Fish Farming Water Research Articles

Critical evaluation of third-order advantage with highly overlapped spectral signals. Determination of fluoroquinolones in fish-farming waters by fluorescence spectroscopy coupled to multivariate calibration

In this work, the analytical performance of a third-order/four-way calibration is evaluated to model a highly overlapped system, where two spectral dimensions are extremely similar, and the results are then compared with the results of second-order/three-way calibration. The four-way data were obtained during the photodegradation of fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin and flumequine) in the form of excitation-emission matrices and modeled by unfolded partial least squares coupled to residual trilinearization (U-PLS-RTL). According to the results, the model obtained with the second-order algorithm (unfolded partial least squares coupled to residual bilinearization: U-PLS-RBL) was unsatisfactory due to high spectral overlap. The third-order approach obtained a satisfactory fit and better figures of merit (LOD, REP, RMSEP, and sensitivity, among others) even in the presence of unexpected interferences due to third-order advantages. Finally, the analytical method based on third-order multivariate calibration was applied to quantify these fluoroquinolones in spiked fish-farming water samples. In this case, the third-order advantage allowed us to satisfactorily model the data and to quantify these compounds in this complex matrix, demonstrating the superior analytical performance of the high-order data that were evaluated.

Supramolecular solvent-based liquid phase microextraction of malachite green at trace level from water samples for its UV–vis spectrophotometric detection

ABSTRACT A simple and fast microextraction procedure based on supramolecular solvent extraction of malachite green from water samples has been established in the presented work. The effective analytical parameters including pH, solvent volume, sample volume etc. on the quantitative recoveries of the malachite green were optimised. Matrix effects were also investigated. The preconcentration factor was found as 50. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were 16.3 and 54.5 µg L−1, respectively. The relative standard deviation percentage was below 7%. The presented procedure was applied to the determination of malachite green content of natural water samples from fish farm and tap water etc.

Potential of thermal remote sensing techniques in monitoring waterlogged area based on surface soil moisture retrieval

The aim of this paper was to test the capability of thermal remote sensing in monitoring waterlogged areas in Ismailia governorate based on surface soil moisture retrieval. Three landsat satellite images 5, 7 and 8 (TM, ETM+ and TIRS) were used for this purpose during three different dates (1998, 2008 and 2015). Soil moisture index (SMI) was produced based on calculated Land surface temperature (LST). Fifty five soil profiles have been dug to measure the depth of water tables of the study area. SMI Validation was carried out in 2015 using surface soil samples from the upper 5 cm in which actual moisture content was estimated. Digital change detection techniques for SMI were applied in order to monitor the change in the surface soil moisture along two time periods (1998–2008), (2008–2015). The results indicated that the spatio-temporal variations of soil moisture content are associated with soil texture, landuse/landcover, soil elevation and water table levels. Correlation between actual and retrieved soil moisture revealed a moderate correlation relationship with R2 = 0.61. Furthermore, an increase of water table eastern the study area. Also the results illustrated the increasing of water table is a direct relation with soil moisture. In addition, an increase in the surface soil moisture (SSM) recognized in 22.06% of the study area from 1998 to 2008 while, 40.55% of the area showed an increased in the SSM from 2008 to 2015. This continuous increase in the SSM could be prone to the increasing agricultural expansion and water table levels which, led to conversion of sabkhas to water bodies and fish farms. SMI could be an effective tool in mapping waterlogged areas.

