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Buried metal objects in seawater may undergo corrosion because of the corrosive ions such as chloride ions present in seawater. However, a paint coating may control the corrosion of the metal objects such as robots. Corrosion resistance of mild steel in 3.5 % sodium chloride solution before and after coating with Asian guard red paint has been evaluated by polarization study and AC impedance spectra. In presence of Asian guard red paint, the linear polarization resistance increases, corrosion current decreases, charge transfer resistance increases, double layer capacitance decreases and impedance value increases. That is corrosion resistance of mild steel objects in 3.5 % sodium chloride solution increases after coating with Asian guard red paint.

Peer reviewed: True, The standard approach to exploring prebiotic chemistry is to use a small number of highly purified reactants and to attempt to optimize the conditions required to produce a particular end product. However, purified reactants do not exist in nature. We have previously proposed that what drives prebiotic evolution are complex chemical ecologies. Therefore, we have begun to explore what happens if one substitutes "sea water", with its complex mix of minerals and salts, for distilled water in the classic Miller experiment. We have also adapted the apparatus to permit it to be regassed at regular intervals so as to maintain a relatively constant supply of methane, hydrogen, and ammonia. The "sea water" used in the experiments was created from Mediterranean Sea salt with the addition of calcium phosphate and magnesium sulfate. Tests included several types of mass spectrometry, an ATP-monitoring device capable of measuring femtomoles of ATP, and a high-sensitivity cAMP enzyme-linked immunoadsorption assay. As expected, amino acids appeared within a few days of the start of the experiment and accumulated thereafter. Sugars, including glucose and ribose, followed as did long-chain fatty acids (up to C20). At three-to-five weeks after starting the experiment, ATP was repeatedly detected. Thus, we have shown that it is possible to produce a "one-pot synthesis" of most of the key chemical prerequisites for living systems within weeks by mimicking more closely the complexity of real-world chemical ecologies.

The photo-oxidation of polypropylene at two different temperatures and in three different environments—air, distilled water and sea water—has been followed as a function of the irradiation time. The photo-oxidation kinetic is dramatically dependent on the amount of oxygen available for the oxidation reactions and on the temperature. While the photo-oxidation is very fast in air, the degradation is much slower in the two aqueous media. The degradation in sea water is slightly slower than in distilled water. In all cases, the degradation kinetic increases remarkably with the temperature. This behavior has been attributed to the lower oxygen availability for the oxidation reactions of the polymers. The light difference of the degradation kinetic between the two aqueous media depends on the small difference of the oxygen concentration at the test temperatures of 40 and 70 °C. At the latter temperature, the difference between the degradation kinetic in distilled water and sea water is still less important because increasing the temperature decreases the solubility of the oxygen, and it tends to became very similar in both samples of water.

Microplastics ( This study investigates water samples collected in the inner part of Isfjorden and Adventfjorden, located in western Svalbard, which is influenced by inflowing water masses from the Fram Strait in addition to local runoff from rivers and surrounding glaciers. The world's northernmost settlement, Longyearbyen, is also located here and has a non-treated wastewater outflow to Adventfjorden. The samples were collected on both sides of the opening of Adventfjorden. Two in the inflowing current and two in the outflowing current of the fjord. Replicate water samples were collected with a CTD cast equipped with Niskin bottles in June 2021. An already established oleo-extraction was applied to extract anthropogenic particles (¿50 µm) from the samples. The subsequent quantitative and qualitative analysis was conducted via Micro-FTIR. Results from the examination of the microplastics will be presented together with previous modelling experiments of fibre transport pathways from the wastewater outlet from Longyearbyen. Also see: https://micro2022.sciencesconf.org/427046/document, In MICRO 2022, Online Atlas Edition: Plastic Pollution from MACRO to nano

Both marine and nonmarine oil spills may have a significant negative impact on the environment. Polyetheleneglycol (PEG) has been used to coat magnetic nanoparticles Fe2O3 and AL2O3 to create nano solutions. FTIR and SEM methods were used to analyze the physicochemical characteristics of nano solutions as they had been created. The removal of crude oil from water using polyetheleneglycol (PEG)-coated magnetite nanoparticles was explored in this work in a variety of environmental relevant settings using a low-cost, simple hydrothermal approach. Using the ideal conditions, an oil removal experiment revealed complete oil removal from sea water (NP concentration: 1.6, 1.6, 1.2 wt percent, time removed: 1,2,3,4,5,6, and 24 hours). Lower chain alkanes (C9-C21) and more than 67 percent of C22-C25 were completely removed after 6 hours of separation, according to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry results. More than 67 percent of C22-C25 alkanes were completely removed by increasing the separation time to 24 hours. In the absence of naturally occurring organic macromolecules (NOM), oil was almost completely removed from synthetic nanosolutions and synthetic sea water using varied NP concentrations. Alkanes in the C9–C20 range were also virtually completely eliminated. As a fictitious oil spill, crude oil was used to evaluate the activity of the nanosolution as it had been created. The findings demonstrate that the CMC-coated Ag nanoparticle displays the maximum crude oil removal percentage after removal time (6 hours). The optimal circumstances were 1.2 wt percent, as determined by an experimental design. The capacity of chosen pure Fe2O3, AL2O3, and Ag nanoparticle-coated polymers like PEG to minimize the genotoxicity caused by seawater crude oil was examined in vivo for the first time in the current preliminary investigation to see if they had any genotoxic effects. The results demonstrate that, under suitable environmental conditions, these nanoparticles may be used to remove oil quickly and effectively., ISSN 1000-4890 CN 21-1148 E-mail: cjournal516@gmail.com

Local treatment of 30 preschool children suffe­ring from acute respiratory diseases, acute catarrhal tonsillopha­ryngitis was conducted using the drug Horlospas for Children, which is a metered dose spray containing sea salt, colloidal silver, chlorhexidine bigluconate, marigold and sage extracts, eucalyptus and mint essential oils. A notable acceleration of inflammation regression and a significant decrease in the number of complications after acute respiratory disease were registered. The use of combined drug Horlospas for Children has reduced the number of catarrhal tonsillopharyngitis episodes in the winter, even in sickly children of preschool age., Местное лечение 30 детей дошкольного возраста с ОРЗ, острым катаральным тонзиллофарингитом было проведено препаратом Горлоспас для детей, представляющим собой дозированный спрей, содержащий морскую соль, коллоидное серебро, хлоргексидина биглюконат, экстракты календулы и шалфея, эфирные масла эвкалипта и мяты. Зарегистрировано заметное ускорение регресса воспалительного процесса и достоверное уменьшение количества осложнений после перенесенного острого респираторного заболевания. Применение комплексного препарата Горлоспас для детей позволило сократить количество эпизодов катарального тонзиллофарингита в зимнее время даже у часто болеющих детей дошкольного возраста., Місцеве лікування 30 дітей дошкільного віку з ГРЗ, гострим катаральним тонзилофарингітом було проведено препаратом Горлоспас для дітей, що є дозованим спреєм, який містить морську сіль, колоїдне срібло, хлоргексидину біглюконат, екстракти календули і шавлії, ефірні масла евкаліпта та м’яти. Зареєстровано помітне прискорення регресу запального процесу і вірогідне зменшення кількості ускладнень після перенесеного гострого респіраторного захворювання. Застосування препарату Горлоспас для дітей дозволило скоротити кількість епізодів катарального тонзилофарингіту в зимовий час навіть у дітей дошкільного віку, які часто хворіють.

