Despite its EU-wide ban in 2004 the triazine herbicide atrazine (ATR) and its transformation products (TPs) are frequently detected in the aqueous environment. In this study, concentrations of ATR, two of its TPs, and terbuthylazine (TERB) are presented and discussed in coastal waters of the Northern Aegean Sea, the Dardanelles, the Baltic Sea (Germany), the Northern Adriatic Sea (Italy), and the coastline close to Barcelona (Spain). The water samples (n=132) were taken in 2009–2011. Sediment samples (n=7) were taken from Baltic Sea (Germany) and Thermaikos Gulf (Greece). Maximum ATR concentrations (31–41ngL−1) were detected in Istanbul and the Dardanelles. A concentration gradient from East to West in the Aegean Sea was observed, indicating ongoing ATR contamination via the Dardanelles. Low concentrations and detection frequencies were observed at the other locations, indicating the success of the prohibition. However, the presence of TERB in the Northern Adriatic Sea raises concern.

A total of 69 bacteria were isolated from crude oil enrichments of the polychaetes Megalomma claparedei, Sabella spallanzanii and Branchiomma luctuosum, and screened for biosurfactant (BS) production by conventional methods. Potential BS-producers (30 isolates) were primarily selected due to the production of both interesting spots on thin layer chromatography (TLC) plates and highly stable emulsions (E24⩾50%). Only few strains grew on cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and blood agar plates, indicating the probable production of anionic surfactants. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that selected isolates mainly belonged to the CFB group of Bacteroidetes, followed by Gammaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria.A number of BS-producers belonged to genera (i.e., Cellulophaga, Cobetia, Cohaesibacter, Idiomarina, Pseudovibrio and Thalassospira) that have been never reported as able to produce BSs, even if they have been previously detected in hydrocarbon-enriched samples. Our results suggest that filter-feeding Polychaetes could represent a novel and yet unexplored source of biosurfactant-producing bacteria.

Watershed discharge, water quality, and seagrass assemblages were examined along the western coast of Yap Proper, Micronesia. Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) during low tides associated with new and full moons contributed disproportionally to freshwater delivery where compromised Thalassia habitats existed. Despite SGD influence, nutrient sampling indicated that one characteristic regime may be a net import of new nitrogen and phosphorous (NO3 and PO4) from offshore to inshore waters, agreeing with sparse watershed development. Biologically recycled nitrogen (NH4), however, was highest where SGD contribution was largest. Time-and-tide-limited sampling likely precluded generalized relationships between SGD and NH4 across the entire study area, however, spatial profiling of SGD during low-tide events (i.e., a proxy to nutrient input) was strongly associated with seagrass habitat condition (defined within). Concomitantly, sea cucumber densities were over a magnitude of order lower than in regionally comparable Thalassia habitats, and negatively correlated with seagrass condition. Both top-down and bottom-up considerations are discussed.

Air pollution in urban areas is a topic of interest for many researchers as it impacts negatively the human health, the environment and the quality of life. As part of the effort in exploring ways for efficient and timely assessment of the urban air pollution patterns and their association with the local meteorology and photochemistry, an advanced statistical approach is proposed for the analysis of the spatiotemporal ozone (O3) variations and interdependencies to other pollutants. The focus of the work is placed on the investigation and determination of the causality between the local and regional factors causing the observed ozone variability, by applying a holistic methodology on multiple–year meteorological data and air pollution monitoring data, referenced in Athens (Greece). The methodology includes the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF), for data scaling and reduction, a k–means clustering algorithm, for determining groups of data with common properties, and importantly, the Granger Causality test, for obtaining the causal links between the ozone and nitrogen oxides as well as the local meteorological conditions. The methodology revealed six dominant combined patterns of weather and air pollution. The application of the Granger Causality allowed the determination of relationships across the pollution patterns of dispersed geographic locations and the interdependence of those with the local meteorological conditions and photochemistry effects.

Plastic debris is often ingested by marine predators and can cause health disorders and even death. We present the first assessment of plastic ingestion in Mediterranean seabirds. We quantified and measured plastics accumulated in the stomach of 171 birds from 9 species accidentally caught by longliners in the western Mediterranean from 2003 to 2010. Cory’s shearwaters (Calonectris diomedea) showed the highest occurrence (94%) and large numbers of small plastic particles per affected bird (on average N=15.3±24.4 plastics and mass=23.4±49.6mg), followed by Yelkouan shearwaters (Puffinus yelkouan, 70%, N=7.0±7.9, 42.1±100.0mg), Balearic shearwaters (Puffinus mauretanicus, 70%, N=3.6±2.9, 5.5±9.7mg) and the rest of species (below 33%, N=2.7, 113.6±128.4mg). Plastic characteristics did not differ between sexes and were not related to the physical condition of the birds. Our results point out the three endemic and threatened shearwater species as being particularly exposed to plastic accumulation.

