An assessment of the pollution of cornish coastal waters

A detailed survey of pollution was undertaken in five areas around the Cornwall coast in south-west England, at St. Austell and Mevagissey Bays, Falmouth Bay, Mounts Bay, St. Ives Bay and Portreath. The aim of the study was to establish baseline values against which subsequent changes could be detected and their importance evaluated. Three major investigations were undertaken in each area involving seawater sampling and analysis, heavy metal analysis of seaweed specimens and quantitative surveys of intertidal fauna and flora. In general, the areas studied showed few signs of being exposed to significant levels of industrial or sewage pollution.     

A marine kill in New Jersey coastal waters

A kill of lobsters around wrecks off the New Jersey coast seem not to be a direct result of pollution but may have been due to an influx of water causing reduced oxygen levels combined with high temperatures. Mortalities of this kind have been observed before in the area but it is not known if this is an annual event or due to abnormal circumstances. It would be worth keeping the situation under review in the future.     

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.     

On sediment pollution in selected german coastal waters of the Baltic Sea

In order to determine and assess their status sediments from the German coastal waters of the baltic sea were analyzed for structural parameters and for several groups of harmful substances. Regarding all groups of harmful substances, i.e. nutrients, heavy metals and organic toxicants the sediments of the eastern sections investigated (Strelasund, Peenestrom and Stettin Lagoon) are generally more polluted than the sediments of the other ones.The sediments of the examined sections of the Baltic coast compare with North Sea sediments by factors of between 0.05 and 4 with regard to heavy metals.Because of the variability of the concentration of harmful substances in the various coastal sections, it is imperative to make a differentiated assessment of the polluted sediments and to set district-related targets for the various sections of the Baltic coast.     

Floating marine debris in coastal waters of the SE-Pacific (Chile)

Herein we report on the abundance and composition of floating marine debris (FMD) in coastal waters of the SE-Pacific (off the Chilean coast) during the austral summer 2002. The observed FMD consisted mainly of plastic material (86.9%). Densities of FMD were highest between 20 degrees S and 40 degrees S, corresponding to the main concentrations of human population and activities. Low densities of FMD were found in the south between 40 degrees S and 50 degrees S (<1 item km(-2)). Generally, the highest densities were recorded in nearshore waters of major port cities (>20 items km(-2)), but occasionally high concentrations of debris were also found 50 km offshore. Densities of FMD in coastal waters of the SE-Pacific are of similar magnitudes as those found in coastal waters or inland seas of highly populated regions in the northern hemisphere, indicating the need for improved regulation and legislation in the countries of the SE-Pacific.     

Survey of tar,hydrocarbon and metal pollution in the coastal waters of Oman

Quantitative beach sampling conducted after the S. W. monsoon season yielded average standing stocks of tar ranging from 5 to 2325 g m^?1 of shoreline with overall average of 224 g m^?1. Values are among the highest reported for any world area and show a trend of increasing levels of oil residues close to the Strait of Hormuz. Data support the premise that tanker deballasting is a major source of oil pollution on the Omani coast. Locally high levels were seen near offshore tanker loading facilities. Petroleum hydrocarbons in rock oysters increased in a south to north gradient consistent with beach tar observations. But relatively low hydrocarbon levels in biota coupled with observations of very little floating tar suggests that oil released in Omani coastal waters aggregates, sinks, and reaches the coast as heavy tar lumps. Except for elevated levels of Cd at two stations, heavy metal and chlorinated hydrocarbon concentrations were low compared to more industrialized world areas. Suggestions are made to improve the effectiveness of future pollution studies in the Gulf Region.     

Biosensors for marine pollution research,monitoring and control

Measurement of ecological, climatic and anthropogenic changes underpins the formulation of effective management strategies for sustainable use and protection of the marine environment. Sensors are traditionally used in marine studies to determine physical parameters, but there is increasing demand for real-time information about chemical and biological parameters. These parameters are currently measured in samples collected at sea and subsequently analysed in the laboratory. Biosensors fuse the exquisite sensitivity and specificity of living systems with the processing power of microelectronics to deliver simple, inexpensive measurement systems for use in the field or deployment in situ. While their potential for use in the marine environment is enormous, much published work to date has focussed on applications in freshwater and wastewater. Marine applications pose a substantial challenge in the robustness required for remote application, but recent developments in portable medical devices and receptor design suggest that these demands can now be realistically tackled.     

