Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in marine foodstuffs in Australia: residue levels and contamination status of PBDEs

Edible marine products (n=24) collected from the fish markets in Adelaide, Australia, were analysed for the presence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The total concentration of 11 PBDE congeners found in the marine products ranged from 1.01 to 45 ng/g fresh weight. Among the samples analysed, imported silver fish and prawns from Vietnam and Thailand respectively, recorded the highest ∑PBDEs concentrations (45.10 and 43.29 ng/g fresh weight) as against 13.08 and 12.57 ng/g fresh weight in Australian king prawns and Gar fish. BDE-209 was the most dominant congener in the marine products followed by BDE-47, 99 and 100. The calculated average daily intakes of ∑PBDEs per day for an adult male and female (19 or more years old) were 1026.8 and 1188.4 ng/kg per day, respectively. This study clearly shows that the dietary exposure to marine foods can contribute to PBDEs accumulation in human body.     

Identification of the natural product 2,3,4,5-tetrabromo-1-methylpyrrole in Pacific biota, passive samplers and seagrass from Queensland, Australia

Halogenated natural products (HNPs) are frequently detected in marine organisms. High HNP concentrations have previously been found in marine mammals from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, including in the blubber of herbivorous dugongs (Dugong dugon). To identify the source of HNPs we initially focused on the analysis of Australian seagrass (Halophila ovalis) which serves as the principal food source for dugongs. GC/MS analysis of the seagrass indicated the presence of several organobromine compounds. One compound was identified as 2,3,4,5-tetrabromo-1-methylpyrrole (TBMP) by synthesis. Subsequent analysis of semipermeable membrane devices demonstrated that the photo-sensitive TBMP is widespread in the Great Barrier Reef (Queensland, Australia). The detection of larger TBMP concentrations in fish fillets from Chile and traces in mussels from New Zealand indicated that this potential HNP may be distributed throughout the Southern Pacific Ocean.     

Effect of phosphatation and calcination on the environmental behaviour of sediments

Dredging operations produce considerable quantities of materials, to be managed and this opens an opportunity for valorization in civil engineering. However, the contamination of the dredged sediments has become a major problem to solve. The major contaminants are heavy metals and organic compounds. This study focuses on the use of phosphoric acid (H3PO4) to stabilize heavy metals from sediments and destroy organic matter by calcination at 650 °C with a goal of using sediments in roadworks. Several studies have been conducted in this eld. The stabilized materials obtained have been used in civil engineering. The main purpose of this work is to discuss the environmental behavior of marine sediment treated by phosphatation and calcination. Two types of phosphoric acids were used. The pH dependence leaching test has been used as the basic characterization to evaluate the effect of the type of phosphoric acid on the metals behavior in a valorization scenario. The standard leaching test and the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) were conducted as compliance tests. In regards of the obtained results, the environmental assessment has also shown a reduction in the availability of targeted heavy metals in alkaline environment whatever the type of acid used for treatment. This opens opportunities for co-valorization.     

Arsenic in marine fish and invertebrates

An environmental survey has been undertaken on the Pacific coast of Canada to document natural background levels of a number of heavy metals, including arsenic, in various species of marine fish and invertebrates. The majority of fish studied from four different sampling locations near a proposed mine site, contained arsenic with levels ranging from less than 0.4 to 37.8 mg/kg (wet weight). Crabs were found to contain the highest level of arsenic of all marine organisms tested. Results indicate that arsenic accumulates in marine fish and invertebrates and may possibly be a micronutrient.     

Audouin's gull chicks as bioindicators of mercury pollution at different breeding locations in the western Mediterranean

Mercury levels of Audouin's gull are amongst the highest for Mediterranean seabirds, and have been mainly attributed to its piscivorous habits in these naturally Hg rich waters. Moreover, two additional factors could enhance its mercury intake: the consumption of discarded fish (which attain higher concentrations) and/or feeding in areas receiving Hg anthropogenic inputs. In order to differentiate the relevance of both sources we analysed Hg and stable isotopes of chick feathers from different breeding locations in western Mediterranean: one in its northern part (Ebro Delta) and two southern (Chafarinas Isl. and Alborán Isl.). The results from stable isotopes indicate that consumption of discards is higher at Alborán Isl., followed by the Ebro Delta and Chafarinas Isl. Thus, the higher mercury levels found in the Ebro Delta cannot be explained uniquely by the contribution of discarded fish to diet, but local pollution caused by the river Ebro waters accounts for Hg differences observed.     

