[Monitoring of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the aquatic environment]. / Problema monitoringa politsiklicheskikh aromaticheskikh uglevodorodov v vodnoi srede.

A monitoring system for the carcinogenic PAH is proposed, based on the data-analysis of their dissemination and distribution in water bodies of the Estonian SSR (with benz(a)pyrene as an indicator of the PAH pollution) using bottom sediments as test-objects. A control system for various kinds of water bodies and a system to evaluate a degree of PAH pollution of the water bodies have been proposed. The use of bottom sediments as a test-object makes this system universal, simple and easily available for investigations.

[Profile of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the waters of the Estonian SSR]. / Profile polyzyklischer aromatischer Kohlenwasserstoffe in Gewässern der Estnischen SSR.

The profiles of various polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in water and bottom sediments of some rivers of the Estonian SSR and bays of the Baltic Sea, as well as algae gathered from the latter waterbody, have been studied. These data were compared with profiles in oil-shale emissions, sewage and automobile exhaust gases. No distinct differences of the emission profiles could be detected and therefore it seems to be impossible to fix the main source of the PAH pollution of the waterbodies.

[Distribution of various polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in reservoir water of Estonia]. / Raspredelenie nekotorykh politsiklicheskikh aromaticheskikh uglevodorodov v vodnykh ob'ektakh Estonii.

The paper presents experimental data on different polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in water, bottom sediments and algae as well as evidence available in literature on their content in exhausts of automobiles, oil shale industry and power station. Attempts are made to reveal differences in sources of the environment pollution with allowance for different PAH/benzo(a)pyrene percentage ratio, but as the PAH ratios are relatively similar in different pollution sources this attempt was a failure.

[Accumulation of polycyclic arenes in Baltic Sea algae]. / Nakoplenie politsiklicheskikh arenov v vodorosliakh Baltiiskogo moria.

The paper presents data on the level of benzo(a)pyrene (BP) and some other polycyclic arenes in alga and phanerogam specimens from different gulfs of the Baltic Sea. Algae were shown to absorb BP from sea water. The mean concentration of BP in sea water was under 0.004 microgram/1, while in algae it ranged 0.1-21.2 micrograms/kg dry weight. Algae accumulate BP to a higher degree than phanerogams. The highest concentrations of BP were found in algae Enteromorpha while the lowest ones in Furcellaria. In annual green algae, BP level was higher in autumn, i. e. at the end of vegetation period, than in spring. Brown algae Fucus vesiculosus is recommended for monitoring polycyclic arene pollution in the area from Vormsi Island to Käsmu and green algae Cladophora or Enteromorpha in the eastern part of the Finnish Gulf.

Some new data on the distribution of benzo (a) pyrene in fresh water and seawater.

Data on the content of benzo(a)pyrene (BP) in various bodies of water in the Estonian SSR including lakes of agricultural regions, lakes and rivers in industrial areas, bodies of water in the National Park and nature protection areas used for drinking water supply, sea gulfs and bays used for recreation are reviewed. Some data on the distribution of BP in bottom sediments and biota of the aqueous medium as well as the accumulation of BP in various organs and tissues of different species of fish are reported. It has been found that the BP level in the bodies of water of the Estonian SSR is relatively low, the highest BP content has been found in seawater, but even there the average concentration of BP was below the safety limit for BP in bodies of water (0.005 microgram/l). Bottom sediments, algae, higher waterplants, zooplankton and fish accumulate BP where its content is about 1,000-100,000 times higher than in water.

[Benz(a)pyrene accumulation, distribution and excretion in fish]. / Nakoplenie, raspredelenie i vydelenie benz(a)pirena u ryb.

The data are reported on the level of benz(a)pyrene /BP/ in muscular tissue and various organs of carp, drown trout, seatrout and rainbow-trout. It has been found that the average content of BP in fish was, as a rule, less than 1 mg/kg. The amount of BP in various organs was nearly the same as in the muscular tissue. The food of rainbow trout contained a large amount of BP and so did excrements of this fish. The results obtained allowed a conclusion to be made that some amount of BP does not metabolize in the organism of fish.

Toxicological studies of shale oils, some of their components, and commercial products.

Estonian shale oil contains about 25--30% phenols, and their action determines the toxicity of shale oils. The clinical symptoms of intoxication are rather similar, regardless of route of administration. Due to neurotropic action, the coordination of movements is impaired, and clonic and tetanic convulsions, paresis and paralysis of extremities, and narcosis are observed. In subacute and chronic toxicity tests, dysfunction of the central nervous system was found. In long-term (4--6 month) experiments, changes in liver and kidney function were found. Shale oil has gonadotropic activity and causes changes in the sexual cycle as well as diminution of the number of primordial folicles in the ovaries or a decrease in the quantity of normal spermatogonia in testicular germinal epithelium. Shale oils produce local irritation of skin and mucous membranes. Shale oil can induce sensitization of the organism after repeated administration. The results of acute intoxication tests have proved that volatile and nonvolatile phenol fractions, isomeric dimethylphenols, and 5-methylresorcinol, must be characterized as moderately toxic substances; the LD50 ranges from 501 to 1500 mg/kg. The clinical symptoms of acute toxication are similar for all studied phenols (restlessness, unsteadiness, clonic tremor, paresis and paralysis of extremities, and death). In spite of the moderate toxicity of phenols in acute experiments, repeated administration of small doses can cause different changes in the nervous system and internal organs of experimental animals. For all the phenols studied, the maximum allowable concentration in water was limited by their effect on the organoleptic properties of water. The nonactive dose for warm-blooded animals is from 100 to 3000 times the threshold limit value of phenols on the basis of their organoleptic properties. The effect of commercial products of oil shale industry is generally determined by the toxicity of the main components: water-soluble oil shale phenols.

Levels of benzo(a)pyrene in oil shale industry wastes, some bodies of water in the Estonian S.S.R. and in water organisms.

Data on the content of benzo(a)pyrene (BP) in oil shale industry wastewater, the effectiveness of various effluent treatment processes (evaporation, extraction with butyl acetate, trickling filters, aeration tanks) in reducing the level of BP in oil shale wastewater, the level of BP in various bodies of water of Estonia, and in fish and other water organisms are reviewed. The quantitative determination of BP in concentrated diethyl ether extracts of water samples was carried out by ultraviolet and spectroluminescence procedures by use of the quasi-linear spectra at -196 degrees C in solid paraffins. It has been found that oil shale industry wastewater contains large amounts of BP. The most efficient purification process for removing the BP in oil shale industry phenol water is extraction with butyl acetate. The level of BP in the rivers of the oil shale industry area is comparatively higher than in other bodies of water of the Republic. The concentration of BP in the lakes of the Estonian S.S.R. is on the whole insignificant. Even the maximum concentration found in our lakes is as a rule less than the safety limit for BP in bodies of water (0.005 microgram/l). During water is treated at the waterworks. The effectiveness of the water treatment in reducing the level of BP varies from 11 to 88%. Filtration was found to be the most effective treatment. About 20 samples of fish from nine bodies of water in Estonia have been analyzed for content of BP. The average content of BP in the muscular tissue of various species of fish is as a rule less than 1 microgram/kg. There is no significant difference in the concentration of BP in sea and freshwater fish. There is no important difference in the content of BP in the organs of various fish. Fat fish contain more BP than lean ones. The weight (age) of fish does not influence the content of BP in the muscular tissue of fish.