Long-term response of an arctic fiord system to lead-zinc mining and submarine disposal of mine waste (Maarmorilik, West Greenland)

Contamination by lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) was studied in seawater, sediments, seaweeds and blue mussels near the former Black Angel Pb-Zn Mine in Maarmorilik, West Greenland. The mine operated during the period 1973-90 when mine waste (tailings and later waste rock) was discharged directly into the sea. Metal concentrations peaked during the mining period and Pb and Zn in seawater within the discharge area were measured up to 440 and 790 μg L?1, respectively. Pb in fiord sediments, seaweeds and blue mussels just outside the discharge area were measured in concentrations up to 190, 84 and 2650 and Zn up to 300, 360 and 1190 μg g?1 dry wt., respectively. Within the discharge area, seawater metal concentrations (especially Pb) decreased abruptly after mine closure. Metals concentrations in sediments and biota, however, decreased more slowly and two decades after mine closure seaweeds and blue mussels were still contaminated 12 km from the mine.     

Cloning of a chub metallothionein cDNA and development of competitive RT-PCR of chub metallothionein mRNA as a potential biomarker of heavy metal exposure

Metallothionein has been assayed in a range of aquatic animal tissues as an indicator of metal exposure. We sequenced chub (Leuciscus cephalus) metallothionein cDNA which showed over 90% homology to common carp, goldfish and stone loach and 77% homology to rainbow trout sequences for metallothionein. We then used the extended primer method to develop an accurate quantitative competitive RT-PCR assay for metallothionein mRNA. RT-PCR was used to measure metallothionein mRNA in feral chub from a range of field sites, with different levels of heavy metal pollution, in the West Midlands, UK. Measurements were complemented by analysis of liver and gill metallothionein protein by capillary electrophoresis. There was no significant difference in the metallothionein protein levels between fish of different rivers and there was no evidence of elevation of mRNA at the sites of highest metal exposure. The level of metal exposure (e.g. zinc, nickel and cadmium each ranging between 15 and 28 microg/l ) at the pH (7.5-8.5) of these rivers appears insufficient to elevate hepatic or gill metallothionein in chub. A lack of elevation of hepatic metallothionein mRNA in chub exposed to zinc, copper and manganese for 24 h and 10 days in the laboratory also suggests a non-responsiveness of this species.     

Granulometric selectivity in Liza ramado and potential contamination resulting from heavy metal load in feeding areas

The stomach contents of thin-lipped grey mullets Liza ramado were analysed in terms of granulometric composition and compared to the sediment of potential feeding areas in the Tagus estuary. Total organic matter (TOM) content and heavy metal content were determined in the surface sediment of three areas and eight trace elements were quantified: Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn. The three sampled areas did not differ in TOM; and the heavy metal content was below Effects Range-Low level for most elements. The mean observed concentrations were present in the following sequence: Zn > Pb > Cr > Cu ≈ Ni > Co > Cd > Hg. Stomach contents granulometric composition provided information about the feeding selectivity of the mullets. Sediment fractions with particle size between 20 and 50 μm are preferred, independently of the fishes' length. Smaller standard length (SL) fishes have a higher positive selection of fine grained sediments than those with a larger SL. Finer fractions usually have higher concentration of heavy metals, which makes younger specimens of the thin-lipped grey mullet potentially more exposed to heavy metal load in the estuary. Metal concentration was not independent from the sampling point, presenting higher values near the margins and the estuary tidal drainage system. This means that during the first period of each tidal cycle, the mullets will feed first on the most contaminated areas, as a consequence of their movement following the rising tide to feed on previously exposed areas.     

粤东青澳湾表层沉积物重金属含量分布特征和污染评价

测定了粤东青澳湾表层沉积物的7种重金属和总有机质的含量,分析了其分布特征及彼此之间的相关性,并运用海洋沉积物质量标准、富集系数和生态危害指数等方法对重金属的污染进行了综合评价.结果表明,该海域各重金属元素含量的平均值分别为:Cu(34.51 mg/kg)、Pb(41.89mg/kg)、Cd(0.11 mg/kg)、Zn(80.21 mg/kg)、Hg(0.039 mg/kg)、As(15.61 mg/kg)、Cr(29.41mg/kg).所有元素(Cu除外)都未超过《海洋沉积物质量》一类标准,且所有元素都远低于美国国家海洋和大气局(NOAA)提出的中值区间效应值(ERM),这表明本海域生态风险很小.整个海域各重金属元素的富集系数大小顺序:Pb>Cu>As>Zn>Cr>Cd>Hg,表现出主要以Pb(1.68)和Cu(1.15)为主的富集.各重金属元素生态风险大小顺序:As>Pb>Hg>Cd>Cu>Zn>Cr,而且所有站点重金属的危害综合指数RI都远低于轻微级别(150),没有表现出潜在生态危害.     

