Marine Water Quality Research Articles

Traditional and molecular analyses for fecal indicator bacteria in non-point source subtropical recreational marine waters

The use of enterococci as the primary fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) for the determination of recreational water safety has been questioned, particularly in sub/tropical marine waters without known point sources of sewage. Alternative FIB (such as the Bacteroidales group) and alternative measurement methods (such as rapid molecular testing) have been proposed to supplement or replace current marine water quality testing methods which require culturing enterococci. Moreover, environmental parameters have also been proposed to supplement current monitoring programs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the health risks to humans from exposure to subtropical recreational marine waters with no known point source. The study reported symptoms between one set of human subjects randomly assigned to marine water exposure with intensive environmental monitoring compared with other subjects who did not have exposure. In addition, illness outcomes among the exposed bathers were compared to levels of traditional and alternative FIB (as measured by culture-based and molecular-based methods), and compared to easily measured environmental parameters. Results demonstrated an increase in self-reported gastrointestinal, respiratory and skin illnesses among bathers vs. non-bathers. Among the bathers, a dose–response relationship by logistic regression modeling was observed for skin illness, where illness was positively related to enterococci enumeration by membrane filtration (odds ratio = 1.46 [95% confidence interval = 0.97–2.21] per increasing log10 unit of enterococci exposure) and positively related to 24 h antecedent rain fall (1.04 [1.01–1.07] per increasing millimeters of rain). Acute febrile respiratory illness was inversely related to water temperature (0.74 [0.56–0.98] per increasing degree of water temperature). There were no significant dose–response relationships between report of human illness and any of the other FIB or environmental measures. Therefore, for non-point source subtropical recreational marine waters, this study suggests that humans may be at increased risk of reported illness, and that the currently recommended and investigational FIB may not track gastrointestinal illness under these conditions; the relationship between other human illness and environmental measures is less clear.

Who wants to save the Baltic Sea when the success is uncertain?

Recent research shows that the Baltic Sea has experienced an ecosystem change and is now in a degraded state with respect to water quality. Moreover, it is uncertain whether this deterioration is reversible. The purpose of the study is to analyze how people respond to this type of uncertainty when asked if they would be willing to pay something in order to make it possible to carry out an abatement program. The purpose of program is to improve the marine water quality of the Baltic Sea but the program is only successful with a certain probability. Our mixed results could have important policy implications as well as implications for future survey work as the answer to the question depends not only on the problem description but also on other variables, such as experience and current conditions.

Toxicity of Hg, Cu and Zn on early developmental stages of the European clam (Ruditapes decussatus) with potential application in marine water quality assessment

The toxicity of mercury, zinc and copper on sperm viability, fertilisation and embryogenesis of Ruditapes decussatus was examined. Cu did not affect sperm viability at all the concentrations tested. Conversely, the Zn and Hg significantly (P<0.01) reduced sperm viability only at the highest concentration (respectively 512 and 256 μg/l). Cu caused a significant decrease (p<0.05) of less than 6% in the fertilisation rate at 128 μg/l and Zn of up to 13% at 64 μg/l. Hg significantly (p<0.01) inhibited fertilisation at concentrations as low as 32 μg/l. The median effective concentrations (EC50) reducing rates of embryogenesis by 50% were 21.1 μg Hg/l (0.1 μM), 46.3 μg Cu/l (0.72 μM) and 43.4 μg Zn/l. Therefore, Hg is up to seven times more toxic than Cu (on a molar basis). Ecotoxicity of mercury on larvae survival was also assessed in this work. Result showed a significant (p<0.05) reduction of survival after exposure to 4 and 12 μg/l of Hg. The fertilisation rate and embryogenesis were the most sensitive endpoints, although the latter is more advisable for routine assessment of seawater quality because of its greater sensibility.

