Multi-level assessment of chronic toxicity of estuarine sediments with the amphipod Gammarus locusta: II. Organism and population-level endpoints

This study aimed to test the performance of the amphipod Gammarus locusta (L.) in chronic sediment toxicity tests. It constitutes part of a multi-level assessment of chronic toxicity of estuarine sediments, integrating organism and population-level endpoints with biochemical markers responses. Here we account for organism and population-level effects, while biomarker responses were reported in a companion article. Five moderately contaminated sediments from Sado and Tagus estuaries were tested, comprising 3 muddy and 2 sandy sediments. These sediments either did not show acute toxicity or were diluted with control sediment as much as required to remove acute toxicity. Subsequent chronic tests consisted of 28-day exposures with survival, individual growth and reproductive traits as endpoints. Two of the muddy sediments induced higher growth rates in the amphipods, and improved reproductive traits. This was understood to be a consequence of the amount of organic matter in the sediment, which was nutritionally beneficial to the amphipods, while concurrently decreasing contaminant bioavailability. Biomarker responses did not reveal toxicant-induced stress in amphipods exposed to these sediments. One of the sandy sediments was acutely toxic at 50% dilution, but in contrast stimulated amphipod growth when diluted 75%. This was presumed to be an indication of a hormetic response. Finally the two remaining contaminated sediments showed pronounced chronic toxicity, affecting survival and reproduction. The sex ratio of survivors was highly biased towards females, and offspring production was severely impaired. The particulars of the responses of this amphipod were examined, as well as strengths versus limitations of the sediment test. This study illustrates the utility of this chronic test for toxicity assessment of contaminated estuarine sediments, with potential application all along Atlantic Europe.     

Effects of a crude oil and an oil dispersant (Corexit 9527) on populations of the littleneck clam (protothaca staminea)

Field and laboratory experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of Alberta crude oil and an oil dispersant (Corexit 9527) on the larval settlement, survival, siphon activities and behaviour of the littleneck clam (Protothaca staminea). Corexit 9527 was much more toxic than crude oil, and the highest toxicity was obtained when Corexit 9527 was mixed with crude oil. Siphon activities were impaired and abnormal behaviour was exhibited when adult clams were treated with 100 ppm Corexit 9527, 1000 ppm crude oil or a combination of both. Larval settlement was not affected when the substratum was treated with 1000ppm crude oil but was retarded when the substratum was treated with a mixture of 1000 ppm oil and 100 ppm Corexit 9527. Gas chromatograms also showed that the retention time and depth of penetration of hydrocarbons in the substratum was increased when Corexit 9527 was used with crude oil.     

Multi-level assessment of chronic toxicity of estuarine sediments with the amphipod Gammarus locusta: I. Biochemical endpoints

We report on biomarker responses conducted as part of a multi-level assessment of the chronic toxicity of estuarine sediments to the amphipod Gammarus locusta. A companion article accounts for organism and population-level effects. Five moderately contaminated sediments from two Portuguese estuaries, Sado and Tagus, were assessed. Three of them were muddy and two were sandy sediments. The objective was to assess sediments that were not acutely toxic. Three of the sediments met this criterion, the other two were diluted (50% and 75%) with clean sediment until acute toxicity was absent. Following 28-d exposures, the amphipods were analysed for whole-body metal bioaccumulation, metallothionein induction (MT), DNA strand breakage (SB) and lipid peroxidation (LP). Two of the muddy sediments did not cause chronic toxicity. These findings were consistent with responses at organism and population levels that showed higher growth rates and improvement of reproductive traits for amphipods exposed to these two sediments. Two other sediments, one muddy and one sandy, exhibited pronounced chronic toxicity, affecting SB, MT induction (in muddy sediment), survival and reproduction. Potential toxicants involved in these effects were identified. The last sandy sediment exhibited some loss of DNA integrity, however growth was also enhanced. Present results, together with the organism/population-level data, and also benthic communities information, were analysed under a weight-of-evidence approach. By providing evidence of exposure (or lack of it) to contaminants in sediments, the biomarkers here applied assisted in distinguishing toxicants' impacts in test organisms from the confounding influence of other geochemical features of the sediments.     

