A Multispectral Look at Oil Pollution Detection, Monitoring, and Law Enforcement

The problems of detecting oil films on water, mapping the areal extent of slicks, measuring the slick thickness, and identifying oil types are discussed. The signature properties of oil in the ultraviolet, visible, infrared, microwave, and radar regions are analyzed

Light dazzles from the black box: Whole-cell biosensors are ready to inform on fundamental soil biological processes

Whole-cell biosensors are natural or engineered microorganisms producing signals in response to specific stimuli. This review introduces the use of whole-cell biosensors for the study of the soil system, discuss the recent developments and some current limitations and draws future prospects of the whole-cell biosensors for application to the study of the agro-ecosystems. The review focuses mainly on the lux- and gfp-inserted whole-cell biosensors producing bioluminescence and multicoloured fluorescent proteins, which allow an easy and reproducible detection of the signals from a large number of prokaryotic and eukaryotic soil-borne microorganisms. This review also points out how the whole-cell biosensors indicate the bioavailability of selected analyte, an information that cannot be straight forwardly extrapolated using the chemical methods of soil analysis. However, regardless of the immense progress in biotechnology and genetics that allows to construct whole-cell biosensors for virtually detecting any chemical at ultra low concentrations, the soil still remains the most extreme natural system to be studied with these biotechnological analytical tools. Although a lack of standardization for most of the constructed whole-cell biosensors along with the scarce knowledge of their performance concur to prevent their use in the official methods of soil and environmental analysis, owing to their stability and selectivity we restate that the whole-cell biosensors are ready to provide information on the main processes occurring in soil, and represent unprecedented sensitive tools for improving agriculture and for soil monitorin

Electronic noses for environmental monitoring applications

Electronic nose applications in environmental monitoring are nowadays of great interest, because of the instruments’ proven capability of recognizing and discriminating between a variety of different gases and odors using just a small number of sensors. Such applications in the environmental field include analysis of parameters relating to environmental quality, process control, and verification of efficiency of odor control systems. This article reviews the findings of recent scientific studies in this field, with particular focus on the abovementioned applications. In general, these studies prove that electronic noses are mostly suitable for the different applications reported, especially if the instruments are specifically developed and fine-tuned. As a general rule, literature studies also discuss the critical aspects connected with the different possible uses, as well as research regarding the development of effective solutions. However, currently the main limit to the diffusion of electronic noses as environmental monitoring tools is their complexity and the lack of specific regulation for their standardization, as their use entails a large number of degrees of freedom, regarding for instance the training and the data processing procedures

The use of lasers for hydrographic studies

The utilization of remote laser sensors in water pollution detection and identification, coastal environmental monitoring, and bathymetric depth sounding, is discussed. q

Acquisition of acid vapor and aerosol concentration data for use in dry deposition studies in the South Coast Air Basin

An atmospheric monitoring network was operated throughout the South Coast Air Basin in the greater Los Angeles area during the year 1986. The primary objective of this study was to measure the spatial and temporal concentration distributions of atmospheric gas phase and particulate phase acids and bases in support of the California Air Resources Board's dry deposition research program. Gaseous pollutants measured include HNO_3, HCl, HF, HBr, formic acid, acetic acid and ammonia. The chemical composition of the airborne particulate matter complex was examined in three size ranges: fine particles (less than 2.2 μm aerodynamic diameter, AD), PM_(10) (less than 10 μm AD) and total particles (no size discrimination). Upwind of the air basin at San Nicolas Island, gas phase acids concentrations are very low: averaging 0.3 μg m^(-3) (0.1 ppb) for HNO_3, 0.8 μg m^(-3) for HCl, 0.13 μg m^(-3) for HF, and 2.6 μg m^(-3) for formic acid. Annual average HN03 concentrations ranged from 3.1 μg m^(-3) (1.2 ppb) near the Southern California coast to 6.9 μg m^(-3) (2.7 ppb) at an inland site in the San Gabriel Mountains. HCl concentrations within the South Coast Air Basin averaged from 0.8 μg m^(-3) to 1.8 μg m^(-3) during the year 1986. Long-term average HF concentrations within the air basin are very low, in the range from 0.14 to 0.22 μg m^(-3) between monitoring sites. Long-term average formic acid concentrations are lowest near the coastline (5.0 μg m^(-3) at Hawthorne), with the highest average concentrations (10.7 μg m^(-3)) observed inland at Upland. Ammonia concentrations at low elevation within the South Coast Air Basin average from 2.1 μg m^(-3) to 4.4 μg m^(-3) at all sites except Rubidoux. Rubidoux is located directly downwind of a large ammonia source created by dairy farming and other agricultural activities in the Chino area. Ammonia concentrations at Rubidoux average 30 μg m^(-3) during 1986, a factor of approximately 10 higher than elsewhere in the air basin. Annual average PM_(10) mass concentrations within the South Coast Air Basin ranged from 47.0 μg m^(-3) along the coast to 87.4 μg m^(-3) at Rubidoux, the farthest inland monitoring site. Five major aerosol components (carbonaceous material, NO_3^-, SO_4^-, NH_4^+ and soil-related material) accounted for greater than 80% of the annual average PM_(10) mass concentration at all on-land monitoring stations. A peak 24-h average PM_(10) mass concentration of 299 μg m^(-3) was observed at Rubidoux during 1986. That value is a factor of 2 higher than the federal 24-h average PM_(10) concentration standard, and a factor of 6 higher than the State of California PM_(10) standard. More than 40% of the PM_(10) aerosol mass measured at Rubidoux during that peak day event consisted of aerosol nitrates plus ammonium ion. Reaction of gaseous nitric acid to form aerosol nitrates was a major contributor to the high PM_(10) concentrations observed in the Rubidoux area near Riverside, California