EFFECT OF USING FISH BASINS DRAINAGE WATER, MULCHING AND WATERING REGIME ON CABAGE CROP PROPERTIES UNDER DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEM

Water scarcity in Egypt increased with rapidly population growth which represents a great challenge for the Government. The reuse of drainage water produced from various agricultural sources including cultivated lands and fish farming systems could a robust solution for horizontal expansion of cultivated area. This research aimed to assess the feasibility of using the drainage water of fish farming basins to irrigate cabbage crop. Three different watering regimes (100%, 80% and 60% ETc) and two types of water (canal water and fish farming drainage water) were investigated under two conditions (mulching with rice straw and without mulching). The results demonstrated that drainage water of fish increased the yield of all cabbage components. The combination of 100 % ETc, and drainage water of fish with mulching produced the highest head yield of 197.5 Mg ha-1 comparing with other treatments. Fish water increased yield by 1.7, 49.3 and 30.6% under 100, 80 and 60 ETc respectively. Marketable head yield, head diameter and head height had the same trend. The highest values of Marketable head yield, head diameter and head height were 167.9 Mg ha-1, 70.4 cm and 59.5 cm, respectively. The results also showed that low watering regime (60 % ETc) resulted less head yield and other yield components regardless the influence of water type and using mulching.

Tracing nitrogen sources fueling coastal green tides off a volcanic island using radon and nitrogen isotopic tracers

The main sources of nutrients fueling coastal green tides off a volcanic island surrounded by an oligotrophic ocean are obscure, although they result in many societal and ecosystem problems. In this study, we attempted to trace the source inputs of nutrients in coastal waters off a volcanic island, Jeju, Korea, where the formation of green tides is perennial, using a radioisotope (222Rn) and stable isotopes (δ15N and δ18O) as tracers. Sampling of groundwater, seawater, fish-farm water, and Ulva spp. was performed during April and July 2015. The contribution of submarine fresh groundwater discharge (SFGD) to the dissolved inorganic nitrogen input was >70%, with additional inputs from aqua-cultural activities and bottom sediments. The δ15N-NO3 and δ18O-NO3 values in the coastal seawater and groundwater indicate that the main source of NO3− is fertilizer, rather than other potential sources, such as aquacultural wastewater, sewage/manure contamination, or precipitation, in this region. The δ15N value (+7.3–+7.7‰) in Ulva spp. also indicates the same source. Thus, our results suggest that the rapid infiltration of land N-fertilizer and subsequent leakage into the coastal ocean through submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) results in green tide massive occurrence in coastal waters off a high-permeability volcanic island.

Climate change adaptation in Nigerian agricultural sector: A systematic review and resilience check of adaptation measures

The changing climate is adversely affecting the productivity and livelihoods of Nigerian smallholder rural farmers. Several studies predict worsening outcomes for future climate events, for example heat waves, drought and intense precipitation. Farmers are required to adopt several measures to thrive, given the observed or expected climate change events. Existing studies about the interaction between climate change the agriculture sector has focused evaluating the bi-directional causal relationships, and identifying adaptation measures, but research on the climate resilience aspect of these adaptation measures is missing, or at best, low. This study aims to fill this gap in knowledge by assessing resilience and contribution to sustainability of farmer-adopted measures aimed at addressing risks posed by climate change. We conduct a systematic review of 95 studies concentrating on climate adaptation by smallholder rural farmers in Nigeria in the period 2010 to 2019. We assess the climate resilience of adaptation measures using the Ifejika-Speranza Resilience Check Toolkit. Our findings show that farmers are using climate-resilient adaptation measures; however, we could not ascertain how these have led to sustainable agricultural systems, since it is not the focus of the current study. Our findings show that majority of the adaptation studies in Nigeria are focused on crop farming subsystem. The major agricultural ecosystems and the broad adaptation areas are: Crop farming (improved soil and land management, crop-specific Innovation, water management practices, climate information services and education, access to finance, and off-farm diversification), livestock farming (improved livestock management systems, improved breeding strategies, sustainable health improvement, proper feed formulation early maturing and heat-resistant bird varieties), and fish farming (water harvesting measures, organic material, quick-maturing varieties).

Use of fish farming water in the irrigation of plants with economic interest: a case study in the Brazilian Backwoods

Use of fish farming water in the irrigation of plants with economic interest: a case study in the Brazilian Backwoods

From collection to discharge: physical, chemical, and biological analyses for fish farm water quality monitoring.

