The accumulation of metals in tissue compartments of bivalve biomonitors is expected to reflect the phases in which metals are most bioavailable. In concurrent field and laboratory experiments we measured Zn, Cd and Pb concentrations in the gills and digestive glands of mussels exposed to sediments from Lake Macquarie in NSW, Australia. Mussels in the laboratory were also exposed to the bioturbating gastropod Batillaria australis. Zn, Cd and Pb concentrations in gills and digestive glands of mussels from both experiments were accumulated in proportion with levels of metal contamination in the sediments. An interaction in the field between site and tissue type was found for Cd and Pb suggesting variation in the phases in which metals are most bioavailable. No effect of bioturbation on metal accumulation in the bivalve was detected and we conclude that it is unlikely to be a significant factor in metal uptake when these species interact.

The north of Liaodong Bay is one of the most severely polluted areas in Bohai Sea. Because the self-purification capacity from the sea water exchange process is limited, the pollutants from the land and river sources cannot be completed degraded and an obviously contaminated zone was formed in the north of Liaodong Bay. Therefore the self-purification capacity from biological process is essential for maintaining ecosystem balance. Marine heterotrophic bacteria play an important role in degradation of the dissolved organic matters and constitution of the primary production in the coastal areas. The shift of water temperature between winter and summer is about 28°C in the north of Liaodong Bay, which causes changes in the self-purification capacity of the sea area. Certain indexes of water quality in Liaodong Bay were investigated in order to detect how these indexes response to the changing of water temperature. The experimental results show that COD, DO and the concentration of fecal coliform vary a little with the changing of water temperature; TBC increases dramatically when the water temperature is over 16°C; and TBC in summer is 30 times more than that in winter. By this study, the paper provides a reference to assess the environmental purification capacity of the sea area during different seasons.

The island of St. Vincent in the Lesser Antilles supports an ongoing, legal cetacean hunt, which targets several species for human consumption. Little is known regarding the healthfulness and potential health risks of these foods in this setting. Following established methodologies we analyzed 39 raw muscle tissue samples and 38 raw blubber samples from two cetacean species for total mercury and methyl-mercury. We also analyzed samples of muscle tissue from an unknown cetacean species prepared for consumption. We report high concentrations of total mercury and methyl-mercury in these tissues as compared to published data for other seafood products. Further, our findings indicate that the traditional preparation method most often used locally in St. Vincent yields a finished food product with a much higher mercury concentration than the unprocessed tissue. Our results highlight the potential for negative human health effects related to the consumption of these food products in St. Vincent.

Six sediment cores collected at four contaminated river mouths and two harbor entrances in Kaohsiung Harbor (Taiwan) were analyzed to evaluate the sources and potential toxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs presented the wide variations ranging from 369±656 to 33,772±14,378ngg−1 at the six sampling sites. The composition of PAHs presented a uniform profile reflecting the importance of atmospheric input from vehicle exhausts or coal combustion in the river mouths. PAHs diagnostic ratios indicated a stronger influence of coal combustion in the Salt River mouth and the prevalence of petroleum combustion and mixed sources in the other rivers and harbor entrances. PAHs toxicity assessment using the mean effect range-median quotient (m-ERM-q: 0.011–1.804), benzo[a]pyrene-toxicity equivalent (TEQcarc: 22–2819ngTEQg−1), and dioxin-toxicity equivalent (TEQfish: 37–5129pgTEQg−1) identified the Salt River mouth near the industrial area of the harbor as the most affected area.

Hypoxia associated with eutrophication is a potential threat to the Chinese horseshoe crab Tachypleus tridentatus which inhabits intertidal sand flats in Asia. This study investigated the effect of dissolved oxygen level (DO) (6, 4 and 2mg O2 l−1) on the physiological energetics in the juvenile T. tridentatus. They were exposed to various oxygen levels for three days and then transferred to normoxia for three days to examine the recovery from low oxygen stress. Feeding rate, respiration rate and scope for growth were reduced at lower DO levels while absorption efficiency and excretion rate were independent of DO levels. Although full recovery of the physiological responses and scope for growth from hypoxis stress was observed when normoxia resumed, their long term survival in suboptimal habitats with frequent occurrence of hypoxia deserves a close monitoring as hypoxia may be even more common in future in a warming world.

