Both the invasion of non-indigenous marine species (NIMS) and the generation and accumulation of anthropogenic marine debris (AMD) are pervasive problems in coastal urban ecosystems. The biosecurity risks associated with AMD rafting NIMS have been described, but the role of aquaculture derived AMD has not yet been investigated as a biosecurity vector and pathway. This preliminary study targeted 27 beaches along the Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand, collecting debris from belt transects. Plastic (specifically plastic rope) was the dominant AMD present on beaches. The most common biofouling taxa were hydroids, bryozoans, algae and polychaetes, with one NIMS pest species, Sabella spallanzanii, detected fouling plastic rope. Our findings demonstrate that aquaculture is an AMD (plastic rope) generating activity that creates biosecurity risk by enhancing the spread of NIMS. The rafting of S. spallanzanii on AMD generated at aquaculture facilities is currently an unmanaged pathway within New Zealand that needs attention.

Fifty two surface sediments were collected from the northern part of the Gulf of Mannar biosphere reserve to assess the geospatial risk of sediments. We found that distribution of organic matter and CaCO3 distributions were locally controlled by the mangrove litters and fragmented coral debris. In addition, Fe and Mn concentrations in the marine sediments were probably supplied through the riverine input and natural processes. The Geo-accumulation of elements fall under the uncontaminated category except Pb. Lead show a wide range of contamination from uncontaminated-moderately contaminated to extremely contaminated category. The sediment toxicity level of the elements revealed that the majority of the sediments fall under moderately to highly polluted sediments (23.07–28.84%). The grades of potential ecological risk suggest that predominant sediments fall under low to moderate risk category (55.7–32.7%). The accumulation level of trace elements clearly suggests that the coral reef ecosystem is under low to moderate risk.

Some of the main threats to coral reefs come from human actions on marine environment, such as tourism, overfishing and pollution from urban development. While several studies have demonstrated an association between bacteria and corals, demonstrating how these communities react to different anthropogenic stressors, yeast communities associated with corals have received far less attention from researchers. The aim of this work was therefore to describe cultivable yeasts associated with three coral species and to evaluate the influence of sewage discharge on yeasts community. We obtained 130 isolates, mostly belonging to phylum Ascomycota and many of them had previously been isolated from human samples or are considered pathogens. The mycobiota was more similar among corals collected from the same reef, indicating that the composition of reef yeast community is more influenced by environmental conditions than host species. We suggest further studies to elucidate which factors are most influential on the composition of the coral-associated yeast community.

Macrobenthic communities in 2001 and 2012 were compared across the marine environment of Hong Kong based on sediment grab samples collected from 28 stations. CLUSTER analysis showed in both surveys that the stations could be divided into four groups at 20% faunal similarity. However, there were notable changes in the macrobenthic community structure between 2001 and 2012 in three focal areas of pollution control (i.e., Victoria Harbour, Deep Bay and Tolo Harbour). The potential link between macrobenthos and pollution abatement measures, and the contributions of environmental conditions to the differential responsiveness of macrobenthos were explored. Notably, a reduction in nutrient input to the eastern part of Victoria Harbour might have led to recovery of benthic communities therein.

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are chemicals that are now omnipresent in the environment and have been detected in different matrices from different parts of the world.They are semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs), hence they partition between air, water, soil and sediment. Atmospheric long range transport (LRT) is commonly considered the swiftest route for SVOCs to reach remote environments. As a results, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) advocates air monitoring as a key measure to assess the effectiveness of global control initiatives. There is little information of atmospheric BFR levels in the African continent, which makes it impossible to understand the regional as well as global perspective of these pollutants in the atmosphere. The aim of this review is therefore to establish scientific reasons to explain why it is necessary to have atmospheric research in Africa, and provide research gaps that need to be considered in further studies in order to better understand these pollutants in the atmosphere.To date there are about 57 published studies on BFRs in different matrices in various countries of the African continent, out of which, only three have concentrated on the atmosphere. The amounts are not as high as detected in other regions but are likely to increase due to the fact that the continent is developing at a fast rate thus an anticipated increase in BFRs use. The review therefore provides different recommendations which all clearly develop a foundation of the necessity of air monitoring of BFRs in the African continent.