A field study on the acute effects of the dispersant Corexit 9527 on glucose uptake by marine microorganisms

The effects of the dispersant Corexit 9527 and Corexit with crude oil on the rate of glucose uptake and mineralisation were studied in Arctic and Subarctic marine waters and sediments. Essentially all of the 149 water and 95 sediment samples tested displayed decreased glucose uptake rates in the presence of either 15 or 50 ppm Corexit. Depressed uptake rates were observed at concentrations as low as 1 ppm. The mean concentration at which Corexit depressed glucose uptake by 50% was 12 ppm. The effect of Corexit was more pronounced on pelagic than on benthic microbial populations.     

A comparison between the physiological effects in fish exposed to lethal and sublethal concentrations of a dispersant and dispersed oil

The acute and sublethal effects of a dispersant and crude oil on anisosmotic and isosmotic regulation in flounder have been tested. Flounder were exposed to different concentrations of Corexit 9527 and crude oil by use of a biotest system. Fourteen days' exposure to 20 ppm of Corexit 9527, alone or in a 1:1 mixture with crude oil, had no effect on the blood parameters. On the other hand, 96 hours' exposure to 80 ppm of the same compounds led to 50 % mortality and significant effects on the blood parameters in surviving fish. The comparability between effects obtained in fish exposed to lethal and sublethal concentrations of toxicants, respectively, is discussed.     

An experimental marine ecosystem response to crude oil and Corexit 9527: Part 2—Biological effects

Three experimental ecosystems were employed to test the effect of Corexit 9527, with and without Prudhoe Bay crude oil, on the ecology of a temperate pelagic ecosystem. The results indicated that Corexit 9527 alone enhanced biological productivity without changing the structure of the ecosystem. The mixture of Corexit and crude oil caused a major change in the ecology of the ecosystem which resulted in large numbers of bacteria and zooflagellates, but a depression of all other zooplankton phyla.     

Can turbidity caused by Corophium volutator (Pallas) activity be used to assess sediment toxicity rapidly?

The standard toxicity test organism, Corophium volutator, exhibits a behavioural response to contaminated sediments that causes increased turbidity of overlying water. We quantify the effects of this response to an estuarine sediment spiked with copper and hydrocarbon contaminated sediments from an oil installation in the North Sea. Turbidity measured 24 h after the start of a toxicity test shows a strong relationship with contaminant concentrations and with mortality after 10 days. Turbidity measurements can therefore give a rapid indication of sediment toxicity, permitting a reduction in storage time of sediments to be used in dilution series and toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) tests, reducing the likelihood of contaminants degrading prior to testing.     

Application of indigenous benthic amphipods as sediment toxicity testing organisms

A series of experiments were conducted to develop standard test organisms and test protocols for measuring sediment toxicity using candidate amphipods such asMandibulophoxus mai, Monocorophium acherusicum, Haustorioides indivisus, andHaustorioides koreanus, which are indigenous to Korea. The relevant association of test species with sediment substrates was one of the important factors in sediment bioassay. The indigenous amphipodsM. mai andM. acherusicum were well associated with test sediments when they were exposed to various sediment substrates from sand to mud. The tolerant limits to various physico-chemical factors affecting bioassay results such as temperature, salinity and ammonia, as well as sensitivities to reference toxicant and contaminated sediments, were investigated usingM. mai andM. acherusicum in the present study. These amphipods were tolerant to relatively wide ranges of salinity (10~30 psu) and ammonia (<50 ppm), and displayed relevant sensitivity to temperature as well. They are more sensitive to Cd, the reference toxicant, when compared to the standard test species used in other countries. Field-sediment toxicity tests revealed thatM. mai would be more sensitive to sediment-associated pollutants thanM. acherusicum, while the sensitivity ofM. acherusicum was comparable to that ofLeptocheirus plumulosus, which has been used as a standard test species in the United States of America. Overall results of this first attempt to develop an amphipod sediment toxicity test protocol in Korea indicated thatM. mai andM. acherusicum would be applicable in the toxicity assessment of contaminated sediments, following the further evaluation encompassing various ecological and toxicological studies in addition to test method standardization.     