The use of chemical substances for the management of fish farming activities may compromise the quality of the tank water itself and of water bodies that receive the effluents. As studies that assess the environmental effect caused by pisciculture are scarce, the present study aimed at evaluating the water quality in two fish farms in the region of Grande Dourados, Brazil, from the site of water collection to the site of water disposal. The tools used for this purpose were the analysis of land use and cover and the determination of physical, chemical, and biological parameters of water samples. Maps of land use and cover were created, and water samples were collected at four sampling sites in two fish farms. The Allium cepa test, assays with Astyanax lacustris, and the Salmonella/microsome assay were performed. In addition, physical and chemical parameters were measured and metal and emerging contaminants in the water samples were investigated. The A. lacustris demonstrated the genotoxicity and the Salmonella/microsome assay suggested the mutagenic potential of water samples from the fish farms and indicated higher genotoxicity in the disposal tanks than in the collection tanks of the Brilhante fish farm. However, all the samples at the Dourados fish farm were genotoxic, and mutagenicity was shown to start at the water collection site. With regard to the A. cepa test, there was no statistical difference between the collection sites in both fish farms. Moreover, the observed genetic damage may be associated with the presence of metals and emerging contaminants in the water samples, which suggests that these chemicals have potential genotoxic and mutagenic effects that are related to the type of land use and cover in the area of the region studied. Considering that contaminated waters can potentially disturb the structure and functioning of natural ecosystems, the present study demonstrated the importance of treating fish farm effluent to minimize the negative effect of this activity on water bodies.

Magnetic solid-phase extraction of malachite green using soluble eggshell membrane protein doped with magnetic graphene oxide nanocomposite

ABSTRACTThis study describes a new magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) technique based on Fe3O4/graphene oxide-soluble eggshell membrane protein (Fe3O4/GO-SEP) for accurate measurement of malachite green (MG) residue in various water samples residues by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The morphology of the prepared adsorbent has been studied by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy in details. Parameters affecting the MSPE were optimised and determined with UV-Vis spectrophotometry thoroughly. Under the optimised extraction circumstances, the introduced method represented a wide linearity over the concentration of 0.5–250 ng mL−1, a high enrichment factor of 83.3 and low detection limit of 0.2 ng mL−1. The prepared Fe3O4/GO-SEP was successfully used for preconcentration and determination of MG in river and fish farming water samples with suitable precision and accuracy.

The microbiome and antibiotic resistance in integrated fishfarm water: Implications of environmental public health

Aquaculture, the production of farm-raised fish, is a major industry that employs and feeds millions of individuals across the globe, but which may also be a nexus of emerging public health threats. This study examined potential health risks associated with integrated aquaculture operations by with One Health approach using a suite of tools to study water contamination sources, pathogens, antibiotic resistant bacteria, and bacterial community in the water from fishponds. Water samples from 27 fishponds across 9 villages were collected in Jiangmen City, China. Microbial source tracking, pathogens (including Salmonella and Arcobacter), toxin-producing Microcystis, and antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) resistant to tetracycline, sulfonamide, and carbapenem were quantified with qPCR. Bacterial community was determined with next-generation sequencing. All ponds exceeded E. coli single-day maximum criteria of US, and 67% ponds exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) waste-fed aquaculture guidelines for protecting consumers and pond workers, representing a high degree of fecal contamination and potential pathogen risks in these ponds. The majority of the ponds were positive for human- (84%) and pig- (41%) associated fecal contamination. Salmonella and microcystin-producing Microcystis were detected in 37% and 15% of the ponds, respectively, while Arcobacter was not detected in any ponds. ARB were highly prevalent. Among the measured factors, canonical correspondence analysis and network analysis demonstrated that secchi depth, temperature and conductivity were the major environmental elements impacting the bacterial community structure, while Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were the major biological factor. This study demonstrated the presence of intersecting health risk factors in aquaculture facilities and can lay the foundation for addressing these risks in aquaculture management in rural China, with potential applicability in other developing regions dependent on aquaculture.

