In this study, the accumulation of metals, including Al, Fe, Zn, V, Ni, Cu, Cr, Cd, Co, As, and Pb, in sediments of Anzali wetland in the southwest region of the Caspian Sea was investigated. For this purpose, the sediments were collected from 17 sampling sites in Anzali wetland, Caspian Sea. The samples were then analyzed using inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Pearson correlation coefficient showed significant and positive correlation between concentration of all metals (except As and Cd). Furthermore, the results implied that Al and Fe are probably responsible for the transportation of heavy metals into the sediments of Anzali wetland. According to mean effects range-median quotient (mean ERM quotient), the sediments from Anzali wetland had a 21% probability of toxicity.

This paper presents a model of oil weathering and transport in sea ice. It contains a model formulation and scenario simulation to test the proposed model. The model formulation is based on state-of-the-art models for individual weathering and transport processes. The approach incorporates the dependency of weathering and transport processes on each other, as well as their simultaneous occurrence after an oil spill in sea ice. The model is calibrated with available experimental data. The experimental data and model prediction show close agreement. A sensitivity analysis is conducted to determine the most sensitive parameters in the model. The model is useful for contingency planning of a potential oil spill in sea ice. It is suitable for coupling with a level IV fugacity model, to estimate the concentration and persistence of hydrocarbons in air, ice, water and sediments for risk assessment purposes.

The Commerson's dolphin is the most common endemic odontocete of subantarctic waters of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina incidentally caught in fishing nets. The species is classified as “Data Deficient” by the IUCN. Metallothioneins (MTs) are considered as suitable biomarkers for health and environmental monitoring. The aims of the study were to assess MT concentrations in the liver and kidney of bycaught specimens. Moreover, correlations with Zn, Se, Cd, Ag and Hg, and the molar ratios of MT:metals were estimated to evaluate if there is an indication of their respective protective role against metal toxicity in tissues. Hepatic and renal MT concentrations were similar, ranging from 11.6 to 29.1nmol·g−1 WW, and Kidney/Liver ratios ranging from 0.73 to 1.93 corresponded to normal ranges. Results suggest that MTs are related to physiological ranges for the species. This information constitutes the first MT report on Commerson's dolphins and possibly considered as baseline for species' conservation.

As part of risk assessment of fuel oil spills in Antarctic and subantarctic waters, this study describes partitioning of hydrocarbons from three fuels (Special Antarctic Blend diesel, SAB; marine gas oil, MGO; and intermediate grade fuel oil, IFO 180) into seawater at 0 and 5°C and subsequent depletion over 7days. Initial total hydrocarbon content (THC) of water accommodated fraction (WAF) in seawater was highest for SAB. Rates of THC loss and proportions in equivalent carbon number fractions differed between fuels and over time. THC was most persistent in IFO 180 WAFs and most rapidly depleted in MGO WAF, with depletion for SAB WAF strongly affected by temperature. Concentration and composition remained proportionate in dilution series over time. This study significantly enhances our understanding of fuel behaviour in Antarctic and subantarctic waters, enabling improved predictions for estimates of sensitivities of marine organisms to toxic contaminants from fuels in the region.

To evaluate the effects of diffuse contamination, biological measurements were applied in a scrap cargo harbour, a marina and an industrial area. Metal accumulation and biomarkers (survival in air, digestive gland and gonad histopathology, lysosomal membrane stability, intralysosomal metal accumulation, transcription of vitellogenin and MT20, peroxisome proliferation and micronuclei formation) were measured in transplanted mussels, together with metrics of benthic invertebrates. Benthic species were classified into ecological groups and univariate indexes were calculated. The marina showed high richness (16) and percentage of opportunistic species (55.1%) and low metal accumulation. Mussels in the scrap cargo harbour showed high metal accumulation, up-regulation of MT20 transcription, reduced health status (LP<6min) and increased micronuclei frequencies (up to 11.3‰). At the industrial area, low species richness (4) and badly organised assemblages were detected and chemical analyses indicated significant amounts of bioavailable metals. Overall, selected biological measurements showed potential for the assessment of diffuse contamination.

This work addresses the impact of mesoscale circulations on 210Pb concentrations in southwestern Iberian Peninsula by analysing the 210Pb database at El Arenosillo station during 2004–2011 (128 periods with a time scale of 48 h).The analysis of surface winds during each one of these periods has revealed the positive impact of the two sea-land breeze patterns (pure and non-pure), previously identified in this region, on 210Pb activity concentrations. An average value of 0.80 ± 0.09 mBq m−3 was obtained for the pure pattern (34 periods), 0.54 ± 0.09 mBq m−3 for the non-pure pattern (23 periods) and 0.46 ± 0.04 mBq m−3 for the rest (71 periods).The analysis of one representative period of each sea-land breeze patterns is also presented. To perform this analysis we have used: hourly surface wind observations, surface wind fields simulated by the WRF mesoscale model and the hourly database of sub-micron-particle size range in the accumulation mode (NACC). The use of this type of particles to investigate the hourly temporal variability of 210Pb is based on the high correlation, obtained in the present work, between 210Pb activity and particles in the accumulation mode (R = 0.90).The analysis reveals that the highest concentrations of NACC, and hence, 210Pb, are obtained when the sampling area is under the influence of the pure breeze, due to it favours the accumulation of particles previously transported by Mediterranean flows along the Guadalquivir valley. In the case of the non-pure pattern, the increase in the concentration of particles is related to the arrival of background synoptic winds from the continental areas of western Iberian Peninsula. In the latest, the increment of NACC is faster and around 400 particles cm−3, while in the case of the pure pattern, it is progressive up to 1400 particles cm−3.