Remediation of coastal habitats from impacts such as dredging and excavation in Gulf coastal waters is hampered by a lack of information on natural recolonisation rates and recruitment patterns of subtidal biota. For soft substrate habitats recovery information is only available for severely polluted sites where recovery takes many years (Jones et al., 2008).Construction of the Sabah Al-Ahmad Sea City provides a unique opportunity to follow benthic recruitment and community development on a range of artificially created benthic habitats over time. The three phases completed were each flooded by the sea separately and annual ecological surveys allow comparison of colonisation patterns and community development rates over time.Species diversity similar to that seen in comparable natural open sea habitats is reached within 2–5years for mixed sand/rock biota, but longer (2–6years) for sand biota. Biotic abundance exceeds open sea levels within 1–2years due to settlement of opportunistic species. Coral recruitment occurred within 3years. Present data provides a reference point for recovery rates into none polluted benthic habitats for the Gulf.

Many oil and HNS spill accidents occur in the waters surrounding the Korean Peninsula because Korea is one of the biggest trading partners in the world. In this study, we analyzed the oil and HNS spill accidents that occurred between 1994 and 2005 and created risk matrices to assess these accidents. The worst scenarios of future oil and HNS spill accidents were established, and the maximum spill amounts were estimated using historic accident data and a correlation from IPIECA. The maximum spill amounts are estimated to be between 77,000 and 10,000tons of oil and HNS, respectively. One third of the spill materials should be removed using recovery equipment within three days of the spill event, according to the national measure plan. The capability of recovery equipment to remove spill materials can be estimated, and the equipment should then be prepared to mitigate the harmful effects of future oil and HNS accidents on humans and marine ecosystems.

First order removal rates for 15 polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil, sediments and mangrove leaves were compared in relation to the parameters used in fate transport analyses (i.e., octanol–water partition coefficient, organic carbon–water partition coefficient, solubility, diffusivity in water, HOMO–LUMO gap, molecular size, molecular aspect ratio). The quantitative structure activity relationships (QSAR) and quantitative structure property relationships (QSPR) showed that the rate of disappearance of PAHs is correlated with their diffusivities in water as well as molecular volumes in different media. Strong correlations for the rate of disappearance of PAHs in sediments could not be obtained in relation to most of the parameters evaluated. The analyses showed that the QSAR and QSPR correlations developed for removal rates of PAHs in soils would not be adequate for sediments and plant tissues.

Metals and biogenic elements were analyzed from surface sediments collected from Zhelin Bay in the South China Sea in December 2008. The high concentrations of TOC, TN and BSi indicate the high nutrient level and diatom productivity in Zhelin Bay. The concentrations of metals were generally far lower than the effects-range-low (ERL) values that define pollutant levels. Enrichment factors (EF) and geoaccumulation indices (Igeo) suggest there are pollution levels of Cd, Cu and Zn at some stations. As, Cu, and Pb are potentially biotoxic in some stations. Correlation and principal component analyses indicate that most of the metals primarily originate from natural sources, and from maricultural activities as well. Mariculture contributes considerable Cd and Cu contamination. As and Pb comes primarily from combustion of gasoline and diesel fuel by ships.

The bioavailability of trace elements in marine sediments from Kongsfjorden (Svalbard Islands, Norwegian Arctic) was assessed and discussed. Total concentrations of several elements were determined in two granulometric fractions and their bioavailability evaluated by both applying a sequential-selective extraction procedure and using a biomimetic approach based on proteolytic enzymes. Total concentration values and solid speciation patterns indicated overall that the anthropogenic impact of trace elements in the investigated area is negligible, although a minor enrichment with respect to crustal values was found for As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and V. Enrichment of trace elements in the <63-μm fraction compared to the coarser one was evident for As, Cd, Cr, and Ni. The evaluation of the bioavailable fractions showed that a large part of the total content of trace elements cannot enter the aquatic food chain and emphasised the risk of overestimating the environmental impact of heavy metals if the assessment is only based on total concentrations.