Within wetlands, epiphytes and macrophytes play an important role in storage and transfer of metals, through the food web. However, there is a lack of information about spatial and temporal changes in their metal levels, including those of mercury (Hg), a key priority contaminant of aquatic systems. We assessed total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations of epiphyte/macrophyte complexes in Lake St. Pierre, a large fluvial lake of the St. Lawrence River (Québec, Canada). THg and MeHg concentrations were ten fold higher in epiphytes than in macrophytes. THg concentrations in epiphytes linearly decreased as a function of the autotrophic index, suggesting a role of algae in epiphyte Hg accumulation, and % of MeHg in epiphytes reached values as high as 74%. Spatio-temporal variability in THg and MeHg concentrations in epiphytes and macrophytes were influenced by water temperature, available light, host species, water level, dissolved organic carbon and dissolved oxygen.

GeoChip, a comprehensive gene microarray, was used to examine changes in microbial functional gene structure throughout the 4-year life cycle of a pilot-scale ethanol blend plume, including 2-year continuous released followed by plume disappearance after source removal. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) and Mantel tests showed that dissolved O2 (which was depleted within 5 days of initiating the release and rebounded 194 days after source removal) was the most influential environmental factor on community structure. Initially, the abundance of anaerobic BTEX degradation genes increased significantly while that of aerobic BTEX degradation genes decreased. Gene abundance for N fixation, nitrification, P utilization, sulfate reduction and S oxidation also increased, potentially changing associated biogeochemical cycle dynamics. After plume disappearance, most genes returned to pre-release abundance levels, but the final functional structure significantly differed from pre-release conditions. Overall, observed successions of functional structure reflected adaptive responses that were conducive to biodegradation of ethanol-blend releases.

In 2011–2012, the concentrations of bisphenol A (BPA), 4-tert-octylophenol (OP) and 4-nonylphenol (NP) in surface and near-bottom water of the Gulf of Gdansk, as well as inflowing rivers, were similar to those in other regions of Europe; BPA from <5.0 to 277.9ngdm−3, OP from <1.0 to 834.5ngdm−3, and NP from <4.0 to 228.6ngdm−3. The atmospheric transportation of phenol derivatives and their deposition into the water of the gulf was indicated by high enrichment factor values (EF) in the sea surface microlayer in relation to the sub-surface layer.The main route of BPA, OP and NP transportation into the waters of the Gulf of Gdansk is the River Vistula. In spring, significant amounts of bisphenol A and 4-nonylphenol were introduced to the coastal zone with meltwater. The main factors affecting the variability of BPA, OP and NP concentrations in surface and near-bottom water, particularly in summer, were increased tourism in the coastal region, water temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration.

The long-term impacts of recent marked increases in the incidence and extent of hypoxia (dissolved oxygen <2mg/L) in coastal regions worldwide on fisheries and ecosystems are unknown. Reproductive impairment was investigated in Atlantic croaker collected in 2010 from the extensive coastal hypoxic region in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Potential fecundity was significantly lower in croaker collected throughout the ~20,000km2 hypoxic region than in croaker from normoxic sites. In vitro bioassays of gamete viability showed reductions in oocyte maturation and sperm motility in croaker collected from the hypoxic sites in response to reproductive hormones which were accompanied by decreases in gonadal levels of membrane progestin receptor alpha, the receptor regulating these processes. The finding that environmental hypoxia exposure reduces oocyte viability in addition to decreasing oocyte production in croaker suggests that fecundity estimates need to be adjusted to account for the decrease in oocyte maturation.

Previous models on simulating gas releases in deepwater were not focused on the dissolved component and its impact on water quality. This paper presents a new model developed for simulating the transport/spread of dissolved methane from an underwater release and its impact on dissolved oxygen in ambient water. Methane dissolves into ambient water from gas phase, direct from hydrate phase, and from dissociating hydrates formed earlier. Dissolved methane affects the dissolved oxygen levels in ambient water due to microbial interaction and possible direct absorption of oxygen into methane bubbles. We use new model simulations of Deepspill field experiments to compare with instantaneous profiles which were unpublished until now. The comparisons are very good with a short time lag, but are within the acceptable discrepancy for models for emergency response and contingency planning. Scenario simulations show the effect on dissolved oxygen due to different methane release situations.

