Testing phytoplankton viability within ballast tanks and receiving waters of ballast water discharge remain understudied. Potentially harmful dinoflagellates and diatoms are transported via ballast water to Galveston Bay, Texas (USA), home to three major ports: Houston, Texas City and Galveston. Ballast water from vessels transiting the North Atlantic Ocean was inoculated into treatments representing low and high salinity conditions similar to the Ports of Houston and Galveston respectively. Phytoplankton in ballast water growout experiments were deemed viable and showed growth in low and mid salinities with nutrient enrichment. Molecular methods identified several genera: Dinophysis, Gymnodinium, Gyrodinium, Heterocapsa, Peridinium, Scrippsiella, Chaetoceros and Nitzschia. These phytoplankton genera were previously identified in Galveston Bay except Scrippsiella. Phytoplankton, including those capable of forming harmful algal blooms leading to fish and shellfish kills, are transported to Galveston Bay via ballast water, and are viable when introduced to similar salinity conditions found in Galveston Bay ports.

This study investigated the levels, sources and potential risks of 17 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediment samples collected along the Mithi River of Mumbai. The concentration level of ΣPAHs found in the present study was in the range of 1206–4735ng/gdw. The composition patterns of PAHs by ring size in sediment were surveyed which indicate the dominance of four rings followed by five and three ring PAHs. In the study it was observed that the high molecular weight PAHs (HMW PAHs) made greater contributions of 90.83% as compared to that of low molecular PAHs (LMW PAHs) contributing to 9.17% to the total PAH concentrations. Toxicity and biological risk were assessed using toxic equivalent quantity and sediment quality guideline quotient. It is feared that the pollution level of PAHs in the sediments might increase in coming times resulting in an unconspicuous risks for the environment and humans through food chains.

PBDEs (10 congeners) were analyzed using GC–MS in superficial sediments and organisms of the Concepción Bay after the 2010 Tsunami. From all congeners analyzed PBDE-47, -99, -100 and -209 were the most frequently detected. Concentrations (ngg−1 d.w.) in sediments for ΣPBDE-47, -99, -100 were low (0.02–0.09). However, PBDE-209 showed significantly higher values ∼20ngg−1 d.w. This result were ∼10 times lower than those reported in a previous study of the 2010 Tsunami. The high result might be influenced by the massive urban debris dragged by the 2010 Tsunami. In organisms, concentrations of PBDE-47, -99, -100 (∼0.4ngg−1 d.w.) were higher than those found in sediments (∼0.04ngg−1 d.w.). Differences in PBDE pattern were also observed between different levels of the trophic food chain (primary and secondary consumers). This is the first attempt to assess the current status of Concepción Bay after the 2010 Tsunami.

Few water quality measurements exist from pristine environments, with fewer reported studies of coastal water quality from Solomon Islands. Water quality benchmarks for the Solomons have relied on data from other geographic regions, often from quite different higher latitude developed nations, with large land masses. We present the first data of inshore turbidity and sedimentation rate for a pristine catchment on Isabel Island. Surveys recorded relatively high coral cover. The lowest cover was recorded at 22.7% (Jejevo) despite this site having a mean turbidity (continuous monitoring) of 32 NTU. However, a similar site (Jihro) was significantly less turbid (2.1 mean NTU) over the same period. This difference in turbidity is likely due to natural features of the Jihro River promoting sedimentation before reaching coastal sites. We provide an important baseline for Solomon Island inshore systems, whilst demonstrating the importance of continuous monitoring to capture episodic high turbidity events.

A three-dimensional circulation model (the Environmental Fluid Dynamic Code) was used to examine the role that physical forcing (river discharge, wind speed and direction) plays in controlling hypoxia in waters adjacent to the Yangtze Estuary. The model assumes that the biological consumption of oxygen is constant in both time and space, which allows the role of physical forcing in modulating the oxygen dynamics to be isolated. Despite of the simplicity of this model, the simulation results showed that it can reproduce the observed variability of dissolved oxygen in waters adjacent to the Yangtze Estuary, thereby highlighting the important role of changes in physical forcing in the variation of hypoxia. The scenarios tested revealed appreciable changes in the areal extent of hypoxia as a function of wind speed and wind direction. Interestingly, well-developed hypoxia was insensitive to river discharge.

