Risk assessment and prioritization of pollutants in continental Mediterranean waters based on hazard quotients

The input of chemical pollutants into the aquatic environment is growing but their potential adverse effects on the ecosystem still remain largely unknown. Therefore the development of appropriate risk assessment procedures capable to provide a prioritization of potential pollutants becomes necessary. Here we identify priority compounds specific to Mediterranean rivers and compare them to those found in other rivers worldwide. To this purpose hazard quotients (HQ) defined as the ratio of measured environmental concentration (MEC) to predicted non effect concentration (PNEC) referred to different trophic levels were calculated for different compounds selected from different existing prioritization schemes, as well as 15 priority substances identified under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and compared for cases of Mediterranean vs. North European and USA rivers. [Contrib Sci 10:125-134 (2014)

Alargamientos quirúrgicos de las extremidades en la talla baja patológica

Se presenta nuestra experiencia de elongacione s óseas en 207 paciente s afectos de talla baja patológica: 165 condrodisplasias, 15 síndromas de Turner, 11 casos de pubertad precoz, 9 casos de talla baja constitucional, 2 raquistismos médico-resistentes, 2 enanismos hipotróficos, 2 displasias epifisarias y un síndrome de Schwasman. Se describe la táctica y técnica quirúrgica, destacando la importancia de las tenotomías al inicio del alargamiento. Se han alargado 408 segmentos tibiales, 34 humerale s y 240 femorales. El alargamiento medio obtenido ha sido de 14.74 cm para la tibia, 10.5 cm para el húmer o y 15.5 cm para el fémur. Las complicacione s más frecuente s fueron las desviacione s axiales, pérdida de movilidad articular y fractura postalargamiento; resueltas posteriormente. Se pone de relieve la importancia de un equipo multidisciplina - rio para la planificación y control de los alargamientos.The authors show their experience in the lengthening of the limbs in 207 patients afecte d b y pathologica l shor t height: 165 chondrodysplasia , 1 5 Turne r Syndrome, 11 case s of precocious puberty, 9 cases of constitutional short height, 2 me - dical-resitant rickets, 2 hipotrofic dwarfism, 2 epiphyseal dysplasia and one Schwasman syndrome. Surgical planning and procedure are described, emphasizing the value of tenotomie s at the begining of lengthening . 408 tibial, 34 humera l and 240 femoral segments hav e bee n lengthened. The average lenghening obtained was: 14.74 cm (tibia), 10.5 cm (humerus) and 15.5 cm (femur). The most frequent complications were : axial desviation, lost of articular movility, and fracture after lengthening; resolved later. The authors emphasizing the importance of a multidisciplinary team to plan and control of bone lengthening

Cross-validation of methods used for analysis of MTBE and other gasoline components in groundwater.

Head space gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection (HS-GC-FID), ancl purge and trap gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (P&T-GC-MS) have been used to determine methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and benzene, toluene, and the ylenes (BTEX) in groundwater. In the work discussed in this paper measures of quality, e.g. recovery (94-111%), precision (4.6 - 12.2%), limits of detection (0.3 - 5.7 I~g L 1 for HS and 0.001 I~g L 1 for PT), and robust-ness, for both methods were compared. In addition, for purposes of comparison, groundwater samples from areas suffering from odor problems because of fuel spillage and tank leakage were analyzed by use of both techniques. For high concentration levels there was good correlation between results from both methods

Bridging levels of pharmaceuticals in river water with biological community structure in the Llobregat river basin (NE Spain)

