Three decades of tributyltin in the coastal environment with emphasis on Arcachon Bay, France

International audienceThis account briefly reviews the fate, bioconcentration and effects of tributyltin (TBT) three decades after its introduction into the coastal environment. Data on TBT-related events that occurred in Arcachon Bay (gastropod imposer, oyster recruitment failure, oyster shell malformations, concentrations in water and sediments) are revised and reinterpreted. Historically, TBT concentrations in the waters of the open bay seldom exceeded 1 ng Sn l-1 in the 1960s, likely surpassed the range of 100 ng Sn l-1 from 1977 to 1981 (years when no oyster spat were collected and the local shellfish industry collapsed), and decreased to about 1 ng Sn l-1 in the late 1980s and early l990s following legislation in January 1982 banning TBT use. TBT pollution is discussed in relation to the green rides that have developed in Arcachon Bay since 1982

Erratum: Three decades of tributyltin in the coastal environment with emphasis on Arcachon Bay, France (Environmental Pollution (1996) 93 (195-203))

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Analysis of the adaptation to alkanes of the marine bacterium Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus sp 17 by two dimensional gel electrophoresis

International audienceTo better understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the biodegradation of hydrocarbon compounds from the “Erika” oil-spill, we have studied the ability of Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus strain sp 17 to cope with hexadecane as sole carbon and energy source. Growth kinetics of cultures shifted from acetate to hexadecane revealed the presence of a 20 hours adaptation phase. Changes in global protein expression in response to hexadecane was analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Of the 370 proteins detected 42 had their expression level altered in presence of hexadecane indicating that alkane adaptation may involve many cellular functions

Sampling and analysis of trace metal elements in natural gas by high pressure bubbling sampler and ICP-MS analysis

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Characterization of brackish anaerobic bacteria involved in hydrocarbon degradation: A combination of molecular and culture-based approaches

cited By 11International audienceAnaerobic bacterial communities were selected by successive enrichments, under light conditions, on selected hydrocarbon molecules (aliphatic and aromatic). The original inocula came from an oil-contaminated microbial mat developing in a refinery waste water treatment plant in Berre Lagoon (Mediterranean Sea, France). Bacterial communities able to degrade octadecane, naphthalene and fluoranthene were obtained. By using molecular methods (T-RFLP, ARDRA and sequencing), the composition of these bacterial communities were determined in order to identify the organisins involved in hydrocarbon degradation. Different functional groups, including denitrifiers, sulfate-reducers, anoxygenic phototrophs and fermentative bacteria could be identified. Molecular techniques permitted identification of the different functional groups and were therefore useful in the isolation of the key organisms involved in hydrocarbon degradation. Not all of these populations were able to utilize hydrocarbons as carbon source and/or electron donor. Indeed, among the different pure strains recovered from such enrichment cultures, some actively degraded hydrocarbon molecules (denitrifiers) whereas others have an indirect role (synergism, surfactant production). For example, several anoxygenic phototrophs have been isolated in pure culture and none use hydrocarbons for growth. Nevertheless, in addition to sulphide reoxidation originating from sulfate reduction, these microorganisms may play an important role in surfactant productio

Molecular diversity studies of bacterial communities of oil polluted microbial mats from the Etang de Berre (France)

International audienceThe biodiversity of microbial mats inhabiting the oil-contaminated lagoon Etang de Berre was determined by molecular approaches. The fingerprint of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and automatic ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA) of mats exposed to different pollution levels showed specific microbial communities for each site but similar diversity richness. Species composition of the mats were compared by constructing 16S rRNA libraries. Amplified rDNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) of clone libraries confirmed their similar level of diversity richness. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA sequences showed that the classes γ and α of Proteobacteria were abundantly present in both sites whereas phylotypes related to the δ-Proteobacteria and to the uncultured WS3 group were mainly found in the site with the highest pollution. Identification of the species involved in oil degradation by combining culture-based approaches and DGGE, showed that enrichment cultures were constituted by members of the Rhodobacterales and species related to Rhodococcus, Sphingomonas, Xanthomonas and Microbacterium, all of them known for their ability to degrade hydrocarbons. Our findings suggest that oil pollution has not affected the biodiversity richness of the mats. However, the populations involved in hydrocarbon degradation represent a minor fraction of the mat communities in the Etang de Berre

Molecular diversity studies of bacterial communities of oil polluted microbial mats from the Etang de Berre (France)

International audienceThe biodiversity of microbial mats inhabiting the oil-contaminated lagoon Etang de Berre was determined by molecular approaches. The fingerprint of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and automatic ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA) of mats exposed to different pollution levels showed specific microbial communities for each site but similar diversity richness. Species composition of the mats were compared by constructing 16S rRNA libraries. Amplified rDNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) of clone libraries confirmed their similar level of diversity richness. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA sequences showed that the classes g and a of Proteobacteria were abundantly present in both sites whereas phylotypes related to the d-Proteobacteria and to the uncultured WS3 group were mainly found in the site with the highest pollution. Identification of the species involved in oil degradation by combining culturebased approaches and DGGE, showed that enrichment cultures were constituted by members of the Rhodobacterales and species related to Rhodococcus, Sphingomonas, Xanthomonas and Microbacterium, all of them known for their ability to degrade hydrocarbons. Our findings suggest that oil pollution has not affected the biodiversity richness of the mats. However, the populations involved in hydrocarbon degradation represent a minor fraction of the mat communities in the Etang de Berre

Monitoring the behaviour and fate of nickel and vanadium complexes during vacuum residue hydrotreatment and fraction separation

International audienceThe size distribution of nickel and vanadium complexes was monitored by Size Exclusion Chromatography separation (SEC) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP/MS) detection, at different steps of a vacuum residue fractionation and hydrotreatment. Sample preparation includes asphaltene/maltene separation, and asphaltene fractionation by cross-flow ultrafiltration. The asphaltene fractionation gives asphaltene fractions enriched in low and high molecular weight compounds. The impact of asphaltene's size on hydrotreatment reactivity was investigated. Finally, a vacuum residue was reconstituted in order to monitor and control the fate of nickel and vanadium complexes through hydrotreatment. Results show that metals in the asphaltene fraction are associated with molecules that present a complex continuum of polydispersed compounds, with a majority of metal complexes found at 15 kDa polystyrene equivalent. Nickel is generally present in higher molecular weight compounds than vanadium. The size of the metal compounds impacts significantly their reactivity during hydrotreatment; metals present in high molecular weight compounds are the most refractory to conversion. Only the light metal complexes were easily converted during hydrotreatment. © 2013 Elsevier B.V

Trace elements analysis in natural gas with a High Pressure Bubbling Sampler

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