Articulo Científico, Metal and metallothionein (MT) in mixed zooplankton were investigated as means of monitoring metal availability regarding environmental exposure. Spatial and temporal variability of Cd, Cu, Ni, Zn, Fe, Mn and Pb in zooplankton and seawater were studied in Saronikos Gulf (Aegean Sea, Eastern Mediterranean), once every second month during an annual cycle (2011–2012). Particulate organic carbon and chlorophyll α were also measured in seawater samples. Median zooplankton metal concentrations were 0.65, 32.4, 7.1, 864, 1420, 40.2 and 26.8 μg g-1 dw for Cd, Cu, Ni, Zn, Fe, Mn and Pb, respectively, and 109 μg g-1 ww for MTs. Metal levels in zooplankton and MTs were higher at sites influenced by human-derived pressures. Additionally, metal concentrations in pelagic fish flesh from the Greek MED-POL data base were used for bioconcentration and biomagnification factors calculation. Bioconcentration from water to zooplankton was higher than metal transfer from either seston to zooplankton or zooplankton to fish., SI

Sea water and sea salt obtained from it are widely used as substances in the production of medicinal products. Complex chemical composition of sea water which contains various salts, calls for the development of a common quality standard for sea water-based medicines. The aim of the study was to analyse and summarise available data on the sources of sea water-based medicines, and on the current test methods, as well as to develop a unified approach to quality control. The paper summarises information on the use of sea water for medical purposes. It presents comparative data on the chemical composition of sea water obtained from different sources, manufacturing technologies of sea water-based medicines, and composition of medicines produced from sea water or sea salt. The paper summarises data on the use of sea water for the production of various dosage forms: drops, sprays, aerosols. The study revealed qualitative and quantitative differences in the content of major cations and anions in drug products. The authors analysed the use of various chemical and physico-chemical test methods for qualitative and quantitative characterisation of medicines. It was concluded that there is a need to harmonise quality control methods for sea water-based medicines.

Polymers are known to be sensitive to aging; their lifetime can be predicted through experimental tests. This paper displays an experimental study on the long-term performance of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) exposed to solar (UV) radiations and artificial (UV) lamp radiations, drinking water and sea water. The performance of this polymer was analyzed in terms of strain variation; strain at break in tension, and Young's modulus. The results obtained showed that the amount of absorbed water is independent of the nature of the solvent, and only the absorption kinetics may be regulated by the species contained in the medium. This seems to indicate that plastification of polymers is a reversible phenomenon. In addition, it was found that the tensile strength and elastic modulus drop with increasing immersion time. Compared with seawater, the absorption of drinking tap water, after 36 months, leads to a non-linear behavior of the polymethyl methacrylate. Exposition of PMMA to artificial (UV) lamp radiations and solar (UV) radiations, for the same duration of exposure, resulted in greater performance degradation when the polymer was exposed to artificial (UV) lamp radiations. In addition, the results obtained after a 19 month exposure period that the artificial (UV) lamp radiations changes the behavior of this material from viscoelastic to viscoplastic

Petroleum crude oil is transported on a global scale through marine vessels and barges by the sea route. Oil spills into the marine environment are known to cause long term effects on the health of marine life and human beings in addition to harming the eco-system. In this study, petroleum refinery effluent samples were collected and analyzed for their physico-chemical properties. Thirty two bacterial strains were isolated by direct isolation and post enrichment in crude oil. Among these, fourteen isolates could utilize petroleum hydrocarbons as sole carbon source on Bushnell Hass Agar plates supplemented with crude oil within 2 days. Out of these fourteen strains, four could decolorize 2,6-dichlorophenol indophenol within 36 h completely. They were identified as Bacillus cereus WD22, Pseudomonas aeruginosa WD23 and WDE11 (2 strains) and Acinetobacter baumannii OCB1 by 16sRNA sequencing. All four strains could tolerate salinity up to 4.0%w/v. The reduction in total petroleum hydrocarbons in sea water spiked with crude oil (1.0%v/v) supplemented with trace amounts of glucose and yeast extract was studied by gravimetric analysis. P. aeruginosaWD23 degraded 27.25% of supplied petroleum crude oil under limited nutrient conditions in seawater in 15 days.

Objectives. The development of a decompression semiconductor thermoelectric desalinator with ultraviolet radiation.Methods. The design of a decompression semiconductor thermoelectric desalinator with ultraviolet radiation makes it possible to decrease the boiling points of seawater and the obtained fresh water and brine by changing the pressure in the desalinatior thus increasing the device’s energy efficiency.Results. The use of the designed decompression semiconductor thermoelectric desalinator with ultraviolet radiation practically reduces the boiling point of seawater, completely eliminating Joule's parasitic heat release. The Peltier thermoelectric effect of heating and cooling is completely preserved, bringing the desalinator efficiency coefficient up to almost 100% and improving its energy-saving characteristics as a whole.Conclusion. A decompression semiconductor thermoelectric desalinator with ultraviolet radiation can be used to produce fresh water and concentrated solutions from any aqueous solutions, as well as to treat wastewater from industrial enterprises with simultaneous bacterial and virus disinfection. The construction materials of the desalination device are environmentally friendly.

This study aims to estimate the degradation process of polylactide (PLA) in natural aqueous environments. The biological degradation of PLA took place in the Baltic Sea and in the natural pond over a period of 1 to 16 months. The characteristic abiotic parameters of both environments were monitored during incubation time, and their influence on the PLA degradation was discussed. The changes in weight, chemical structure, mechanical properties and surface morphology of investigated samples were also tested during incubation. The obtained results indicate that polylactide is not very susceptible to an enzymatic attack of microorganisms present in natural aqueous environments.

Assessing the presence of viruses in large-volume samples involves cumbersome methods that require specialized training and laboratory equipment. In this study, a large volume concentration (LVC) method, based on dead-end ultrafiltration (DEUF) and Wet Foam Elution™ technology, was evaluated in different type of waters and different microorganisms. Its recovery efficiency was evaluated through different techniques (infectivity assays and molecular detection) by spiking different viral surrogates (bacteriophages PhiX174 and MS2 and Coxsackie virus B5 (CVB5) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Furthermore, the application of a secondary concentration step was evaluated and compared with skimmed milk flocculation. Viruses present in river water, seawater and groundwater samples were concentrated by applying LVC method and a centrifugal ultrafiltration device (CeUF), as a secondary concentration step and quantified with specific qPCR Human adenoviruses (HAdV) and noroviruses (NoVs). MS2 was used as process control, obtaining a mean viral recovery of 22.0 ± 12.47%. The presence of other viruses was also characterized by applying two different next-generation sequencing approaches. LVC coupled to a secondary concentration step based on CeUF allowed to detect naturally occurring viruses such as HAdV and NoVs in different water matrices. Using HAdV as a human fecal indicator, the highest viral pollution was found in river water samples (100% of positive samples), followed by seawater (83.33%) and groundwater samples (66.67%). The LVC method has also proven to be useful as a virus concentration method in the filed since HAdV and NoVs were detected in the river water and groundwater samples concentrated in the field. All in all, LVC method presents high concentration factor and a low limit of detection and provides viral concentrates useful for subsequent molecular analysis such as PCR and massive sequencing., This study was partly supported by grant PCI2019-103643, RTI2018-097346-B-I00 and AGL2017-86797-C2-1-R AGL funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER “A way of making Europe”, by the European Union. Sílvia Bofill-Mas is a Serra-Hunter Fellow at the University of Barcelona. Eva Forés is an APIF fellow at the University of Barcelona. Marta Itarte is a fellow of the Catalan Government “AGAUR” (FI) at the University of Barcelona. We thank Rosina Girones for her scientific assessment and Mauricio Córdova for his collaboration in the application of the method in situ.

Hydraulic fracturing of unconventional reservoirs has seen a boom in the last century, as a means to fulfill the growing energy demand in the world. The fracturing fluid used in the process plays a substantial role in determining the results. Hence, several research and development efforts have been geared towards developing more sustainable, efficient, and improved fracturing fluids. Herein, we present a dynamic binary complex (DBC) solution, with potential to be useful in the hydraulic fracturing domain. It has a supramolecular structure formed by the self-assembly of low molecular weight viscosifiers (LMWVs) oleic acid and diethylenetriamine into an elongated entangled network under alkaline conditions. With less than 2 wt% constituents dispersed in aqueous solution, a viscous gel that exhibits high viscosities even under shear was formed. Key features include responsiveness to pH and salinity, and a zero-shear viscosity that could be tuned by a factor of ~280 by changing the pH. Furthermore, its viscous properties were more pronounced in the presence of salt. Sand settling tests revealed its potential to hold up sand particles for extended periods of time. In conclusion, this DBC solution system has potential to be utilized as a smart salt-responsive, pH-switchable hydraulic fracturing fluid.