近1000年来西格陵兰荷尔斯泰因斯堡港生物硅指示的海洋生产力变化

We analyzed the biogenic silica(BSi) content and produced a diatom-based summer sea-surface temperature(SST) reconstruction for sediment core GC4 from the Holsteinsborg Dyb, West Greenland. Our aim was to reconstruct marine productivity and climatic fluctuations during the last millennium. Increased BSi content and diatom abundance suggest relatively high marine productively during the interval of AD 1000–1400, corresponding in time to the Medieval Warm Period(MWP). The summer SST reconstruction indicates relatively warm conditions during AD 900–1100, followed by cooling after AD 1100. An extended cooling period during AD 1400–1900 is characterized by prolonged low in reconstructed SST and high sea-ice concentration. The BSi values fluctuated during this period, suggesting varying marine productivity during the Little Ice Age(LIA).There is no significant correlation between the BSi content and SST during the last millennium, suggesting that the summer SST has little influence on marine productively in the Holsteinsborg Dyb. A good correspondence between the BSi content and the element Ti counts in core GC4 suggests that silicate-rich meltwater from the Greenland ice sheet was likely responsible for changes in marine productively in the Holsteinsborg Dyb.     

Stramonita haemastoma as a bioindicator for organotin contamination in coastal environments

Stramonita haemastoma was investigated as a suitable bioindicator of TBT and TPhT contamination in the tropical Atlantic Ocean by: 1. Imposex induction in healthy females after inoculation with TBT and TPhT in the laboratory; and 2. Determining incidence of imposex in S. haemastoma collected from areas with various levels of tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPhT) and determining the concentrations of these chemical in its tissues and that of its prey, the mussell Perna pernas. Imposex intensities and organotin concentrations in tissues showed good correlation, indicating S. haemastoma as a reliable bioindicator of TBT and TPhT contamination in coastal waters. Body burden threshold of TBT and TPhT for imposex induction was estimated to be 10-20 ng g(-1).     

The tropical brown alga Lobophora variegata as a bioindicator of mining contamination in the New Caledonia lagoon: a field transplantation study

Previous field and laboratory studies have identified the alga Lobophora variegata as a good candidate for biomonitoring metal contamination in the New Caledonia lagoon which is subjected to intensive and extensive metal inputs from land-based mining activities. The aim of this work was to further assess the bioindicative potential of this species by investigating, in the field, its bioaccumulation capacity for local key contaminants, i.e. Ag, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni and Zn. Algae from clean and contaminated sites were cross-transplanted for a period of three months in order to determine the in situ uptake and depuration kinetics of the nine elements. Results indicate that algae transplanted to the contaminated site displayed a significant linear increase in concentration with time for Ag, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn and Ni. In contrast, algae transplanted to the clean site did not show major depuration of these elements, except for Co. Overall, L. variegata showed a rapid temporal response in metal uptake, especially for the elements intensively released into the coastal environment of New Caledonia (viz., Co, Cr, Mn and Ni). This species appears therefore as an excellent bioindicator species of metal contamination in this area. Our results also provide background information necessary for using L. variegata under in situ experimental conditions so as to provide better quantitative information on ambient metal contamination levels. The wide distribution of L. variegata in tropical areas further enhances its potential as a bioindicator species of metal contamination in other tropical coastal environments.     

Histochemistry as a tool for examining possible pathologic cause-and-effect relationships between heavy metal and inflammatory lesions in oysters, Crassostrea virginica

Unexplained inflammatory lesions have been seen on many occasions in oysters (Crassostrea virginica) that have been examined by histopathologic methods. Application of the Mallory's hematin and the rubeanic acid methods for demonstration of copper in histologic sections revealed strong staining reactions in granules of some, but not all, granular hemocytes. These cells were clearly involved as constituents of acute inflammatory lesions characterized by infiltration of arteries, occlusion of veins, and diapedesis through external epithelia of the mantle and gastrointestinal tract. Heavily contaminated sites (i.e. Raritan Bay, New Jersey) showed strong staining reactions in a large number of animals examined. Control sites such as Great Bay, New Jersey, showed much lighter reactions. Seasonal sampling in the New Jersey sites revealed the most intense involvement in the late summer with apparent decreasing staining intensities in the fall. Other species of bivalve mollusks (Mytilus edulis and Mercenaria mercenaria) only showed significant staining reactions for heavy metal in kidney tissues with no evidence that heavily contaminated sites had higher levels. These results constitute preliminary evidence of a cause-and-effect relationship between a heavy metal contaminant (most probably copper) and inflammatory lesions in the oyster.     