Accumulation of organochlorines and brominated flame retardants in estuarine and marine food chains: field measurements and model calculations

Food chain accumulation of organochlorines and brominated flame retardants in estuarine and marine environments is compared to model estimations and fresh water field data. The food chain consists of herbivores, detritivores and primary and secondary carnivores i.e. fish, fish-eating birds and marine mammals. Accumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls is predicted well by OMEGA for herbi-detritivores and primary and secondary carnivorous fish. Ratios are similar to those found for fresh water species. Accumulation ratios for fish-eating birds and mammals are overestimated by the model, which is attributed partly to biotransformation of meta-para unsubstituted congeners. Additionally, birds may feed in other less polluted areas. For brominated diphenylethers (BDE) accumulation patterns are highly species and congener specific. Accumulation depends on both K(ow) and metabolization capacities. BDE47 is the predominant congener in lower trophic levels. For marine birds and mammals accumulation ratios of BDE99 and 100 are similar to or higher than ratios of persistent PCBs.     

Metal levels in seston and marine fish flesh near industrial and metropolitan centres in South Australia.

Port Pirie is the site of the largest lead smelter in the world, depositing 250 t of zinc, and 100 t of lead annually into Spencer Gulf. Barker Inlet is adjacent to metropolitan Adelaide, and receives unknown quantities of urban and industrial discharges. Both areas are sites of major commercial and recreational fisheries, contained within delicately balanced marine wetland ecosystems, comprising large areas of mangrove and seagrass habitats. Aldrichetta forsteri and Sillago schomburgkii are major species within these fisheries and as estuarine-dependent species were chosen for this study as indicator species for the detection and monitoring of pollutant impacts in the nearshore marine ecosystems of South Australia. Seston sediment collectors were deployed at each site and analysed seasonally for the presence of cadmium, lead and copper. Flesh samples from A. forsteri and S. schomburgkii were examined seasonally for the presence of cadmium, lead and copper and the results correlated with levels found in the seston sediment at each site. Metal concentrations were also correlated with a biomarker of genotoxicity measured in the same animals (micronuclei in erythrocytes) that were reported previously. Seston levels of cadmium, lead and copper were highest at Port Pirie, followed by Barker Inlet and were lowest at Wills Creek, with cadmium undetectable at the latter site. Metals in seston varied considerably with season, with generally higher levels in winter samples. In fish flesh, metal levels followed broadly similar trends as for seston. Spearman rank correlations between metals in seston and in flesh were strongly positive. There was also a significant correlation between flesh concentrations of each metal and the frequency of micronuclei in erythrocytes. This study has shown that seston concentration of pollutant metals are high in areas of industrial activity, and that these levels are also reflected in metal content of fish flesh. Mean flesh levels of cadmium and copper did not exceed Australian health based maximum permitted levels of fish for human consumption, whereas flesh levels of lead in fish from Port Pirie and Barker Inlet exceeded these standards in each of the seasons monitored. This may represent a significant dietary source of lead in humans, especially at Port Pirie where human lead exposure from terrestrial sources is important. There may also be the potential for accumulation of metals in residents of metropolitan Adelaide whose diets are high in fish (and/or crustaceans), particularly estuarine-dependent species, such as A. forsteri and S. schomburgkii. The study also showed that a non-specific biomarker of genotoxicity (micronuclei in erythrocytes) is potentially useful as a monitoring technique in fish species to evaluate their exposure and genotoxic responses to pollutants in South Australian waters. These data represent a snapshot of the current situation in this area and may act as background levels against which future improvements or decrements in water quality may be compared.     

Significance of cytochrome P450 system responses and levels of bile fluorescent aromatic compounds in marine wildlife following oil spills

The relationships among cytochrome P450 induction in marine wildlife species, levels of fluorescent aromatic compounds (FAC) in their bile, the chemical composition of the inducing compounds, the significance of the exposure pathway, and any resulting injury, as a consequence of exposure to crude oil following a spill, are reviewed. Fish collected after oil spills often show increases in cytochrome P450 system activity, cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A) and bile fluorescent aromatic compounds (FAC), that are correlated with exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the oil. There is also some evidence for increases in bile FAC and induction of cytochrome P450 in marine birds and mammals after oil spills. However, when observed, increases in these exposure indicators are transitory and generally decrease to background levels within one year after the exposure. Laboratory studies have shown induction of cytochrome P450 systems occurs after exposure of fish to crude oil in water, sediment or food. Most of the PAH found in crude oil (dominantly 2- and 3-ring PAH) are not strong inducers of cytochrome P450. Exposure to the 4-ring chrysenes or the photooxidized products of the PAH may account for the cytochrome P450 responses in fish collected from oil-spill sites. The contribution of non-spill background PAH, particularly combustion-derived (pyrogenic) PAH, to bile FAC and cytochrome P450 system responses can be confounding and needs to be considered when evaluating oil spill effects. The ubiquity of pyrogenic PAH makes it important to fully characterize all sources of PAH, including PAH from natural resources, e.g. retene, in oil spill studies. In addition, such parameters as species, sex, age, ambient temperature and season need to be taken into account. While increases in fish bile FAC and cytochrome P450 system responses, can together, be sensitive general indicators of PAH exposure after an oil spill, there is little unequivocal evidence to suggest a linkage to higher order biological effects, e.g. toxicity, lesions, reproductive failure.     

