Toxicological evaluation of inhalation exposure to benzene and toluene in a raptorial bird, the American kestrel, falco sparverius

Benzene and toluene are representative volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released during production, storage, and transportation associated with the oil and gas industry. Benzene and toluene are chemicals of concern because they are released in greater and possibly more biologically significant concentrations than other compounds. Most studies of air pollution in high oil and gas activity areas have neglected to consider risks to top-level predators. Birds can be used as highly sensitive monitors of air quality. Since the avian respiratory tract is physiologically different from a rodent respiratory tract, effects of gases cannot be safely extrapolated from rodent studies. I hypothesized that benzene, being haematotoxic and immunotoxic, along with the neurological and possible endocrine disrupting effects of toluene would be more toxic in birds than in mammals. After two summers of experimental exposure of wild and captive American kestrels to high (10ppm and 80ppm) or environmentally relevant (0.1ppm and 0.8ppm) levels of benzene and toluene, respectively, altered immune, haematopoeitic, behavioural, and endocrine responses characteristic in mammals, were evident in the kestrels.There was a decreased cell mediated immune response as measured by delayed type hypersensitivity tests in all exposed birds (p = 0.028, 0.004). An increase in humoral immunity as compared to control individuals (p = 0.041, 0.031) was also apparent in both dose groups. Plasma retinol levels were decreased in 2005 and 2006 high dose individuals (p = 0.008, 0.048). The majority of haematopoeitic effects involved the erythroid lineage in the bone marrow and the polychromatophilic erythrocytes systemically. There were no significantly adverse responses in the bone marrow with regards to the granuloid lineage but systemically there was a prominent eosinophilia (p = 0.045) and basophilia (p = 0.006) in low exposure groups. The loss of communication between polychromatophilic erythrocytes in the post-mitotic pool within the bone marrow and the peripheral blood was present in low and high exposure individuals compared to control birds (p = 0.013, 0.402, 0.974). The number of polychromatophils in the circulation of low dose group individuals was decreased compared to control birds (p = 0.029). This may be a function of toluene’s inability to inhibit biotransformation enzymes at low concentrations leading to blood cell targeting by benzene’s increased phenolic metabolite production. This theory is corroborated by the possible decreased benzene metabolism and increased toluene distribution manifesting as increased aggressive responses such as wing beating and vocalization time in the high dose group (p = 0.025, 0.086). The work here has shown American kestrels are sensitive to the air contaminants, benzene and toluene. The present study illustrates the need for reference concentrations for airborne pollutants that are calculated based on data measuring sensitive endpoints specific for avian models. Future studies should evaluate immune, haematopoeitic, and behavioural endpoints, as well as develop more sensitive isoform specific enzyme activity assays to further determine the susceptibility of birds to inhaled toxicants

The Rise and Governance of 'Himalayan Gold': Transformations in the Caterpillar Fungus Commons in Tibetan Yunnan, China

Contemporary Tibetan livelihoods across the Tibetan Plateau depend extensively on profits earned through caterpillar fungus (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) harvesting. Caterpillar fungus is a rare fungus that is internationally valued in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Western medicine and biomedical research. The income harvesters earn in the short six-week harvesting season accounts for 40-80% of their annual cash income, making "Himalayan Gold" the single most important constituent of rural Tibetan economies. Market price for caterpillar fungus has increased by a factor of ten in the past decade and two-fold in the past four years. As market demand for and derived income from caterpillar fungus continue to rise, so too does the number of harvesters across collecting areas. To date it remains uncertain how harvesting potentially influences future caterpillar fungus populations and there are few economic alternatives for a similar scale of cash income for collectors in the neoliberalizing geographies of western China. Emphasizing a political ecological approach and based in three case studies in Tibetan Yunnan, this dissertation has examined: (i) how the nonhuman dimensions of caterpillar fungus production influence the forms its commodity chains take, by influencing who and what places are incorporated into and excluded from its production; (ii) how the rise of the caterpillar fungus market has influenced the Tibetan social relations of production; (iii) whether harvesting communities have developed governance arrangements in their caterpillar fungus commons with the rise of the fungal economy. This dissertation shows how the biophysical and ecological specificities of caterpillar fungus growth influence who and what places are involved in the harvesting economy, and how and when it is produced, which points to the ways nature variegates the production of caterpillar fungus. It also describes how unlike other caterpillar fungus production areas, the fungal market in Yunnan is still deeply embedded in social relations that enable and constrain how the market takes form in the lives of its producers. Lastly, it shows that local governance arrangements in Yunnan have emerged, but that they are maintained and destroyed in articulation with China's political economic context. Research methods include: participant observation, focus groups, interviews, and ecological methods

