Journal articles on the topic 'Seawaters based proce'

The expendable current profiler (XCP) is a new instrument that is internationally used to rapidly monitor ocean currents in marine environments. The most crucial part of this instrument is the XCP probe. Since the probe is of high electrical resistance, it acts almost like an insulator with respect to seawater. Placing it into the induced electric field (IEF) of seawater therefore yields a certain level of influence over the electric field. Therefore, in order to improve the accuracy of XCP measurements, the conditions associated with this influence can be used to guide the design of XCP probes; at the same time, these can also serve as reference points in order to provide technical support for the processing of XCP data on ocean currents. To this end, computer-based numerical simulations and laboratory-based physical simulations are used in this study. The results showed that after an XCP probe (diameter: 5 cm; length: 52 cm) was inserted into seawater, the voltage difference of ocean currents at both ends of the electric field sensor placed above the XCP probe increased by a factor of 1.85 (as compared to the case in which there is no influence from the probe).

Nowadays, it is still a challenge for commercial nitrate sensors to meet the requirement of high accuracy in a complex water. Based on deep-ultraviolet spectral analysis and a regression algorithm, a different measuring method for obtaining the concentration of nitrate in seawater is proposed in this paper. The system consists of a deuterium lamp, an optical fiber splitter module, a reflection probe, temperature and salinity sensors, and a deep-ultraviolet spectrometer. The regression model based on weighted average kernel partial least squares (WA-KPLS) algorithm together with corrections for temperature and salinity (TSC) is established. After that, the seawater samples from Western Pacific and Aoshan Bay in Qingdao, China with the addition of various nitrate concentrations are studied to verify the reliability and accuracy of the method. The results show that the TSC-WA-KPLS algorithm shows the best results when compared against the multiple linear regression (MLR) and ISUS (in situ ultraviolet spectrophotometer) algorithms in the temperatures range of 4–25 °C, with RMSEP of 0.67 µmol/L for Aoshan Bay seawater and 1.08 µmol/L for Western Pacific seawater. The method proposed in this paper is suitable for measuring the nitrate concentration in seawater with higher accuracy, which could find application in the development of in-situ and real-time nitrate sensors.

Seawater treated with lime and sodium carbonate in different proportions to reduce magnesium and calcium contents is used in flocculation and sedimentation tests of artificial quartz and kaolin tailings. Solid complexes were separated from water by vacuum filtration, and factors such as lime/sodium carbonate ratio, kaolin content, flocculation time, and flocculant dose are evaluated. The growth of the aggregates was captured in situ by a focused beam reflectance measurement (FBRM) probe. Solid magnesium and calcium complexes are formed in raw seawater at pH 11, impairing the performance of flocculant polymers based on polyacrylamides. The results show that the settling rate improved when the treatment’s lime/sodium carbonate ratio increased. That is, when a greater removal of magnesium is prioritized over calcium. The amount of magnesium required to be removed depends on the mineralogy of the system: more clay will require more significant removal of magnesium. These results respond to the structural changes of the flocs, achieving that the more magnesium is removed, the greater the size and density of the aggregates. In contrast, calcium removal does not significantly influence flocculant performance. The study suggests the necessary conditions for each type of tailing to maximize water recovery, contributing to the effective closure of the water cycle in processes that use seawater with magnesium control.

ABSTRACT Vibrio cholerae is recognized as a leading human waterborne pathogen. Traditional diagnostic testing forVibrio is not always reliable, because this bacterium can enter a viable but nonculturable state. Therefore, nucleic acid-based tests have emerged as a useful alternative to traditional enrichment testing. In this article, a TaqMan PCR assay is presented for quantitative detection of V. cholerae in pure cultures, oysters, and synthetic seawater. Primers and probe were designed from the nonclassical hemolysin (hlyA) sequence of V. choleraestrains. This probe was applied to DNA from 60 bacterial strains comprising 21 genera. The TaqMan PCR assay was positive for all of the strains of V. cholerae tested and negative for all other species of Vibrio tested. In addition, none of the other genera tested was amplified with the TaqMan primers and probe used in this study. The results of the TaqMan PCR with raw oysters and spiked with V. cholerae serotypes O1 and O139 were comparable to those of pure cultures. The sensitivity of the assay was in the range of 6 to 8 CFU g−1 and 10 CFU ml−1 in spiked raw oyster and synthetic seawater samples, respectively. The total assay could be completed in 3 h. Quantification of the Vibrio cells was linear over at least 6 log units. The TaqMan probe and primer set developed in this study can be used as a rapid screening tool for the presence ofV. cholerae in oysters and seawater without prior isolation and characterization of the bacteria by traditional microbiological methods.

The ‘surplus’ of oceanic water generated by climate change offers an unprecedented opportunity to tackle a number of global issues through a very pragmatic process: shifting the excess water from the oceans onto the land. Here we propose that sea-level rise could be mitigated through the desalination of very large amounts of seawater in massive desalination plants. To efficiently mitigate sea-level rise, desalinized water could be stored on land in the form of crop, wetlands or new forests. Based on a US$ 500 million price to build an individual mega desalination plant with current technology, the cost of controlling current sea-level rise through water desalination approaches US$ 23 trillion. However, the economic, environmental and health benefits would also be immense and could contribute to addressing a number of global issues including sea-level rise, food security, biodiversity loss and climate change. Because these issues are intimately intertwined, responses should aim at addressing them all concurrently and at global scale.

As one of the most important physical parameters of seawater, salinity is essential to study climatological change, to trace seawater masses and to model ocean dynamics. The traditional way to conduct salinity measurement in hydrographical observation is to use a standard conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) probe where the salinity determination is based on a measurement of electrical conductivity. This article describes some developments of recent years that could lead to a new generation of instruments for the determination of salinity in seawater. Salinity determination with optical salinity sensor based on the refractive index measurement have been extensively studied. Different ways to conduct refractive index measurements are summarized, including measurements based on beam deviation, light wave mode coupling and swelling of surface coating material, among which the optical fiber sensors are promising candidates for further commercialization. Complementary to the above-mentioned direct measurement salinity point sensors, seismic observation takes advantages of large scale multichannel seismic data to retrieve the ocean salinity with high lateral resolution of ∼10 m. This work provide comprehensive information in the techniques related to the marine salinity measurement.

The ‘surplus’ of oceanic water generated by climate change offers an unprecedented opportunity to tackle a number of global issues through a very pragmatic process: shifting the excess water from the oceans onto the land. Here we propose that sea-level rise could be mitigated through the desalination of very large amounts of seawater in an international network of massive desalination plants. To efficiently mitigate sea-level rise, desalinized water could be stored on land in the form of crop, wetlands or new forests. Based on a US$ 500 million price to build an individual mega desalination plant with current technology, the cost of controlling current sea-level rise through water desalination approaches US$ 23 trillion in investment and US$ 4 trillion per year in operating costs. However, the economic, environmental and health benefits would also be immense and could contribute to addressing a number of global issues including sea-level rise, food security, biodiversity loss and climate change. Because these issues are intimately intertwined, responses should aim at addressing them all concurrently and at global scale.

The increasing shortage of water for crop irrigation in arid and semiarid regions is encouraging the use of non-conventional resources. In the last decade, seawater desalination has consolidated its position as an alternative source to increase the supply for agricultural irrigation in Spain and Israel, where the farmers’ acceptance is progressively rising, despite the supply price being much higher than that of other conventional water sources. This article describes the current situation of desalinated seawater production and supply to agriculture in the southeast of Spain, and analyzes key questions such as its role in regional water planning, the infrastructure needed for conveyance and distribution, the energy requirements, the production and distribution costs, and the final price to farmers. The study is based on descriptive and quantitative data collected from desalination plants and irrigation district managers through technical questionnaires and personal interviews. The results show how seawater desalination is effectively alleviating the regional constraints in the irrigated agriculture supply, and why it is becoming strategic to maintaining food production and socioeconomic development. However, the high-energy requirements and associated costs in comparison with other water sources limit a more widespread use for agriculture, and for this reason desalinated water still only plays a complementary role in most irrigation districts.

In marine environments, environmental DNA (eDNA) can be effectively detected and possibly quantified when combined with molecular techniques, as demonstrated by several recent studies. In this study, we developed a species-specific primer set and a probe to detect the distribution and biomass of an invasive hydrozoan in South Korea, Ectopleura crocea. These molecular markers were designed to amplify a 187 bp region based on mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) of E. crocea and were tested on seawater samples from 35 Korean harbors in 2017. Of the 35 sites we investigated, only nine harbors returned positive detections when using traditional survey methods, while surveys based on the use of eDNA techniques detected E. crocea DNA in all seawater samples. These results suggest that eDNA surveys based on molecular techniques are more effective at identifying species distribution and estimating biomass than traditional surveys based on visual assessment of morphology.

In the Campo de Níjar (southeast Spain), an intensive horticulture model under plastic has been developed based on the use of groundwater. For many years, aquifers have been overexploited, almost generating an environmental collapse. The construction of a desalination plant was planned to improve this situation and to achieve sustainable aquifer management. However, the aquifer is still being overexploited, since farmers scarcely use desalinated seawater for irrigation. In this paper, farmers irrigating with desalinated seawater are characterized, since they contribute to aquifer sustainability. The study aimed to identify the variables which condition the use of this water resource, as well as the kinds of incentives that encourage this option. For this purpose, a survey was undertaken within a sample of 110 farmers. A cluster analysis and a binary logistic regression were employed. The results from the cluster analysis allowed the characterization of farmers who use desalinated seawater for irrigation. Furthermore, the regression model showed the variables that determine a more intensive use of this irrigation source, such as crop diversification, availability of different water resources and the conductivity of aquifer water available for irrigation. The incentives promoting the use of desalinated seawater for irrigation that most encourage farmers are the implementation of tax relief, price reductions and the obligation to install rainwater collection systems.