Concentrations of 16 US EPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in 15 marine wild organism species from South China Sea. The concentration (dry weight) of 16 PAHs ranged from 94.88 to 557.87ng/g, with a mean of 289.86ng/g. The concentrations of BaP in marine species were no detectable. The composition of PAHs was characterized by the 2- and 3-ring PAHs in marine species, and NA, PHE and FA were the dominant constituents. PAHs isomeric ratios indicated PAHs mainly originated from grass, wood and coal combustion, and petroleum. The human health risk assessment based on the excess cancer risk (ECR) suggested the probability of PAHs posing carcinogenic risk to human beings with consumption of marine organisms were negligible (probability<1×10−6).

A three-dimensional fecal coliform transport model was developed and incorporated into a hydrodynamic and suspended sediment transport model to better understand the microbiological water quality in the tidal Tamsui River estuarine system of northern Taiwan, which includes three main tributaries: Dahan River, Xindian River, and Keelung River. The model was calibrated using the water level, salinity, suspended sediment concentration, and fecal coliform data measured in 2010. The predictive skill, a statistical approach, is used to evaluate the model performance. There was quantitatively good agreement between the simulation and measurement results. Further, the calibrated model underwent model sensitivity analysis by varying the model parameters which include the settling velocity, darkness decay rate, partition coefficient, and fecal coliform concentration in the sediment bed. The results indicated that the settling velocity played the most important role in affecting fecal coliform concentrations followed by partition coefficient, darkness decay rate, and fecal coliform concentration in the sediment bed. The model was also used to investigate the effects of salinity and suspended sediment on fecal coliform contamination. The salinity module was excluded in the simulations, resulting in an increase of fecal coliform concentration. However the effect of salinity on fecal coliform concentration is minor. If the suspended sediment transport was excluded in the simulations, the predicted results of fecal coliform concentration decrease to be underestimated the measured data. The modeling results revealed that the inclusion of the suspended sediment transport model in the simulations was of crucial importance because the fecal coliform concentrations were significantly influenced by the suspended sediment concentration in the estuarine system.

Stormwater runoff is the largest source of pollution in the Southern California Bight (SCB), resulting from untreated runoff and pollutants from urban watersheds entering the coastal waters after rainstorms. We make use of both satellite SAR and MODIS-Aqua ocean color imagery to examine two different components of runoff plumes, the surface slick and the sediment discharge. We expand on earlier satellite SAR studies by examining an extensive collection of multi-platform SAR imagery, spanning from 1992 to 2014, that provides a more comprehensive view of the plume surface slick characteristics, illustrated with distribution maps of the extent and flow direction of the plumes. The SAR-detected surface plumes are compared with coincident rain and runoff measurements, and with available measured shoreline fecal bacteria loads. We illustrate differences in the detection of SAR surface plumes with the sediment-related discharge plumes derived from MODIS imagery. A conceptual satellite stormwater runoff monitoring approach is presented.

Microplastics (MPs) are prevalent in marine ecosystems. Because toxicants (termed here “co-contaminants”) can sorb to MPs, there is potential for MPs to alter co-contaminant bioavailability. Our objective was to demonstrate sorption of two co-contaminants with different physicochemistries [phenanthrene (Phe), log10Kow=4.57; and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), log10Kow=3.67] to MPs; and assess whether co-contaminant bioavailability was increased after MP settlement. Bioavailability was indicated by gene expression in larval zebrafish. Both Phe and EE2 sorbed to MPs, which reduced bioavailability by a maximum of 33% and 48% respectively. Sorption occurred, but was not consistent with predictions based on co-contaminant physicochemistry (Phe having higher log10Kow was expected to have higher sorption). Contaminated MPs settled to the bottom of the exposures did not lead to increased bioavailability of Phe or EE2. Phe was 48% more bioavailable than predicted by a linear sorption model, organism-based measurements therefore contribute unique insight into MP co-contaminant bioavailability.