Use of the clam Asaphis deflorata as a potential indicator of organochlorine bioaccumulation in Hong Kong coastal sediments

In order to test its ability as a bioaccumulator, the deposit feeding clam Asaphis deflorata, collected from a clean coastal area in Hong Kong (Ding Chau, Ma On Shan), was exposed to field-collected sediments representing a gradient of contamination. Sediments were collected from four sites, namely Shek O in the southeast of Hong Kong Island, Ap Lei Chau in Aberdeen district, Tai Kok Tsui in the Mong Kok waterfront, and To Kwa Wan near Kowloon City pier. Shek O was the cleanest and To Kwa Wan was the most polluted site. Replicate 30 L fiberglass tanks containing equal numbers of organisms were maintained for 28 days, with equal quantities of sediment and filtered seawater. Prior to this the animals were depurated for 10 days in clean sediment. During the 28-day holding period, sampling of both sediment and clams was performed on days 0, 10 and 28, along with condition index measurements. Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and PCBs in sediments showed that Shek O was the cleanest of the sites, followed by Ap Lei Chau, Tai Kok Tsui and To Kwa Wan. There were marked differences among the sites, especially in PAH concentrations, with To Kwa Wan showing extremely high sediment concentrations.Following exposure, the biota concentrations of various organochlorine pesticides and PCBs suggested that there was sediment concentration-dependent accumulation by A. deflorata on day 10 of the experiment. However, there was no significant increase on day 28 for any of the compounds tested. Contaminant concentrations in clams feeding on Shek O sediments were minimal and almost the same on all sampling days, indicating the presence of only baseline contaminant concentrations. The condition indices (CI) of the clams on various sampling days showed that the animals were relatively more stable in sediment from Shek O. There were some deaths in all the test tanks (including those containing Shek O sediments). In addition, clams appeared to bury faster in the cleaner Shek O sediment and remained buried, unlike those in the sediment from the other locations, where some remained predominantly on the surface. Nevertheless, despite not completely burying, the clams in other test sediments still exhibited sediment concentration-dependent tissue accumulation. The results of the investigation indicate the possibility of developing a standard test protocol for bioaccumulation by sediment dwelling invertebrates, for practical use in Hong Kong, using A. deflorata.     

Evaluations of heavy metal pollution in sediment and Mullus barbatus from the Izmir Bay (Eastern Aegean) during 1997-2009

Izmir Bay is one of the great natural bays of the Mediterranean. The surface sediment and fish samples were collected during 1997-2009. The sediment concentrations of inner bay showed significant enrichments during sampling periods. Outer and middle bays exhibited low levels of metal enrichments except the estuary of Gediz River. The concentrations were generally higher than the background levels from the Mediterranean and Aegean except Cd and Pb levels gradually decreased. Metal EF is used as an index to evaluate anthropogenic influences of metals in sediments. Maximum metal enrichment was found for Hg in the outer bay, while Pb indicated maximum enrichment in the middle-inner bays. Metal levels were evaluated in sediments in accordance with the numerical SQG of the USEPA. The levels of fish tissues were lower than the results reported from polluted areas of the Mediterranean. The highest BAFs were detected for Hg and Cd in fish.     

Effects of trophic ecology and habitat use on maternal transfer of contaminants in four species of young of the year lamniform sharks

Organic contaminant and total mercury concentrations were compared in four species of lamniform sharks over several age classes to examine bioaccumulation patterns and gain insights into trophic ecology. Contaminants found in young of the year (YOY) sharks were assumed to be derived from maternal sources and used as a proxy to investigate factors that influence maternal offloading processes. YOY white (Carcharodon carcharias) and mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) sharks had comparable and significantly higher concentrations of PCBs, DDTs, pesticides, and mercury than YOY thresher (Alopias vulpinus) or salmon (Lamna ditropis) sharks. A significant positive relationship was found between YOY contaminant loads and maternal trophic position, suggesting that trophic ecology is one factor that plays an important role in maternal offloading. Differences in organic contaminant signatures and contaminant concentration magnitudes among species corroborated what is known about species habitat use and may be used to provide insights into the feeding ecology of these animals.     

