Speciation of heavy metals and their distribution in surface sediments of the northwestern part of the ROPME Sea Area

Aim: To analyze samples of marine sediment at 24 stations for heavy metals as per sequential Community Bureau of Reference protocol in order to obtain metal distribution pattern in Kuwait offshore.Methodology: In the present study, a centrifugal particle-size analyzer was used for measuring sediment grain size. The Community Bureau of Reference scheme was deployed for the sequential extraction of heavy metal speciation, and the fractionation was determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry. Results: Grain-size analysis showed that the study area contained 71.8% silt, 22.6% sand and 5.56% clay at most locations. The average abundance of total concentration of heavy metals was found in the following order: lead< cobalt< copper< zinc< chromium< nickel. The mobility order of exchangeable fraction of heavy metals decreased in the order lead> nickel> zinc> cobalt> copper; in the reducible fraction: lead> copper> zinc> cobalt> nickel; in the oxidizable fraction: lead> chromium> copper> nickel> cobalt> zinc and in the residual fraction:cobalt> chromium> nickel> zinc> copper>lead, respectively. Interpretation: The outcome of the present study cannot establish the actual form of species of a given metal in the sediment; though, it appears to be useful in categorizing the metals within several prevailing geochemical fractions.

A comparative study on the effect of dispersed and undispersed Kuwait crude oil on egg hatching and larval survival of Epinephelus coioides

Aim: The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of dispersed and undispersed Kuwait crude oil on egg hatching and larval survival of Epinephelus coioides. Methodology: In the present study, the toxic effects of crude and dispersed oil using three formulations of oil dispersants against multiple life stages of Epinephelus coioides was assessed. The lethal concentration was calculated by ToxCal® software developed by Tidepool Scientific, LLC. Results: Specifically, the following life stages were investigated: embryonated eggs (EE), larvae hatched during exposure (LHE) and hatched larvae (HL). Chemical analysis showed that Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) concentrations were higher in dispersed than undispersed oil solutions, indicating accommodation of more petroleum hydrocarbons in the aqueous phase. Acute static toxicity tests produced variable LC50 values for all chemical preparations and all fish life stages. Crude oil dispersed with both Corexit® EC 9500A and Corexit® EC 9527A separately was more toxic to both EE and LHE stages than undispersed oil, but crude oil dispersed with Slickgone® NS resulted in lower toxicity. Furthermore, all three types of dispersed oil exerted higher toxicity than undispersed oil at HL stage. Interpretation: A life stage dependent effect demonstrated variation in the toxicity of both dispersed and undispersed crude oil to fish. Few life stages were more sensitive than others to either dispersed or undispersed crude oil toxicity. While dispersion of an oil slick with oil dispersant has proved to be an effective tool in the oil response strategy, the fate of dispersed oil can exert lethal effects on embryo-larval stages of marine fish present near the spill.

Infusion thrombophlebitis--histological and bacteriological study.

In a study conducted over a four year period, 99 developed thrombophlebitis of the total of 560 intravenous infusions under similar infusion conditions. In all the patients who developed phlebitis, fluid from the bottle, first 5 ml. of fluid from the infusion set after removing the drip and the needle itself were subjected to bacteriological study. Only in two cases the culture was positive, indicating it was a non-bacterial inflammation. The vein was subjected for histopathology after obtaining a small segment. Histopathology showed thrombus in the lumen of the vein in the majority of the cases, destruction of endothelial lining with pyknosis of nuclei and leucocyte infiltration in the media.

Intravenous placement device and infusion thrombophlebitis.

The incidence of thrombophlebitis in the present study was 18.3%. It was of mild grade in all the cases. The incidence of thrombophlebitis was more (24%) when short teflon canula was used as intravenous placement device. Under similar infusion conditions with stainless steel needle, scalp vein needle and long teflon canula, the incidence was 16.6%, 13.3% and 16.6% respectively. Thrombophlebitis bears a direct relationship to the duration of infusion. The incidence was negligible at the end of 8 hours, whereas 14 patients developed thrombophlebitis by the end of 24 hours (63.7%).

Role of intravenous heparin and hydrocortisone in prevention of infusion thrombophlebitis.

In a study conducted on 110 patients intravenous heparin and cortisone were studied as regards their role in prevention of infusion thrombophlebitis. Intravenous heparin (500 I.U.) was given 6 hourly during the 24 hr period of saline infusion. Hydrocortisone (1 mg/100 ml) was added to the infusion itself. Of the 30 patients in the control group 3 patients developed thrombophlebitis (10%). In the group treated with intravenous heparin 3 out of the 40 patients (7.5%) developed thrombophlebitis. With hydrocortisone, only 1 out of 40 patients had thrombophlebitis, (2.5%). In the group in which hydrocortisone was used, the onset of phlebitis was also delayed.