The levels of Hg, Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu and Zn were measured in the tissues of four edible fish species namely: Diplodus annularis, Pagellus erythrinus, Merluccius merluccius and Mullus barbatus, collected from the Turkish Coast of the Aegean Sea. Except for D. annularis, the levels of Cd and Pb in all fish tissues sampled in Aliaga Bay in 2009 were above the tolerable limits according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Hg in P. erythrinus and M. barbatus were higher than the maximum permitted limits (FAO), while D. annularis and M. merluccius were lower than the limit for biota in the district of Aliaga. Although the Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) values for Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr, Zn in all fish samples were lower than 1.0, the THQ for Hg levels were higher than 1.0 for most of the samples. According to the THQ values, M. merluccius may be consumed in moderation from Aliaga Bay, while the consumption of M. barbatus and P. erythrinus collected from Aliaga Bay are potentially hazardous to human health due to the Hg concentrations. Fish collected from Izmir Bay can be consumed safely.

Factors influencing the diurnal atmospheric concentrations and soil-air exchange of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were investigated at an e-waste recycling site in China during winter and summer. Total PBDE concentrations in winter and summer were 11.0–42.4 and 120–431 pg/m3 in the gaseous phase and 13.3–234 and 69.0–208 pg/m3 in the particulate phase, respectively. Total PBDE concentrations in the e-waste contaminated and nearby soils were 869 and 611 ng/g in winter and 2130 and 31 ng/g in summer, respectively. Concentrations in the gaseous phase were significantly higher in summer than in winter, but concentrations in the particle phase were comparable between winter and summer. Because of the influence of occasional accidental inputs, no apparent diurnal variations were found for PBDEs in either the particle or gaseous phase. Both temperatures and local emissions affected air concentrations of PBDEs in this area. The estimated directions of soil-air exchange of PBDEs suggest that the e-waste contaminated soil generally acted as a secondary source of several low brominated PBDEs, while the nearby soil acted as a secondary source of BDE28. The diurnal variation of atmospheric concentrations of PBDEs is not strong enough to alter the soil-air exchange direction.

With anthropogenic changes, the structure and quantity of nitrogen nutrients have changed in coastal ocean, which has dramatically influenced the water quality. Water quality modeling can contribute to the necessary scientific grounding of coastal management. In this paper, some of the dynamic functions and parameters of nitrogen were calibrated based on coastal field experiments covering the dynamic nitrogen processes in Jiaozhou Bay (JZB), including phytoplankton growth, respiration, and mortality; particulate nitrogen degradation; and dissolved organic nitrogen remineralization. The results of the field experiments and box model simulations showed good agreement (RSD=20%±2% and SI=0.77±0.04). A three-dimensional water quality model of nitrogen (3DWQMN) in JZB was improved and the dynamic parameters were updated according to field experiments. The 3DWQMN was validated based on observed data from 2012 to 2013, with good agreement (RSD=27±4%, SI=0.68±0.06, and K=0.48±0.04), which testifies to the model's credibility.

The aim of the present study is to optimize the slow release biostimulant ball (BSB) for bioremediation of contaminated coastal sediment using response surface methodology (RSM). Metals contamination and stabilization of metals in coastal sediments using BSB were investigated. The effects of BSB size (1–5cm), distance (1–10cm), and time (1–4months) on the stabilization of metals including Fe, Cd, Cu, and Pb were determined. The maximum stabilization percentages of Fe, Cd, Cu, and Pb, of 64.5%, 54.9%, 63.8%, and 47.6%, respectively, were observed at a 3cm ball size, 5.5cm distance, and a period of 4months; these values are the optimum conditions for effective treatment of contaminated coastal sediment. The determination coefficient of the R2 value suggests that >91.55%, 89.97%, 96.10%, and 86.40% of the variance is attributable to the variables of Fe, Cd, Cu, and Pb, respectively.

Long and short term effects of activated sewage sludge input on live benthic foraminiferal assemblages of the shallow shelf off Palmachim, Israel were examined at three stations along the eutrophic gradient. Over ten years from 2003 to 2012, foraminiferal abundance decreased dramatically by >50% in all stations. In 2012, new species were found near the discharge point, relative abundance of the dominant species decreased and in-sediment depth increased. In the remote stations the dominant species failed to bloom seasonally. Each year, dispersion of sludge was accompanied by intense current activity, aeration, and periodic local sediment transport, reintroducing species from nearby. Storm frequency was notably high in 2012. The decrease in numbers over time despite seasonal amelioration indicates that the constant OM input is a permanent source of environmental stress. Aside from this stress, natural variability, changes in Nile input, or a hidden impact of long-term climate change may play a role.

