Pollution In Marine Ecosystems Research Articles

Accumulation and tissue distribution of heavy metals and essential elements in loggerhead turtles ( Caretta caretta) from Spanish Mediterranean coastline of Murcia

Sea turtles are of increasing interest as potential bioindicators of the heavy metal pollution in marine ecosystems. In the present work, concentrations of heavy metals and essential elements (As, Cd, Hg, Pb, Se, Zn) in different organs and tissues (liver, kidney, muscle, bone, blood, central nervous system and skin) of loggerhead sea turtles ( Caretta caretta) were determined from stranded animals found along the Spanish Mediterranean coastlines of Murcia. Relatively high average levels of As (skin: 52.13 μg g −1 dry weight; muscle: 40.95 μg g −1 dry weight), and especially high individual levels of Zn in muscle tissue (1002.4 μg g −1 dry weight) were detected. Furthermore, a significant degree of organotrophism of Cd was observed in kidney tissue. The concentrations detected, the distribution among the tissues and the differences observed between juvenile and adult specimens are generally compatible with chronic exposure to the elements studied, whilst levels produced by acute exposure were ruled out.

Development and application of a real-time quantitative PCR assay for determining expression of benzo-a- pyrene-inducible cytochrome P450 1A in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

Cytochrome P4501A’s (CYP1A) constitute a ubiquitous family of proteins associated with the detoxification of organic compounds such as PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl), PAH (polyaromatic hydrocarbons) and dioxin. These compounds are documented to induce the CYP1A gene in a variety of tissues of many fish species. Consequently, changes in CYP1A gene expression have been used as a biomarker for contaminant exposure in fish populations using a variety of techniques. Of all of these methods, quantitative PCR appears to be the most sensitive. It has been used to assess impact of environmental pollution in marine ecosystems using different fish models. Subsequently, for measuring benzo-a-pyrene (BaP) induction of CYP1A mRNA in different organs of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), ribosomal protein large P0-like protein (RPLP0-like protein) and
-actin genes as internal controls were selected based on previous studies to assess their expression variability. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) analysis of liver, intestine, gills and kidney revealed a distinct induced expression in liver and intestine (127.1 and 79.3 in liver, 26 and 56.1 in intestine using RPLP0 and
-actin genes respectively as internal controls) with no detectable expression in the other organs studied.

The influence of breeding colony and sex on mercury, selenium and lead levels and carbon and nitrogen stable isotope signatures in summer and winter feathers of Calonectris shearwaters

Contamination in marine foodwebs is nowadays of great environmental concern owing to the increasing levels of pollution in marine ecosystems from different anthropogenic sources. Seabirds can be used as indicators of regional contaminant patterns across large temporal and spatial scales. We analysed Hg, Se and Pb levels as well as stable isotope ratios of C(13C/12C, delta13C) and N(15N/14N, delta15N) in breeding- and winter-season feathers on males and females of two related shearwater species, providing information on spatiotemporal patterns of contaminants as well as the influence of the trophic ecology of these seabirds on contaminant levels. During the breeding season, Se and Pb concentrations were highest at the Cape Verde archipelago, showing no differences among the other colonies or between the sexes. However, Hg levels varied among colonies, being highest in the Mediterranean, probably resulting from the larger emissions and fallout of this pollutant in Europe. Feathers grown during breeding also showed sexual differences in Hg concentrations and delta13C. Differences in Hg concentration between sexes are mainly due to egg-laying decontamination in females. In contrast, differences in Hg among colonies are probably related to differences in trophic ecology, as indicated by delta13C and delta15N measurements. Contaminant concentrations in winter-grown feathers did not show any relationship with stable isotope values but were affected by contaminant loads associated with the breeding season. These findings suggest that the interpretation of contaminant levels of migratory species from feathers moulted out of the breeding season should be made with caution because those values could reflect exposures to contaminants acquired during the breeding season. We conclude that factors other than feeding ecology may play an important role in the interpretation of contaminant levels and their annual dynamics at several spatial scales. Consideration of the relevant temporal context provided by isotopic signatures and contaminant concentrations is important in deciphering contaminant information based on various tissues.