Baseline metals pollution profile of tropical estuaries and coastal waters of the Straits of Malacca

The status report on metal pollution in tropical estuaries and coastal waters is important to understand potential environmental health hazards. Detailed baseline measurements were made on physicochemical parameters (pH, temperature, redox potential, electrical conductivity, salinity, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solid), major ions (Na, Ca, Mg, K, HCO₃, Cl, SO₄ and NO₃) and metals concentrations (²⁷Al, ⁷⁵As, ¹³⁸Ba, ⁹Be, ¹¹¹Cd, ⁵⁹Co, ⁶³Cu, ⁵²Cr, ⁵⁷Fe, ⁵⁵Mn, ⁶⁰Ni, ²⁰⁸Pb, ⁸⁰Se, ⁶⁶Zn) at estuaries and coastal waters along the Straits of Malacca. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to reveal potential pollution sources. Seven principal components were extracted with relation to pollution contribution from minerals-related parameters, natural and anthropogenic sources. The output from this study will generate a profound understanding on the metal pollution status and pollution risk of the estuaries and coastal system.     

Assessment of non-point sources of fecal pollution in coastal waters of Puerto Rico and Trinidad

Traditional and molecular methods (PCR) were used to detect, quantify and identify the source of fecal pollution in coastal sites of Puerto Rico and Trinidad. Enterococci and Escherichia coli standard plate counts were used as a general indicator of fecal contamination while the PCR detection of Bifidobacteria adolescentis and human or bovine specific Bacteroidales were used to examine potential sources. Seven of 14 sites in Trinidad including Maracas Bay which is a major public beach contained significant fecal contamination based on enterococci numbers counts exceeding established thresholds for areas of direct contact. Forty six percent of the 27 stations in Puerto Rico were over the established thresholds for enterococci and 49% according to E. coli counts. About 31% of the stations examined in Puerto Rico had evidence of human derived fecal contamination. Human fecal pollution was detected in only one station from Trinidad. Bovine derived contamination was detected only once.     

Impact of horizontal eddy diffusivity on Lagrangian statistics for coastal pollution from a major marine fairway

Lagrangian trajectory methods are often applied as deterministic transport models, where transport is due strictly to advection without taking into account stochastic elements of particle dispersion, which raises questions about validity of the model results. The present work investigates the impact of horizontal eddy diffusivity for a case study of coastal pollution in the Gulf of Finland, where the pollutants are assumed to originate from a major fairway and are transported to the coast by surface currents. Lagrangian trajectories are calculated using the TRACMASS model from velocity fields calculated by the Rossby Centre circulation model for 1982 to 2001. Three cases are investigated: (1) trajectory calculation without eddy diffusivity, (2) stochastic modelling of eddy diffusivity with a constant diffusion coefficient and (3) stochastic modelling of eddy diffusivity with a time- and space-variable diffusion coefficient. It is found that the eddy diffusivity effect increases the spreading rate of initially closely packed trajectories and the number of trajectories that eventually reach the coast. The pattern of most frequently hit coastal sections, the probability of hit to each such section and the time the pollution spends offshore are virtually invariant with respect to inclusion of eddy diffusivity.     

Modeling of the marine environmental pollution by petroleum hydrocarbons and their biotransformation in Tatar Strait waters

A hydroecological model is used for simultaneous studying water pollution processes by petroleum hydrocarbons and their decay under the oceanographic conditions of Tatar Strait. The model calculations were based on long-term averaged observational data on interannual variations of water temperature, light intensity, and transparency. Some oceanographic characteristics of the strait were reconstructed with the help of GIS “Sakhalin Shelf.” The strait’s water area was divided into three regions, and water exchange between them and the neighboring regions of the Sea of Japan was estimated by a hydrodynamic model. The results of the study made it possible to assess interannual variations in the concentrations and inner fluxes of petroleum hydrocarbons, oil-oxidizing bacteria biomasses, and the characteristics of their oxidation activity.     

Hydrogen peroxide production rates in clean and polluted coastal marine waters of the Mediterranean, Red and Baltic Seas

The main aim of this study was to assess the hydrogen peroxide (HP) production rates (HPPR) related to anthropogenic pollution in coastal waters by laboratory and field experiments. HPPR's were assessed by simultaneous measurements of HP concentrations, cumulative solar UV irradiation and dissolved organic matter (DOM) fluorescence in the seawater samples at clean and polluted sites in the Mediterranean, Red and the Baltic Seas. The natural HP concentrations at all sites (8–100 nM) fall within the normal range recorded elsewhere, and follows a diurnal pattern. The polluted stations in the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas showed higher HPPR (3.2–16.6 nM m² W⁻¹ h⁻¹) than the clean stations, while in the Red Sea no significant differences were found because the station that was considered a priori polluted was actually rather clean (2–3 nM m² W⁻¹ h⁻¹). Laboratory experiments demonstrated that HPPR was positively linearly correlated to DOM fluorescence, however, this relationship was not found in the natural seawater samples examined in the field. The lack of relationship between HPPR and DOM in the field was attributed to enzymatic breakdown of HP as observed in dark decay experiments. HP dark decay rates were highest in polluted stations, probably due to larger bacterioplankton populations in these samples. Moreover, the HP dark decay rates were much lower in filtered than in non-filtered samples. Sun incubation of filtered (0.2 μm) seawater samples were performed to assess whether elimination of particles would yield higher HPPRs than in non-filtered samples. In the Baltic Sea (low UV irradiation) HPPR was higher in the filtered samples, while at sites with relatively high UV irradiation (Mediterranean and Red Seas), filtration of seawater did not stimulate HPPRs, probably due to UV-damage to planktonic microorganisms.     