Results about ocean satellite observation

They have played more and more important roles in marine pollution monitoring, marine environment and marine disaster monitor and forecasting, marine resource investigation and marine scientific research. In this paper, the author will give a brief review of China's operational and scientific activities in satellites ocean observation during 2008 to 2010. These activities include the application of the HY-1B for red tide and green tide detecting and monitoring, sea ice monitoring, fishery resources assessment at coastal zone and ocean, marine water quality assessment, sea surface temperature monitoring and forecasting, ocean primary productivity and carbon cycle research, and the development in the ocean dynamic environment parameter application technology before launch of HY-2. The achievements we have made in the ocean observation and monitoring during the past 3 years indicate that, the development of the ocean satellite series and the application of the ocean satellite can greatly promote the development of China's three-dimensional marine observation system and earth-observation system from space, accordingly we can improve the ability of acquiring the marine environmental parameter to sustain the marine economy development and the sea defense construction.

Coastal Marine Pollution in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) relative to Recommended Environmental Quality Targets for the Western Indian Ocean

Pollution surveys were undertaken during 2007 and 2008 in the coastal marine environment of Dar es Salaam and the remote Ras Dege Creek. The objective was to determine the levels of microbial contamination, heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants and compare these with the recommended environmental quality targets (EQTs) for the West Indian Ocean (WIO). Levels of microbial pollution in urban coastal waters off Dar es Salaam were excessive, indicating that water within the port channel was not safe for contact recreation. Seafood from areas adjacent to Msimbazi Creek and the Ocean Road sewer outfall was unfit for human consumption. Conversely, the water quality of Ras Dege Creek was excellent for contact recreation as well as for the collection of seafood. Concentrations of heavy metals, even in the coastal marine environment off Dar es Salaam, were not significantly high compared with the recommended EQTs. Although some persistent organic pollutants exceeded the recommended EQTs in sediment and oysters along the coast of Dar es Salaam, this was not the case at Ras Dege. The lack of sufficient wastewater treatment facilities is the main cause of current levels of some pollution in the coastal marine environment off Dar es Salaam. The implementation of industrial and municipal wastewater management would greatly improve this situation. The results show that the proposed EQTs would constitute appropriate standards for coastal marine water quality in Tanzania. Keywords : Dar es Salaam, environmental quality targets, heavy metals, marine pollution, microbial pollution, persistent organic pollutants.

Evaluation of the ecological state of the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk using the DNase test system

A study of the state of the Russian coastal marine ecosystems of the Sea of Japan (the Tumen River mouth) and the Sea of Okhotsk (the eastern shelf of Sakhalin Island and the Sakhalin Gulf) and Kraternya Bight (Yankich Island, Kuril Islands) was carried out during the 29th expedition of the R/V Akademik Oparin. A highly sensitive express analysis using the DNase of the Strongylocentrotus intermedius sea urchin was utilized in order to evaluate the quality of the natural marine water of the areas experiencing different degrees of anthropogenic impact. The marine water quality was evaluated according to the degree of the DNase inhibition in the samples. The presence of ecological stress was shown at the aforementioned sites excluding Kraternya Bight. The method allows the fast (1 hour) analysis of the pollution of marine areas and, coupled with data on the hydrological, hydrochemical, and microbiological studies of water samples, provides the possibility to make an ecological forecast.

Hebei Spirit oil spill monitored on site by fluorometric detection of residual oil in coastal waters off Taean, Korea

The spatiotemporal distributions of dissolved and/or dispersed oil in seawater and pore water were monitored on site by fluorometric detection method after the Hebei Spirit oil spill. The oil concentrations in intertidal seawater, 15days after the spill, were as high as 16,600μg/L and appeared to decrease below the Korean marine water quality standard of 10μg/L at most sites 10months after the spill. Fluorometric detection of oil in pore water was introduced to eliminate the effects of grain size for the quantification of oil in sediments and to better explain spatial and temporal distribution of oil pollution at sandy beaches. The fluorescence detection method was compared with the conventional laboratory technique of total petroleum hydrocarbon analysis using gas chromatography. The method of fluorescence detection of oil was capable of generating results much faster and more cost-effectively than the traditional GC technique.