Bu çalışmada, deniz suyunda bekletilen farklıistifleme dizilimine sahip doğal lif takviyeli cam elyaf kompozit numunelerinkritik burkulma yükleri deneysel olarak incelenmiştir. Deneyleringerçekleştirilebilmesi için fiber olarak jüt ve cam kumaşlar, matris olarak daepoksi reçine kullanarak farklı konfigürasyonlarda kompozit malzemelerüretilmiştir. Takviye ve matris arası yapışma miktarının artırılması için jütkumaşlara alkali işlem uygulanmıştır. Kompozit numuneler deniz suyunda ve odakoşullarında 2 ay (60 gün) boyunca bekletildikten sonra burkulma deneyine tabitutulmuşlardır. Deneyler sonucunda elde edilen veriler doğrultusunda, doğal liftakviyeli kompozit numunelerin kritik burkulma yükleri belirlenmiştir. Yapılandeneysel çalışma sonucunda, deniz suyunun doğal kompozitlerin burkulmadayanımını olumsuz yönde etkilediği görülmüştür. Simetrik ve antisimetrik dizilimlikompozitler karşılaştırıldığında, Akdeniz suyunda bekletilen antisimetrik (02c/902j)asdizilimli numunelerde meydana gelen kritik burkulma yükünün, (02c/902j)ssimetrikdizilime sahip numunelere göre daha düşük olduğu gözlenmiştir., In this study, the critical buckling loads ofnatural fiber reinforced glass fiber composite specimens with differentstacking sequences kept in seawater were experimentally investigated. Jute andglass fabrics as fiber and epoxy resin as matrix were used to produce thecomposites in different configurations. Alkali treatment was applied to jutefabrics in order to increase the amount of adhesion between the reinforcementand the matrix. Composite specimens were subjected to buckling test kept inseawater and room conditions for two months (60 days). Critical buckling loadsof natural fiber reinforced composite specimens were determined in thedirection of the data obtained as a result of the tests. As a result of theexperimental study, it was seen that sea water influenced the buckling strengthof natural composites in the negative direction. When the symmetric andantisymmetric composites were compared, it was observed that the criticalbuckling stress in the specimens with antisymmetric (02g/902j)us kept inMediterraneanseawater was lower than those with symmetric sequence(02g/902j)s.

Background: The enormous properties of metal oxide nanoparticles make it possible to use these nanoparticles in a wide range of products. As their usage and application continue to expand, environmental health concerns have been raised. In order to understand the behavior and effect of metal oxide nanoparticles in the environment, comprehensive and comparable physicochemical and toxicological data on the environmental matrix are required. However, the behavior and effect of nanoparticles in the real environmental matrix, e.g. sea water, are still unknown. Methods: In this study, the effects of zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles on the bacteria (gram positive-Bacillus subtilis,Staphylococcus aureus/gram-negative Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) in sea water were investigated. Furthermore, to better understand the behavior of the toxicity, surface chemistry, sedimentation, dissolution, particle size, and zeta potential of the nanoparticles dispersed in the sea water matrices were investigated using Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), ultraviolet–visible (UV-VIS) spectrophotometry, graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer (GFAAS), and dynamic light scattering (DLS), respectively.Results: The environmental matrix had a significant influence on physicochemical behavior of the tested nanoparticles. Besides, the inhibition of tested bacteria was observed against ZnO and TiO2nanoparticles in the presence of sea water, while there was no inhibition in the controlled condition. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that surface chemistry with exposure to the sea water can have a significant role on the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles and their toxicity.

Orientador: Osvair Vidal Trevisan Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica e Instituto de Geociências Resumo: Em caracterização de reservatórios, é importante estudar e entender propriedades chaves na produção de petróleo. Em reservatórios carbonáticos, uma destas propriedades é a molhabilidade. Diretamente relacionada à interação rocha/fluido no reservatório, pode variar entre molhabilidade intermediária e a preferencial ao óleo. O objetivo principal deste trabalho foi o de estudar o mecanismo de alteração da molhabilidade em rochas de coquinas e dolomita de afloramentos. Foram realizados experimentos usando água com concentração de 35kppm e 200kppm de cloreto de sódio, água do mar modificada na composição iônica e água enriquecida com CO2. Inicialmente foram caracterizadas as rochas na sua estrutura e composição mineral seguido de um teste de forças capilares e molhabilidade inicial. Em seguida, foi investigada a adsorção/dissolução de ións de sulfato. Com o propósito de obter rochas com molhabilidade ao óleo, foi realizado um estudo de envelhecimento baseado no tempo de contato utilizando óleo morto e uma mistura constituída por óleo mineral e ácido naftênico (2%) sobre uma condição de saturação de 100%. A partir destes resultados foram preparadas rochas com saturação de água irredutível para medir a molhabilidade através de embebição espontânea e do índice de Amott_Harvey. As águas utilizadas foram salmouras em diferentes concentrações salinas, salmoura carbonatadas e água do mar modificada. Para encerrar o estudo, foram realizadas trocas de concentração salina e iônica, para observar os efeitos na recuperação e associá-los com a alteração da molhabilidade. Os resultados obtidos no estudo do envelhecimento, as coquinas não apresentaram variações na recuperação durante os tempos utilizados. Já para as rochas de dolomita, conforme se aumentou o tempo de envelhecimento, a recuperação diminuiu consideravelmente, fenômeno diretamente associado à adsorção de componentes polares durante o envelhecimento. Além disso, as rochas de dolomita responderam positivamente às trocas de concentração salina. No caso do uso de água do mar modificada, os resultados mostram que para as rochas de dolomita apresentaram-se dois cenários no fenômeno de alteração da molhabilidade; o primeiro relacionado com a presença de sulfato na água do mar e/ou a remoção do cloreto de sódio, e o segundo com a injeção de água de baixa salinidade. Para as rochas de coquina o fator relevante para obter volumes adicionais por efeitos da alteração da molhabilidade foi o acréscimo de concentração de sulfato, com a remoção do cloreto de sódio da água utilizada ou o uso de água do mar com altas concentrações de sulfato. Finalmente o estudo do efeito do CO2 na alteração da molhabilidade mostrou que, tanto pela embebição espontânea quanto pelo índice Amott_Harvey, a molhabilidade não é alterada significativamente com o uso de água carbonatada Abstract: In reservoir characterization, it is important to study and understand properties that are key in oil production. One of these properties in carbonate reservoirs is rock wettability. Directly related to the reservoir rock/fluid interaction, rock wettability can vary from intermediate to preferably oil-wetting. The main objective of this work was to study the mechanism of wettability alteration in limestone and dolomite outcrop rocks. Experiments were carried out using sodium chloride brines at 35kppm and 200kppm, seawater brines modified in its ionic composition and sodium chloride brines at 35kppm and 200kppm enriched with CO2. Initially, the rocks samples were characterized in their mineralogy and structure and initial wetting and capillary forces. In the sequence tests were performed with the samples to investigate adsorption/dissolution of sulfate ions. In order to attain oil-wetting conditions, an aging study using dead oil or a mixture composed by synthetic mineral oil and naphthenic acid (2%) was undertaken, focusing contact time. After these results, rocks were prepared at irreducible water saturation for measuring the wettability by spontaneous imbibition and Amott_Harvey wettability index. Injection water was: brines of different salinities, modified seawater and brines enriched with CO2. To close the study, salinity and ionic concentration were switched, in order to check for additional recoveries and associate them with wettability alteration. The results obtained from the aging, study show that limestone had no variations in oil recovery for the aging time evaluated. In the case of dolomites, there was increase on oil recovery as the aging time increased. The occurrence is attributed to the adsorption of polar components during the aging. In addition, additional recoveries were obtained for dolomites with the switch of brine concentration. For the modified seawater, the results showed that wettability alteration in dolomite presented two scenarios; the first is related to the presence of sulphate ions in seawater or with the removal of sodium chloride, and the second one, the injection of low salinity water. For the limestone, the relevant factor for wettability alteration was the increase of sulfate ions associated with removal of sodium chloride from seawater or the use of seawater spiked with high concentrations of sulfate. Finally, there was no significant change on rock wettability when carbonated water was used. Both spontaneous imbibition and Amott_Harvey indices show no relevant effect of CO2 regarding wettability alteration Doutorado Reservatórios e Gestão Doutor em Ciências e Engenharia de Petróleo

