Water Stations Research Articles

Macrobenthic Community Structure in the Northwestern Arabian Gulf, Twelve Years after the 1991 Oil Spill

The biota in the Arabian Gulf faces stress both from natural (i.e., hyper salinity and high sea surface temperature), and human (i.e., from oil-related activities) sources. The western Arabian Gulf was also impacted by world’s largest oil spill (1991 Oil Spill). However, benthic research in this region is scarce and most of the studies have been conducted only in small areas. Here, we present data on macrobenthos collected during 2002-2003 from the open waters and inner bays in the northwestern Arabian Gulf aimed to assess the ecological status and also to evaluate the long-term impact, if any, of the 1991 Oil Spill. A total of 392 macrobenthic taxa with an average (±SE) species richness (S) of 71±2, Shannon-Wiener species diversity (H') of 4.9±0.1, and density of 3,181±359 ind. m-2 was recorded from the open water stations. The open waters have “slightly disturbed” (according to AZTI’s Marine Biotic Index (AMBI)) conditions, with “good-high” (according to multivariate-AMBI (M-AMBI)) ecological status indicating the absence of long-term impacts of the oil spill. Overall, 162 taxa were recorded from inner bays with average (±SE) values of S 41±9, H' 3.48±0.39, and density 4,203±1,042 ind. m-2. The lower TPH (Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons) stations (LTS, TPH concentrations <70 mg kg-2) show relatively higher S, H' and density compared to the higher TPH stations (HTS, TPH concentrations ≥100 mg kg-2). In the inner bays, AMBI values indicate slightly disturbed conditions at all stations except one, which is moderately disturbed. M-AMBI values indicate good status at LTS, while, high, good, moderate, and poor status at HTS. The “moderately disturbed” conditions with “moderate-poor” ecological status in some locations of the inner bays specify a severe long-term impact of the oil spill.

A Climate Change Assessment via Trend Estimation of Certain Climate Parameters with In Situ Measurement at the Coasts and Islands of Viet Nam

This study presents results on an assessment of climate change in the nearshore and coastal areas of Viet Nam through an evaluation of trends of certain climatic parameters (air temperature, sea water temperature, sea level, and number of typhoons landed at the Vietnamese coast by year) using time series data of hydro-meteorological records at the coasts and islands of Viet Nam. The method used for the trend evaluation is the Mann–Kendall test ran at the 5% significance level and Spearman rank correlation coefficient. It was found that there is an extremely likely increasing trend of air temperature for almost all observation stations at the coasts and islands of Viet Nam. However, it was unable to confirm a general trend for sea surface water temperature; except for very few stations in semi-closed waters, there is no clear trend in annual average sea water temperature at a majority of stations. Additionally, there is an extremely likely rising trend of sea level at a majority of stations with reliable data, but the rates of increase are very different for different stations. The reasons for discrepancies in the trend of annual average sea water temperature and sea level at different stations are still not understood, but it seems that an assessment of the vertical movement of the ground surface at the stations is necessary to have an accurate assessment of the rate of sea level rise due to climate change and of the influence of general circulation in the East Viet Nam Sea on the trend of sea water temperature in that location. It is also found that there is a likely decreasing trend in the frequency of typhoons landed at the Vietnamese coast; however, this trend might not be due to climate change, but to climate variability.

Evaluation of Drinking Water Disinfectant Byproducts Compliance Data as an Indirect Measure for Short-Term Exposure in Humans.

In the absence of shorter term disinfectant byproducts (DBPs) data on regulated Trihalomethanes (THMs) and Haloacetic acids (HAAs), epidemiologists and risk assessors have used long-term annual compliance (LRAA) or quarterly (QA) data to evaluate the association between DBP exposure and adverse birth outcomes, which resulted in inconclusive findings. Therefore, we evaluated the reliability of using long-term LRAA and QA data as an indirect measure for short-term exposure. Short-term residential tap water samples were collected in peak DBP months (May–August) in a community water system with five separate treatment stations and were sourced from surface or groundwater. Samples were analyzed for THMs and HAAs per the EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) standard methods (524.2 and 552.2). The measured levels of total THMs and HAAs were compared temporally and spatially with LRAA and QA data, which showed significant differences (p < 0.05). Most samples from surface water stations showed higher levels than LRAA or QA. Significant numbers of samples in surface water stations exceeded regulatory permissible limits: 27% had excessive THMs and 35% had excessive HAAs. Trichloromethane, trichloroacetic acid, and dichloroacetic acid were the major drivers of variability. This study suggests that LRAA and QA data are not good proxies of short-term exposure. Further investigation is needed to determine if other drinking water systems show consistent findings for improved regulation.