Trichodesmium is a bloom-forming, diazotrophic, non-heterocystous cyanobacteria widely distributed in the warmer oceans, and their bloom is considered a ‘biological indication’ of stratification and nitrogen limitation in the ocean surface layer. In the first part of this paper, based on the retrospective analyses of the ocean surface mesoscale features associated with 59 Trichodesmium bloom incidences recorded in the past, 32 from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, and 27 from the rest of the world, we have showed that warm-core features have an inducing effect on bloom formation. In the second part, we have considered the environmental preferences of Trichodesmium bloom based on laboratory and field studies across the globe, and proposed a view about how warm-core features could provide an inducing pre-requisite condition for the bloom formation in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Proposed that the subsurface waters of warm-core features maintain more likely chances for the conducive nutrient and light conditions required for the triggering of the blooms.

The evaluation on island ecological vulnerability (IEV) can help reveal the comprehensive characteristics of the island ecosystem and provide reference for controlling human activities on islands. An IEV evaluation model which reflects the land–sea dual features, natural and anthropogenic attributes, and spatial heterogeneity of the island ecosystem was established, and the southern islands of Miaodao Archipelago in North China were taken as the study area. The IEV, its spatial heterogeneity, and its sensitivities to the evaluation elements were analyzed. Results indicated that the IEV was in status of mild vulnerability in the archipelago scale, and population pressure, ecosystem productivity, environmental quality, landscape pattern, and economic development were the sensitive elements. The IEV showed significant spatial heterogeneities both in land and surrounding waters sub-ecosystems. Construction scale control, optimization of development allocation, improvement of exploitation methods, and reasonable ecological construction are important measures to control the IEV.

Mand River is one of four permanent rivers flowing into the Persian Gulf. Intense industrial activities have significantly impacted its watershed and estuary. In order to evaluate metal contamination and their provenance nine sediment samples were taken from the Mand Delta. Enrichment factors were employed to detect anthropogenic contributions to levels of metal pollution. We also calculated weathering indices in order to identify the source of the metals, related to geological units. Pollution levels were assessed using the modified degree of contamination. Geological units, oil combustion, aerosols and industrial activities are the main factors controlling the abundance of Cr, As, Ni and Pb. Wave action, coastal currents, grain-size parameters, mineralogy, bio-accommodation and organic matter are the factors affecting the distribution and concentration of metals in the study area. More studies are needed to evaluate the impact of metal pollution on the fisheries industry and public health.

This paper presents a high-resolution operational forecast system for providing support to oil spill response in Belfast Lough. The system comprises an operational oceanographic module coupled to an oil spill forecast module that is integrated in a user-friendly web application. The oceanographic module is based on Delft3D model which uses daily boundary conditions and meteorological forcing obtained from COPERNICUS and from the UK Meteorological Office. Downscaled currents and meteorological forecasts are used to provide short-term oil spill fate and trajectory predictions at local scales. Both components of the system are calibrated and validated with observational data, including ADCP data, sea level, temperature and salinity measurements and drifting buoys released in the study area. The transport model is calibrated using a novel methodology to obtain the model coefficients that optimize the numerical simulations. The results obtained show the good performance of the system and its capability for oil spill forecast.

Wetlands play a crucial role in modulating atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). The key factors controlling GHG emission from subtropical estuarine wetlands were investigated in this study, which continuously monitored the uptake/emission of GHGs (CO2, CH4, and N2O) by/from a subtropical estuarine wetland located in the Minjiang estuary in the coastal region of southeastern China. A self-designed floating chamber was used to collect air samples on-site at three environmental habitats (Phragmites australis marsh, mudflats, and river water). The CO2, CH4, and N2O concentrations were then measured using an automated nondispersive infrared analyzer. The magnitudes of the CO2 and N2O emission fluxes at the three habitats were ordered as river water>P. australis>mudflats. P. australis emitted GHGs through photosynthesis and respiration processes. Emissions of CH4 from P. australis and the mudflats were revealed to be slightly higher than those from the river water. The total GHG emission fluxes at the three environmental habitats were quite similar (4.68–4.78gm−2h−1). However, when the total carbon dioxide equivalent fluxes (CO2-e) were considered, the river water was discovered to emit the most CO2-e compared with P. australis and the mudflats. Based on its potential to increase global warming, N2O was the main contributor to the total GHG emission, with that emitted from the river water being the most considerable. Tidal water carried onto the marsh had its own GHG content and thus has acted as a source or sink of GHGs. However, water quality had a large effect on GHG emissions from the river water whereas the tidal water height did not. Both high salinity and large amounts of sulfates in the wetlands explicitly inhibited the activity of CH4-producing bacteria, particularly at nighttime.