The nutrient uptake and release by the mussels in relation with amount of food consumption are emphasised in this research. Results of the study demonstrate that about 16% of the total mass dry weight food consumed by the mussels was released as faeces. The depositions of particulate carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in mussel faeces were found to be 26.3, 5.7, and 0.6mg/day/indv respectively. Soluble inorganic nutrients such as NH4+-N (2.5mg/day/indv), and PO43−-P (0.6mg/day/indv) were also released as mussel excretion. The nutrient absorption efficiency for the green mussel body was found to be 65.1% for carbon, 62.1% for nitrogen, and 79.2% for phosphorus. Subsequently, green mussels can remove particulate carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus at 108.1, 13.5, and 4.6mg/day/indv from aquatic systems. Finally, the results can help in estimating the carrying capacity of mussel cultivation without deteriorating the water quality in marine ecosystems.

To control algae bloom and eutrophication in the tropical semi-closed harbor of the Hongsha Bay in Sanya, China, polyculture systems with macroalgae Eucheuma gelatinae and bivalves Gafrarium tumidum were studied. First, nine polyculture combinations with E. gelatinae and G. tumidum were selected in a pool. Two combinations were then chosen by response surface analysis and used for further study to validate their effect on controlling the microalgae density and reducing the nutrition concentration in the pool. Subsequently, the two selected combinations were used to study the effect on the purification of eutrophic seawater and control of algae bloom in a sea mesocosm. The results indicated that polyculture with E. gelatinae and G. tumidum enhanced the purification of eutrophic seawater and control of algae bloom. These two polyculture combinations are considered suitable for the Hongsha Bay of Sanya in China. The two combinations present an excellent effect on controlling the microalgae density and reducing the nutrition concentration.

Contamination of surface waters by synthetic ultraviolet light (UV) filtering chemicals is a concern for the Virgin Islands National Park (VINP). Discrete water samples were collected from VINP bays to determine UV filter chemical presence in the coastal waters. Spatial distribution and the potential for partitioning between subsurface waters and the sea surface microlayer (SML) were also examined. The UV filter chemicals 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, benzophenone-3, octinoxate, homosalate, and octocrylene were detected at concentrations up to 6073ng/L (benzophenone-3). Concentrations for benzophenone-3 and homosalate declined exponentially (r2=0.86 to 0.98) with distance from the beach. Limited data indicate that some UV filter chemicals may partition to the SML relative to the subsurface waters. Contamination of VINP coastal waters by UV filter chemicals may be a significant issue, but an improved understanding of the temporal and spatial variability of their concentrations would be necessary to better understand the risk they present.

The level of fecal pollution in 17 sites in Puerto Rico was determined by Escherichia coli (E. coli) enumeration using an enzyme substrate medium and Quanti-Tray®/2000. Human fecal pollution was identified using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of carbamazepine (CBZ) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) detection of the human Bacteroides marker, HF183. Carbamazepine was detected in 16 out of 17 sites, including Condado Lagoon, a popular recreational area. Elevated E. coli levels (>410CFU100mL−1) were detected in 13 sites. Average CBZ concentrations ranged from 0.005μgL−1 to 0.482μgL−1 and 7 sites were positive for HF183. Higher CBZ concentrations were associated with the detection of HF183 (Mann–Whitney test; U=42.0; df=7; 1-tailed P value=0.013). This was the second study to determine surface water concentrations of CBZ in the Caribbean and the first in Puerto Rico.

Effectiveness of oil spill dispersants containing lecithin/Tween 80 (L/T) blends in ethanol was measured as a function of L:T ratio, surfactant:solvent ratio, solvent composition, and dispersant:oil ratio (DOR) using baffled flask dispersion effectiveness tests. Optimal L:T ratios are between 60:40 and 80:20 (w/w); at higher L:T ratios, effectiveness is limited by high interfacial tension, while at lower L:T ratios, insufficient lecithin is present to form a well-packed monolayer at an oil–water interface. These optimal L:T ratios retain high effectiveness at low DOR: 80:20 (w/w) L:T dispersant is 89% effective at 1:25 DOR (v/v) and 77% effective at 1:100 DOR (v/v). Increasing surfactant:solvent ratio increases dispersant effectiveness even when DOR is proportionally reduced to keep total surfactant concentration dosed into the oil constant. Replacing some of the ethanol with octane or octanol also increases dispersant effectiveness, suggesting that ethanol's hydrophilicity lowers dispersant–oil miscibility, and that more hydrophobic solvents would increase effectiveness.