Chemical mixtures and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis of natural microbial community in the Tiber river
Maria Ludovica SaccàV. FerreroRobert LoosMartina Di LenolaSimona TavazziPaola GrenniNicoletta AdemolloLuisa PatroleccoJim F. HuggettAnna Barra CaraccioloTeresa Lettieri
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The Water Framework Directive (WFD) regulates freshwater and coastal water quality assessment in Europe. Chemical and ecological water quality status is based on measurements of chemical pollutants in water and biota together with other indicators such as temperature, nutrients, species compositions (phytoplankton, microalgae, benthos and fish) and hydromorphological conditions. However, in the current strategy a link between the chemical and the ecological status is missing. In the present WFD, no microbiological indicators are foreseen for integrating the different anthropogenic pressures, including mixtures of chemicals, nutrients and temperature changes, to provide a holistic view of the freshwater ecosystem water quality. The main aim of this work was to evaluate if natural microbial populations can be valuable indicators of multiple stressors (e.g. chemical pollutants, temperature, nutrients etc.) to guide preventive and remediation actions by water authorities. A preliminary survey was conducted to identify four sites reflecting a contamination gradient from the source to the mouth of a river suitable to the objectives of the European Marie Curie project, MicroCoKit. The River Tiber (Italy) was selected as a pilot case study to investigate the correlation between bacteria taxa and the chemical status of the river. The main physicochemical parameters, inorganic elements, organic pollutants and natural microbial community composition were assessed at four selected sites corresponding to pristine, agricultural, industrial and urban areas for three consecutive years. The overall chemical results indicated a correspondence between different groups of contaminants and the main contamination sources at the selected sampling points. Phylogenetic analysis of the microbial community analyzed by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization method (FISH) revealed differences among the four sampling sites which could reflect an adaptive bacterial response to the different anthropogenic pressures.Keywords:
Water Framework Directive
Biota
Benthos
Biota
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River ecosystem
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Nemerow index method and benthic index of biological integrity method have been used to evaluate the water quality and the health status of aquatic organisms in Taihu Lake during 2008-2012, respectively. The results showed that the water in the whole Taihu Lake was polluted, and the aquatic organisms were basically kept in sub-health state. The results of the water quality and aquatic biological assessment exhibited generally the same trend at a large scale. In the view of the whole lake, the water quality and aquatic health status in East Taihu Lake were better than those of the other parts. In the view of time, the water quality and aquatic health status during 2008-2010 were worse than those of the lake in the 1960s. The results observed from the two assessment methods were not the same during short periods of time and in some special sample points, which were attributed to the following reasons: (1) the two assessment methods focused on different time scales and (2) the aquatic biological health status was related to the water quality as well as the environmental habitat. Since organic pollutants and excessive nutrients were the main factors influencing the water quality and aquatic health status, reducing the concentrations of the organic pollutants and inorganic nutrients should be a feasible method to improve the water quality and the ecological function of Taihu Lake.
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Water Framework Directive
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Environmental Quality
Freshwater ecosystem
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Water Framework Directive
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Carbonaceous materials are often proposed for use in restoring soils or sediments contaminated with hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs). However, the contamination of most sites is a result of historical events, where HOCs have resided in the solid compartment for many years or decades. The prolonged contact time, or aging, leads to reduced contaminant availability and likely diminished effectiveness of using sorbents. In this study, three different carbonaceous sorbents, i.e., biochars, powdered activated carbon, and granular activated carbon, were amended to a Superfund site marine sediment contaminated with DDT residues from decades ago. The amended sediments were incubated in seawater for up to 1 year, and the freely dissolved concentration (Cfree) and the biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) for a native polychaete (Neanthes arenaceodentata) were measured. Even though the bulk sediment concentrations were very high (6.4-154.9 μg/g OC), both Cfree and BSAFs were very small, ranging from nd to 1.34 ng/L and from nd to 0.024, respectively. The addition of carbonaceous sorbents, even at 2% (w/w), did not consistently lead to reduced DDT bioaccumulation. The limited effectiveness of carbonaceous sorbents was attributed to the low DDT availability due to prolonged aging, highlighting the need for considering contaminant aging when using sorbents for remediation.
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It is still a great challenge to dynamically manage the total loads of pollutants in control units within a watershed so that the regional economic developments and the protections of water resources,aquatic environments and ecosystems can be made balance well naturally.Load duration curve(LDC) method,however,can fully consider about the seasonal variation of the runoff in each control unit.With the aid of LDC established on the basis of observed data of runoff,water quality and water quality standards,aquatic environmental problems can be evaluated and the pollutant control decisions on the non-point sources and point sources can be made.A case study Is carried out in the Xinyu reach of Yuanhe River,a branch of Ganjiang River,which is a tributary of Yangtze River.The surplus conditions and quantities of pollutants should be reduced,and discharging into each control unit is estimated reasonably based on the water quality requirements in different water function zones of the studied reach.Results indicate that LDC method can be employed to ascertain aquatic environmental problems and provide reliable basis for a decision making on the pollutant control within a watershed.
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According to the data from 1991 to 2003,the changing trend of the water quality in Poyang Lake was analyzed.It is concluded that the factors leading to the deterioration of water quality includes the pollution of non-point sources,mining wastewater containing heavy metals,the absence of environmental awareness,the lagging of environmental treatment,the loose execution of the environmental law.Measures to protect the aquatic environment quality are put forward, such as controlling the pollutants from sources,enhancing the protection and treatment of pollutants in and around the lake,rehabilitating the aquatic plants,and increasing the self-purification capability.
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