One whitish and four pinkish strains of Gram-negative, non-motile, aerobic bacteria were isolated from sea-water and sediment samples collected in Chazhma Bay (Sea of Japan, Pacific Ocean). Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that these strains belonged to the ‘Alphaproteobacteria’, having highest sequence similarity of about 94–97 % with species of the genus Loktanella. None of the strains degraded gelatin, casein, chitin, agar, DNA or starch and they had limited ability to utilize carbon sources. The four pinkish strains, Fg36T, Fg1, Fg116 and Fg117, degraded Tween 80. Sea-water strain R10SW5T grew at 3–6 % NaCl and a temperature range of 8–35 °C, whilst strains Fg36T, Fg1, Fg116 and Fg117 grew at NaCl concentrations of 1–12 % and a temperature range of 4–35 °C. Phosphatidylglycerol (58/79 %), diphosphatidylglycerol (11/6 %) and phosphatidylcholine (28/22 %) were the major phospholipids. The predominant fatty acids were 16 : 0 (12·2/8·6 %) and 18 : 1ω7 (76·6/68·4 %). The DNA G+C content of strain R10SW5T was 59·1 mol% and those of the four pinkish strains ranged from 60·5 to 61·8 mol%. Based on the results of phenotypic, genotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic investigation, two novel species, Loktanella agnita sp. nov. and Loktanella rosea sp. nov., are proposed. The type strains are R10SW5T (=KMM 3788T=CIP 107883T) and Fg36T (=KMM 6003T=CIP 107851T=LMG 22534T), respectively.

We present the results of in-situ measurements of 134 Cs and 137 Cs released from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) collected at surface and different depths in the western North Pacific in June and July 2012. It was found that 15 month after the incident concentrations of radiocesium in the Japan and Okhotsk seas were at background or slightly increased level, while they had increased values in the subarctic front area east of Japan. The highest concentrations of 134 Cs and 137 Cs up to 13.5 ± 0.9 and 22.7 ± 1.5 Bq m −3 have been found to exceed ten times the background levels before the accident. Maximal content of radiocesium was observed within subsurface and intermediate water layers inside the cores of anticyclonic eddies (100 -500 m). Even slightly increased content of radiocesium was found at some eddies at depth of 1000 m. It is expected that convergence and subduction of surface water inside eddies are main mechanisms of downward transport of radionuclides. In situ observations are compared with the results of simulated advection of these radioisotopes by the AVISO altimetric velocity field. Different Lagrangian diagnostics are used to reconstruct the history and origin of synthetic tracers imitating measured seawater samples collected in each of those eddies. The results of observations are consistent with the simulated results. It is shown that the tracers, simulating water samples with increased radioactivity to be measured in the cruise, really visited the areas with presumably high level of contamination. Fast water advection between anticyclonic eddies and convergence of surface water inside eddies make them responsible for spreading, accumulation and downward transport of cesium rich water to the intermediate depth in the frontal zone.

On the basis of phenotypic, genotypic characteristics and analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, a novel species belonging to the genus Alteromonas is described. A non-pigmented, motile, Gram-negative bacterium designated R10SW13T was isolated from sea water samples collected in Chazhma Bay (Sea of Japan, Pacific Ocean). The novel organism mainly grew between 4 6C and 37 6C, was neutrophilic and slightly halophilic, tolerating up to 10 % NaCl. Strain R10SW13 T was haemolytic and was able to degrade starch and Tween 80 and to degrade gelatin and agar weakly, but did not degrade casein. Phosphatidylethanolamine (44?3±0?9 %) and phosphatidylglycerol (55?7±0?9 %) were the predominant phospholipids. The major fatty acids formed were typical for the genus Alteromonas, including 16 : 0, 16 : 1v-7 and 18 : 1v-7. The G+C content of the DNA was 43?4 mol%. DNA-DNA hybridization experiments showed 38-53 % binding with the DNAs of type strains of phylogenetically related species of the genus Alteromonas, namely: Alteromonas macleodii, Alteromonas marina, Alteromonas stellipolaris, Alteromonas litorea, 'Alteromonas macleodii subsp. fijiensis' and 'Alteromonas infernus'. Based on these results, a novel species, Alteromonas addita sp. nov., is proposed, with strain R10SW13 T (=KMM 3600 T =KCTC 12195 T =LMG 22532 T ) as the type strain.