A hazard assessment of chemically dispersed oil spills and seabirds

The effects of dispersants on both the exposure to and toxicity of oil to seabirds are considered in order to assess the hazard. Ideally the dispersant mixes with oil and disperses it into the water column. This process is rapid but generally incomplete. The toxicology of one dispersant (Corexit 9527), for which data are available, shows that the toxicity of oil-Corexit mixtures is similar to that of oil alone. The effect of two feeding regimes, pursuit diving and surface diving, is considered. Calculations indicate that the amount of oil that is likely to be taken up by the bird while moving through the water column is small. It is concluded that there is little evidence of synergistic effects between oil and dispersant. The major oiling of birds occurs at the surface and thus dispersants must be highly effective to reduce the exposure of birds to oil.     

Toxicity assessment of sediment cores from Santa Monica Bay,California

During the summer of 1997, sediment core samples were taken at 25 stations in Santa Monica Bay. Toxicity testing was performed on 4-cm sections of the entire length of each core using purple sea urchin fertilization and amphipod survival tests. The sea urchin test identified sections as being toxic at six stations, all located near current or former Hyperion Treatment Plant (HTP) wastewater outfall locations. The amphipod test identified sections from 17 stations as having toxic sediments. The stations having toxic sediments were scattered throughout the bay and toxicity was identified at numerous core depths. Spatial and temporal patterns indicated that toxicity was most strongly associated with the historical disposal of municipal wastewater sludge. Many of the sections toxic to the amphipods did not have chemical levels expected to cause toxicity and were in locations where a source of toxicity was not apparent.     

锦州湾沾污沉积物急性毒性的海洋端足类检验

１９９２年９月￣１９９３年１月对锦州湾沾污沉积物的海洋端足类急性毒性效应进行了研究。从锦州湾湾顶到湾口沿西南－－东北方向每２ｋｍ等距离采集２７个表层沉积我校 品,应用海洋端足类Ａ ｍｐｅｌｉｓｃａ ａｂｄｉｔａ对这些样品进行了１０ｄ直流式急性毒性检验,检验指标为死亡率。结果表明,五里河河口处受试生物死亡率最高,为１００％,从湾顶该河口处沿东北方向随着距离增加,死亡率逐渐递减,笔架山处最低,仅为２．     

An experimental marine ecosystem response to crude oil and corexit 9527: Part 1—Fate of chemically dispersed crude oil

The fate of Prudhoe Bay crude oil. labelled with n(1−¹⁴C)-hexadecane and dispersed with Corexit 9527, was studied for 24 days in a polyethylene bag enclosure of sea water by time-series observations of the alkane composition of the crude oil, oil fluorescence, ¹⁴C-labelled hexadecane in the particulate phase, bacterial biomass, amounts of sedimented material and parameters of temperature, salinity, particulate organic carbon and nitrogen, and nutrients. By the seventh day, convective and diffusive mixing, important mechanisms for the dispersion of oil, resulted in a fairly homogeneous distribution of oil throughout the enclosed water column. Rapid bacterial biodegradation removed the n-alkane fraction initially, while oil-Corexit dispersion suppressed phytoplankton growth. After 7 days, with the recovery of phytoplankton growth, much of the aged oil sedimented with sinking of diatoms.     

Toxicity of sediments from around a North Sea oil platform: are metals or hydrocarbons responsible for ecological impacts?

