The effect of sewage effluent on the population density and size of the clam Parvilucina tenuisculpta

Changes in the population density and size of the clam Parvilucina tenuisculpta were related to municipal waste effluent (in particular, organic nitrogen concentration) off the coast of Palos Verdes, California. Average clam size increased as sediment organic nitrogen concentration increased, but population density increased until organic nitrogen concentration reached a critical level when population density decreased dramatically. These effects were explained in terms of increased available nutrition (in the form of sediment organic nitrogen pollutants) enhancing both population and individual size growth. However, when a critical concentration of organic decomposition products was reached, population density decreased due to the toxicity of the released compounds. It is suggested that Parvilucina tenuisculpta would make a good bioindicator of organic enrichment pollution.     

Organic diagenesis in sediment and its impact on the adsorption of bisphenol A and nonylphenol onto marine sediment

Hydrophobic organic contaminants in marine water are mostly adsorbed onto (partitioned into) sediment organic matter (SOM). To study the impact of SOM diagenesis on sediment adsorption properties, artificial sediment with rich SOM content was incubated for more than 120 days. The sediment was sampled every week, and batch sediment adsorption tests were conducted with bisphenol A (BPA) and nonylphenol (NP) as the model pollutants. The results show that the amount of organic matter loaded in the sediment decreased by nearly 80% during incubation. For the incubated sediment, the BPA partition coefficient, K_d, decreased whereas the organic normalized partition coefficient, K_oc, more than doubled. The experiments with NP show an even greater increase in K_oc. Organic matter diagenesis shows a profound effect on the adsorption behavior of sediment, as the SOM residue has an increasing affinity and partition capacity for organic contaminants.     

Prediction of bioconcentration and related lethal and sublethal effects with aquatic organisms

It is now well established that the octanol/water partition coefficient (K_0W) can be used to estimate bioconcentration of persistent organic compounds, such as the chlorohydrocarbons as well as PAHs and other hydrophobic substances. However, while these relationships are well established in the laboratory, use in the field often poses a number of problems. In recent studies of contaminants in fish from Australia, bioconcentration has been described using additional information on specimen size, lipid content and fish movement patterns.The use of internal biotic concentration provides an additional new and different perspective on toxicant behaviour as compared to the conventional ambient aqueous concentration-based toxicity measures. The internal lethal concentration for persistent organic compounds approaches a constant value for many compounds, and at these concentrations lethal effects are observed. This constant internal lethal concentration provides a basis for predicting toxicity and its relationship to exposure period. In addition, sublethal effects can be successfully related to the internal biotic concentration.     

The effects of wastewater effluent and river discharge on benthic heterotrophic production,organic biomass and respiration in marine coastal sediments

We examine effects of high river particulate flux and municipal wastewater effluent on heterotrophic organic carbon cycling in coastal subtidal sediments. Heterotrophic production was a predictable (r² = 0.95) proportion (56%) of oxidized OC flux and strongly correlated with organic/inorganic flux. Consistent growth efficiencies (36%) occurred at all stations. Organic biomass was correlated with total, OC and buried OC fluxes, but not oxidized OC flux. Near the river, production was modest and biomass high, resulting in low P/B. Outfall deposition resulted in depleted biomass and high bacterial production, resulting in the highest P/B. These patterns explain why this region is production “saturated”. The δ¹⁵N in outfall effluent, sediments and dominant taxa provided insight into where, and which types of organisms feed directly on fresh outfall particulates, on older, refractory material buried in sediments, or utilize chemosynthetic symbiotic bacteria. Results are discussed in the context of declining bottom oxygen conditions along the coast.     

Dioxin-like compounds in sediments from the Daliao River Estuary of Bohai Sea: distribution and their influencing factors

The concentrations, compositional profiles, and potential ecological risk of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) in sediments of the Daliao River Estuary were investigated. Total concentrations of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, and PCNs were in the range of 11.3-133.2 ng/kg dry weight (dw), 1 971-37 632 ng/kg dw and 33.1-284.4 ng/kg dw, respectively. The total TEQ values varied from 0.37 to 4.08 ng/kg dw, with the dominant contributions by PCDD/Fs, then by PCBs and PCNs. The spatial distributions of PCDD/Fs, PCBs and PCNs in the river estuary were much related to hydrodynamic conditions. The risk of contamination to the deeper sea was increased in the flood seasons. Moreover, our data confirmed that both organic matter in sediments and molecular properties of dioxin-like compounds were the factors which strongly influenced the partition behavior of these dioxin-like compounds between sediments and water phase in the estuarine zone.     