Bioavailability of heavy metals in drilling muds

Experimental work on uptake of metals from sediments spiked with barite, ilmenite and hematite were performed using the ragworm Nereis diversicolor and the netted dog whelk Hinia (Nassarius) reticulata as test organisms. The present report also provides a brief review of recent litterature on biological effects of metals in drill cuttings, including relevant results from the UKOOA Drill Cuttings Initiative - an international research programme completed in December 2001. The review suggest low to moderate bioaccumulation and toxicity of metals in drill cuttings to marine organisms. The experimental work was performed in a standard test set-up at Solbergstrand Marine Research Station. The test determines enrichment ratios in exposed vs control organisms. Ratios of 67 and 76 for the respective species showed significant uptake of barium from marine sediments spiked with barite. Similarly, significant uptake of titanium were observed in organisms exposed to ilmenite. All other elements (Al, Li, Fe, Zn, Hg, Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr and Ni) showed no significant uptake and ratios within the range 0,6-1,5. This result was partly explained by anomalous low concentrations of Pb in the barite test substance, partly by the presence in several test substances of major fractions of Cr, Ni, Zn and Cu insoluble in standard nitric acid digestion (NS4770). Toxic effects of metals strongly bound in particulate mineral fractions are not expected.Norbar Minerals A

Truck Driving Environments and Their Influence on Driver Fatigue and Crash Rates

The development of a typology of commercial vehicle driving environments, estimate of the percentage of drivers falling into each type of driving environment, and driving environment effects on driver fatigue are described. A model of commercial motor vehicle driver fatigue, based on literature sources and focus groups of industry professionals, is proposed. Three driving-environment factors (regularity of time, trip control, and quality of rest), comprising 25 indicators, are included in the model. Data were collected via a nationwide survey of 502 randomly selected over-the-road commercial truck drivers. Data analysis revealed 12 driving-environment indicators to be good predictors of fatigue and crash outcomes. Various 2x2x2 driving-environment typologies were created by using different high-low combinations of these 12 indicators. A typology based on the single best predictors of fatigue and crash outcomes from each driving-environment factor was selected for examination (i.e., favorable and unfavorable combinations of driving the same hours, waiting longer than expected for loads, and starting the workweek tired). The percentage of drivers working in each type of driving environment ranged from 5.2 percent to 20.1 percent. Additionally, the typology was significantly related to frequency of close calls and perceptions of fatigue. The 12 driving-environment indicators collectively accounted for 5 percent and 23 percent of the variability in close calls and fatigue perceptions, respectively (p ≥ .001), and 2 percent of the variability in crash involvement (p ≥ .07). Implications for fatigue management are also discussed

Miljømessig vurdering av utslipp av natriumklorat til Frierfjorden fra Hydro Polymers AS, Bamle

Årsliste 2005Det er gjort en undersøkelse og vurderinger av utslippet av klorat fra Hydro Polymers fabrikk på Rafnes. Avløpsvannet slippes ut i 20-25 m dyp og innlagres oftest i ca. 12-22 m dyp. Beregninger av innlagringsdyp, fortynning og av kloratkonsentrasjon er sammenholdt med grenseverdier for akutte skader og langtidseffekter på marin flora og fauna. Resultatene tilsier at utslippet av natriumklorat ikke vil medføre skader på dyreplankton, bunndyr og fisk i sjøvannslaget der avløpsvannet til vanlig innlagres og spres. Undersøkelsen av bløtbunnsfauna viste ikke tegn til skader på faunaen i området. Det er en reell mulighet for lokale negative effekter på planteplanktonalger, men risikoen for skader på fjordens produksjonssystem ansees som ubetydelig.Hydro Polymers A

