An approach to the assessment of local trace metal pollution in the Mediterranean marine atmosphere

Assessing the extent of local trace metal pollution in marine atmospheric particulates presents a number of difficulties, and one potential approach to the problem has been evaluated by reference to a series of aerosols from the lower troposphere over the Eastern Mediterranean. This region, which is less remote from the continents than open-ocean areas, has two significantly different atmospheric particulate catchments: being bordered in the north by nations having industrialized, semi-industrialized and rural economies, and in the south by the North African desert belt. The elemental chemistry of the particulates is illustrated in terms of the distributions of Fe and Pb, which are presented in the form of enrichment factor diagrams, and is shown to be essentially controlled by the dilution of a ‘European’ background material, common to ‘remote’ regions of the latitudinal belt, with crust-derived, desert components. Major local perturbations in the dilution relationship can occur when either crust-derived or pollutant components strongly dominate the total particulate population. The extent of these local perturbations can be tentatively assessed using appropriate enrichment factor diagrams, which offer a framework within which to interpret the elemental chemistry of marine atmospheric particulates providing sufficient data is available for their construction. By using such an EF diagram it is suggested that the Eastern Mediterranean atmospheric particulates have not suffered local pollution on a gross scale with respect to Pb.     

An assessment of marine pollution in Puget Sound

The Marine Ecosystems Analysis (MESA) Puget Sound Project was initiated to determine the existing levels, sources, fates and effects of toxic chemicals in Puget Sound, Washington. An approach was developed to assess the concentrations of a suite of contaminants and to measure a suite of biological parameters known to be responsive to contaminants. Metals, aromatic hydrocarbons and synthetic organics were found throughout the Sound. Highest concentrations were in bays near urban areas, particularly Elliott Bay near Seattle and Commencement Bay near Tacoma. A variety of biological disorders, including liver tumors in flatfish, and benthic community parameters were correlated with elevated contaminant levels. Because of the high contaminant concentrations there, and the high potential for exposure of humans to them, Commencement Bay has been identified by the US Environmental Protection Agency as a high priority toxic dump site in the United States, and remedial action is planned.     

Enchytraeid oligochaetes as marine pollution indicators

Fifteen species of enchytraeid oligochaetes have been collected from a pulp mill waste receiving area. Of these, one species Lumbricillus lineatus which is a known stressresistant intertidal form is predominant within 1.5 km of the mill outfall. Beyond that distance the species is replaced by a variable association of 14 other species from the genera Lumbricillus, Marionina and Enchytraeus. L. lineatus is common in Europe and eastern North America in upper intertidal drift habitats, but on the Pacific Coast is not indigenous. In British Columbia it has only been collected adjacent to three pulp mills, not at five other such mills, nor at ten undisturbed intertidal stations at each of which a diverse association of Enchytraeid species occurs. L. lineatus can serve as an index of the impact of pulp mill effluent at the site investigated. The most practical index is percentage of total adult enchytraeids represented by L. lineatus.     

Tunicate species as marine pollution indicators

Tunicates may serve as marine pollution indicators for monitoring the release of industrial and/or radioactive wastes into the marine environment. Their ability to accumulate certain trace elements from the seawater can be employed in order to define a suitable organism as indicator for some specific pollutants. In this work the concentration of the elements cobalt, zinc, chromium, caesium, silver, iron, rubidium, selenium, scandium and antimony has been determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis and γ-ray spectroscopy, in two tunicates, Microcosmus sulcatus (Pyuridae) and Ciona intestinalis (Cionidae).According to the concentration factors found for these species Ciona intestinalis can be used as indicator for iron, while Microcosmus sulcatus as indicator for the elements selenium, chromium, zinc and cobalt.     