Behavior of &lt;sup&gt;137&lt;/sup&gt;Cs Activity in the Sayung Waters, Demak, Indonesia

The behavior of anthropogenic radionuclide 137 Cs in the water and sediment has been examined with regard to particle size, organic sediment, and other physical conditions in the Sayung estuarine waters of Demak. Previously, this estuary was used as shrimp culture brackish water ponds that were affected by serious erosion and intrusion. Furthermore, this regency rapidly industrialized over the last three decades. The activities of 137 Cs in the six stations in water and sediment were in the 0.0116-0.4509 mBq/L and 0.3747-1.2442 Bq/kg ranges with mean activities of 0.2278 mBq/L and 0.8594 Bq/kg, respectively, depending on the prevailing physicochemical regime at the sampling station. The highest activities of aqueous 137 Cs occurred in station 2 but the highest in sediment occurred in station 6 located closed to the main land of Sayung. Fast current effectively diluted 137 Cs as a conservative radionuclide in seawater, thus the activity of 137 Cs in seawater decreased when the current speed increased. This effect was caused in part by industrial pollutants that adsorbed 137 Cs and precipitated onto the surface sediment. Organic matters and clay materials in sediment were not significantly effective at binding 137 Cs in Sayung waters in the industrial coastal area, but the correlation increased in open areas separated by a breakwater (second group stations) and the location further from the beach or in open sea. This indicates that industrial pollutants are more effective at binding 137 Cs than organic matters and clay materials. Fine grain size sediment is also more ineffective at binding 137 Cs; it may be caused by the sediment's high total organic matter content. Received: 25 April 2016 ; Revised: 27 October 2016 ; Accepted: 8 November 2016

The area-to-mass ratio and fractal dimension of marine flocs

Optical instruments have proved invaluable in the study of suspended matter in the sea but the measurements they provide are more closely related to the cross-sectional area of the particles in suspension than the mass measured by filtration or predicted by theory. In this paper, we examine the factors controlling the relationship between particle area and mass, using the fractal model of particle structure as a theoretical framework. Both theory and observation agree that the area-to-mass ratio of particles (symbol A*) decreases with increasing fractal dimension (symbol Nf) as particles hide behind each other in compact flocs. The equation A* = 0.253–0.081Nf, in which A* is in m2 g−1 explains 81% of the variance in the area:mass ratio at 151 stations in coastal waters. In contrast, the effect of floc size on A* is small. Three optical parameters – beam attenuation, diffuse attenuation and remote sensing reflectance, expressed per unit mass of suspended material, all decrease with increasing Nf. As our understanding of the flocculation process grows and it becomes possible to predict the fractal dimension of particles as a function of the environmental conditions in which the flocs form, these results will lead to improved calibration of optical instruments in terms of the mass concentration of suspended materials and to better models of sediment suspension and transport.

Physicochemical and Microbiological Studies on Suez Fresh Water Canal

SIX LOCALITIES along the Suez freshwater canal were studied.……The characterization of water quality included physical,biochemical and microbiological analyses. The obtained resultsshowed that the maximum turbidity was recorded at Abu Atwa station(70 NTU), while maximum electrical conductivity (EC) were recordedat two sites, Suez water station and Amir village (633 and 607μS/cm). Results also indicated high level in the organic loadrepresented by an increase in the biological oxygen demand (BOD)and chemical oxygen demand (COD) above the permissible levels atAmir village and Abu Atwa sites, while slight increase in (COD) wasobserved at Kobry El Saal and Sarabium water station. The totalviable bacterial count (TVB) ranged from 4.7× 102 to 20.2×102 cfu/ml,which greatly exceeded the permissible levels also the fecal coliformand fecal streptococci were detected in all investigated sites. Theisolation of actinomycetes from Suez fresh water canal sediments byenrichment culture technique resulted in two isolates (N1 and N2)using DDT enrichment technique. The isolate N2 showed weak resultsin biodegradation of selected hydrocarbons, while N1 showed muchmore activity, so its identification was confirmed by phylogenicanalyses and selected for further investigation. Conclusion, the watercharacteristics demonstrated water quality deterioration especially inthe Amir village which may be due to industrial and domesticwastewater from human and agriculture activities.