Iodine is a trace chemical element fundamental for a healthy human organism. Iodine deficiency affects about 2 billion people worldwide causing from mild to severe neurological impairment, especially in children. Nevertheless, an adequate nutritional intake is considered the best approach to prevent such disorders. Iodine is present in seawater and seafood, and its common forms in the diet are iodide and iodate; most iodide in seawater is caused by the biological reduction of the thermodynamically stable iodate species. On this basis, a multisensor instrument which is able to perform a multidimensional assessment, evaluating iodide content in seawater and seafood (via an electrochemical sensor) and discriminating when the seafood is fresh or defrosted quality (via a Quartz Micro balance (QMB)-based volatile and gas sensor), is strategic for seafood quality assurance. Moreover, an electronic interface has been opportunely designed and simulated for a low-power portable release of the device, which should be able to identify seafood over or under an iodide threshold previously selected. The electrochemical sensor has been successfully calibrated in the range 10–640 μg/L, obtaining a root mean square error in cross validation (RMSECV) of only 1.6 μg/L. Fresh and defrosted samples of cod, sea bream and blue whiting fish have been correctly discriminated. This proof-of-concept work has demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed application which must be replicated in a real scenario.

Bacterial pneumonia caused by the inhalation of aerosols contaminated with Legionella spp. is also known as Legionnaires' disease. In this study, we report a case of pneumonia caused by Legionella pneumophila sg.1 in a 58-year-old man who visited a sea water-filled whirlpool within a hotel and spa complex. The patient's Legionella urine antigen test was positive for L. pneumophila sg.1. During the field study, samples were taken from both the outdoor and indoor sea water-filled pools. Samples from the whirlpool were culture positive for L. pneumophila sg.1. Typing results indicated sea water isolate belonged to Sequence type ST82 and Allentown/France MAb subgroup. In vitro experiments showed that L. pneumophila strains are able to survive within sea water up to 7 days, and survival time is prolonged with sea water dilution. Also, our results indicate that L. pneumophila Allentown strain was the most resistant to adverse conditions in sea water with the highest values of DT50 (420 min) and DT90 (1,396 min). The possible source of infection was adding potable water for filling up the whirlpool. The survival of the L. pneumophila in additionally conditioned sea water should be considered in a further study. HIGHLIGHTS Sea water in spa resorts may act as an environmental reservoir for Legionella spp.; Sea and brackish water are suitable media for the survival of the Legionella pneumophila.; In vitro experiments show that most Legionella spp. can survive in sea water up to 7 days.; L. pneumophila Allentown strain shows better survival ability in seawater compared to other strains.; The possible source of infection was filling up the whirlpool with potable water.

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are a family of viruses that are best known as the causative agents of human diseases like the common cold, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and COVID-19. CoVs spread by human-to-human transmission via droplets or direct contact. There is, however, concern about potential waterborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, as it has been found in wastewater facilities and rivers. To date, little is known about the stability of SARS-CoV-2 or any other free coronavirus in aquatic environments. The inactivation of terrestrial CoVs in seawater is rarely studied. Here, we use a porcine respiratory coronavirus (PRCV) that is commonly found in animal husbandry as a surrogate to study the stability of CoVs in natural water. A series of experiments were conducted in which PRCV (strain 91V44) was added to filtered and unfiltered fresh- and saltwater taken from the river Scheldt and the North Sea. Virus titres were then measured by TCID50-assays using swine testicle cell cultures after various incubation times. The results show that viral inactivation of PRCV in filtered seawater can be rapid, with an observed 99% decline in the viral load after just two days, which may depend on temperature and the total suspended matter concentration. PRCV degraded much slower in filtered water from the river Scheldt, taking over 15 days to decline by 99%, which was somewhat faster than the PBS control treatment (T99 = 19.2 days). Overall, the results suggest that terrestrial CoVs are not likely to accumulate in marine environments. Studies into potential interactions with exudates (proteases, nucleases) from the microbial food web are, however, recommended.

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552 Altres ajuts: NERC/NE/N011708/1 The sinking properties of three strains of Emiliania huxleyi in response to temperature changes were examined. We used a recently proposed approach to calculate sinking velocities from coccosphere architecture, which has the advantage to be applicable not only to culture samples, but also to field samples including fossil material. Our data show that temperature in the sub-optimal range impacts sinking velocity of E. huxleyi. This response is widespread among strains isolated in different locations and moreover comparatively predictable, as indicated by the similar slopes of the linear regressions. Sinking velocity was positively correlated to temperature as well as individual cell PIC/POC over the sub-optimum to optimum temperature range in all strains. In the context of climate change our data point to an important influence of global warming on sinking velocities. It has recently been shown that seawater acidification has no effect on sinking velocity of a Mediterranean E. huxleyi strain, while nutrient limitation seems to have a small negative effect on sinking velocity. Given that warming, acidification, and lowered nutrient availability will occur simultaneously under climate change scenarios, the question is what the net effect of different influential factors will be. For example, will the effects of warming and nutrient limitation cancel? This question cannot be answered conclusively but analyses of field samples in addition to laboratory culture studies will improve predictions because in field samples multi-factor influences and even evolutionary changes are not excluded. As mentioned above, the approach of determining sinking rate followed here is applicable to field samples. Future studies could use it to analyse not only seasonal and geographic patterns but also changes in sinking velocity over geological time scales.

18 pages, 8 figures, 1 table, supporting information https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0249756, Pelagia noctiluca is the most common jellyfish in the Western Mediterranean Sea, living in oceanic waters with a holoplanktonic lifecycle. Frequent outbreaks have been well documented in coastal areas, yet little is known about their offshore distribution. In this study we address the relationship between oceanographic structures and the distribution of P. noctiluca ephyrae along the central continental slope of the Western Mediterranean, covering a wide latitudinal gradient, during July-August 2016. The region is characterized by a rich and complex mesoscale surface circulation driven by the inflow of Atlantic Water into the Western Mediterranean through the Strait of Gibraltar. The results revealed a high variability in the ephyrae spatial paterns related with different water masses and the resulting mesoscale hydrographic features. Their horizontal distribution showed a clear latitudinal gradient with high abundances in the south, associated with recent Atlantic Water, and low abundances or absence in the north, in coincidence with the old Atlantic Water transported by the Northern Current. Ephyrae showed diel vertical migrations of short-extent in the first 50 m, with a wide distribution above the thermocline and the Deep Chlorophyll Maximum during daytime, being more concentrated towards the surface at night. The results suggest the population connectivity of P. noctiluca between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. In that case, the abundance variability of the species in the Mediterranean could be modulated by its entrance associated with the inflow of Atlantic Water through the Strait of Gibraltar, This research was possible thanks to the projects CONECTA (CTM2014-54648-C2-1-R) and WINFISH (CTM2015-68543-R) lead from the ICM-CSIC in Barcelona. [...] This work acknowledges the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S)

