Life Sciences Commons^™

Metal-Resistance Genetically Engineered Bacteria, Sylvia Daunert, Donna Scott, Sridhar Ramanathan

KWRRI Research Reports

Bacterial-based electrochemical and optical sensing systems that respond in a highly selective and sensitive manner to antimonite and arsenite have been developed. This was accomplished by using genetically engineered bacteria bearing one of two plasmids constructed for our studies. The first plasmid, pBGD23, contains the operator/promoter region (O/P) and the gene of the ArsR protein from the ars operon upstream from the β-galactosidase gene. In the absence of antimonite/arsenite, ArsR binds to the 0/P site and prevents the transcription of the genes for ArsR and β-galactosidase, thus blocking expression of these proteins. When antimonite or arsenite is present in the …

Use Of Riparian Vegetated Filter Strips To Reduce Nitrate And Fecal Contamination In Surface Water, Mark S. Coyne, Robert L. Blevins, Rebecca A. Gilfillen

KWRRI Research Reports

This research assessed fecal bacteria trapping in surface runoff by grass filters and their potential to enhance NO₃^- removal via denitrification. Grass filter strips 9.0 m long trapped over 99% of the soil in surface runoff in 1992. Fecal coliform removal was less than 75%. In 1993, 9.0 and 4.5 m grass filter strips trapped 99 and 95% of the sediment, respectively. Fecal coliform trapping efficiency was 90% in 9.0 m grass filters and 75% in 4.5 m filters. Fecal streptococci trapping efficiency was 77% in 9.0 m grass filters and only 56% in 4.5 m filters. Fecal …

The Aquatic Toxicity Of Organic Compounds To Embryo-Larval Stages Of Fish And Amphibians, Jeffrey A. Black, Wesley J. Birge, Willaim E. Mcdonnell, Albert G. Westerman, Barbara A. Ramey, Donald M. Bruser

KWRRI Research Reports

Aquatic toxicity tests were conducted on 11 organic compounds considered hazardous to water resources. The toxicity of each compound was evaluated using embryo-larval stages of two to eight fish and amphibian species. Exposure was initiated at fertilization and maintained through 4 days posthatching. The animal test species exhibited varying degrees of sensitivity to the selected toxicants. Combined frequencies for mortality and teratogenesis at 4 days posthatching gave LC₅₀ ranges of 3.66 to 8.25 mg/L for benzene, 1.16 to 22.42 mg/L for carbon tetrachloride, 0.11 to 1.20 mg/L for chlorobenzene, 2.03 to > 68 mg/L for chloroform, 3.01 to 5.56 mg/L …

Effects Of Organic Compounds On Amphibian Reproduction, Wesley J. Birge, Jeffrey A. Black, Robert A. Kuehne

KWRRI Research Reports

Aquatic toxicity tests were conducted with atrazine, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, methylene chloride, trisodium nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), and phenol. Each compound was administered to developmental stages of three to five amphibian species. Exposure was initiated at fertilization and maintained through 4 days posthatching. Test responses included lethality and teratogenesis. Different amphibian species exhibited varying degrees of tolerance to the selected compounds. Greatest tolerance usually was observed for the more broadly adapted semi-aquatic and terrestrial species (e.g., Bufo americanus, Bufo fowleri). The more sensitive amphibians usually included those species which normally are restricted to aquatic or moist habitats (e.g., Rana …

Seasonal Changes In Water Quality And Primary Productivity In Doe Valley Lake, Edmond J. Bacon, Stuart E. Neff

KWRRI Research Reports

Primary productivity and water quality were studied in Doe Valley Lake, a 147-hectare impoundment on Doe Run, a spring-fed stream in Meade County, Kentucky, from 13 June 1969 to 31 July 1972. Doe Valley Lake is monomictic during most winter seasons, but it is dimictic during more severe winters because of its morphometry and location on the borderline climatic region for dimictic lakes (37° N latitude). Oxygen depletion in the hypolimnion is severe, and anaerobic conditions usually prevail by late June. A hypolimnetic areal deficit of 0.038 mg/cm²/day was calculated. Supersaturation of oxygen in the epilimnion was common, …

Enzyme And Tissue Alterations In Fishes: A Measure Of Water Quality, David E. Hinton, M. W. Kendall, J. C. Koenig

KWRRI Research Reports

A variety of freshwater fishes were studied by light and electron microscopy, enzyme histochemical and biochemical methods, The objective was to determine normal structure and function in specific target organs and to compare these to altered states in aquatic pollution. The basic question, "can fish tissues and enzymes serve as indicators of water quality?," was asked. Microscopic alteration in gill was indicative of copper toxicity at an exposure of 20 parts per billion, Gross and light microscopic alterations were indicative of a single exposure of channel catfish to 15 parts per million of methyl mercuric chloride (CH₃HgCl). Microscopic …

A Preliminary Ecological Study Of Areas To Be Impounded In The Salt River Basin Of Kentucky, Louis A. Krumholz, Stuart E. Neff, Edmond J. Bacon, Jerry S. Parsons, John D. Woodling

KWRRI Research Reports

This report includes work that is an extension of Project No. B-005-KY as reported in Research Report No. 43 of the University of Kentucky Water Resources Institute. That project was initiated in April 1968 as Project No. A-019-KY with principal emphasis on physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the main stem of the Salt River upstream from the proposed damsite for Taylorsville Lake, an impoundment of about 3, 600 acres at seasonal pool. The report includes descriptions of an additional 13 stations along the stream, bringing to 38 the number of permanent collecting sites.

Values for dissolved oxygen ranged from …

A Preliminary Ecological Study Of Areas To Be Impounded In The Salt River Basin Of Kentucky, Louis A. Krumholz

KWRRI Research Reports

This report covers work that is an extension of Project No. A-019-KY. A series of 25 sampling stations was established in the mainstream and tributaries of the Salt River that extend from the source of the stream in Boyle County to a few miles below the site of Taylorsville Darn in Spencer County. Sampling for water chemistry and biota was carried out semimonthly. Data on temperature, oxygen, depth, and discharge, along with analyses for cations (Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn) and anions (PO₄, NO₃, NO₂, CO₃, HCO₃) have been accumulated and …