Foraminifers as indicators of marine pollution: a culture experiment with Rosalina leei

In order to develop a viable foraminiferal proxy for heavy metal pollutants, juvenile specimens of Rosalina leei were subjected to different mercury concentrations (0-180 ng/l). Initially considerable growth was observed in specimens kept in saline water having a mercury concentration up to 100 ng/l. But with the gradual increase in concentration of mercury the growth rate started decreasing. Total growth achieved was significantly lower in case of specimens kept at relatively higher mercury concentrations then those maintained in normal saline water. The most significant result of this experiment was the addition of abnormal chambers in the specimens kept at higher mercury concentration. Later the specimens kept at highest concentration (180 ng/l) were subjected to progressively increasing concentration of mercury to see the further effects and it was found that the specimens were still living at as high a mercury concentration as 260 ng/l although there was no growth.     

The "bioeffect assessment index" (BAI). A concept for the quantification of effects of marine pollution by an integrated biomarker approach

The "bioeffect assessment index" (BAI) is based on the integration of several pathological endpoints measured in the liver of European flounder (Platichthys flesus (L.)) during a long term study of biological effects of pollution in the German Bight. The BAI represents a modification of the "health assessment index" since it includes solely validated biomarkers reflecting toxically induced alterations at different levels of biological organisation in order to quantify the effects of environmental pollution. The concept of the BAI is based on the observation of progressive deleterious effects from early responses to late effects. Specific "key events" were detected, representing progressive stages of functional deterioration. The biomarkers selected from a whole battery of cellular markers for the BAI calculation reflect deleterious effects of various classes of contaminants such as heavy metals, organochlorines, pesticides, PAHs, and therefore reflect general toxicity in an integrative manner. Selected biomarkers were: lysosomal perturbations (reduced membrane stability), storage disorders (lipid accumulation) as early markers for toxic effects of liver cells, and the size of macrophage aggregates and their acid phosphatase activity. The latter two markers are indicative for the modulation of non-specific immune response which represents longer time scale responses after chronic exposure.     

Testing benthic foraminiferal distributions as a contemporary quantitative approach to biomonitoring estuarine heavy metal pollution

Biomonitoring of estuarine pollution is the subject of active research, and benthic foraminifera are an attractive group to use for these purposes due to their ubiquitous presence in saline water and wide diversity. Here, we describe a case study of biomonitoring using benthic foraminifera in the French Mediterranean lagoon, Bages-Sigean lagoon. In this case, the major pollutants of interest are heavy metals in the sediment, particularly contaminated by Cu and Cd derived from industrial and agricultural sources. The foraminiferal assemblages of the Bages-Sigean lagoon are typical of normal paralic environments, but unusually almost completely lack agglutinated forms. The density of benthic foraminifera was shown to be more influenced by the sediment characteristics rather than heavy metal pollution. However, the relative abundance of Quinqueloculina bicostata was shown to increase in the most polluted areas and we propose that this taxon may be used as an indicator of heavy metal pollution.     

Evaluating suitability of a tephra dispersal model as part of a risk assessment framework

In volcanic risk assessment it is necessary to determine the appropriate level of sophistication for a given predictive model within the contexts of multiple sources of uncertainty and coupling between models. A component of volcanic risk assessment for the proposed radioactive waste repository at Yucca Mountain (Nevada, USA) involves prediction of dispersal of contaminated tephra during violent Strombolian eruptions and the subsequent transport of that tephra toward a hypothetical individual via surface processes. We test the suitability of a simplified model for volcanic plume transport and fallout tephra deposition (ASHPLUME) coupled to a surface sediment-transport model (FAR) that calculates the redistribution of tephra, and in light of inherent uncertainties in the system. The study focuses on two simplifying assumptions in the ASHPLUME model: 1) constant eruptive column height and 2) constant wind speed and direction during an eruption. Variations in tephra dispersal resulting from unsteady column height and wind conditions produced variations up to a factor of two in the concentration of tephra in sediment transported to the control population. However, the effects of watershed geometry and terrain, which control local remobilization of tephra, overprint sensitivities to eruption parameters. Because the combination of models used here shows limited sensitivity to the actual details of ash fall, a simple fall model suffices to estimate tephra mass delivered to the hypothetical individual.     

