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Bioindicators - Essential Tools for Realistic Site
Assessment and Remediation Cost Control
E.J.
Zillioux, Florida Power & Light Co.
J.R. Newman, Pandion Systems
EPA-STAR
Grants for Research on Environmental Bioindicators
Mitch Lasat, Ph.D., Hazardous Substances Research Centers, USEPA
Serotonin-Modulating
Protein Content as a Biomarker of Environmental Pollution
A.A.
Mekhtiev, A.A.Gaisina, G.M.Palatnikov, R.Yu.Kasimov,
Institute of Physiology
A.I.Karaev, National Academy of Sciences
The
Effect of Mountain Forest Decline on Staphylinid Beetles
in Central Europe
Jaroslav Bohac, Institute of Landscape Ecology
Development
and Use of Animals as Air Pollution Biomarkers and
Bioindicators in Central Europe: History and Status
James R. Newman, Pandion Systems, Inc.
Neurological
Effects of TCE in Groundwater and Soil in Lisle, Illinois
Alan
R. Hirsch, M.D., Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical
Center
Bioindicators
- Essential Tools for Realistic Site Assessment and
Remediation Cost Control
E.J.
Zillioux, Florida Power & Light Co., Juno Beach, FL
J.R. Newman, Pandion Systems, Gainesville, FL
Contamination
Assessment Reports (CARs) are typically developed from the
results of sampling and chemical analysis of physical
parameters (e.g., soil, groundwater, surface water,
sediments, free product), an evaluation of the spatial
extent of contamination, and model predictions of
potential temporal changes from the current condition.
Rarely are the bioaccessibility or bioavailability of
so-called contaminants-of-potential-concern (COPCs)
considered; yet, without this information, site
assessments are, at best, incomplete, or limited in their
capacity to interpret potential human or ecosystem
impacts. More importantly, a lack of information on
biotic response to COPC exposures can result in either
false positive or false negative conclusions of site
condition and ultimate risk characterization.
Sampling physical factors alone assumes we know the cause
and effect relationship, understand possible synergistic
(or antagonistic) effects of more than one physical factor
and generally assumes continuous exposure. Although
adverse effects due to synergistic interactions of
multiple stressors can be missed (false negatives), more
often the common practice of comparing discrete physical
parameters to regulatory "bright lines" leads to
the overprediction of site hazards (false positives).
EPA-STAR
Grants for Research on Environmental Bioindicators
Mitch
M. Lasat, U.S.E.P.A., Office of Research and Development, National
Center for Environmental Research, 1220 Pennsylvania Ave,
NW, MC 8722R, Washington, DC 20460, Tel: 202 564 6826,
Fax: 202 565 2446
The time
and cost of using conventional analytical approaches can
significantly restrict the number of samples analyzed for
environmental assessment and monitoring. Because the
quality of environmental management decisions depends upon
the accuracy of monitoring approaches employed, the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking effective
and cost-efficient techniques to assess the impact of
environmental stressors on the human health and the
ecosystem, and to monitor the effect of remedial
activities. The use of biosensors emerges as a powerful
new approach for environmental monitoring. In addition to
an internal research and development program, EPA supports
the advancement of biosensor-related science and
technology through Science To Achieve
Results (STAR), a competitive extramural research
grants program. Through the STAR program, EPA is funding
research on the application of biosensors for the
assessment of exposure and toxicity in humans and
ecosystem, and for environmental monitoring of remedial
technologies. Biosensors and biomarkers STAR research
results will be presented and EPA research priorities in
this emerging area will be discussed. Presentation will
focus on the development of biosensors for site
characterization and monitoring, biomarkers for the
assessment of exposure and toxicity, and ecological
indicators.
Serotonin-Modulating Protein Content as a Biomarker of
Environmental Pollution
Arif A.Mekhtiev, Institute
of Physiology n.a. A.I.Karaev, National Academy of
Sciences, 2 Sharif-zadeh St., Baku 370100 Azerbaijan, Tel:
(99412) 32-37-44. Email: arifm@iphysiol.azeri.com
Aliya A.Gaisina, Institute of Physiology n.a. A.I.Karaev,
National Academy of Sciences, 2 Sharif-zadeh St., Baku
370100, Azerbaijan, Tel: (99412) 32-37-44
Grigoriy M.Palatnikov, Institute of Physiology n.a.
A.I.Karaev, National Academy of Sciences, 2 Sharif-zadeh
St., Baku 370100 Azerbaijan, Tel: office (99412) 32-37-44,
32-39-22.
Rafik Yu.Kasimov, Professor, Institute of Physiology n.a.
A.I.Karaev, National Academy of Sciences, 2 Sharif-zadeh
St., Baku 370100 Azerbaijan, Tel: (99412) 32-39-00.
Serotoninergic system activity is shown to be highly
vulnerable to the impact of environmental pollution
(Garcia et al., 2001). The importance of these studies is
due to the fact that serotonin is involved in regulation
of cell proliferation and differentiation (Couper et al.,
1996; Mercer et al., 1996), so significant changes in
serotonin turnover might bring to such severe pathologies
as inborn abnormalities and cancerogenesis both in animals
and humans. The serotonin-modulating anticonsolidation
protein (SMAP) was identified and purified from the rat
brains and appear to consist of two subunits of 126 and 60
kDa (Mekhtiev, 2000). This protein presents linear
correlations with the serotonin content in the rat brain.
