No description available.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2005. / Advisor: Susan K. Lynn, Florida State University, College of Education, Dept. of Sport Management, Recreation Management, and Physical Education. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Jan. 26, 2006). Document formatted into pages; contains xii, 135 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

This research investigated the impact of invertebrates to four species of native aquatic macrophytes: V. americana, P. nodosus, P. illinoensis, and N. mexicana. Two treatments were utilized on each plant species, an insecticide treatment to remove most invertebrates and a non-treated control. Ten herbivore taxa were collected during the duration of the study including; Synclita, Paraponyx, Donacia, Rhopalosiphum, and Hydrellia. Macrophyte biomass differences between treatments were not measured for V. americana or N. mexicana. The biomasses of P. nodosus and P. illinoensis in non-treated areas were reduced by 40% and 63% respectively. This indicated that herbivory, once thought to be insignificant to aquatic macrophytes, can cause substantial reductions in biomass.

Microbial pollution of surface waters and coastal zones is one of the foremost challenges facing the water industry and regulatory authorities. Yet despite the concern and increasing pressures on water resources in both developed and developing countries, understanding of microbial pollutants in the aquatic environment is fairly scattered. There is a need for an improved ability to quantify the processes that control the fate and distribution of enteric organisms to support decision - making and risk management activities. The aim of this thesis has been to advance the understanding of the dynamics of microbial pollution in aquatic systems through review, experimentation and numerical modelling. Initially, a new module for simulating the protozoan pathogen, Cryptosporidium, was developed and implemented within a three - dimensional ( 3D ) coupled hydrodynamic - water quality model ( ELCOMCAEDYM ). The coupled 3D model was validated against a comprehensive dataset collected in Myponga Reservoir ( South Australia ), and without calibration, performed to a high degree of accuracy. The investigation then sought to examine the experimental dataset in more detail and found a significant difference between protozoan pathogens and the bacterial and viral indicators. To examine the role of bacterial association with particles in more detail, a second experimental campaign was carried out in Sugarloaf Reservoir ( Victoria ). This campaign was used to gain insights into the association of coliform bacteria with suspended sediment and to quantify their sedimentation dynamics based on in situ measurements. Using an inverse technique, particle profile data was used to create a simple Lagrangian model that was applied to back - calculate the sedimentation rates of the coliform bacteria and the fraction that were attached to the particles. The results indicated that 80 - 100 % were associated with a small - sized clay fraction. This result was in contrast with the Cryptosporidium dynamics in Myponga Reservoir, where it was concluded that oocysts did not settle with the inorganic particles. These findings indicated the current models for simulating the array of organisms of interest to regulatory authorities are inadequate to resolve the level of detail necessary for useful predictions and risk management. Large differences between the protozoa, bacteria and phages were being observed due to different particle association rates and sedimentation dynamics, order of magnitude differences in natural mortality rates, and different sensitivity to sunlight bandwidths. The original model implemented within CAEDYM was therefore rewritten to be more complete and generic for all microbial pollutants and different types of aquatic systems. The model was built using a generic set of parameterizations that describe the dynamics of most protozoan, bacterial and viral organisms of interest. The parameterizations dynamically account for sensitivities to environmental conditions, including temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, sunlight, nutrients and turbidity, on the growth and mortality of enteric organisms. The new model significantly advances previous studies in several areas. First, inclusion of the growth term allows for simulation of organisms in warm, nutrient rich environments, where typical die - off models tend to over - predict loss rates. Second, the natural mortality term has been extended to independently account for the effects of salinity and pH, in addition to temperature. The salinity - mediated mortality has also been adapted to account for the nutrient status of the medium to simulate the importance of nutrient starvation on the ability of an organism to survive under osmotic stress. Third, a new model for sunlight - mediated mortality is presented that differentially accounts for mortality induced through exposure to visible, UV - A and UV - B bandwidths. The new expression has capacity to simulate the photo - oxidative and photo - biological mechanisms of inactivation through included sensitivities to dissolved oxygen and pH. Fourth, the model allows for organisms to be split between free and attached pools, and sedimented organisms may become resuspended in response to high shear stress events at the water - sediment interface caused by high velocities or wind - wave action. Fifth, the enteric organism module has been implemented within the bio - geochemical model CAEDYM, thereby giving it access to dynamically calculated concentrations of dissolved oxygen, organic carbon, and suspended solids, in addition to pH, shear stress and light climate information. Without adjustment of the literature derived parameter values, the new model was validated against a range of microbial data from three reservoirs that differed in their climatic zone, trophic status and operation. The simulations in conjunction with the experimental data highlighted the large spatial and temporal variability in processes that control the fate and distribution of enteric organisms. Additionally, large differences between species originate from variable rates of growth, mortality and sedimentation and it is emphasized that the use of surrogates for quantifying risk is problematic. The model can be used to help design targeted monitoring programs, examine differences between species and the appropriateness of surrogate indicators, and to support management and real - time decision - making. Areas where insufficient data and understanding exist are also discussed. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 2007.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Incidence of endocrine disruption in wild fish species has been documented globally and is well characterised in the UK, where the occurrence of intersex in roach (Rutilus rutilus) is widespread. Although this has been associated with concentrations of steroid oestrogens, research indicates that anti-androgenic chemicals may also play a role in inducing these effects. Anti-androgenic activity is commonly detected in wastewater treatment works effluents and some receiving waters, but the chemicals responsible remain largely uncharacterised. This thesis aimed to identify environmental anti-androgens in UK and South Australian catchments and to produce environmentally relevant exposures to assess their potential impacts on sexual disruption in fish, alone and in combination with steroid oestrogens. By using hydrological modelling techniques, pharmaceuticals with an anti-androgenic mode of action were predicted to occur in the ng/L concentration range in UK and South Australian wastewater treatment works effluents and river catchments. This work included analysis of future trends in environmental concentrations of the pharmaceuticals and the steroid oestrogens in these catchments. Modest increases in concentrations by 2050 were predicted in the absence of mitigation, which could increase in the risk posed to fish health by the steroid oestrogens in the future. The effects of the predicted concentrations of two pharmaceuticals, bicalutamide and cyproterone acetate, were then assessed in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) and Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) based on the UK modelling for the present day. These concentrations did not contribute to endpoints characteristic of sexual disruption, alone or in combination with steroid oestrogens. However, the results did support an environmental role for the steroid oestrogens in intersex induction. Concurrently, effect directed analysis identified some highly potent anti-androgens, such as triclosan and pyrene, in wastewater treatment works effluents from the UK. However, they are likely to make a minor contribution to overall anti-androgenic activity due to their low concentrations. Consequently, more work is required to identify the causes of this activity in the environment and its implications for wild fish health.

