Mechanism of Silica Nanoparticle-Induced Particulate Fouling in Vacuum Membrane Distillation.

Membrane distillation (MD) is a process driven by the vapor pressure difference dependent on temperature variation, utilizing a hydrophobic porous membrane. MD operates at low pressure and temperature, exhibiting resilience to osmotic pressure. However, a challenge arises as the membrane performance diminishes due to temperature polarization (TP) occurring on the membrane surface.

Ecological changes in subtidal macrobenthic communities of the Taean coast following the Hebei Spirit oil spill: A 10-year longitudinal study.

We examined long-term response (2008-2017) of the macrobenthos to the Hebei Spirit oil spill that occurred around the Taean coast, Korea, in December 2007. Oil concentrations were below the Korea/US environmental standards as of January 2008. Organic matter, chlorophyll-a, and zooplankton abundance dominated by Noctiluca scintillans were higher after the spill.

Bio-effect-monitoring of long-term thermal wastes on the oyster, Crassostrea gigas, using heat shock proteins.

We bio-monitored the stress of oyster, Crassostrea gigas, for possible long term effects of thermal waste from a power plant. The expression level of its heat shock proteins (HSPs) was measured by real time-reverse transcript PCR along with their density and growth in the field. Oyster size varied in a distance dependent pattern.

Salinity changes in the anadromous river pufferfish, Takifugu obscurus, mediate gene regulation.

This study aimed to better understand the hydromineral regulatory response of the anadromous river pufferfish, Takifugu obscurus, to salinity changes through real-time RT-PCR. After abrupt transfer from 30 or 5 psu to 5 or 30 psu, respectively, we analyzed the mRNA expression of Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase, prolactin receptor, and aquaporin from osmoregulatory organs of the river pufferfish such as gills, kidney, and intestine. Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase showed notable changes in the gills and kidney when salinity was increased.