Study on the total water pollutant load allocation in the Changjiang (Yangtze River) Estuary and adjacent seawater area

With the rapid economic development, the water quality is worsening and red tide takes place frequently in the Changjiang Estuary and adjacent seawaters. To improve the marine water quality, the total inland pollutant load should be controlled effectively. With efficiency and fairness in consideration, the total maximum allowable loads of COD Mn, NH 3–N, inorganic nitrogen and active phosphate to the seawaters were calculated and allocated by the linear programming method based on the water quality response fields of the pollution sources. The maximum allowable loads are 2008 × 10 3 tons, 169 × 10 3 tons, 226 × 10 3 tons and 18 × 10 3 tons for COD Mn, NH 3–N, inorganic nitrogen and active phosphate when the water quality targets are requested to be achieved in the whole studied region, and 346 × 10 3 tons and 32 × 10 3 tons for inorganic nitrogen and active phosphate when the water quality targets to be achieved only in the red tide sensitive area. The cut task of COD Mn and NH 3–N is relatively easy and can be finished by the watershed environmental plan; while the cut task of inorganic nitrogen and active phosphate is tremendous. The coastal provinces should install more denitrification and dephosphorization facilities in the existing waste water treatment plants or build new ones to control the red tides in the concerned seawaters.

Are the defined substrate-based methods adequate to determine the microbiological quality of natural recreational waters?

Monitoring the microbiological quality of water used for recreational activities is very important to human public health. Although the sanitary quality of recreational marine waters could be evaluated by standard methods, they are time-consuming and need confirmation. For these reasons, faster and more sensitive methods, such as the defined substrate-based technology, have been developed. In the present work, we have compared the standard method of membrane filtration using Tergitol-TTC agar for total coliforms and Escherichia coli, and Slanetz and Bartley agar for enterococci, and the IDEXX defined substrate technology for these faecal pollution indicators to determine the microbiological quality of natural recreational waters. ISO 17994:2004 standard was used to compare these methods. The IDEXX for total coliforms and E. coli, Colilert, showed higher values than those obtained by the standard method. Enterolert test, for the enumeration of enterococci, showed lower values when compared with the standard method. It may be concluded that more studies to evaluate the precision and accuracy of the rapid tests are required in order to apply them for routine monitoring of marine and freshwater recreational bathing areas. The main advantages of these methods are that they are more specific, feasible and simpler than the standard methodology.

Renewable resource management with stock externalities: Coastal aquifers and submarine groundwater discharge

We model coastal groundwater management and its effects on submarine groundwater discharge, nearshore marine water quality, and marine biota. Incorporating the stock externality effects on nearshore resources increases the optimal sustainable steady-state levels of both the aquifer head and the stock of a keystone native algae species. Numerical simulations are illustrated using data from the Kuki’o region on the Island of Hawaii. Two different approaches for incorporating the nearshore resource are examined. Including algae's market value in the objective function results in only slightly lower rates of groundwater extraction. When a minimum constraint is placed on the stock of the keystone species, however, greater conservation may be indicated. The constraint also results in non-monotonic paths of water extraction, head level, and marginal opportunity cost of water in the optimal solution.