Ocean acidification and warming are challenging marine organisms and ecosystems around the world. The synergetic effects of these two climate change stressors on jellyfish remain still understudied. Here, we examine the independent and combined effects of these two environmental variables on polyp population dynamics of the Mediterranean jellyfish Cotylorhiza tuberculata. An experiment was conducted to examine asexual reproduction by budding and strobilation considering current and ca. 2100 winter (Trial 1, 36 days) and summer (Trial 2, 36 days) conditions under the RCP8.5 (IPCC 2013). In Trial 1, a temperature of 18°C and two pH levels (current: 7.9 and, reduced: 7.7) were tested. Trial 2 considered two temperature levels 24°C and 30°C, under current and reduced acidification conditions (8.0 and 7.7, respectively). Ephyrae size and statolith formation of released ephyrae from polyps exposed to summer temperatures under both acidification treatment was also analyzed. Zooxanthellae density inside the polyps throughout the experiment was measured. C. tuberculata polyps could cope with the conditions mimicked in all experimental treatments and no significant effect of pH, temperature, or the combination of both variables on the abundance of polyps was observed. At 18°C, strobilation was reduced under high PCO2 conditions. Under summer treatments (24°C and 30°C), percentage strobilation was very low and several released ephyrae suffered malformations and reduced size, as a consequence of reduced pH and elevated temperatures, separately. The number of statoliths was not affected by pH or temperature, however, bigger statoliths were formed at elevated temperatures (30°C). Finally, zooxanthellae density was not affected by experimental conditions, even if, the duration of the experiment significantly affected symbiont concentration. Our results show that even though polyps of C. tuberculata would thrive the future worst scenario predicted for the Mediterranean Sea, their capacity to undergo a proper strobilation and to produce healthy ephyrae will be more vulnerable to climate induced environmental conditions, thereby affecting medusae recruitment and, therefore, population dynamics of the species., This work was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (https://www.ciencia.gob.es) under grant number CTM2016-75487-R for the project MED2CA. AEN was financially sustained by a Ph.D. fellowship from the MED2CA project (https://med2ca.csic.es). This work is a contribution to the CSIC interdisciplinary thematic platform, WATER:iOS and the Project Agreement "Sistema de Observación y Predicción de Medusas en el Mar Balear” among Govern des Illes Balears, SOCIB and CSIC.

A study of the method of minimizing energy costs in the technology of sea water demineralization by reverse osmosis has been carried out. It is proposed to use the preliminary treatment of water by the method of electroactivation, as a complex effective process of demineralization with associated purification from organic substances and prevention of deposits on membranes. The dependences of the parameters of electrochemical action on the composition of seawater have been determined, graphical dependences of the degree of water purification on various parameters (current strength, voltage, distance between electrodes, time of electroactivation, volume of sampling of acidic water in the process of unipolar electroactivation) have been obtained. The analytical control of the process was carried out and the technology of demineralization was proposed as a method of using the electrochemical activation process in the preparation of seawater for the stage of membrane purification.

In this work a suspect-screening approach was employed to assess the polymers and plastic additives of micro(nano)plastics (NPL/MPLs) of size ranges from the nm range to 20 μm present in seawater from the top 5 cm of the Mar Menor lagoon during two sampling campaigns (summer and winter), as well of other potentially adsorbed compounds onto the plastic particles surfaces and suspended material. The identification of NPL/MPLs has been based on characteristic Kendrick Mass Defect analysis for each polymer type in mass spectra. The applied methodology allowed to identify NPLs/MPLs of polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), polyisoprene (PI), polybutadiene (PBD), polypropylene (PP), polyamides (PA), polyvinylchloride (PVC), n-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAm), and polydimethylsiloxanes. In addition, PS, PE, PI, PBD, PP, PA, and PVC were confirmed with standards, and the equivalent concentrations were quantified. The results of this study showed that most frequently found compounds were PP, PE, PA and PNIPAm, while the compound found at higher concentrations was by far PP reaching the 9,303 ± 366 ng/mL in one of the samples. A total number of 135 chemical compounds were tentatively identified, 74 of them plastic additives and compounds used in the polymers manufacture or coming from the polymer’s decomposition. In relation to plastic additives, the more frequently tentatively identified compounds were plasticizers such as phthalates group; stabilizers such as antioxidants (e.g., distearyl 3,3′-thiodipropionate, 2,5-di-tert-butylhydroquinone), and UV filters as benzotriazoles. Several flame retardants of the group of phosphates were as well detected. The other compounds tentatively identified in the samples were pharmaceuticals, pesticides, food additives, flavors and natural products that were attached onto the plastic particles and particulate matter from surrounding waters. In regards to the seasonal variation, during the summer a major number of compounds were tentatively detected, while de concentrations of polymers were slightly higher in winter. The spatial distribution showed higher contamination in the southern part of the coastal lagoon., This work was supported by the PLAS-MED project (CTM201 7-89701-C3-1-R and CTM2017-89701-C3-3-R) from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Digital Transformation and by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Biodiversity and biogeographic studies comparing the distribution patterns of benthic marine organisms across the Iberian Atlantic and Mediterranean waters are scarce. The Pycnogonida (sea spiders) are a clear example of both endemicity and diversity, and are considered a key taxon to study and monitor biogeographic and biodiversity patterns. This is the first review that compiles data about abundance and diversity of Iberian pycnogonids and examines their biogeographic patterns and bathymetric constraints using GIS tools. A total of 17,762 pycnogonid records from 343 localities were analyzed and were found to contain 65 species, 21 genera and 12 families. Achelia echinata and Ammothella longipes (family Acheliidae) were the most abundant comprising ~80% of the total records. The Acheliidae is also the most speciose in Iberian waters with 15 species. In contrast, the family Nymphonidae has 7 species but is significantly less abundant (

Concrete production is globally a major water consumer, and in general, drinking-quality water is mixed in the binder. In the present study, simulated sea water and reverse osmosis reject water were used as batching water for one-part (dry-mix) alkali-activated blast furnace slag mortar. Alkali-activated materials are low-CO2 alternative binders gaining world-wide acceptance in construction. However, their production requires approximately similar amount of water as regular Portland cement concrete. The results of the present study revealed that the use of saline water did not hinder strength development, increased setting time, and did not affect workability. The salts incorporated in the binder decreased the total porosity of mortar, but they did not form separate phases detectable with X-ray diffraction or scanning electron microscopy. Leaching tests for monolithic materials revealed only minimal leaching. Furthermore, results for crushed mortars (by a standard two-stage leaching test) were within the limits of non-hazardous waste. Thus, the results indicated that high-salinity waters can be used safely in one-part alkali-activated slag to prepare high-strength mortars. Moreover, alkali-activation technology could be used as a novel stabilization/solidification method for reverse osmosis reject waters, which frequently pose disposal problems.

Planktonic calcifiers, the foraminiferal species Neogloboquadrina pachyderma and Turborotalita quinqueloba, and the thecosome pteropod Limacina helicina from plankton tows and surface sediments from the northern Barents Sea were studied to assess how shell density varies with depth habitat and ontogenetic processes. The shells were measured using X-ray microcomputed tomography (XMCT) scanning and compared to the physical and chemical properties of the water column including the carbonate chemistry and calcium carbonate saturation of calcite and aragonite. Both living L. helicina and N. pachyderma increased in shell density from the surface to 300 m water depth. Turborotalita quinqueloba increased in shell density to 150–200 m water depth. Deeper than 150 m, T. quinqueloba experienced a loss of density due to internal dissolution, possibly related to gametogenesis. The shell density of recently settled (dead) specimens of planktonic foraminifera from surface sediment samples was compared to the living fauna and showed a large range of dissolution states. This dissolution was not apparent from shell-surface texture, especially for N. pachyderma, which tended to be both thicker and denser than T. quinqueloba. Dissolution lowered the shell density while the thickness of the shell remained intact. Limacina helicina also increase in shell size with water depth and thicken the shell apex with growth. This study demonstrates that the living fauna in this specific area from the Barents Sea did not suffer from dissolution effects. Dissolution occurred after death and after settling on the sea floor. The study also shows that biomonitoring is important for the understanding of the natural variability in shell density of calcifying zooplankton.

