Individual growth and somatic production in Adelomelon brasiliana (Gastropoda; Volutidae) off Argentina

Growth, age and somatic production of the benthic predator Adelomelon brasiliana were studied at the southern limit of its distribution on the South American Atlantic shelf. Stable oxygen isotope ratios confirmed annual formation of internal shell growth marks. Modal shell length of the population was 140 mm, while modal shell-free wet mass was 255 g. A logistics growth function (SLoo=186.28 mm, K=0.185, t0=4.601) fitted 131 pairs of size-at-age data (25 shells) best. A. brasiliana is a very long-lived species, reaching up to 20 years of age. The maximum individual somatic production of 46 g shell-free wet mass year1 is attained at 145 mm shell length, which corresponds to about 12 years of age

Crepidula cachimilla (Mollusca: Gastropoda), a new species from Patagonia, Argentina

A new species, Crepidula cachimilla, is described based on a population from 15 m depth in San Antonio Oeste, Argentina. Shell length ranged from 5.4 to 28.5 mm for males and from 9.6 to 52.2 mm for females. The minimum shell length recorded for a brooding female was 23.5 mm, and the maximum shell length was 49.3 mm. A detailed anatomical description is given, showing as main characters of the species a relative thick columellar muscle, a greater closure of the palliai cavity aperture by a fusion of the mantle border, a very small osphradium, with about 16 broad filaments, endostyle divided by a middle longitudinal furrow, very large salivary glands, duplication of both gastric ducts to the digestive gland, male seminal vesicle very long and with irregular walls, pallial oviduct with a broad vaginal duct and a tall papilla originating both from palliai floor and roof. Brood egg masses of mature females contained from 15 to 65 egg capsules. The triangular-shaped egg capsules measured between 2.2 and 3.4 mm in length and between 2.3 and 3.8 mm in width. Each egg capsule contained between 129 and 563 eggs. The number of eggs per capsule and the egg diameter did not correlate with female shell length. Uncleaved eggs measured between 180 and 200 μm in diameter. They all developed synchronously within the egg capsules. Prehatching veliger shells measured between 260 and 300 μm in length. After hatching at the veliger stage, protoconch length during metamorphosis ranged between 700 and 800 μm. These parameters neither coincide with those reported by Hoagland (1977) for the similar Californian Crepidula onyx, nor with the reproductive characters reported by Miloslavich & Penchaszadeh (2001) for Crepidula aplysioides, which supposedly occurs in the region.Fil:Cledón, M. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil:Penchaszadeh, P.E. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina

Environmental issues of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are among the emerging contaminants that have been traced in almost all environmental compartments for the past 30 years. Their continued application as flame-retardant additives, persistence in nature due to fluorine groups, global atmospheric transport, and analytical challenges due to interferences and different properties of congeners indicate the urgent need of finding solutions to their use. The increasing level of PBDEs in the environment and especially human tissues is alarming due to their potential neurological effects, cancer proliferation, and thyroid hormone imbalance. Therefore, strict regulations need to be applied in all countries to control the PBDEs production consumption and disposal into the environment. Studies have shown that conventional wastewater treatment plants are unable to degrade PBDEs resulting in the transport of 60–90% of PBDEs to soil through biosolids application. On the other hand, advanced treatment processes, such as ultraviolet light, advanced oxidation, and photocatalytic degradation showed promising potential for removing PBDEs from wastewater (70–100% degradation efficiency). PBDEs can be replaced by natural flame retardants, such as nanoclay or new polymers, such as bishydroxydeoxybenzoin which have no environmental or health problems compared to PBDEs.Fil: Taheran, M.. Université du Québec a Montreal; CanadáFil: Komtchou, S.. Université du Québec a Montreal; CanadáFil: Lonappan, L.. Université du Québec a Montreal; CanadáFil: Naji, T.. Université du Québec a Montreal; CanadáFil: Brar, Satinder Kaur. Université du Québec a Montreal; CanadáFil: Cledón, Maximiliano. Univerity Institut national de la recherche scientifique; Canadá. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ArgentinaFil: Drogui, Patrick. Université du Québec a Montreal; Canad