The amount and accumulation rate of plastic debris at 20 sites along the Georgia coast were prepared using data reported by a number of volunteer organizations. The amount of plastic debris at highly visited barrier island beaches and estuarine marshes ranged from 300 to >1000kg. Relatively large amount of plastics (180–500kg) were found on less visited barrier island beaches, i.e. Blackbeard, Ossabaw and Cumberland Islands. A follow up monthly or quarterly collection study was carried out on two of the sites, a barrier beach and estuarine marsh, to determine accumulation rate in 8000m2 areas. Accumulation rates ranged from 0.18 to 1.28kg/30days–8000m2 on the barrier island beach and from 0.6 to 1.61kg/30days–8000m2 at the estuarine marsh site. The major type of plastics, e.g. bottles, food wrappers, plastic fragments, was highly variable at different seasons and sites. The authors recommend consideration of a standardization in reporting plastic debris, with respect to quantitation of debris and sample area.

This study establishes regional background levels and upper thresholds (geochemical baseline) for Zn, Cu, Pb, Cr, Mn, and Fe from surface samples and profiles taken in 16 sedimentary environments of the Parnaíba River Delta estuary, NE–Brazil. Three approaches were applied to evaluate metal contamination: normalization to Fe, statistical analysis and sediment quality guidelines or environmental assessment criteria (TEL–PEL). Metal concentrations in sediments ranged from 2.4 to 31mgZnkg−1, 1.5 to 48mgCukg−1, 1.3 to 28mgPbkg−1, 1.5 to 38mgCrkg−1; 145 to 1,356mgMnkg−1, and 0.3% to 2.5% for Fe. All metals showed positive correlations with the <0.63μm sediment fraction, indicating a significant association with rich lithogenic sources of iron oxide–hydroxides. Results suggest a low probability of adverse effects to the local aquatic biota. The background values of the area were lower than those reported for other areas of the northeastern coast of Brazil.

King George Island, situated in the South Shetland Islands archipelago, is one of the most visited sites in Antarctica. This has contributed to a high density of scientific stations and shelters in the region, especially in Fildes Peninsula. In order to evaluate the natural and anthropogenic sources of trace elements (As, Cd, Cu, Zn, Pb and Hg) soil and moss samples were collected from different sites in January 2013. In general, the results revealed homogeneous concentrations (μgg−1) for each element in the majority of collected samples (As: 3.8±1.4; Cd: 0.4±0.9; Cu: 34±4; Zn: 115±13; Pb: 20±5; Hg; 0.011±0.009). However, some samples in specific areas of Fildes Bay showed the existence of local anthropogenic activities that have contributed to the enrichment of contaminants in soils and moss samples that correlated to one another (e.g. Pb: 1101μgg−1).Human presence is linked to examples of contamination and environmental perturbation, making essential the implementation of this type of study in order to understand and protect unique places in Antarctica.

The 2011 oil spill in the Bohai Sea was the largest spill event in China. Nine sediment cores were taken near the spill site and environmental factors including Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAHs), oils, sulfides, organic carbon were measured 6months later. Benthic foraminifera were separated into >150μm (large) and 63–150μm (small) size fractions for 2-cm depth interval of each sediment core. Statistical analyses suggested that the species composition of living foraminifera was impacted by oils, PAHs and sulfides. Large foraminifera were more sensitive to the oils than the small. Abnormal specimens were positively correlated with oils or PAHs. Small forms, however, tended to have high reproduction and mortality. Pollution-resistant and opportunistic taxa were identified to calculate a Foraminiferal Index of Environmental Impacts (FIEI). The FIEI increased from low to high oil-polluted station and from deep layer to surface sediment reflects the impact of oil pollution in this area.

Over the past decade, development along the northern coast of Jamaica has accelerated, resulting in elevated levels of sedimentation on adjacent reefs. To understand the effects of this development on sponge community dynamics, we conducted surveys at three locations with varying degrees of adjacent coastal development to quantify species richness, abundance and diversity at two depths (8–10m and 15–18m). Sediment accumulation rate, total suspended solids and other water quality parameters were also quantified. The sponge community at the location with the least coastal development and anthropogenic influence was often significantly different from the other two locations, and exhibited higher sponge abundance, richness, and diversity. Sponge community composition and size distribution were statistically different among locations. This study provides correlative evidence that coastal development affects aspects of sponge community ecology, although the precise mechanisms are still unclear.

Tripoli harbour is among the most important ports on the Mediterranean Sea eastern basin. The persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were monitored (28 PCBs, 16 PAHs and 18 Me-PAHs) in 15 stations of Tripoli harbour basins, which are influenced by anthropogenic activities. Total PAHs concentrations ranged from 243 to 2965μgkg−1dw, total Me-PAH concentrations ranged from 54 to 1638μgkg−1dw, while total PCB levels ranged from 18 to 302μgkg−1dw. PCBs profiles were dominated by four and six-chlorinated congeners while the PAHs were dominated by four and five rings. For identifying pollution emission sources of PAHs, different ratios were used. The results show that the pollution origin was predominated by pyrogenic process related to the deposition of coal dust and the combustion of biomass and coal. Based on Sediments Quality Guidelines the biological adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems were expected rarely to occasionally for PAHs and PCBs contamination.