Discharges of contaminated drill cuttings have caused appreciable ecological change of the benthos adjacent to many oil and gas platforms in the North Sea. Many platforms have large piles of cuttings lying beneath them and these probably present the greatest potential hazard to the environment during platform decommissioning and removal. There is, however, a lack of consensus on which aspects of drill cuttings are responsible for the adverse ecological effects. This hinders risk assessment of management options. Here we report data on the toxicity of sediments from around the North West Hutton platform to the amphipod Corophium volutator, the polychaete Arenicola marina and the Microtox" acute test system. Sediment was acutely toxic to Corophium out as far as 600 m from the platform. Sediment from 100 m from the platform remained acutely toxic to Corophium when 3% contaminated sediment was mixed with clean sediment. A 10% dilution of this sediment also inhibited Arenicola feeding almost completely. Sediment elutriates did not inhibit Microtox light output, but organics extracted by dichloromethane were very toxic. Fifteen minute EC50 values were as low as 0.25 mg ml(-1) and were strongly correlated with hydrocarbon concentrations. Metal concentrations in whole sediments were correlated with their toxicity to Corophium but the relationship was much weaker when data on dilutions were included. Except at sites immediately adjacent to the platform, metal concentrations were well below ERL values from the literature, so were too low to explain sediment toxicity. Toxicity of sediments to Corophium was closely correlated with their hydrocarbon content, even when tests on dilutions were included in the analysis. We conclude that hydrocarbons are the most significant cause of toxicity in these sediments contaminated with oil based drill cuttings and that polar organics, sulphide. ammonia and other water soluble substances are of much lower significance. Applying OSPAR guidelines to our data on the toxicity of cuttings pile material to Corophium data would give a maximum allowable concentration of 0.03% in clean sediments. The Microtox data indicate that sediments from deeper in the pile would require an even greater dilution than this.     

Effects of MV Rena heavy fuel oil and dispersed oil on yellowtail kingfish early life stages

ABSTRACT

The grounding of the MV Rena has highlighted the lack of information concerning the effects of oil-related compounds on New Zealand marine life. Yellowtail kingfish (YTK), Seriola lalandi, embryos were exposed in static incubations to the water-accommodated fraction (WAF) of Rena heavy fuel oil as well as a similar preparation treated with the commercial dispersant Corexit 9500. Mortality in WAF treatments generally increased in association with total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (tPAH) concentration over a 24-h period. Physical abnormalities were observed in some of the larvae exposed to WAF for 48 h. There was no survival in dispersed oil treatments after 24 h of exposure. These treatments had greater tPAH concentrations (2–53?µgL^?1) than equivalent WAF dilutions (0.2–1.5?µgL^?1?tPAH). Indications are that significant morbidity is induced in YTK at ecologically relevant tPAH concentrations. This highlights the need for further research into oil and dispersant toxicity in New Zealand marine species.     

Chronic exposure of Leptocheirus plumulosus to Baltimore Harbor sediment: bioenergetic and population-level effects

We investigated the long-term effects of contaminants in sediment from Baltimore Harbor, MD, USA, on a burrowing amphipod (Leptocheirus plumulosus) via a full life-cycle laboratory exposure. Contaminants in the Baltimore Harbor sediment included PAHs (10,800 ng/g), PCBs (152 ng/g), and heavy metals (including As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Hg, Ni, and Zn). Exposures were initiated with neonate amphipods, placed in microcosms containing either contaminated or reference sediment, and were maintained for 42 days, allowing ample time for the initial cohort to mature and reproduce. At the end of the exposure period, the populations of amphipods were surveyed to ascertain the number and size of amphipods in each size class (neonate, juvenile, and adult), and bioenergetic measurements were performed on adults, including metabolic rate, lipid content, and fecundity. Contaminated sediment from Baltimore Harbor caused lower growth and reproductive rates; in Baltimore Harbor sediment, the average dry weight of amphipod offspring in each size class was significantly lower and there were less than one-third as many individuals in each size class, compared to reference sediment. By the end of the exposure, the total amphipod biomass in Baltimore Harbor sediment was less than one quarter of that in reference sediment. On average, gravid females in reference sediment produced at least twice as many viable offspring as those in contaminated sediment. Adult male amphipods in Baltimore Harbor sediment possessed significantly lower lipid concentrations. Lipid content in neonates also appeared to be negatively affected by parental exposure to contaminants. Metabolic rate was elevated in adult amphipods exposed to Baltimore Harbor sediment. Overall, the results suggest that contaminated sediment conditions in the urban estuary may chronically affect L. plumulosus by diverting energy from production to maintenance pathways, resulting in slower growth and reduced fecundity, and ultimately leading to retarded population growth rates. The results of this study reinforce the need for long-term toxicological exposures to reveal chronic effects.     

Relation between responses in the neutral red retention test and the comet assay and life history parameters of Daphnia magna.

