Meei-Fang Shue

Tributyltin distribution and producing androgenic activity in water, sediment, and fish muscle.

This study investigated the concentrations of Tributyltin (TBT) in water, sediment, and fish muscle samples taken from Kaohsiung Harbor and Kaoping River estuary, Taiwan. TBT concentrations in water and sediment samples ranged from less than 18.5 to 34.1 ng Sn L−1 and from 2.44 to 29.7 ng Sn g−1 weight per weight (w/w), respectively. Concentrations in the TBT‐contaminated fish muscle samples ranged from 10.8 to 79.6 ng Sn g−1 w/w. The TBT concentrations in fish muscle were higher than those in water and sediment samples. The fish muscle/water TBT bioconcentration factor (BCF) ranged from 590 to 3363 L kg−1. Additionally, the water samples were assessed for androgenic activity with an MCF7‐AR1 human breast cancer cell line. The androgenic activity ranged from 0.94 to 3.1 ng‐dihydrotestosterone per litre water (ng‐DHT L−1). Higher concentrations of TBT in water and sediment samples occurred in the dry season, but the androgenic activity had higher values in the rainy season.

Variation, correlation, and toxicity of phenolic endocrine-disrupting compounds in surface water.

This study investigated the variation in toxicity of phenolic endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) and determined the correlation between their concentrations. All twenty-four samples acquired from a polluted river contained five phenolic EDCs. The EDC nonylphenol (NP) concentration was found to be the highest (4.26 ± 2.74 μg/L) in the river water. In addition the concentrations of nonylphenol diethoxylate, (NP2EO), octylphenol (OP), nonylphenol monoethoxylate (NP1EO), and bisphenol A (BPA) were 1.58 ± 1.37 μg/L; 2.90 ± 2.77 μg/L; 2.89 ± 2.15 μg/L; and 2.25 ± 0.96 μg/L, respectively. Concentrations of NP, NP1EO, and OP were significantly greater in the daytime than in the nighttime samples. Furthermore, concentrations of NP, NP1EO, and NP2EO showed a strong correlation due to similar parent compounds while BPA and OP did not. NP1EO had the highest risk to aquatic organisms (hazard quotient, HQ = 26.3) and BPA the lowest (HQ = 2.24).The accumulative HQ sum (hazard index, HI) was 81.3 within all the samples. The HI was 110.3 in the daytime samples. This was 97% higher than in the nighttime HI (56.3), which suggested daytime anthropogenic discharges were an important source of toxicity to aquatic organisms.

Nonylphenol concentration and estrogenic activity in Kaoping River and its tributaries, Taiwan.

This study investigated the occurrence of nonylphenol (NP) and 17beta-estradiol equivalent quotient (EEQ) concentrations in Kaoping River and two of its tributaries in Taiwan. During this study 44 water samples were collected from four sampling campaigns. Concentrations of NP in these samples ranged from 0.19 to 183.4 mug/L; EEQ ranged from less than limit of detection (1.41) to 32.2 ng-E2/L. NP concentrations in the main watercourse ranged from 0.19 to 9.21 mug/L; EEQ ranged from less than limit of detection to 2.13 ng-E2/L. These values are comparable to most rivers worldwide. The Wulo Creek tributary was polluted by animal waste discharges and the NP concentrations ranged from 0.72 to 6.8 mug/L. The EEQ ranged from 3.86 to 32.2 ng-E2/L. The Niouchou Creek tributary was polluted with domestic wastewater. Concentrations of NP ranged from 8.79 to 183.4 mug/L and EEQ ranged from 2.94 to 27.8 ng-E2/L. These data suggest that both inadequately treated livestock and human wastewater can cause high NP and EEQ concentrations.

Seasonal variations of heavy metals content in muscle and viscera of green-lipped mussel Perna viridis from Da-Peng Bay Lagoon in Taiwan.

As a natural lagoon, rich in biological resources including fish, crabs, and bivalves, Da-Peng Bay Lagoon receives the discharges from the neighboring rivers, Kao-ping, Dong-gang, and Lin-Bian, which have harmed the ecology and reduced the water quality of the lagoon. This study analyzes seasonal variation of heavy metals concentration (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in the muscle and viscera of the green-lipped mussel Perna viridis from Da-Peng Bay Lagoon. Data from this study may provide information on the use of Perna viridis as a bioindicator for heavy metals pollution in the lagoon. The heavy metals concentrations were greater in viscera than in muscles of the green-lipped mussel Perna viridis. Results showed that the mussel is capable of accumulating high contents of Cu and Zn. Generally, the order of concentrations in the muscle by season was Zn > Cu > Cr or As. In viscera, the general order of concentrations was Zn > Cu > Pb or Cr or As. Mercury was not detected in winter and spring in muscle and viscera. Cadmium displayed significant variation with season. There was also significant correlation between tissue concentration and heavy metals, including Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cd, and As.