Factors influencing organic carbon recycling and burial in Skagerrak sediments

Different factors influencing recycling and burial rates of organic carbon (OC) were investigated in the continental margin sediments of the Skagerrak (NE North Sea). Two different areas, one in the southern and one in the northeastern part of the Skagerrak were visited shortly after a spring bloom (March 1999) and in late summer (August 2000). Results suggested that: (1) Organic carbon oxidation rates (Cox) (2.2–18 mmol C m-2d-11) were generally larger than the O2 uptake rates (1.9 –25 mmol m-2d-1). Both rates were measured in situ using a benthic lander. A mean apparent respiration ratio (Cox:O2corr) of 1.3±0.5 was found, indicating some long-term burial of reduced inorganic substances in these sediments. Measured O2 fluxes increased linearly with increasing Cox rates during the late summer cruise but not on the early spring cruise, indicating a temporal uncoupling of anaerobic mineralization and reoxidation of reduced substances. (2) Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fluxes (0.2–1.0 mmol C m-2d-1) constituted 3–10% of the Cox rates and were positively correlated with the latter, implying that net DOC production rates were proportional to the overall sediment OC remineralization rates. (3) Chlorophyll a (Chl-a) concentrations in the sediment were significantly higher in early spring compared to late summer. The measured Cox rates, but not O2 fluxes, showed a strong positive correlation with the Chl-a inventories in the top 3 cm of the sediment. (4) Although no relationship was found between the benthic fluxes and the macrofaunal biomass in the chambers, total in situ measured dissolved inorganic carbon (CT) fluxes were 1–5.4 times higher than diffusive mediated CT fluxes, indicating that macrofauna have a significant impact on benthic exchange rates of OC remineralization products in Skagerrak sediments. (5) OC burial fluxes were generally higher in northeastern Skagerrak than in the southern part. The same pattern was observed for burial efficiencies, with annual means of ~62% and ~43% for the two areas respectively. (6) On a basin-wide scale, there was a significant positive linear correlation between the burial efficiencies and sediment accumulation rates. (7) The calculated particulate organic carbon (POC) deposition, from benthic flux and burial measurements, was only 24 –78% of the sediment trap measured POC deposition, indicating a strong near-bottom lateral transport and resuspension of POC. (8) A larger fraction of the laterally advected material of lower quality seemed to settle in the northeastern Skagerrak rather than in the southern Skagerrak. (9) Skagerrak sediments, especially in the northeastern part, act as an efficient net sink for organic carbon, even in a global continental margin context

Aquaculture Perspective of Multi-Use Sites in the Open Ocean: The Untapped Potential for Marine Resources in the Anthropocene

This volume addresses the potential for combining large-scale marine aquaculture of macroalgae, molluscs, crustaceans, and finfish, with offshore structures, primarily those associated with energy production, such as wind turbines and oil-drilling platforms. The volume offers a comprehensive overview and includes chapters on policy, science, engineering, and economic aspects to make this concept a reality. The compilation of chapters authored by internationally recognized researchers across the globe addresses the theoretical and practical aspects of multi-use, and presents case studies of research, development, and demonstration-scale installations in the US and EU

Benthic ecology of semi-natural coastal lagoons, in the Ria Formosa (Southern Portugal), Exposed to different water renewal regimes

Several studies in semi-natural coastal lagoons in the Ria Formosa lagoonal system have been carried out. These man-made water reservoirs behave as small lagoons with one opening to the tidal channels, which may be intermittent. Because of their size, these reservoirs are ideal sites for ecological studies. Water quality and macrobenthic fauna were analysed in five water reservoirs. All reservoirs received the same incoming water through a tidal channel, but they differed in water renewal regime. Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) and Discriminant Analysis were used to evaluate the similarity among sites, stations and sampling occasions. Different levels of taxonomic resolution (family, large taxonomic groups and phylum level) were also evaluated. The separation of sites and stations became unclear using high taxonomic levels. Results from the multivariate analyses suggest a slight differentiation of the stations according to sampling occasion but a clear differentiation of the several water reservoirs. Some of the lagoons studied with low water renewal rates showed strong environmental variations. They were characterised by low diversity indexes and abundance of small-sized organisms. Other lagoons, with high water renewal rates, showed low environmental variation and well diversified and structured benthic communities. The main environmental factor that seems to affect the benthic communities was the variation in salinity between neap and spring tides, which is related with the water renewal regime. Coastal lagoons offer a protected shallow habitat, which can be highly productive. Well structured communities, controlled by k-strategists, can develop and settle in leaky lagoons, that is, lagoons with wide entrance channels and tidal currents which guarantee a good water renewal. In these lagoons, biomass can accumulate in large organisms. In contrast, lagoons with a single narrow entrance, that may be closed for long periods, are characterised by persistent physical stress and are dominated by communities of small-sized r-strategists