Petroleum is a very complex and diverse organic mixture. Its composition depends on reservoir location and in situ conditions and changes once crude oil is spilled into the environment, making the characteristics associated with every spill unique. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are common components of the crude oil and constitute a group of persistent organic pollutants. Due to their highly hydrophobic, and their low solubility tend to accumulate in soil and sediment. The process by which oil is sourced and made available for use is referred to as the oil supply chain and involves three parts: (1) upstream, (2) midstream and (3) downstream activities. As consequence from oil supply chain activities, crude oils are subjected to biodeterioration, acidification and souring, and oil spills are frequently reported affecting not only the environment, but also the economy and human resources. Different bioremediation techniques based on microbial metabolism, such as natural attenuation, bioaugmentation, biostimulation are promising approaches to minimize the environmental impact of oil spills. The rate and efficiency of this process depend on multiple factors, like pH, oxygen content, temperature, availability and concentration of the pollutants and diversity and structure of the microbial community present in the affected (contaminated) area. Emerging approaches, such as (meta-)taxonomics and (meta-)genomics bring new insights into the molecular mechanisms of PAH microbial degradation at both single species and community levels in oil reservoirs and groundwater/seawater spills. We have scrutinized the microbiological aspects of biodegradation of PAHs naturally occurring in oil upstream activities (exploration and production), and crude oil and/or by-products spills in midstream (transport and storage) and downstream (refining and distribution) activities. This work addresses PAH biodegradation in different stages of oil supply chain affecting diverse environments (groundwater, seawater, oil reservoir) focusing on genes and pathways as well as key players involved in this process. In depth understanding of the biodegradation process will provide/improve knowledge for optimizing and monitoring bioremediation in oil spills cases and/or to impair the degradation in reservoirs avoiding deterioration of crude oil quality.

This paper proposes a method for classifying the river state (a flood risk exists or not) from river surveillance camera images by combining patch-based processing and a convolutional neural network (CNN). Although CNN needs much training data, the number of river surveillance camera images is limited because flood does not frequently occur. Also, river surveillance camera images include objects that are irrelevant to the flood risk. Therefore, the direct use of CNN may not work well for the river state classification. To overcome this limitation, this paper develops patch-based processing for adjusting CNN to the river state classification. By increasing training data via the patch segmentation of an image and selecting patches that are relevant to the river state, the adjustment of general CNNs to the river state classification becomes feasible. The proposed patch-based processing and CNN are developed independently. This yields the practical merits that any CNN can be used according to each user’s purposes, and the maintenance and improvement of each component of the whole system can be easily performed. In the experiment, river state classification is defined as the following problems using two datasets, to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. First, river images from the public dataset calledPlacesare classified to images withMuddylabels and images withClearlabels. Second, images from the river surveillance camera in Nagaoka City, Japan are classified to images captured when the government announced heavy rain or flood warning and the other images.

Representatives of the marine dinophyte family Amphidomataceae produce lipophilic phycotoxins called azaspiracids (AZA) which may cause azaspiracid shellfish poisoning (AZP) in humans after consumption of contaminated seafood. Three of the four known toxigenic species are observed frequently in the eastern North Atlantic. In 2018, a research survey was performed to strengthen knowledge on the distribution and abundance of toxigenic Amphidomataceae and their respective toxins in Irish coastal waters and in the North Sea. Species-specific quantification of the three toxigenic species (Azadinium spinosum, Azadinium poporum and Amphidoma languida) was based on recently developed qPCR assays, whose performance was successfully validated and tested with specificity tests and spike experiments. The multi-method approach of on-board live microscopy, qPCR assays and chemical AZA-analysis revealed the presence of Amphidomataceae in the North Atlantic including the three targeted toxigenic species and their respective AZA analogues (AZA-1, -2, -33, -38, -39). Azadinium spinosum was detected at the majority of Irish stations with a peak density of 8.3 x 104 cells L-1 and AZA (AZA-1, -2, -33) abundances up to 1,274 pg L-1. Amphidoma languida was also present at most Irish stations but appeared in highest abundance in a bloom at a central North Sea station with a density of 1.2 x 105 cells L-1 and an AZA (AZA-38, -39) abundances of 618 pg L-1. Azadinium poporum was detected sporadically at the Irish south coast and North Sea and was rather low in abundance during this study. The results confirmed the wide distribution and frequent occurrence of the target species in the North Atlantic area and revealed, for the first time, bloom abundances of toxigenic Amphidomataceae in this area. This emphasizes the importance of future studies and monitoring of amphidomatacean species and their respective AZA analogues in the North Atlantic.

After the first outbreak of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) in Finnish brackish water rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss farms, infection spread rapidly between the farms. The infrastructure of fish farming did not take into account spreading of infectious fish diseases. To show the presence of VHSV in the environment, we tested seawater, sediment and wild blue mussels Mytilus edulis from VHSV-infected fish farms, and liquid waste from a processing plant that handled infected rainbow trout. Additionally, blue mussels were bath-challenged with VHSV (exposed to cultivated virus or naturally infected rainbow trout). To detect VHSV, virus isolation in cell culture and real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were used. The virus or viral RNA was detected in sea water and in liquid waste from processing plants during wintertime when water temperature is close to 0°C and sunlight is sparse. VHSV did not appear to replicate in blue mussels in our study. Therefore, blue mussels were not considered relevant carriers of VHSV. However, traces of viral RNA were detected up to 29 d post challenge in mussels. Contact with water from processing plants handling VHSV-infected fish populations increases the risk of the disease spreading to susceptible fish populations, especially during cold and dark times of the year.

The presence of airborne cyanobacteria and microalgae as well as their negative impacts on human health have been documented by many researchers worldwide. However, studies on cyanobacteria and microalgae are few compared with those on bacteria and viruses. Research is especially lacking on the presence and taxonomic composition of cyanobacteria and microalgae near economically important water bodies with much tourism, such as the Adriatic Sea region. Here, we present the first characterization of the airborne cyanobacteria and microalgae in this area. Sampling conducted between 11th and 15th June 2017 revealed a total of 15 taxa of airborne cyanobacteria and microalgae. Inhalation of many of the detected taxa, including Synechocystis sp., Synechococcus sp., Bracteacoccus sp., Chlorella sp., Chlorococcum sp., Stichococcus sp., and Amphora sp., poses potential threats to human health. Aside from two green algae, all identified organisms were capable of producing harmful metabolites, including toxins. Moreover, we documented the presence of the cyanobacterium Snowella sp. and the green alga Tetrastrum sp., taxa that had not been previously documented in the atmosphere by other researchers. Our study shows that the Adriatic Sea region seems to be a productive location for future research on airborne cyanobacteria and microalgae in the context of their impacts on human health, especially during the peak of tourism activity.

The rehabilitation of wildlife can contribute directly to the conservation of threatened species by helping to maintain wild populations. This study focused on determining the post-rehabilitation survival and spatial ecology of sea turtles and on comparing the movements of individuals with flipper amputations (amputees) to non-amputee animals. Our aims were to assess whether rehabilitated sea turtles survive after release, to compare and contrast the movement characteristics of the different species of sea turtles we tracked, and to examine whether amputees and non-amputees within species behaved similarly post-release. Twenty-six rehabilitated sea turtles from four species, including hawksbill Eretmochelys imbricata (n = 12), loggerhead Caretta caretta (n = 11), green Chelonia mydas (n = 2), and olive ridley Lepidochelys olivacea (n = 1) sea turtles from the United Arab Emirates were fitted with satellite tags before release. Rehabilitation times ranged from 89 to 817 days (mean 353 ± 237 days). Post-release movements and survival were monitored for 8 to 387 days (mean 155 ± 95 days) through satellite tracking. Tag data suggested that three tracked sea turtles died within four days of release, one after 27 days, and one after 192 days from what are thought to be anthropogenic factors unrelated to their pre-rehabilitation ailments. We then compared habitat use and movement characteristics among the different sea turtle species. Although half of all turtles crossed one or more international boundaries, dispersal varied among species. Loggerhead turtles had a high dispersal, with 80% crossing an international boundary, while hawksbill turtles displayed higher post-release residency, with 66% remaining within UAE territorial waters. Amputee turtles moved similarly to non-amputee animals of the same species. Loggerhead turtles travelled faster (mean ± sd = 15.3 ± 8 km/day) than hawksbill turtles (9 ± 7 km/day). Both amputee and non-amputee sea turtles within a species moved similarly. Our tracking results highlight that rehabilitated sea turtles, including amputees, can successfully survive in the wild following release for up to our ~one-year monitoring time therefore supporting the suitability for release of sea turtles that have recovered from major injuries such as amputations. However, more broadly, the high mortality from anthropogenic factors in the Arabian Gulf region is clearly a serious issue and conservation challenge.