Heavy metals in bivalve mollusks collected from Da-Peng Bay Lagoon in south-southwestern Taiwan.

In this study, concentrations of several heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cr, and Cd) were measured in Katelysia hiantina, Anomalocardia squamosa, Perna viridis, Anadara antiquata, Paphia undulata, and Sanguinolaria diphos bivalve mollusks from Da-Peng Bay Lagoon near the south-southwestern coast of Taiwan. The metal pollution index (MPI) values were highest and lowest in winter and autumn, respectively. The MPI value in the viscera of P. viridis was higher than in muscles. In all four seasons, Zn concentrations in viscera and muscles of P. viridis were higher than for other metals. The capacities of A. squamosa to accumulate the concentrations of Cu, Ni, and Cr and of A. antiquata to accumulate concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Cd were significant. Analytical results suggested that A. squamosa and A. antiquata may be used as bioindicators for monitoring Cu, Ni, Cr, Pb, Zn, and Cd heavy-metal pollution in Da-Peng Bay Lagoon throughout the year.

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal and Biomass Production by the Green Microalgae in Piggery Wastewater

Use of microalgae to remove inorganic nutrients from wastewater and their great potential for low-cost biomass production is gaining attraction. The effect of piggery wastewater content, aeration rate, cultivation temperature, and light intensity on nitrogen and phosphorus removal and biomass production were studied by using a Box-Behnken experimental design under full factorial methodology. Under experimental conditions considered cultures with aeration increased the ammonium and orthophosphate removal efficiency up to an average of 65.3±17 % and 51±7.2 %, respectively and an increase of biomass productivity ranging from 20.8±11 mg/L.d to 52.3±5.5 mg/L.d. The aeration rate was the most important factor influencing the nutrients removal and biomass production.

Seasonal Variations of Heavy Metals in the Bivalve’s mollusks from Ta-Peng Bay Lagoon in Southwestern Taiwan

Ta-Peng Bay lagoon in southwestern coast of Taiwan belonging to a shallow, productive, coastal lagoon was heavily polluted by the effluent of agriculture from fisheries and domestic sewage. This area provided a plentiful bivalves mollusks for regional market, including Anadara antiquate, Katelysia hiantina, Perna viridis and Anomalocardia squamosa. For understanding correlation between heavy metals existed in aquatic product and variation of heavy metal varied with season, during Dec., 2005- Sep., 2006, six heavy metals, such as Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cr and Cd were analyzed by an air-acetylene flame / Graphite Atomizer atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The variations of different heavy metals existed in aquatic product in season were evaluated using multivariate analysis. Results show that the mean concentration of heavy metal in soft tissues for six aquatic products, Cd species had the lowest value than the others, and Cu and Zn were significantly higher than the other elements. The relationships of all heavy metal species in seasonal variations showed significant dependence. High concentrations of heavy metals were observed in winter. The negative correlation coefficient (p < 0.05) between heavy metals content and season variations statistically revealed decreased with season series for Ni, Pb, and Cr. An interesting finding that Cd bioaccumulation among the species had a significant discrepancy was observed. It means that bivalves mollusks could be develped as a potetial tool for monitoring Cd species.

Effects of Chlorine Dioxide on the Bioactivity of Planktonic and Attached Bacteria Grown in Annular Reactor System

Annular reactor; Epifluorescent microscope; Adenosine triphosphate(ATP)；Chlorine dioxide; Abstract: The artificial solution, including organic molecular weight cut-off less than 5 K added indigenous bacteria taken from biofilter conducted in bench-scale experiment, was drawn by peristaltic pump pumped into Annular Reactor system (ARs) with flow rate 20 mL/min and rotating velocity of 134 rpm. ARs could reach stable at the operational time of 40 hrs. Then, chlorine dioxide was added into ARs to keep system consisting of three chlorine dioxide dosages , including 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mg-ClO2 as Cl2/L. Live-Dead microorganisms in this research were measured using both kinds of dye, such as CTC (5-cyano-2,3-diolyl tetrazolium chloride) and DAPI (4’,6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride), observed under fluorescence microscopy having G-2A filter (EX 510-560 nm, DM 575, BA 590 nm) for CTC, and UV-2A (UV-2A (EX 330-380 nm, DM 400 nm, BA 420 NM) for DAPI. Of course, the measurement of ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) was used as another parameter to evaluate the bacterial activity. Current data shows that when initial chlorine dioxide of 0.2 mg-ClO2asCl2 /L could not effectively control the bacterial cells, especially that the remaining dosage decreased to zero at longer reaction time. In contrast with low chlorine dioxide dosage, 1.0-1.5 mg-ClO2asCl2 /L could not only control the planktonic bacteria but also inhibit the growth of respiring cell attached on the slide. Parameter using Dead-Live cells and ATP to express bacterial activity could show the similar performance while chlorine dioxide was applied into ARs.