No description available.

<p>Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) from agricultural, industrial, and municipal sources can be found in many surface waters with potential adverse implications for human and ecosystem health. The South Platte River represents a significant source of water for the Denver Metro Area, yet little data exists concerning EDCs. The aim of this study is to evaluate the occurrence and effects of EDCs downstream from two major wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This study characterizes the estrogenicity gradient of the South Platte River in the Denver Metro area by combining data from qPCR analysis for liver vitellogenin (<i>vtg</i>) mRNA with liver NMR metabolomics after a 5 day in situ caged exposure of fathead minnows. Concurrent water samples collected from the start and end times of the exposures were used to determine the occurrence and concentration of wastewater contaminants. Results found 68 of 122 chemicals downstream of WWTP 1 and 73 downstream of WWTP 2, including known EDCs (e.g. nonylphenol and octylphenol). A steroidal estrogen, estrone, was only found downstream of WWTP 2. Consistent with the highest measured concentrations of wastewater estrogens, the highest levels of <i>vtg</i> mRNA were measured downstream of WWTP 2. Metabolomics data coincided with <i>vtg </i> data and showed little variation except downstream of WWTP 2, where male polar metabolomes showed increased levels of alanine and glutamate, which are utilized in VTG synthesis. PCA of male polar metabolomes showed significant separation of WWTP 2 from WWTP 1 and the reference site, further supported by PLS-DA scores plot. Female polar metabolomes showed significant separation between WWTP 1 and WWTP 2 using PLS-DA scores plot. This study demonstrates that qPCR and metabolomics data can be reliably and concurrently used to illuminate impacts from chemical exposures, although further research will better elucidate target genes and metabolites of interest. </p>

No description available.