A total of 24 stranded or bycatch cetaceans, including Balaenoptera omurai, Lagenodelphis hosei, Kogia sima, Stenella attenuata, Grampus griseus, Neophocaena phocaenoides, and Sousa chinensis, were collected from 2001 to 2011 in Taiwan. Using the muscular δ13C and δ15N data, three ecological groups were identified as the oceanic baleen whale, the neritic, and the coastal toothed whale groups, coinciding with their taxonomy, feeding habits and geographical distribution. A horizontal inshore to offshore distribution was found for the sympatric neritic toothed dolphins, G. griseus, K. sima, S. attenuata, and L. hosei in the outermost offshore waters, accompanying their growth. For the first time we identify Taiwan’s Chinese white dolphin, S. chinensis, as an exclusive fish eater. Cd and As bioaccumulated in the G. griseus, L. hosei and S. attenuata increase as they grow. Prey-derived As- and Cd-induced health threats were found in L. hosei, and G. griseus.

The increasing presence of plastic pollution in marine ecosystems has become a major concern. In the environment, plastics break down into smaller and smaller pieces of microplastics. Methods of microplastic recovery are needed to reduce the dangers they can pose to a variety of organisms. An elutriation device was manufactured and optimized to achieve maximum microplastic recovery. The parameters flow rate and diameter of elutriation column were varied and their domain of variation was determined. A composite factorial experimental design was generated using MODDE 10.1 and was undergone. The optimal values of flow rate and column diameter were determined to be 385Lh−1 and 5.06cm respectively, under constraints, to achieve a maximum feasible microplastics recovery percentage of 50.2%. The elutriation process can be improved through further testing, and can be tested in the field to compare its efficiency to that of manual microplastics filtration.

The formation of acid mine drainage (AMD), a highly acidic and metal-rich solution, is the biggest environmental concern associated with coal and mineral mining. Once produced, AMD can severely impact the surrounding ecosystem due to its acidity, metal toxicity, sedimentation and other deleterious properties. Hence, implementations of effective post-mining management practices are necessary to control AMD pollution. Due to the existence of a number of federal and state regulations, it is necessary for private and government agencies to come up with various AMD treatment and/or control technologies. This review describes some of the widely used AMD remediation technologies in terms of their general working principles, advantages and shortcomings. AMD treatment technologies can be divided into two major categories, namely prevention and remediation. Prevention techniques mainly focus on inhibiting AMD formation reactions by controlling the source. Remediation techniques focus on the treatment of already produced AMD before their discharge into water bodies. Remediation technologies can be further divided into two broad categories: active and passive. Due to high cost and intensive labor requirements for maintenance of active treatment technologies, passive treatments are widely used all over the world. Besides the conventional passive treatment technologies such as constructed wetlands, anaerobic sulfate-reducing bioreactors, anoxic limestone drains, open limestone channels, limestone leach beds and slag leach beds, this paper also describes emerging passive treatment technologies such as phytoremediation. More intensive research is needed to develop an efficient and cost-effective AMD treatment technology, which can sustain persistent and long-term AMD load.

The groundwater of the Bengal basin, in Bangladesh and West Bengal state of India, is found to be severely polluted by non-point sourced, geogenic arsenic (As), which has been regarded as the largest public health concern in the human history. The geomorphology and geology of the aquifers play very important role in the three dimensional existence of the As in the groundwater. The provenance of the groundwater As of Bengal basin may be hypothesized to be sourced to the Himalayan orogenic belt, where the contaminant might have originated by deep-seated tectono-magmatism and subsequently introduced to the surficial system by exhumation. Later, sedimentary processes transported the As-laden sediments from the orogenic belt to the peripheral foreland basin of Bengal where, under conducive biogeochemical environment, the As is released from the solid-phase to the circulating groundwater. Ferric hydroxides and pyrite are considered to be the two most important host minerals for As, although clay minerals may also act as important substrates for the sorbed As. The mobilized As then exists in the groundwater until a suitable geochemical sink is available. The mobilization process may be related to reductive-dissolution of metal oxides and hydroxides that exist in the unconsolidated sediments of the Bengal basin. Other mechanisms like pyrite oxidation, redox cycling in surficial soils, and competitive ion exchange are also accepted as potential mechanisms for arsenic mobilization, and multiple processes may simultaneously contribute to the mobilization of As. The processes are significantly complicated by redox disequilibria in the Bengal basin aquifers. These inorganic processes may have been significantly catalyzed and accentuated by microbially mediated activities. The tertiary source of groundwater As is the irrigation return flow from the agricultural fields.