Comparing trawl and creel fishing for Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus): biological and economic considerations

This study compares the fishing activity and landings of the trawl and creel fisheries for Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus (L.)) off the Portuguese coast, and evaluates the financial viability of two vessels typical of each fleet. Crustacean trawlers are part of an industrial fleet that, besides Nephrops, targets deep water shrimps. Creels are used by a multi-gear, multi-target artisanal fleet, fishing only in areas unavailable to trawlers and, when catching Nephrops, set specifically to target this species. Trawlers have in recent years contributed with 85% of the landings in weight, but only 74% in value (2005-2009 average). Despite smaller landings, the Nephrops creel fishery provides individuals of larger size and in better condition, thereby obtaining higher unit prices. Economic viability was also higher for the creel vessel, with trawling being only viable if major costs (such as labor and fuel) are covered by the revenue from other target species (e. g., the rose shrimp). At present, Nephrops populations on the South and SW coast are subject to intense fishing and to a recovery plan. The possibility of reallocation of some of the fishing effort directed at Nephrops from trawlers to creels is discussed in terms of the conservation of the resource and economic return.Foundation for Science and Technology, Portugal: Project "Nephrops survival when escaping from trawls nets and by-catch escaping devices" [PDCT/MAR/59366/2004]; Foundation for Science and Technology, Portugal: Project "Environmental impact of fixing gears in the southwest coast of Portugal. Combine fisheries and marine ecosystem conservation" [POCTI/CTA/49248/2002]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Impaired short-term functioning of a benthic community from a deep Norwegian Fjord following deposition of mine tailings and sediments

The extraction of minerals from land-based mines necessitates the disposal of large amounts of mine tailings. Dumping and storage of tailings into the marine environment, such as fjords, is currently being performed without knowing the potential ecological consequences. This study investigated the effect of short-term exposure to different deposition depths of inert iron ore tailings (0.1, 0.5, and 3 cm) and dead subsurface sediment (0.5 and 3 cm) on a deep water (200 m) fjord benthic assemblage in a microcosm experiment. Biotic and abiotic variables were measured to determine structural and functional changes of the benthic community following an 11 and 16 day exposure with tailings and dead sediment, respectively. Structural changes of macrofauna, meiofauna, and bacteria were measured in terms of biomass, density, community composition and mortality while measures of oxygen penetration depth, sediment community oxygen consumption and 13C-uptake and processing by biota revealed changes in the functioning of the system. Burial with mine tailings and natural sediments modified the structure and functioning of the benthic community albeit in a different way. Mine tailings deposition of 0.1 cm and more resulted in a reduced capacity of the benthic community to remineralize fresh 13C-labeled algal material, as evidenced by the reduced sediment community oxygen consumption and uptake rates in all biological compartments. At 3 cm of tailings deposition, it was evident that nematode mortality was higher inside the tailings layer, likely caused by reduced food availability. In contrast, dead sediment addition led to an increase in oxygen consumption and bacterial carbon uptake comparable to control conditions, thereby leaving deeper sediment layers anoxic and in turn causing nematode mortality at 3 cm deposition. This study clearly shows that even small levels (0.1 cm) of instantaneous burial by mine tailings may significantly reduce benthic ecosystem functioning on the short term. Furthermore, it reveals the importance of substrate characteristics and origin when studying the effects of substrate addition on marine benthic fauna. Our findings should alert decision makers when considering approval of new deep-sea tailings placement sites as this technique will have major negative impacts on benthic ecosystem functioning over large areas