AN EVALUATION OF THE USE OF SPECTRAL PROPERTIES IN MONITORING STRESS IN MARINE MACROALGAE

Merged with duplicate record 10026.1/603 on 28.02.2017 by CS (TIS)The overall aim of this thesis was to assess the potential of developing specific quantifiable assays of pollutant damage based on changes on the in vivo optical properties of macroalgae, applicable to laboratory and remote systems. The green macroalgae, E.intestinalis, was exposed to selected trace metals (copper and zinc), triazine herbicides (Irgarol 1051 and atrazine) and a series of alcohols (n = 1 - 9). The algal in vivo spectral properties, measured using a spectrophotometer fitted with an integrating sphere, determined changes due to exposure, and results were compared with established methods, including growth and fluorescence, to assess algal health status. Each pollutant, except zinc, had a significant (P < 0.05) effect on in vivo spectral properties at the range of concentrations used. The results indicated that the technique has potential to identify the algal systems affected by the pollutant, as signatures obtained appeared to indicate whether change was due to structure or pigments. The technique was sensitive, repeatable, and could detect individual pollutants in a copper/Irgarol 1051 mixture. The results were mathematically interpreted to provide ratios, individual wavelengths, sensitivity figures, web diagrams and QSARs to highligh.t differences between pollutant effect. The QSAR, obtained from E.intestinalis exposed to a series of alcohols, had a R2 value of0.9682 using in vivo absorptance at 680 nm and Log Kow, which corresponds with published values of 0.97 using ion leakage with the same species. However, the technique of in vivo spectral properties has the advantage of being non-invasive. Samples of E.intestinalis were collected from different field sites and their in vivo spectral responses could be grouped according to potential pollutants to which they had been exposed. In addition, the potential of extending the technique for use in remote sensing is discussed. It was concluded that the technique of monitoring in vivo spectral properties is an appropriate biomonitor to add to the expanding range of current biomonitors

RESPONSES OF THE DECAPOD CRUSTACEAN, CARCINUS MAENAS, FOLLOWING EXPOSURE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS. DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF MULTIPLE BIOMARKERS.

Marine, coastal and estuarine ecosystems continue to be contaminated by anthropogenic chemicals. Improving our mechanistic understanding of the toxicity of environmental pollutants to aquatic organisms is therefore an important priority. This work is focussed on detecting and measuring the molecular, cellular and physiological responses of the shore crab Carcimis maenas following exposure to environmental chemicals, and uses biomarkers to do so. To better understand the response of C.maenas to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) a novel biomarker of exposure to this class of compounds was developed. Direct fluorimetric techniques revealed that the shore crab C.maenas eliminated metabolites of pyrene in the urine following waterbome exposure to this PAH in the laboratory. The levels of excreted metabolites were exposure concentration and time dependent. Levels of pyrene metabolites were also detected in the haemolymph and their levels were exposure concentration dependent. HPLC/F analysis of urine samples revealed metabolites were conjugates of 1-OH pyrene. Levels in urine determined by fluorimetry correlated well with HPLC/F and ELISA methods of analysis. Levels in haemolymph did not correlate well with the ELISA, due to sample matrix interference with the assay. Detection of urinary PAH metabolites following laboratory exposure is evidence that the parent PAH has been taken up, metabolised by the enzymatic machinery of the organism and eliminated. Whilst this is an important finding and illustrates the response of Cmaenas when faced with PAH exposure, confirmation of this phenomenon in the field is also required. Field trials revealed that comparable metabolites were eliminated in the urine following exposure to pyrogenic PAH discharges from a Norwegian aluminium smelter. The assay also provided evidence of exposure to petrogenic PAH in crabs from petroleum contaminated field sites and crabs exposed to crude oil. Both laboratory and field studies illustrated the potential for this exposure biomarker to be used for environmental monitoring. The responses of C.maenas following exposure to combinations of PAH, metal and pesticide were measured using biomarkers of exposure and effect. Increasing the number of contaminants did not affect the responses of certain biomarkers (metallothionein, micronucleus, antioxidant activity), which were not induced or remained largely unchanged. These biomarkers also showed no significant differences between exposed and control groups. Specific biomarkers of exposure (urinary PAH assay) and effect (carboxylesterase activity) responded in a concentration dependent manner when exposed to PAH and pesticide, but the level of their response was not altered upon addition of further contaminants at each concentration. The lack of induction or alterations in biomarker responses unfortunately provides little additional information on the complex mechanisms of toxicity in organisms following exposure to these contaminants. Shnilarly, investigations into the effects of environmental chemicals on endocrine mediated processes in C.maenas did not provide conclusive information on mechanisms of endocrine toxicity. Exposure to 20-hydroxyecdysone and its insecticidal analogue tebufenozide had no gross effects on the processes investigated in C.maenas (moulting, vitellogensis and locomotor activity) and consequently, no suitable endpoints were established as markers of endocrine disruption in this species. The quantitative Vg ELISA proved to be applicable for monitoring potential endocrine disruption in female C.maenas, but only after the temporal progression of vitellogenesis is understood. The present work has investigated and measured the responses of C.maenas following exposure to exogenous chemicals. This has resulted in a better understanding of PAH disposition, a field applicable PAH exposure biomarker and evidence for robust responses following exposure to multiple contaminants. It has also highlighted the need for greater understanding of endocrine mediated processes before endocrine disruption can be confirmed as a realistic mechanism of toxicity in this species.Plymouth Environmental Research Centre. Akvamiljo Aquatic Environment Research Centre, Randaberg, Norway

Air pollution monitoring instrumentation A survey

Air pollution monitoring instrumentation developed for aerospace uses surveyed for industrial application