Body weight at harvest and its heritability estimate in Clarias magur (Hamilton, 1822) reared under mono and polyculture systems

<p>The present study was aimed to identify the effect of non-genetic factors on harvest body weight of <em>Clarias magur</em> (Hamilton, 1822) reared under mono and polyculture systems and to estimate its heritability. Magur fishes from three different geographical regions <em>viz.,</em> Andhra Pradesh, Assam and West Bengal were procured and stocked at Fresh Water Fish Farm (FWFF) of ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Balbhadarpuram, Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, India. A total of 139 pairs of fishes were mated to produce full-sib families of which only 42 families had either 15 or more offsprings or survived till tagging and of these a total of 1373 fishes were PIT (Passive Integrated Transponder) tagged. Tagged fishes were reared in mono and polyculture systems. In polyculture system, magur were stocked along with rohu <em>Lobeo rohita</em> fishes. The average harvest body weight of magur reared in monoculture was 146.27±1.36 g and was significantly higher than the average body weight of fishes reared in polyculture (137.33±2.28 g) (p<0.05). Male fishes were significantly heavier than females at harvest. The heritability for harvest body weight from animal model was 0.55±0.76 and from single pair mating it was 0.63±0.10. The heritability for harvest body weight in mono and polyculture systems differed from one another.</p>

Experimental design for the optimization of coacervative extraction of brilliant green in water samples using anionic surfactant

A new and simple method for the determination of trace amounts of brilliant green was developed by coacervative extraction and spectrophotometry. The method is based on the extraction of brilliant green with coacervates made up of sodium dodecyl sulfate as an anionic surfactant, in the presence of saturated NaCl solution. The effect of various experimental parameters such as pH of solutions, concentration of surfactant and concentration of salt was investigated using central composite design based on response surface methodology. Under the optimum conditions the calibration graph was linear in the range of 0.03–2.2 µg mL−1 with a detection limit of 0.012 µg mL−1. The relative standard deviation for seven replicates of 1.2 µg mL−1 brilliant green was 1.75%. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of brilliant green in different real samples including fish farming water, river water and tap water samples.

THE ESTIMATION OF ACTIVITY INFLUENCE OF THE HOTEL TOURIST COMPLEX "SRIBNYY RAY" ON RIVER VELYKA UHOLʹKA WATER QUALITY, TYACHIV DISTRICT, TRANSCARPATHIA

The estimation of activity influence of the hotel tourist complex “Sribnyy Ray” (Silver Paradise) on river Velyka Uholʹka water quality, Tyachiv district, Transcarpathian region was carried out. This tourist complex is located within the limits of the Ugolsko-Shyrokoluzhansky protected area in the village Velika Uholka, Tyachiv district, Transcarpathian region. It is a very popular place to relax not only for locals but also for citizens of other nationalities (hungarians, romanians, russians, etc.). It consists of two two-storey and three one-story cottages, which can accommodate 36 people at the same time.There are sauna, cafe, children's playground, five garden houses, a grill, several fish ponds, apiary and a cage with wild boars.The hotel tourist complex "Sribnyy Ray" is located not far (40 m) from the river Velyka Uholʹka and during its activity uses the water of this river for recreation. For this purpose, the complex has built an special building. This building directs part of riverbed to the sauna, after which the waste water is redirected again to the natural channel of the mountain surface water.Monitoring studies during the years 2016-2017 of some hydrophysical and hydrochemical indicators have shown that the activity of the hotel tourist complex "Sribnyy Ray" does not impair the river Velyka Uholʹka water quality within studied territory. It has been determined that none of the hydrophysical and hydrochemical parameters exceeds the established values for fish farming water. Exceptions are total iron and manganese. A slight increase in the permissible norm of total iron by 0.15 mg/dm3 and manganese (II) by 0.05 mg/dm3 can be caused by some natural factors. It is well known that in all surface waters of Transcarpathia there is a high content of iron and manganese, which can be explained by geological features of the area.Therefore, the waters of the river Velyka Uholʹka are environmentally safe for their usage by tourists and locals for cultural and domestic needs (swimming, fishing, etc.).

