Volume 15 Number 2&3 (May/Sep 2009)

39-44. OPTIMISING SPME-HPLC TO DETERMINE THE CYANOTOXIN NODULARIN IN WATER: A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION.
W R Davies, P K S Lam, R Jack, M H W Lam, R Wu, D Nugegoda.
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Abstract: Nodularin is a cyclic pentapeptide produced by the cyanobacterium Nodularia spumigena. This cyanotoxin is responsible for the contamination of water bodies, and potentially can lead to human illness. Current analytical techniques that quantify nodularin often require several sample preparation steps that are time consuming and use organic solvents. Our objective was to develop a simple, relatively fast and solventless method for extracting and quantifying nodularin using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Two concentrations of nodularin (1 ppm and 10 ppb) were used to evaluate extraction capabilities of Carbowax/Templated (CW/TPR, 50 μm) coated SPME fibres. Extraction efficiency of the nodularin solutions was optimised by adjusting the salt concentration to 30% (w/w), decreasing pH to 2 and exposing the SPME fibre to the nodularin solutions for either 60 or 120 minutes, depending on nodularin concentration. Under optimised conditions, the SPME-HPLC methodology produced linear, reproducible calibration curves using fresh or seawater samples spiked with nodularin. Results suggest that SPME-HPLC could be useful in screening nodularin-contaminated water samples, with the added advantage over other traditional extraction methods of being relatively quick, simple and solventless which avoids the dangers of occupational exposure and disposal of organic solvents. Key words: nodularin; cyanobacteria; Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME).

45-50. DNA DAMAGE CAUSED BY A TEXTILE DYE (ACID RED) IN COELOMOCYTES OF EARTHWORM, EISENIA FETIDA.
T N Sathya, V Deepa, M Sunil Dutt and P Balakrishna Murthy.
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Abstract: The genotoxic effect of a commercially-available textile dye on earthworms was assessed using the alkaline comet assay. Earthworms were exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of the dye for 24 hours and coelomocytes were processed for comet assay. Nucleoids were visually scored and categorised into various degrees of damage. Significant increases (p<0.05) in the percentage of damaged nucleoids in treated groups were recorded. The distributions in the damage grades in treated groups were significantly different (p<0.05) from the control. The degrees of DNA damage between different treatments were not significantly different. However, the damage distribution was consistent over all the concentrations, showing that commercial acid red dye tested has the potential to induce genotoxicity in the coelomocytes of earthworms. Continued usage of such commercial dyes with such cryptic molecular toxicity can be detrimental to the ecosystem. Further studies on the genotoxic effects of more commercially available dyes on various test systems are warranted. Key words: acid red dye; earthworm; comet assay; genotoxicity.

51-184. A COMPILATION OF DATA ON THE TOXICITY OF CHEMICALS TO SPECIES IN AUSTRALASIA. PART 4: METALS (2000-2009).
K Langdon, M St J Warne, R I M Sunderam
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Abstract: This is the fourth paper in a series that presents data in the Australasian ecotoxicology database. The paper presents all the published and unpublished ecotoxicology data for metals that had been generated in Australasia since the initial publication of metal ecotoxicology data in 2002. The literature search identified 58 articles that contained relevant ecotoxicology data. In total, 1939 new metal ecotoxicology data were added to the database thus increasing the amount of such data by approximately 80%. A total of 521, 484, 185 and 749 data were added for freshwater, marine/estuarine, sediment and terrestrial environmental compartments, respectively. The additional toxicity data will substantially increase the relevance of future environmental quality guidelines or hazard and risk assessments to Australasian ecosystems. Key words: metal; toxicity; database; Australasian species.