In modern expeditionary research carried out on research vessels, the local density of seawater is not measured, but calculated using the TEOS-10 thermodynamic equation of state based on cumulative measurements of pressure, temperature and electrical conductivity or speed of sound. The equation of state with satisfactory accuracy is valid only for oceanological waters, and is used with corrections for the waters of the marginal and inland seas. These corrections are permanently refined and will be refined in the future. It is desirable to have direct measurements of the local density of any waters directly in the environment with sufficient accuracy, which is now 4·10-6. Laboratory measurements made by various methods and with different devices, not always automated, give accuracy ~ . Attempts to automate these measurements and introduce them into sounding devices have been made several times. Experimental samples of vibration, refractometric and hydrostatic devices have been created and tested, none of which have been introduced into the practice of expeditionary work for various reasons. However, scientific and technological progress makes possible technical solutions previously difficult to implement. This also applies to modifications of the hydrostatic method for measuring the local density, which have recently attracted the interest of developers. The paper analyzes the possibilities of implementing the hydrostatic method using multi-element resistor distributed pressure and temperature sensors, resistance profilers of these sensors and determining the spatial pressure drop on a given base by measuring and subtracting sensor resistances, taking into account temperature correction. The use of three such sensors, mounted on three rods, oriented downward along the axes of a rectangular coordinate system, provides the possibility of measuring the local density with an arbitrary orientation of the probe relative to the vertical. The analysis shows the possibility of measuring the local density of seawater by the hydrostatic method with the required accuracy in probe instruments.

Herein, a label-free colorimetric nanosensor for Hg(II) is developed utilizing the hindering effect of Hg(II) on the kinetic aspect of gold nanoparticle (AuNPs) growth on the surface of gold nanostars (AuNSs). H-AuNS probes are synthesized and modified by 2-[4-(2-hydroxyethel) piperazine-1-yl] ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES). After the formulation of the reagents and testing conditions are optimized, HEPES-capped AuNSs (H-AuNSs) demonstrates good selectivity and sensitivity towards Hg(II) determination. A H-AuNS probe, in the presence of HCl/Au(III)/H2O2, is capable of detecting a Hg(II) concentration range of 1.0 nM–100 µM, with a detection limit of 0.7 nM, at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3.0, and a visual detection limit of 10 nM with naked eyes. For practicality, the H-AuNS probe is evaluated by measuring Hg(II) in the environmental water matrices (lake water and seawater) by a standard addition and recovery study. The detection limits for environmental samples are found to be higher than the lab samples, but they are still within the maximum allowable Hg concentration in drinking water (10 nM) set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). To create a unique nanosensor, the competitive interaction between Hg(II) and Pt(IV) toward the H-AuNSs probe is developed into a logic gate, improving the specificity in the detection of Hg(II) ions in water samples.

Phosphorite-type rare earth deposits, which are one of the important types of rare earth elements (REE) ore deposits, have attracted increasing attention because of the extreme enrichments in heavy rare earth elements (HREE), including Yttrium (Y). In this study, in situ geochemical analyses of apatite grains from Zhijin phosphorites were conducted using electron probe microanalysis (EMPA) and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Based on EPMA mapping analysis, we show that rare earth elements and Yttrium (REY) entering into the crystal lattice by isomorphism rather than by inclusions of REY-bearing accessory minerals. The post-Archean Australian Shales (PAAS)-normalized REY patterns of the apatite grains are characterized by hat-shaped MREE-enriched patterns. We interpret that this pattern may reflect the REE distribution of seawater at that time. We propose that in a local, reducing environment, dramatically increased the concentration of REY in seawater, and resulted in the MREE-enriched patterns in the ancient ocean. The main mechanism for the genesis of the Zhijin phosphorite deposit is the apatite crystallizes during the mixing process of REY- and P-rich fluid and oxidizing seawater.

Reliable predictions of ship wakes scattering strength are required for laser radar modeling. In this paper, far-field light scatter of wake bubbles is firstly simulated by CST software and used linearly polarized light at a frequency of 563THz (wavelength 532nm,blue light) as probe light; Analyzed the far-filed radar cross section performance of effect factors such like bubbles radius, absorption coefficient in sea water with the method of finite integral of CST. The experiment result shows scatter strength and depolarization characteristics are great variable on conditions of forward and backward scattering, and affected by the bubble radius and seawater absorption coefficient as well, this method all directions of the scatter strength and depolarization characteristics that also can be get in figures. These results provides important basis for subsequent research.

Suspended particles affect the state and vitality of the marine ecosystem. In situ probing and accurately classifying the suspended particles in seawater have an important impact on ecological research and environmental monitoring. Individual measurement of the optical polarization parameters scattered by the suspended particles has been proven to be a powerful tool to classify the particulate compositions in seawater. In previous works, the temporal polarized light pulses are sampled and averaged to evaluate the polarization parameters. In this paper, a method based on dense sampling of polarized light pulses is proposed and the experimental setup is built. The experimental results show that the dense sampling method optimizes the classification and increases the average accuracy by at least 16% than the average method. We demonstrate the feasibility of dense sampling method by classifying the multiple types of particles in mixed suspensions and show its excellent generalization ability by multi-classification of the particles. Additional analysis indicates that the dense sampling method basically takes advantage of the high-quality polarization parameters to optimize the classification performance. The above results suggest that the proposed dense sampling method has the potential to probe the suspended particles in seawater in red-tide early warning, as well as sediment and microplastics monitoring.

We have developed a means of differentiating and enumerating Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vuinificus by DNA-DNA colony hybridization directly on HGMF filters. V. parahaemolyticus can be detected by a tdh-3-radiolabeled gene probe and V. vuinificus detected by a specific cytotoxin-hemolysin-radiolabeled probe with enumeration directly from autoradiograms. This procedure is more rapid than current techniques allowing enumeration and identification of these two species in samples as diverse as seawater, oyster (Crassostrea gigas), and shrimp (Pandalidae family) within 4 d. Our method is based on a rapid technique (18 h) for isolation and enumeration of V. parahaemolyticus from food using a membrane filtration technique with hydrophobic grid filters (HGMF). With the HGMF method, however, it is not possible to differentiate V. parahaemolyticus from V. vuinificus since on the HGMF-sucrose-based agar used, the two species are indistinguishable as both species are unable to ferment sucrose. Using a combination of the HGMF and selective gene probes, these two species can be differentiated.

ABSTRACT The distribution of DNA among bacterioplankton and bacterial isolates was determined by flow cytometry of DAPI (4′,6′-diamidino-2-phenylindole)-stained organisms. Conditions were optimized to minimize error from nonspecific staining, AT bias, DNA packing, changes in ionic strength, and differences in cell permeability. The sensitivity was sufficient to characterize the small 1- to 2-Mb-genome organisms in freshwater and seawater, as well as low-DNA cells (“dims”). The dims could be formed from laboratory cultivars; their apparent DNA content was 0.1 Mb and similar to that of many particles in seawater. Preservation with formaldehyde stabilized samples until analysis. Further permeabilization with Triton X-100 facilitated the penetration of stain into stain-resistant lithotrophs. The amount of DNA per cell determined by flow cytometry agreed with mean values obtained from spectrophotometric analyses of cultures. Correction for the DNA AT bias of the stain was made for bacterial isolates with known G+C contents. The number of chromosome copies per cell was determined with pure cultures, which allowed growth rate analyses based on cell cycle theory. The chromosome ratio was empirically related to the rate of growth, and the rate of growth was related to nutrient concentration through specific affinity theory to obtain a probe for nutrient kinetics. The chromosome size of aMarinobacter arcticus isolate was determined to be 3.0 Mb by this method. In a typical seawater sample the distribution of bacterial DNA revealed two major populations based on DNA content that were not necessarily similar to populations determined by using other stains or protocols. A mean value of 2.5 fg of DNA cell−1was obtained for a typical seawater sample, and 90% of the population contained more than 1.1 fg of DNA cell−1.

Despite the consensus that keeping global temperature rise within 1.5 °C above pre-industrial level by 2100 reduces the chance for climate change to reach the point of no return, the newest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report warns that the existing commitment of greenhouse gas emission reduction is only enough to contain the warming to 3–4 °C by 2100. The harsh reality not only calls for speedier deployment of existing CO2 reduction technologies but demands development of more cost-efficient carbon removal strategies. Here we report an ocean alkalinity-based CO2 sequestration scheme, taking advantage of proton consumption during nitrate assimilation by marine photosynthetic microbes, and the ensuing enhancement of seawater CO2 absorption. Benchtop experiments using a native marine phytoplankton community confirmed pH elevation from ~8.2 to ~10.2 in seawater, within 3–5 days of microbial culture in nitrate-containing media. The alkaline condition was able to sustain at continued nutrient supply but reverted to normalcy (pH ~8.2–8.4) once the biomass was removed. Measurements of δ13C in the dissolved inorganic carbon revealed a significant atmospheric CO2 contribution to the carbonate alkalinity in the experimental seawater, confirming the occurrence of direct carbon dioxide capture from the air. Thermodynamic calculation shows a theoretical carbon removal rate of ~0.13 mol CO2/L seawater, if the seawater pH is allowed to decrease from 10.2 to 8.2. A cost analysis (using a standard bioreactor wastewater treatment plant as a template for CO2 trapping, and a modified moving-bed biofilm reactor for nitrate recycling) indicated that a 1 Mt CO2/year operation is able to perform at a cost of ~$40/tCO2, 2.5–5.5 times cheaper than that offered by any of the currently available direct air capture technologies, and more in line with the price of $25–30/tCO2 suggested for rapid deployment of large-scale CCS systems.

Saltwater intrusion is when sea water moves into freshwater aquifers and contaminates them. It can be a serious problem for coastal communities and inland ecosystems. A number of factors, both natural and manmade, contribute to this contamination. Natural factors include events such as storm surges from hurricanes that push seawater into inland freshwater bodies. However, manmade factors contribute far more to saltwater intrusion than natural factors. The biggest human factor is the overuse of freshwater aquifers in coastal areas. Saltwater has a higher density than freshwater, and hence a higher static pressure. So when a freshwater aquifer is partially drained by over usage, the higher pressure saltwater will percolate through the bedrock into the aquifer under the freshwater. Contamination of the freshwater body then occurs through dispersion and diffusion. Manmade canals and channels for shipping, drainage and irrigation can also provide a pathway for seawater to move into coastal bodies of freshwater. Oil and gas production and mining can also contribute to saltwater contamination of freshwater. Saltwater contamination can render freshwater aquifers non-potable, kill freshwater fish and other inhabitants, kill freshwater plants and deleteriously affect inland freshwater ecosystems in coastal areas. Dissolved salt ions in water are excellent charge carries, resulting in a large difference in the electrical conductivity between freshwater and saltwater. Therefore the measurement of the electrical conductivity of a water sample can be used to gauge the level of possible saltwater contamination. Commercial printed circuit board (PCB) technology affords the realization of a low-cost sensor probe for measuring the electrical conductivity of aqueous samples. This sensor makes use of the materials and processes inherent in commercial PCB manufacturing, including the FR4 substrate, patterned Cu cladding and soldermask. The non-conductive E-glass FR4 substrate is used as the rigid backbone of the sensor probe. The patterned Cu cladding is used for electrodes and signal traces. The polymeric soldermask is used as a thin insulating and moisture barrier layer. With these materials, the sensor consists of two planar exposed metal pads on the surface that are used to measure electrical conductivity. Additionally, the PCB probe is directly compatible with the integration of any desired integrated electronic components and/or other sensors. Furthermore, the turnaround time for a new PCB sensor design can be as little as 24 hours at modest cost, making this technology economically superior to traditional sensor technologies, such as silicon based MEMS, where it can take months to realize a new design and be very expensive. A prototype PCB electrical conductivity sensor probe has been designed, fabricated and evaluated with mixtures of freshwater and seawater, demonstrating its usefulness.

