Biomonitoring of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and heavy metals Ni, V in sediments and anodonts of the Anzali Lagoon and applicability of netural red retention assay (NRR) as biomarkers of these pollutants

Biochemical ecotoxicology and biomarkers using are a new sciences that are used for biomonitoring in aquatic environment. Biomonitoring plays a vital role in strategies to identify, assess, and control contaminants. On the other hands in recent year's attention to polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals increased in aquatic environments because of their carcinogenic and mutagenic properties combined with their nearly ubiquitous distribution in depositional environments by oil pollution or industrial waste waters. The present research aimed to assess PAHs and Ni, V levels in surface sediments and bivalves (Anodonta cygnea)and the effects of PAHs and heavy metals (Ni,V) on the hemocyte of the Anodonta cygnea were investigated in 2 stations (Mahrozeh, Selke in Anzali Lagoon, North of Iran). Samples were collected during at 2 different periods of the year, Dry and rain seasons, (June & September) and to confirm our first observations, Cage station is added. The bivalves hemocytes were monitored for membrane injury by NRR methods (neutral red retention assay). Heavy metal (Ni, V) concentrations were determined by Atomic Absorption in Anodonta cygnea and the sediments in Anzali Lagoon. The vanadium concentration in bivalves and sediments was ND(not detect )-0.4231 μg/g and 1.4381-306.9603 μg/g dry weight respectively. Nickel concentration in bivalves and sediments was 0.0231-1.3351, 0.4024-19.3561 μg/g dry weight respectively. PAHs concentrations were determined by GC-Mass in Anodonta cygnea and the sediments. Average concentration of PAHs is 115-373.788 ng/g dry weight in bivalves and average concentration of PAHs is 34.85-1339.839 ng/g dry weight in sediments. Bioaccumulation sediments factor(BASF) is high about PAHs (>1) and BASF is low for Ni, V (<1) . Internal Damage mechanisms of bivalves hemocytes (cell mortality, dye leakage, decreased membrane stability, are observed (Lowe Methods). Statistical analysis was used to explore the relationship between altered cellular and above contaminants. There are power and negative correlations between PAHs and NRR method for hemocytes in Anodonta cygnea (P<0.0005), but good correlation is not observed between Ni, V and NRR method for hemocytes in every time. This research indicates that the NRR assay is a useful screening technique able to discriminate polluted sites and at first we announce that Anodonta cygnea hemocytes are efficient biomarker for PAHs pollutants in fresh water.

The study of biological characteristics and heavy metal determination of Cd, Pb, Fe, V, Ni in the muscle, liver and gonad tissues of kingfish Scomberomorus commerson in the coastal waters of the Hormozagan Province (Persian Gulf)

Biological studies and heavy metal (Ni, v, Fe, Pb,Cd) determination in liver, gonad and muscle of Scomberomorus commerson were carried out from Oct 2006 to Sept 2007 in Hormozgan coastal waters. 599 Samples were gutted for reproduction and nutrition studies, fork length and weight were measured to nearest cm and g respectively. Meanwhile 40 samples were also investigated for heavy metal studies. All specimens were collected from two major landing sites (Bandar Lengeh & Bandar Abbas). Minimums & maximum fork length & weight were 29, 128 cm & 235 and 15350 g respectively.Isometric growth was shown according to our study and b was estimated 2.9 (overall), 2.91(male) & 2.89 (female). The average relative gut length was 0.52± 0.007 and it was determined that S. commerson is a carnivorous. More than 99 percent of gut content was different teleost fishes. Gastro somatic index had two peaks in Nov & Jan (before spawning) and with a decreased trend in July, the spawning period. Occurrence of empty stomach was estimated % 65.77. Maximum amount of condition factor was in Dec. Spawning season was started from June. The average of Absolute & relative fecundity (to weight unit) was 1217149±179315 and 178.2±15.58 respectively. Lm50% was estimated 75 cm for females. Sex ratio was 0.97: 1 (male: female). Chi- Square test showed no significant difference (p>0.05). Maximum amount of hepatosomatic index was estimated in March.Metal concentrations were determined using either Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (for Fe) or Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (for Pb,Cd,Ni and V). The mean concentration (μg/g dry weight)of Pb,Cd,Ni,V and Fe in the liver were 0.0309, 0.0268, 0.0672, 0.0077, 2.5159 in the gonad 0.0440 ,0.0295, 0.1096, 0.0000, 1.4449 and in the muscle 0.0244, 0.0324, 0.0656, 0.0128, 1.6138 respectively. The maximum metal concentrations were below the maximum permissible limits for human consumption recommended by the USEPA, WHO and the UK. The results of Kendall's Tau-b correlation coefficient were as follows: The Liver tissue: There were significant positive linear relationships between accumulation of V, Fe, and Pb with Fork length, Pb and Fe with weight, GSI with Pb, Cd, V and 109 Fe, and a negative linear relationships between HSI with accumulation of V and Fe, Fork length, weight and GSI. The Gonad tissue: There were significant positive linear relationships between GSI with accumulation of Pb, Cd, Fe, Fork length and weight, a negative linear relationship between HSI with Fork length, weight and GSI. The Muscle tissue: There were significant positive linear relationships between accumulations of V, Fe with Fork length and weight factors and as well as GSI with Cd, V, Fe, Pb, Fork length and weight,a negative linear relationship between HSI with Fork length, weight, Cd, Fe and GSI. The results of Mann-Whitney U tests (P≤0.05) show that there were significant differences between summer and autumn from heavy metal contents in the studied tissues point of view. The only exceptions were for Ni in the liver, gonads and muscle and as well as there were significant differences between male and female from heavy metal contents in the studied tissues. The only exceptions were for Pb in muscle, Ni in liver, gonad and muscle, V in muscle, and Cd and Fe in gonads.

