Martin Island Research Articles

Improved methods for isolation of carrageenan from Hypnea musciformis and its antioxidant activity

Carrageenans are economically important biopolymers used in the pharmaceutical, chemical and food industries. The present study was performed to optimise the extraction of carrageenan from Hypnea musciformis collected from Saint Martin Island, Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh, and characterisation of its chemical, rheological properties and antioxidant activities. Aqueous- and alkali-treated carrageenan from H. musciformis was extracted using conventional method and ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) because this technique allows rapid extraction, which is important to avoid degradation of labile compounds. The resulting carrageenan was investigated in terms of yield, sulphate, 3,6-anhydrogalactose (AG), galactose (Gal) contents and structural properties using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The carrageenan yield was higher using the novel UAE method and was comparable to that using the conventional technique. In vitro results confirmed a slight variation in sulphate, AG and Gal contents depending on the extraction method used. FT-IR and 1H NMR spectrum showed that carrageenan extracted using either the conventional method or UAE possesses typical analytical characteristics of κ-carrageenan. The rheological properties of carrageenan were evaluated using differential scanning calorimetery (DSC) and viscosity measurements and found to be similar to those of carrageenan extracted from same species of red alga. The antioxidant activity of carrageenan was measured using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), OH radical scavenging, reducing power and phosphomolybdenum assays. The results indicated that carrageenan possesses antioxidant activity, the degree of which depends on its structural composition and the extraction method used.

AN OPTIMIZED HYBRID SYSTEM MODEL: SOLUTION FOR COASTAL AREA IN BANGLADESH

As technology is advancing, the consumption of power is steadily rising. Sufficient and reliable source of electricity is a major prerequisite for a sustained and successful economic development and poverty reduction. The development of a country is dependent on the per person energy consumption rate, which is very low in Bangladesh. Bangladesh installed a capacity of 10416 MW electricity on June 2014 and three fourth of which is considered to be accessible. Near about 45% people has no access to electricity. Therefore, electricity shortage is an acute crisis in Bangladesh. As Saint Martin Island is far away from the main land, it is almost impossible and cost ineffective to supply electricity from the national grid. For connection of nearly 6000 peoples of Saint Martin Island to the main stream of development and to make this island more attractive to the tourists, it is very essential to provide electricity for them. Power generation by combining solar, wind and diesel, known as hybrid system can be the most efficient technique for the electrification of these types of Island. Based on this principle, in this paper a hybrid system is designed for electrification of Saint Martin’s Island. In the analysis, realistic data is used for load calculation and optimization analysis for most effective solution. Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewable (HOMER) software is used to find out the final optimization and sensitive analysis of hybrid system. This system satisfies the load demand and reduces carbon emission which will help to generate green energy.

Emergence of chikungunya fever on the French side of Saint Martin island, October to December 2013

On 18 November 2013, five residents of Saint Martin presented with severe joint pain after an acute episode of dengue-like fever. Epidemiological, laboratory and entomological investigations provided evidence of the first autochthonous transmission of chikungunya virus in the Americas. The event indicates a risk of epidemics in America and Europe through substantial passenger traffic to and from continental France. We describe detection and confirmation of the first six cases and results of the first weeks of surveillance.

Present status of conservation and management of sea turtle in Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh

The study was conducted to know the present status of conservation and management of sea turtle in Cox’s Bazar district. Data were collected by physical survey, interviewing people of the study area and from different non-government and government organizations during December 2010 to November 2011. In the present study, it was found that two species of sea turtles have been making nest in Bangladesh. Major nesting sites of turtles were St. Martin's Island, Teknaf, Bordal, Sonadia Island, Kutubdia Island, Pechardwip, Inani Beach, Moheskhali Island and Shahporirdwip. A total of 260 turtle individuals were found and the highest nesting frequency of Olive ridley (108) and Green turtles (10) were observed in February. About 21,942 hatchlings were produced and released by the hatcheries as a conservational step. Winter season was identified as nesting season for sea turtle. About 45% of the respondents thought that turtles were beneficial while other 40% of the respondents thought turtles were harmful. It was found that the nesting of sea turtles was reducing and there was lack of knowledge among the people of the study area about the importance of sea turtle conservation and management. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjas.v42i2.18493 Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2013. 42 (2): 131-138

