Aquatic organisms encounter a number of contaminants in their environments. Here, we report polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations detected in diamondback terrapin eggs collected from the Patuxent River, Maryland, one year after an oil spill. Data suggested a geographic difference in egg hydrocarbon concentrations. However, at one year after the oil spill, most PAH concentrations ...

Near-IR surface plasmon resonance is used to characterize Teflon AF films for refractive index-based detection of the aromatic hydrocarbon contaminants benzene, toluene, and xylenes in water. The technique requires no sample preparation, and film sensitivity is found to be enhanced by oxygen plasma etching. A diffusion equation model is used to extract the diffusion and partition coefficients, ...

In this study, the draft genome of Rhodococcus sp. strain ENV425 was determined. The propane-grown strain ENV425 cometabolically degrades environmental contaminants such as methyl tert-butyl ether and N-nitrosodimethylamine. The sequence revealed the presence of multiple hydrocarbon metabolic genes that could play pivotal roles in the biodegradation of pollutants.

Identifying metabolites associated with anaerobic hydrocarbon biodegradation is a reliable way to garner evidence for the intrinsic bioremediation of problem contaminants. While such metabolites have been detected at numerous sites, the in situ rates of anaerobic hydrocarbon decay remain largely unknown. Yet, realistic rate information is critical for predicting how long individual contaminants...

Abstract The characterization of contaminated sites is a serious issue that requires number techniques to be deployed in the field reconstruct geometry, hydraulic properties and state contamination shallow subsurface, often at hundreds meter scale with metric resolution. Among have been proposed complement direct investigations (composed drilling, sampling, laboratory characterization) are geop...

Bioremediation of hydrocarbon pollutants is advantageous owing to the cost-effectiveness of the technology and the ubiquity of hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms in the soil. Soil microbial diversity is affected by hydrocarbon perturbation, thus selective enrichment of hydrocarbon utilizers occurs. Hydrocarbons interact with the soil matrix and soil microorganisms determining the fate of the ...

The present study aimed to evaluate the health risk of heavy metals (iron, zinc, cadmium, arsenic, nickel, lead, and mercury), benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the workplace in a secondary oil re-refining factory. In this descriptive, cross-sectional study, samples were collected and analyzed using the NIOSH 1501 method at eight sa...

The impact of unmonitored contaminants, also known as contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), on freshwater streams remains largely uncharacterized. Water samples from 31 streams representing urban, agricultural and undeveloped (i.e., open space) land use in Southern California (USA) were analyzed for in vitro and in vivo bioactivity. The extent and magnitude of bioactivity screened using endo...

Although it has been established that environmental contaminants can alter immune function, the mechanisms of action have yet to be determined. This paper reviews the effects of hydrocarbon environmental contaminants on lymphocyte function and presents an approach which may serve to delineate the mechanisms of action. The approach is based on the use of the developmental phases of an immune res...