Showing 5 results for Caspian Sea
Jaber Aazami, Abbas Esmaili-Sari , Seyed Mahmoud Ghasempouri , Nader Bahramifar,
Volume 3, Issue 3 (9-2010)
Abstract
Background: Present study was carried out in north of Iran to investigate the concentration of mercury (Hg) as one of the most toxic metals in tissues of two species of birds.
Methods: In this study, 15 birds from coot (Fulica atra) and 18 birds from cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) were hunted in Anzali and Gomishan wetlands. Data-analyses carried out using SPSS software version 17 licenced by Tarbiat Modares University. Data-test normality performed based on Sharpiro-Wilk’s test and P-value was set on P<0.05.
Results: Based on the study, for two species, mercury concentration in feather was in maximal and in muscles it was in minimal concentration. For coot muscles, kidney, liver tissues and feathers, it was 0.03, 0.07, 0.09, and 0.23 mg/kg, and for cormorant it was 2.26, 3.59, 5.67, and 8.68 mg/kg. In general, mercury (Hg) concentrations in coot were lower than cormorant (P<0.05). No significant differences were found between them in terms of sex (P< 0.05).
Conclusion: Concentration of mercury was not the same in two species. Statistical analysis didnot show a significant differences between male and female tissues of them.Our data can contribute to develop management programs for understanding the ecotoxicological status of the Caspian basin and its coastal environment.
Seyed Mahmoud Ghasempouri, Narjes Okati, Abbas Esmaili-Sari,
Volume 3, Issue 3 (9-2010)
Abstract
Background: Mercury (Hg) is a hazardous metal responsible for environmental contamination and human intoxication. Methyl mercury bio-accumulation through food chain can be responsible for chronic mercury exposure of South Caspian Sea communities with a diet rich in fish. Uncertainties about exposure levels that could have damaging consequences for nervous system development of infants makes bio-monitoring of Hg a necessity in Southern Caspian Sea populations.
Methods: Mercury concentration in the hair of 70 pairs of mothers and their breastfed infants were assessed and its relationship with influencing factors was evaluated.
Results: Calculated levels of mercury exposure of both infants and mothers indicated concentrations less that the recommended levels by WHO and EPA reference. Total mean mercury concentrations in infants hair was 0.48±0.32 μg / g and for mothers was 0.19±0.09 μg / g. Correlation analysis showed that mercury concentration in the hair of infants was significantly (P=0.002, R=0.371) associated with mercury levels in the hair of their mothers. The influence of other variables such as living location, age of mothers, infants‘ sex, weight, the amount of fish and sea food consumption of mother, and the number of dental amalgam fillings, were examined as well as.
Conclusion: The amount of fish and sea food consumption by mothers and the living location were the variables that significantly affected hair mercury concentrations of mothers and infants. Also the age of infants (p=0.02) and the number of dental amalgam fillings of mothers (p=0.016) significantly affected the hair mercury levels in infants. Hair
Jaber Aazami , Abbas Esmaili- Sari , Nader Bahramifar , Seyed Mahmoud Ghasempouri, Amir Mohammad Kazemifar,
Volume 4, Issue 4 (1-2011)
Abstract
Background: Contagion of aquatic ecosystems to heavy metals especially mercury (Hg) has risen concerns about healthiness of marine organisms. Organic mercury compounds are highly toxic for animals, and its detection in various samples is frequently needed. In present study we have described a new method for measurement of organic mercury and total mercury concentration in great cormorants (phalacrocorax carbo) of southern coasts of Caspian Sea. Also, resultant values have been compared with world health standards.
Methods: 18 great cormorants were hunted randomly in southern coasts of Caspian Sea during March 2009. Analysis of organic and total mercury was performed on samples from their liver, kidney and muscle, with Advanced Mercury Analyzer (Model Leco, AMA 254) for the first time in Iran. This method can be used for others biota.
Results: Mean concentrations of total mercury were 5.67, 3.59 and 2.26 mg/kg in animal liver, kidney and muscle respectively from which 82, 79 and 58 percent were comprised from organic mercury respectively. Comparison of resultant figures showed statistically significant differences (P<0.05) but no differences were found between different sexes (P=0.69).
Conclusion: Total mercury concentrations in tissues of great cormorant were outstandingly higher than WHO, FAO and EPA standards. It is a serious threat for end users of the bird meat especially insubstantial humans.
Mohammad Shokrzadeh Lamuki, Seyed Soheil Saeedi Saravi, Nasrin Otadi,
Volume 6, Issue 18 (10-2012)
Abstract
Background: Pesticides are essential in modern agricultural practices but due to their biocide activity and potential risk to the consumer, the control of pesticide residues in foods is a growing source of concern for the general population. Extensive application of such agents as organochlorine pesticides in farmlands and contemporary agricultural industries has led to undesired environmental contamination and human health hazards. Thus, this study attempted to evaluate and analyze the residual values of the organochlorine insecticide D.D.T and its metabolite D.D.A in the four species of most consumed fish collected from the Caspian Sea.
Methods: In this investigation, concentrations of residual values of D.D.T and D.D.A were quantitatively determined in the 4 species of fish sampled from 4 major fishing centers (Chalous and Babolsar cities and Khazar Abad and Miankaleh regions) in Mazandaran province, Iran, using gas chromatography electron-capture detection (GC–ECD) in 2008.
Results: The results showed that the highest values of D.D.T were in Mugil auratns (0.033±0.008 mg/kg) and Rutilus frisikutum (0.031±0.007 mg/kg) fishes collected from Babolsar sampling center.
Conclusion: Concentrations of D.D.T and D.D.A in the fish were found to be less than the standard permissible intake.
Samira Mehrdad , Keivan Saeb, Lobat Taghavi , Masood Ghane ,
Volume 13, Issue 3 (7-2019)
Abstract
Background: Water plays an essential role in supporting life on earth and sea worldwide, requiringclean, safe, high quality and sustainable resources. Nowadays, many water resources have been contaminatedwith toxic compounds originating from petroleumdue to economical and industrial developments. There is anurgent need to clean up the waters with environmentally friendlyand inexpensive methods. This study investigated the biodegradation of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) using Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) in southern Caspian Sea coastline.
Methods: Coastline sediment samples were collected, with P. aeruginosa being the predominant strain. The bacteria were cultured in triplicates in the presence of 0.5, 1, 2 and 4% of gasoline andunder specific experimental conditions of varying temperature, pH, salinity, shaker speed, and incubation periods. The data representing the gasoline biodegradation in the samples were statistically analyzed.
Results: At optimized experimental conditions for temperature, pH, salinity, incubation period, and shaker speed, maximum biodegradation of TPH was achieved by culturing P. aeruginosa strains with the sea water samples containing varying concentrations of gasoline.
Conclusion: The gram-negative bacteria, P. aeruginosa, almost completely biodegraded TPH contaminants from the samples’ culture media over 28 days of incubation. We conclude that the use of P. aeruginosa is an efficient method for the biodegradation of Caspian coastal waters contaminated with TPH.