The European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) requires EU Member States (MS) to achieve Good Environmental Status (GEnS) of their seas by 2020. We address the question of what GEnS entails especially with regard to the level at which targets are set (descriptors, criteria, indicators), to scales for assessments (regional, sub-divisions, site-specific), and to difficulties in putting into practice the GEnS concept. We propose a refined and operational definition of GEnS, indicating the data and information needed to all parts of that definition. We indicate the options for determining when GEnS has been met, acknowledge the data and information needs for each option, and recommend a combination of existing quantitative targets and expert judgement. We think that the MSFD implementation needs to be less complex than shown for other similar directives, can be based largely on existing data and can be centred on the activities of the Regional Seas Conventions.

PM10 and PM2.5 (particles with diameter less than 10 μm and 2.5 μm, respectively) aerosol samples were collected from 2002 to 2004 in Athens, Greece and analyzed for elements ranging from Na to Pb using X–ray fluorescence. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) was applied to identify and quantify the types of PM10 and PM2.5 sources. The agreement between calculated and measured particle mass concentrations was very good for both aerosol fractions. Mineral soil, road dust and sea salt particles were the most significant types of coarse particles (PM10–2.5) while their contributions to PM2.5 fraction were minimal. Secondary sulfate, diesel particles from shipping and other oil combustion activities and primary traffic exhausts were determined as the most important types of PM2.5 sources. The analysis of normalized average air mass residence times showed weak seasonal patterns on the pathways of air masses prior to their arrival in Athens. Using trajectory regression analysis, the four adjacent regions (less than 500 km) accounted for the largest fraction of fine sulfate and diesel particles. On the contrary, shipping emissions and neutralization by sea salt may explain the high contributions of the regions covering the Mediterranean Sea and Dardanelle straights. The four adjacent regions and central Europe accounted for most of road and mineral dust particles. The transport from northern Africa over Mediterranean Sea also appeared to influence the mineral dust particles.

AERMOD was used to model the air dispersion of point and major line emissions of PM2.5 in Halifax and Pictou, NOX in Halifax and SO2 in Halifax, Sydney and Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia, Canada. Emission inventory data for 2004 were used in simulations within four, 50 km x 50 km, domains over annual, monthly and 1–hour averaging periods. Annual averaged surface concentration maps are reported. Modeled versus observed comparisons were made within each domain at the Government, National Air Pollution Surveillance (NAPS) monitoring sites (discrete receptors). Evaluation of the model was conducted on the annual, monthly and hourly results using a number of statistical methods that included R2, fractional bias, normalized mean square error and the fraction of predictions within a factor of two of the observations. The AERMOD model evaluation showed that there was good agreement between the modeled and observed SO2 concentration for the annual and monthly comparison but less skill at estimating the hourly comparisons for SO2 in Halifax and Sydney. AERMOD showed poor model skill at predicting SO2 in Port Hawkesbury over the same averaging periods. The model evaluation for PM2.5 in Halifax, PM2.5 in Pictou and NOX in Halifax showed poor agreements and model skill. The surface concentrations from the point and major lines sources in all domains from all metrics were found to be well below the National Air Quality Standards. AERMOD has shown its utility as a suitable model for conducting dispersion modeling from point and line sources in Nova Scotia with good model skill for estimating annual and monthly SO2 concentrations in Halifax and Sydney. The study highlights the validity of using emission inventory data to estimate the surface impact of major point and line sources within domains containing complex terrain, differing land use types and with large variability within the annual meteorology.

Mercury (Hg), selenium (Se) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotope were assessed in a tropical food web of Rio de Janeiro’s north coast. Isotopic data on muscle suggest a difference related to this parameter along the food web; where top-predators (cetacean and voracious fish) displayed heavier δ15N over the entire food web. Both top-predators presented similar δ15N values. Cetacean displayed higher Hg and lower Se than voracious fish. Five trophic positions (TP) were found in relation to primary consumer as baseline, ranging from 2.0 to 4.0. Positive relationships were found between trace-element and δ15N. The slope of regression equations (0.11 for Se and 0.21 for Hg) and food web magnification factors (2.4 for Se and 5.4 for Hg) showed that Hg presented higher rate of increase over the food web. Simultaneous measurements of trace-elements and ecological tracers emphasize the importance of TP into the trophic structure and distribution of Hg and Se throughout the food web.

Microplastics are present in marine habitats worldwide and laboratory studies show this material can be ingested, yet data on abundance in natural populations is limited. This study documents microplastics in 10 species of fish from the English Channel. 504 Fish were examined and plastics found in the gastrointestinal tracts of 36.5%. All five pelagic species and all five demersal species had ingested plastic. Of the 184 fish that had ingested plastic the average number of pieces per fish was 1.90±0.10. A total of 351 pieces of plastic were identified using FT-IR Spectroscopy; polyamide (35.6%) and the semi-synthetic cellulosic material, rayon (57.8%) were most common. There was no significant difference between the abundance of plastic ingested by pelagic and demersal fish. Hence, microplastic ingestion appears to be common, in relatively small quantities, across a range of fish species irrespective of feeding habitat. Further work is needed to establish the potential consequences.

The possibility of current-driven propagation of contaminants released along a major fairway polluting the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Gulf of Finland, the Baltic Sea, is examined using a 3D circulation model, a Lagrangian transport model and statistics. Not surprisingly, the number of hits to the MPA decreases almost linearly with its distance from the fairway. In addition, the potential pollution released during a ship accident with the pollutants carried by currents may affect MPAs at very large distances. Typically, a fairway section approximately 125km long (covering about 1/3 of the approximate 400-km-long gulf) may serve as a source of pollution for each MPA. The largest MPA (in the Eastern Gulf of Finland) may receive pollution from an approximately 210-km-long section (covering about 1/2 of the entire length of the gulf). This information may be useful in assisting maritime management.