A novel, simple and robust method for the analysis of sulfonamides in fish farming water samples using column switching liquid chromatography

ABSTRACTA novel method for the online extraction and preconcentration of four sulfonamides was developed using column switching liquid chromatography. Sulfadiazine, sulfathiazole, sulfamethoxypyridazine and sulfamethoxazole were analysed in water samples and preconcentrated in a C18 guard column. Suitable validation parameters were obtained, such as precision, accuracy and relative recovery, in accordance with the validation guidelines of the Food and Drug Administration. Low limits of detection (0.05–0.09 µg L−1) and quantification (0.30 µg L−1, for all of them) were obtained. The quadratic polynomial model was used to adjust the calibration data, and the coefficients of determination were higher than 0.999 for all the analytes. The method was shown to be robust to the assayed parameters according to Youden’s test. The proposed method was successfully used to determine sulfonamides in 11 different fish farming water samples, in which sulfadiazine (0.732 µg L−1), sulfamethoxazole (0.531 µg L−1), sulfathiazole (0.546–1.856 µg L−1) and sulfamethoxypyridazine (0.369–1.509 µg L−1) were found.

Is Fish Farming an Illusion for Lake Malawi Riparian Communities under Environmental Changes?

Global environmental changes have negatively affected many food systems while the demand for food has continued to rise. An urgent need exists to identify other sustainable means of producing food. This is a case in Malawi, where capture fisheries and agriculture are not supplying sufficient food. Fish farming food systems by communities who rely on inland fisheries have not been evaluated. Therefore, a study was conducted in two phases: January 2016 to May 2016 and in July 2017 to evaluate if fish farming could sustainably support livelihoods of Lake Malawi riparian communities. We used mixed methods to collect and analyze data. The data collection methods included explorative surveys, household survey interviews, focus group discussion and key informant interviews. Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis for themes. This identified themes that were quantitatively analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. We observed that fish farming was dominated by men and also not the main occupation for the respondents despite owning fishponds. The respondents have water and land, which are prerequisite for any farming. The study also observed fish farming production challenges related to quality fingerlings, formulated diets, and extension services. Cases of food insecurity amongst the respondents were also prevalent due to lack of food to cover the entire year. Weak synergies existed between fish farming and agriculture restricting bio-resource flow and water usage between these two food systems, meaning the outcomes of the food systems provide unsustainable diets. Furthermore, water availability, money spent on food, and cassava cropping increased fish farming participation. Whereas operating a bicycle taxi, casual labor, former fish farming, as well as application of agricultural wastes negatively affected fish farming. On the other hand, extreme weather events (increased incidences of droughts and floods) attributed to inter annual rainfall variation also negatively affected fish farming. The responses from Lake Malawi riparian communities indicate that they merely look upon fish farming as an alternative to capture fisheries than as an illusion. Nonetheless, the research provides a theoretical platform to explore the potential to develop sustainable fish farming food system adapted to such changes. Therefore, we have brought new evidence that progress of fish farming in Malawi is being made, but there is a long way to go before it can be considered successful and sustainable.