On the basis of a mathematical description of the processes of measuring the vertical profile of the density of the oceanic environment using a diving offshore autonomous probe – a profiler equipped with an onboard navigation system, a structure and a computer model of a multipurpose information-measuring system is proposed, which is intended for use in operational oceanology. The proposed system forms arrays of measurements of vertical profiles in situ of the density of seawater and its increment, as well as the speed of sound as functions of hydrostatic pressure, obtained during one sounding. At the same time, arrays of complete and thermohaline vertical stability of water layers, as well as the corresponding vertical distributions of the Väisälä-Brunt frequency of thermohaline oscillations in the stratified ocean environment, are formed almost in parallel. In the course of the simulation, an original model of the immersion of an autonomous marine probe in stratified sea water was used, as well as a dynamic model for measuring the trajectory parameters of its movement, taking into account the inertial properties of the acceleration and pressure sensors used. As an object of measurements, we used a simulation model of the ocean environment with vertical density stratification and the corresponding speed of sound in seawater, developed on the basis of real data of profile measurements obtained from specific hydrological stations. The verification of the models of the dynamic measurement processes was carried out by the method of computer simulation in the MATLAB & Simulink environment based on the comparison between the simulation results and available results from the hydrological stations. The illustrations of the results of computer simulation are presented.

Water electrolysis is a key technology to convert and store sustainable energy into high-energy-dense hydrogen. However, slow kinetics of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the anode hinders overall reaction rate of water splitting and delays realization of hydrogen energy society. OER consists of four electron steps and an ideal catalyst has 1.23 V potential barrier for each step, but a real catalyst has a step which requires higher potential than 1.23 V, i.e., overpotential. Therefore, exploring OER catalyst with minimized OER overpotential is an important challenge in increasing water electrolysis efficiency. On the other side, the direct use of abundant seawater as a splitting reactant has advantage in terms of resources and cost. It can also help commercialization of water electrolysis. Since seawater contains chloride which causes undesirable side reactions and accelerated corrosion of the anode material, appropriate OER catalyst is necessary to avoid these problems. Conventional trial-and-error method in catalyst design usually requires many years of R&D and high cost. Computational screening can preemptively narrow down the candidate group of high-efficient catalyst to reduce time and economic cost. NiFe-based layered double hydroxide (NiFe-LDH) is a promising OER catalyst due to the comparable activity to commercial IrO2catalyst and can provide easily tunable metal composition during synthesis process. Its unique layered structure and reversible oxidation state change in redox condition also have arisen interest of many researchers. In this study, starting from the mechanism study of OER, chloride evolution reaction (ClER), and chloride-induced corrosion on this material, we performed DFT calculations to predict which transition metal dopants can enhance the OER activity of NiFe-LDH without accelerating selectivity and corrosion problems in seawater. NiFe-LDH is known to experience its transition to NiFeOOH phase under OER condition. [001] and [110] facets were set as edge and terrace sides of NiFeOOH, respectively, after their surface energies were investigated. Surface Pourbaix diagram showed that the [001] facet has clean termination without any adsorbate while [110] facet has dissociated-H2O covered termination under alkaline OER condition. OER energetic profile showed that the Fe site on the [110] surface is an OER active site with a theoretical overpotential of 280 mV, and seawater conditions do not significantly affect the OER activity itself. ClER mechanism study revealed that it occurs via *ClOH intermediates on [110] metal sites or *Cl intermediates on deprotonated [001] oxygen sites. Energy calculation of surface chlorination and metal dissolution steps showed that gradual chlorination accelerates metal dissolution and [110] facet is more vulnerable to chloride-induced corrosion than [001] facet. As the third metal candidate of NiFe-LDH, 3d to 5d transition metals excluding heavy metals were screened. Gibbs free energy correction terms such as vibrational entropy, zero-point energy and solvation parameter were calculated only for NiFeOOH case, and applied them to other candidates to simplify the screening process. NiFeOOH [001] surface could not be better than NiFeOOH [110] surface due to the inherent low activity of the [001] facet, but interestingly seven dopants could reduce the overpotential of NiFeOOH [110] surface by affecting the Fe active site or being active sites themselves. Since these dopants increased the oxidation ability of the active site, all of them also lowered chloride oxidation potential. However, fortunately, none of their ClER operating potential was lower than their OER operating condition, which means that there still exist potential windows where 100% OER selectivity can be achieved. In the last screening step, dissolution energies of fully chlorinated metal sites were calculated for the seven candidates, and two cases of them showed negative dissolution energy, which indicates very unstable doping state. As a result, five candidates passed through all three screening criteria: OER activity, OER vs. ClER selectivity, and durability against corrosion. Further, the experimental validation has performed on three promising candidates considering the raw material price, and it revealed that their activity is higher activity than NiFe-LDH. In addition, for the two abandoned cases in the third screening step (about metal dissolution), the experimental data showed that they were not seem to be actually doped into NiFe-LDH, indicating that the computational screening of seawater compatibility really worked. This study supports the utility of theoretical screening in electrochemical catalyst design and presents computational approach method to consider seawater compatibility.

Optimal sizing of power systems has a tremendous effective role in reducing the total system cost by preventing unneeded investment in installing unnecessary generating units. This paper presents an optimal sizing and planning strategy for a completely hybrid renewable energy power system in a remote Japanese island, which is composed of photovoltaic (PV), wind generators (WG), battery energy storage system (BESS), fuel cell (FC), seawater electrolysis plant, and hydrogen tank. Demand response programs are applied to overcome the performance variance of renewable energy systems (RESs) as they offer an efficient solution for many problems such as generation cost, high demand peak to average ratios, and assist grid reliability during peak load periods. Real-Time Pricing (RTP), which is deployed in this work, is one of the main price-based demand response groups used to regulate electricity consumption of consumers. Four case studies are considered to confirm the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed schemes. Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) is utilized to optimize the size of the system’s components to decrease the total system cost and maximize the profits at the same time.

Abstract. A distinct gap in our ability to understand changes in coastal biology that may be associated with recent ocean acidification is the paucity of directly measured ocean environmental parameters at coastal sites in recent decades. Thus, many researchers have turned to sclerochronological reconstructions of water chemistry to document the historical seawater environment. In this study, we explore the relationships between B/Ca and pH to test the feasibility of B/Ca measured on the ion probe as a pH proxy in the California mussel, Mytilus californianus. Heterogeneity in a range of ion microprobe standards is assessed, leading to reproducible B/Ca ratios at the 5% level. The B/Ca data exhibit large excursions during winter months, which are particularly pronounced during the severe winters of 2004–2005 and 2005–2006. Furthermore, B/Ca ratios are offset in different parts of the skeleton that calcified at the same time. We compare the M. californianus B/Ca record to directly measured environmental data during mussel growth from the period of 1999–2009 to examine whether seawater chemistry or temperature plays a role in controlling shell B/Ca. A suite of growth rate models based on measured temperature are compared to the B/Ca data to optimise the potential fit of B/Ca to pH. Despite sampling conditions that were well-suited to testing a pH control on B/Ca, including a close proximity to an environmental record, a distinct change in pH at the sampling locale, and a growth model designed to optimise the correlations between seawater pH and shell B/Ca, we do not see a strong correlations between pH and shell B/Ca (maximum coefficient of determination, r2, of 0.207). Instead, our data indicate a strong biological control on B/Ca as observed in some other carbonate-forming organisms.

Marine sediments are rich in mineral resources, organic resources, and microbial life. The study of marine sediments is of great significance for the development and utilization of marine resources and understanding the life process. Resistivity is the overall characteristic of the electrical conductivity of marine sediments. Measuring the resistivity of marine sediments is helpful to ascertain the marine geological structure, study the distribution of marine mineral resources, and evaluate the marine soil environment. Measuring the resistivity of marine sediments is of great significance to promote marine exploration. At present, the resistivity measurement device on the market can be directly used to measure soil and water on land, but if used to measure marine sediments, it will be disturbed by seawater temperature and pressure, resulting in large errors. In this paper, a high-precision pressure-maintaining transfer system of marine sediment resistivity measurement instrument based on circular permutation electrode is designed, which can measure the resistivity of marine sediment samples after pressure-maintaining transfer. At the same time, a new type of circular permutation electrode measurement method is proposed, which makes the resistivity value more accurate, reduces the length of the probe appropriately, and saves the cost. By measuring the resistivity of marine sediments, the type of sediments can be inverted, which provides a way of thinking about the promotion of the research and development and utilization of marine resources.

To measure the heart rate of unrestrained sea turtles, it has been believed that a probe must be inserted inside the body owing to the presence of the shell. However, inserting the probe is invasive and difficult to apply to animals in the field. Here, we have developed a non-invasive heart rate measurement method for some species of sea turtles. In our approach, an electrocardiogram (ECG) was performed using an animal-borne ECG recorder and two electrodes—which were electrically insulated from seawater—pasted on the carapace. Based on the measured ECG, the heartbeat signals were identified with an algorithm using a band-pass filter. We implemented this algorithm in a user-friendly program package, ECGtoHR. In experiments conducted in a water tank and in a lagoon, we successfully measured the heart rate of loggerhead, olive ridley and black turtles, but not green and hawksbill turtles. The average heart rate of turtles when resting underwater was 6.2 ± 1.9 beats min –1 and that when moving at the surface was 14.0 ± 2.4 beats min –1 . Our approach is particularly suitable for endangered species such as sea turtles, and has the potential to be extended to a variety of other free-ranging species. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Measuring physiology in free-living animals (Part I)’.

