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Fish contamination with heavy metal (loid)s could be a serious threat to human health. In this study, the concentrations of twelve heavy metal (loid)s in the liver, kidney, gills, muscles, skin and bones were determined in five different fishes,collected from the Hainan Island, China. Results indicated that the average concentrations of Fe, Cu, Zn, Cr, Mn, Se, Ni, As, Hg, Cd, Pb and Co in the fish tissues were 75.56, 6.935, 4.76, 4.05, 3.298, 0.981, 0.732, 0.643, 0.585, 0.263, 0.232, and 0.08 mg/kg respectively. Therefore, the hierarchical order of the metal concentrations in fishes observed was Fe > Cu > Zn > Cr > Mn > Se > Ni > As > Hg > Cd > Pb > Co. Findings of our study revealed that the average maximum concentrations of biologically essential heavy metals were found higher than those of biologically non-essential heavy metals. An average maximum Fe content was present in the kidneys of all fish, followed by liver, then gills. However, skin, muscles and bones which are not metabolically active sites for bioaccumulation contained low concentration. Significant positive and negative correlations were observed among the metal pairs. The THQ values ​​for Cr, Cd, and As above 1 indicated a non-carcinogenic risk to human health. Integration of 12 heavy metal concentrations followed the order: metals in benthic fish > metals in demersal fish > metals in pelagic fish. Regular monitoring of the water and fish for heavy metals (loid)s should be done regularly to protect aquatic ecosystem and human health through targeted response measures.

ABSTRACTThe present study revealed the role of earthworm-effective microorganisms (EM) in converting sewage sludge and cassava dregs into a valuable product. Sewage sludge was toxic to earthworm, therefore it was mixed with cassava dregs in 80:20 proportions (dry weight). Treatments included mixed substrate inoculated versus not inoculated with EM and treated with or without earthworms. The pH, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and C:N ratio decreased from the initial measurements in the range of 17.43–18.46%, 25.48–33.82%, 19.60–25.37%, and 6.68–14.05% respectively; but electrical conductivity and available phosphorus increased in the range of 113.47–158.16% and 42.42–57.58%, respectively. In addition, they interactively increased total phosphorus from 19.84–63.01% and potassium from 16.41–50.78%, and decreased the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons content of substrate from 21.17% to 32.14% with an increase in earthworms from 51.71 to 57.69, respectively. Earthworms and EM could be used together as an efficient method for co-composting sewage sludge plus cassava dregs in the tropics. This could be expected to result in stabilization of waste, increase in nutrients, and reduction of pollutant content.Implications: The first reports of interaction of earthworms and effective microorganisms in the treatment of sewage sludge and cassava dregs in the tropics. Co-composting was an efficient technology for treating sewage sludge and cassava dregs at the same time, in the tropics. The survival rate of the earthworms both> 95%, the highest number of cocoons (640.33) and hatchlings (4694.33) both in EW+EM (Earthworms added and EM inoculated) treatment. Earthworms and EM (Only EM inoculated) interactively increased total phosphorus and potassium content, and decreased the PAH content of substrate with increase in earthworms.

The green-lipped mussel, Perna viridis, is considered to be an ideal indicator for marine environmental pollution. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), a typical persistent organic pollutant, is extensively distributed in marine environments. However, little is known about the toxic effects of DDT on the embryo of marine animals, particularly in marine bivalves. Using next-generation sequencing technology, we studied P. viridisembryo after DDT stress at the transcriptome level. A total of 99 202 unigenes were obtained based on the 2383 bp of unigene N50. These differentially expressed genes (DEGs) participated in the various molecular pathways of biological effects, including oxidative stress, detoxification, innate immunity and neurobehavioral disease. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to verify the mRNA expression of several genes identified by differential gene expression (DGE) analysis. The results indicated that DDT was in induced a dose-dependent manner in the embryo of P. viridis, and most genes involved in oxidative stress and detoxification were up-regulated by DDT exposure; however, the immunity-related genes were down-regulated, except the genes involved in phagocytosis. Gene expression changes in embryo from P. viridisprovide a preliminary basis to better understand the molecular toxic response mechanisms of embryo to DDT.

Kynurenine aminotransferase 3 (KAT3) catalyzes the transamination of Kynurenine to kynurenic acid, and is identical to cysteine conjugate beta-lyase 2 (CCBL2) and glutamine transaminase L (GTL). GTL was previously purified from the rat liver and considered as a liver type glutamine transaminase. However, because of the substrate overlap and high sequence similarity of KAT3 and KAT1, it was difficult to assay the specific activity of each KAT and to study the enzyme localization in animals.

Litopenaeus vannamei is one of the most commercially important species of shrimp in the world. In this study, we performed acute hypoxia tests with Litopenaeus vannamei to estimate 12 h median lethal concentration (LC50) values at different life stages. The results indicated that the 12 h LC50 values were significantly different in different life stages of shrimp (P<0.05). The maximum value of 12 h LC50 was 2.113 mg L−1 for mysis III, and the minimum value was 0.535 mg L−1 for adult shrimp with an average total length of 6 cm. The study also determined the hemocyanin concentration (HC) and the total hemocyte counts (THC) in the conditions of hypoxia and reoxygenation. These results showed that the THC decreased and the HC increased under hypoxia, and the THC increased and the HC decreased in the condition of reoxygenation. These results can provide fundamental information for shrimp farming and seedling and also can guide the breeding selection, as well as being very helpful to better understand the hypoxia stress mechanism of shrimp.