Review on Researches of Legacy POPs and Emerging POPs in the Arctic Regions

The specific geographic location and natural conditions of the Arctic region play a significant role in the global climate change. As a result of perennial low temperature, simple ecological structure, and fragile ecosystem and weak stability in the Arctic, Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) accumulating from the region of middle and low latitudes may cause tremendous pressure in the arctic ecological environment. Therefore, the research of POPs in the Arctic region is not only conducive to more in-depth understanding of POPs distribution and transformation process in the global range, but to reasonably assess the harm of human activities on the arctic ecological environment. Thus, in the past 40 years, especially after nine new kinds of emerging organic contaminants being added to the list of Stockholm Convention in 2009, more and more scientific community and general public have pay attention to the research of POPs in the Arctic region. At present, the understanding of legacy POPs in the Arctic is limited, and the research of emerging POPs is in the initial stage. This paper aimed to summarize some conclusions and implications of the research, and focused on the occurrence level, historical evolution, bioaccumulation and source of POPs in atmosphere, waters, sediments and organisms in the Arctic region. Finally, the future changes and key scientific problems of POPs in the Arctic region were proposed.     

Bioavailability of heavy metals bound to sediments affected by a mining spill using Solea senegalensis and Scrobicularia plana

After the Aznalcóllar mining spill (April, 1998) different ecosystems along the Guadiamar river and the Guadalquivir estuary were impacted by high concentrations of metals. The concentration of metals Zn, Cd, Pb, Cu and As has been detected as a good tracer of the pathway of the toxic spill. Different individuals of the fish Solea senegalensis and the clam Scrobicularia plana were exposed to contaminated sediments after the accidental spill in the south-west Spain. The induction of metallothioneins in fish and the bioaccumulation of metals in clams were determined in different tissues to determine the biological adverse effect associated with the heavy metals from the spill. A relationship between the enrichment of metals in the tissues and the induction of metallothioneins was determined for those assays performed using contaminated sediments. The bioaccumulation of metals indicates that the risk associated with the spill should be continuously evaluated to establish the sublethal effects related to the accident.     

硒碲胁迫对两种螺旋藻生长的影响

研究了硒(Na2SeO 3)和碲(Na2TeO 3)胁迫对钝顶螺旋藻(Spirulinaplatensis)和极大螺旋藻(Spirulinamaximum)生长的影响。结果表明 ,两种藻对硒、碲表现出不同的耐性。对于S.platensis,CSe≤200mg/L促进生长 ,CTe<100mg/L影响不大 ,CTe≥100mg/L抑制生长 ,CSe≥800mg/L或CTe=400mg/L藻死亡 ;而对于S.maximum ,CSe=25mg/L时促进生长 ,CTe≤25mg/L无影响 ,CTe≥50mg/L明显抑制生长 ,CSe≥800mg/L或CTe≥600mg/L则死亡。而在培养周期内分次添加硒、碲 ,当累计达到CSe(CTe)=800mg/L,两种藻仍能正常生长。表明硒、碲添加方式不同 ,产生明显不同的效应。     

Application of Dispersive Liquid–Liquid Microextraction Based on Solidification of Floating Organic Droplet Multi‐residue Method for the Simultaneous Determination of Polychlorinated Biphenyls,Organochlorine, and Pyrethroid Pesticides in Aqueous Sample

Dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction based on solidification of floating organic droplet (DLLME‐SFO) technique was successfully applied for simultaneous assay of eight polychlorinated biphenyls, two organochlorine, and four pyrethroid pesticides multi‐residue in aqueous samples by using GC‐electron capture detection. The effects of various parameters such as kind of extractant and dispersant and volume of them, extraction time, effect of salt addition, and pH were optimized. As a result, 5.0 µL 1‐dodecanol was chosen as extraction solvent, 600 µL methanol were used as dispersive solvent without salt addition, pH was adjusted to 7. Under the optimized conditions, the limits of detection (LOD) were ranged from 1.4 to 8.3 ng L^?1. Satisfactory linear range was observed from 5.0 to 2000 ng L^?1 with correlation coefficient better than 0.9909. Good precisions were also acquired with RSD better than 13.6% for all target analytes. The enrichment factors of the method were ranged from 786 to 1427. The method can be successfully applied to simultaneous separation and determination of three class residues in real water samples and good recoveries were obtained ranging from 76 to 130, 73 to 129, and 78 to 130% for tap water, lake water, and industrial waste water, respectively.     

Accumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) associated with bottom sediments in larvae of Chironomus riparius Meigen

Patterns of bioaccumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by chironomid larvae (Chironomus riparius Meigen) were studied under laboratory conditions. Larvae were maintained for 20 days, separately in two batches of natural bottom sediments sampled from Rybinsk Reservoir (Russia), each differing in PCB content (425.6 μg / kg or 24.8 μg / kg dry weight, respectively). The study revealed that chironomid larvae accumulated PCBs at levels comparable to the PCB content measured in sediments from each exposure. The bioaccumulation coefficient (1.11 and 1.59, respectively, as per dry weight for compared sediment batches) depended directly on the sum PCB content in sediments. At high sediment PCB content, the ratios of homologous groups of PCBs in larvae and sediment were identical and corresponded to the Aroclor 1254 congeners profile; at lower PCB content, pronounced differences were revealed. In larvae, the ratios of 3, 4, 5, and 6CB homologues were evenly distributed at levels of 20–34 %, while the 4CB homologues prevailed (47 %) in sediments. The content of the latter compounds in larvae was lower than in sediments, and higher for the other homologous groups. The study indicates selective bioaccumulation of various homologous groups of PCBs under conditions of low sediment PCB content.     

Estimates of PAHs burdens in a population of ampeliscid amphipods at the head of the Mississippi Canyon (N. Gulf of Mexico)

The bioaccumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by a dense population of ampeliscid amphipods (12,094±2499 ind m⁻²) in the head of the Mississippi Canyon at a depth of 480 m is examined and compared with estimation for amphipods from a shallow-water location, the Houston Ship Channel. The distribution of individual PAHs in sediments varies from the distribution in the organisms both in deep and shallow water, suggesting preferential uptake/depuration or uptake from pore or bottom waters. The average bioaccumulation factor (4.36±2.55) and the biota sediment accumulation factor (0.24±0.13) of total PAHs by the ampeliscid amphipods at the canyon's head are within the range reported for other benthic invertebrates. The average bioaccumulation factors are highest for dibenzothiophenes (up to 132 for C1-dibenzothiophenes) and alkylated PAHs and lowest for parent high molecular weight PAHs (HPAHs). Shallow-water amphipods are similar to deep-water amphipods in showing high preference to bioaccumulate alkylated PAHs and low preference to bioaccumulate parent HPAHs.     

Removal and bioaccumulation of anthropogenic, halogenated transient tracers in an anoxic fjord

The persistence of the anthropogenic halogenated tracers, CFC-11 (CCl₃F), CFC-12 (CCl₂F₂), CFC-113 (CCl₂FCClF₂), carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) and methyl chloroform (CH₃CCl₃) in oxygen-depleted waters was investigated in the anoxic fjord Framvaren in southern Norway. A model for the ventilation of the water in the fjord was created based on tritium and CFC-12 profiles. The results suggest that CFC-12 is stable in this environment, although still affected by particulate scavenging, while the other four halocarbon species shows signs of significant removal in the oxic/anoxic interface. The first-order removal coefficients were calculated to be 0.35, 0.19, 1.23 and 0.31 year⁻¹ for CFC-11, CFC-113, CCl₄ and CH₃CCl₃, respectively. Significant downward flux of halogenated tracers by sinking organic matter is suggested by the model; the tracers are subsequently released to the water column by the remineralisation of the particles. This process acts as a sink of halogenated tracers in the surface waters, whereas it is a source for the deep waters. Our results points to bioaccumulation factors (BF) for the CFC tracers in the order of 4.4–5.4 (log BF), which is 100–600 times those previously reported. This might be of significance to near-shore, semi-enclosed, basins with a high flux of organic matter, but would still have little importance in open ocean basins.