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This article describes cavitation wear tests of cast titanium alloy using an ultrasonic magnetostriction vibrator in fresh and artificial sea water at oscillation amplitudes of a vibrator concentrator horn tip equal to 15 and 28 μm and oscillation frequency of about 22 kHz. In the course of tests the specimens were periodically weighed, then, the microhardness and surface roughness were measured. Two stages can be highlighted in the plots of microhardness as a function of cavitation: the stage of hardening, when the alloy microhardness increases, and the stage of softening, then the microhardness decreases. It was detected that the maximum microhardness in sea water decreases by about 10% in comparison with the tests in fresh water, which can be attributed to a decrease in dislocation density in a plastically deformed surface layer due to an increase in the portion of dislocations emerging on the surface. The impact of sea water leads to an increase in plasticity of surface layers upon cavitation by ultrasonic vibrator, which is manifested by an increase in ultimate plastic deformation of the surface estimated by an increase in the length of surface profile at the end of the incubation period. Herewith, the increase in the duration of incubation period and the decrease in cavitation wear in sea water were detected in comparison with the tests in fresh water. It was assumed that the detected changes in regularities of cavitation wear upon transfer from fresh to sea water are stipulated by the action of double electrical layer formed in sea water on the alloy surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water shortage is a problem that affects everyone these days. In many places around the globe, local demand outstrips the capacity of available traditional resources of freshwater. This problem can be resolved by more efficient water usage, lowering distribution losses, and increasing the use of recycled water. The desalination of salt water is becoming increasingly popular as water resources are depleting at an alarming rate. Current desalination technologies necessitate the use of significant amounts of electricity, which is costly financially and in terms of environmental damage. Desalination technology has not advanced sufficiently, thus desalination alone will not suffice to increase the fresh water supply. It must be less expensive, dependable, and ecologically friendly than current technology. Water desalination technology based on nanotechnology will be available to address these needs soon. This study seeks to provide an overview of the most recent seawater desalination systems and assess the benefits and performance of seawater desalination using variables such as water flow and salt rejection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between the density of seawater and acidified mixtures samples in the presence of up to a maximum concentrations of 0.18 m for Cu(II), 0.34 m for Mn(II) or 0.6 m for Al(III), in selected temperatures used in the copper leaching process (283.15 - 313.15 K), showed a positive linear behavior with salinity and cation concentration. The influence of temperature on the density rate changes was similar when comparing the three solutes in acidified solutions of different salinity. The effect of temperature on the change in density did not exceed 1% and by concentration, the greatest influence was due to Al(III) with 5.43%, in agreement with its greater relative quantity. The data obtained, using a vibrating tube density meter, were used to analyze and correlate to the Apelblat equation that was favorably applied to calculate the isobaric expansibility coefficient. The temperature had an influence on the isobaric expansibility coefficient values, suggesting a making interaction effect due to majority anions present in the seawater and mixture samples (Cl- > SO4-2), and a breaking interaction effect when the cations Cu(II), Mn(II) or Al(III) were added. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of corrosion rate on post welded annealed heat-treated medium carbon steel in seawater was investigated. The medium carbon steel samples were butt-welded by using the Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) technique and, afterwards, heat treated by annealing at different annealing temperature was carried out. The microstructure of the unwelded and post welded heated samples was characterised by means of optical microscopy. The as received (control), unwelded and post welded annealed medium carbon steel samples were immersed in sea water for a duration of one hundred (100) days, and this was to stimulate the effect on equipment in offshore and food processing applications. Post welded heat treatment on the microstructure, weight loss and corrosion rate were evaluated. The results obtained showed an initial increase in both the weight loss and corrosion rate of samples up to 40 days and started decreasing afterwards. It was equally observed that the post welded annealed samples showed more corrosion activities than the un-welded annealed samples. Above and beyond, corrosion activity was more prominent in samples with the highest annealing temperature. More so, the unwelded annealed medium carbon steel showed a dispersion of coalescence cementite and ferrite grain while the post welded annealed medium carbon steel samples showed a martensite (light area marked by arrows) distributed in the ferrite (dark area) matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cereals in general and millets in particular have been identified as major food crops globally and increase in crop production is required to meet the demands of the ever increasing global population. However, continuous climatic variations or abiotic stresses have led the drastic reduction in food grain yields. In view of affects of abiotic stresses on food crops plants, present study was undertaken to analyze the comparative responses of salinity stresses induced by various concentrations of NaCl (50mM, 100mM, 250mM and 500mM) and sea water (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) during seed germination and seedling growth under ex-vitro conditions in kodo millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum L.). After 6-days and 12-days of salinity stress treatments, observations were recorded and after 12-days of treatments, results reveal that salinity stress caused by NaCl-salt concentration (250mM) proves to be very lethal causing strong seed germination and therefore, the mean germination frequency (33% ±0.530 was recorded while further increase in NaCl concentration (500mM) was found to be fully toxic and seed germination frequency was obtained as zero in comparison to control experiment (94% ±0.35). Similarly, in case of salinity stress induced by sea water treatments, 25% of the sea water concentration was found to cause strong promotion instead of inhibition and (71% ±0.17) of the seeds could exhibit promotion in germination frequency and further increase in sea water concentration (50%) and above was turned out to be fully toxic. Furthermore, during biochemical studies, protein contents in the tissues growing under NaCl-salinity stresses at (50mM, 100mM and 250mM) were estimated and significantly it was found to decline with the increase in concentration of NaCl-salt stress solutions. After 12th days of treatments, protein contents were found to be minimum (198.2 mg/g) in the tissues that were growing in high concentration of NaCl (250mM) solution than the control solution (476.4mg/g) grown tissues.