Comparison of methods for integrating biological and physical data for marine habitat mapping and classification

An important first step in marine spatial planning and ecosystem-based management efforts is the creation of benthic habitat maps that allow scientists and managers to understand the distribution of living and non-living resources on the seafloor. However, the location of boundaries between and composition of habitats is highly dependent on the approach taken to integrate abiotic and biotic information. The purpose of this study was to test “top-down” and “bottom-up” approaches for integrating physical and biological data derived from commonly used sub-tidal benthic mapping tools to create a habitat map compatible with the US Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS). We found that a top-down framework, where we tested for differences in macrofauna assemblages among side scan sonar facies, defined two broad-scale and general habitats. Using the bottom-up approach, where patterns in abiotic and biotic variables were examined with multivariate statistics (BEST, LINKTREE, ANOSIM, SIMPER), we generated seven biotopes based on the macrofauna abundance, percent sand, water depth, and backscatter standard deviation that corresponded well to, but provided more fine-scale detail than the top-down habitats. We were able to use the statistical relationship between abiotic variables and macrofauna assemblages in the LINKTREE to predict the spatial distribution of assemblages over ∼50% of the study area. We created a local catalogue of biotopes specific to our study area that contributes to the CMECS library. In addition, we were able to fully map CMECS Geoform, Surface Geology, and Biotic Cover Components. This mapping effort represented real progress toward reconciling the “data density mismatch” between physical and biological mapping methods, and it provided further evidence that using a bottom-up methodology preserves species–environment relationships.     

Toxic contaminants and their biological effects in coastal waters of Xiamen,China. II. Biomarkers and embryo malformation rates as indicators of pollution stress in fish

Baseline information is presented on embryo malformation rate and biomarkers in fish as indicators of sub-lethal stress caused by pollution in coastal waters of Xiamen, PR China. Fish and eggs were sampled from several areas in Xiamen coastal waters (Xiamen Harbour, Maluan and Tongan Bays and East Channel), where varying levels of pollutant input have been documented. Comparative sampling was done at a "cleaner" reference site at Dongshan Island. Embryonic malformation rates, which indicate general water quality, varied with location and species of fish, and exceeded background levels for unpolluted waters (assumed approximately 5%) by up to eightfold at some sites. Generally, sites around Xiamen Harbour show signs of poor water quality having highest mean levels of embryo deformity (20-30%) and these decreased towards open waters (Tongan Bay, Eastern Channel) where abnormalities approached background levels. An indication that toxic contaminants may be having a localised effect in the region, particularly in the harbour was reinforced by the biomarker assays. However, activities of the biomarkers ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) and glutathione S-transferase in fish livers indicate no clear pattern, and there is no evidence that fish from the four sampling areas have been more or less exposed to PAHs and other compounds that induce these biomarkers. Antioxidant biomarkers (glutathione peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and reduced glutathione) suggest that exposure to xenobiotics appears to be lowest in Dongshan and Maluan and highest in the harbour and Tongan. Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase in fish muscle indicated possible effects by organophosphate and carbamate pesticides in Xiamen waters and these effects may be greatest in the area of the harbour.     

Electrochemical detection of harmful algae and other microbial contaminants in coastal waters using hand-held biosensors

Standard methods to identify microbial contaminants in the environment are slow, laborious, and can require specialized expertise. This study investigated electrochemical detection of microbial contaminants using commercially available, hand-held instruments. Electrochemical assays were developed for a red tide dinoflagellate (Karenia brevis), fecal-indicating bacteria (Enterococcus spp.), markers indicative of human sources of fecal pollution (human cluster Bacteroides and the esp gene of Enterococcus faecium), bacterial pathogens (Escherichia coli 0157:H7, Salmonella spp., Campylobacter jejuni, Staphylococcus aureus), and a viral pathogen (adenovirus). For K. brevis, two assay formats (Rapid PCR-Detect and Hybrid PCR-Detect) were tested and both provided detection limits of 10 genome equivalents for DNA isolated from K. brevis culture and amplified by PCR. Sensitivity with coastal water samples was sufficient to detect K. brevis that was "present" (相似文献