Hybrid energy system for St. Martin Island, Bangladesh: An optimized model

Abstract St. Martin's island is a small island in the Bay of Bengal about 9 km south of the main land of Bangladesh. Nearly 6000 inhabitants live there and fishing is their primary livelihood. Since the island is far away from the main land grid connection is almost impossible in terms of cost and geographic location. However, the electricity demand is partly fulfilled by stand alone diesel generators. In this study, an attempt has been made to model a hybrid electricity generation system for a small community of the island. This system incorporates a combination of solar PV, wind turbine, battery and diesel generator. HOMER software is used to analyze and find out the optimum configuration among a set of systems for electricity requirement for 100 households and 10 shops. The system must satisfy the requirements of 78 kWh/day primary load with 20 kW peak load. Sensitivity analysis is also done to see the impact of solar insolation, PV investment cost, wind speed and diesel fuel price on the optimum result. Solar PV (8 kWp), 2 wind turbines (3 kW) each, diesel generator (15 kW) and 25 batteries (800Ah each) hybrid system is found to be the best among all the configuration in terms of cost of electricity (COE).This configuration gives lowest COE Tk 26.54 / kWh (US$ 0.345/kWh) and total net present cost (NPC) of Tk 10,620,388 (USD$ 137,927) with a renewable fraction of 31%. This system can reduce CO2 emission by about14 tons per year compared to diesel generator only.

First Report ofRaoiella indica(Acari: Tenuipalpidae) in Colombia

Raoiella indica Hirst (Acari: Tenuipalpidae), the red palm mite, is a phytophagous mite that recently invaded the Western Hemisphere. This mite was first detected in Martinique (Flechtmann & Etienne 2004) and it rapidly spread to multiple islands of the Caribbean [St. Lucia and Dominica (Kane et al. 2005), Guadeloupe and Saint Martin (Etienne & Flechtmann 2006), Puerto Rico and Culebra Island (Rodrigues et al. 2007), and Cuba (de la Torre et al. 2010) among other islands]. In 2007, the mite was found in West Palm Beach, Florida (FDACS 2007), and in the state of Sucre, Venezuela (Vasquez et al. 2008), and more recently, reported in the northern state of Roraima in Brazil (Marsaro Jr. et al. 2009), and Isla Mujeres and Cancun, Mexico (NAPPO 2009). In January 2010, high populations of R. indica were found attacking coconut (Cocos nucifera L.), banana (Musa acuminata Colla) and heliconia (Heliconia sp.) plants in the Tayrona National Park located in the Colombian Caribbean littoral, near the city of Santa Marta, Magdalena. The presence of multigenerational colonies and exuvia was confirmed in 18 coconut palms, 4 heliconias and multiple banana plants located near the coast in the northern part of the park (11°18’44”N 73°56’04”W). In further surveys R. indica infestations were detected in commercial coconut and banana groves in June 2010 at Los Naranjos, Magdalena (11°17’49”N -73°53’49”W), approximately 6 km East of the Tayrona Park along the coast. In this locality the predatory mite Amblyseius largoensis Muma (Acari: Phytoseiidae) was found showing a conspicuous red coloration of the alimentary tract indicating recent feeding on R. indica. Previous studies indicated that populations of A. largoensis increased in numbers after the arrival of R. indica to Florida and some areas in the Neotropics (Pena et al. 2009; Carrillo et al. 2010). Raoiella indica and A. largoensis specimens were collected (70% ethanol) and subsequently slide mounted, identified, and deposited in the collections of the Laboratory of Plant Quarantine reference collection, Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasilia, Brazil, and the Laboratory of Acarology from the Instituto Agroforestal Mediterraneo, Universidad Politecnica of Valencia, Spain. The experienced negative effects of R. indica on coconut production in the Caribbean, where yield reduction has been estimated in over 50% at some locations (CARDI 2010), indicate the importance of adopting regulatory and other control measures in areas of recent invasion. The establishment of chemical practices needed to allow movement of host plant material, and continuous surveying (pre and post-invasion) using sentinel sites, have been adopted to prevent R. indica’s rapid dissemination in Florida (Roda et al. 2008). An integrated approach combining all available control tactics should be adopted and natural enemies identified for managing this species (Pena et al. 2009; Carrillo et al. 2010). In addition, studies are needed to determine the potential host plant range of R. indica in Colombia and the rest of the Neotropical region. Strict sanitary measures and other management tactics should be implemented to minimize the damage caused by R. indica in Colombia and other countries in South and Central America.