Evaluation of Student Handwashing Practices During a School-Based Hygiene Program in Rural Western Kenya, 2007.

Unsafe drinking water and inadequate handwashing facilities in primary schools increase the risk of absenteeism due to diarrhea and respiratory infections. To mitigate these risks, we provided 28 schools in rural Western Kenya with handwashing and drinking water stations (containers with lids and taps on metal stands), bleach for water treatment, soap for handwashing, and educational materials. We observed the use of the water stations and assessed teachers' attitudes toward the intervention. Of 151 total handwashing stations, 69 (59%) were observed to have soap and water and treated drinking water 4 months after implementation; observations of pupils showed an increase in handwashing behavior in water stations located < 10 m, as compared with those >10 m, from latrines ( p < .02). In focus groups, teachers reported improved cleanliness and decreased illness in pupils. Teacher training and installation of water stations resulted in observed improvements in pupils' hygiene, particularly when water stations were located <10 m from latrines.

Zooplankton of Iraqi Marine Water North West Arabian Gulf

Samples were collected from seven stations in Iraqi marine water at North west Arabian Gulf by a plankton net (0.120 mm mesh-size and 40 cm mouth aperture) during July 2009 and March 2010. The population density of zooplankton ranged between 185 ind./m 3 during March 2010 to 32856 ind./m 3 during July 2009 at St. 3 (Al-Musab). Crustaceans were the dominant which constitute 76.4% of the total zooplankton in study area. Copepoda constitute (76%), Bivalve (9%), Rotifera (6%), Cirripede larvae and Appendicularia (2%) of the total zooplankton. The average biomass of zooplankton estimated as wet weight 387.7 mg/m 3 , dry weight 18.7 mg/m 3 , displacement volume 0.5 ml/ m 3 and standing crop 33.0 mg C/ m 3 in study area.

الهيئة العامة لتنمية الثروة السمکية وأثرها علي بحيرة المنزلة وعموم المسطحات المائية

الهيئة العامة لتنمية الثروة السمکية ، هي إحدى الجهات المتخصصة وأنشأت بالقرار رقم190 لسنة 1983وتختص بالدراسات العلمية والإشراف علي کافة المقرات المائية في عموم مصر من بحار وأنهار وبحيرات، ومنهم بحيرة المنزلة ، والتي تقع في شمال شرق الدلتا وسواحلها تطل علي محافظات عديدة ،دمياط، بورسعيد، الدقهلية ، الشرقية وهي أکبر البحيرات المصرية ، وتخضع بحيرة المنزلة في إدارتها للهيئة العامة لتنمية الثروة السمکية ، وهذه الهيئة تتبع وزارة الزراعة. مقر الهيئة مدينة القاهرة ويتبعها إدارات مختلفة في مواقع تلک البحيرات أو قريبة منها ، لتمکن إدارة الهيئة من التواصل والإشراف وتنفيذ المهام حسب خطة الهيئة لتحقيق أهدافها المرجوة في تنمية وتطوير الثروة السمکية في مختلف المسطحات المائية التي تتبعها بمساعدة مختص في الثروة السمکية والأحياء البحرية وکل ما هو مطلوب لتنفيذ مهام وخطة الهيئة المرسومة والمقررة وفي هذا الفصل المقدم کتب عن الهيئة ودورها وسياستها مع الترکيز علي أثر الهيئة وتقيم عملها علي مسطح بحيرة المنزلة ، وبقدر الإمکان تقييم دور وأثر الهيئة علي باقي المسطحات المائية في عموم مصر . The General Authority for the Development of Fish Wealth is one of the specialized bodies established by Decree No. 190 of 1983, which is concerned with the scientific studies and supervision of all water stations throughout Egypt from seafarers, rivers and lakes, including Manzala Lake, which is located in the northeast of the delta and its coasts. Dakahlia, the largest Egyptian lakes, and Lake Manzala under the management of the General Authority for the development of fish wealth, and this body follows the Ministry of Agriculture. The Authority's headquarters is located in the city of Cairo and is followed by different departments in the locations of these lakes or nearby, to enable the Authority's administration to communicate, supervise and carry out the tasks according to the Commission's plan to achieve its desired objectives in developing and developing the fish resources in the different water bodies followed by the assistance of a specialist in fisheries and marine life, In this chapter, he wrote about the Commission, its role and policy, focusing on the impact of the Commission and evaluating its work on the Manzala Lake, and to the extent possible assess the role and impact of the Commission on the rest of the water bodies throughout Egypt.

