Sediment samples were collected to a depth of 60 cm along a 350-m sampling belt in a short-term-flooding riparian wetland in the Yellow River Delta of China in three sampling seasons. Contents of heavy metals were determined to investigate their spatial and temporal distributions, sources and ecotoxities. Our results showed that As contents in the top 20 cm sediments increased before decreasing along the sampling belt in summer, whereas they kept stable before increasing in fall and spring. Cd contents increased along the sampling belt in three sampling seasons, whereas Ni and Cr generally exhibited a decreasing tendency. Comparatively, Cu, Pb and Zn consistently increased at the first 50 m distance and then decreased before increasing from the distance of 150 m in summer and fall and increased to the maximum at the distance of 250 m and then showed a decrease in spring. Two “hotspots” of heavy metal accumulation in sediment cores along the belt were observed at the distance from 50 to 100 m in summer and at the distance from 200 to 300 m in spring. Most of sediment samples contained higher heavy metals in excess of threshold effect levels except for Zn and Pb in three sampling seasons and the values of toxic units in more than 30% of sediment samples exceeded 4 in summer. As, Ni and Cr had relatively higher contribution to the values of toxic units compared with other heavy metals in three sampling seasons. Multivariance analysis showed that As and Cd might originate from the same source and Cu, Zn, Cr, Pb and Ni might derive from another similar source. Cd was significantly correlated with salinity (p < 0.01) and pH (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, these heavy metals were also significantly correlated with other properties such as S, Al, TP, SOM and Silt + Clay.

Microfibres are widespread contaminants in marine environments across the globe. Detecting in situ ingestion of microfibres by small marine organisms is necessary to understand their potential accumulation in marine food webs and their role in marine pollution. We have examined the gut contents of meiofauna from six sandy beaches in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean. Out of twenty taxonomic groups, three species of the common sandy beach annelid Saccocirrus displayed in situ ingestion of microfibres in all sites. Laboratory observations showed that species of Saccocirrus are able to egest microfibres with no obvious physical injury. We suggest that their non-selective microphagous suspension-feeding behaviour makes Saccocirrus more prone to ingest microfibres. Although microfibres are rapidly egested with no apparent harm, there is still the potential for trophic transfer into marine food webs through predation of Saccocirrus.

Chlorothalonil is a broad spectrum fungicide with high annual production and environmental contamination. Despite its high consumption, studies regarding the potential ecological risks of chlorothalonil, especially its metabolites, to aquatic organisms are still limited. In this study, we selected the zebrafish (Danio rerio) as the in vivo model and first identified the metabolite (4-hydroxychlorothalonil) of chlorothalonil in zebrafish by tandem quadrupole/orthogonal-acceleration time-of-flight (Q-TOF). Then, the in vivo and in vitro models were applied to comprehensively estimate the embryo toxicity and potential endocrine effect of chlorothalonil and 4-hydroxychlorothalonil. The data from zebrafish embryo toxicity showed that the lowest observed effect concentrations of both chlorothalonil and 4-hydroxychlorothalonil were 50 μg/L after 96 h of exposure. The mortality rate of the 4-hydroxychlorothalonil was 2.6-fold higher than that of the parent compound at the concentration of 50 μg/L. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assays indicated that both chlorothalonil and 4-hydroxychlorothalonil exerted estrogen receptor α (ERα) agonist activity with REC20 values of 2.4 × 10−8 M and 3.6 × 10−8 M, respectively. However, only 4-hydroxychlorothalonil exhibited both thyroid receptor β (TRβ) agonistic and antagonistic activities. Lastly, we employed molecular docking to predict the binding affinity of chlorothalonil and 4-hydroxychlorothalonil with ERα or TRβ. The results revealed that the potential endocrine effect of chlorothalonil and 4-hydroxychlorothaloni might be attributed to the different binding affinities with the receptors. In conclusion, our studies revealed that 4-hydroxychlorothalonil exhibited potent endocrine-disrupting effects compared to its parent compound, chlorothalonil. The results provided here remind us that the assessment of the potential ecological and health risks of the metabolites of fungicides in addition to their parent compounds should arouse great concerns.

This study investigates, for the first time, the intestinal responses of European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax chronically exposed to microplastics through ingestion. Fish (n = 162) were fed with 3 different treatment diets for 90 days: control, native polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polluted polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pellets. Intestines were fixed and processed for histological analysis using standard techniques. Histopathological alterations were examined using a score value (from 0 to 4). The distal part of intestine in all samples proved to be the most affected by pathological alterations, showing a gradual change varying from moderate to severe related to exposure times. The histological picture that characterizes both groups especially after 90 days of exposure, suggests that the intestinal functions can be in some cases totally compromised.The worst condition is increasingly evident in the distal intestine of fish fed with polluted PVC pellets respect to control groups (p < 0.05) to different exposure times.These first results underline the need to assess the impact of increasing microplastics pollution on the marine trophic web.

Sediment samples collected from shelf, slope and interior basin of the northern Gulf of Mexico during 2011–2013, 1–3 years after the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill, were utilized to characterize PAH pollution history, in this region. Results indicate that the concentrations of surface ΣPAH43 and their accumulation rates vary between 44 and 160 ng g−1 and 6–55 ng cm−2 y−1, respectively. ΣPAH43 concentration profiles, accumulation rates and Δ14C values are significantly altered only for the sediments in the immediate vicinity of the DWH wellhead. This shows that the impact of DWH oil input on deep-sea sediments was generally limited to the area close to the spill site. Further, the PAHs source diagnostic analyses suggest a noticeable change in PAHs composition from higher to lower molecular weight dominance which reflects a change in source of PAHs in the past three years, back to the background composition. Results indicate low to moderate levels of PAH pollution in this region at present, which are unlikely to cause adverse effects on benthic communities.