A wide range of human pharmaceuticals are present at low concentrations in freshwater systems, particularly in sections of polluted river. These compounds show high biological activity, often associated with a high stability. These characteristics imply a potential impact of these substances on aquatic biota even when present at low environmental concentrations. Low flow conditions in Mediterranean rivers, most of which flow through densely populated areas and are subjected to intensive water use, increase the environmental risk of these emergent compounds. Here, we studied whether pharmaceuticals in river water affect the local benthic community structure (diatoms and invertebrates). For this purpose, we analyzed the occurrence of pharmaceuticals along the Llobregat River and examined the benthic community structure (diatoms and invertebrates) of this system. Some pharmaceutical products in the Llobregat River registered concentrations greater than those cited in the literature. Multivariate analyses revealed a potential causal association between the concentrations of some anti-inflammatories and β-blockers and the abundance and biomass of several benthic invertebrates (Chironomus spp. and Tubifex tubifex). Further interpretation in terms of cause-and-effect relationships is discussed; however, it must be always taken with caution because other pollutants also may have significant contributions. Combined with further community experiments in the laboratory, our approach could be a desirable way to proceed in future risk management decisions

Ecotoxicological risk assessment of chemical pollution in four Iberian river basins and its relationship with the aquatic macroinvertebrate community status

Ecotoxicological risk assessment of chemical pollution in four Iberian river basins (Llobregat, Ebro, Júcar and Guadalquivir) was performed. The data set included more than 200 emerging and priority compounds measured at 77 sampling sites along four river basins studied. The toxic units (TU) approach was used to assess the risk of individual compounds and the concentration addition model (CA) to assess the site specific risk. Link between chemical pollution and aquatic macroinvertebrate communities in situ was examined by using four biological indexes; SPEAR ("Species at Risk Index") as the indicator of decline of sensitive species in relation to general organic (SPEAR) and pesticides (SPEAR) pollution; and Shannon and Margalef biodiversity indexes. The results of the study suggested that organic chemicals posed the risk of acute effects at 42% of the sampling sites and the risk of chronic effects at all the sites. Metals posed the acute risk at 44% of the sites. The main drivers of the risk were mainly pesticides and metals. However, several emerging contaminants (e.g. the antidepressant drug sertraline and the disinfectant triclosan) were contributing to the chronic effects risk. When risk associated with metals and organic chemicals was compared, the latter dominated in 2010, mainly due to the presence of highly toxic pesticides, while metals did in 2011. Compounds that are not regulated on the European level were posing the risk of chronic effects at 23% of the sites. The decline of sensitive macroinvertebrate taxa expressed in terms of SPEAR index was correlated with the increase of toxic stress related to organic compounds Biodiversity indexes were negatively correlated with the metals and the urban land use type in the catchment

Shared effects of organic microcontaminants and environmental stressors on biofilms and invertebrates in impaired rivers

Land use type, physical and chemical stressors, and organic microcontaminants were investigated for their effects on the biological communities (biofilms and invertebrates) in several Mediterranean rivers. The diversity of invertebrates, and the scores of the first principal component of a PCA performed with the diatom communities were the best descriptors of the distribution patterns of the biological communities against the river stressors. These two metrics decreased according to the progressive site impairment (associated to higher area of agricultural and urban-industrial, high water conductivity, higher dissolved organic carbon and dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentrations, and higher concentration of organic microcontaminants, particularly pharmaceutical and industrial compounds). The variance partition analyses (RDAs) attributed the major share (10%) of the biological communities' response to the environmental stressors (nutrients, altered discharge, dissolved organic matter), followed by the land use occupation (6%) and of the organic microcontaminants (2%). However, the variance shared by the three groups of descriptors was very high (41%), indicating that their simultaneous occurrence determined most of the variation in the biological communities

Cross-validation of methods used for analysis of MTBE and other gasoline components in groundwater.

Head space gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection (HS-GC-FID), ancl purge and trap gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (P&T-GC-MS) have been used to determine methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and benzene, toluene, and the ylenes (BTEX) in groundwater. In the work discussed in this paper measures of quality, e.g. recovery (94-111%), precision (4.6 - 12.2%), limits of detection (0.3 - 5.7 I~g L 1 for HS and 0.001 I~g L 1 for PT), and robust-ness, for both methods were compared. In addition, for purposes of comparison, groundwater samples from areas suffering from odor problems because of fuel spillage and tank leakage were analyzed by use of both techniques. For high concentration levels there was good correlation between results from both methods