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.

Coastal zones are extremely vulnerable and, at the same time, anthropogenically pressed. Excessive enrichment of marine waters with nutrients and organic matter can lead to “red tides”, oxygen deficits, decreasing assimilation capacity, etc. The purpose of this work is to study atmospheric precipitations as a source of nutrients directly affecting waters of the coastal areas of Crimea and, ultimately, strengthening eutrophication consequences. In 2004–2008, and from 2015 to present, samples of atmospheric precipitations have been collected at the Marine Hydrometeorological Station in Sevastopol. They have been analyzed for the content of inorganic nitrogen, phosphorus, and silica. For 2009–2014, direct measurements are unavailable and a previously retrieved multiple nonlinear regression equation has been used to estimate the concentration of inorganic nitrogen in atmospheric precipitations depending on meteorological conditions, including the number of precipitations, number of days without precipitations, relative air humidity, wind direction vectors, and air temperature. Data obtained in this study have revealed that atmospheric precipitations are one of important inputs of nutrients for local areas. Their relative contribution increases on the time scale of days, while the role of rivers remains the most important on the annual scale. The contribution of atmospheric precipitations to the inventory of nutrients becomes more significant in the summer, when seasonal stratification in the water column prevents vertical mixing of waters, and the ambient concentration of nutrients in the upper layer of water is minimal.

Mercury (Hg) in seawater enters the body through the food chain, causing damage to organs and the nervous system. Thus, there is an urgent need to explore a rapid and convenient sensor for the detection and monitoring of Hg(II) in seawater. Herein, a ZnO-CNTs/Nano-Au modified glassy carbon electrode was prepared by the dropping method. The structure of the composite membrane is mainly observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the results show that the composite has a larger specific surface area. Moreover, the composite can increase the ion adsorption of the surface electrode and enhance the conductivity. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was applied to determine trace amounts of Hg(II) in seawater. The optimized conditions were as follows: accumulation potential, accumulation time, pH value, film thickness and concentration. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the linear relationship between the values of the oxidation peak current and concentration was kept in the range of 1.49 ∼ 5.97 μ M, with a linear correlation coefficient R ^2 = 0.991 and a detection limit of Hg(II) of 0.0118 μ M. The proposed method was applied to the analysis of coastal water of the Maowei Sea, giving values of recovery in the range of 94.2%∼98.4%. The ZnO-CNTs/Nano-Au-modified electrode has high sensitivity, convenient operation and good practical application value.

The coastal areas and the adjacent islands are the hotspots of human economic and social activities, including urbanization, industrialization, and agricultural practices, which have profound impacts on the ecological environment of the coastal environment. Antibiotic resistance genes （ARGs）, as emerging contaminants, have become hot topics in water ecological security and public concern. However, the profiles of antibiotic resistome in the costal water remain largely unknown, impeding resistome risk assessment associated with coastal environments. In this study, the high-throughput quantitative PCR technique was used to investigate the abundance and distribution of ARGs in the coastal environment of Xiamen City. Combined with the 16S rDNA gene amplicon sequencing method, the structure and composition of the microbial community in a water environment were investigated, and the influencing factors and associated mechanism of ARGs in seawater were deeply explained. The results of this study showed that a total of 187 ARGs were detected in the coastal water environment, and the abundance level was up to 1.29×10 10 copies·L -1 . Multidrug resistance, aminoglycosides, and β lactamase resistance genes were the three main classes of antibiotic resistance genes in the water environment of the Xiamen coastal zone. On the whole, the profile of ARGs was of high abundance, great diversity, and common co-existence, and the coastal water environment was an important hot area and reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes. Twenty-two microbes, including Nautella , Candidatus , Tenacibaculum , Rubripirellula , and Woeseia , were potential carriers of the corresponding 16 antibiotic resistance genes. The mobile genetic elements （MGEs） and microbial community structure accounted for 93.9% of the variation in environmental resistance genes in water. Therefore, microbial community and its mobile genetic elements were the most important driving forces for the occurrence and evolution of ARGs in coastal waters. Based on the results, it is implied that the environmental antibiotic resistance genes in the waters near Xiamen Island have potential risks to water ecological security and human health and highlight the necessity for comprehensive surveillance of ARGs associated with microbial contamination in the coastal aquatic environment.