The BEEP Stavanger Workshop: Mesocosm exposures

Within the BEEP project (Biological Effects of Environmental Pollution in Marine Ecosystems) the Work Package 1 was addressed to the development of new and more sensitive biomarkers of exposure in several sentinel organisms. Within this framework, common mesocosm exposures of organic pollutants relevant for marine ecosystems were conducted in the facilities of Akvamiljø a/s (Stavanger, Norway). In the first experiment, Atlantic cod ( Gadus morhua), turbot ( Scophthalmus maximus) and shore crab ( Carcinus maenas) were exposed to nonylphenol, North Sea crude oil and a combination of crude oil and alkylated phenols. Mussels ( Mytilus edulis) were exposed to North Sea crude oil and a combination of crude oil, alkylated phenols and PAHs. In the second experiment, Atlantic cod, turbot, mussel and spider crab ( Hyas araneus) were exposed to the plasticizers bisphenol A and diallyl phatalate and the brominated flame retardant BDE-47. The main purpose of the present study was to provide the 30 participating Institutes with samples which had been exposed to defined contaminant concentrations in a controlled laboratory exposure for 3 weeks. This paper describes the mesocosm experimental design, the transplantation and treatment of the organisms, and the contaminant exposures.

An overview of the BEEP Stavanger workshop

Within the three-year European Research Project BEEP (Biological Effects of Environmental Pollution in marine ecosystems), a workshop was carried out at the facility of Akvamiljø a.s. with the scientific support of IRIS (International Research Institute of Stavanger) researchers. Validation of newly developed biomarkers, especially at the molecular level, was the core part of the activity. Two large scale mesocosm exposures were done and samples shared between the participants (about 30 Institute), allowing an integrated approach for studying the effects of several pollutants selected as environmentally important issues (i.e. PAHs, alkyl phenols, bisphenol A, diallyl phthalate and polybrominated diphenyl ether). In addition, a field study (Visne, Norway) has been performed for the validations of biomarkers under environmental conditions. The Stavanger workshop demonstrates the importance of collaboration between researchers to establish common ways to proceed in biomarker analysis. The common exposures encourage a joint strategy for planning biomonitoring activity. A clarification in this direction is needed to coordinate results from numerous studies about the environmental impact of pollutants which are currently carried out all over Europe and around the world. Expertise in various disciplines is required to plan and perform a successful monitoring activity and to study/predict the effect of environmental pollutants. Biologists, chemists, statisticians and environmental researchers should always be included. The Stavanger workshop also indicated the importance of developing multivariate statistical methods to enable interpretation of complex data sets. It is of interest to develop statistical tools which can integrate the results from a battery of biomarkers in order to obtain a more complete picture of environmental impact.

The fate of organic xenobiotics in aquatic ecosystems: quantitative and qualitative differences in biotransformation by invertebrates and fish

Biotransformation of natural and man-made foreign compounds (xenobiotics) proceeds via introduction of a functional group (phase I metabolism) and subsequent attachment of a polar moiety to the group (phase II metabolism). The biotransformation fate of xenobiotics depends on the activities, complement and inducibility of the biotransformation enzymes. Previous analysis of the dependence of in vivo rates of biotransformation on tissue parent compound concentration for marine invertebrates revealed that hydrocarbons are metabolised more slowly than xenobiotics already containing functional groups, and crustaceans metabolise both types of xenobiotics faster than molluscs (Livingstone D.R., Persistent pollutants in marine ecosystems, pp. 3–34, Pergamon, Oxford). Use of the same approach showed that fish metabolise pentachlorophenol (PCP) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) faster than certain aquatic invertebrates, viz. rates of biotransformation to total metabolites (pmol min −1 g −1 wet wt.) at a tissue parent compound concentration of 10 nmol g −1 were, respectively, 19.2±3.7 ( Carassius auratus) and 4.8±6.6 (molluscan species) (PCP), and 19.1±6.3 (fish species) and 2.1±0.2 (crustacean species) (BaP). The higher rate of biotransformation of BaP in fish is consistent with higher levels of total cytochrome P450 and inducible cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A) activity. The similar rate of metabolism of a hydrocarbon (BaP) (requires initial metabolism by cytochrome P450) and a functional group compound (PCP) by fish may also be due to the high levels of cytochrome P450, compared with the situation in invertebrates where rate-limiting cytochrome P450 may be responsible for the lower rates of hydrocarbon compared with functional group compound metabolism.

Mussels and algae as bioindicators for long-term tendencies of element pollution in marine ecosystems

Results of more than ten years of experience in the determination of metals in mussels and algae collected in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea are presented. The various elements determined here are Hg, As, Se, Cd, Pb, Cu, Na, K, S, P, Zn, Mn, Fe, Sr, Ca, Ba, Mg, Tl, Ni, Co using techniques such as cold vapor AAS, INAA, hydride generation AAS, electrothermal AAS, ICP-AES, IDMS and stripping voltammetry. The results indicate the occurrence of three groups of elements with respect to long-term tendencies of their concentrations. In the first group, the concentrations in both mussels and algae varied in the same manner; in the second group no change was observed in either matrix while in the third group, the concentrations of elements changed in an opposite manner.

