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Mutatox test: a new test for monitoring environmental genotoxic agents.

In this study, Yamaska River water and Milli-Q water and organically extracted sediment extracts were used to evaluate the sensitivity of a new genotoxicity screening test, the Mutatox test. Also in this study, the samples were tested for acute and chronic toxicity using the following screening test procedures: Microtox, Daphnia magna, Ceriodaphnia reticulata and ATP-TOX Systems. The Mutatox test is based on the use of a dark mutant strain of Photobacterium phosphoreum and is sensitive to chemicals which are (1) DNA damaging agents (2) DNA intercalating agents, (3) DNA synthesis inhibitors and (4) direct mutagens. In this study, the Mutatox test was found to be a simple-to-perform sensitive procedure which added greater scope to the battery of tests approach. Preliminary indications are that this procedure may prove to be one of the more responsive and valuable tests in the 'battery of tests' approach to environmental screening.

Journal Article↗

On-chip single-cell microcultivation assay for monitoring environmental effects on isolated cells.

We have developed a on-chip single-cell microcultivation assay as a means of observing the adaptation process of single bacterial cells during nutrient concentration changes. This assay enables the direct observation of single cells captured in microchambers made on thin glass slides and having semipermeable membrane lids, in which cells were kept isolated with optical tweezers. After changing a medium of 0.2% (w/v) glucose concentration to make it nutrient-free 0.9% NaCl medium, the growth of all cells inserted into the medium stopped within 20 min, irrespective of their cell cycles. When a nutrient-rich medium was restored, the cells started to grow again, even after the medium had remained nutrient-free for 42 h. The results indicate that the cell's growth and division are directly related to their nutrient condition. The growth curve also indicates that the cells keep their memory of what their growth and division had been before they stopped growing.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Monitoring environmental pollution in Poland by chemical analysis of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) needles.

Maps of the distribution of environmental pollution by sulfur (S), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and arsenic (As) for the territory of Poland and the Warsaw (Warszawa) district were developed on the basis of chemical analysis of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) needles collected from randomly selected sampling points during 1983-1985. The maps show deposition zones for the studied elements and can help in identification of sources and directions of air pollution dispersion. This study indicated that vegetation in Poland is greatly endangered by sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) and other sulfurous air pollutants, whereas Zn, Cd, Pb, and As do not pose an immediate threat to vegetation in most of the country's territory. However, in the urban-industrial agglomeration of Katowice-Cracow, very high pollution with Z, Cd, Pb and As could limit growth and development of some sensitive plant species. Higher than normal levels of As in some areas of Poland (Upper Silesia, Glogow-Lubin Copper Region, and areas close to the Russian border near Braniewo) might affect the health of humans and animals. Results of this study indicated that Poland's environment was not contaminated with Cu.

Journal Article↗

Micro sequential injection: environmental monitoring of nitrogen and phosphate in water using a "Lab-on-Valve" system furnished with a microcolumn.

A "Lab-on-Valve" manifold operated in the micro sequential injection (microSI) mode was adopted to accommodate EPA-approved methods for spectrophotometric determinations of nitrate, nitrite and orthophosphate in the ppb (N or P) concentration range. A computer programmable microSI protocol, utilizing stopped-flow within a copperized Cd-foil filled microcolumn was developed for nitrate reduction to nitrite with subsequent colorimetric measurement, yielding concentration ranges for nitrate of 100.0-4000.0 ppb (N) and for nitrite of 30.0-4000.0 ppb (N) and linear calibration responses of r2 = 0.9999 for nitrate and 0.9995 for nitrite. Using a stopped-flow reaction rate measurement, phosphate was determined in the range 1.0-30.0 ppb (P) with a calibration response of r2 = 0.9997. The technical improvement of this methodology, apart from micro miniaturization, is the use of the stopped-flow technique, that resulted in improved detection limits and allowed reagent consumption to be reduced 1500-fold compared with conventional procedure while the amount of metallic cadmium was reduced 20-fold compared with the EPA-approved continuous-flow assay.

Flow Injection Analysis↗

Stable Tagging of Rhizobium meliloti with the Firefly Luciferase Gene for Environmental Monitoring.

A system for stable tagging of gram-negative bacteria with the firefly luciferase gene, luc, is described. A previously constructed fusion constitutively expressing luc from the lambdap(R) promoter was used. Stable integration into the bacterial genome was achieved by use of mini-Tn5 delivery vectors. The procedure developed was applied for tagging of representative gram-negative bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, Rhizobium meliloti, Pseudomonas putida, and Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The system permitted the detection of tagged R. meliloti in the presence of more than 10 CFU per plate without the use of any selective markers (such as antibiotic resistance genes). No significant differences in growth rates or soil survival were found between the marked strain and the wild-type strain. Studies of bioluminescent R. meliloti also revealed a good correlation between cell biomass and bioluminescence. The firefly luciferase tagging system is an easy, safe, and sensitive method for the detection and enumeration of bacteria in the environment.

Journal Article↗

Public perception of realtime information services for environmental monitoring and management of asthma.

A questionnaire was distributed to asthma patients and relatives of paediatric patients in the Royal Brompton Hospital outpatient clinic in London during March 2003. The aim was to determine how well informed those affected by asthma and allergic diseases were, to find out the best medium for distributing relevant information (e.g. Internet, mobile phones) and to discover the type of information they wished to receive. A total of 298 questionnaires were distributed and all were completed (100% response rate). The level of education of the respondents was high and the majority lived outside the London area. The questionnaire showed that the respondents would like to be informed about a wide range of information related to monitoring and self-management of asthma. Avoidance measurements and prevention was the first choice, followed closely by information on substances, and the environment and allergies. The Internet was the preferred means of communication with an information service provider. The telephone was also popular, and more popular than the mobile phone. The majority of participants were not willing to pay for an information service.

Adolescent↗

Thermal environmental monitoring of divers using a twelve channel multiplexing instrument.

A 12-channel temperature monitoring instrument designed for use by divers while immersed or within pressure chambers is described. Data are multiplexed at the diver and transmitted to the surface, bell, submarine, or chamber exterior through a two-core electrical cable. In the case of the immersed diver the cable may be incorporated into the diver's umbilical cable. Details of the method and special construction techniques used in the design of the diver-borne multiplexer are given. At the dive control station the 12 individual temperatures may be displayed in either digital or analogue format. The temperature data may also be stored on one track of a battery-powered magnetic tape recorder for subsequent off-line analysis.

Body Temperature↗