Hepatic metallothionein as a biomaker for metal contamination: age effects and seasonal variation in European flounders (Pleuronectes flesus) from the Severn Estuary and Bristol Channel

Hepatic concentrations of metallothionein [MT] and three metals (Cu, Zn, Cd) were determined in 242 European flounders (Pleuronectes flesus) collected from power stations at Oldbury-upon-Severn and Hinkley Point, located in Severn Estuary and Bristol Channel, UK, respectively, between March 1996 and February 1998. A model involving three-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to examine variation in MT and metal concentrations with respect to season, year and site; with age-class included as a covariate in the analysis. Hepatic concentrations of MT and Cd (and to some degree, Cu, but not Zn) increased significantly with age. The model explained 38, 25, 17 and 26% of the variation in MT, Cu, Zn and Cd, respectively, with significant effects due to season, and to a lesser extent, to year. Site was only a significant factor for Cd which was higher in fish from Hinkley. Correlation between the individual concentration of MT and each metal alone, or in combination, was poor, and explained only an additional 3.0% of the residual variation in MT, most of which was attributable to Cu (2.7%). Compared to other industrialised estuaries, Cd concentrations were high (>20 micro g-1 in some individuals). The study emphasises the importance of seasonal variation and other factors in biomonitoring programmes and highlights the limitations of using [MT] as a biomarker for metal contamination in flounders from the Severn Estuary.     

Assessment of heavy metal pollution in Laizhou Bay(China)using the ecological risk index and the integrated biomarker response of the goby Acanthogobius ommaturus

We used the Integrated Biological Responses version 2(IBRv2) method to evaluate the biological effects of heavy metals in the sediments in Laizhou B ay,China on the benthic goby Acanthogobius ommaturus.In December 2018,gobies and sediments were collected from 15 stations.We measured the activities of defense enzymes and the contents of malondialdehyde(MDA) and metallothionein(MT) in the goby liver as well as the levels of heavy metals in the sediments and goby muscle tissue.Most of the heavy met...     

Fish Zona radiata (eggshell) proteins: evaluation and validation as a biomarker for xenoestrogen monitoring

New cellular and molecular tools are enabling researchers to study the basic mechanisms of action of natural reproductive hormones, and of endocrine disrupters, including xenoestrogens. Zonagenesis is defined by the hepatic synthesis of the eggshell Zona radiata proteins (Zrp), their secretion and transport in the blood and their uptake by maturing oocytes. Zrps are comprised of three-to-four protein monomers in the 50–60 kDa MW range and show structural similarity to proteins of the Zona pellucida; an extracellular envelope that lies immediately outside the plasma membrane in the eggs of placental mammals. We studied the xenoestrogen-induced elevation in hepatic mRNA and plasma levels of Zrp and vitellogenin (Vtg) in several fish species. Eggshell Zrp protein and mRNA was induced in juvenile salmon by exposure to nonylphenol (NP: given singly or in combination with other xenoestrogens/xenobiotics). In English sole (Pleuronectes vetulus), Zrp was induced in the plasma of mature female, E₂- and NP-treated male fish. We are currently using salmon cDNA probes to study estrogen-receptor, Zrp and Vtg mRNA expression in English sole treated with E₂- and NP. Validation in a semi-field experiment showed that effluent from an oil refinery treatment plant caused a dose-dependent induction of Zrp and Vtg in juvenile salmon. However, a component corresponding to Zrp-β was more responsive than Zrp-α and Zrp-γ and also more than Vtg. Zrp seem to be a sensitive complement to Vtg analysis, and appear to be a more ecologically significant biomarker of estrogenicity.     