Many studies have used valuation techniques to predict the potential effect of environmental improvements on human use of coastal areas, but there is a lack of post hoc empirical evidence that these policies indeed affect the way people use coastal areas. A panel data approach is developed to statistically determine how storm drain diversions affected attendance at 26 beaches in Southern California. This study uses a 10-year time series of data to conduct a statistical analysis of attendance at beaches with and without diversions and before and after the diversions were installed, while controlling for all observable, confounding factors. Results indicate that beach attendance increased at beaches with diversions compared to those that did not have diversions (between 350,000 and 860,000 visits annually at a 95% confidence interval). Establishing this link between mitigation policies and human use patterns can lead to better management of coastal areas.

Spatial gradients of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides were examined in the young-of-the-year (YOY) bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) in the vicinity of a PCB Superfund Site in New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts, and in the adjacent waters. PCB concentrations in bluefish varied between different locations, and also among fish from a given location. A generally decreasing gradient in PCB concentrations was evident as the bluefish were collected away from the Superfund Site. The average sum of PCB concentrations were highest for bluefish collected in the Upper Harbor between Interstate-195 Bridge and Coggeshall Street Bridge (Upper Harbor), followed by bluefish in Lower Harbor from north of Popes Island Bridge (Lower Harbor), and bluefish from Outer Harbor south of Hurricane Barrier (Outer Harbor). The levels of PCBs in bluefish from Clarks Cove and PCBs in bluefish from Buzzards Bay were similar and lowest among all bluefish specimens analyzed in the present study. Pesticide concentrations were about one order of magnitude or lower than the PCB concentrations, and the gradient of pesticide concentrations generally followed the gradient of PCB concentrations. Some of the commonly detected pesticides in the order of decreasing concentrations included DDTs and metabolites, heptachlor epoxide, endosulfan sulfate, and α-chlordane. Distribution of PCBs and organochlorine pesticides were examined in the tissues of YOY bluefish from Clarks Cove. PCBs and lipids in the brain samples of YOY bluefish were generally numerically greater than PCBs in the liver samples, but these differences were not statistically significant. PCBs and lipids in hypaxial muscle samples were numerically greater than PCBs in epaxial muscle samples, although these two groups of tissues were not statistically different. Despite the higher susceptibility of lighter PCB homologs to geophysical and biogeochemical weathering processes, the relative dominance of lighter homologs in the Upper Harbor and Lower Harbor samples suggested ongoing or recent sources of these lighter PCBs, particularly Aroclor 1242 and Aroclor 1016 in this area. The presence of heavier homologs in the Upper Harbor and Lower Harbor bluefish samples could be attributed to Aroclor 1252 and Aroclor 1254 that were being used in relatively smaller quantities in the manufacture of electrical components in addition to Aroclor 1242 and Aroclor 1016. The concentration of heavier PCB homologs appears to increase in YOY bluefish the further away from the PCB Superfund Site in the Acushnet Estuary the samples were collected. Principal component analyses of PCB 153 normalized concentrations of the individual PCB congeners resulted in two general groupings; a relatively tight group comprised of YOY bluefish from Upper Harbor, Lower Harbor, and Outer Harbor, and a rather loose and more dispersed group comprised of Buzzards Bay bluefish and the tissue samples of bluefish from Clarks Cove. Principal component analyses of major pesticides suggested close groupings of bluefish from Clarks Cove and bluefish from Buzzards Bay. Pesticides in bluefish from Upper Harbor, Lower Harbor, and Outer Harbor formed a loose group, with some bluefish from these locations populating close to Clarks Cove and Buzzards Bay bluefish. Although PCBs have been implicated in various behavioral and health effects in the experimental and field studies, the deleterious effects of chronic exposure to high concentrations of PCBs and the potential for recruitment of New Bedford Harbor YOY bluefish population to the adult stock remains obscure. Adaptive or evolutionary resistance to contaminants have been documented in resident species in some highly contaminated estuaries, however similar responses have not been investigated in the migratory species like bluefish. The results of the present study provide a reference baseline for YOY bluefish for “before-and-after” comparative studies and other toxicological studies for the New Bedford Harbor Superfund Site that is currently being remediated.

The main aim of this study was to ascertain the biomagnification processes in a mercury-contaminated estuary, by clarifying the trophic web structure through stable isotope ratios. For this purpose, primary producers (seagrasses and macroalgae), invertebrates (detritivores and benthic predators) and fish were analysed for total and organic mercury and for stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures. Trophic structure was accurately described by δ15N, while δ13C reflected the carbon source for each species. An increase of mercury levels was observed with trophic level, particularly for organic mercury. Results confirm mercury biomagnification to occur in this estuarine food web, especially in the organic form, both in absolute concentrations and fraction of total mercury load. Age can be considered an important variable in mercury biomagnification studies, and data adjustments to account for the different exposure periods may be necessary for a correct assessment of trophic magnification rates and ecological risk.

Based on raw kapok fiber, two kinds of oil absorbers with high sorption capacity were prepared by a facile solution–immersion process. The coated polymer with low surface energy and rough fiber surface play important role in the retention of oil. The as-prepared fiber can quickly absorb gasoline, diesel, soybean oil, and paraffin oil up to above 74.5%, 66.8%, 64.4% and 47.8% of oil sorption capacity of raw fiber, respectively. The absorbed oils can be easily recovered by a simple vacuum filtration and the recovered coated-fiber still can be used for several cycles without obvious loss in oil sorption capacity. The thermodynamic study indicates that the adsorption process is spontaneous and exothermic, with complex physisorption and chemisorption. The results suggest that the coated fiber can be used as a low-cost alternative for the removal of oil spilled on water surface.