Origin and analysis of aliphatic and cyclic hydrocarbons in northeast United Kingdom coastal marine sediments

Sediment samples from multiple sites in the North Sea Coast of England were solvent extracted and analysed by a quadruple gas chromatograph equipped with a mass spectrometer detector in order to determine the concentration and distribution of aliphatic and alicyclic n-alkanes. Results indicate that most of the organic species present in the sediment samples consisted of anthropogenically derived long chain aliphatic and alicyclic n-alkanes (_nC_{10-15, 17, 19-21, 24, 26, 27, 29, 30, 33, 35, 36, 43}), n-alkanols, n-alkanals, n-alkanones, esters as well as many volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Chemical composition of samples and relative concentration were found to vary both spatially and temporally on all scales. These variations are mainly attributable to spatial and temporal variations in source but also parameters such as rainfall, turbulence and micro-organism activity also account for the observed trends.     

Occurrence and phase distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in riverine runoff of the Pearl River Delta,China

The occurrence and phase distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in waters at the eight riverine outlets of the Pearl River Delta (China) were examined based on a monthly sampling program from March 2005 to February 2006. The total concentrations of PAHs in the aqueous phase and suspended particulate matter (SPM) combined ranged from 55.5 to 522 ng/L, at the mid level of the global values in rivers and estuaries. No clear temporal and spatial trends of PAH concentrations were found. However, the concentrations of PAHs associated with SPM coincided with the monthly precipitation of Guangzhou, indicating the importance of atmospheric deposition. The PAHs found in the region were likely derived from a combined pyrolytic and petrogenic origin, as suggested by the molecular indices of PAHs. Normalized partition coefficient (K_oc) between water and SPM was correlated with octanol–water partition coefficient (K_ow) to understand the environmental behavior of PAHs.     

Highly dilute water chemistry during late snowmelt period affects recruitment of brown trout (Salmo trutta) in River Sira,southwestern Norway

During the past two-three decades the water chemistry in southern Norway has recovered considerably from acidification. The biological response, however, has been more variable. Thus, it has become increasingly apparent that decades of acidification may have masked other restrictors to fish populations in this area. The current study compiles data on young brown trout (Salmo trutta) density and water chemistry from 16 sites in River Sira in southwestern Norway during 2003–2014. The water chemistry during late snowmelt period was highly dilute, having a median conductivity and Ca of 10.5 μS/cm and 0.42 mg/l, respectively (n = 208). The corresponding minimum values were 5.0 μS/cm and 0.15 mg/l. With a pH median value of 5.89, the water was only slightly acidic. No effect of pH on the density of young brown trout was found, suggesting that acidification is no longer a limiting factor. However, both conductivity in year n-1 and Ca in year n correlated significantly with the density of 1+ brown trout. Al in year n, and surprisingly Ca in year n-1, correlated negatively on their densities. We conclude that very dilute water chemistry during late snowmelt is a limiting factor for the recruitment of brown trout in the study river. This effect has probably existed in the past as well, but has been less apparent due to decades of severe acidification.     

Levels of estrogenic compounds in Xiamen Bay sediment, China

Concentrations of seven estrogenic compounds, i.e., estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), 17α-ethynylestradiol(EE2), diethylstilbestrol (DES), nonylphenol (NP), octylphenol (OP) and bisphenol A (BPA), were determined in sediments and pore water from Xiamen Bay in China, and their distributions and potential risks in the Bay were assessed. Total estrogenic compounds concentrations varied from 49.20 to 1230.69 ng/g dw in sediments and from 102.33 to 4376.60 ng/L in pore water. The highest levels of these compounds were found at Yundang Lagoon. The results showed that estrogenic compounds in Xiamen Bay originated mainly from municipal wastewaters. Compared with other areas, Xiamen Bay was contaminated with high levels of estrogen hormones. This contamination poses a potential threat to benthic organisms. Although a good relationship (r = 0.94) was observed between the estrogenic compounds concentrations and total organic carbon (TOC) contents in sediments, which did not indicate that the sediment organic matter favors the accumulation of the detected estrogenic compounds.     