Nonrandomized Trial of Feasibility and Acceptability of Strategies for Promotion of Soapy Water as a Handwashing Agent in Rural Bangladesh.

We conducted a nonrandomized trial of strategies to promote soapy water for handwashing in rural Bangladesh and measured uptake. We enrolled households with children < 3 years for three progressively intensive study arms: promotion of soapy water (N = 120), soapy water promotion plus handwashing stations (N = 103), and soapy water promotion, stations plus detergent refills (N = 90); we also enrolled control households (N = 72). Our handwashing stations included tap-fitted buckets and soapy water bottles. Community promoters visited households and held community meetings to demonstrate soapy water preparation and promote handwashing at key times. Field workers measured uptake 4 months later. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions assessed factors associated with uptake. More households had soapy water at the handwashing place in progressively intensive arms: 18% (promotion), 60% (promotion plus station), and 71% (promotion, station with refills). Compared with the promotion-only arm, more households that received stations had soapy water at the primary handwashing station (44%, P ≤ 0.001; 71%, P < 0.001 with station plus detergent refill). Qualitative findings highlighted several dimensions that affected use: contextual (shared courtyard), psychosocial (perceived value), and technology dimensions (ease of use, convenience). Soapy water may increase habitual handwashing by addressing barriers of cost and availability of handwashing agents near water sources. Further research should inform optimal strategies to scale-up soapy water as a handwashing agent to study health impact.

Better than bottled water?—Energy and climate change impacts of on-the-go drinking water stations

Growing consumption of single-use bottled water has received criticism due to potentially adverse environmental outcomes. Networks of public-sphere water delivery stations have been proposed as a sustainable alternative for water consumption on-the-go, yet the life-cycle impacts of such stations are poorly understood. Here we evaluate the potential cumulative energy demand and climate change impacts of water delivered from a filtered water refill station under various consumption scenarios and provide a comparison to published results for bottled water. Using a hybrid life-cycle analysis framework employing physical and economic data, we model the water station’s performance in four locations: Tel-Aviv, Israel; Miami Beach, Florida, USA; London, UK; and Shanghai, China. We find that the climate change impact of the station is two to six times lower than those of bottled water and that use phase electricity is the most influential factor in determining the station’s environmental impact. We provide additional observations related to scaling up such a system and recommendations to realize further gains in eco-efficiency.

Microbial Activity Response to Solar Radiation across Contrasting Environmental Conditions in Salar de Huasco, Northern Chilean Altiplano.

In high altitude environments, extreme levels of solar radiation and important differences of ionic concentrations over narrow spatial scales may modulate microbial activity. In Salar de Huasco, a high-altitude wetland in the Andean mountains, the high diversity of microbial communities has been characterized and associated with strong environmental variability. Communities that differed in light history and environmental conditions, such as nutrient concentrations and salinity from different spatial locations, were assessed for bacterial secondary production (BSP, 3H-leucine incorporation) response from short-term exposures to solar radiation. We sampled during austral spring seven stations categorized as: (a) source stations, with recently emerged groundwater (no-previous solar exposure); (b) stream running water stations; (c) stations connected to source waters but far downstream from source points; and (d) isolated ponds disconnected from ground sources or streams with a longer isolation and solar exposure history. Very high values of 0.25 μE m-2 s-1, 72 W m-2 and 12 W m-2 were measured for PAR, UVA, and UVB incident solar radiation, respectively. The environmental factors measured formed two groups of stations reflected by principal component analyses (near to groundwater sources and isolated systems) where isolated ponds had the highest BSP and microbial abundance (35 microalgae taxa, picoeukaryotes, nanoflagellates, and bacteria) plus higher salinities and PO43- concentrations. BSP short-term response (4 h) to solar radiation was measured by 3H-leucine incorporation under four different solar conditions: full sun, no UVB, PAR, and dark. Microbial communities established in waters with the longest surface exposure (e.g., isolated ponds) had the lowest BSP response to solar radiation treatments, and thus were likely best adapted to solar radiation exposure contrary to ground source waters. These results support our light history (solar exposure) hypothesis where the more isolated the community is from ground water sources, the better adapted it is to solar radiation. We suggest that factors other than solar radiation (e.g., salinity, PO43-, NO3-) are also important in determining microbial productivity in heterogeneous environments such as the Salar de Huasco.