Responses of the neutral red retention (NRR) assay as test for lysosomal stability and the comet assay as test for DNA integrity were measured in the water flea, Daphnia magna, and compared with mortality and effects on population growth rate during short- or long-term exposure to seven different toxicants. The NRR test and the comet assay were performed with fresh preparations of pieces of tissue from the digestive tract or with cell preparations from whole daphnias. Five toxicants caused responses of the NRR test or the comet assay after short-term exposure at concentrations below the acute toxicity level. Preliminary results of long-term exposure experiments suggest that these biomarker responses can be related to chronic effects on survival and/or reproduction of D. magna. This type of research should provide the basis for future use of the NRR test and the comet assay as early warning biomarkers for effects of toxicants on Daphnia populations.     

Sediment quality assessment in a tropical estuary: The case of Ceará River,Northeastern Brazil

The present study aimed to assess the sediment quality in a tropical estuary located in the northeast of Brazil under semi-arid conditions and multiple sources of contamination, using both toxicity bioassays and metal distribution. The metal distribution followed a concentration gradient decreasing one order of magnitude from the inner station toward the outer estuary, with amounts in the following order: Fe > Al > Zn > Cr > Pb > Cu. The index of geoaccumulation indicated a metal enrichment in the Ceará river sediment, mainly at inner sites, considered from moderately to strongly contaminated by Al, Cu, Cr and Zn. Sediment samples were considered toxic by means of whole sediment tests with copepods (reproduction) and amphipods (survival), and also elutriate fraction and sediment–water interface with sea urchin embryos (development). Acute and chronic toxicity did not exhibit a significant correlation with metals, emphasizing the influence of other contaminants mainly related to the pollution sources installed in the mid-estuary.     

Relationships between sediment contamination and toxicity in San Francisco Bay

Sediment contamination and toxicity were monitored at 14 sites in San Francisco Bay between 1991 and 1996. Sediment contamination patterns were different in the major reaches of the Bay, and at each site. Several contaminants were consistently above concentrations previously associated with toxicity at most sites. Bulk sediment bioassays using the amphipod Eohaustorius estuarius and sediment elutriate bioassays using larval bivalves (Mytilus spp., Crassostrea gigas) also indicated different patterns of sediment toxicity in space and time. Sediments were most toxic to the amphipods at Redwood Creek (90% of the tests), and were toxic in at least half the tests conducted at five other sites. Sediment elutriates severely reduced normal bivalve larval development at the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers in all samples, but toxicity occurred in less than a third of the tests in the Central and South Bays. Toxicity could not be statistically related to seasonal freshwater flow or rainfall in the Bay, but seasonal variation in contaminant concentrations and toxicity was observed. Amphipod toxicity was inversely and significantly related to the mean effects range-median quotient, suggesting that cumulative concentrations of several contaminants were related to toxicity. Further analysis identified suites of specific contaminants at each site that were variably related to amphipod toxicity at each site. Chlordanes, cadmium, and silver were significantly related to amphipod survival in the North Bay. Seasonal patterns in low, and high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were related to toxicity at Alameda, and metals and PAHs were related to toxicity at Castro Cove. Larval bivalve toxicity was associated with metals in bulk sediments, but elutriate chemistry was not measured, and relationships with toxicity could not be examined. Hypotheses about effective concentrations of several individual contaminants and mixtures of contaminants were posed.     

A weight of evidence approach for quality assessment of sediments impacted by an oil spill: The role of a set of biomarkers as a line of evidence

In an attempt to incorporate both line of evidence (LOE) and classical weight of evidence (WOE) approaches for the assessment of sediment quality, a set of biomarkers were analyzed in target tissues of two invertebrate species after 28 days of exposure to sediments impacted by oil (derived from the tanker Prestige (2002)). The integration of biomarkers with sediment contamination, acute toxicity and benthic alteration parameters provides an “early warning” tool which not only indicates the environmental quality of an area, but also constitutes an advisory tool for potential ecological risks. The selected biomarkers provide information about the first biological responses due to the presence of contaminants in the environment providing predictable reports about further effects to the ecosystem. The present study demonstrates that the use of a set of biomarkers as part of a WOE approach designed to assess contaminated sediments contributes added value to the classical LOE and allows characterization of the environmental status of the studied area in a more precise and accurate way.