Microplastics are plastics that measure less than 5 mm in diameter. They enter the marine environment as primary sources directly from industrial uses, as well as secondary sources resulting from the degradation of large plastic debris. To improve the knowledge of microplastic pollution in China, we investigated samples from 53 estuarine sediment locations collected with a box corer within the Changjiang Estuary. Microplastics (<5 mm) were extracted from sediments by density separation, after which they were observed under a microscope and categorized according to shape, color and size. Identification was carried out using Micro-Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (μ-FT-IR).The abundance of microplastics in the Changjiang Estuary was mapped. The mean concentration was 121 ± 9 items per kg of dry weight, varying from 20 to 340 items per kg of dry weight. It was found that the concentration of microplastics was the highest on the southeast coast of Shanghai. The distribution pattern of microplastics may be affected by the Changjiang diluted water in summer. All of the microplastics collected were categorized according to shape, color and size. Among which fiber (93%), transparent (42%) and small microplastics (<1 mm) (58%) were the most abundant types. No clear correlation between microplastics and the finer sediment fraction was found. Rayon, polyester, and acrylic were the most abundant types of microplastics identified, indicating that the main source of microplastics in the Changjiang Estuary was from washing clothes (the primary source). It is possible to compare microplastic abundance in this study with the results of other related studies using the same quantification method. The identification of microplastics raises the awareness of microplastic pollution from drainage systems. The prevalence of microplastic pollution calls for monitoring microplastics at a national scale on a regular basis.

The continued growth of human activity and infrastructure has translated into a widespread increase in light pollution. Natural daylight and moonlight cycles play a fundamental role for many organisms and ecological processes, so an increase in light pollution may have profound effects on communities and ecosystem services. Studies assessing ecological light pollution (ELP) effects on sandy beach organisms have lagged behind the study of other sources of disturbance. Hence, we assessed the influence of this stressor on locomotor activity, foraging behavior, absorption efficiency and growth rate of adults of the talitrid amphipod Orchestoidea tuberculata. In the field, an artificial light system was assembled to assess the local influence of artificial light conditions on the amphipod's locomotor activity and use of food patches in comparison to natural (ambient) conditions. Meanwhile in the laboratory, two experimental chambers were set to assess amphipod locomotor activity, consumption rates, absorption efficiency and growth under artificial light in comparison to natural light-dark cycles. Our results indicate that artificial light have significantly adverse effects on the activity patterns and foraging behavior of the amphipods, resulting on reduced consumption and growth rates. Given the steady increase in artificial light pollution here and elsewhere, sandy beach communities could be negatively affected, with unexpected consequences for the whole ecosystem.

The increasing emphasis on the assessment and monitoring of marine ecosystems has revealed the need to use appropriate biological indicators for these areas. Enzyme activities and histopathology are increasingly being used as indicators of environmental stress since they provide a definite biological end-point of pollutant exposure. As part of an ecotoxicological assessment of Mersin Bay, EROD enzyme activity and histopathological response in selected organs and tissues of two species of fish, Mullus barbatus (red mullet) and Liza ramada (thinlip grey mullet), captured from area were examined. Pollutant (Organochlorines (OC), alkylphenols (APs) and BPA) levels and biomarker responses in tissue samples were evaluated together for their potential to alter the metabolism and cellular aspects in liver and gonad. Elevated induction of EROD activity and histopathological alterations in contaminated samples from Mersin Bay was observed compared to reference site indicating the exposure to potential pollutants.

The rapid growth of the production of electrical and electronic products has meant an equally rapid growth in the amount of electronic waste (e-waste), much of which is illegally imported to India, for disposal presenting a serious environmental challenge. The environmental impact during e-waste recycling was investigated and metal as well as other pollutants [e.g. polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)] were found in excessive levels in soil, water and other habitats. The most e-waste is dealt with as general or crudely often by open burning, acid baths, with recovery of only a few materials of value. As resulted of these process; dioxins, furans, and heavy metals are released and harmful to the surrounding environment, engaged workers, and also residents inhabiting near the sites. The informal e-waste sectors are growing rapidly in the developing countries over than in the developed countries because of cheapest labor cost and week legislations systems. It has been confirmed that contaminates are moving through the food chain via root plant translocation system, to the human body thereby threatening human health. We have suggested some possible solution toward in which plants and microbes combine to remediate highly contaminated sites.

The consumption of polyamides produced from caprolactam is increasing continuously, and for that reason the danger of environmental contamination by this lactam is also rising. This study's aim was to evaluate the influence of caprolactam on the growth and oxygen production of the green alga Desmodesmus quadricauda and on caprolactam uptake by this alga. The presence of caprolactam in water was observed to cause the algae significantly to increase its oxygen production. Caprolactam concentration of 5,000 mg/L stopped algae growth after 6 days and influenced coenobia structure (seen as disappearance of pyrenoids, deformation of cells) but did not decrease the number of cells in the coenobia. Caprolactam uptake is probably passive but relatively rapid. Maximum concentration in the algae was reached after 18–24 h.