Collection of Research Questions on Sustainable Tourism Development

Our creative classmates of Erasmus Mundus European Master in Tourism Management (2010-2012) have developed these research questions for the course Sustainable Tourism Development. These can be helpful for generating new ideas for your further research. As in our first semester we were studying under the University of Southern Denmark, some topics are closely related with Denmark issue. You can convert it in your own perspective. For example: Instead of Fanoe Island you can do work on Saint Martin Island (Bangladesh). To some extent you may have different opinion about the proposed study certainly.

Land Use Planning for Development of Environmentally Sensitive Areas: Case Study of St. Martin's Island, Bangladesh

Land Use Planning for Development of Environmentally Sensitive Areas: Case Study of St. Martin's Island, Bangladesh

Dengue Type 3 Virus, Saint Martin, 2003–2004

We describe the spread of a dengue virus during an outbreak in Saint Martin island (French West Indies) during winter 2003–2004. Dengue type 3 viruses were isolated from 6 patients exhibiting clinical symptoms. This serotype had not been detected on the island during the preceding 3 years. Genome sequence determinations and analyses showed a common origin with dengue type 3 viruses isolated in Martinique 2 years earlier.

Environmental radioactivity of the St. Martin's island of Bangladesh

The activity concentration of natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in soil and rock, and in benthic algae, corals and oysters across the St. Martin's island of Bangladesh were investigated together with physicochemical parameters and texture of soil with an aim of evaluating the radioecology of the island. Soil and rock samples from the twenty-two locations of the island, eleven species of benthic algae, six species of corals and two species of oysters were analyzed. The activity of 226 Ra in soil was found in the range of 7.22–103.8, in benthic algae 2.5–9.7, in coral 5.5–10 and in oyster 4.2–11.5 Bq kg-1 . The activity of 232 Th in soil was found in the range of 14.56–216, in benthic algae 1.3–12.6, in coral 4.4–15.6 and in oyster 3.2–8.4 Bq kg-1 ; and the activity of 40 K in soil was in the range of 322–732, in benthic algae 17.1–45.5, in coral 21–146 and in oyster 24–32 Bq kg-1 . The external radiation dose rate due to activity concentration of natural radionuclides in soil was assessed. The activity of anthropogenic 137 Cs was found below detection limit.

BIOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SOME SEAWEEDS FROM ST. MARTIN’S ISLAND, BANGLADESH

Biochemical composition of three seaweed species, namely, Asparagopsis taxiformis (red seaweed), Hydroclathrus clathratus (brown seaweed) and Colpomenia sinuosa (brown seaweed) from the St. Martin’s Island, Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh was studied in order to evaluate their nutritional value during November, 1995 to April, 1996. The mean value of protein, fat and carbohydrate content was found as 10.63±4.36, 0.02±0.01 and 23.92±4.26% in A. taxiformis, 4.07±0.91, 1.76±0.50 and 18.56±1.36% in H. clathratus and 3.30±0.87, 0.93±0.59 and 22.88±1.12% in C. sinuosa respectively. Considering the results of the present study it can be concluded that all the collected seaweeds from St. Martin's island have food value for human consumption.

Beachrock in St. Martin's Island, Bangladesh: Implications of sea level changes on beachrock cementation