Cardiomyopathy syndrome (CMS) is the most common viral cardiac disease in Norwegian Atlantic salmon farming and typically affects large, market size fish. Only six months after seawater transfer, Atlantic salmon were diagnosed with CMS at a fish farm in the south‐western part of Norway. Due to the unexpected young age and the remarkable large amounts of virus‐specific RNA (Ct <10), the fish group was monitored with five additional samplings until slaughtered almost 10 months later. At three weeks after the first CMS diagnosis (weeks post‐diagnosis, wpd) and at slaughter (39 wpd), more comprehensive samplings were performed of the study cage, with specific focus on three different cardiac compartments. The clinical, autopsy and histopathological findings at first diagnosis and at all succeeding samplings were similar to previous descriptions of typical CMS. A slightly elevated mortality was observed in the cage with diseased fish at the time of the first CMS diagnosis and continued throughout the study. The prevalence and load of PMCV‐specific RNA in the fish remained high until slaughtering, with similar amounts in all sampled cardiac compartments. No fish from the other five cages at the site were diagnosed with CMS, until fish sampled from the last cage at the site were diagnosed 10 weeks after slaughtering of the study cage (49 wpd). Sequence analysis of the PMCV on the site showed that the outbreak virus was similar to PMCV variants previously sequenced from Norwegian field outbreaks. In conclusion, CMS in young Atlantic salmon had clinical signs and histopathological cardiac lesions typical for the disease, and diseased fish could be found in the study cage until slaughtering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible nasopharyngeal laryngoscopy (NPL) is a cost-effective, simple procedure that provides visualization of the nasal airways. However, it involves a number of challenges for both the clinician and the patient. Hypertonic saline nasal wash is used to prevent nasal secretion in acute/chronic sinusitis and after nasal surgery. We aimed to determine the efficacy of hypertonic saline by comparing the clinician's and patients' experiences during NPL. This prospective, double-blinded, randomized, controlled study was performed at a tertiary referral university hospital. Two hundred patients were randomly divided into hypertonic saline, lidocaine, xylometazoline, and isotonic saline groups. During NPL, the clinician's experiences in terms of the quality of the field of view and the patients' experiences in terms of pain and discomfort resulting from the 4 premedication drugs were compared. The groups differed significantly in terms of the clinician's field of view, and patients' pain scores and levels of discomfort (P < 0.025). The field of view results were the highest in the hypertonic saline group, and the lowest in the lidocaine group. The pain scores were the lowest in the lidocaine group, whereas they were the highest in the hypertonic saline group. The discomfort scores were the lowest in the xylometazoline group, but the highest in the lidocaine and isotonic saline groups. The use of hypertonic saline facilitated the NPL procedure by improving the clinician's field of view. Moreover, intranasal hypertonic saline reduced the patient's discomfort. Intranasal hypertonic saline can be a good alternative to premedication before NPL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Microalgae are microorganisms that produce various products, for example, pigments, mainly carotenoids. This study aimed to used the strain of Muriellopsis sp. and to evaluate their behavior when grown in freshwater and seawater, along with indoor and outdoor conditions for both cultures. Growth of the strain was evaluated by determining its biomass, lutein productivity with highperformance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and antioxidant activity by using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrilhydrazil (DPPH method). Results: Muriellopsis sp. strain in indoor cultures showed an increased antioxidant activity. In outdoor conditions, both cultures showed increased cells number, concentration of biomass, and lutein productivity. The percentage of lutein obtained from the strain MCH in indoor conditions was 25 times higher than that reported for calendula, reaching 0.75% of lutein in Muriellopsis sp. cultured in seawater, followed by 0.6% in Muriellopsis sp., cultures in freshwater at day 12 of both cultures. These values exceed that of microalgae Scenedesmus almeriensis, which reaches 0.53% lutein. Conclusions: The results show that the native strain of the Atacama Desert is one of the largest producers of lutein as compared to those reported to date. The study demonstrated the feasibility of producing this carotenoid with well-known properties to prevent some diseases due to its high nutritional value. Muriellopsis sp. cultivation in open-air seawater is a good precedent for developing mass production of this species in an area where freshwater is scarce and costly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The marine environment is the largest ecosystem, richest in biodiversity and biological activity. Diatoms are almost omnipresent and common in the plankton and benthos in both freshwater and marine environments. They have a major influence on their environment whereas representing a significant part in primary production and carbon fixation in marine ecosystems. Microscopic examination and cell culture technique have been applied to detect, isolate and study the diatom species. On the other hand, molecular methods have contributed to overcome the drawbacks of the classical methods and also to accomplish the research objectives more efficiently. Metagenomics is an advanced molecular method utilizing direct collected microbial samples and has been used in various fields of microbial studies. It provides obvious details on the taxonomy, biodiversity, ecology and further information around the potential functions. Consequently, it can explore the biochemical components that have significant importance in various biotechnology, ecology, biomedicine and industry applications. This review focused on the effectiveness of the metagenomics method for exploring microbial communities and recruiting this to discover the diatom community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.

