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Area of Excellence

Area of Excellence. Marine Environmental Research & Innovative Technology. An overview on MERIT Relevance to environmental and public health Research Programs Highlighting novelty Hypoxia as an endocrine disruptor and teratogen Artificial mussels to monitor heavy metals

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Area of Excellence

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  1. Area of Excellence Marine Environmental Research & Innovative Technology

  2. An overview on MERIT Relevance to environmental and public health Research Programs Highlighting novelty Hypoxia as an endocrine disruptor and teratogen Artificial mussels to monitor heavy metals Multiplex Quantitative Real-time PCR and gene chip technology for monitoring waterborne pathogens Deliverables and impact Outline

  3. “Maintain Hong Kong’s economic position in the development of China & the Pacific Rim” “Identify research areas where Hong Kong has particular potential to develop a competitive edge internationally” Aims of the AoE Scheme UGC

  4. “Research area where Hong Kong has a particular potential to develop a competitive edge internationally” “Capable of attaining world class excellence” “Relevance to social and economic development of Hong Kong” “Build upon existing strength” Selection Criteria of AoE UGC

  5. Centre for Marine Environmental Research & Innovative Technology (MERIT)

  6. Selected by UGC as one of the eight “Areas of Excellence” (AoEs) in Hong Kong, considered as internationally competitive The only AoE dealing with environmental issues Awarded $45 millions for 5 years, starting April 2004, with additional matching from participating universities MERIT

  7. Lead by the CityU with the following membership: 12 from CityU 4 from HKU 3 from HKUST 2 from CUHK 2 from HKBU 1 from HKPU 7 overseas scientists from USA, Australia, Norway, China A multidisciplinary team with biologists, chemists, physicist, statistician, engineers, modelers MERIT

  8. Develop innovative chemical, biological and engineering technologies for: monitoring the health of marine environment pollution control bioremediation and risk assessment Conduct and foster high quality, multidisciplinary research relevant to the protection and conservation of the marine environment, especially in Hong Kong and the region Our Mission

  9. Relevance to social and economic development of Hong Kong • The Pearl River Delta and S. China (including Hong Kong) is the most rapidly developing region in the world • One-third of Hong Kong and China’s GDP comes from the utilization of coastal resources • Projected 28% increase (6.8 to 8.7 million) in the HK population by 2030 • Marine pollution, a pressing world wide problem, poses a major threat to Hong Kong and China

  10. Great economic loss Port & airport development: >$200Mex-gratia payment 1998 Red tide: >$300M loss to the mariculture industry Disney Theme Park: >$450M for clean up Tourism Large scale development planned: Large scale urban development (>$240 billion) A 29 km bridge linking Hong Kong, Macau and the Mainland ($ 15.6 billion) Relevance to social and economic development of Hong Kong

  11. Relevance to social and economic development of Hong Kong Killed >85% of culture fish Loss > $300 M Unacceptable levels of toxins in shellfish

  12. High level of PCBs In marine mammals Highest level of pesticides reported in human milk Relevance to social and economic development of Hong Kong

  13. Relevance to social and economic development of Hong Kong • Numerous food poisonings & epidemic disease outbreaks • >3,600 hepatitis A, mostly due to consumption of oysters • Beach closure, 50% higher chance of contracting infection

  14. MERIT will provide vital management information for: Policy, standards and regulations Cost effective environmental solutions Protection of the environment and public health Sustainable development Training to meet future demand in HK and the region Annual environmental consultancy work is ca. $80-100 M. Building our own capability to enable HK to retain this recurrent expenditure and provide employment opportunities Relevance to social and economic development of Hong Kong

  15. Environmental technology expenditure in China (2001-2005) estimated at $600 billion and many technologies must be imported 10% of this share will translate into $6 billion and employment for 10-20 thousand workers for HK Relevance to social and economic development of Hong Kong HKPC, Nov. 2003

  16. Highlight of Research Programs & Synergy

  17. Management Committee Task Team 1 Novel technology for environmental diagnosis Task Team 2 Field studies & validation Task Team 3 Impact assessment models Task Team 4 Control & bioremediation