The major aim of this study was to investigate heavy metal content of edible fish in the PRD. Eleven species of fish (consisting of 711 individuals) [catfish (Clarias fuscus), tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus), grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus), bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis), mandarin fish (Siniperca kneri), snakehead (Channa asiatiea), black bass (Micropterus salmoides), mangrove snapper (Lutjanus griseus), star snapper (Lutjanu stellatus), snubnose pompano (Trachinotus blochii) and orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides)] were collected for the analyses of heavy metals. Overall concentrations (mg/kg, ww) in the fish muscles were: As (0.03–1.53), Pb (0.03–8.62), Cd (0.02–0.06), Ni (0.44–9.75), Zn (15.7–29.5), Cr (0.22–0.65), Cu (0.79–2.26), Mn (0.82–6.91). Significant level of Pb were found in tilapia at all locations. It is recommended that heavy metal concentrations in different fish species must be determined on a regular basis in the future so as to reduce human health risks from acute and chronic food intoxication.

The Antarctic region is one of the best preserved environments in the world. However, human activities such as the input of sewage result in the alteration of this pristine site. We report baseline values of faecal sterols in Admiralty Bay, Antarctica. Four sediment cores were collected during the 2006/2007 austral summer at the Ezcurra (THP and BAR), Mackelar (REF) and Martel (BTP) inlets. Concentrations of faecal sterols (coprostanol+epicoprostanol) were <0.16μgg−1, suggesting no sewage contamination and probable “biogenic” contributions for these compounds. Baseline values, calculated using the mean concentration of faecal sterols in core layers for THP, BAR, REF and BTP, were 0.04±0.02, 0.03±0.01, 0.07±0.01 and 0.04±0.02μgg−1, respectively. These results established as natural contributions of faecal sterols, suggesting that these markers can be useful indicators of human-derived faecal input and contributing to monitoring programs to prevent anthropogenic impacts.

We document the abundance, composition and distribution of microplastics in sub-surface seawaters of the northeastern Pacific Ocean and coastal British Columbia. Samples were acid-digested and plastics were characterized using light microscopy by type (fibres or fragments) and size (<100, 100–500, 500–100 and >1000μm). Microplastics concentrations ranged from 8 to 9200particles/m3; lowest concentrations were in offshore Pacific waters, and increased 6, 12 and 27-fold in west coast Vancouver Island, Strait of Georgia, and Queen Charlotte Sound, respectively. Fibres accounted for ∼75% of particles on average, although nearshore samples had more fibre content than offshore (p<0.05). While elevated microplastic concentrations near urban areas are consistent with land-based sources, the high levels in Queen Charlotte Sound appeared to be the result of oceanographic conditions that trap and concentrate debris. This assessment of microplastics in the NE Pacific is of interest in light of the on-coming debris from the 2011 Tohoku Tsunami.

Bioavailable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in the estuarine water of Kaohsiung Harbor were measured using XAD-2 resin and semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) calibrated with performance reference compounds (PRCs). The sum of the PAH concentrations from XAD-2 resin (Cw) in the surface and bottom water samples was 6.63 and 9.58ngL−1, respectively. The variation in PAHs was higher in surface water. Cubic polynomial regressions using the sampling rate for five PRCs (Rs-PRC) provided estimated in situ sampling rates (Rs). The turbulent condition in the surface water was important in enhancing Rs; however, diffusion was relevant to the bottom water, which was less turbulent and showed decreasing Rs at high MW PAHs. The sum of the dissolved PAH concentrations estimated with the SPMDs (CSPMD) was 5.87 and 9.15ngL−1 in the surface and bottom water samples, respectively. The surface and bottom water PAHs were derived from different sources.

Development and urbanization over the past decade has led to rapid increase in the population of Delhi, the metropolitan city of India. Consequently, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of vehicles, which are causing very high levels of air pollution. Vehicular emissions are becoming most predominant source of air pollution in Delhi. An annual emission inventory of road transport emissions of pollutants including carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), nitrogen oxides (NOX), sulfur dioxide (SO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter (PM10), lead (Pb) and hydrocarbon (HC), organic carbon (OC) and black carbon (BC) has been developed (for the period 2000–2010), for the Delhi region. Emissions have been estimated using emission factor and activity–based approach recommended by IPCC. The emissions of CO and NOX have increased nearly 77% and 29% respectively over 2000 to 2010, whereas contribution of SO2 has greatly reduced (~21%) due to phasing out of diesel driven buses and implementation of Bharat Stage–III norms to commercial vehicles. An appreciable increase in NOX emissions has been observed after 2005, which might be due to the use of CNG fuel. Emissions of PM10, OC and BC have decreased in 2001 and 2002, however these are continuously increasing after 2002 due to rapid rise in the annual rate of growth of registered vehicles in Delhi. Two wheelers (2Ws), which constitute 60% of total registered vehicles, have been found to be major contributors towards emissions of the pollutants considered in the present study.