Determination of the SMAP content in the fish liver by the
ELISA-test with application of the anti-SMAP
immunoglobulins was used to evaluate the serotoninergic
system activity on the postsynaptic level. The mutagenesis
level in fishes was evaluated by micronucleus test by
counting the micronuclei amount per each 1000
erythrocytes. It was shown that goldfish (Carassius
auratus) exposure to the crude oil polluted water at
concentrations of 0,1 and 0,5 ppt for 5 days leads to
increase of the SMAP content in the goldfish liver
relatively to the intact fishes (p<0,001). The
micronucleus test showed no differences between groups
under 0,1 ppt concentration, and increase in the
micronuclei amount under 0,5 ppt concentration. Besides,
the SMAP content was evaluated in the liver of the gobies
(Neogobius fluviotilis) dwelling in the Caspian Sea. The gobies were
caught in one clean and two polluted littoral zones of the
sea with increasing level of contamination. The analysis
showed that the SMAP contents in the tissues of the fishes
dwelling in the polluted zones were significantly lower
(p<0,01) than in the specimens from the clean one.
However, the micronucleus test didn't reveal significant
differences between the fishes from both zones. So,
determination of the SMAP content in animal tissues may be
used as a sensitive and reliable indicator of the
environmental pollution.
The
Effect of Mountain Forest Decline on Staphylinid Beetles
in Central Europe
Jaroslav
Bohac, Institute of Landscape Ecology, Academy of Sciences
of the Czech Republic, Na Sadkach 7, 370 05 Ceske
Budejovice, Czech Republic
Staphylinid
beetles belong to one of the most numerous group of
invertebrates living in the soil and on soil surface. In
Central Europe they occur in mountain forests which were
negatively impacted by air pollution, particularly by
sulphur dioxide, in the last fifty years. The long term
changes of staphylinid communities (1983-2003) were
indicated in sensitive mountain ecosystems. The main
factors influencing the beetle communities (habitat and
soil characteristics) are described. The characteristics
of invasive species, which colonize declining forests are
provided. The
critical stage of staphylinid communities is determined in
impacted mountain environment. There is discussed the
potential possibility to restore beetle communities
after the ten last years, when the
decreasing of air pollution was found.
Development
and Use of Animals as Air Pollution Biomarkers and
Bioindicators in Central Europe: History and Status
James
R. Newman, Pandion Systems, Inc., 5200 NW 43rd Street,
Suite 102-314, Gainesville, Fl 32606-4482, Tel:
352-372-4747, Fax: 352-372-4714
Since
the late 1960s, there has been a formal interest and
research into the development and use of biomarkers and
bioindicators of air pollution. The development and use of
markers and indicators resulted from a political
prohibition of being able to study the effects of air
pollutants on human health.
Central Europe from the 1950s through the 1980s was
the scene of acute and chronic air pollution from
industrialization. Researchers from different institutes
and universities conducted extensive studies on biomarkers
and bioindicators of air pollution.
Biomarkers included such responses as changes in
the chemical composition of lens and changes in the blood
chemistry of wild hares.
Bioindicator organisms included urban birds whose
nesting is sensitive to different levels of air quality
and pheasants which exhibited different levels of nematode
infection in urban and industrial regions compared to
agricultural regions.
These and other biomarkers and bioindicators were
incorporated into monitoring programs.
This paper will review the types and application of
air pollution biomarkers and indicator developed and used
in Central Europe. The
present status of biomarkers and bioindicators will be
presented.
Alan
R. Hirsch, M.D., Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical
Center, 845 N. Michigan Ave., Ste. 990W, Chicago, IL
60611, Tel: 312-649-5829,
Fax: 312-649-0458
Twelve
residents living adjacent to a site of TCE contamination
of the groundwater (68,000 ppb) and soil (680,000 ppb)
were evaluated as to the presence of TCE-induced
neurologic dysfunction with history, neurologic
examination, and nerve threshold measurements and
olfactory testing. Where clinically appropriate, additional testing was
performed with somatosensory evoked responses, nerve
conduction velocities, electroencephalogram, visual evoked
responses, brainstem auditory evoked responses, P300
responses, Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III,
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2, Beck
Depression Inventory, Zung Depression Scale, Paulhaus
Deception Scale, TOMM, Validity Profile Indicator, Strub
and Black Mental Status Examination, Mini Mental State
Exam, Poppelreuter Task Test, Trail-Making Subtest of the
Halstead Reitan Battery, and a series of olfactory and
gustatory testings. On
sensory nerve threshold measurements, 11 (91%)
demonstrated bilateral abnormalities.
Five (41%) demonstrated preferential trigeminal
nerve involvement, a marker for TCE-induced neurologic
damage. Diagnosis
in these five included TCE-induced:
polyneuropathy (4), cephalgia (3), limbic
encephalopathy (2), encephalopathy (1), subclinical
encephalopathy (1), subclinical hyposmia (1), subclinical
polyneuropathy (1), optic neuropathy (1), and anosmia (1).
In
the presence of substantial TCE in soil and ground water,
trigeminal nerve threshold measurements may be useful as a
biologic marker for TCE exposure.
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