St. Martin's Island has been experiencing local sea level fluctuations and subsequent shoreline changes for the last 2 million years, which produced Pleistocene and Holocene beachrock along the island. The shoreline changes along the island are evidenced by the occurrence and distribution of a few conglomeratic beachrocks containing abundant fossil fragments. This study documents three separate stages of beachrock cementation that mainly depict the late Holocene local sea level fluctuations. Beachrock exposed along the northwestern, eastern, and southeastern coastlines of the island can be grouped into three categories: conglomeratic, fossiliferous conglomeratic, and calcareous sandy. The first two categories are characterized by aragonite needle cement, micritized grains, and micritic envelopes, which are features of early marine phreatic diagenesis. This cementation phase has been formed by local sea level rise. On the other hand, petrographie features in the calcareous sandy beachrock include low Mg‐calcite cement, evidence of neomorphism of aragonite cement and micritic rims to low Mg‐calcite, random needle‐fiber calcite, calcified organic remains, and micritic networks. The diagenetic features suggest that this beachrock passed through marine‐phreatic to meteoric phreatic and meteoric‐vadose diagenetic environments. This diagenetic sequence commonly forms in response to sea level lowering. Therefore, evidence of initial deposition in shoreline environment and later residence in meteoric phreatic and meteoric‐vadose conditions suggests that the changes of beachrock cement in the study area have a direct relationship to the corresponding changes in the sea level. Following Umitsu's (1987) relative sea level curve of the Bengal lowland, it is roughly estimated that the sea level rise at St. Martin's Island look place after ca. 10,000 yBP and before ca. 6,000 yBP, and sea level lowering occurred after ca. 5,000 yBP. However, the oldest beachrock in the study area, which forms a 6‐m‐high cliff, belongs to the late Pleistocene (Chowdhury et al. 1994). Their presence at sea level over large parts of the island suggests that cementation is currently active.

An Outbreak of Dysentery Caused by Shigella dysenteriae Type 1 on a Coral Island in the Bay of Bengal

An epidemic of severe dysentery occurred on St. Martin Island in the Bay of Bengal at a time when the island, with a population of 1,318, was isolated from the mainland because of the monsoon season. There were 434 cases and 28 deaths within a three-month period. Mortality (2%) was limited to the very young and the elderly. Shigella dysenteriae type 1 (Shiga bacillus) was isolated from 12 of 65 rectal swab specimens. All strains gave similar biochemical reactions and were resistant to tetracycline, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, and the sulfonamides but were sensitive to ampicillin, kanamycin, and gentamicin. No other organism was implicated in the outbreak. The disease disappeared from the island after institution of chlorination of the sources of drinking water and effective treatment of patients.

Marine algae of St. Martin's Island, Bangladesh. VIII. new records of red algae (Rhodophyceae)

Ceramium brevizonatum var. caraibica Peter. et Børg., Dasya corymbifera J. Ag., Dudresnaya hawaiiensis R.K.S. Lee, Chrysymenia agardhii Harv. and Hypnea boergesenii Tanaka are recorded and described for the first time from the St. Martin's Island, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Key words: Seaweeds; Red algae; Dudresnaya hawaiiensis; St. Martin's Island; Bangladesh DOI: 10.3329/bjb.v39i1.5531Bangladesh J. Bot. 39(1): 87-96, 2010 (June)

Marine algae of St Martin's Island, Bangladesh. XI. Red Algae (Rhodophyceae)

Falkenbergia hillebrandii (Bornet) Falkenberg, Gelidiella tenera (J. Ag.) Schmitz, Halymenia floridana J. Ag., Liagora harveyiana Zeh and Polysiphonia harveyi Bailey of Rhodophyceae have been recorded and described for the first time from the St Martin’s Island, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.Key words: Seaweeds; Rhodophyceae; St. Martin's Island; Bangladesh DOI: 10.3329/bjb.v39i2.7302 Bangladesh J. Bot. 39(2): 161-168, 2010 (December)

Marine algae of St. Martin's Island, Bangladesh. XII. New records of red and green algae

Ceramium tenerrimum (G. Martens) Okamura fa, Caulerpa sertularioides fa corymbosa Taylor and Cladophora vagabunda (L.) Hoek from St. Martin’s Island, Bangladesh have been recorded, and described and illustrated for the first time with descriptions and illustrations. Key words: Ceramium; Caulerpa; Cladophora; Red alga; Green algae; Bangladesh DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjb.v40i1.7996 Bangladesh J. Bot. 40(1): 41-45, 2011 (June)