Current status of macroinvertebrate methods used for assessing the quality of European marine waters: implementing the Water Framework Directive

This contribution reviews the current status of the macroinvertebrate methodologies proposed for European coastal and transitional waters under the Water Framework Directive (WFD), showing the weaknesses and strengths of the WFD implementation process and proposing future research topics and challenges. In total, 12 different methodologies have been officially accepted by European Member States (MSs). Most of these methods are multimetric, i.e. including several metrics into an equation, others are multivariate and some others are univariate. The methodologies vary in their use of the parameters included in the WFD (e.g. disturbance-sensitive species composition, richness, diversity, density, etc.), and they are described in this contribution. The results from the intercalibration undertaken by MSs are shown, including the boundaries between the quality classes, for each European eco-region and type. Finally, four areas in which scientific agreement is needed to satisfy future macroinvertebrate quality management are identified and discussed: (i) reduction of the present bewildering array of available indices by identifying the index approaches, components and formulations that are most widely successful; (ii) establishing minimum criteria for index validation processes that demonstrate index accuracy and reliability; (iii) comparing and intercalibrating methods to achieve uniform assessment scales across geographies and habitats and (iv) integrating indices across media and ecosystem elements.

Development and application of a rapid amphipod reproduction test for sediment‐quality assessment

Melita plumulosa is an epibenthic, detritivorous amphipod native to eastern Australia that has been adopted as a test organism for toxicity evaluations of contaminated estuarine sediments. In the present study, a 13-d amphipod reproduction test was developed that encompasses gametogenesis, fertilization, and embryo development before hatching. The primary endpoints for the test are fecundity (measured as the number of embryos per individual surviving female) and a fecundity index (fecundity multiplied by the stage of embryo development). This new test has been employed to scrutinize the sediments from a metal-contaminated coastal lagoon. Lake Macquarie (NSW, Australia) is a large, saltwater lagoon that has received metal pollution over many decades, leading to a concentration gradient of trace metals, including Pb, Zn, Cd, and Cu, in the sediments. Within one of the northern bays (Warners Bay), the concentrations of these metals either border on or exceed sediment quality guideline values prescribed by Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality. In trials with the 13-d amphipod reproduction test, Warners Bay sediments significantly reduced fecundity in the test species. Subsequent tests with clean sediments spiked singly with Pb, Zn, or Cu indicated that no single metal was responsible for the observed toxicity in the field sediments. However, sediments spiked with various combinations of Pb, Zn, Cd, and Cu indicated that Zn in combination with one or more of the other metals was responsible for the reproductive toxicity observed in Warners Bay sediments. In all these tests, measured metal concentrations in overlying water and pore water were low, thus confirming that the observed effects on reproduction could be attributed to dietary exposure to metals.

Coordination between Monroe County and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS)

Preservation of marine habitats and water quality is paramount to the future economy of the Florida Keys. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) together with Monroe County have coordinated their actions to protect benthic habitats, improve water quality in the Sanctuary, and implement stormwater and wastewater infrastructure. Cooperation between the Sanctuary and Monroe County has resulted in the creation of No-Discharge Zones and public works projects both of which have succeeded in reducing pollutants into Sanctuary waters. Efforts to improve communication between the Sanctuary and County should still be made in order for improvements in water quality to be realized.

Toxicity of dissolved Cu, Zn, Ni and Cd to developing embryos of the blue mussel ( Mytilus trossolus) and the protective effect of dissolved organic carbon

Marine water quality criteria for metals are largely driven by the extremely sensitive embryo–larval toxicity of Mytilus sp. Here we assess the toxicity of four dissolved metals (Cu, Zn, Ni, Cd) in the mussel Mytilus trossolus, at various salinity levels while also examining the modifying effects of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on metal toxicity. In 48 h embryo development tests in natural seawater, measured EC50 values were 6.9–9.6 μg L − 1 (95% C.I. = 5.5–10.8 μg L − 1 ) for Cu, 99 μg L − 1 (86–101) for Zn, 150 μg L − 1 (73–156) for Ni, and 502 μg L − 1 (364–847) for Cd. A salinity threshold of > 20 ppt (~ 60% full strength seawater) was required for normal control development. Salinity in the 60–100% range did not alter Cu toxicity. Experimental addition of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from three sources reduced Cu toxicity; for example the EC50 of embryos developing in seawater with 20 mg C L − 1 was 39 μg Cu L − 1 (35.2–47.2) a 4-fold increase in Cu EC50. The protective effects of DOC were influenced by their distinct physicochemical properties. Protection appears to be related to higher fulvic acid and lower humic acid content as operationally defined by fluorescence spectroscopy. The fact that DOC from freshwater sources provides protection against Cu toxicity in seawater suggests that extrapolation from freshwater toxicity testing may be possible for saltwater criteria development, including development of a saltwater Biotic Ligand Model for prediction of Cu toxicity.