Abstract. Reactive halogen species (X*=X●, ●X2−, X2 and HOX, where X=Br, Cl, or I) in seawater, sea-salt particles, and snowpacks play important roles in the chemistry of the marine boundary layer. Despite this, relatively little is known about the steady-state concentrations or kinetics of reactive halogens in these environmental samples. In part this is because there are few instruments or techniques that can be used to characterize aqueous reactive halogens. To better understand this chemistry, we have developed a chemical probe technique that can detect and quantify aqueous reactive bromine and chlorine species (Br*(aq) and Cl*(aq)). This technique is based on the reactions of short-lived X*(aq) species with allyl alcohol (CH2=CHCH2OH) to form stable 3-halo-1,2-propanediols that are analyzed by gas chromatography. Using this technique in conjunction with competition kinetics allows determination of the steady state concentrations of the aqueous reactive halogens and, in some cases, the rates of formation and lifetimes of X* in aqueous solutions. We report here the results of the method development for aqueous solutions containing only bromide (Br−).

Abstract. Reactive halogen species (X*=X•, •X2-, X2 and HOX, where X=Br, Cl, or I) in seawater, sea-salt particles, and snowpacks play important roles in the chemistry of the marine boundary layer. Despite this, relatively little is known about the steady-state concentrations or kinetics of reactive halogens in these environmental samples. In part this is because there are few instruments or techniques that can be used to characterize aqueous reactive halogens. To better understand this chemistry, we have developed a chemical probe technique that can detect and quantify aqueous reactive bromine and chlorine species (Br*(aq) and Cl*(aq)). This technique is based on the reactions of short-lived X*(aq) species with allyl alcohol (CH2=CHCH2OH) to form stable 3-halo-1,2-propanediols that are analyzed by gas chromatography. Using this technique in conjunction with competition kinetics allows determination of the steady state concentrations of the aqueous reactive halogens and, in some cases, the rates of formation and lifetimes of X* in aqueous solutions. We report here the results of the method development for aqueous solutions containing only bromide (Br-).

Numerical simulation results of the Black Sea circulation obtained by four ocean dynamics models are compared to each other and to in situ data in order to determine the features of the Black Sea deep-water circulation such as deep-water undercurrents. The year 2011 is chosen as the test period due to the availability of deep-sea observations, including ARGO profiles and ADCP current velocities. Validation of the simulation results is based on comparison with the temperature and salinity measured by the ARGO floats. Anticyclonic currents (undercurrents) under the cyclonic Rim Current are detected by the results of all numerical models near the North Caucasian coast. The main characteristics of undercurrents are consistent with in situ data on current velocity up to a depth of 1000 m obtained by the Aqualog probe at the IO RAS test site near Gelendzhik in June 2011. The analysis of the spatio-temporal variability of the modeled salinity and velocity fields reveals that the most probable origin of the undercurrents is the horizontal density gradient of seawater in the region.

The recent supply of large volumes of seawater desalinated water in Israel prompted both the development of new water quality standards and the development of a novel post treatment process, designed to comply with the new standards at a cost effective price. The new process is designed to supply water with alkalinity, Ca2 + and calcium carbonate precipitation potential values as required in the new criteria, along with the addition of a threshold Mg2 + concentration recently recommended by the WHO. The current paper describes the process in general, and focuses in particular on attaining these criteria while maintaining a low total hardness concentration (120 mg/L as CaCO3). The process is based on dissolving calcite using H2SO4 and replacing the excess calcium ions generated in this process by Mg2 + ions (using a specific cation exchange resin—Amberlite) and by Na+ (using a second cation exchange resin—chabazite, from the zeolite group). Once exhausted the resins are re-loaded with Mg2 + and Na+ by the brine generated in the RO process, thus no unwanted brines are generated. A case study is presented for which operational costs were approximated at 0.034 $US/m3 product water.

With the development of the oil industry and the increasingly complex drilling environment, the performance of drilling fluids has to be constantly improved. In order to solve the problem of bentonite dispersion and hydration in a saline medium, a drilling fluid additive with good performance and acceptable cost was sought. The effects of several water-soluble polymers, such as cellulose polymers, synthetic polymers and natural polymers, on the rheology and gel suspension stability of calcium-based bentonite were compared in this study. Among the examined polymers, the xanthan gum biopolymer (XC) was the least negatively affected in the saline medium used. However, its high price limits its industrial application in oil and gas drilling fluids. In this study, a salt-tolerant polymer, modified plant gum (MVG), was prepared by a cross-linking modification of a natural plant gum, which is abundant and cheap. Then, a salt-tolerant polymer mixture called SNV was prepared, composed of the salt-resistant natural polymer MVG and the biopolymer XC. The salt tolerance and pulping ability of SNV and common water-soluble polymers were evaluated and compared. We then selected the most suitable Herschel–Bulkley model to fit the rheological curve of the SNV–bentonite aqueous suspension system. SNV improved the rheological properties of the calcium-based bentonite slurry and the dispersion stability of bentonite. In an SNV concentration of 0.35%, the apparent viscosity (AV) of the base slurry increased from 2 mPa·s to 32 mPa·s., and the low shear reading value at 3 rpm increased from 0 dia to 5 dia. This could greatly improve the viscosity and cutting carrying capacity of the bentonite drilling fluid. The bentonite drilling fluid prepared with SNV could be directly slurried with brine and even seawater; this means that when drilling in ocean, coastal saline water and high-salinity-surface saline water areas, the slurry preparation cost and preparation time can be conveniently reduced.

The Tongkuangyu copper deposit, North China Craton, is hosted in a volcano-sedimentary sequence (ca. 2.2 Ga) that metamorphosed to the lower amphibolite facies at ca. 1.9 Ga. Petrographic observations revealed various metamorphic fabrics (mineral alignment and foliations) and several generations of biotite, chlorite, and pyrite. Sulfide Pb-Pb dating indicates that copper mineralization occurred at 1960+46/−58 Ma, younger than the zircon U-Pb age of the host metatuff (2180 Ma to 2190 Ma), but close to the timing of regional metamorphism (ca. 1.9 Ga). Electron probe analyses show that the biotites belong to the magnesium-rich variety, and were formed at 470 to 500 ° C based on Ti-in-biotite thermometry. Chlorites belong to ripidolite and pycnochlorite, and were formed at ca. 350 ° C based on the Al geothermometer. Pyrites in porphyry, metatuffs, and quartz veins have contrasting Ni and Co concentrations, pointing to a local remobilization. Hydrogen and oxygen isotopic analyses suggest that biotite and chlorite were formed by metamorphic waters whereas quartz records much lower δ D f l u i d values, reflecting the influence of meteoric water. Fluid inclusions in pyrite and chalcopyrite in metatuff and quartz vein contain extremely radiogenic 4 He and 40 Ar, indicating a crustal origin for the fluids. Sulfides show a magmatic sulfur isotopic signature, likely indicating the presence of preexisting volcanism-related sulfides. We proposed that the early layered copper sulfides formed during metamorphic retrogression at ca. 1.9 Ga and the late vein-type sulfides were derived from the remobilization of the earlier sulfides by infiltration of external fluids such as residual seawater and metamorphic fluids at shallow level.

The coastal fishing port of Tumumpa has a primary supply of marine fishes caught by purseseiners to fulfill the Manadonian needs. This descriptive study using literature and field research is to determine the contribution of purseseine fishery to the gross regional domestic product (GRDP) of Manado. The results showed that the sub-sector of fishery has a LQ (location quotient) < 1 (average 0.30). It means, the sub-sector of fishery in Manado is not an important sector in Manado. To fulfill the Manadonian needs, import of fish is expected to be necessary. The purseseine fishery has a high contribution to the GRDP of Manado, from 1.58% in 2003 to 82.5% in 2012 (annual average of 30.5%) with average growth of 71.5% per year, based on market price. The revenue of ship’s crews depends on each person's responsibility on the ship. Financial analysis concluded that purseseine fishery is economically feasible with R/C ratio varying from 1.09 to 1.22 (average 1.16). The operational costs must be the owners’ responsibility, which reduces revenue disparity between owners and crews. Considering the lack of fish supply and the fact that marine fishes of North Sulawesi seawaters still have high potential, it is recommended to add some new purseseiners. Pelabuhan Perikanan Pantai (PPP) Tumumpa Manado menjadi pemasok utama ikan yang tertangkap oleh kapal pukat cincin untuk masyarakat Kota Manado. Penelitian deskriptif yang menggunakan library research dan field research ini bertujuan mengetahui sampai sejauh mana kontribusi perikanan pukat cincin ini terhadap produk domestik regional bruto (PDRB) Kota Manado. Dari analisis data diperoleh bahwa subsektor perikanan memiliki nilai LQ < 1 (rerata 0,30) yang berarti subsektor perikanan di Kota Manado bukanlah merupakan sektor basis bagi perekonomian Kota Manado. Dengan demikian, untuk memenuhi kebutuhan masyarakat dari subsektor perikanan tersebut perlu dilakukan impor. Perikanan pukat cincin ini berkontribusi tajam dari tahun ke tahun terhadap PDRB Kota Manado, dari 1,6% tahun 2003 menjadi 82,5% tahun 2012 (rerata 30,5% per tahun), dengan kenaikan rerata 71,5% per tahun (ADHB). Pendapatan kru kapal dibedakan sesuai tugas dan tanggungjawab di kapal. Usaha perikanan pukat cincin ini layak secara finansial, dengan nilai R/C rasio 1,09 - 1,22 (rerata 1,16). Biaya operasional seyogianya menjadi tanggungan pemilik untuk mengurangi disparitas pendapatan antara pemilik dan kru kapal. Mengingat kurangnya pasokan ikan dan masih cukup tersedianya potensi lestari sumberdaya perikanan laut di perairan Sulawesi Utara, penambahan kapal pukat cincin seyogianya mutlak dilakukan.

Shrimp farming has been introduced since the mid-1980s at the southern coast of Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (DIY). However, the industry was not well growing in the initial stage. The new shrimp development project also promoted in the early of 2000s, particularly in Jangkaran Village, Subdistrict of Temon, Kulon Progo District and Poncosari Village, Subdistrict of Srandakan, Bantul District, but many of shrimp farms fail because of shrimp diseases, lack of capital to recover and shrimp farming experiences. Recently, the shrimp culture industry experienced rapid expansion along the coast of the two districts. This study aimed to determine the profile and growing of shrimp farming at the southern coast of DIY and to identify the technical aspects, social, and economic indicators of sustainable shrimp culture in the less favorable areas. To identify the sustainability of current shrimp culture, the study develop four indicators consist of technical indicators (6 sub-indicators), economic indicators (9 sub-indicators), social indicators (7 sub-indicators), and environmental indicators (8 sub-indicator). The study was conducted during March to October 2014 by using a combination of literature study and survey at two selected villages: Jangkaran and Poncosari Villages. The total 82 respondents were interviewed; consist of shrimp farmers, coastal communities, community leaders, and local government. The study showed that the rapid growing of shrimp farming were caused by several factors, among others: (1) the existence of technological innovation in shrimp farming in the sandy soil areas, particularly the lower cost in the pond investment and the more easier of seawater collecting; (2) high price and market opportunities of the commodity; and (3) changes in the physical environment due to the threat of coastal erosion which damage the fisher livelihood, thus demanding adaptation strategies. Shrimp farmer in average managed 2,138 m2 and implemented intensive to super intensive cultivation technology, with an average stocking density of 144 shrimp/m2. Production per year in average reaches 25.9 ton/ha and generating revenue of IDR286.544.232 per year. The total cost of production is estimated at IDR210.590.175 per year, and generated a net profit of IDR75.954.057 per year. The perception based indicator of sustainability showed the environmental related issues were in average have a low value. Thus, environmental regulation of aquaculture is an important aspect to be considered in promoting sustainable development of shrimp farming at the southern coast of the province.