  18. Management Committee Task Team 1 Novel technology for environmental diagnosis Task Team 2 Field studies & validation Task Team 3 Impact assessment models Task Team 4 Control & bioremediation • Chemical Technology • (MIP, Biosensor, SPMD, • Artificial mussels) • Genomic Technology • (DNA array for water • borne pathogen, • Toxicogenomic studies) • Biomarker Technology • (Molecular, Biochemical • Cytological, • Immunological • Physiological) • Validation of novel • technologies • Ecosystem recovery • (Plankton, benthos, • Intertidal, microbial) • Sensitive receivers • Fate & carrying • capacity Model (Data • assimilation methods, • Eutrophication model, • Real time field data, • Neural networks) • Modeling Biokinetic of • Xenobiotics & algal • toxins • Ecological risk • Assessment model • Cost effective • Control • (Immobilized algae • Wetland, ion • exchange • Resins) • Bioremediation • (Bacteria and fungal • degradation of PAHs) • HABs • (3D-GIS tracking • Model, Clay, • flocculants • & polymers

  19. Management Committee Task Team 1 Novel technology for environmental diagnosis Task Team 2 Field studies & validation Task Team 3 Impact assessment models Task Team 4 Control & bioremediation • Chemical Technology • (MIP, Biosensor, SPMD, • Artificial mussels) • Genomic Technology • (DNA array for water • borne pathogen, • Toxicogenomic studies) • Biomarker Technology • (Molecular, Biochemical • Cytological, • Immunological • Physiological) • Validation of novel • technologies • Ecosystem recovery • (Plankton, benthos, • Intertidal, microbial) • Sensitive receivers • Fate & carrying • capacity Model (Data • assimilation methods, • Eutrophication model, • Real time field data, • Neural networks) • Modeling Biokinetic of • Xenobiotics & algal • toxins • Ecological risk • Assessment model • Cost effective • Control • (Immobilized algae • Wetland, ion • exchange • Resins) • Bioremediation • (Bacteria and fungal • degradation of PAHs) • HABs • (3D-GIS tracking • Model, Clay, • flocculants • & polymers

  20. Management Committee Task Team 1 Novel technology for environmental diagnosis Task Team 2 Field studies & validation Task Team 3 Impact assessment models Task Team 4 Control & bioremediation • Chemical Technology • (MIP, Biosensor, SPMD, • Artificial mussels) • Genomic Technology • (DNA array for water • borne pathogen, • Toxicogenomic studies) • Biomarker Technology • (Molecular, Biochemical • Cytological, • Immunological • Physiological) • Validation of novel • technologies • Ecosystem recovery • (Plankton, benthos, • Intertidal, microbial) • Sensitive receivers • Fate & carrying • capacity Model (Data • assimilation methods, • Eutrophication model, • Real time field data, • Neural networks) • Modeling Biokinetic of • Xenobiotics & algal • toxins • Ecological risk • Assessment model • Cost effective • Control • (Immobilized algae • Wetland, ion • exchange • Resins) • Bioremediation • (Bacteria and fungal • degradation of PAHs) • HABs • (3D-GIS tracking • Model, Clay, • flocculants • & polymers

  21. Management Committee Task Team 1 Novel technology for environmental diagnosis Task Team 2 Field studies & validation Task Team 3 Impact assessment models Task Team 4 Control & bioremediation • Chemical Technology • (MIP, Biosensor, SPMD, • Artificial mussels) • Genomic Technology • (DNA array for water • borne pathogen, • Toxicogenomic studies) • Biomarker Technology • (Molecular, Biochemical • Cytological, • Immunological • Physiological) • Validation of novel • technologies • Ecosystem recovery • (Plankton, benthos, • Intertidal, microbial) • Sensitive receivers • Fate & carrying • capacity Model (Data • assimilation methods, • Eutrophication model, • Real time field data, • Neural networks) • Modeling Biokinetic of • Xenobiotics & algal • toxins • Ecological risk • Assessment model • Cost effective • Control • (Immobilized algae • Wetland, ion • exchange • Resins) • Bioremediation • (Bacteria and fungal • degradation of PAHs) • HABs • (3D-GIS tracking • Model, Clay, • flocculants • & polymers

  22. Task Team 3 Development of impact assessment models Licensing & marketing of products Technology transfer Task Team 1 Development of novel technology for environmental diagnosis Task Team 2 Field studies & validation Training (regional & local training courses, research students) Validated technologies & models Prototype technologies & models Application to environmental management & regulations Scientific information relevant to environmental management Task Team 4 Development of mitigation and control technologies Cost-effective environmental solutions, environmental standards and regulations

