Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.

Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

Banned chemicals found in world’s deepest oceans
Researchers sampled amphipods from the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana and Kermadec trenches

Scientists discover high levels of contamination in amphipods

Crustaceans from the deepest parts of the ocean have been found to contain 10 times the level of industrial pollution than the average earthworm.

Writing in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, scientists describe how they found high levels of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in the fatty tissue of amphipods.

These include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethos (PBDEs) which are commonly used as electrical insulators and flame retardants.

The team from Newcastle University, the University of Aberdeen and the James Hutton Institute say the next step is to understand the consequences of this contamination and what the knock-on effects might be for the wider ecosystem.

“We still think of the deep ocean as being this remote and pristine realm, safe from human impact, but our research shows that, sadly, this could not be further from the truth,” commented lead author Dr Alan Jamieson.

“In fact, the amphipods we sampled contained levels of contamination similar to that found in Suruga Bay, one of the most polluted industrial zones of the north-west Pacific.

“What we don’t yet know is what this means for the wider ecosystem and understanding that will be the next major challenge.”

Before PCBs were banned in the 1970s, the total global production of these chemicals was in the region of 1.3milliion tonnes.

In the study, researchers sampled amphipods from the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana and Kermadec trenches which are 10 kilometres deep and 7,000 kilometres wide.

The researchers suggest that the pollutants most likely found their way to the trenches through contaminated plastic, debris and dead animals sinking to the bottom of the ocean. The amphipods then consume the debris, which in turn become food for larger animals.

“The fact that we found such extraordinary levels of these pollutants in one of the most remote and inaccessible habitats on earth really brings home the long-term, devastating impact that mankind is having on the planet,” continued Dr Jamieson. “It’s not a great legacy that we’re leaving behind.”

Image (C) Hans Hillewaert.

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.