We examined the geographic extent of petroleum hydrocarbon contamination in sediment, seawater, biota, and seafood during/after the BP/Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (April 20–July 15, 2010; 28.736667°N, −88.386944°W). TPH, PAHs, and 12 compound classes were examined, particularly C1-benzo(a)anthracenes/chrysenes, C-2-/C-4-phenanthrenes/anthracenes, and C3-naphthalenes. Sediment TPH, PAHs, and all classes peaked near Pensacola, Florida, and Galveston, Texas. Seawater TPH peaked off Pensacola; all of the above classes peaked off the Mississippi River, Louisiana and Galveston. Biota TPH and PAHs peaked near the Mississippi River; C-3 napthalenes peaked near the spill site. Seafood TPH peaked near the spill site, with PAHs and all classes peaking near Pensacola. We recommend that oil concentrations continued to be monitored in these media well after the spill has ceased to assist in defining re-opening dates for fisheries; closures should be maintained until hydrocarbon levels are deemed within appropriate limits.

The environmental impact of elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) levels has become of more interest in recent years. This, in relation to globally rising CO2 levels and related considerations of geological CO2 storage as a mitigating measure. In the present study effect data from literature were collected in order to conduct a marine ecological risk assessment of elevated CO2 levels, using a Species Sensitivity Distribution (SSD). It became evident that information currently available from the literature is mostly insufficient for such a quantitative approach. Most studies focus on effects of expected future CO2 levels, testing only one or two elevated concentrations. A full dose-response relationship, a uniform measure of exposure, and standardized test protocols are essential for conducting a proper quantitative risk assessment of elevated CO2 levels. Improvements are proposed to make future tests more valuable and usable for quantitative risk assessment.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been gaining much visibility in environmental chemical studies due to their similarity to PCBs and growing reports of harmful effects. The fact that these contaminants have not yet undergone bans or restrictions on the global level underscores the need for data on their occurrence. In the present study, fat samples from 26 White-chinned Petrels (Procellaria aequinoctialis) and 3 Spectacled Petrels (P. conspicillata) collected dead ashore or as bycatch of longline fisheries in southern Brazil were analyzed to determine concentrations of seven congeners (IUPAC #28, 47, 99, 100, 153, 154 and 183). Concentrations of ΣPBDEs ranged from not detectable to 72.70ngg−1 (wet weight), comparatively lower than concentrations reported for seabird samples in northern hemisphere. The most detected congeners were 153, 154 and 183. This pattern is close to that previously reported for birds of the same group, but not those from the same region.

PCB production reduced or stopped in most countries in the late 1970s. According to the Stockholm Convention all the party countries have to list their PCB containing equipment and prepare national inventories. A national implementation plan was prepared in Turkey however, this plan is inadequate. Furthermore, there has not been any information prepared about stationary emission sources, contributing to atmospheric PCB inputs so far. It is aimed in this study to meet this deficit. This study will also help to make stronger comments on identifying sources of atmospheric PCB concentrations. PCB emission factors were utilized to determine the emissions. An average of 920 kg yr–1 of PCB emission is estimated in this study within the borders of Turkey. Highest contribution occurs in Kocaeli located on the North–West of the country by 47% of the overall emissions. Secondary most pollutant site is determined to be Aliaga on the west of the country. Both of this regions are heavily, industrialized and several different industrial processes are present. Iron–steel manufacturing and copper smelting processes comprises the 94% of the PCB releases from stationary sources. A simple box model was applied at two hot spots to determine potential contribution of the estimated emissions to atmospheric concentrations. In Dilovasi, the average contribution from industrial sources was determined as 244 pg m–3 while the average contribution for Aliaga was calculated as 126 pg m–3 within a 50 km x 50 km grid.

This paper presents a simulated marine oil spill bioremediation experiment using a bacterial consortium amended with rhamnolipids. The role of rhamnolipids in enhancing hydrocarbon biodegradation was evaluated via GC–FID and GC–MS analysis. Rhamnolipids enhanced total oil biodegradation efficiency by 5.63%, with variation in normal alkanes, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and biomakers biodegradation. The hydrocarbons biodegradation by bacteria consortium overall follows a decreasing order of PAHs>n-alkanes>biomarkers, while in different order of PAHs>biomarkers>n-alkanes when rhamnolipids was used, and the improvement in the removal efficiency by rhamnolipids follows another order of biomarkers>n-alkanes>PAHs. Rhamnolipids played a negative role in degradation of those hydrocarbons with relatively volatile property, such as n-alkanes with short chains, PAHs and sesquiterpenes with simple structure. As to the long chain normal alkanes and PAHs and biomakers with complex structure, the biosurfactant played a positive role in these hydrocarbons biodegradation.

Sediment from land use increases water turbidity and threatens the health of inshore coral reefs. This study performed experiments with a damselfish, Pomacentrus moluccensis, in four sediment treatments, control (0mgl−1), 10mgl−1(∼1.7NTU), 20mgl−1(∼3.3NTU) and 30mgl−1 (∼5NTU), to determine when sediment triggers a change in habitat use and movement. We reviewed the literature to assess how frequently P. moluccensis would experience sub-optimal sediment conditions on the reef. Preference for live coral declined from 49.4% to 23.3% and movement between habitats declined from 2.1 to 0.4times between 20mgl−1 and 30mgl−1, suggesting a sediment threshold for behavioral changes. Inshore areas of the Great Barrier Reef, P. moluccensis may encounter sub-optimal conditions between 8% and 53% of the time. Changes in these vital processes may have long-term effects on the persistence of populations, particularly as habitat loss on coral reefs increases.

The influence of different concentrations (10–2000μM) of heavy metals (Cu, Mn, Ni, Zn) was analysed in Atriplex halimus and Salicornia ramosissima germination pattern and seedling size. They are two halophyte species that grow in the Estuary of Huelva (Southwest Iberian Peninsula, Spain), one of the most heavy metal-polluted environments in the world.All of the metals tested affected the final germination percentage in A. halimus and only Ni reduced germination in S. ramosissima. The germination rate was unaffected in both species.The study of seedling development shows that S. ramosissima, an intertidal annual species, has a higher tolerance of metals than A. halimus, a bush that inhabits the upper part of the marshes.Taking into account the metal concentrations in the estuary and the effects of these on the seedling development of the species analysed, we conclude that metals might limit plant colonisation in some parts of the marshes.

Underwater visual census was used to determine the effect of a three dimensional seismic survey on the shallow water coral reef slope associated fish community at Scott Reef. A census of the fish community was conducted on six locations at Scott Reef both before and after the survey. The census included small site attached demersal species belonging to the family Pomacentridae and larger roving demersal species belonging to the non-Pomacentridae families. These data were combined with a decade of historical data to assess the impact of the seismic survey. Taking into account spatial, temporal, spatio-temporal and observer variability, modelling showed no significant effect of the seismic survey on the overall abundance or species richness of Pomacentridae or non-Pomacentridae. The six most abundant species were also analysed individually. In all cases no detectable effect of the seismic survey was found on the abundance of these fish species at Scott Reef.