  23. Highlighting Novelty:Novel Sciences leading to novel marketable technologies

  24. Highlighting Novelty:Example 1:Artificial Mussels for metal monitoring

  25. Problems with monitor metals in water • Large temporal variations • Low concentration • May not be biologically available Metal ug/L A B C TIME

  26. The “Mussel Watch” Program since 70’s

  27. Metal contents are significantly affected by physical and biological factors Animals may be intolerant of (or affected by) prevailing environmental conditions Different species may take up different metals Natural distribution of bio-indicators limits comparison over a large geographic area Problems with using mussels

  28. “Artificial Mussel”: A novel device for heavy metal monitoring

  29. Plastic case Polyacrylamide gel Metal complexing agent (e.g. Chelex 100)

  30. Take up and release metals similar to mussels Easy to make and cheap ($5 per piece) Provide time-integrated value Not affected by physical factors Not limited by location and pollution levels Provide comparison worldwide Advantages of “Artificial Mussels”

  31. Highlighting Novelty:Example 2:Quantification of water borne pathogens using Multiplex PCR & DNA Chip Technology

  32. There are more than 10 different pathogens Impossible/impractical to detect so many different pathogens in a water sample Some pathogens are difficult to culture or cannot be cultured E. coli is abundant in mammalian guts and therefore indicates general fecal contamination E. coli has been used as an indicator because:

  33. Epidemiological evidence has showed poor / no correlation between E. coli counts and water borne pathogens Tedious and time consuming (>48h) Problems with the use of E. coli as an indicator

  34. Simultaneous detection of several pathogens in a single sample Highly specific and sensitive High throughout (5 h) instead of days Low cost ($50 per sample) Detect species that are hard to culture Advantages of Multiplex PCR

  35. Pathogens M Bp 600 LT2 Uid 500 VT 400 EAE 300 LT1 200 ST1 Q-mPCR for detecting pathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli 大腸桿菌 Vibrio cholerae 霍亂弧菌 Shigella dysenteriae 志賀氏菌 Salmonella typhimurium 沙門氏桿菌

  36. Q-mPCR for detecting viral pathogens 甲型肝炎病毒 (Hepatitis A virus) 輪狀病毒 (Rotavirus) 諾沃克類病毒 (Norwalk-like virus)

  37. Vibrio parahaemolyticus (diverse toxigenic strains) Vibrio cholerae (O1; non-O1; O139; etc) GeneChip Pathogen Chip(seafood and waterborne pathogens)

  38. Highlighting Novelty:Example 3:Hypoxia as an endocrine disruptor and teratogen

  39. Hypoxia Hypoxia is a pressing global problem

  40. Anthropogenic Activities Organic Matters Nutrients Remove limiting factor Decompose Increase COD/BOD/SOD Algal bloom Eutrophication Hypoxia

  41. Male testosterone 7.0 mg/L (ng/ml) 1.0 mg/L * *** * p<0.05; *** p<0.001

  42. Male estradiol 7.0 mg/L (ng/ml) 1.0 mg/L ** *** ** p<0.01; *** p<0.001

  43. Female testosterone and estradiol (ng/ml) 7.0 mg/L 1.0 mg/L *** *** * * p<0.05; *** p<0.001

  44. µmS-1 * * *** * Curviline velocity Straight Line velocity Angular Path velocity *: p < 0.05

  45. *** % *** *** *** Larval Survival Fertilization Hatching Egg to Larvae ***: p < 0.001

  46. Hypoxia is a teratogen Hypoxia 0.8mg/l 22 hpf 53 hpf Many embryos developed for several days without vascular systems 96 hpf 72 hpf

  47. Hypoxia is a teratogen Control 24hpf Control 48hpf Hypoxia 59hpf Hypoxia 122hpf Hypoxia 24hpf Hypoxia 0.5mg/l

  48. Hypoxia is a teratogen Shang & Wu, 2004

  49. Hypoxia disrupts the balance of testosterone and estradiol in both male and female carps, which in turn, impairs gamatogenesis, sperm and egg quality, fertilization success, hatching and survival of larvae Hypoxia causes malformation during fish development and produce abnormal fish Our results may explain: The observed decline of fish populations in hypoxic waters worldwide The observed high prevalence of deformities in hypoxic wasters Conclusion

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