We report blood and feather concentrations of elements in the Baltic Sea and Arctic population of common eiders (Somateria mollissima). The endangered Baltic Sea population of eiders was demonstrably affected by element pollution in the 1990s. While blood concentrations of Hg were higher in Baltic breeding eiders, blood Se, As and Cd concentrations were higher in Arctic eiders. Blood concentrations of Pb, Cr, Zn and Cu did not differ between the two populations. While blood Pb concentrations had declined in Baltic eiders since the 1990s, Hg concentrations had not declined, and were above concentrations associated with adverse oxidative effects in other bird species. Inconsistent with blood concentrations, feather concentrations suggested that Pb, Zn, and Cd exposure was higher in Baltic eiders, and that Hg exposure was higher in Arctic eiders. Our study thus emphasizes the need for comprehensive evaluation of toxic element status, covering the annual cycle of a species.

The present study aims to define the possible sources that contribute to the level of Pb into the Brunei Bay, Borneo. The cluster analysis has classified the bay into the northern part with heavy and agriculture-related industries; the southern area with a moderate rural human settlement as well as the southwestern area with a more pristine environment and a low level of human settlement. The score plot of spatial discriminant analysis verified a significant influence of the river system toward the estuary, whereas the temporal discriminant analysis has discriminated the seasonal changes. In comparison to elsewhere, the stable Pb isotopic ratios in Brunei Bay showed a fingerprint similar to coal-related sources and of aerosol input. Briefly, even though Pb in the Brunei Bay ecosystem proved to be at a low level, the stable Pb isotopic ratios showed that human and industrial activities are slowly contributing Pb into the bay ecosystem.

Seabirds can interact with marine litter, mainly by entanglement or ingestion. The ingestion of plastics can lead to starvation or physical damage to the digestive tract. For chicks, it could additionally lead to reduced growth, affecting survival and fledging. This study quantified the ingestion of plastics by seabird chicks via an opportunistic sampling strategy. When ringing is carried out at colonies, birds may spontaneously regurgitate their stomach contents due to the stress or as a defence mechanism. Regurgitates were collected from nestlings of three different species: Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla, n=38), Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis, n=14) and Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo, n=28). Plastic was present in all species, with the highest frequency of occurrence (FO) in Northern Fulmar chicks (28.6%), followed by Black-legged Kittiwakes (7.9%) and Great Cormorants (7.1%). The observed load of plastics on chicks, which have not yet left the nest, highlights the pervasive nature of plastic pollution.

A field survey to collect microplastics with sizes <5mm was conducted in the Southern Ocean in 2016. We performed five net-tows and collected 44 pieces of plastic. Total particle counts of the entire water column, which is free of vertical mixing, were computed using the surface concentration (particle count per unit seawater volume) of microplastics, wind speed, and significant wave height during the observation period. Total particle counts at two stations near Antarctica were estimated to be in the order of 100,000pieceskm−2.

Pyrene, a member of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), contributes to abnormality in the size of the brain and the swimming behavior of pufferfish (Takifugu niphobles) larvae. We hypothesized that the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) may mediate pyrene-induced toxic effects because AHR is assumed to be a candidate for the downstream target of PAHs in many cases. To identify the contribution of AHR on developing pufferfish, we performed exposure experiments using β-naphthoflavone, an agonist of AHR. We found that the toxic effects of pyrene and β-naphthoflavone in pufferfish larvae are fundamentally different. Pyrene specifically induced problems in the developing midbrain and in swimming behavior, while β-naphthoflavone affected the heartbeat rate and the size of the yolk. These results suggest that the behavioral and morphological abnormality caused by pyrene exposure is mediated by an AHR-independent pathway. Alternatively, defects caused by pyrene may be attributed to the inhibition of the FGF signal.

March 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of the SS Torrey Canyon oil spill and cleanup, off the Cornwall coast in the English Channel. It was the world's first major supertanker disaster. It was a signature event in the marine pollution field, especially related to oil spill response and the initiation of scientific studies of monitoring and researching the fate and effects of oil in the sea. This paper recalls this event, notes our growing understanding of marine pollution and global efforts for cleaner seas, and encourages further work on both oil and the many emerging environmental issues affecting the marine environment.

Eight sandy beaches along the coastline of Qatar and four sea surface stations on the eastern coast, adjacent to Doha Bay, were surveyed between December 2014 and March 2015. Microplastics, mainly low density polyethylene and polypropylene, were found in all samples of sediments and seawater. Blue fibers, ranging between 1 and 5mm, were the dominant type of particle present. Abundances on the sea surface varied between 4.38×104 and 1.46×106particles·km−2, with the highest values being consistently found 10km offshore, suggesting the presence of a convergence zone. No significant temporal variability was detected for sea surface samples. The concentration of microplastics in intertidal sediments varied between 36 and 228particlesm−2, with no significant differences among the 8 beaches examined. These results show the pervasiveness of microplastic pollution in coastal environments of the Arabian Gulf. Potential local sources and sinks for microplastics are discussed.

China has been suffering serious particulate matter (PM) pollution in recent decades. Local emission and regional transport both contribute to PM pollution. Determining the contributions of local emissions vs. regional transport to PM concentrations is crucial in making effective PM control policies. This paper reviews the recent research on the contributions of regional transport to PM pollution in four regions in China, i.e., the northern China, eastern China, southern China, and the western China, respectively. The major findings include (1) HYSPLIT is the most popular methods in studies in all regions and often is used in combination with the CA, PSCF, and CWT techniques to investigate the transport pathways and source origins; (2) during the relatively polluted period, transport contributes over 50% of the PM concentrations in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Chengdu. Regional transport is important for PM pollution in major cities of China; and (3) regional transport exhibits clear seasonal variations and long term trends. The findings have important implication for emission control programs in these regions.

The spatial distribution and seasonal variation of 16 phthalate esters (PAEs) in water, suspended particulate matter (SPM) and sediment were investigated in the Jiulong River estuary, Fujian, Southeast China. Of the 16 PAE congeners analyzed, only six PAEs, including dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and diisononyl phthalate (DINP), were identified and quantified. The total concentrations of the six PAEs (∑6PAEs) detected for all seasons ranged from 3.01 to 26.4μg/L in water, 1.56 to 48.7mg/kg in SPM, and 0.037 to 0.443μg/kg in sediment. DEHP, DIBP and DBP were the most abundant PAE congeners in all of the water, SPM and sediment phases. The spatial distributions of PAEs in the estuary were controlled not only by the riverine runoff, seasons, hydrodynamic condition and human activities but also the physicochemical properties of PAEs.

The effect of urbanization on the environmental quality of two sandy beaches was evaluated using metrics such as pH, dissolved oxygen, coliforms and solid waste. Urbanization effects on physicochemical metrics (pH and dissolved oxygen) were not significant. The coliforms concentration was below the established limit for primary contact, but it was significantly higher on beaches with highest recreational potential. Similarly, the abundance of solid waste was significantly higher in urbanized areas (~4.5 items/m2), and it was higher than what was found for 106 beaches worldwide. Plastic represented 84% of the total number of items and recreational activities were the main sources of debris (80%). Therefore, a balance between recreation and conservation actions, based on short-term (e.g. fines) and long-term measures (e.g. educational policies) is recommended. We demonstrate that the use of multiple metrics provides more robust estimates of the environmental quality of sandy beaches than a single impact metric.