Shipping noise is a threat to marine wildlife. Grey seals are benthic foragers, and thus experience acoustic noise throughout the water column, which makes them a good model species for a case study of the potential impacts of shipping noise. We used ship track data from the Celtic Sea, seal track data and a coupled ocean-acoustic modelling system to assess the noise exposure of grey seals along their tracks. It was found that the animals experience step changes in sound levels up to ~20dB at a frequency of 125Hz, and ~10dB on average over 10–1000Hz when they dive through the thermocline, particularly during summer. Our results showed large seasonal differences in the noise level experienced by the seals. These results reveal the actual noise exposure by the animals and could help in marine spatial planning.

This research was conducted to examine variations of antioxidant enzyme activity in Phragmites australis as a biomarker for metals such as As, Pb, Cu, and Cd. Samples of sediment and plants were collected from 7 stations located in Anzali wetland. Biochemical parameters including Catalase, Peroxidase and Ascorbate Peroxidase activity were analyzed in the roots, stems and leaves of P. australis. The obtained results indicated that there were significant differences among activities of antioxidant enzymes in three organs (p<0.05). Antioxidant enzyme activities in the organs for all studied stations were as the following order: stem<leaf<root. Overall, significant positive correlations were observed among concentrations of metals in sediments and activities of antioxidant enzymes in P. australis. As a result, it can be concluded from this study that antioxidant enzymes are good biomarkers reflecting metal contamination in sediments of Anzali wetland.

The multiple-contamination of heavy metals and nutrients worsens increasingly and Ulva sp. green tide occurs almost simultaneously. To reveal the biological mechanism for outbreak of the green tide, Ulva pertusa was exposed to seven-day-multiple-contamination. The relation between pH variation (VpH), Chl a content, ratio of (Chl a content)/(Chl b content) (Rchla/chlb), SOD activity of U. pertusa (ASOD) and contamination concentration is VpH=1.72±0.38+1.68±0.72×10−4×Cammonia2 (p<0.05), Cchla=0.88±0.09−0.01±0.00×CCd (p<0.05), Rchla/chlb=0.72±0.04−0.35±0.08×10−4×CCd2 (p<0.05), and ASOD=25.64±2.35−0.41±0.09×10−2×CZn2+0.54±0.10×CZn (p<0.05), respectively. Cammonia, CCd and CZn is concentration of ammonia, Cd2+ and Zn2+, respectively. Comparing the contamination concentrations of seawaters where Ulva sp. green tide occurred and the contamination concentrations set in the present work, U. pertusa can adapt to multiple-contaminations in these waters. Thus, the adaption to multiple-contamination may be one biological mechanism for the outbreak of Ulva sp. green tide.

In La Paz Bay conspicuous macroalgal blooms of Ulva spp. are recurrent in the waterfront of the city; studies relate its growth to seasonality and nutrient enrichment but their relative influence is not known. We use the δ15N to discern amongst nitrogen sources at three sites with different substratum and anthropogenic activities. Ulva blooms were monitored monthly at San Juan de la Costa (SJC), Casa del Marino (CM) and El Tecolote (TE). Species presence varied between sites and months. At SJC Ulva displayed the highest signal of δ15N associated with fishing products and local mining wastewaters (19.5‰). CM showed isotopic values related to sewage waters (13‰). The δ15N of species at TE were the lowest. We found higher isotopic signatures than in other tropical/subtropical regions, associated with nutrient rich water masses. Ulva species can be used to trace and discern amongst different sources of nitrogen from natural or anthropogenic sources.

The ultraviolet (UV)-based advanced oxidation process (AOP) is a powerful technology commonly utilised in recent potable water reuse (PR) schemes. The AOP involves the generation of highly reactive free radicals (e.g. hydroxyl, HO•) and is primarily applied for the removal of two target trace organic chemicals—N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and 1,4-dioxane — in the PR schemes. Both of these organics are not well removed by the reverse osmosis (RO) process. NDMA is a probable carcinogen and is often present in reclaimed water at concentrations higher than the guidelines established for PR. This review aimed to provide an understanding of the current UV-based advanced oxidation technologies for NDMA removal in PR, their limitations and the future of advanced technologies for their removal. NDMA is readily photolysed by direct UV irradiation, while an AOP such as UV/H₂O₂ process is necessary for the destruction of 1,4-dioxane. Unfortunately, the generation of hydroxyl radicals through UV photolysis of H₂O₂ is largely inefficient with conversion on the order of 20% under normal plant operations and the addition of H₂O₂ (e.g. 3 mg/L) provides only a negligible improvement in NDMA destruction. However, AOP can also be achieved without continuous chemical addition through the application of UV irradiation to heterogeneous photocatalysts (e.g. TiO₂). The UV/TiO₂ process generates hydroxyl radicals and singlet oxygen molecules, both of which degrade NDMA into by-products (e.g. methylamine or dimethylamine). Recent studies revealed that modification of the surface morphology of TiO₂ can not only enhance NDMA destruction but also alter the composition of the degradation by-products.