Present investigation aims for the synthesis and characterization of a new eco-environmental and cost-effective silver nanocomposite (AgNPs) for application as multifunctional inhibitor of scaling and corrosion. The AgNPs was synthesized by reduction of silver ions using Allium cepa peels extract. The AgNPs exhibit impressive stability and resistance to thermal and biochemical degradation. The AgNPs were round shaped, monodispersed and non-aggregated, with surfaces rich in oxygen and nitrogen sites. Compared to the crude extract, AgNPs exhibits higher antimicrobial activity and afforded a 3-log reduction in population of Desulfovibrio sp. At 30 ​°C, AgNPs inhibits carbonate scale, sea water corrosion and bio-corrosion at efficiencies of 30.8%, 14.4% and 55.9%, respectively, and 37.4%, 37.3%, 45.6%, respectively at 60 ​°C. AgNPs sustained its high efficiency even after being preserved for 180 days and addition of d-tryosine and mevalonic acid phosphate further intensified the efficiency by synergistic effect.

In this study, water absorption behaviors of hybrid aramid/glass/epoxy composite samples exposed to hydrothermal aging were experimentally investigated. Composite samples produced by vacuum assisted resin infusion method (VARIM) were kept in distilled water and sea water at 25°C and 70°C for 1000 hours in a controllable aging cabin. The water absorption properties of hybrid composites prepared at different length width1 (L w-1) ratios, 10 and 15, were evaluated according to factors such as water type, temperature and composite layer sequence. The water absorption results of the hybrid composite samples showed that temperature is effective in water absorption and the increase in temperature causes more water absorption. Also, samples aged in seawater generally absorbed more water than distilled water at both temperatures. Water intake experiments have shown that the stacking sequence of composites is extremely effective at the maximum water intake ratio in hybrid composite samples. It has been determined that the increase in the L w-1 ratio of the samples causes more water absorption in both temperatures and water types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer gel served as a temporary plugging agent for fluid loss control during well completion and workover has received great attention in recent years. Gel breaking as well as flowback is the most concern after the downhole operations such as perforation, replace tubing. Using oxidative breaker as chemical method or jetting nozzle as mechanical strategy were mainly employed to remove gel. The former often fails to fully contact with the gel, and the gel breaking efficiency is not ideal. The latter, although effective, greatly increases the cost of operation. Thermal degradation of gel plug at reservoir temperature after the operation is more welcome. In this paper, we combined aging experiments, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, Scanning Electronic Microscopic (SEM) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) experiment to reveal the degradation mechanism of seawater based temporary plugging gel crosslinked by polyethyleneimine (Abbreviated as "gel plug"). In addition, the fluid loss control ability and formation damage characteristic of the gel plug were evaluated through core flooding experiment. The dynamic process of gel degradation was studied by DSC technology, and the thermodynamic parameters were respectively calculated by Kissinger, Flynn-Wall-Ozawa, Horowitz-Metzger and Coats-Redfern model. According to the desired activation energy, Semenov equation and relevant data were used to derive the model for predicting gel degradation time. The developed model conforms to the aging experimental results with correlation coefficient of 0.988. This study provides knowledge for the optimization of temporary plugging gel technology in high-temperature gas wells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance pipeline steels are frequently used for storage, transportation and energy development applications. Submerged arc welding finds its application to weld thick pipes. Design and development of appropriate welding fluxes provide good structural integrity properties in severe service environments. The present study aims to investigate the effect of laboratory-developed SAW fluxes on the electrochemical corrosion behavior of SAW weldments in different environments. Electrochemical corrosion behavior of weld specimens in different environments was performed using Linear Sweep Voltammetry. Different mediums such as seawater and sodium thiosulphate solution (10−2 Mol/l, pH = 3, and 10−3 Mol/l, pH = 5) were taken for the corrosion study. The microstructure of the weld specimen reveals the presence of acicular ferrite structure. F3RA and F19RA weld specimen shows a higher corrosion rate in seawater and sodium thiosulphate medium (pH = 3 or 5). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the water uptake parameters of S glass/epoxy samples have been assessed experimentally. The glass/epoxy specimens were manufactured by the vacuum assisted resin transfer method (VARIM) have been kept in distilled water and sea water at 25°C and 70°C temperatures for 1000 hours in a hydrothermal aging cabin. The water gain behavior of samples with different length/width (L/w) ratios has been investigated based on criteria such as different water types and different temperatures. Furthermore, the water uptake trend of samples has been assessed analytically based on the Fick's law in addition to the experimental method. The results have shown that the L/w ratio, water type, and temperature have an important influence on the water gain character of glass/epoxy composites. The experimental weight measurements showed that temperature increase was caused to more water absorption in both water types. Furthermore, it was noted the increase in L/w ratio was caused to more water sorption. Moreover, experimental and analytical results have shown that water intake trends consistent in both methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Halophytes are one of the essential parts of haloculture that do not compete for the occupation of lands and freshwater resources. Salicornia persica Akhani grows naturally in the southern coastal and desert areas of Iran. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of two irrigation water quality treatments (seawater and shrimp farm waste-water with electrical conductivity of 64.5 and 66.4 dS m-1 m, respectively) and potassium sulfate fertilizer treatment (with three levels of 0, 100, and 200 kg ha-1) on the amount of forage produced (yield) and height of this plant was investigated in a factorial experiment based on randomized complete blocks. The results showed that the yield of Salicornia dry forage under irrigation with seawater and shrimp field waste-water irrigation was 1136.92 and 740.8 kg ha-1, respectively, with significant differences. Investigation of the interaction effects of irrigation treatment (two levels) and potassium sulfate fertilizer (three levels) showed that the highest forage production yield was related to the treatment of 100 kg ha-1 of potassium sulfate fertilizer irrigated with seawater at the rate of 1538.8 kg ha-1 of dry forage. There was no significant difference between plant height related to irrigation treatments and potassium fertilizer application. The results showed that the production of Salicornia under irrigation treatments with seawater and shrimp farm wastewater is possible and consumption of 100 kg ha-1 of potassium sulfate increases yield. Further research was proposed to improve the production potential of this saline plant through agricultural operations and the selection of superior germplasms using seawater and shrimp farm wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic residue stands as a significant ongoing environmental issue, with aquaculture being a major source of annual antibiotic discharge into the ocean. Nevertheless, there is still an incomplete evaluation of antibiotic residues in the Beibu Gulf, an area encompassed by two prominent aquaculture nations, China and Vietnam. The present systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to examine the presence antibiotic residues in the Beibu Gulf based on published studies. Data were obtained through eight databases up to December 19th, 2023, and were updated on April 15th, 2024. The pooled concentration of antibiotic residues in seawater was 5.90 (ng/L), ranging from 5.73 to 6.06 (ng/L), and was 8.03 (ng/g), ranging from 7.77 to 8.28 (ng/g) in sediments. Fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, and macrolides were identified as the main antibiotics found in both seawater and sediment samples. The Beibu Gulf showed higher antibiotic levels in its western and northeastern areas. Additionally, the nearshore mangrove areas displayed the highest prevalence of antibiotic residues. It is strongly advised to conduct regular long-term monitoring of antibiotic residues in the Beibu Gulf. Collaborative surveys covering the entire Beibu Gulf involving China and Vietnam are recommended. • Antibiotic residues data of the Beibu Gulf from 17 studies were analyzed using meta-analysis by Stata software. • Concentration of antibiotics in the Beibu Gulf was lower than most Asian bays both in seawater and sediments. • The highest concentration of the antibiotic residues was shown in nearshore mangrove samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Deep neural network was developed to predict the residual concentration of sodium hypochlorite in the cooling water of nuclear power plants. • Method was applied to a real practical problem in Brazilian NPP. • The prediction is based on environmental and process parameters that influence the residual chlorine concentration. • Real samples, collected during months were used to train the predictive model. • The model achieved average mean squared error of 0.002 and correlation coefficient (R2-Score) of 0.934. Sea water is used as cooling water in several operating nuclear power plants, as well as in other industries such as petrochemicals. Biofouling is a common problem in systems that use sea water, causing corrosion in pipes and equipment, blockages, and loss of efficiency in heat exchangers. The use of sodium hypochlorite has proven to be effective in minimizing the damages caused by biofouling, provided that the residual chlorine concentration remains within a specific range, as low dosages will not protect the equipment and high dosages can cause environmental damage. With the aim of reducing maintenance and operation costs of equipment, and particularly ensuring the operability of systems related to the safety of nuclear power plants that use sea water, this study developed deep artificial neural networks (ANN) models capable of predicting the residual chlorine concentration in the main cooling and safety systems of a nuclear power plant. This prediction is based on environmental and process parameters that influence the residual chlorine concentration. Proposed model achieved average mean squared error of 0.002 and correlation coefficient (R2-Score) of 0.934, demonstrating to be a promising tool for predicting residual chlorine concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite of its economic and scientific significances with mineral resources, the Northern Sea Routes, and climate change, the Arctic Ocean has been a challenge for long-term continuous environmental observations. Since its inception in 2009, the ice-breaker research vessel ARAON has been conducting an annual expedition in the Arctic Ocean for the last 10 years from 2010. All the Arctic expeditions have been carried out mainly in August-September when the sea ice extent shrinks and the thickness becomes relatively thin around the Bering Sea, Chukchi Sea, Beaufort Sea, and high latitudes over the Russia, the US, and Canada. IBRV ARAON can conduct research activities through a variety of research equipment such as on-board meteorological data and surface temperature & salinity monitoring data of seawater. In this study, meteorological observation elements including solar radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and wind direction are presented. In addition, sea surface water temperature and salinity monitoring elements including water temperature, salinity, conductivity, and sound speed are presented.

