Abstract
Contamination status of coastal areas of Finland (northern Baltic Sea) markedly affected by anthropogenic activities (harbours, shipyards and maritime activity, industry, municipal and agricultural inputs, legacy contamination) was assessed for the first time using the weight of evidence (WOE) approach. The key element of the study was the caging (transplantation) of Baltic mussels (Mytilus trossulus) for the measurement of tissue accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and applying a suite of biomarkers of biological effects of contaminants. Additional variables included in the assessment were trace metals in seawater, macrozoobenthos, near-bottom oxygen levels and eutrophication indicators. The chemical parameters were supported by passive sampling of PAHs and organotins at the study sites. The integrated approach combining all the line of evidence (LOE) variables into the WOE showed separation of some sites as more affected by hazardous substances than others, with the most contaminated areas found around harbour and ship yard areas. The contaminant levels measured in the different matrices were not alarmingly high at none of the areas compared to many other areas within or outside the Baltic Sea under more heavy anthropogenic impact, rarely exceeding any given threshold values for Good Environmental Status of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. However, significant biological effects were recorded in mussels in the most contaminated sites, signifying that the combined effects caused by the contaminants and other environmental factors are disturbing the health of marine organisms in the area. The results of this successful combined application based on the mussel transplantation method and the WOE approach are highly encouraging for further trials in developing the monitoring of chemical contamination in the Baltic Sea.
Highlights
Mussels belonging to the genus Mytilus are globally used bioindicator organisms in marine pollution monitoring
By applying the caging approach, i.e., transplantation of bioindicator organisms, it is possible to expose them in sites of interest along a pollution gradient or hot spots; this approach has been successfully undertaken in various sea areas (e.g., Andral et al, 2004, 2011; Regoli et al, 2004; Smolders et al, 2004; Damiens et al, 2007; Tsangaris et al, 2010; Serafim et al, 2011; Marigómez et al, 2013; Lekube et al, 2014; Moschino et al, 2016), and in the Baltic Sea (Rank et al, 2007; Dabrowska et al, 2013; Turja et al, 2013, 2014, 2015; Lehtonen et al, 2016)
The cages were deployed for ca. two months and the mussels were examined for selected biomarker responses [antioxidative defense system (ADS), biotransformation, and neurotoxicity], and for the accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and organotin compounds
Summary
Mussels belonging to the genus Mytilus are globally used bioindicator organisms in marine pollution monitoring (see e.g., recent reviews by Beyer et al, 2017; Krishnakumar et al, 2018, and references within). By applying the caging approach, i.e., transplantation of bioindicator organisms, it is possible to expose them in sites of interest along a pollution gradient or hot spots; this approach has been successfully undertaken in various sea areas (e.g., Andral et al, 2004, 2011; Regoli et al, 2004; Smolders et al, 2004; Damiens et al, 2007; Tsangaris et al, 2010; Serafim et al, 2011; Marigómez et al, 2013; Lekube et al, 2014; Moschino et al, 2016), and in the Baltic Sea (Rank et al, 2007; Dabrowska et al, 2013; Turja et al, 2013, 2014, 2015; Lehtonen et al, 2016). A morphometric body condition index (CI) was determined as a background parameter for the nutritional status of the mussels
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