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.

Foraminiferal assemblages in sediment grab samples were utilized to evaluate the impacts of anthropogenic activities on benthic habitats in Bellingham Bay, Washington State, U.S.A. Seventy-three samples taken in 1987, 1997, 2006 and 2010 yielded 35 species of foraminifera from 28 genera. Assemblage composition and diversity data indicate a marked deterioration between 1987 and 2010, contrary to the published Chemical Index, but analogous to the situation with macrobiota. Correlation of diversity with chemical pollutants and metals did not identify any significant correlations, however, an unrelated but highly relevant study of bottom water dissolved oxygen concentrations and pH in Bellingham Bay suggests eutrophication with accompanying hypoxia and acidification may be part of the cause. Thus, the metrics of contamination alone do not adequately characterize habitat viability, and benthic foraminiferal assemblages provide insight into the health of coastal ecosystems.

The formation and distribution of oxygen-deficient water mass (ODW) in Jinhae Bay exhibited seasonal patterns similar to those of the summer thermocline, indicating a close mutual relationship, and the influence of ODW formation conditions appeared prominently in the bottom water. The principal factors analysis indicate that dissolved oxygen and NO2 in the bottom water during the time of ODW formation were highly correlated with NH3 and dissolved inorganic phosphorus. The findings clearly illustrate the effects on ODW of seasonal physical and chemical changes. ODW that formed in the bottom water of Jinhae Bay during summer produced high concentrations of nutrients in the bottom water; since the growth of phytoplankton was limited by the strong stratification and low concentrations of dissolved oxygen (<3mg/L) in the bottom layer, these nutrients (especially NH3 and DIP) were retained and accumulated, serving as a major source of nutrients during the dry winter.

546 Vibrio isolates from rearing seawater (292 strains) and intestines of abalone (254 strains) were tested to ten antibiotics using Kirby–Bauer diffusion method. Resistant rates of abalone-derived Vibrio isolates to chloramphenicol (C), enrofloxacin (ENX) and norfloxacin (NOR) were <28%, whereas those from seawater showed large fluctuations in resistance to each of the tested antibiotics. Many strains showed higher resistant rates (>40%) to kanamycin (KNA), furazolidone (F), tetracycline (TE), gentamicin (GM) and rifampin (RA). 332 isolates from seawater (n=258) and abalone (n=74) were resistant to more than three antibiotics. Peaked resistant rates of seawater-derived isolates to multiple antibiotics were overlapped in May and August. Statistical analysis showed that pH had an important effect on resistant rates of abalone-derived Vibrio isolates to RA, NOR, and ENX. Salinity and dissolved oxygen were negatively correlated with resistant rates of seawater-derived Vibrio isolates to KNA, RA, and PG.

The objective of the study is to evaluate the effect of fish cultivation on water quality in fish culture zone (FCZ) and analysed by Principle Component Analysis (PCA). 120 surface water samples were collected from Hong Kong Waters (60 samples in Victoria Harbour and another 60 in Ma Wan FCZ). Significant difference was found in dissolved oxygen (MW: 59.6%; VH: 81.3%), and Escherichia coli (MW: 465CFU/100ml; VH: 162.5CFU/100ml). Three principle components are responsible for water quality variations in the studying sites. The first component included E. coli (0.625) and dissolved oxygen (0.701). The second included E. coli (0.387) and ammonical-nitrogen (0.571). The third included E. coli (0.194) and ammonical-nitrogen (0.287). This framework provides information to assess the relative contribution of eco-aquaculture to nutrient loads and the subsequent risk of eutrophication. To conclude, a rigorous monitoring of water quality is necessary to assess point and nonpoint source pollution. Besides, appropriate remediation techniques should be used to combat water pollution and achieve sustainability.