The paper presents results of two inorganic sorbents for the cesium selective concentration in the scheme of 137Cs radio/chemical analysis in natural water samples. Nickel/potassium ferrocyanide dispersed in a zirconium dioxide matrix obtained by the sol/gel method with subsequent drying at 100 ºC (Т-35 sorbent produced by AO “Termoksid”), and nickel/potassium ferrocyanide chemically deposited upon a matrix of hydrated titanium dioxide thermally treated at 400 ºC (NKF-GDT sorbent developed by UrFU). We have shown that in the dynamic conditions NKF-GDT sorbent possesses significantly higher sorption properties in comparison with T-35 in spite of close to similar sorption characteristics in the static conditions. For both sorbents we have shown that the degree of cesium sorption from acidulated sea water (pH = 2) is significantly higher that from neutral or low-alkaline water (pH = 28.2). This can be explained by formation of relatively stable pseudo/radio/colloid forms of cesium at pH = 28.2 that are to be destroyed with the solution acidulation. The authors have stated that NKF-GDT sorbent can be used for 137Cs selective concentration from various types of natural water samples. The radio/chemical analysis scheme has been tested with 7.2 l water sample from the Techa River (ChelyabinskOblast) with addition of 0.1 mg/l of stable cesium for determination of the output with ICP-MS instrument. Total chemical output of cesium in the process of concentration was 91.7 % and specific activity of 137Cs in the sample was 1.36±0.21 Bq/l.

Background: Soil salinity is an increasing problem in the world and the main obstacle to agricultural productivity especially in areas where irrigation is necessary. Adoption of salt tolerant genotype is more important here and so screening of salt tolerant cultivars is essential. For that, quick method to screen salt-tolerant plants, particularly in early stages of their growth is important. Methodology: For this purpose, some laboratory studies using nine sorghum genotypes were conducted to screen salt tolerant genotypes during germination and seedling growth stages. The genotypes were Hybrid sorgo, Debgiri, BD 703, BD 706, BD 707, BD 713, BD 720, BD 725 and BD 738 and salinity levels were 0 dSm-1 (control), 6 dSm-1, 12 dSm-1 and 18 dSm-1. There were 36 (9×4) treatments in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. Saline treatments were imposed by sea water solution. To screen out the salt-tolerant genotypes germination percentage, rate of germination, vigor index and different physiological parameters i.e. germination stress tolerance index (GSTI), root length stress tolerance index (RLSI), shoot length stress tolerance index (SLSI) and fresh weight stress tolerance index (FSTI) were studied. Key findings: In this study, all the parameters were decreased with increasing salinity. On the basis of the results obtained using above mentioned germination and physiological criteria, sorghum genotypes Hybrid sorgo, BD 703 & BD 707 were categorized as tolerant while Debgiri and BD 713 were found as sensitive ones. Besides these, sorghum genotypes were not tolerant up to 18dSm-1 though some of them were tolerant at 12dSm-1. Conclusion: Overall, these tolerant and sensitive genotypes might be used in the further genetic improvement of the same and different crops. [Fundam Appl Agric 2019; 4(1.000): 735-743]

In this study, magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4/SiO2/APTES) functionalized with murexide were used for the determination of uranium(VI) in sea water by spectrophotometric method in perchloric acid medium using Arsenazo-III as chromogenic reagent. The effects of some analytical parameters, such as pH, contact time, and eluent volume, on the recovery of uranium(VI) were examined in synthetic sea water. The optimum conditions were achieved with a 15 min adsorption time and 2 min elution time with 1 mL of 5 mol L-1 HClO4 at pH of 6.5 and 25 mg of the magnetic sorbent. The linear range, detection limit, and precision (as RSD%) of the method were found to be 0.02-4.0 mg L-1, 0.001 mg L-1 and 3.0 %, respectively. The proposed method is simple, rapid, and cost-effective for the determination of U(VI) in sea water, with a total analysis time of approximately 30 min. The adsorption isotherm was well fitted to the Langmuir model, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9997 and Qmax value was found to be 77.51 mg g-1. The magnetic sorbent was successfully used for the rapid determination of trace quantities of U(VI) ions in different sea waters, and satisfactory results were obtained.

