Laboratory-contained microcosms are important for studying the fate and survival of genetically engineered microorganisms. In this study, we describe a simple aquatic microcosm that utilizes survival chambers in a flowthrough or static renewal system. The model was used to study the survival of genetically engineered and wild-type strains of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas putida in the lake w...

This work studied simultaneous removal of ammonium and potassium ions by ion exchange with the natural zeolite clinoptilolite. Synthetic and real RO permeate used in experiments contained approximately 250 mg NH4/L and 200 mg K/L. The real RO permeate was obtained from membrane treatment of anaerobically digested cattle manure effluents. Batch experiments were conducted to determine ammonium an...

Wetlands, and especially salt marshes, are well-known sinks of metals, which limit toxic amounts metals from entering the food chain. This study investigated metal concentrations (Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) in a highly urbanised estuary, compared vegetated rhizosediment (Salicornia tegetaria, Spartina maritima, Zostera capensis) with bare sediment, depositional non-depositional site, intertida...

The potential for reduction of TcO4 (aq) to poorly soluble TcO2 · nH2O(s) by biogenic sediment-associated Fe(II) was investigated with three Fe(III)-oxide containing subsurface materials and the dissimilatory metal-reducing subsurface bacterium Shewanella putrefaciens CN32. Two of the subsurface materials from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hanford and Oak Ridge sites contained significant amo...

A prominent vector of aquatic invasive species to coastal regions is the discharge of water, sediments, and biofilm from ships' ballast-water tanks. During eight years of studying ships arriving to the lower Chesapeake Bay, we developed an understanding of the mechanisms by which invasive microorganisms might arrive to the region via ships. Within a given ship, habitats included ballast water, ...

We compared the two formats of rKE16 antigen-based rapid tests, a flowthrough test (KEFT) and a lateral flow test (KELF), with the rK39 rapid test for the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis. Sensitivities with KEFT (99%, 198/200) and rK39 (99.5%, 199/200) were comparable and higher than that with KELF (95.5%, 191/200). In the control groups comprising subjects with diseases from areas of nonen...

A flowthrough spectrophotometric sensor for the determination of cobalt at the nanogram per millilitre level using pyridoxal 4-phenylthiosemicarbazone as reagent and integrated preconcentration and detection in the flow cell is proposed. The method is highly selective for cobalt(II); it features detection and determination limits of 0.02 and 0.06 mug ml(-1) respectively, and a linear range of a...

Trace elements are vital for the growth and development of all organisms. Little is known about the elemental content and trace metal biology of Red Sea demosponges. This study establishes an initial database of sponge elemental content. It provides the necessary foundation for further research of the mechanisms used by sponges to regulate the uptake, accumulation, and storage of metals. The me...

Hydrate-bearing sediment cores were retrieved from the Joetsu Basin (off Joetsu city, Niigata Prefecture) at the eastern margin of the Japan Sea during the MD179 gas hydrates cruise onboard R/V Marion Dufresne in June 2010. We measured molecular and stable isotope compositions of volatiles bound in the gas hydrates and headspace gases obtained from sediments to clarify how the minor components ...

Faecal contamination of estuarine and coastal waters can pose a risk to human health, particularly in areas used for shellfish production or recreation. Routine microbiological water quality testing highlights areas of faecal indicator bacteria (FIB) contamination within the water column, but fails to consider the abundance of FIB in sediments, which under certain hydrodynamic conditions can be...