Persistant Pollutants in Marine Ecosystems Hrsg.: C. H. Walker, D. R. Livingstone SETAC Special Publications Series, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1992, ISBN 0‐08‐041874‐0, 272 S., £ 45,—

Acta hydrochimica et hydrobiologicaVolume 22, Issue 1 p. 39-39 Buchbesprechung Persistant Pollutants in Marine Ecosystems Hrsg.: C. H. Walker, D. R. Livingstone SETAC Special Publications Series, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1992, ISBN 0-08-041874-0, 272 S., £ 45,— K.-R. Sperling, HamburgSearch for more papers by this author K.-R. Sperling, HamburgSearch for more papers by this author First published: February 1994 https://doi.org/10.1002/aheh.19940220116AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume22, Issue1February 1994Pages 39-39 RelatedInformation

Review of The Atlantic salmon: natural history, exploitation, and future management, by W. M. Shearer; Persistent pollutants in marine ecosystems, by Colin H. Walker and David L. Livingstone and Aquaculture and the environment, by T. V. R. Pillay.

Review of The Atlantic salmon: natural history, exploitation, and future management, by W. M. Shearer; Persistent pollutants in marine ecosystems, by Colin H. Walker and David L. Livingstone and Aquaculture and the environment, by T. V. R. Pillay.

Measuring the Economic Damages Associated with Terrestrial Pollution of Marine Ecosystems

This paper looks at the problem of modelling the welfare consequences of the effects of environmental changes on the bioeconomic equilibrium of fisheries. The equilibrium catch equation is suggested as the most appropriate mechanism for modelling these effects. Several different models are presented, based on the availability of data. It is shown that a model in which the equilibrium catch function is estimated directly as a function of environmental quality will be superior to a model which takes the stock effects from an independent ecosystem model. Models are also suggested for those cases in which only proxies for stock levels are available, and for those cases in which no stock data are available.

Correlations between lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, and iron concentrations in frozen tuna fish.

The presence of metallic pollutants in marine ecosystems has promoted wide research plans in order to evaluate pollution levels in marine organisms. However, little is known concerning environmental and physiological processes that regulate the concentration of trace metals in marine organisms. Even though the toxicity of lead and cadmium is well established, copper, zinc and iron are considered as essential elements for mammals. Little is known about heavy metals, other than mercury, concentrations in fresh and frozen tuna fish. Fifty samples obtained at the entrance of a canning factory in Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands), were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results were treated by applying the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences compiled and linked in the software of a Digital VAX/VMS 11/780 computer.

Monitoring bio-available marine contaminants with mussels (Mytilus edulis L) in the Netherlands

After discussing the usefulness of mussels (e.g. Mytilus edulis) for investigating contamination in the marine environment, four cases are presented: (1) A survey of Cu bioavailability in and around the Eastern Scheldt during one winter (1974-1975); (2) A surveillance with a six years interval (1974; 1980) of the bioavailability of Zn along the Dutch North Sea coast. (3) A monitoring programme over the period 1972-1980 showing the decrease in bioavailable Hg in the water column of the Ems-Dollard estuary after decreased emissions at Delfzijl. (4) Retrospective monitoring of two PCB's, as a background for the effectiveness of legal restrictions to PCB use. These four cases are considered a first step in understanding the effects of pollutants in marine ecosystems. In depth physiological, histological and biochemical studies could lay the basis for improved routine biological effect monitoring.

Environmental Generation and Degradation of Dibenzodioxins and Dibenzofurans

Research ArticleOpen AccessEnvironmental generation and degradation of dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans. D G Crosby, K W Moilanen, and A S Wong D G Crosby Search for more papers by this author , K W Moilanen Search for more papers by this author , and A S Wong Search for more papers by this author Published:1 September 1973https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.7305259Cited by:21AboutSectionsPDF ToolsDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InReddit FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited by Cutler S (2013) From the Rainforest to Your Grocery Store and Medicine Cabinet: 50 Years of Natural Products Research Pest Management with Natural Products, 10.1021/bk-2013-1141.ch002, (5-16), Online publication date: 1-Jan-2013. Mino Y, Moriyama Y and Nakatake Y (2004) Degradation of 2,7-dichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin by Fe3+–H2O2 mixed reagent, Chemosphere, 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2004.06.023, 57:5, (365-372), Online publication date: 1-Nov-2004. 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