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.

In this study, Sea Water Bread (SWB), made with food grade sea water was compared with control bread made with Tap Water (TWB). Sea water’s influence on chemical-nutritional properties of bread was investigated. Contents of salt, macro/micro-elements, basic nutrients, polyphenols, antioxidant activity, olfactory characteristics, and volatile components were analyzed. Chlorides’ analysis showed SWB had a lower salt content than TWB and it was confirmed by ICP-OES investigation. An electronic nose confirmed differences between the groups of aromatic molecules of the bread typologies, as well as the profiles of the volatile molecules by GC-MS.

We evaluated the performance of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) associated with the Bruker BioTyperTM V7.0.0 database for the identification of 713 bacterial strains isolated from seafood products and sea water samples (ANSES B3PA collection) under culture conditions that may have been significantly different from those used to create the reference spectrum vs. the 16S rDNA sequencing. We identified 78.8% of seafood isolates with 46.7% at the species level (Bruker score above 2) and 21.2% (Bruker score between 1.7 and 2) at the genus level by the two identification methods, except for 3.8% of isolates with a difference of identification between the two methods (Bruker score between 1.7 and 2). There were 41.9% isolates (Bruker score below 1.7) with the identification at the genus level. We identified 94.4% of seafood isolates with 16S rDNA sequencing. The MALDI-TOF allowed a better strain identification to the species level contrary to the 16s rDNA sequencing, which allowed an identification mainly to the genus level. MALDI-TOF MS in association with the Bruker database and 16S rDNA sequencing are powerful tools to identify a wide variety of bacteria from seafood but require further identification by biochemical, molecular technique or other conventional tests.

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the usability of carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced plastic pipes in seawater and consequently the changes in mechanical properties. The glass / epoxy tubes used in the experiments have fiber orientation of [± 55]3 and are produced by filament winding method. 1% CNT was used as secondary reinforcing material. The test specimens were subjected to tensile and hardness tests after being kept in seawater for real periods of 2,3,4,6 and 9 months in addition to dry environment. Tests were performed on ring samples according to the split disc method based on ASTM D 2290 test standard. The results were compared with the results obtained from glass reinforced plastic (GRP). According to the results, it was found that the production of CNT reinforced composite structure reduced the delamination damage and as a result of this it provided 21% strength increase in dry environment conditions and also increased the strength in long term usage by approximately 18%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the physiological and antioxidant characteristics of Arabidopsis thaliana (At) plants grown in different sea water (SW) products containing trace elements, namely RO3, 300K, and 340K, at various dilutions. The synthetic water (namely 300K-Test), a mixture of the main ions of SW including 143.08 mg L-1 Mg2+, 5.74 mg L-1 Na+, 170 mg L-1 K+, and 33.5 mg L-1 Ca2+ with equal concentrations to those in 300K SW without trace elements, was also used to culture At plants and study the influences that the major ions had on regulating ethylene production. The ethylene-biosynthesis (ACS7 and ACO2) and senescence-associated (NAP, SAG113, and WRKY6) gene expressions in SW- and ionic-treated At plants in response to transcriptional signaling pathways of ethylene response mechanisms were also investigated. Our results show that down-regulation of the ACS7 gene in 300K-treated plants significantly reduced the ethylene content but remarkably increased chlorophyll, total phenol, and DPPH radical scavenging accumulations and strengthened the salt tolerance of 300K-treated plants. The expression of the ACS7 gene of At plants under 300K, Ca2+, Mg2+, and Na+ treatments was correlated with decreases in NAP, SAG113, and WRKY6 gene expressions. The application of Ca2+ increased total phenol content and reduced the accumulation of superoxide, which in combination decreases plant aging brought on by ethylene. However, K+ treatment inhibited SGA113 gene expression, resulting in reducing ACS7 gene expression and ethylene content. The characterization and functional analysis of these genes should facilitate our understanding of ethylene response mechanisms in plants.