The pollution of the natural environment, especially the world’s oceans, with conventional plastic is of major concern. Biodegradable plastics are an emerging market bringing along potential chances and risks. The fate of these materials in the environment and their possible effects on organisms and ecosystems has rarely been studied systematically and is not well understood. For the marine environment, reliable field test methods and standards for assessing and certifying biodegradation to bridge laboratory respirometric data are lacking. In this work we present newly developed field tests to assess the performance of (biodegradable) plastics under natural marine conditions. These methods were successfully applied and validated in three coastal habitats (eulittoral, benthic and pelagic) and two climate zones (Mediterranean Sea and tropical Southeast Asia). Additionally, a stand-alone mesocosm test system which integrated all three habitats in one technical system at 400-L scale independent from running seawater is presented as a methodological bridge. Films of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer (PHA) and low density polyethylene (LD-PE) were used to validate the tests. While LD-PE remained intact, PHA disintegrated to a varying degree depending on the habitat and the climate zone. Together with the existing laboratory standard test methods, the field and mesocosm test systems presented in this work provide a 3-tier testing scheme for the reliable assessment of the biodegradation of (biodegradable) plastic in the marine environment. This toolset of tests can be adapted to other aquatic ecosystems.

The dataset contains the results of microbiological testing of water and bottom sediments samples taken from the post-dredging pits - Puck Bay (Baltic Sea). The samples for testing were collected from 10th of April 2008 to 14th of April 2008. In total, there were 30 samples collected from 15 sites, including 15 water samples and 15 sediment samples. Water was sampled from the surface and directly above the layer of bottom sediment. Sediments, regardless of length of the sample core were sampled from its top, middle, and bottom layer.

The samples for testing were collected from 5th of November 2007 to 14th of December 2007. In total, there were 147 samples collected from 30 sites, including 57 water samples and 90 sediment samples. Water was sampled from the surface and directly above the layer of bottom sediment. Sediments, regardless of length of the sample core were sampled from its top, middle, and bottom layer.

Sunscreen is released into the marine environment and is considered toxic for marine life. The current analytical methods for the quantification of sunscreen are mostly specific to individual chemical ingredients and based on complex analytical and instrumental techniques. A simple, selective, rapid, reproducible and low-cost spectrophotometric procedure for the quantification of commercial sunscreen in seawater is described here. The method is based on the inherent properties of these cosmetics to absorb in the wavelength of 300–400 nm. The absorption at 303 nm wavelength correlates with the concentration of most commercial sunscreens. This method allows the determination of sunscreens in the range of 2.5–1500 mg L-1, it requires no sample pretreatment and offers a precision of up to 0.2%. The spectrophotometric method was applied to quantify sunscreen concentrations at an Atlantic Beach with values ranging from 10 to 96.7 mg L-1 in the unfiltered fraction and from the undetectable value to 75.7 mg L-1 in the dissolved fraction. This method is suggested as a tool for sunscreen quantifications in environmental investigations and monitoring programs., This work has been co-financed by the 2014-2020 ERDF Operational Programme and by the Department of Economy, Knowledge, Business and the University of the Regional Government of Andalusia. Project reference: FEDER-UCA18- 106672. A. Rodríguez-Romero is supported by the Spanish grant Juan de la Cierva Incorporación referenced as IJC2018-037545-I.

International audience; Microchemical analyses were carried out in order to estimate the Strontium:Calcium (Sr:Ca) ratio in the otolith of the white mullet, Mugil curema, in the Pernambuco (at the Santa Cruz channel, Brazil) in order to determine its connectivity between the estuary and ocean. Variation in the otolith Sr:Ca ratio was directly related to salinity, with greater salinity denoting a higher otolith Sr:Ca value. Data on the otolith Sr:Ca ratio demonstrates that the individuals analyzed are born in areas of salinity that are characteristic of the estuary, where they develop until approximately one year of age, at which point they migrate to areas of greater salinity until reaching sexual maturity (3 years of age) in the sea. Spawning occurs in the ocean, after which M. curema individuals may either remain or return to the estuary until the next spawning. Differences in estuarine salinity were found for young of-year individuals and may be related to the season when spawning took place, since M. curema females are found spawning throughout the year. The hypothesis is that higher salinity in the dry season leads to a greater otolith Sr.Ca signature among individuals spawned in this season from birth until one year of life. On the other hand, the lower salinity in the rainy season leads to a lower otolith Sr:Ca signature among individuals spawned in this season. These information are important for the adequate management of the white mullet stock in northeastern Brazil.

Issue of Corrosion of chemical ammunition dumped in Baltic Sea after WW2 is actual because of recent accidents involving contamination of fish, burns of fishermen and uncautious beach – goers by substances released from chemical ammunition show the need of taking counteractions. This poses a question, if extraction of these dangerous cartridges is possible in safe way without unsealing containers and releasing chemical measures into the environment. The aim of this paper is to examine corrosion rate of chemical munitions materials (in mm/year). This rate allows valuation of time period in which chemical containers remain sealed. In addition paper presents analysis of possibility of safe extraction of chemical ammunition without environment contamination.

Salinity normalization of total alkalinity (TA) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) data is commonly used to account for conservative mixing processes when inferring net metabolic modification of seawater by coral reefs. Salinity (S), TA, and DIC can be accurately and precisely measured, but salinity normalization of TA (nTA) and DIC (nDIC) can generate considerable and unrecognized uncertainties in coral reef metabolic rate estimates. While salinity normalization errors apply to nTA, nDIC, and other ions of interest in coral reefs, here, we focus on nTA due to its application as a proxy for net coral reef calcification and the importance for reefs to maintain calcium carbonate production under environmental change. We used global datasets of coral reef TA, S, and modeled groundwater discharge to assess the effect of different volumetric ratios of multiple freshwater TA inputs (i.e., groundwater, river, surface runoff, and precipitation) on nTA. Coral reef freshwater endmember TA ranged from -2 up to 3032 μmol/kg in hypothetical reef locations with freshwater inputs dominated by riverine, surface runoff, or precipitation mixing with groundwater. The upper bound of freshwater TA in these scenarios can result in an uncertainty in reef TA of up to 90 μmol/kg per unit S normalization if the freshwater endmember is erroneously assumed to have 0 μmol/kg alkalinity. The uncertainty associated with S normalization can, under some circumstances, even shift the interpretation of whether reefs are net calcifying to net dissolving, or vice versa. Moreover, the choice of reference salinity for normalization implicitly makes assumptions about whether biogeochemical processes occur before or after mixing between different water masses, which can add uncertainties of ±1.4% nTA per unit S normalization. Additional considerations in identifying potential freshwater sources of TA and their relative volumetric impact on seawater are required to reduce uncertainties associated with S normalization of coral reef carbonate chemistry data in some environments. However, at a minimum, researchers should minimize the range of salinities over which the normalization is applied, precisely measure salinity, and normalize TA values to a carefully selected reference salinity that takes local factors into account.

Mangrove ecosystems are some of the most productive and important sinks for sediment globally. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in possible causes of stress in mangroves, such as nutrient limitation, high salinity, solar radiation and temperature. We measured different factors casing stress and determined how they influenced oxidative stress and growth biomarkers in six study sites dominated by mangroves; Al Lith, South Jeddah, Dahban, Thuwal, Rabigh and Mastorah. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were recorded in water salinities and temperatures, nitrogen and phosphorus content in sediments, and antioxidant enzyme activities in different study sites. The highest salinity (40.75 ‰) and temperature (29.32°C) were recorded in the Rabigh mangrove stand, which corresponds to the lowest dissolved oxygen (5.21 mg/L). Total organic carbon, total nitrogen and total phosphorus in sediment across the study areas were in the order Rabigh>Thuwal>Dahban>Al Lith>South Jeddah>Mastorah. Total nitrogen in mangrove leaves at Rabigh was the highest and about 1.3 times higher than the total nitrogen in South Jeddah mangrove ecosystem, very different from the ratio of total nitrogen in the sediments at Rabigh and South Jeddah mangrove ecosystems. The average values of δ13C (-17.60‰) and δ15N (2.84‰) in the six mangrove ecosystems, and the highest δ13C (-13.62‰) and δ15N (4.39‰) at Rabigh in the sediments suggest that nutrient input differed among study sites. Higher nutrient levels at Rabigh mangrove ecosystem were attributed to restricted circulation, camel grazing and land runoff with agricultural waste during seasonal flooding events. However, N limitation and possibly salinity contributed to stress in Al Lith, South Jeddah, Dahban, Thuwal, Rabigh, and Mastorah mangrove ecosystems. Salinity (r = 0.9012) contribute more to stress at Rabigh.