Indices for the assessment of environmental pollution of the Baltic Sea coasts: integrated assessment of a multi-biomarker approach

Two mathematical methods to assess the "health status" of flounder (Platichthys flesus), eelpout (Zoarces viviparus) and blue mussel (Mytilus spp.) populations of the Baltic Sea were applied on selected biomarker data collected during the EU project "BEEP" (Biological Effects of Environmental Pollution on Marine Coastal Ecosystems). The Bioeffect Assessment Index (BAI) and the Integrated Biomarker Index (IBR) combine different biomarkers to single values, which can be used to describe the toxically-induced stress level of populations in different areas. Both indices determined here produced essentially similar results, which in most cases agreed with the known contamination levels in the different study areas. Advantages and limitations of index applications and interpretations are critically discussed. The use of indices provides comprehensive information about biological effects of pollution in marine organisms and may therefore serve as a useful tool for environmental management by ranking the pollution status of marine coastal areas.     

The pollution of the marine environment by plastic debris: a review

The deleterious effects of plastic debris on the marine environment were reviewed by bringing together most of the literature published so far on the topic. A large number of marine species is known to be harmed and/or killed by plastic debris, which could jeopardize their survival, especially since many are already endangered by other forms of anthropogenic activities. Marine animals are mostly affected through entanglement in and ingestion of plastic litter. Other less known threats include the use of plastic debris by "invader" species and the absorption of polychlorinated biphenyls from ingested plastics. Less conspicuous forms, such as plastic pellets and "scrubbers" are also hazardous. To address the problem of plastic debris in the oceans is a difficult task, and a variety of approaches are urgently required. Some of the ways to mitigate the problem are discussed.     

The application of histo-cytopathological biomarkers in marine pollution monitoring: a review

During the past two decades, a variety of histopathological alterations in fish and bivalves have been developed and used as biomarkers in pollution monitoring. Some of these have been successfully adopted in major national monitoring programmes, while others, although show promise, are still in the experimental stage. This paper critically reviews the scientific basis, cause and effect relationship, reliability, advantages and limitations of 14 histo-cytopathological biomarkers. The usefulness and practical application of each biomarker have been evaluated against a number of objective criteria including: ecological relevance, sensitivity, specificity, dose-response relationship, confounding factors, technical difficulties and cost-effectiveness.     

Impacts of pollution on coastal and marine ecosystems including coastal and marine fisheries and approach for management: a review and synthesis

The history of aquatic environmental pollution goes back to the very beginning of the history of human civilization. However, aquatic pollution did not receive much attention until a threshold level was reached with adverse consequences on the ecosystems and organisms. Aquatic pollution has become a global concern, but even so, most developing nations are still producing huge pollution loads and the trends are expected to increase. Knowledge of the pollution sources and impacts on ecosystems is important not only for a better understanding on the ecosystem responses to pollutants but also to formulate prevention measures. Many of the sources of aquatic pollutions are generally well known and huge effort has been devoted to the issue. However, new concepts and ideas on environmental pollution are emerging (e.g., biological pollution) with a corresponding need for an update of the knowledge. The present paper attempts to provide an easy-to-follow depiction on the various forms of aquatic pollutions and their impacts on the ecosystem and organisms.     

The use of limpets as monitor of PAHs pollution in the Cantabrian coast

The concentrations of 24 parental and methylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) levels in common limpet (Patella vulgata) were measured in 15 coastal localities of the southern Bay of Biscay and 2 sites per locality for 2 years (spring and autumn of 2004 and 2005, respectively). Although the average concentrations shown a wide variability among the sites and the season, several sites showed a remarkable high concentration (PAH_tot>900 ng g⁻¹ d.w.) or medium (300-800 ng g⁻¹ d.w) levels, but in most of the cases the initial high concentrations decreased sharply from one campaign to the following. Moreover, based on ratios of individual isomers concentration, petrogenic and pyrolitic sources were distinguished suggesting more than one source. Finally, based on the results of this work and comparing with previously reported data, it can concluded that limpets can be used as sentinel organisms in coastal environmental monitoring, even when oil spills are involved.