ABSTRACTThe carbonate-dominated Mesozoic sequence of the Transdanubian Mountain Range contains Triassic, uranium-enriched phosphorite layers and Cretaceous, REE-enriched nodular phosphorite. Detailed investigation of these deposits may have an economic benefit because of their large U and REE contents. The dominant minerals in the Triassic phosphorite are carbonate-bearing fluorapatite (CFA) and calcite. According to the electron-probe microanalysis (EPMA) the U is mainly associated with the CFA crystals. Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) measurement shows that CFA contains 137–612 ppm U and 113–261 ppm total REE + Y. The LA-ICP-MS U-Pb age of the uppermost phosphorite horizon is 237 ± 11 Ma, which conforms with the stratigraphic age of the host limestone.The Cretaceous nodular phosphorite occurs on the base of an Aptian crinoid-bearing limestone mostly in the form of encrustations around bio- and silicic-clasts, but the clasts also contain phosphorite. The main minerals in these crusts are CFA, calcite, quartz, glauconite and Fe-oxide-hydroxides. Based on EPMA the REE enrichment is related to CFA and LA-ICP-MS measurements show that it contains 748–2953 ppm total REE + Y.The redox-sensitive proxies and the shape of NASC normalized REE patterns indicate that both phosphorites formed in anoxic environments. There are significant differences between these deposits such as appearance, rock-forming minerals, and U and REE contents which indicate differences in their sedimentary environments. The present results suggest that the Triassic phosphorite was formed by inorganic precipitation in a reducing environment close to sea-mounts. The Cretaceous occurrence resulted from a concentric growth mechanism in cold, ascending seawater at the continental margin environment during the anoxic Selli Event (OAE 1a) and/or Paquier Episode (OAE 1b). The critical raw material contents were derived from other sources.

The purpose of the study is to show the effect of the probe dimensions on the display of the low-frequency dispersion of the geological formations’ electromagnetic properties in transient measurements by electric lines in the axial area of the source for the water areas up to 100 m deep. The study analyzes the change in the transient signal, the finite difference, and the transform (the ratio of the above two) as a function of the length of the source (a horizontal grounded electric line (AB) 50 to 2,000 m), the receiver (a three-electrode electric line (MON) 50 to 2,000 m), and the distance between their centers (spacing) 100 to 4,000 m. The values obtained from the conductive and conductive polarizing models are compared for the identical probes installed at the same depth. The grounded electric line is located within the conducting medium with a conductive polarizable base. The conducting medium is associated with the seawater thickness in the marine shelves up to 100 m deep. The conductive polarizable base is a geological environment (earth) covered with a layer of water. The polarizability of the base is registered by introducing frequency-dependent electrical resistivity by the Cole-Cole formula. The calculations show the display of different transient components associated with the transient buildup and the earth’s low-dispersion properties caused by both galvanic and eddy currents. These components manifest themselves differently for the probes with different dimensions of the source line, receiving line, and spacing. Based on the calculations, it can be argued that in the time range from 1 ms to 16 s, at the probes that have different dimensions and are immersed in the water layer up to 100 m thick, the signal changes depending on the immersion depth for “small” installations (AB of 50 and 100 m), while there is no such dependence for the rest of the probes used in the calculations (AB of 250, 500, 1,000, and 2,000 m).

AbstractThe Cycladic blueschist belt, Greece, is mostly submerged below sea level and regional correlations are difficult to establish. Marbles are widespread within the belt and locally used as marker horizons to subdivide monotonous schist sequences. However, owing to the lack of distinctive petrographic characteristics, the marbles have not been used for island-to-island correlations. This study aims to investigate the potential of Sr-, C- and O-isotope compositions of marbles as a tool for unravelling the litho- and/or tectonostratigraphic relationships across the Cycladic islands, and as a proxy for the time of sediment formation. For this purpose, we have studied metamorphic carbonate rocks from the islands of Tinos, Andros, Syros, Sifnos and Naxos. Identical87Sr/86Sr values for certain marble horizons occurring on Tinos, Andros and Sifnos are interpreted to document coeval regional carbonate precipitation. The87Sr/86Sr values of the apparently least altered samples intersect the seawater curve multiple times within the most likely time interval of original carbonate precipitation (< 240 Ma; as indicated by previously published ion probe U–Pb zircon data) and thus an unequivocal age assignment is not possible. Very broad temporal correlations are possible, but more subtle distinctions are not feasible. On Andros, the overlapping Sr-isotope values of marbles representing the lowest and highest parts of the metamorphic succession are in accordance with a model suggesting isoclinal folding or thrusting of a single horizon, or very fast sedimentation. In contrast, distinct87Sr/86Sr values for samples from Tinos, representing different levels of the metamorphic succession, suggest that these rocks represent a temporal succession and not the tectonic repetition of a single horizon. Based on Sr-, O- and C-isotope characteristics alone the time equivalence of marbles occurring on different islands could not be documented unambiguously. However, by using various combinations of these parameters, some occurrences can be discriminated from the overall sample population. The new data further accentuate the general potential of coupled Sr-, C- and O-isotope characteristics for identification of archaeological provenance and complement existing datasets for Aegean marbles.

