Data on metals (Zn, Al, Sr, and Co) and metalloid (As) concentration levels of ballast water in commercial ships entering Bushehr port, along the Persian Gulf

Lactational Exposure of Human Infants to Metal (loid)s: A Comparison of Industrial and Urban Inhabitants in North of the Persian Gulf

In this study, postnatal metal (loid)s (MLs) exposure was compared between the petrochemical and gas area of Asaluyeh (PGA) and urban area of Kaki (UA) in Bushehr province, Iran. Two hundred human breast milk (BM) samples from the industrial and urban areas were analyzed for MLs using Inductivity Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). Boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and nickel (Ni) were found at the highest levels in both study areas. Adjusted multiple linear regression models revealed that the mean concentration of total MLs in BM samples collected from the PGA was statistically significantly greater than that of the UA (655.85 vs. 338.17 µg/L). Also, the mean concentrations of all detected MLs in BM samples collected from the PGA were statistically significantly higher than those collected from the UA. The hazard index (HI) of combined MLs in the PGA and UA illustrated non-cancer risk for infants. Lead (Pb) and chromium (Cr) in the PGA and Cr in the UA showed the risk of cancer. So it can be concluded that nursing infants from an industrial area are most at risk for MLs exposure during entire lactation course than those from an urban area.

Heavy metals concentration in zooplankton (copepods) in the western Bay of Bengal

Along the coastline, urbanisation and industrialization pose significant challenges to marine habitats and biodiversity. Most wastewater that reaches the marine environment contains toxic metals, which, as they are non-biodegradable, accumulate in the biota and enter the marine food chain. This study presents the concentration of nine heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Cd) in zooplankton (copepods) during the Spring Intermonsoon/Pre-Monsoon (April 2019) in the western Bay of Bengal (BoB). Higher Fe concentrations were found in copepods both nearshore (42,352 µg/g) and offshore (9835 µg/g). However, the relative amounts of heavy metals in copepods from 16 locations (eight nearshore and eight offshore) varied in the order of Fe > Zn > Cu > Co > Cr > Mn > Ni > Pb > Cd. The copepods in the nearshore locations had higher concentrations of heavy metals than those offshore. Compared to earlier data on heavy metals, particularly those that are physiologically non-essential and toxic, the current study demonstrates higher amounts of these metals in copepods in the inshore BoB [Ni (avg. 58.7 ± 5.5 µg/g), Pb (avg. 25.6 ± 4.7 µg/g), and Cd (avg. 16.4 ± 0.9 µg/g)]. Considering the strong East India Coastal Currents in the western BoB, trace metal-concentrated copepods could be transported too far along the Indian coastline from the current study area.

Molecular detection of E. coli and Vibrio cholerae in ballast water of commercial ships: a primary study along the Persian Gulf

PURPOSE

Ballast water is one of the most important ways for the transfer of aquatic organisms such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Vibrio cholerae. The aim of this study was to investigate Mdh gene of E. coli and the OmpW gene of Vibrio cholerae bacteria by PCR technique in the ballast water of commercial ships entering Bushehr port along the Persian Gulf.

METHODS

In this study, 34 samples of ballast water entered Bushehr port were studied by using culture and PCR methods to determine Mdh gene of E. coli and OmpW gene of Vibrio cholerae. Genomic DNA of bacterial strains was extracted and PCR was performed by using specific primers of E. coli and Vibrio cholerae.

RESULTS

The specific Mdh gene of E. coli was detected in 4 ballast water samples and the positive samples were analyzed by antisera methods for E. coli O157:H7. Results of antisera showed that there were 3 positive samples of O157:H7 serotype. The results of the PCR technique showed that the OmpW gene of Vibrio cholerae was negative for all positive culture samples.

CONCLUSIONS

Further studies are highly recommended to monitor other aquatic organisms in ballast water to protect the marine environment.

Zinc incorporation in marine bivalve shells grown in mine-polluted seabed sediments: a case study in the Malfidano mining area (SW Sardinia, Italy)

Zinc incorporation into marine bivalve shells belonging to different genera (Donax, Glycymeris, Lentidium, and Chamelea) grown in mine-polluted seabed sediments (Zn up to 1% w/w) was investigated using x-ray diffraction (XRD), chemical analysis, soft x-ray microscopy combined with low-energy x-ray fluorescence (XRF) mapping, x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These bivalves grew their shells, producing aragonite as the main biomineral and they were able to incorporate up to 2.0-80 mg/kg of Zn, 5.4-60 mg/kg of Fe and 0.5-4.5 mg/kg of Mn. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) analysis revealed that for all the investigated genera, Zn occurred as independent Zn mineral phases, i.e., it was not incorporated or adsorbed into the aragonitic lattice. Overall, our results indicated that Zn coordination environment depends on the amount of incorporated Zn. Zn phosphate was the most abundant species in Donax and Lentidium genera, whereas, Chamelea shells, characterized by the highest Zn concentrations, showed the prevalence of Zn-cysteine species (up to 56% of total speciation). Other Zn coordination species found in the investigated samples were Zn hydrate carbonate (hydrozincite) and Zn phosphate. On the basis of the coordination environments, it was deduced that bivalves have developed different biogeochemical mechanisms to regulate Zn content and its chemical speciation and that cysteine plays an important role as an active part of detoxification mechanism. This work represents a step forward for understanding bivalve biomineralization and its significance for environmental monitoring and paleoreconstruction.