Bioconcentration of selected endocrine disrupting compounds in the Mediterranean mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis

The occurrence of three endocrine disrupting compounds, 4-n-nonylphenol, triclosan and bisphenol A, was investigated in different bivalves originating from the Aegean Sea (Greece). The bioconcentration potential of these compounds was studied using the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis). Tissue samples were extracted by sonication. Analysis was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. According to the field survey results, the average concentrations of 4-n-nonylphenol, triclosan and bisphenol A, were 158, 461 and 404 ng g⁻¹ (dry weight), respectively. During 28 days of exposure at 300 ng L⁻¹, the tissue concentrations of compounds were constantly increased. Steady state was not observed up to the end of the experiment. Kinetic bioconcentration factors varied from 1.7 (4-n-nonylphenol and triclosan) to 4.5 L g⁻¹ (bisphenol A). Following exposure, mussels were relocated to clean water for 28 days. This experiment revealed that depuration rates for all of the target compounds were lower than uptake rates. The biological half-lives of each compound ranged between 12 days (triclosan) and 26 days (bisphenol A).     

Toxicity identification in metal plating effluent: Implications in establishing effluent discharge limits using bioassays in Korea

Because of complexity and diversity of toxicants in effluent, chemical analysis alone gives very limited information on identifying toxic chemicals to test organisms. Toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) techniques have been widely used to identify toxicants in various samples including industrial wastewater as well as natural waters. In response to new regulation for effluent discharge in Korea, which will be effective from 2011, a necessity of studies emerges that investigates toxicity levels in industrial effluents. This work was a preliminary study examining toxicity levels in effluent from one metal plating factory using Daphnia magna (48 h immobility) and identifying toxicity-causing substances. Toxicity tests showed variability on different sampling occasions and the results of TIE methods indicated that both organic compounds and metals contributed to the observed toxicity in metal plating effluent. Further studies are necessary to help reduce effluent toxicity especially from direct dischargers, who will have to comply with the new regulation.     

Long-chain n-alkenes in recent sediment of Lake Lugu (SW China) and their ecological implications

Long-chain n-alkenes showing a predominance of n-C_25:1 and n-C_27:1 were detected in recent sediment of Lake Lugu, an oligotrophic alpine lake in Yunnan Province, SW China. The abundances of n-C_25:1 and n-C_27:1 alkenes varied considerably in the sediment core, most obviously in showing higher values during the period of 1821–1982, followed by a significant decrease between 1982 and 2012. Such variations were similar to those of long-chain 1,15-alkyl diols, biomarkers of eustigmatophytes, and a significant correlation was observed between n-C_25:1 (or n-C_27:1) alkene and C₃₂ 1,15-alkyl diol in the sediment core. This correlation and the fact that long-chain n-alkenes in some eustigmatophytes (e.g., Nannochloropsis sp.) were dominated by C₂₅ and C₂₇ compounds indicates that eustigmatophytes were the most likely contributor of the long-chain n-alkenes (especially the n-C_25:1 and n-C_27:1 alkenes) in Lake Lugu sediment. Chlorophytes, on the other hand, cannot be excluded as a possible contributor of the long-chain n-alkenes because these algae are common in Lake Lugu and they are known to biosynthesize n-C_27:1 alkene. Productivities for some species of eustigmatophytes and chlorophytes considerably decreased when the lake water was heavily influenced by catchment soil erosion and anthropogenic sewage inputs.     

A Case Study on Identifying the Toxicant in Effluent Discharged from a Chemical Plant

Three phase procedures of toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) were conducted using Daphnia magna to identify the toxicant in effluent discharged from a chemical plant in Nanjing. Phase I toxicity characterization procedures suggested nonpolar organic compounds were responsible for the whole effluent toxicity. In phase II toxicity identification procedures, the effluent toxicity was recovered by C₁₈ solid-phase extraction and concentration steps. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS) of the concentrate indicated that benzopyrone and phenol were present in the effluent at sufficient concentrations to cause the effluent toxicity. In phase III toxicity confirmation procedures, benzopyrone and phenol mixture tests and mass balance determinations with toxic units (TU) confirmed these compounds were the key toxicants accounting for 44.6% and 32.9% of the whole effluent toxicity, respectively.     