Integrated avalanche diode for 600 v Trench IGBT over-voltage protection

Avalanche multiplication has been one of the major destructive failure mechanisms in IGBTs; in order to avoid operating an IGBT under abnormal conditions, it is desirable to develop peripheral protecting circuits monolithically integrated without compromising the operation and performance of the IGBT. In this paper, a monolithically integrated avalanche diode (D av) for 600V Trench IGBT over-voltage protection is proposed. The mix-mode transient simulation proves the clamping capability of the D av when the IGBT is experiencing over-voltage stress in unclamped inductive switching (UIS) test. The spread of avalanche energy, which prevents hot-spot formation, through the help of the avalanche diode feeding back a large fraction of the avalanche current to a gate resistance (R G) is also explained. © 2011 IEEE.

A fast 600-V Tandem PiN Schottky (TPS) rectifier with ultra-low on-state voltage

The Tandem PiN Schottky (TPS) rectifier features lowly-doped p-layers in both active and termination regions, and is applied in 600-V rating for the first time. In the active region, the Schottky contact is in series connection with a transparent p-layer, leading to a superior forward performance than the conventional diodes. In addition, due to the benefit of moderate hole injection from the p-layer, the TPS offers a better trade-off between the on-state voltage and the switching speed. The active p-layer also helps to stabilise the Schottky contact, and hence the electrical data distributions are more concentrated. Regarding the floating p-layer in the termination region, its purpose is to reduce the peak electric fields, and the TPS demonstrates a high breakdown voltage with a compact termination width, less than 70% of the state-of-the-art devices on the market. Experimental results have shown that the 600-V TPS rectifier has an ultra-low on-state voltage of 0.98 V at 250 A/cm 2, a fast turn-off time of 75 ns by the standard RG1 test (I F=0.5A, I R=1A, and I RR=0.25A) and a breakdown voltage over 720 V. It is noteworthy that the p-layers in the active and termination regions can be formed at no extra cost for the use of self-alignment process. © 2012 IEEE.

200-V lateral superjunction LIGBT on partial SOI

This letter presents a novel lateral superjunction lateral insulated-gate bipolar transistor (LIGBT) in partial silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology in 0.18-μm partial-SOI (PSOI) high-voltage (HV) process. For an n-type superjunction LIGBT, the p-layer in the superjunction drift region not only helps in achieving uniform electric field distribution but also contributes to the on-state current. The superjunction LIGBT successfully achieves a breakdown voltage (BV) of 210 V with an R dson of 765 mΩ ̇ mm 2. It exhibits half the value of specific on-state resistance R dson and three times higher saturation current (I dsat) for the same BV, compared to a comparable lateral superjunction laterally diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor fabricated in the same technology. It also performs well in higher temperature dc operation with 38.8% increase in R dson at 175°C, compared to the room temperature without any degradation in latch-up performance. To realize this device, it only requires one additional mask layer into X-FAB 0.18-μm PSOI HV process. © 2012 IEEE.