Influence of long-term donor irrigation on quality of underground water in the south-steppe zone of Ukraine (case of the Baraboy River, Odessa Region)

The article presents the results of in-situ studies of the chemical composition and quality of underground (subsoil and artesian) water within the basin of the Baraboy River where irrigation of agricultural areas using the water resources of the Dniester River has been carried out since 1967. These water resources are fed into the network of reservoirs and channels of the Lower Dniester Irrigation System. Filtration losses of water from irrigation areas and water supply and sewage systems of settlements replenish the reserves of underground (subsoil) waters increasing the ingress therein of dissolved substances from the sedimentary rocks which leads to increase in the concentrations of certain ingredients included in chemical composition of surface and underground waters within the basin of the Baraboy River. It is shown that groundwater is enriched with nitro-gen compounds containing high concentrations of chlorides, sulfates, calcium and magnesium. Mineralization, toxicity and degree of contamination of underground water increase along the length of the Baraboy River. The chemical composition of the groundwater coming to the riverbed of the Baraboy River does not meet the fishing requirements and worsen the water quality of fish farming water bodies. The results of assessment of groundwater quality at the stations under study give reason to consider these sources of groundwater as an important factor affecting the hydrochemical regime and the quality of the water of the Baraboy River and its reservoirs which should be taken into account when developing the recommendations for optimization of the current hydroecological state of the Baraboy River as a whole. If high mineralization and significant content of principle ions in groundwater can be explained by natural factors, the high level of contamination by biogenic substances is resulted from entering of industrial, domestic and return waters from irrigated areas into aquifers. Such contamination is not a temporary but a permanent phenomenon. In terms of magnesium content artesian waters used for utility and drinking water supply are recognized as «mediocre, suitable with limitations and having undesirable quality». In addition, after 50 years of operation compounds of nitrogen and phosphorus were found in artesian water, and this was not a case in 1960s of the last century. A conclusion on the negative effect of long-term donor irrigation on the quality of underground water and on the need for additional treatment of water of artesian aquifers of the Sarmatian Stage used for centralized water supply was made.

The evaluation of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassiper) control program in Rawapening Lake, Central Java Indonesia

The existence of water hyacinths and other aquatic plants have been a major concern in Rawapening Lake for many years. Nutrient input from water catchment area and fish feed residues suspected to leads eutrophication, a condition that induces uncontrolled growth of aquatic plants. In dry season, aquatic plants cover almost 70% of lake area. This problem should be handled properly due to wide range of lake function such as water resources, fish farming, power plants, flood control, irrigation and many other important things. In 2011, Rawapening Lake was appointed as pilot project of Save Indonesian Lake Movement: the Indonesian movement for lakes ecosystem conservation and rehabilitation. This project consists of 6 super priority programs and 11 priority programs. This paper will evaluate the first super priority program which aims to control water hyacinth bloom. Result show that the three indicators in water hyacinth control program was not achieved. The coverage area of Water hyacinth was not reduced, tend to increase during period 2012 to 2016. We suggesting better coordination should be performed in order to avoid policies misinterpretation and to clarify the authority from each institution. We also give a support to the establishment of lake zonation plan and keep using all the three methods of cleaning water hyacinth with a maximum population remained at 20%.

Phenotypic and Genotypic characterization of Vibrio species isolated from marine fishes