Small cryptic invertebrates (the cryptofauna) are extremely abundant, ecologically important, and species rich on coral reefs. Ongoing ocean acidification is likely to have both direct effects on the biology of these organisms, as well as indirect effects through cascading impacts on their habitats and trophic relationships. Naturally acidified habitats have been important model systems for studying these complex interactions because entire communities that are adapted to these environmental conditions can be analyzed. However, few studies have examined the cryptofauna because they are difficult to census quantitatively in topographically complex habitats and are challenging to identify. We addressed these challenges by using Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) for sampling reef-dwelling invertebrates >2 mm in size and by using DNA barcoding for taxonomic identifications. The study took place in Papua New Guinea at two reef localities, each with three sites at varying distances from carbon dioxide seeps, thereby sampling across a natural gradient in acidification. We observed sharp overall declines in both the abundance (34–56%) and diversity (42–45%) of organisms in ARMS under the lowest pH conditions sampled (7.64–7.75). However, the overall abundance of gastropods increased slightly in lower pH conditions, and crustacean and gastropod families exhibited varying patterns. There was also variability in response between the two localities, despite their close proximity, as one control pH site displayed unusually low diversity and abundances for all invertebrate groups. The data illustrate the complexity of responses of the reef fauna to pH conditions, and the role of additional factors that influence the diversity and abundance of cryptic reef invertebrates.

To evaluate and improve the accuracy of the ther-modynamic equation of state for sea-water (TEOS-10), there are pressing needs for precise density measurements for stan-dard sea-water samples. In the present study, a hydrostatic weighing apparatus using a silicon single-crystal sinker was developed. The relative expanded uncertainty of the density measurement is 1.4 ppm which is the highest among the exist-ing density measurement equipment. The validity of the den-sity measurement was checked by measuring n-tridecane and pure water. Measurement results for standard sea-water sam-ples are discussed in this paper.

Unusually warm conditions recently observed in the Pacific Arctic region included a dramatic loss of sea ice cover and an enhanced inflow of warmer Pacific-derived waters. Moored sediment traps deployed at three biological hotspots of the Distributed Biological Observatory (DBO) during this anomalously warm period collected sinking particles nearly continuously from June 2017 to July 2019 in the northern Bering Sea (DBO2) and in the southern Chukchi Sea (DBO3), and from August 2018 to July 2019 in the northern Chukchi Sea (DBO4). Fluxes of living algal cells, chlorophyll a (chl a), total particulate matter (TPM), particulate organic carbon (POC), and zooplankton fecal pellets, along with zooplankton and meroplankton collected in the traps, were used to evaluate spatial and temporal variations in the development and composition of the phytoplankton and zooplankton communities in relation to sea ice cover and water temperature. The unprecedented sea ice loss of 2018 in the northern Bering Sea led to the export of a large bloom dominated by the exclusively pelagic diatoms Chaetoceros spp. at DBO2. Despite this intense bloom, early sea ice breakup resulted in shorter periods of enhanced chl a and diatom fluxes at all DBO sites, suggesting a weaker biological pump under reduced ice cover in the Pacific Arctic region, while the coincident increase or decrease in TPM and POC fluxes likely reflected variations in resuspension events. Meanwhile, the highest transport of warm Pacific waters during 2017–2018 led to a dominance of the small copepods Pseudocalanus at all sites. Whereas the export of ice-associated diatoms during 2019 suggested a return to more typical conditions in the northern Bering Sea, the impact on copepods persisted under the continuously enhanced transport of warm Pacific waters. Regardless, the biological pump remained strong on the shallow Pacific Arctic shelves.

Land reclamation projects and the installation of drainage infrastructure has impacted coastal wetlands worldwide. By altering water levels and inundation extent, these activities have changed the viable ecosystems onsite and resulted in the proliferation of freshwater species. As more than 50% of tidal wetlands have been degraded globally over the last 100 years, the importance of this issue is increasingly being recognised and tidal wetland restoration projects are underway worldwide. However, there are currently limited sites where large-scale reintroduction of tidal flushing has been implemented with the explicit aim to foster the growth of a threatened ecosystem. In this study, the tidal restoration of an internationally recognised Ramsar listed wetland in eastern Australia is described to highlight how coastal saltmarsh can be targeted by mimicking inundation depths and hydroperiod across the 410-ha site. Coastal saltmarsh is particularly important to this site as it is part of the east Australasian flyway for migratory birds and the minimum saltmarsh extent, as listed within the Ramsar’s limits of acceptable change, have been breached. To recreate coastal saltmarsh habitat onsite, water level and hydroperiod criteria were established based on similar vegetation patterns within the adjacent estuary. A calibrated 2D hydrodynamic model of the site was then used to test how the preferred inundation criteria could be applied to the largest possible restored wetland area. Once optimised, a synthetic tidal signal was implemented onsite via automated hydraulic controls. The onsite vegetation response over an 8-year period was assessed to highlight the ecosystem response to controlled tidal inundation and denoted substantial saltmarsh expansion during the period. The techniques applied onsite have successfully met the restoration targets and can be applied at similar sites worldwide, offsetting sea level rise impacts to natural inundation hydroperiod.

Interannual variability in euphausiid (krill) abundance and population structure and associations of those measures with environmental drivers were investigated in an 11-year study conducted in late August–early September 2005–2015 in offshelf waters (bottom depth > 40 m) in Barrow Canyon and the Beaufort Sea just downstream of Distributed Biological Observatory site 5 (DBO5) near Pt. Barrow, Alaska. Statistically-significant positive correlations were observed among krill population structure (proportion of juveniles and adults), the volume of Late Season Melt Water (LMW), and late-spring Chukchi Sea sea ice extent. High proportions of juvenile and adult krill were seen in years with larger volumes of LMW and greater spring sea ice extents (2006, 2009, 2012–2014) while the converse, high proportions of furcilia, were seen in years with smaller volumes of LMW and lower spring sea ice extent (2005, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2015). These different life stage, sea ice and water mass regimes represent integrated advective responses to mean fall and/or spring Chukchi Sea winds, driven by prevailing atmospheric pressure distributions in the two sets of years. In years with high proportions of juveniles and adults, late-spring and preceding-fall winds were weak and variable while in years with high proportions of furcilia, late-spring and preceding-fall winds were strong, easterly and consistent. The interaction of krill life history with yearly differences in the northward transports of krill and water masses along with sea ice retreat determines the population structure of late-summer krill populations in the DBO5 region near Pt. Barrow. Years with higher proportions of mature krill may provide larger prey to the Pt. Barrow area bowhead whale prey hotspot. The characteristics of prey near Pt. Barrow is dependent on krill abundance and size, large-scale environmental forcing, and interannual variability in recruitment success of krill in the Bering Sea.

The importance of coastal upwelling systems is widely recognized. However, several aspects of the current and future behaviors of these systems remain uncertain. Fluctuations in temperature because of anthropogenic climate change are hypothesized to affect upwelling-favorable winds and coastal upwelling is expected to intensify across all Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems. To better understand how upwelling may change in the future, it is necessary to develop a more rigorous method of quantifying this phenomenon. In this paper, we use SST data and wind data in a novel method of detecting upwelling signals and quantifying metrics of upwelling intensity, duration, and frequency at four sites within the Benguela Upwelling System. We found that indicators of upwelling are uniformly detected across five SST products for each of the four sites and that the duration of those signals is longer in SST products with higher spatial resolutions. Moreover, the high-resolution SST products are significantly more likely to display upwelling signals at 25 km away from the coast when signals were also detected at the coast. Our findings promote the viability of using SST and wind time series data to detect upwelling signals within coastal upwelling systems. We highlight the importance of high-resolution data products to improve the reliability of such estimates. This study represents an important step towards the development of an objective method for describing the behavior of coastal upwelling systems.