...Negative impacts of Dinoflagellate algae: economic, ecologic, and human health hazards ABSTRACT Increasing pollution both atmospheric and oceanic are encouraging algal growth and increasing the frequency and geographic range of high density dinoflagellate blooms. Public health and economic impacts, as well as negative ecological effects of the aquatic environment are increasing the scientific research done on toxic dinoflagellate species. Contaminated bivalves are causing paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) and diarrhetic shellfish poisoning in humans (DSP); with the number of cases increasing steadily in the last 40 years. Toxins released by certain species of the phylum dinoflagellate are the cause of this spreading contamination. Algal bloom locations are dictated by water currents and synaptic weather patterns, and their movement makes it difficult to pinpoint the origin of these blooms. Measuring the level of toxins in shellfish is currently the best way to chart the growing density of these blooms, and to prove the masses of algae are of growing concern. In this review the negative impact dinoflagellate algal blooms are having on aquaculture, human health hazards, and reasons for the increasing frequencies/densities of blooms will be covered; additional information on the shortcomings of incomplete scientific data complied on algal blooms and why scientific research is now being sought after will be reviewed. BACKGROUND Few species of phytoplankton produce...
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...Maria Vasilenko 223901 Feasibility of using biosensors for heavy metal detection in complex matrices such as bio-slurries. Master of Science Thesis Examiners: Professor Matti Karp Professor Raghida Lepistö Examiner and topic approved in The Science and Bioengineering Department Council meeting on 7.11.2012 Abstract TAMPERE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Master‟s Degree Programme in Science and Bioengineering Vasilenko Maria: Feasibility of using biosensors for heavy metal detection in complex matrices such as bio-slurries. Seminar paper, 97 pages November 2012 Major: Biotechnology Examiners: Matti Karp, Raghida Lepisto Keywords: environmental pollution, heavy metals, biosensors, slurries The quality of bioslurries that are used in industrial production and agriculture need to be watched very closely to avoid spreading of contaminants on area and poisoning of humans and animals. Because heavy metals are very stable and toxic in many chemical compositions, their amount should be estimated very thoroughly. A new approach that involved biosensors was tested in this study. Because the slurries are complex non-unified matrices which composed of two phases – solid and liquid, the cell behavior can varies a lot from the one that explained in water and so the estimation of ion concentration can be not reliable. It was shown that the cell actually behave different in the slurries. Normally the dissolved compounds suppress the biosensor activity and, in the same time, the ions in the...
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