Vibriosis is considered the most important threatening disease problem facing aquaculture. The bacteria occur widely in aquatic environment and are part of the normalflora of coastal seawater and are opportunistic pathogens in marine animals.A total number of (311 ) fish ,(97 )Seabream , ( 118 ) Seabass, (96 ) Mugil capito were collected from Kafr Hamedo and Ezzbet El Borg marine water fish farm (Damietta governorate), El-Manzala and Mansoura Fish Market (EL-Dakahlia governorate)in the period from March 2016 to April 2017 during the four seasons. The clinical examination of diseased fish revealed that, presenceof redness at base of anal fin and erosion of caudal fin, presence of ulcersin skin, darkness of the skin, detached scales, fin erosion, corneal opacity and palegills. Post mortem examination of infected fishes revealed that, liver appearedenlarged, congested or pale with engorged gall bladder, splenomegaly, congestedkidney and hemorrhage in abdominal cavity. Congested gills with excessiveamount of mucous and enlarged liver with hemorrhagic patches on itsedges.The isolated bacteria on thiosulfate citratebile salt sucrose agar (TCBS) gave yellow colonies for Vibrio alginolyticus and gave green colonies for Vibrio parahemolyticus. The strains were tested according to their susceptibility as resistant, intermediate or sensitive for each antibiotic group. Vibrio alginolyticus and Vibrio parahemolyticus revealed sensitivity to ciprofloxacin (Cipro5µg) and novobiocine (NV30µg). Moreover intermediate sensitivity was found to oxytetracycline (OT 30 µg). While resistance was observed to amoxicillin (Aml 10 µg) and cholistine sulphate (CT 10 µg).The isolated bacteria (Vibrio alginolyticus and Vibrio parahemolyticus) were 171/311 (54.98%) from infected fish where the total number of Seabass 72/118 (61%), Seabream 47/97 (48.45%) and Mugil capito 52/96 (54.17%). The highest infection rate was recorded by summer (100% , 82.61% , 80%), winter (73% , 58.33% , 54.54%) , spring (56% , 42.11% , 69.23%) and autumn (36% , 30.23% , 40.38%) for Seabass, Seabream and Mugil capito respectively.PCR yielded a single specific and clear amplificated band ofexpected size 737bp for collagenase gene and 387bp for pR72H gene for V. alginolyticus and V. parahemolyticus respectively.

Fish farming water quality monitored by optical analysis: The potential application of UV–Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy

In the present study, the fish farming water quality was determined by conventional limnological analysis during a Nile tilapia production cycle in four plastic-lined ponds. The water quality was obtained by measuring the dissolved oxygen, pH, water temperature, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids and water transparency. In addition, optical measurements based on fluorescence and UV–Vis absorption spectroscopies were also carried out, aiming to determine the potential application of these techniques to fish farming water quality monitoring. The presence of proteins and chlorophyll (Chl) were optically monitored throughout the fish production cycle. The results demonstrated that emission of protein-like fluorescence, mainly attributed to the tryptophan in the 300–400 nm range, when excited between 220 and 290 nm, presented higher fluorescence intensity when compared to Chl emission. The optical results also revealed an unexpected emission band in two different ponds. This emission may be associated to the fluorescence of the phycoerythrin (PE), an auxiliary pigment to the chlorophyll, which are commonly found in cyanobacteria. This result was also confirmed by UV–Vis absorption data and by the analysis of stomach content of the fishes during the production cycle. In summary, our study has demonstrated that fluorescence spectroscopy and UV–Vis absorption techniques have a great potential to a fast qualitative analysis of water quality in fish farming.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in fresh water farm fish species from Punjab (India) and evaluation of their dietary intake for human risk assessment

ABSTRACTIn India, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been used extensively in both agricultural and industrial sectors, resulting in deterioration of terrestrial and aquatic environment. In the present study, analysis of POPs in fresh water ecosystem comprising samples of fish, sediments, and water was done from fish farms in Punjab, India. POP residues comprising lindane, p,p’-DDE, p,p’-DDD, endosulfan sulfate, and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners (PCB-28, PCB-138, PCB-180) were detected in fish samples. Residues of p,p’ DDE and p,p’ DDD were recorded utmost in fish flesh with mean levels of 13.8 and 5.8 ng g−1, respectively. PCB residues were estimated in 20 fish samples with values in the range ND–46.3 ng g−1. The mean residue levels detected in this study were lower than the recommended maximum residue limits (MRLs) described by EU-MRLs, Italian-MRLs, FDA-2001, and FAO-1983. At the current levels of POP residues in fish flesh, the human health risk assessment based on both deterministic (mean residue levels) and probabilistic (95th percentile upper bound limit) approaches, reflected that cancer and non-cancer risks were within United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) prescribed limits. The presence of POP residues in fish farm sediments and water elucidated the relationship between occurrence of POP residues in fish and its aquatic environment.