Abstract
The use of multidisciplinary investigations for the evaluation of aquatic ecosystems status is recommended by the European Directives, but it is still a challenging practice. In this study, we apply a quantitative weight of evidence (WOE) approach (Sediqualsoft) for the integration of extensive data obtained from different typologies of investigations, obtained over a 4-year monitoring study of dredging activities in the harbor of Leghorn (Italy). During different phases of such operations, selected sites have been characterized in terms of levels of trace metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments, bioaccumulation of contaminants, and a wide battery of biomarkers in transplanted mussels, ecotoxicological effects of sediments through a battery of bioassays (algal growth inhibition, bioluminescence inhibition, and embryotoxicity tests), and the status of benthic communities. Each typology of data, line of evidence (LOE), has been initially elaborated through dedicated logical flowcharts and algorithms providing specific hazard indices, followed by their overall integration based on different weights assigned to each LOE. This approach allowed to summarize more than 10,000 results, reaching robust conclusions on environmental impact during various phases of dredging operations. This approach was confirmed as a useful tool for monitoring the risk, supporting a “site-oriented” decision making process by providing stakeholders simple interpretation of complex data.
Highlights
Sources of anthropogenic stress have dramatically increased over the past decades, especially in terms of inputs and typologies of chemicals that reach the marine environment through a variety of pathways, i.e., accidental discharge, riverine effluents, urban sewers, and atmospheric transport (European Environment Agency, 2019)
Five areas were selected as representative of geographical sectors of the harbor differently influenced by the dredging and disposal activities (Figure 1): control site (CTL), supposed to be not impacted by the harbor activities and used as control; NB near the new confined disposal facility (CDF); OB near an old CDF; IH in the inner harbor, and focus of the dredging of sediments that were to be confined in CDF and OH outside the harbor and influenced by marine traffic
Logical flow charts (LOEs) based on expert judgment and legislative constraints provide specific hazard indices for each typology of data, including sediment chemistry (LOE-1), bioavailability of chemicals (LOE-2) and biomarkers (LOE-3) in transplanted mussels, ecotoxicological bioassays (LOE-4), and benthic communities in sediments (LOE-5); elaboration of individual line of evidence (LOE) are integrated into the final weight of evidence (WOE) assessment
Summary
Sources of anthropogenic stress have dramatically increased over the past decades, especially in terms of inputs and typologies of chemicals that reach the marine environment through a variety of pathways, i.e., accidental discharge, riverine effluents, urban sewers, and atmospheric transport (European Environment Agency, 2019). Bioaccumulation of chemicals in wild or transplanted organisms provides information on bioavailability, whereas measuring sublethal biological effects allows a sensitive early-warning sight at the molecular, cellular, and functional level, highlighting alterations and mechanisms of action prognostic for the onset of adverse effects at higher levels of biological organization (Broeg and Lehtonen, 2006; Moore et al, 2006; Regoli and Giuliani, 2014; Benedetti et al, 2015) Such integration of chemicals in abiotic matrices, their bioavailability, biomarkers, bioassays, and benthic communities have been developed in recent years through the quantitative WOE model Sediqualsoft, applied in various environmental risk assessment case-studies (Benedetti et al, 2014; Bebianno et al, 2015; Mestre et al, 2017; Lehtonen et al, 2019; Regoli et al, 2019; Morroni et al, 2020; Manfra et al, 2021). The WOE elaboration of such an extensive dataset was aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of multidisciplinary approaches and weighted criteria in the management of dredging activities, combining scientific soundness with easy interpretation of results, and choice of appropriate destination options by stakeholders
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