Valuing multi-attribute marine water quality

Abstract The marine environment provides many goods and services that depend on the quality of coastal waters. In this paper, we represent water quality by three different attributes, coastal cod stock level, bathing water quality, and biodiversity level, and carry out a choice experiment among residents on the Swedish west coast to estimate the economic benefits of improved coastal water quality. We find that respondents have high levels of environmental concern and that substantial values are at stake. The highest values were placed on preventing further depletion of marine biodiversity and to improve Swedish cod stocks.

A common-pool resource approach for water quality management: An Australian case study

Water is perhaps one of the most studied types of common-pool resource (CPR) goods. Its quality, however, has not been discussed as much in the CPR literature as its quantity. We examine the significance of studying water quality from a CPR perspective, and then analyze implications for the formulation of institutional arrangements to improve water quality. We illustrate with a case study in South East Queensland, Australia. This involves a rural catchment (watershed) that contributes high sediment and some nutrient loads to the Brisbane River, where it affects urban water quality and visual amenity, water treatment costs, and dredging costs at the port. The pollutants then threaten marine water quality and habitat values for threatened species in Moreton Bay, a marine protected area. We analyze the potential for a CPR understanding to enhance the design and financing of a water quality management regime. Rather than seeking to supplant conceptualizations of externalities as a basis for design of policy instruments, we propose arrangements that combine the CPR and externality concepts to offer a powerful logic and financial basis for collective management. Market-based instruments could facilitate downstream populations to help pay for catchment restoration in return for enjoyment of improved water quality resulting from strengthened ecosystem services, while associated non-market-based instruments could help all parties understand and expand their roles under a common-pool management regime. We argue that recognition of CPR attributes provides a logic for cooperation and co-investment between stakeholders who are in a position to affect, or are affected by, water quality in different parts of a large river system.

Luminescent bacteria as indicators of marine water quality: Preliminary results from the Campania coastal waters

This study reports preliminary results on the concentration of marine heterotrophic bacteria (Apparent Bacterial Concentration, ABC), and their luminous fraction (Apparent Luminous Bacterial Concentration, ALBC), here expressed as percentage of luminous bacteria (LB%), in coastal waters along the Campania shoreline. The results show that the Campania coastal area includes sectors characterised by different levels of water quality, following a geographical gradient from north to south. LB% appears related to inputs of pollution, showing low values in contaminated areas (<4%), and higher values in unimpacted waters (8–38%). In most cases, low values of this parameter were associated with high concentrations of faecal coliforms, suggesting that the LB% index is particularly sensitive to organic pollution. The pattern of water quality as estimated by LB% is in a strong agreement with previous results obtained by applying, in the same areas, other kinds of approaches, such as trophic indexes and algal bioassays. However, the main limit of LB% is that it should be used in the frame of a site-dependent approach: it cannot be used to identify absolute conditions of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ water quality, but just to highlight the extent of the ‘deviation from integrity’ characterizing each site in relation to the whole study area.