NESTING AND BREEDING ECOLOGY OF MARINE TURTLE IN ST. MARTIN'S CORAL ISLAND, BANGLADESH

Observations on nesting and breeding ecology of three species of marine turtle were made in St. Martin's Island, Bangladesh. The egg laying period was found to be in winter season between October and March. The peak breeding period was in December and January. The mean diameter of the nests of Olive ridley turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea was 27.42 ± 5.2 cm. Green turtle, Chelonia mydas 25.67 ± 1.53 cm and Loggerheaded turtle, Caretta caretta 27.65 ± 1.52 cm. The mean depth of nest of L. olivacea was 49.17 ± 5.61 cm, C. mydas 51 ± 2.65 cm and C. caretta 54.33 ± 1.53 cm. Mean clutch size of L. olivacea was 115.6 ± 16.7 eggs, C. mydas 112.15 ± 11.52 eggs and C. caretta 122 ± 18.62 eggs. The mean weight of eggs of L. olivacea was 31.63 ± 1.83. C. mydas 32.71 ± 1.26 and C, caretta 32.45 ± 3.75, Mean incubation period of L. olivacea was 63.9 ± 3.5 days, C. mydas 61.85 ± 2.57 days and C. caretta 61.5 ± 1.29 days. The mean hatching success of L. olivacea was 81.14%, C. mydas was 80.11%, and C. caretta 84.43%. The mean weight of hatchlings of L. olivacea was 14.7 ± 0.58g, C. mydas 15.4 ± 0.78 g and C. caretta 16.20 ± 0.3 5 g. Loss of nesting ground by the local people and visitors and poaching of eggs and injured of mother turtles by the dogs was the main problems for breeding of turtles on this island. Construction of embankments for control of erosion, destruction of nests by indigenous dogs and monitor lizards should be protected. Immediate conservation measures are warranted to save the breeding of turtles on this island.
 
 Key words: Nesting, breeding, ecology, marine turtles, conservation.
 
 Ecoprint Vo.11(1) 2004.

Marine algae of the St. Martin's Island, Bangladesh. VI. New records of species of the genus <i>Kallymenia</i> J. Ag. (Rhodophyta)

Four species of the genus Kallymenia J. Ag. such as K. cribrosa Harvey, K. rosea Womersley & Norris, K. rubra Womersley & Norris K. tasmanica Harvey have been reported for the first time from St. Martin's Island, Bangladesh. Key words: Seaweeds, Marine algae, Kallymenia spp., St. Martin's Is., Bangladesh doi:10.3329/bjb.v37i2.1726 Bangladesh J. Bot. 37(2): 173-178, 2008 (December)

<i>Neurymenia fraxinifolia</i> (Mert.) J. Ag. - a new record of a marine red alga for Bangladesh

Neurymenia fraxinifolia (Mert.) J. Ag. a marine red alga has been described and illustrated for the first time from St. Martin's Island, Bangladesh. Key words: Neurymenia fraxinifolia, Marine red alga, New record, Bangladesh doi:10.3329/bjb.v36i1.1552 Bangladesh J. Bot. 36(1): 81-83, 2007 (June)

Cultural Fusion: A Case Study of St. Martin Island in the Bay of Bengal

This paper is based on my fieldwork on St. Martin Island in 1962, as a member of an expedition sponsored by the Society of Natural Sciences, East Pakistan. St. Martin is a coral island in the Bay of Bengal, about twenty-five miles southwest of Teknaf, at the southernmost point of the Chittagong district in East Pakistan, and forty miles west of Akyab in Burma. The island's area is nine square miles; it has a population of 927. My research approach was primarily ethnographic. I tried to tap the documentary sources such as collective administrative reports of the District Magistrates on different sections of the district population to the Governor of Bengal and the reports of Subdivisional Officers to the District Collector; and then I correlated my fieldwork findings with them. At the outset I had to learn to understand the island dialect which is a curious mixture of Arakanese (a Burmese dialect) and Chittagonian (a Bengali dialect). I selected five informants on the basis of their individual reputation of being honest, straight-forward persons. I recorded their life histories and then randomly interviewed a cross-section of the island population in order to cross-verify the information provided by the informants. St. Martin Island, first located and named by the Portuguese traders in the sixteenth century, is locally called Jingira. It was settled in 1880 by fourteen families. The men of these families were from the Chittagong hill tracts in the southern part of East Pakistan, while their wives were from the Kachin area of highland Burma. The Gazeteer of the District Magistrates does not say how this came about. Originally, fourteen men from the Chittagong hill tracts banded together and went to highland Burma in search of fortune. They married girls of the Kachin tribe, which was against the Kachin tribal rules. Consequently, the couples were ousted from the Kachin area. Travelling home by boat, they took shelter on an island to escape a bad cyclone. They named the island Jingira, which literally means chained from harm, and liked it so much that they never cared to leave for the mainland.