Waste loading in shrimp and fish processing effluents: potential source of hazards to the coastal and nearshore environments

On average, only 30-40% of the global fishery production is consumed fresh and the rest 60-70% is processed for human consumption and other purposes. Although the proportion of the total fishery production that are processed remained relatively stable over the last decade, the total bulk of processed fishery commodity increased due to the steady increase in the total fishery production. Processing of large bulk of fish, shrimp and other aquatic organisms produces a corresponding large bulk of by-products and wastes. Although recent trend shows that much of these wastes are made into various value added products, considerable quantities are discharged as the processing effluents with large volume of waters used in processing. Reports suggest that fish and shrimp processing effluents are very high in biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), fat-oil-grease (FOG), pathogenic and other microflora, organic matters and nutrients, etc. Fish and shrimp processing effluents are, therefore, highly likely to produce adverse effects on the receiving coastal and marine environments. Although substantial reduction of the waste loads is possible by applying available simple techniques, this is not in practice in most part of the world due to lack of proper managerial and regulatory approach. The present paper reviews the characteristics of fish and shrimp processing effluents as a potential source of coastal and marine pollution and, using the existing data, analyzes the global production and discharge of waste loads from the processing plants and discusses available options for waste treatment and management.     

Emerging problems in the coastal zone for the twenty-first century

The continued availability of some marine resources is threatened by the increased fluxes to the oceans of identifiable and measurable collections of pollutants, which include plant nutrients, plastics, environmental oestrogens, and organisms contained in ship-ballast waters. Characteristic of these societal discards that will guide research progress are long residence times; slow accumulation rates; increasing fluxes with time; and dissemination over large areas. The resolution of these problems will require data collections over decadal time-scales. Finally, some classical and some perceived marine pollution problems, such as those involving specific metals, can now be discontinued in the face of the absence of unacceptable impacts on living organisms.     

In-situ partitioning and bioconcentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons among water,suspended particulate matter,and fish in the Dongjiang and Pearl Rivers and the Pearl River Estuary,China

The partitioning and bioaccumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water, suspended particulate matter (SPM), and fish samples from the Dongjiang River (DR), Pearl River (PR), and the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) were examined. Although PAHs are much lower in PRE than in DR or PR, PAHs in some fish species are significantly higher in PRE than in DR or PR. Aqueous or particulate PAHs respectively show significant correlations with dissolved organic carbon, particulate organic matter, and chlorophyll a, suggesting that biological pumping effect regulates their distribution. The in situ partitioning coefficients (log K_oc) for PAHs are one order magnitude higher than the empirical log K_oc–log K_ow correlation. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) is slightly higher for the marine fish than for the freshwater fish. The above phenomena indicate that BCF may vary due to the diversity of fish species, feeding habits, and metabolism of PAHs in fish.     

Concentrations of trace elements in marine fish and its risk assessment in Malaysia

Concentrations of trace elements (V, Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Ga, Se, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Cs, Ba, Hg, Tl, Pb and Bi) were determined in muscle and liver of 12 species of marine fish collected from coastal areas in Malaysia. Levels of V, Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Ga, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sn, Ba and Pb in liver were higher than those in muscle, whereas Rb and Cs concentrations showed the opposite trend. Positive correlations between concentrations in liver and muscle were observed for all the trace elements except Cu and Sn. Copper, Zn, Se, Ag, Cd, Cs and Hg concentrations in bigeye scads from the east coast of the Peninsular Malaysia were higher than those from the west, whereas V showed the opposite trend. The high concentration of V in the west coast might indicate oil contamination in the Strait of Malacca. To evaluate the health risk to Malaysian population through consumption of fish, intake rates of trace elements were estimated on the basis of the concentrations of trace elements in muscle of fish and daily fish consumption. Some specimens of the marine fish had Hg levels higher than the guideline value by US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indicating that consumption of these fish at the present rate may be hazardous to Malaysian people. To our knowledge, this is the first study on multielemental accumulation in marine fish from the Malaysian coast.     