Persistent organochlorine residues in estuarine and marine sediments from Ha Long Bay, Hai Phong Bay, and Ba Lat Estuary, Vietnam

To assess the organochlorine contamination in the northeast coastal environment of Vietnam, a total of 41 surface sediments were collected from Ha Long Bay, Hai Phong Bay, and Ba Lat estuary, and analyzed for their organochlorine content. Organochlorine compounds (OCs) were widely distributed in the Vietnamese coastal environment. Among the OCs measured, DDT compounds predominated with concentrations ranging from 0.31 to 274 ng g −1. The overall contamination level of DDTs in coastal sediments from northern Vietnam is comparable with those from other Asian countries. However, concentrations exceeding 100 ng g −1 are comparable with high concentrations reported from India and China, the largest DDT consumers in the world. The overall concentrations of PCBs, HCHs, and chlordanes in surface sediments were in the ranges of 0.04–18.71 ng g −1, not detected (n.d.) – 1.00 ng g −1, and n.d. – 0.75 ng g −1, respectively. Ha Long Bay and Hai Phong Bay were relatively more contaminated with DDTs and PCBs than other regions, respectively. In contrast, the distribution of HCHs was relatively homogeneous. OCs contamination in the coastal environment of Vietnam is closely related to shipping and industrial activities. The levels of DDT compounds in harbors and industrial areas exceeded their sediment quality guideline values suggested by Environment Canada [CCME (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment), 2002. Canadian sediment quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life. In: Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines. Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, Winnipeg, MB] and Australian and New Zealand [ANZECC and ARMCANZ, 2000. National water quality management strategy. Paper No. 4, Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality, vol. 1, The Guidelines. Australia. Document: http://www.deh.gov.au/water/quality/nwqms/volume1.html], indicating that adverse effects may occur to marine species in that areas.

A structured ecosystem-scale approach to marine water quality management

Activities and developments in the coastal zone, and in adjacent catchments, pose an increasing threat to the sustainability of the natural and socio-economic goods and services supplied by marine ecosystems. Governing authorities have had to develop new policies to promote environmentally responsible and sustainable development practices, either through legislation and/or incentive mechanisms. These, in turn, created the need for holistic and integrated frameworks within which to design and implement environmental management programmes. A structured ecosystem-scale approach for the design and implementation of marine water quality management programmes developed by the CSIR (South Africa) in response to recent advances in policies and legislation pertaining to sustainable utilisation of Southern Africa's marine environment is discussed. The framework provides an integrated scientific base within which to set, for example, wastewater emission targets, taking into account ecosystem process complexity. It also aims to support and stimulate local stakeholder empowerment and involvement. Water SA Vol.32 (4) 2006: pp.535-542

A summary of total mercury concentrations in flora and fauna near common contaminant sources in the Gulf of Mexico

Total mercury concentrations are summarized for environmental media and biota collected from near-coastal areas, several impacted by contaminant sources common to the Gulf of Mexico. Water, sediment, fish, blue crabs, oysters, clams, mussels, periphyton and seagrasses were collected during 1993–2002 from targeted areas affected by point and non-point source contaminants. Mean concentrations in water and sediment were 0.02 (±1 standard deviation = 0.06) μg l −1 and 96.3 (230.8) ng g −1 dry wt, respectively. Mean total mercury concentrations in fish, blue crabs, brackish clams and mussels were significantly greater than those in sediment, seagrass, colonized periphyton and oysters. Concentrations (ng g −1 dry wt) averaged 23.1 (two seagrass species), 220.1 (oysters), 287.8 (colonized periphyton), 604.0 (four species of freshwater mussels), 772.4 (brackish clam), 857.9 (blue crabs) and 933.1 (nine fish species). Spatial, intraspecific and interspecific variability in results limited most generalizations concerning the relative mercury contributions of different stressor types. However, concentrations were significantly greater for some biota collected from areas receiving wastewater discharges and golf course runoff (fish), agricultural runoff (oysters) and urban stormwater runoff (colonized periphyton and sediment). Marine water quality criteria and proposed sediment quality guidelines were exceeded in 1–12% of total samples. At least one seafood consumption guideline, criteria or screening value were exceeded in edible tissues of blue crabs (6% total samples) and nine fish species (8–33% total samples) but all residues were less than the US Federal Drug Administration action limit of 1.0 ppm and the few reported toxic effect concentrations available for the targeted biota.