Environments containing significant concentration of NaCl such as salt lakes harbor extremophiles microorganisms which have a great biotechnology interest. To explore the diversity of Bacteria in Chott Tinsilt (Algeria), an isolation program was performed. Water samples were collected from the saltern during the pre-salt harvesting phase. This Chott is high in salt (22.47% (w/v). Seven halophiles Bacteria were selected for further characterization. The isolated strains were able to grow optimally in media with 10–25% (w/v) total salts. Molecular identification of the isolates was performed by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene. It showed that these cultured isolates included members belonging to the Halomonas, Staphylococcus, Salinivibrio, Planococcus and Halobacillus genera with less than 98% of similarity with their closest phylogenetic relative. The halophilic bacterial isolates were also characterized for the production of biosurfactant and industrially important enzymes. Most isolates produced hydrolases and biosurfactants at high salt concentration. In fact, this is the first report on bacterial strains (A4 and B4) which were a good biosurfactant and coagulase producer at 20% and 25% ((w/v)) NaCl. In addition, the biosurfactant produced by the strain B4 at high salinity (25%) was also stable at high temperature (30-100°C) and high alkalinity (pH 11).Key word: Salt Lake, Bacteria, biosurfactant, Chott, halophiles, hydrolases, 16S rRNAINTRODUCTIONSaline lakes cover approximately 10% of the Earth’s surface area. The microbial populations of many hypersaline environments have already been studied in different geographical regions such as Great Salt Lake (USA), Dead Sea (Israel), Wadi Natrun Lake (Egypt), Lake Magadi (Kenya), Soda Lake (Antarctica) and Big Soda Lake and Mono Lake (California). Hypersaline regions differ from each other in terms of geographical location, salt concentration and chemical composition, which determine the nature of inhabitant microorganisms (Gupta et al., 2015). Then low taxonomic diversity is common to all these saline environments (Oren et al., 1993). Halophiles are found in nearly all major microbial clades, including prokaryotic (Bacteria and Archaea) and eukaryotic forms (DasSarma and Arora, 2001). They are classified as slight halophiles when they grow optimally at 0.2–0.85 M (2–5%) NaCl, as moderate halophiles when they grow at 0.85–3.4 M (5–20%) NaCl, and as extreme halophiles when they grow at 3.4–5.1 M (20–30%) NaCl. Hyper saline environments are inhabited by extremely halophilic and halotolerant microorganisms such as Halobacillus sp, Halobacterium sp., Haloarcula sp., Salinibacter ruber , Haloferax sp and Bacillus spp. (Solomon and Viswalingam, 2013). There is a tremendous demand for halophilic bacteria due to their biotechnological importance as sources of halophilic enzymes. Enzymes derived from halophiles are endowed with unique structural features and catalytic power to sustain the metabolic and physiological processes under high salt conditions. Some of these enzymes have been reported to be active and stable under more than one extreme condition (Karan and Khare, 2010). Applications are being considered in a range of industries such as food processing, washing, biosynthetic processes and environmental bioremediation. Halophilic proteases are widely used in the detergent and food industries (DasSarma and Arora, 2001). However, esterases and lipases have also been useful in laundry detergents for the removal of oil stains and are widely used as biocatalysts because of their ability to produce pure compounds. Likewise, amylases are used industrially in the first step of the production of high fructose corn syrup (hydrolysis of corn starch). They are also used in the textile industry in the de-sizing process and added to laundry detergents. Furthermore, for the environmental applications, the use of halophiles for bioremediation and biodegradation of various materials from industrial effluents to soil contaminants and accidental spills are being widely explored. In addition to enzymes, halophilic / halotolerants microorganisms living in saline environments, offer another potential applications in various fields of biotechnology like the production of biosurfactant. Biosurfactants are amphiphilic compounds synthesized from plants and microorganisms. They reduce surface tension and interfacial tension between individual molecules at the surface and interface respectively (Akbari et al., 2018). Comparing to the chemical surfactant, biosurfactant are promising alternative molecules due to their low toxicity, high biodegradability, environmental capability, mild production conditions, lower critical micelle concentration, higher selectivity, availability of resources and ability to function in wide ranges of pH, temperature and salinity (Rocha et al., 1992). They are used in various industries which include pharmaceuticals, petroleum, food, detergents, cosmetics, paints, paper products and water treatment (Akbari et al., 2018). The search for biosurfactants in extremophiles is particularly promising since these biomolecules can adapt and be stable in the harsh environments in which they are to be applied in biotechnology.OBJECTIVESEastern Algeria features numerous ecosystems including hypersaline environments, which are an important source of salt for food. The microbial diversity in Chott Tinsilt, a shallow Salt Lake with more than 200g/L salt concentration and a superficies of 2.154 Ha, has never yet been studied. The purpose of this research was to chemically analyse water samples collected from the Chott, isolate novel extremely or moderate halophilic Bacteria, and examine their phenotypic and phylogenetic characteristics with a view to screening for biosurfactants and enzymes of industrial interest.MATERIALS AND METHODSStudy area: The area is at 5 km of the Commune of Souk-Naâmane and 17 km in the South of the town of Aïn-Melila. This area skirts the trunk road 3 serving Constantine and Batna and the railway Constantine-Biskra. It is part the administrative jurisdiction of the Wilaya of Oum El Bouaghi. The Chott belongs to the wetlands of the High Plains of Constantine with a depth varying rather regularly without never exceeding 0.5 meter. Its length extends on 4 km with a width of 2.5 km (figure 1).Water samples and physico-chemical analysis: In February 2013, water samples were collected from various places at the Chott Tinsilt using Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates of 35°53’14” N lat. and 06°28’44”E long. Samples were collected randomly in sterile polythene bags and transported immediately to the laboratory for isolation of halophilic microorganisms. All samples were treated within 24 h after collection. Temperature, pH and salinity were measured in situ using a multi-parameter probe (Hanna Instruments, Smithfield, RI, USA). The analytical methods used in this study to measure ions concentration (Ca2+, Mg2+, Fe2+, Na+, K+, Cl−, HCO3−, SO42−) were based on 4500-S-2 F standard methods described elsewhere (Association et al., 1920).Isolation of halophilic bacteria from water sample: The media (M1) used in the present study contain (g/L): 2.0 g of KCl, 100.0/200.0 g of NaCl, 1.0 g of MgSO4.7HO2, 3.0 g of Sodium Citrate, 0.36 g of MnCl2, 10.0 g of yeast extract and 15.0 g agar. The pH was adjusted to 8.0. Different dilutions of water samples were added to the above medium and incubated at 30°C during 2–7 days or more depending on growth. Appearance and growth of halophilic bacteria were monitored regularly. The growth was diluted 10 times and plated on complete medium agar (g/L): glucose 10.0; peptone 5.0; yeast extract 5.0; KH2PO4 5.0; agar 30.0; and NaCl 100.0/200.0. Resultant colonies were purified by repeated streaking on complete media agar. The pure cultures were preserved in 20% glycerol vials and stored at −80°C for long-term preservation.Biochemical characterisation of halophilic bacterial isolates: Bacterial isolates were studied for Gram’s reaction, cell morphology and pigmentation. Enzymatic assays (catalase, oxidase, nitrate reductase and urease), and assays for fermentation of lactose and mannitol were done as described by Smibert (1994).Optimization of growth conditions: Temperature, pH, and salt concentration were optimized for the growth of halophilic bacterial isolates. These growth parameters were studied quantitatively by growing the bacterial isolates in M1 medium with shaking at 200 rpm and measuring the cell density at 600 nm after 8 days of incubation. To study the effect of NaCl on the growth, bacterial isolates were inoculated on M1 medium supplemented with different concentration of NaCl: 1%-35% (w/v). The effect of pH on the growth of halophilic bacterial strains was studied by inoculating isolates on above described growth media containing NaCl and adjusted to acidic pH of 5 and 6 by using 1N HCl and alkaline pH of 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 using 5N NaOH. The effect of temperature was studied by culturing the bacterial isolates in M1 medium at different temperatures of incubation (4°C–55°C).Screening of halophilic bacteria for hydrolytic enzymes: Hydrolase producing bacteria among the isolates were screened by plate assay on starch, tributyrin, gelatin and DNA agar plates respectively for amylase, lipase, protease and DNAse activities. Amylolytic activity of the cultures was screened on starch nutrient agar plates containing g/L: starch 10.0; peptone 5.0; yeast extract 3.0; agar 30.0; NaCl 100.0/250.0. The pH was 7.0. After incubation at 30 ºC for 7 days, the zone of clearance was determined by flooding the plates with iodine solution. The potential amylase producers were selected based on ratio of zone of clearance diameter to colony diameter. Lipase activity of the cultures was screened on tributyrin nutrient agar plates containing 1% (v/v) of tributyrin. Isolates that showed clear zones of tributyrin hydrolysis were identified as lipase producing bacteria. Proteolytic activity of the isolates was similarly screened on gelatin nutrient agar plates containing 10.0 g/L of gelatin. The isolates showing zones of gelatin clearance upon treatment with acidic mercuric chloride were selected and designated as protease producing bacteria. The presence of DNAse activity on plates was determined on DNAse test agar (BBL) containing 10%-25% (w/v) total salt. After incubation for 7days, the plates were flooded with 1N HCl solution. Clear halos around the colonies indicated DNAse activity (Jeffries et al., 1957).Milk clotting activity (coagulase activity) of the isolates was also determined following the procedure described (Berridge, 1952). Skim milk powder was reconstituted in 10 mM aqueous CaCl2 (pH 6.5) to a final concentration of 0.12 kg/L. Enzyme extracts were added at a rate of 0.1 mL per mL of milk. The coagulation point was determined by manual rotating of the test tube periodically, at short time intervals, and checking for visible clot formation.Screening of halophilic bacteria for biosurfactant production. Oil spread Assay: The Petridis base was filled with 50 mL of distilled water. On the water surface, 20μL of diesel and 10μl of culture were added respectively. The culture was introduced at different spots on the diesel, which is coated on the water surface. The occurrence of a clear zone was an indicator of positive result (Morikawa et al., 2000). The diameter of the oil expelling circles was measured by slide caliber (with a degree of accuracy of 0.02 mm).Surface tension and emulsification index (E24): Isolates were cultivated at 30 °C for 7 days on the enrichment medium containing 10-25% NaCl and diesel oil as the sole carbon source. The medium was centrifuged (7000 rpm for 20 min) and the surface tension of the cell-free culture broth was measured with a TS90000 surface tensiometer (Nima, Coventry, England) as a qualitative indicator of biosurfactant production. The culture broth was collected with a Pasteur pipette to remove the non-emulsified hydrocarbons. The emulsifying capacity was evaluated by an emulsification index (E24). The E24 of culture samples was determined by adding 2 mL of diesel oil to the same amount of culture, mixed for 2 min with a vortex, and allowed to stand for 24 h. E24 index is defined as the percentage of height of emulsified layer (mm) divided by the total height of the liquid column (mm).Biosurfactant stability studies : After growth on diesel oil as sole source of carbone, cultures supernatant obtained after centrifugation at 6,000 rpm for 15 min were considered as the source of crude biosurfactant. Its stability was determined by subjecting the culture supernatant to various temperature ranges (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80 and 100 °C) for 30 min then cooled to room temperature. Similarly, the effect of different pH (2–11) on the activity of the biosurfactant was tested. The activity of the biosurfactant was investigated by measuring the emulsification index (El-Sersy, 2012).Molecular identification of potential strains. DNA extraction and PCR amplification of 16S rDNA: Total cellular DNA was extracted from strains and purified as described by Sambrook et al. (1989). DNA was purified using Geneclean® Turbo (Q-BIO gene, Carlsbad, CA, USA) before use as a template in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. For the 16S rDNA gene sequence, the purified DNA was amplified using a universal primer set, forward primer (27f; 5′-AGA GTT TGA TCM TGG CTC AG) and a reverse primer (1492r; 5′-TAC GGY TAC CTT GTT ACG ACT T) (Lane, 1991). Agarose gel electrophoresis confirmed the amplification product as a 1400-bp DNA fragment.16S rDNA sequencing and Phylogenic analysis: Amplicons generated using primer pair 27f-1492r was sequenced using an automatic sequencer system at Macrogene Company (Seoul, Korea). The sequences were compared with those of the NCBI BLAST GenBank nucleotide sequence databases. Phylogenetic trees were constructed by the neighbor-joining method using MEGA version 5.05 software (Tamura et al., 2011). Bootstrap resembling analysis for 1,000 replicates was performed to estimate the confidence of tree topologies.Nucleotide sequence accession numbers: The nucleotide sequences reported in this work have been deposited in the EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database. The accession numbers are represented in table 5.Statistics: All experiments were conducted in triplicates. Results were evaluated for statistical significance using ANOVA.RESULTSPhysico-chemical parameters of the collected water samples: The physicochemical properties of the collected water samples are reported in table 1. At the time of sampling, the temperature was 10.6°C and pH 7.89. The salinity of the sample, as determined in situ, was 224.70 g/L (22,47% (w/v)). Chemical analysis of water sample indicated that Na +and Cl- were the most abundant ions (table 1). SO4-2 and Mg+2 was present in much smaller amounts compared to Na +and Cl- concentration. Low levels of calcium, potassium and bicarbonate were also detected, often at less than 1 g/L.Characterization of isolates. Morphological and biochemical characteristic feature of halophilic bacterial isolates: Among 52 strains isolated from water of Chott Tinsilt, seven distinct bacteria (A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B4 and B5) were chosen for further characterization (table 2). The colour of the isolates varied from beige, pale yellow, yellowish and orange. The bacterial isolates A1, A2, A4, B1 and B5 were rod shaped and gram negative (except B5), whereas A3 and B4 were cocci and gram positive. All strains were oxidase and catalase positive except for B1. Nitrate reductase and urease activities were observed in all the bacterial isolates, except B4. All the bacterial isolates were negative for H2S formation. B5 was the only strain positive for mannitol fermentation (table 2).We isolated halophilic bacteria on growth medium with NaCl supplementation at pH 7 and temperature of 30°C. We studied the effect of NaCl, temperature and pH on the growth of bacterial isolates. All the isolates exhibited growth only in the presence of NaCl indicating that these strains are halophilic. The optimum growth of isolates A3 and B1 was observed in the presence of 10% NaCl, whereas it was 15% NaCl for A1, A2 and B5. A4 and B4 showed optimum growth in the presence of 20% and 25% NaCl respectively. A4, B4 and B5 strains can tolerate up to 35% NaCl.The isolate B1 showed growth in medium supplemented with 10% NaCl and pH range of 7–10. The optimum pH for the growth B1 was 9 and they did not show any detectable growth at or below pH 6 (table 2), which indicates the alkaliphilic nature of B1 isolate. The bacterial isolates A1, A2 and A4 exhibited growth in the range of pH 6–10, while A3 and B4 did not show any growth at pH greater than 8. The optimum pH for growth of all strains (except B1) was pH 7.0 (table 2). These results indicate that A1, A2, A3, A4, B4 and B5 are neutrophilic in nature. All the bacterial isolates exhibited optimal growth at 30°C and no detectable growth at 55°C. Also, detectable growth of isolates A1, A2 and A4 was observed at 4°C. However, none of the bacterial strains could grow below 4°C and above 50°C (table 2).Screening of the halophilic enzymes: To characterize the diversity of halophiles able to produce hydrolytic enzymes among the population of microorganisms inhabiting the hypersaline habitats of East Algeria (Chott Tinsilt), a screening was performed. As described in Materials and Methods, samples were plated on solid media containing 10%-25% (w/v) of total salts and different substrates for the detection of amylase, protease, lipase and DNAse activities. However, coagulase activity was determined in liquid medium using milk as substrate (figure 3). Distributions of hydrolytic activity among the isolates are summarized in table 4.From the seven bacterial isolates, four strains A1, A2, A4 and B5 showed combined hydrolytic activities. They were positive for gelatinase, lipase and coagulase. A3 strain showed gelatinase and lipase activities. DNAse activities were detected with A1, A4, B1 and B5 isolates. B4 presented lipase and coagulase activity. Surprisingly, no amylase activity was detected among all the isolates.Screening for biosurfactant producing isolates: Oil spread assay: The results showed that all the strains could produce notable (>4 cm diameter) oil expelling circles (ranging from 4.11 cm to 4.67 cm). The average diameter for strain B5 was 4.67 cm, significantly (P < 0.05) higher than for the other strains.Surface tension and emulsification index (E24): The assimilation of hydrocarbons as the sole sources of carbon by the isolate strains led to the production of biosurfactants indicated by the emulsification index and the lowering of the surface tension of cell-free supernatant. Based on rapid growth on media containing diesel oil as sole carbon source, the seven isolates were tested for biosurfactant production and emulsification activity. The obtained values of the surface tension measurements as well as the emulsification index (E24) are shown in table 3. The highest reduction of surface tension was achieved with B5 and A3 isolates with values of 25.3 mN m−1 and 28.1 mN m−1 respectively. The emulsifying capacity evaluated by the E24 emulsification index was highest in the culture of isolate B4 (78%), B5 (77%) and A3 (76%) as shown in table 3 and figure 2. These emulsions were stable even after 4 months. The bacteria with emulsification indices higher than 50 % and/or reduction in the surface tension (under 30 mN/m) have been defined as potential biosurfactant producers. Based on surface tension and the E24 index results, isolates B5, B4, A3 and A4 are the best candidates for biosurfactant production. It is important to note that, strains B4 and A4 produce biosurfactant in medium containing respectively 25% and 20% (w/v) NaCl.Stability of biosurfactant activities: The applicability of biosurfactants in several biotechnological fields depends on their stability at different environmental conditions (temperatures, pH and NaCl). For this study, the strain B4 appear very interesting (It can produce biosurfactant at 25 % NaCl) and was choosen for futher analysis for biosurfactant stability. The effects of temperature and pH on the biosurfactant production by the strain B4 are shown in figure 4.biosurfactant in medium containing respectively 25% and 20% (w/v) NaCl.Stability of biosurfactant activities: The applicability of biosurfactants in several biotechnological fields depends on their stability at different environmental conditions (temperatures, pH and NaCl). For this study, the strain B4 appear very interesting (It can produce biosurfactant at 25 % NaCl) and was chosen for further analysis for biosurfactant stability. The effects of temperature and pH on the biosurfactant production by the strain B4 are shown in figure 4. The biosurfactant produced by this strain was shown to be thermostable giving an E-24 Index value greater than 78% (figure 4A). Heating of the biosurfactant to 100 °C caused no significant effect on the biosurfactant performance. Therefore, the surface activity of the crude biosurfactant supernatant remained relatively stable to pH changes between pH 6 and 11. At pH 11, the value of E24 showed almost 76% activity, whereas below pH 6 the activity was decreased up to 40% (figure 4A). The decreases of the emulsification activity by decreasing the pH value from basic to an acidic region; may be due to partial precipitation of the biosurfactant. This result indicated that biosurfactant produced by strain B4 show higher stability at alkaline than in acidic conditions.Molecular identification and phylogenies of potential isolates: To identify halophilic bacterial isolates, the 16S rDNA gene was amplified using gene-specific primers. A PCR product of ≈ 1.3 kb was detected in all the seven isolates. The 16S rDNA amplicons of each bacterial isolate was sequenced on both strands using 27F and 1492R primers. The complete nucleotide sequence of 1336,1374, 1377,1313, 1305,1308 and 1273 bp sequences were obtained from A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B4 and B5 isolates respectively, and subjected to BLAST analysis. The 16S rDNA sequence analysis showed that the isolated strains belong to the genera Halomonas, Staphylococcus, Salinivibrio, Planococcus and Halobacillus as shown in table 5. The halophilic isolates A2 and A4 showed 97% similarity with the Halomonas variabilis strain GSP3 (accession no. AY505527) and the Halomonas sp. M59 (accession no. AM229319), respectively. As for A1, it showed 96% similarity with the Halomonas venusta strain GSP24 (accession no. AY553074). B1 and B4 showed for their part 96% similarity with the Salinivibrio costicola subsp. alcaliphilus strain 18AG DSM4743 (accession no. NR_042255) and the Planococcus citreus (accession no. JX122551), respectively. The bacterial isolate B5 showed 98% sequence similarity with the Halobacillus trueperi (accession no. HG931926), As for A3, it showed only 95% similarity with the Staphylococcus arlettae (accession no. KR047785). The 16S rDNA nucleotide sequences of all the seven halophilic bacterial strains have been submitted to the NCBI GenBank database under the accession number presented in table 5. The phylogenetic association of the isolates is shown in figure 5.DICUSSIONThe physicochemical properties of the collected water samples indicated that this water was relatively neutral (pH 7.89) similar to the Dead Sea and the Great Salt Lake (USA) and in contrast to the more basic lakes such as Lake Wadi Natrun (Egypt) (pH 11) and El Golea Salt Lake (Algeria) (pH 9). The salinity of the sample was 224.70 g/L (22,47% (w/v). This range of salinity (20-30%) for Chott Tinsilt is comparable to a number of well characterized hypersaline ecosystems including both natural and man-made habitats, such as the Great Salt Lake (USA) and solar salterns of Puerto Rico. Thus, Chott Tinsilt is a hypersaline environment, i.e. environments with salt concentrations well above that of seawater. Chemical analysis of water sample indicated that Na +and Cl- were the most abundant ions, as in most hypersaline ecosystems (with some exceptions such as the Dead Sea). These chemical water characteristics were consistent with the previously reported data in other hypersaline ecosystems (DasSarma and Arora, 2001; Oren, 2002; Hacěne et al., 2004). Among 52 strains isolated from this Chott, seven distinct bacteria (A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B4 and B5) were chosen for phenotypique, genotypique and phylogenetique characterization.The 16S rDNA sequence analysis showed that the isolated strains belong to the genera Halomonas, Staphylococcus, Salinivibrio, Planococcus and Halobacillus. Genera obtained in the present study are commonly occurring in various saline habitats across the globe. Staphylococci have the ability to grow in a wide range of salt concentrations (Graham and Wilkinson, 1992; Morikawa et al., 2009; Roohi et al., 2014). For example, in Pakistan, Staphylococcus strains were isolated from various salt samples during the study conducted by Roohi et al. (2014) and these results agreed with previous reports. Halomonas, halophilic and/or halotolerant Gram-negative bacteria are typically found in saline environments (Kim et al., 2013). The presence of Planococcus and Halobacillus has been reported in studies about hypersaline lakes; like La Sal del Rey (USA) (Phillips et al., 2012) and Great Salt Lake (Spring et al., 1996), respectively. The Salinivibrio costicola was a representative model for studies on osmoregulatory and other physiological mechanisms of moderately halophilic bacteria (Oren, 2006).However, it is interesting to note that all strains shared less than 98.7% identity (the usual species cut-off proposed by Yarza et al. (2014) with their closest phylogenetic relative, suggesting that they could be considered as new species. Phenotypic, genetic and phylogenetic analyses have been suggested for the complete identification of these strains. Theses bacterial strains were tested for the production of industrially important enzymes (Amylase, protease, lipase, DNAse and coagulase). These isolates are good candidates as sources of novel enzymes with biotechnological potential as they can be used in different industrial processes at high salt concentration (up to 25% NaCl for B4). Prominent amylase, lipase, protease and DNAase activities have been reported from different hypersaline environments across the globe; e.g., Spain (Sánchez‐Porro et al., 2003), Iran (Rohban et al., 2009), Tunisia (Baati et al., 2010) and India (Gupta et al., 2016). However, to the best of our knowledge, the coagulase activity has never been detected in extreme halophilic bacteria. Isolation and characterization of crude enzymes (especially coagulase) to investigate their properties and stability are in progress.The finding of novel enzymes with optimal activities at various ranges of salt concentrations is of great importance. Besides being intrinsically stable and active at high salt concentrations, halophilic and halotolerant enzymes offer great opportunities in biotechnological applications, such as environmental bioremediation (marine, oilfiel) and food processing. The bacterial isolates were also characterized for production of biosurfactants by oil-spread assay, measurement of surface tension and emulsification index (E24). There are few reports on biosurfactant producers in hypersaline environments and in recent years, there has been a greater increase in interest and importance in halophilic bacteria for biomolecules (Donio et al., 2013; Sarafin et al., 2014). Halophiles, which have a unique lipid composition, may have an important role to play as surface-active agents. The archae bacterial ether-linked phytanyl membrane lipid of the extremely halophilic bacteria has been shown to have surfactant properties (Post and Collins, 1982). Yakimov et al. (1995) reported the production of biosurfactant by a halotolerant Bacillus licheniformis strain BAS 50 which was able to produce a lipopeptide surfactant when cultured at salinities up to 13% NaCl. From solar salt, Halomonas sp. BS4 and Kocuria marina BS-15 were found to be able to produce biosurfactant when cultured at salinities of 8% and 10% NaCl respectively (Donio et al., 2013; Sarafin et al., 2014). In the present work, strains B4 and A4 produce biosurfactant in medium containing respectively 25% and 20% NaCl. To our knowledge, this is the first report on biosurfactant production by bacteria under such salt concentration. Biosurfactants have a wide variety of industrial and environmental applications (Akbari et al., 2018) but their applicability depends on their stability at different environmental conditions. The strain B4 which can produce biosurfactant at 25% NaCl showed good stability in alkaline pH and at a temperature range of 30°C-100°C. Due to the enormous utilization of biosurfactant in detergent manufacture the choice of alkaline biosurfactant is researched (Elazzazy et al., 2015). On the other hand, the interesting finding was the thermostability of the produced biosurfactant even after heat treatment (100°C for 30 min) which suggests the use of this biosurfactant in industries where heating is of a paramount importance (Khopade et al., 2012). To date, more attention has been focused on biosurfactant producing bacteria under extreme conditions for industrial and commercial usefulness. In fact, the biosurfactant produce by strain B4 have promising usefulness in pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food industries and for bioremediation in marine environment and Microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) where the salinity, temperature and pH are high.CONCLUSIONThis is the first study on the culturable halophilic bacteria community inhabiting Chott Tinsilt in Eastern Algeria. Different genera of halotolerant bacteria with different phylogeneticaly characteristics have been isolated from this Chott. Culturing of bacteria and their molecular analysis provides an opportunity to have a wide range of cultured microorganisms from extreme habitats like hypersaline environments. Enzymes produced by halophilic bacteria show interesting properties like their ability to remain functional in extreme conditions, such as high temperatures, wide range of pH, and high salt concentrations. 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Benzo(a)pyrene, as the main polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollutant in marine oil spill pollution, has negative effects on marine ecology and human health. A facile and sensitive method of rapid benzo(a)pyrene detection in seawater is essential for marine conservation. In this paper, a novel immunosensor is fabricated using a multi-walled carbon nanotubes-chitosan composite loaded with benzo(a)pyrene antibody. This immunosensor is based on a biosensing assay mechanism that uses multi-walled carbon nanotubes-chitosan composites as conductive mediators to enhance electron transfer kinetics. Then, potassium ferricyanide was used as an electrochemical probe to produce an electrochemical signal for the voltammetric behavior investigation of the immune response by differential pulse voltammetry. Under optimal experimental conditions, the peak current change was inversely proportional to the benzo(a)pyrene concentration in the range of 0.5 ng⋅ml−1 and 80 ng⋅ml−1 with a detection limit of 0.27 ng⋅ml−1. The immunosensor was successfully applied to assay BaP in seawater, and the recovery was between 96.6 and 100%, which exhibited a novel, sensitive and interference-resistant analytical method for real-time water environment monitoring. The results demonstrate that the proposed immunosensor has a great potential for application in the monitoring of seawater.