Пространственное распределение и питание желетелых хищников в прибрежных районах Крыма в зимний период 2016 г.

Желетелые хищники ― важнейший компонент экосистемы Чёрного моря. Несмотря на многочисленные исследования различных аспектов их биологии (горизонтального и вертикального распределения, биоэнергетических показателей роста и трансформации энергии на организменном и популяционном уровнях) сведения о состоянии популяций и их функционировании в зимний период остаются крайне скудными. В настоящей работе численность, биомасса, размерная структура желетелых хищников (медузы Aurelia aurita, гребневиков Mnemiopsis leidyi, Beroe ovata и Pleurobrachia pileus) и интенсивность питания двух доминирующих видов (A. aurita, M. leidyi) исследованы на 17 станциях на шельфе Крыма в зимний период 2016 г. Сбор материала осуществляли модифицированной сетью Богорова ― Расса с диаметром входного отверстия 80 см, ячеëй 300 мкм, которой производили вертикальные траления от дна (10–100 м) до поверхности. Биомасса A. aurita, доминирующего в это время вида желетелых, изменялась в пределах 30–1990 г·м-2 с более высокими величинами в южных районах. Биомасса других видов желетелых была значительно ниже (максимальные величины — 170 г·м-2 для M. leidyi, и 60 г·м-2 для P. pileus). Высокая биомасса B. ovata (85 г·м-2 ), сравнимая с летней величиной, отмечена на одной из станций в западной части шельфа. Достоверных различий в биомассе отдельных видов желетелых по районам не выявлено, за исключением различий в биомассе B. ovata между западным и южным районами (p &lt; 0.01). Популяции A. aurita и M. leidyi состояли из взрослых особей, в то время как большую часть популяции B. ovata составляли неполовозрелые гребневики длиной 20–30 мм. Основным видом пищи были велигеры двустворчатых моллюсков у A. aurita и различные стадии Copepoda— у M. leidyi. Cуточные рационы медуз составляли 0.009–0.107, M. leidyi — 0.02–0.28 % C тела и были значительно ниже пищевых потребностей животных в данных температурных условиях.

Structure and seasonal trophodynamics of picophytoplankton in sevastopol bay and adjacent waters (the Black Sea)

Abundance and seasonal trophodynamics. (specific growth rate, daily production, and grazing mortality) of the major picophytoplankton components, Synechococcus cyanobacteria (Syn) and picoeukary- otes (Pico-E), were studied at three stations in Sevastopol Bay and adjacent coastal waters (the Black Sea) in 2014 by flow cytometry and the dilution method. Pico- E abundance was shown to increase along the nutrient and pollution gradient from the coastal waters outside the bay (annual average of 7.3 ± 5.4 x 103 cells mL⁻¹) to the eastern corner of the bay (28.7 ± 11.4 x 103 cells mL⁻¹), while no relation was found between the water pollution status.and Syn abundance (9.9 ± 8.7 x 10³ cells mL⁻¹, at all the stations, n=27). Matter flows through the communities (daily production for Syn and Pico-E 0-16.6 and 0-19.3 μg C L- day⁻¹, respec- tively; grazing mortality for Syn and PicoE 0-3.6 and 0-21.2 μg C L⁻¹ day⁻¹, respectively) were comparable to or even exceeded their biomass stocks (<0.05-6.8 and 0.9-26.5 μg C L- for Syn and PicoE, respectively), indicating high biomass turnover rates. The highest flow-to-stock ratio (up to 6 for Syn) and,a significant imbalance between daily production (P) and grazing mortality (G) were observed in the most polluted and eu- trophicated waters of the bay in spring (Pico-E: P/G <.1) and late summer (Syn: P/G > 1). Black River inflow to the bay was hypothesized to be among the mechanisms maintaining.this pronounced and long-term im- balance in the open system without any negative consequences for the picophytoplankton assemlages.