Concentrations of heavy metals in coastal soils, stream sediments and intertidal sediments of Yueqing Bay basin were analyzed to study their distribution and trace the possible sources. According to various single- and multi-index methods, heavy metal enrichment, especially for Cu, Zn, Cr and Ni in stream sediments, should draw environmental concern. Controlling factors such as inorganic scavengers, organic matter, sample grain size and hydrodynamic conditions were identified to influence the transportation and distribution of metals within coastal soils and sediments. Principal component analysis indicated that most metals in soils and stream sediments originate primarily from natural and anthropogenic sources, respectively. Most metals in intertidal sediments, originating both from natural processes and human activities, tend to be concentrated in fine particles. The exchange of water and sediment between the bay and open waters is strong enough to keep the metals in the tidal flats from rising to very high levels.

The Estarreja Channel, Ria de Aveiro, Portugal, received industrial effluents for over 70years. Despite the discharges stopped a decade ago, a recent study showed negative ecological effects still associated with the metal and metalloid contaminated sediments. In contaminated versus reference channels, this study compared the benthic macrofauna collected with corer and mesh-bags for community structure and synthesis descriptors, namely taxa richness (S), Shannon-Wiener diversity (H′), taxonomic (AMBI and M-AMBI) and non-taxonomic (ISS) biotic indices and functional indicators (decomposition rates). The corer infauna dominated community and the associated S, H′, M-AMBI and ISS indices detected significant differences between contaminated and reference channels, otherwise undistinguished by the decomposition rates and the mesh-bags epifauna dominated community and associated indices. This suggests that sediment contamination in the deeper layers is not being transferred to the surface layers, explaining the non-affectation of the benthic macrofauna communities sampled in the leaf-bags.

A technique is proposed to treat saline hazardous wastewater by using marine activated sludge, cultivated with sea mud as seed. Since the developed marine activated sludge had phenol-tolerant microorganisms (MAS-1, MAS-2 and MAS-3) which originated from the ocean, it was envisaged that these bacteria could survive and breakdown phenol in saline environments. In this work, typical phenol-tolerant microorganisms were isolated from the marine activated sludge and identified. After a hierarchical acclimation process, the marine activated sludge was used to treat the industrial phenolic wastewater with high salinity. The marine activated sludge was able to break down phenol and other organic components effectively and efficiently in treating the wastewater with salinity of 5.7% w/v. The results showed a high removal of phenol (99%), COD (80%) and NH3-N (68%).

The characterization of inorganic elements in the produced water (PW) samples is a difficult task because of the complexity of the matrix. This work deals with a study of a methodology for dissolved Fe quantification in PW from oil industry by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) after cloud point extraction (CPE). The procedure is based on the CPE using PAN as complexing agent and Triton X-114 as surfactant. The best conditions for Fe extraction parameters were studied using a Box-Behnken design. The proposed method presented a LOQ of 0.010μgmL−1 and LOD of 0.003μgmL−1. The precision of the method was evaluated in terms of repeatability, obtaining a coefficient of variation of 2.54%. The accuracy of the method was assessed by recovery experiments of Fe spiked that presented recovery of 103.28%. The method was applied with satisfactory performance to determine Fe by FAAS in PW samples.

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW: The paper is focused on the prioritization process in noise action plans. The available indicators (noise scores) and methodologies for defining hotspots are analysed and discussed. Indicators and methodologies are classified in order to highlight their suitability for different specific aims. RECENT FINDINGS: The revised annex II of the European Directive 2002/49/EC fixed population exposure and modelling issues leading to different approaches in the prioritization process. Unfortunately, the indicators for rating areas are not commonly defined and a validated procedure is still not recognized at EU level. Furthermore, the importance of considering annoyance in the mitigation process arose, and this paper summarizes the pros and cons of their use for the purpose of prioritization process. A recent attempt to combine annoyance evaluations with limits compliance in noise score for the priority definition is presented. The paper classifies various priority indicators basing on their inclusion of compliance limits compliance, annoyance or both. Then, the methods for merging index values at dwelling for hotspot identification are classified according to their approaches, particularly between those using geometrical approaches, or needing reference administrative areas. The paper highlights the suitability of each method to specific sources, contexts and aims of the prioritization process. Merging methods resulted necessary whenever the epidemiological study is not the aim of the calculation; indeed, the mitigation measures could be planned for delimited and prioritized areas and not directly derived from building noise scores.