Flame retardants (PBDEs) in marine turtles,dugongs and seafood from Queensland,Australia

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used as flame retardants in numerous products. These compounds have been found to enter the marine environment where they have the potential to bioaccumulate in biota. Limited information is currently available concerning the levels of PBDEs in Australian marine wildlife. This study presents baseline information on PBDE levels in a variety of marine species from Queensland, Australia and considers the influence of species-specific factors on contaminant levels and tissue distribution in marine turtles. Overall, the PBDE levels measured in this study are relatively low compared to marine biota from the northern hemisphere, indicating low level input into the marine system of Queensland. This is in general agreement with global estimates which suggest low PBDE usage in Australia. Previous studies, however, have found relatively high PBDE levels in Australian human milk and sera. This discrepancy in contamination trends between terrestrial and marine biota suggests that future transport of PBDEs may occur to the marine system in Australia.     

Flame retardants (PBDEs) in marine turtles, dugongs and seafood from Queensland, Australia

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used as flame retardants in numerous products. These compounds have been found to enter the marine environment where they have the potential to bioaccumulate in biota. Limited information is currently available concerning the levels of PBDEs in Australian marine wildlife. This study presents baseline information on PBDE levels in a variety of marine species from Queensland, Australia and considers the influence of species-specific factors on contaminant levels and tissue distribution in marine turtles. Overall, the PBDE levels measured in this study are relatively low compared to marine biota from the northern hemisphere, indicating low level input into the marine system of Queensland. This is in general agreement with global estimates which suggest low PBDE usage in Australia. Previous studies, however, have found relatively high PBDE levels in Australian human milk and sera. This discrepancy in contamination trends between terrestrial and marine biota suggests that future transport of PBDEs may occur to the marine system in Australia.     

Changes in the marine environment of Port Kembla Harbour, NSW, Australia, 1975-1995: a review

Data on water quality, sediment quality and aquatic organisms in Port Kembla Harbour from the 1970s to the 1990s are reviewed. In the 1970s, the marine environment of Port Kembla Harbour was in poor condition as a result of pollution from heavy industries. Elevated concentrations of pollutants were found in water, sediment and fish in the harbour; aquatic biodiversity was limited and many fish kills were reported. With the implementation of pollution reduction programs (required by legislation changes) by the industries surrounding the harbour since the 1970s, pollution in the harbour has been reduced dramatically, and the quality of the marine environment of the harbour has noticeably improved. Large reductions in the concentrations of certain toxic wastes and heavy metals in water have occurred. Marine life has returned to the whole harbour (parts were described in 1977 as abiotic). Contaminants in fish have decreased. Despite this achievement, however, there is still considerable room for improvement in the quality of the marine environment of the harbour.     

Mangrove Conservation and Coastal Management in Southeast Asia: What Impact on Fishery Resources?

This paper focuses on relationships between mangroves and coastal fish resources. A review of the literature highlights the lack of quantified relationships. We show that mangroves can be considered as a particular case of an estuarine environment, and then address the broader issue of the relationships between tropical estuaries and fishery resources. An estuarine fish community is composed of three main assemblages, respectively from continental, strictly estuarine or marine origin. The major characteristics of these assemblages are defined. On this basis we detail the different and sometimes opposite impacts of major rehabilitation actions on each assemblage. The biological approach is then widened by a critical overview of current approaches in economic valuation of mangrove-related fish resources. This provides a rational and scientific foundation for economic analysis of resources and for coastal management decisions, and allows us to define priorities for further scientific and policy research in these areas.     

Plastic ingestion by planktivorous fishes in the North Pacific Central Gyre

A significant amount of marine debris has accumulated in the North Pacific Central Gyre (NPCG). The effects on larger marine organisms have been documented through cases of entanglement and ingestion; however, little is known about the effects on lower trophic level marine organisms. This study is the first to document ingestion and quantify the amount of plastic found in the gut of common planktivorous fish in the NPCG. From February 11 to 14, 2008, 11 neuston samples were collected by manta trawl in the NPCG. Plastic from each trawl and fish stomach was counted and weighed and categorized by type, size class and color. Approximately 35% of the fish studied had ingested plastic, averaging 2.1 pieces per fish. Additional studies are needed to determine the residence time of ingested plastics and their effects on fish health and the food chain implications.     

Developing a saltmarsh classification tool for the European water framework directive

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) identifies marine angiosperms (seagrasses and saltmarshes) as one of the biological elements used to classify water body status. This paper concentrates on the saltmarsh classification tools currently under development in the UK and RoI by the Marine Plants Task Team (MPTT) of the UK Technical Advisory Group (UK TAG). Saltmarsh classification is presently focusing on habitat extent, zonation and species diversity in order to fulfil the requirements of the WFD normative definitions. One of the many issues is that the natural rates of erosion and/or accretion differ between locations - this spatial and temporal natural variation is difficult to quantify; the tools and reference conditions developed will need to take this into consideration. To accurately quantify the classification boundaries and natural variability has posed a number of challenges; possible solutions are identified in this paper. Novel future classifications may also include saltmarsh ecosystem functioning (e.g., as a marine fish nursery) which may be further developed in an integrated saltmarsh tool.