Protein carbonyls and antioxidant defenses in corkwing wrasse (Symphodus melops) from a heavy metal polluted and a PAH polluted site

The use of fish in environmental monitoring has become increasingly important in recent years as anthropogenic substances, many of which function as prooxidants, are accumulating in aquatic environments. We have measured a battery of antioxidant defenses as a measure of oxidative status, as well as protein carbonylation as a measure of oxidative damage, in corkwing wrasse (Symphodus melops) captured near a disused copper mine, where water and sediment are contaminated with heavy metals, and an aluminum smelter, a site contaminated with PAHs. Results were compared to two different reference sites. Fish at the heavy metal site had lower glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity and elevated protein carbonyls (1.8 times) compared to fish from the reference site. At the PAH site, EROD was increased 2-fold, while total glutathione and methemoglobin reductase concentration, were decreased. No differences were seen in protein carbonyl levels at the PAH site. Measures of both antioxidant defenses and oxidative damage should be used when assessing effects of xenobiotics on oxidative stress in fish species.     

The potential of the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.) as a combined biomarker for oestrogens and androgens in European waters

The majority of endocrine disruption studies in Europe have been on non-indigenous species (some of them tropical!)--and none of which has traits that make them suitable for the detection of androgenic compounds. To overcome these problems, we have been developing the stickleback as a model biomarker for testing the effect of endocrine disrupters in European waters. Its advantages are: it is the only fish with a quantifiable in vivo androgen and anti-androgen endpoint (the production of the glue protein, spiggin, by the kidney); it is the only fish in which it will be possible to simultaneously test oestrogenic and androgenic properties of compound; it has a genetic sex marker; it is found in all EU countries; it survives and breeds in both seawater and freshwater; it is extremely robust and can be readily deployed in situ; it displays a variety of pronounced reproductive behaviours; it has a simple and short life cycle, low fecundity and high egg/fry survival rates.     

Influence of point sources on trace metal contamination and distribution in a semi-enclosed industrial embayment: the Ferrol Ria (NW Spain)

Concentrations of heavy metals (Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn), particulate organic (POC) and nitrogen (PON), particulate inorganic carbon (PIC) and opal content were measured in 35 surface sediment samples taken in the Ferrol Ria (Galicia, NW Spain). This ria is a semi-enclosed embayment receiving inputs from industrial and urban effluents. The restricted water exchange between the ria and the shelf has led to a significant accumulation of contaminants within the embayment. Two main factors controlled the metal distribution and concentrations in the bay: (1) contamination point sources and (2) distribution of the organic-rich sediments. Zn, Cu and, to a lesser extent Pb, were the metals most contaminated in the bay, with average enrichment factors (AEF)—defined as the mean metal concentration in the bay divided by the background value reported for this ria—of 4.7, 5.5 and 2.7, respectively. The highest concentrations for these metals were observed in the vicinity of the point sources. Values found for Zn, Cu and Pb are comparable to other industrialized coastal areas in the world. For Ni, Fe, Cr and Co a negligible to low contamination was found (AEF = 1–2), with the highest concentrations found in the organic-rich sediments.     

c-Reactive protein levels as a biomarker of inflammation and stress in the Atlantic sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae) from three southeastern USA estuaries

Circulating c-reactive protein (CRP) levels can be used as a bioindicator of the acute phase inflammatory response and as a possible biomarker of inflammation and neurogenic stress in vertebrates. Currently, there are no data describing the ranges of CRP levels in sharks living in different habitats, especially habitats of differing degrees of pollution. Developing antibodies against CRP is a first and critical step towards developing sensitive methods for quantifying CRP, and thus inflammatory and stress responses in sharks. Sharpnose shark, Rhizoprionodon terraenovae, serum C-reactive protein was purified sequentially over AH-sepharose 4B-PC and sepharose CL-4B columns and used to immunize balb/c mice for generating stocks of polyclonal anti-sera. Serum samples from 131 sharpnose sharks were collected from three different geographical regions along the coast of SC and GA, USA between June and November 2002. Total CRP concentrations were quantified by ELISA and found to be highest in the sharpnose shark population collected in the summer from Charleston, SC, compared to Beaufort, SC and Brunswick, GA. Seasonal comparisons indicated a higher CRP concentration in the summer of the Charleston, SC population compared to the fall. These data suggest that sharks living in the Charleston, SC harbor estuary may be exposed to a suite of pathogens or other stressors that are different than those found in the Beaufort, SC and Brunswick, GA estuaries. These data support the use of CRP as a bioindicator of health status in elasmobranchs.     