Reconstructions of ancient sulfur cycling and redox conditions commonly rely on sulfur isotope measurements of sedimentary rocks and minerals. Ediacaran strata (635–541 Ma) record a large range of values in bulk sulfur isotope difference (Δ34S) between carbonate-associated sulfate (δ34SCAS) and sedimentary pyrite (δ34Spy), which has been interpreted as evidence of marine sulfate reservoir size change in space and time. However, bulk δ34Spy measurements could be misleading because pyrite forms under syngenetic, diagenetic, and metamorphic conditions, which differentially affect its isotope signature. Fortunately, these processes also impart recognizable changes in pyrite morphology. To tease apart the complexity of Ediacaran bulk δ34Spy measurements, we used scanning electron microscopy and nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry to probe the morphology and geochemistry of sedimentary pyrite in an Ediacaran drill core of the South China block. Pyrite occurs as both framboidal and euhedral to subhedral crystals, which show largely distinct negative and positive δ34Spy values, respectively. Bulk δ34Spy measurements, therefore, reflect mixed signals derived from a combination of syndepositional and diagenetic processes. Whereas euhedral to subhedral crystals originated during diagenesis, the framboids likely formed in a euxinic seawater column or in shallow marine sediment. Although none of the forms of pyrite precisely record seawater chemistry, in situ framboid measurements may provide a more faithful record of the maximum isotope fractionation from seawater sulfate. Based on data from in situ measurements, the early Ediacaran ocean likely contained a larger seawater sulfate reservoir than suggested by bulk analyses.

