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Three trout farms from Nepal were studied to investigate the changes in physico-chemical parameters and their potential threat to natural water bodies receiving the effluents. Reference and impact sites were determined in each farm so as to find out the level of impacts due to farming activities. Some of the parameters such as dissolved oxygen, turbidity, conductivity, and total dissolve solids were significantly changed in the impacted zones compared to reference sites. Similarly, concentrations of some major ions such as calcium and sodium were increased in the impacted zones. On the other hand, some of the parameters such as pH and potassium did not change in the impacted zone although their concentrations were different among farms studied. Nevertheless, the overall changes in the physico-chemical parameters did not pose health risk to the aquatic ecosystems receiving effluents from these fish farms as the concentrations were below the prescribed levels by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as well as Nepal Environment Statistics. This is an indication that, although fish farming activities are degrading water qualities, there is no threat to the water quality receiving the effluents yet probably due to small scale farming. The increase in number of fish farms in the same area, however might pose risk to the ecological health in the region which warrants regular monitoring. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTVolume-6, Issue-2, Mar-May 2017, Page: 43-55

The deep-sea can act as a sink for legacy contaminants such as organochlorines (OCs), causing damages in its inhabitants for their persistence and their prolonged effects in the organisms. HCB, DDT and its isomers, and 28 PCBs congeners were detected in muscle and embryonic tissues of three deep-sea chondrichthyes Chimaera monstrosa (n = 16), Dalatias licha (n = 12) and Etmopterus spinax (n = 51) sampled in Ligurian and Tyrrhenian Sea (Mediterranean Sea). Contaminant distribution in E. spinax and C. monstrosa was PCBs > DDTs ≫ HCB while in D. licha was DDTs > PCBs ≫ HCB. Statistically significant differences were highlighted in OC levels among the species, but no such differences were found among sexes. Ratios between DDT isomers highlighted an historical input of the pesticide in the environment. For the first time was also demonstrated maternal transfer in deep water chondrichthyes, specifically in E. spinax where was highlighted that transfer of contaminants increases with increasing compound's Log Kow. • OC pattern in sampled species was HCB < DDTs < PCBs. • OC burden in the species was made up of OCs with EDC properties. • OCs maternal transfer was documented for the first time in deep sea chondrichthyes. • OCs with higher LogK ow showed greater maternal transfer in E. spinax. • Legacy contaminants are still a threat to deep-sea biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industrial activities, especially the onshore secondary industry, have becoming a major threat on the coastal wetlands. However, the extent of this damage has rarely been revealed from a regional perspective in past studies. To quantify the impacts of onshore secondary industries on coastal wetlands in China, the Bohai Rim, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Pearl River Delta were selected as the study areas. The key state-monitored enterprises with high pollution and emission were identified and presented using Geographic Information System analysis. The agglomeration of the enterprises and their pollution was delineated by the multi-distance spatial cluster analysis and kernel density estimation method. Combined with the geographical distribution of the coastal wetland nature reserves, quantity-based industrial pollution threat intensity was calculated. The results show that the three regions are influenced significantly and differently by the types of industry and the quantity of wetlands. The coastal wetlands in the Pearl River Delta region are threatened by relatively homogeneous types of industrial pollution but with the highest pollution threat degree of 309.68; the coastal wetlands in the Bohai Rim region are threatened by the most complex industrial pollution, with a pollution threat degree of 274.01; and the Yangtze River Delta region has the lowest total threat degree of 166.37. Furthermore, the relationship between industrial agglomeration and coastal wetland pollution is discussed, and policy recommendations for industrial restructuring in coastal regions are given. Considering the growing industrialization in the developing countries, the study can provide experiences to support and advance the synergistic management of onshore industries and coastal wetlands in other country. • Pollution of industrial agglomeration to coastal wetlands is significant. • The threat degree of industrial pollution to China's coastal wetlands was quantified. • The Pearl River Delta wetlands are suffering from the severest industrial pollution. • Recommendations are given for the synergistic management of industries and wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Routine haematological investigations were carried out on 102 wild adult great skuas Catharacta skua. No sex- or age-related differences were detected in any of the parameters measured. There are very few sets of haematological reference ranges published for seabirds from the northeastern Atlantic. Given the recent pollution threats in this region, the reference ranges presented for this species could be a valuable tool in future conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]