleanup strategy that employed an initial phase, using methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MCD) solution to enhance ex situ soil washing for extracting PAHs and metals simultaneously, followed by the addition of PAH-degrading bacteria (Paracoccus sp. strain HPD-2) and supplemental nutrients to treat the residual soil-bound PAHs. Elevated temperature (50 °C) in combination with ultrasonication (35 kHz, 30 min) at 100 g MCD L⁻¹ was effective in extracting PAHs and metals to assist soil washing; 93 % of total PAHs, 72 % of Cd, 78 % of Ni, 93 % of Zn, 84 % of Cr, and 68 % of Pb were removed from soil after three successive washing cycles. Treating the residual soil-bound PAHs for 20 weeks led to maximum biodegradation rates of 34, 45, 36, and 32 % of the remaining total PAHs, 3-ring PAHs, 4-ring PAHs, and 5(+6)-ring PAHs after washing procedure, respectively. Based on BIOLOG Ecoplate assay, the combined treatment at least partially restored microbiological functions in the contaminated soil. The ex situ cleanup strategy through MCD-enhanced soil washing followed by microbial augmentation can be effective in remediating PAH and metal-contaminated soil.

The objective was to describe and model variation patterns in individual fish responses to contaminants among estuaries, season and gender. Two hundred twenty-seven adult European flounders were collected in two seasons (winter and summer) in four estuaries along the Bay of Biscay (South West France), focusing on a pristine system (the Ster), vs. three estuaries displaying contrasted levels of contaminants (the Vilaine, Loire and Gironde). Twenty-three variables were measured by fish, considering the load of contaminants (liver metals, liver and muscle persistent organic pollutants, muscle polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons); the gene expression (Cyt C oxydase, ATPase, BHMT, Cyt P450 1A1, ferritin); the blood genotoxicity (Comet test); and liver histology (foci of cellular alteration–tumour, steatosis, inflammation, abnormal glycogen storage). Canonical redundancy analysis (RDA) was used to model these variables using gender, season and estuary of origin as explanatory variables. The results underlined the homogeneity of fish responses within the pristine site (Ster) and more important seasonal variability within the three contaminated systems. The complete model RDA was significant and explained 35 % of total variance. Estuary and season respectively explained 30 and 5 % of the total independent variation components, whilst gender was not a significant factor. The first axis of the RDA explains nearly 27 % of the total variance and mostly represents a gradient of contamination. The links between the load of contaminants, the expression of several genes and the biomarkers were analysed considering different levels of chemical stress and a possible multi-stress, particularly in the Vilaine estuary.