Considering the unique characteristics of rare earth elements (REEs), the presence of REEs beyond specific limits will adversely affect the environment and it can be employed as a powerful probe for investigating hydrogeochemical processes. This requires sensitive determination of REEs in natural seawater. A matrix separation and pre-concentration technique using the mini-column packed with crab shell particles (CSPs) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) as a means of determination has been developed. The aim of the proposed method was to simultaneously determine 16 REEs (Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu) at trace or ultra-trace concentrations in seawater. The biosorption capacity of CSPs was found to achieve 1.246–1.250 mg g−1 for all elements. In order to optimize performance of the method, the effects of analytical parameters concerning oscillation time, solution pH, salt concentration and eluent concentration were explored. Under the optimal conditions, the detection limits of REEs ranged 0.0006–0.0088 μg L−1, and relative standard deviations (n = 7) varied between 0.55 and 1.39%. The accuracy of developed method was evidenced by applying it to the analysis of REEs in seawater samples, with the overall recoveries at a level of 95.3 and 104.4%. Together, this work provides a promising and cost-effective CSPs-based pretreatment approach for REEs detection in sea environment.

ABSTRACTTime-temperature conditions and water chemistry on illitization at the Murakami deposit in central Japan were determined. The extent of the illitization and timetemperature condition estimated were as follows: the duration for conversion from 0 to 80%illite (volumetric ratio) was approximately 3.5Ma in the temperature range from 340 to 100°C. Conversion from 0 to 40% requires approximately 3.0Ma in the temperature range from 240 to 100°C. During 2.0Ma in the temperature range from 160 to 100°C, however, illite was scarcely observed. Water chemistry is estimated from two approaches, namely laboratory experiment and numerical analysis. The former is an interactive experiment between seawater and the tuff of the deposit. The latter is a calculation based on the difference of bulk composition between illitized and non-illitized tuff. The extent of each ionic concentration is inferred to be as follows: K+; 560 to 6400, Mg2+; 800 to 1700, Ca2+; 360 to 2900, Na+; 9400 to 15000 (mg/l).

Abstract A refractive index fiber probe has been proposed based on a long-tapered microfiber, which was obtained from a long single-mode microfiber by the oxyhydrogen-flame-scanning and stretching method using a multifunctional fiber tapering machine. This microfiber probe was used to detect the refractive index of seawater samples with different concentrations by demodulating the intensity of reflected light. The refractive index sensing performance of the long-tapered microfibers elaborated by the low refractive index UV glue distributing silver nanoparticles and silicon nanoparticles were experimentally demonstrated, compared and analyzed. More stable spectra and sensing performance was obtained for the silicon nanoparticles compared to that of silver nanoparticles. Although a high average refractive index sensitivity of 13.047 dBm/RIU was obtained for the long-tapered microfiber coated by two layers of silver nanoparticle UV films. However, the quality of the corresponding spectra was severely damaged, and the amplitude of light intensity at different wavelengths varied greatly. These problems can be well avoided for the silicon nanoparticle-decorated microfiber tapers, where the overall monotonic variation of the interference spectral intensity will greatly simplify the signal demodulation process and improve the reliability of the measurement results.

AbstractThe use of conducting polymers for corrosion prevention is an area which has gained increasing attention during the last decade [1]. This study explores the use of polyaniline based polymer coatings for corrosion prevention on mild steel. Data on coating degradation and passivation on electrochemically polarized painted metal specimens exposed to acid chloride solutions and artificial seawater at an ambient temperature are presented. A Systematic comparison between controls and designated coated sample sets has been made to demonstrate good corrosion protection efficiency with synergistic effects between conductive polymers and metals by classical DC monitoring techniques. Brief comparisons are made with data from simulated marine exposure. Meanwhile, in separate experiments, electrochemical data were obtained for conductive polymer primer coatings with epoxy top-coat under fully immersed conditions by using electrochemical noise (ECN) monitoring and scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) techniques to discover the initial localized corrosion phenomena in order to achieve further understanding of the protection mechanism. Additionally, electrochemical impedance (EIS) spectra were utilized for the assessment of anti-corrosion performance provided by conducting polymers to mild steel.

In this research work, the corrosion resistance of plate steel used in the construction of cylindrical container tanks of seawater was evaluated. These container tanks are usually used for fighting fires on the coast of the Arequipa-Peru region, where the shortage of drinking water is significant. The study was based on immersion tests of 2 × 2 cm square test plates in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. Five paint systems were studied, varying only in the primers: P1-860 (inorganic zinc silicate); P1-ZC (epoxy-zinchromate); P1-850 (organic rich in zinc); P1-600 (reinforced inorganic zinc) and P1-SP1000 (high solids epoxy-amine). All systems consisted of a primer coat, an epoxy middle coat and a polyurethane topcoat. To characterize the behaviour of each system, the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was mostly used. In addition, the scanning Kelvin probe (SKP) and scanning electro­che­mical microscopy (SECM) were used as local techniques. The first three paint systems (P1-860, P1-ZC and P1-850) showed an invariable value of impedance modulus up to 3360 h of immersion in NaCl. The last two paint systems (P1-600 and P1-SP1000) showed a decrease in impedance modulus by more than one order of magnitude. This research provides a clear contribution of results obtained by global electrochemical techniques such as EIS, estab­lishing excellent tools for monitoring the performance of organic anticorrosive coatings.

Abalone, locally called pāua, is a valuable export product in New Zealand, contributing between NZD $50-60 million annually towards the country’s export economy [1]. Generally, one of the most significant bottlenecks of land-based abalone aquaculture is the high cost of the feed, which can be up to 50% of the production cost [2]. The high price has been attributed to fish meal, which is a key ingredient used in aquaculture feeds due to its excellent amino acid profile and palatability. However, fish meal use has been questioned due to the utilisation of wild fish to feed farmed fish and the exacerbation of overfishing marine resources [3]. Alternative ingredients, such as insects and winery waste products, are potential candidates as protein replacements due to their suitable nutritional profile and more sustainable production. This study aims to 1) develop and characterise alternative formulated feed for pāua (Haliotis iris) using insect meal and grape pomace and 2) evaluate the nutritional and growth alterations in juvenile pāua receiving different formulated feeds for 6 months. Proximate analysis is used to identify nutritional variations in body and faecal matter, and liquid/gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC/GC–MS) analyses are utilised to characterise amino acid and fatty acid profiles in tissue samples. Results show a high animal survival rate of 95% and increased seawater stability of experimental diets compared to a commercial feed. Nutritional analyses show no significant variations in animal tissues in terms of protein proportions and amino acid profiles, but differences were found in the lipid proportions and fatty acid profiles. This research will present the evidence to support the potential use of insect meal and grape marc as fishmeal replacements in abalone feeds, leading to a more sustainable aquaculture.