Spatiotemporal pattern of bird habitats in the Poyang Lake based on Landsat images

The Poyang Lake is the largest freshwater lake in China and possesses unique wetland and plentiful biological resources. Because of the dual influence of the Five Rivers and Yangtze River, the water level of Poyang Lake changes seasonally, which has important influence on the local ecosystem. A better knowledge of the spatiotemporal pattern of water body and bird habitats is important for bird diversity conservation and wetland management. In this study, we collected six Landsat images in both winter and summer seasons from 1995 to 2009. These images were processed in both ERDAS Imagine 9.1 and ArcGIS 9.3 by image registration, geometric rectification and classification based on image characteristics and field survey data. The bird habitats in Poyang Lake wetland were classified into six types as shoal water, middle-depth water, deep water, grassland, sand land and mudflat. The results showed: (1) In winter seasons, grassland, mudflat and shoal water were the three main bird habitats in winter (totally around 70 %); water body area increased 13.6 % from 1995 to 1999 and then decreased 11.8 % from 1999 to 2007, and the mudflat decreased all the time from 1995 to 2007. (2) In summer seasons, water area occupied more than 60 % of the whole area; due to high water level, most plants were submerged and not suitable for bird feeding; shoal water area and grasslands were the two main bird habitats in summer. Compared with changes in summer seasons, all bird habitats changed obviously in winter seasons. Based on our research, we suggests that it is important to monitor the change in water level, area of water body, area of grassland and mudflat in future research by incorporating related precipitation data, water station record, multispectral and multi-temporal remote sensing images in the Poyang Lake since these habitats are key for migrating birds.

Trace metal distributions in the sediments of the Little Akaki River, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The levels and distribution of trace metals (Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) at eleven water and sediment stations on the Little Akaki River (LAR) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, were determined. The binding forms of the metals in various geochemical fractions of the sediments were also quantified. The molar ratio of the sum of the simultaneously extractable metals (∑SEM) and acid-volatile sulphide (AVS)-as a measure for predicting metal-induced toxicity-was estimated. LAR trace levels in water for Cu, Zn, and, particularly Mn were, in most instances, higher than the recommended guidelines for healthy aquatic ecosystems. Total trace metal (TTM) contents in the LAR sediments at certain stations exceeded "threshold effect concentrations" and even "probable effect concentrations", especially in the cases of Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, and at all stations for Mn. This became more apparent after applying "normalizations" to the relatively lower TTM adsorption capacities of coarse-grained, organic-poor sediments. Sequential extraction of the sediments showed that trace metals generally have a higher affinity for Fe-Mn oxide and organic matter/sulphidic fractions, followed by the residual fraction. Mn was relatively strongly bound to the exchangeable, carbonate bound fractions, whereas a large proportion of Cr was found in the residual fraction. The Σ[SEM]/[AVS] ratio pointed to potential metal-induced toxicity of sediments collected from seven out of the eleven stations. The results indicate that trace metal pollution pose risks to the health of ecosystems, and to human communities that use the river for a range of different purposes.

UTILIZATION OF SEWAGE WATER IN THE PRODUCTION OF INDUSTRIAL OIL AND FIBER FROM FLAX PLAN

Reuse of treated waste water for agriculture enables fresh water to be exchanged for more economically and socially valuable purposes, while providing farmers with reliable and nutrient-rich water. This exchange also has potential environmental benefits, reducing the release of waste water effluent downstream and allowing the assimilation of its nutrients into the soil. If wastewater reuse was rejecting, the option could be costly in such situations. The aim of this study is to identify the suitability of primary treated sewage water alone or mixed with different rates of Nile water and their effects on soil properties and grown plants. So, field experiments with Randomized complete Block design were conducted in winter seasons of 2011/2012 for flax crop, to study the effect of different water irrigation quality on the fiber yield and characters of sakha 2 flax cultivar at Balaks sewage water station,El- Qalioubia Governorate, Egypt. Results revealed that 100% sewage water recorded highest mean values of most flax characters such as total length, technical length, , No. of capsule / plant, No. of seeds / capsule, No. of benches / plant, fiber length and Iodine values, fiber yield per Fadden, fiber length, long fiber percentage and fiber fineness. On contrary, using 100 % swage water caused significant decrease on fiber strength compared with those irrigated with 100% Nile water. The highest values of seeds yield, straw yield, fiber yield, weight of 1000 seeds, oil yield, fiber (%) and seed oil (%) were observed with irrigation 100% sewage water. Key Words: flax, Kenaf, primary treated sewage water, industrial oils and fibbers.