咸潮入侵理论预报模式的分析及其在西江三角洲的应用

基于不同要求的咸潮入侵理论模式较多。本文在河道地形概化的基础上, 综合考虑流量、潮汐、盐淡水混合类型及地形等因子, 建立起一个可以快速预报各水道日最大氯度及咸潮最大影响范围的模式, 并用于西江三角洲咸潮入侵的模拟和预报。结果表明, 模式可以很好地模拟西江三角洲各水道日最大氯度及咸潮入侵范围, 预报结果良好, 同时该模式也能较好地预报磨刀门水道剧烈的地形变化及其它要素,如流量、潮汐对咸潮活动的影响程度。今后仍需更多的实测资料或数学模型对其他因子进行更深入的定量化研究, 用来修正该预报模式, 以进一步提高模式的精度及可预报性。     

Environmental factors associated with a distinct decline in pelagic fish abundance as detected by aerial fish spotting in February and March 1982 off northern South West Africa

Aerial fish-spotting flights were carried out between Cape Frio and Palgrave Point, off the northern coast of South West Africa, during February and March 1982. Results showed a pronounced drop in the number of shoals of pelagic fish (anchovy Engraulis capensis and pilchard Sardinops ocellata) within the area from one month to the next. Consideration of available hydro-acoustic survey data, environmental data and egg counts led to the conclusion that the decline in shoal abundance was brought about by a southward migration of shoals, and that the migration was possibly triggered by environmental changes between January and February 1982. The implied time lag of 14—32 days is difficult to explain, but it could have been a consequence of favourable spawning conditions which still prevailed during February, coupled with the development of dense phytoplankton to the south of the survey area during March.     

Significance of vertical flux as a sink for surface water DMSP and as a source for the sediment surface in coastal zones of northern Europe

In April 1997 and 1998 the significance of sedimentation as a sink for epipelagic dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP) production and as a source for marine sediments was reassessed using a newly designed sediment trap. The behaviour of the traps in immersion was monitored continuously and the collection efficiency was evaluated with ²³⁴Th measurements. Net DMS(P) fluxes were corrected for some physical and biological losses during the whole sedimentation process providing reliable estimates of gross DMSP fluxes. It is shown that daily losses by sedimentation account for between 0.1% and 16% of seawater particulate DMSP (DMSPp) standing stocks, and between 3% and 75% of daily DMSPp production. In the Malangen fjord we observed temporal increases of DMSP production and standing stocks which resulted also in increases of DMSP vertical fluxes and DMS(P) concentrations at the sediment surface. This result illustrates how tight the coupling can be between pelagos and benthos, and confirms that DMS(P) concentration in the sediment was a reliable diagnostic indicator of vertical export from overlying waters in Malangen fjord. In Ullsfjord, however, DMS(P) concentrations in the sediment were poorly indicators of Phaeocystis pouchetii export during the early stage of growth of a bloom. The high load of DMS(P) in Balsfjord's sediments could neither be attributed to local vertical sedimentation nor to short-term lateral advection of fresh DMSP-containing phytoplanktonic material, and provides indication that this tracer sometimes also can be misleading. The highest loads of DMS(P) in sediments and the fastest rates of sedimentation occurred in the Southern Bight of the North Sea.     

Assessment of environmental quality and inland water pollution using biomarker responses in caged carp (Cyprinus carpio): Use of a bioactivation:detoxication ratio as a Biotransformation Index (BTI)

In the present study the bioaccumulation of poly chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) as well as the responses of a suite of biochemical parameters were investigated in a standardized carp (Cyprinus carpio) fish line. Carps were caged for 2 to 8 weeks at two Amsterdam freshwater sites: the relatively unpolluted Outer IJ and the heavily polluted Volgermeerpolder. The primary objective of the experiments was to develop a reliable and reproducible method to monitor the inland water pollution and to classify the environmental quality of freshwater sites. The highest tissue levels of organic trace pollutants were generally found in carp that was caged for at least four weeks at the polluted site. Hepatic phase I enzymes showed the highest pollution-induced responses, while phase II enzymes and serum transaminases were less sensitive. The antioxidant enzymes showed virtually no response to pollutants. In order to assess effects on the balance between bioactivation and detoxication the ratio between phase I (EROD) and phase II (GST or UDPGT) activities was introduced as a biotransformation index (BTI). Highest BTI values were observed in carp that was caged for 4 to 6 weeks at the polluted site. The BTI values decreased after eight weeks of exposure due to elevated phase II activities.