Determination of Partition Coefficients for Selected PAHs between Water and Dissolved Organic Matter

The fate and transport of highly hydrophobic chemicals are affected by the partitioning between water and dissolved organic carbon. Large variation in the partition coefficient (K_DOCw) is often found, due to the selection of model organic matter or potential experimental artifacts. To investigate the roles of the type of organic matter on the partitioning of highly hydrophobic compounds, the partition coefficients of eight selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), with 3–6 aromatic rings, were determined using a passive dosing/extraction method between water and model dissolved organic matter (humic acid, fulvic acid, sodium dodecyl sulfate micelle (SDS), and 2‐hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin). Although the K_DOCw values for 3–4 ring PAHs in this study were close to those reported in the literature, experimental K_DOCw values between Aldrich humic acid (AHA) and water were higher than values reported in the literature for 5–6 ring PAHs. The K_DOCw values were highest for AHA, followed by SDS and Suwannee river fulvic acid (SFA). The slopes of the linear regression between log K_DOCw and log K_ow were 1.23 (± 0.13), 0.82 (± 0.09), and 0.59 (± 0.13) for AHA, SDS, and SFA, respectively. The differences in the K_DOCw values between AHA and the other organic matter (SDS, SFA, and CD) increased with increasing hydrophobicity of the PAHs, showing that the sorption of highly hydrophobic chemicals to the humic acid fraction may be important in the presence of mixed organic matter.     

Non-food-chain transfer of sediment-associated persistent organic pollutants to a marine benthic fish

We investigated the transfer of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from unspiked bottom sediment to a benthic marine fish, marbled sole (Pleuronectes yokohamae), via non-food-chain pathways, i.e., via sediment particles and water column. One-year-old sole were held for 28 days in an exposure tank with bottom sediment or in a control tank. o,p′-DDE and tri- to penta-chlorobiphenyls were transferred from the sediment to the fish via non-food-chain pathways, as demonstrated by concentrations in the exposed fish at 2.5-30 times the control levels. A model analysis based on first-order kinetic equations indicated that the overall rate constant of transfer of these compounds from sediment to fish was generally lower than that from food (median of ratio, 0.48). It also suggested that relatively high concentrations of the other POPs in the food and the longer times necessary for them to reach a steady state masked any transfer of them from the sediment.     

Fine particulate organic matter transport dynamics in a small Coastal Plain stream: influence of hydrology and channel morphology

Fine particulate organic matter (FPOM) represents a major component of stream organic matter budgets, and its dynamics greatly affect the productivity and metabolism of a stream community. FPOM transport dynamics has been well documented in high-gradient streams with rocky substrates, but information from low-gradient, sandy-bottom streams has been lacking. We estimated FPOM retention patterns in Payne Creek, a 2nd order Coastal Plain stream (USA), under naturally varying hydraulic conditions (discharge and velocity). Corn pollen, as an FPOM analogue, was released along with a conservative solute tracer and the particle retention coefficient (k _p) was calculated by fitting the ratio of total pollen remaining in the water column against the longitudinal transport distance to an exponential decay model. Pollen k _p (n = 4) ranged from 0.034 to 0.214 /m, and particle transport distance (S _p) ranged from 4.7 to 29.7 m. The S _p measured in Payne Creek was in the lowest range of previously reported values, and such rapid particle retention was attributed to the low channel slope and slow current velocity. S _p was significantly correlated to water velocity and the channel friction factor, but not to discharge (Q). Two summer experiments conducted in contiguous stream segments resulted in the shortest (4.7 m) and longest (29.7 m) S _p, despite the similar Q. This was attributed to the segment-scale channel alterations that occurred during the previous winter, which led to very different hydraulic conditions in the two stream segments. In Payne Creek, seasonal changes in hydrology and segment-scale variation in channel morphology were the main factors controlling FPOM transport and retention.     

Estrogenic Activity and Volume Fraction of Waste Water Origin in Monitoring Wells Along the Santa Cruz River, Arizona

The fate of estrogenic activity in waste water effluent was examined during surface transport and incidental recharge along the Santa Cruz River in Pima County, Arizona. Based on measurement of boron isotopes, the fractional contribution of reclaimed water in surface waters and ground water wells proximate to the river was determined for a contemporary sample set. Estrogenic activity decreased by −60% over the 25 mi length of the river below effluent discharge points in Tucson. In ground water samples obtained from monitoring wells that are proximate to the Santa Cruz River, both dissolved organic carbon ( p = 0.0003) and estrogenic activity ( p = 3 × 10⁻⁶) were highly correlated to fractional waste water content. Results indicate that proximate ground water quality is sensitive to incidental recharge of reclaimed water in the Santa Cruz River bed. In a few locations, little attenuation of estrogenic activity was apparent during percolation of effluent in the river channel to well withdrawal points.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the mariculture zones of China’s northern Yellow Sea