As compared to China’s overall oil reserves, the reserve share of offshore oilfields is rather significant. However, offshore oilfield circumstances for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) include not just severe temperatures and salinity, but also restricted space on offshore platforms. This harsh oil production environment requires polymers with relatively strong salt resistance, solubility, thickening ability, rapid, superior injection capabilities, and anti-shearing ability. As a result, research into polymers with high viscosity and quick solubility is recognized as critical to meeting the criteria of polymer flooding in offshore oil reservoirs. For the above purposes, a novel hydrophobically associating polymer (HAP) was prepared to be used for polymer flooding of Bohai offshore oilfields. The synthetic procedure was free radical polymerization in aqueous solutions starting at 0 °C, using acrylamide (AM), acrylic acid (AA), 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS), and poly(ethylene glycol) octadecyl methacrylate (POM) as comonomers. It was discovered that under ideal conditions, the molecular weight of HAP exceeds 2.1 × 107 g⋅mol−1. In a simulated reservoir environment, HAP has substantially greater solubility, thickening property, and salt resistance than conventional polyacrylamide (HPAM), with equivalent molecular weight. Finally, the injectivity and propagation of the two polymers in porous media were investigated. Compared with HPAM, which has a similar molecular weight, HAP solution with the concentration of 0.175% had a much better oil displacement effect in the porous medium, which can enhance oil recovery by 8.8%. These discoveries have the potential to pave the way for chemical EOR in offshore oilfields.

From 28 March to 17 April, 2018, different forms of mercury (Hg) in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea were measured to study the influencing factors on the distribution and transformation of Hg in spring using a shared cruise. The mean concentration of dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM) in the surface water of the Yellow and Bohai Seas was (44.3 ± 43.9) pg/L, which was close to that in mid-latitude oceans and deep seas. The ratio of DGM to THg (total mercury) was lower than in the oceans and in the Yellow and Bohai Seas in summer or fall. DGM concentrations in surface water were highest in the central part of the South Yellow Sea and were higher than those in the Bohai Sea, and their spatial distributions were consistent with RHg (reactive mercury). DGM and RHg correlated positively with water temperature in surface seawater (r = 0.506, P < 0.01; r = 0.278, P < 0.05). The concentrations of both DGM and RHg in surface water were controlled by solar radiation and water temperature. Foggy weather did not benefit the production of DGM and RHg. DGM in the bottom seawater was mainly affected by Dissolved Oxygen and water temperature (r = −0.366, P < 0.01; r = 0.331, P < 0.01), produced mainly by anaerobic reactions of the bottom seawater and sediment microorganisms. The bottom DGM concentrations in the Yellow and Bohai Seas were the highest, and DGM produced in bottom seawater and sediment plays a more important role than the surface water in spring. The concentrations of DGM and RHg in the surface and bottom water in the South Yellow Sea were all higher than those in the middle layer. Vertical variations in the North Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea were small. The production and distribution of DGM and RHg were influenced by differences of latitude and by the Yellow Sea warm current in spring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continuous development of oil exploration and exploitation leads to the need to highlight the early effects of hydrocarbons, especially polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on marine organisms. In this regard, there are worldwide biomonitoring programs that aim to assess the effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The physiological response of marine organisms is investigated both at functionally (reproductive, respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological disorders), tissular, cellular and molecular levels (histopathological evaluation, DNA damage, cytochrome P4501A, ethoxy resorufin-O-deethylase (EROD)). This paper reviews the changes induced by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in marine organisms and their potential to be used as suitable biomarkers to assess the health of aquatic ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the medicinal plants mainly are cultivated in marginal areas, are exposed to environmental stresses such as salinity, more than other plants. Salt stress causes damage to photosynthetic process, carbohydrates assimilation and photosystem I and II. However, recently, the role of fungi coexistence and polyamines in plants tolerance to saline conditions are pronounced. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of endophyte symbiosis and spraying of polyamine spermidine (Spd) on chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) medicinal plant under irrigation with saline water. Treatments included non-inoculation (Control) or co-inoculation of Piriformospora indica + Trichoderma virens (Pi + Trich), foliar application of Spd (0 and 0.75) and three salinity levels of Caspian sea water (0, 6 and 12 dS m–1). Seedlings of stevia were transplanted in field conditions and were sprayed with Spd solutions after 9 weeks of planting. Seven days later, the plants were irrigated with three saline treatments for two weeks. The results showed that the foliar application of Spd had a positive effect on Fm, Fv and Fv/Fm and negative effect on Y(NO). Irrigation of plants with saline water had an adverse effect on fluorescence parameters. However, fungi inoculation markedly increased Fm, Fv, Fv/Fm and Y(II) while decreased Fo, Y(NPQ) and Y(NO) in all levels of salt stress. Fungal inoculation and Spd application with 0.75 mM remarkably enhanced Fm. Generally, inoculation of endophytic fungi and Spd spraying improved the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and adjusted adverse effects of salinity stress in stevia plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]