Cadmium in the waters off South Morocco: Nature of particles hosting Cd and insights into the mechanisms fractionating Cd from phosphate

AbstractIn this study, we report the distributions of total dissolvable cadmium and particulate cadmium from 27 stations in southern Moroccan coastal waters (22°N–30°N), which is part of the North‐West African upwelling system. These distributions were predominantly controlled by upwelling of the North Atlantic Central Waters (NACWs) and uptake by primary production. Atmospheric inputs and phosphogypsum slurry inputs from the phosphate industry at Jorf Lasfar (33°N), recently estimated as an important source of dissolved cadmium (240 t Cd yr−1), are at best of minor importance for the studied waters. Our study provides new insights into the mechanisms fractionating cadmium from phosphate. In the upper 30 m, the anomalies observed in terms of Cd:P ratios in both the particulate and total dissolvable fractions were related to an overall preferential uptake of phosphate. We show that the type of phytoplanktonic assemblage (diatoms versus dinoflagellates) is also a determinant of the fractionation intensity. In subsurface waters (30–60 m), a clear preferential release of P (versus Cd) was observed indicating that remineralization in Oxygen Minimum Zones is a key process in sequestering Cd.

Factors Associated with Stunting among Pre-school Children in Southern Highlands of Tanzania.

Background: Stunting is a major public health problem in Africa and is associated with poor child survival and development. We investigate factors associated to child stunting in three Tanzanian regions.Methods: A cross-sectional two-stage cluster sampling survey was conducted among children aged 6-59 months. The sample included 1360 children aged 6-23 months and 1904 children aged 24-59 months. Descriptive statistics and binary and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used.Results: Our main results are: in the younger group, stunting was associated with male sex (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.17; confidence interval [CI]: 1.52-3.09), maternal absence (AOR: 1.93; CI: 1.21-3.07) and household diet diversity (AOR: 0.61; CI: 0.41-0.92). Among older children, stunting was associated with male sex (AOR: 1.28; CI: 1.00-1.64), age of 4 and 5 (AOR: 0.71; CI: 0.54-0.95; AOR: 0.60; CI: 0.44-0.83), access to improved water source (AOR: 0.70; CI: 0.52-0.93) and to a functioning water station (AOR: 0.63; CI: 0.40–0.98) and mother breastfeeding (AOR: 1.97; CI: 1.18-3.29).Conclusions: Interventions that increase household wealth and improve water and sanitation conditions should be implemented to reduce stunting. Family planning activities and programmes supporting mothers during pregnancy and lactation can positively affect both newborns and older siblings.

Interannual thermohaline (1979–2014) and nutrient (2002–2014) dynamics in the Levantine surface and intermediate water masses, SE Mediterranean Sea

In this study a >30years dataset of 1382 CTD casts in the Levantine Basin (LB) was analyzed to examine the thermohaline trends of the Surface (~0–50m) and Intermediate (~150–350m) Water masses (LSW, LIW). In addition, a 13years (2002–2014) dataset of 3 deep water stations (>1000m) in the eastern Levantine Basin (Haifa Section cruises) that were visited 2–3 times annually was used to explore the relations between the physical and nutrient properties in the LIW. Over the past 30years the LSW and LIW masses displayed positive long-term trends in salinity of +0.008±0.006 and +0.005±0.003year−1, respectively, and temperature of +0.12±0.07 and +0.03±0.02°Cyear−1, respectively. Decadal variations in salinity and temperature were superimposed on all long-term trends. Throughout the period 2002–2014 nutrient levels in the LIW core and corresponding integrated values of chlorophyll a also varied in nearly opposite phase with temperature and salinity. Furthermore, these variations occurred with a similar decadal periodicity, but with shifted phase with those observed in the Southern Adriatic and North Ionian Seas in the same water mass. The latter were considered to be caused by decadal reversals in the North Ionian Gyre, i.e. Bimodal Oscillation System (BiOS). These results indicate that the thermohaline flux variations attributed to the BiOS mechanism have a significant impact in magnitude on the available nutrients and the dynamics of the eastern basin primary productivity. These results should be taken into consideration in assessing the relative contribution of external nutrient loads in comparison to those attributed to variations in thermohaline fluxes and in the assessment of long-term and interannual primary productivity (chlorophyll a and nutrients) trends in the LB.