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were detected in water and sediment samples collected from three mariculture zones in China’s northern Yellow Sea. In these samples, total PAH concentrations ranged from 110.8 ng/L to 997.2 ng/L and 142.2 ng/g dry weight (dw) to 750.2 ng/g dw, respectively. The log K_OC values of the various PAH compounds examined in this study increased with the log K_OW values, which is consistent with the prediction regarding PAH behavior in the environment. However, these K_OC values were lower than the predicted values as a result of the effects of organic matters, which were abundant in the mariculture water. The isomeric ratios of the PAHs in sediment indicated that the source of the PAHs in the mariculture zones were mainly pyrolytic. The TEQ^carc values of PAHs ranged from 7 ng TEQ/g dw to 92 ng TEQ/g dw, and only a few samples met the safe criterion with respect to individual PAH concentrations.     

Benthic oxygen fluxes and sediment properties on the northeastern New Zealand continental shelf

We examined spatial variations in benthic remineralisation (measured as sediment oxygen consumption (SOC)) and sediment properties on the northeastern New Zealand continental shelf and slope to assess the importance of benthic mineralisation in this ecosystem and to provide data for more complete global carbon budgets. SOC measured in dark incubations conducted in early summer ranged from 128 μmol m⁻² h⁻¹ at the deepest (360 m) to 1222 μmol m⁻² h⁻¹ at the shallowest (4.2 m) site and decreased significantly with water depth (p<0.001, r²=0.78, SOC=1222.8−456.3×log₁₀[water depth], n=14 sites). These rates were in the range found on continental shelves elsewhere (64–1750 μmol m⁻² h⁻¹, n=30 studies) and had a very similar distribution with water depth. SOC was also measured in light incubations at seven sites (4.2–35 m water depth) to examine the effects of microphytobenthos and accounted for 42–106% of rates measured in the dark. Measurements of near-bed light intensities suggested that microphytobenthos production was not solely regulated by light intensity but evidently influenced by other factors. A two-dimensional PCA ordination of surface sediment properties accounted for 83.3% of the total variance in the data and divided the study area into three clusters that corresponded well to its spatial division into the shallow (<30 m) Firth of Thames, the Hauraki Gulf (30–50 m) and the northern shelf-slope region. In the Firth of Thames sediments were very fine-grained with low CaCO₃ and high total organic matter and pigment content, and low C:N ratios. The northern shelf-slope sediments showed the opposite trends to the Firth of Thames and those in the Hauraki Gulf had mostly intermediate values. Dark SOC was significantly correlated with sediment organic matter, carbon, nitrogen, pigments and silt/clay content (p<0.05, r=0.55–0.85) but a multiple linear regression revealed that water depth was the only significant predictor. Calculations suggest that approximately 13%, 10% and 34% of primary production is remineralised in the sediments of the northern shelf-slope region, Hauraki Gulf and Firth of Thames, respectively, indicating a strong benthic–pelagic coupling on the northeastern New Zealand continental shelf that was particularly pronounced in the Firth of Thames due to its shallow depth and significant terrestrial and riverine inputs.     

Harmful algal bloom species and phosphate-processing effluent: field and laboratory studies

In 2002, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection began discharging phosphate-processing effluent into Bishop Harbor, an estuary within Tampa Bay. Because of concerns that the effluent would serve as a nutrient source for blooms of the toxic dinoflagellate Karenia brevis, a field monitoring program was established and laboratory bioassays were conducted. Several harmful algal bloom (HAB) species, including Prorocentrum minimum and Heterosigma akashiwo, were observed in bloom concentrations adjacent to the effluent discharge site. Blooms of diatoms were widespread throughout Bishop Harbor. K. brevis was observed with cell concentrations decreasing with increasing proximity to the effluent discharge site. Bioassays using effluent as a nutrient source for K. brevis resulted in decreased cell yields, increased growth rates, and increased time to log-phase growth. The responses of HAB species within Bishop Harbor and of K. brevis to effluent in bioassays suggested that HAB species differ in their response to phosphate-processing effluent.