Urban area plays an important role in global carbon cycle, yet few efforts have been made to investigate CO2 concentration and its spatial heterogeneity in cities. Using Shanghai, the commercial and financial center of mainland China, as a case study, this paper explored the spatial pattern and determinants of near-surface urban CO2 concentration during spring. A total number of 173 sample points were collected covering the whole urban area, to examine the atmospheric CO2 concentration across various land use types (transportation, commercial, agricultural, recreational, institutional, residential and industrial land use) and urbanization gradients (heavy, moderately heavy, medium, moderately low, and low urbanization). CO2 concentrations were measured at a height of 2 m above the ground during 9:00–11:00 am in April and May 2014. The results indicated that CO2 concentration for the region was 409.4 ± 20.8 parts per million (ppm), showing significant spatial heterogeneity. The daytime ambient CO2 concentration varied across land use types (p < 0.05), with the highest and lowest value appeared in transportation area (420.5 ± 33.3 ppm) and agricultural land (398.9 ± 16.2 ppm). Across the urban gradients of Shanghai, a significant decrease of CO2 concentration was observed as the distance from urban core increased. With the influence of both high residential density and activities in production, the highest CO2 concentration occurred in moderate urbanization area (423.9 ± 29.3 ppm), rather than the high urbanization area (417.2 ± 17.5 ppm). Further analysis indicated that the percent of impervious surface cover (ISA) was an important indicator to describe near surface CO2 concentration with a positive correlation, and the percent of vegetation coverage (Veg) had lower explanatory power with a negative correlation. When buffer distance of spatial scale was 2000 m, atmospheric CO2 concentration showed the highest correlation with impervious surface and vegetation coverage.

The objective of this study was to assess the environmental conditions of a heavily polluted marine habitat using descriptors of fish parasites. Epinephelus coioides from Jakarta Bay as well as off Jakarta Bay was studied for metazoan parasites. Based on 70 fish and considering previous studies (230 fish), an environmental indicator system was designed. Including the recent study, a total of 51 parasite species have been recorded for E. coioides in Indonesian waters. Seven of them combined with five parasitological indices are useful descriptors for the environmental status of marine ecosystems. The results are visualized in a star graph. A significant different parasite infection between nine analyzed localities demonstrates the negative influence of the megacity Jakarta onto the coastal environment. We herewith complete a parasite based indicator system for Indonesian coastal waters, and suggest that it can be used in other marine habitats as well as for further epinephelids.

Persistent organic pollutants were assessed in fat samples of the Gentoo (Pygoscelis papua), Chinstrap (Pygoscelis antarcticus) and Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae) penguins collected during the austral summers of 2005/06 and 2006/07 in Admiralty Bay, King George Island, Antarctica. The predominant organic pollutants were PCB (114 to 1115), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (60.1 to 238.7), HCB (<0.3 to 132.2) and BDE-47 (<1.0 to 10.7) in ng g−1 wet weight. The mean concentrations of the majority of organic pollutants were similar among the three species of penguins. Chicks of all three species showed similar profiles of PCB congeners, with predominance of lower chlorinated compounds. The distribution of PAHs was similar in all birds, with a predominance of naphthalene and alkyl-naphthalene, which are the main constituents of arctic diesel fuel. These data contribute to the monitoring of the continued exposure to organic pollutants in the Antarctic biota.

Many recreational beaches suffer from elevated levels of microorganisms, resulting in beach advisories and closures due to lack of compliance with Environmental Protection Agency guidelines. We conducted the first statewide beach water quality assessment by analyzing decadal records of fecal indicator bacteria (enterococci and fecal coliform) levels at 262 Florida beaches. The objectives were to depict synoptic patterns of beach water quality exceedance along the entire Florida shoreline and to evaluate their relationships with wave condition and geographic location. Percent exceedances based on enterococci and fecal coliform were negatively correlated with both long-term mean wave energy and beach slope. Also, Gulf of Mexico beaches exceeded the thresholds significantly more than Atlantic Ocean ones, perhaps partially due to the lower wave energy. A possible linkage between wave energy level and water quality is beach sand, a pervasive nonpoint source that tends to harbor more bacteria in the low-wave-energy environment.