Mercury (Hg) biotransformation and biomagnification are processes that affect Hg burdens in wildlife. To interpret variation in Hg in seabird eggs, used as Hg bioindicators in the Arctic, it is important to understand how Hg biomagnifies through the food web. We evaluated the use of δ34S, along with other commonly used stable isotope signatures (δ15N and δ13C), for the determination of possible sources of Hg in an Arctic food web (56 individuals of 15 species of fish and invertebrates). Hg correlated with δ34S (R2 = 0.72). When the combined effects of δ34S and δ15N were considered in mixed-effects models, both δ34S and δ15N together described Hg patterns in Arctic food webs better than either isotope alone. Our results demonstrate the usefulness of δ34S to account for variation in Hg among marine animals and to study the possible underlying effects that MeHg production may have on Hg pathways in Arctic ecosystems.

Semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMDs) were applied to sample some Organochlorinated Pesticides (OCPs), Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) from the seawater of 14 Chinese coastal areas. The total concentrations of OCPs (∑16OCPs), PAHs (∑15PAHs) and PCBs (∑35PCBs) were in the ranges of 489.2–2174, 589.4–53,160, and 133.2–3658 ng/g lipid, respectively. The ∑15PAHs varied significantly with the sampling locations, which were far higher in north Chinese coastal areas than in south areas, whereas ∑16OCPs and ∑35PCBs only slightly fluctuated along the entire coast line. Comparing SPMD to grab sampler, it was found that the distribution patterns of the PCBs and OCPs in seawater were generally similar. However, the compositional profiles of the PAHs, PCBs, DDTs and HCHs in SPMDs were slightly different to grab samplers and organisms. The SPMDs accumulated less lipotropic compounds, which are inclined to dissolve in water rather than in organisms.

Elevated suspended sediment concentrations (SSCs) often impact coral fertilisation success, but sediment composition can influence effect thresholds, which is problematic for accurately predicting risk. Here, we derived concentration–response thresholds and cause-effect pathways for SSCs comprising a range of realistic mineral and organic compositions on coral fertilisation success. Effect concentration thresholds (EC10: 10% fertilisation inhibition) varied markedly, with fertilisation highly sensitive to inshore organic-clay rich sediments and bentonite clay at <5 mg L−1. Mineral clays and organic matter within these sediments likely promoted flocculation of the coral sperm, which in turn reduced fertilisation. In contrast, sediments lacking these properties bound less sperm, leading to higher SSC thresholds for coral fertilisation (EC10 > 40 mg L−1). The effect thresholds for relevant sediment types were combined with in situ turbidity data from locations near dredging operations to assess the risks posed by dredging to coral fertilisation at these locations.

The concentrations of 21 potentially toxic elements (PTEs) were determined in the tissues of Octopus hubbsorum from three locations along the Gulf of California coast: two near Santa Rosalia (SR), a site with historical metal contamination, and one in La Paz Bay, a reference site. Concentrations of Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in octopus from the two SR sites were higher than those from the reference site, reflecting the higher sediment concentrations at the mining-impacted locations. The highest bioaccumulation and biomagnification of elements was found in digestive gland and branchial hearts, while the lowest was observed in the mantle, where the mean concentration of PTEs did not exceed international standards for human consumption of octopus. This study found elevated PTEs in octopus from sites with high metal contamination, and presents the first data on these elements in octopus from the Gulf of California.

Methylmercury concentrations in fish from the historically polluted Minamata Bay remain higher than in fish from other coastal seas around Japan. To obtain a better understanding of this phenomenon, the chemical characteristics of pore water from Minamata Bay sediments were investigated. Samples were taken from two stations over a 1-year period. Total average values in the pore water at the two stations for dissolved total mercury and methylmercury concentrations were 6.64±4.93 and 2.69±2.07ng/l, respectively. The pore water was centrifuged at 1000rpm to 3000rpm. The highest ratio of dissolved methylmercury to dissolved total mercury exceeded 60% for pore water centrifuged at 3000rpm. Furthermore, because total average values of Log Kd of total mercury and methylmercury in sediment (St1 and St2) were 5.42 and 2.32 (Lkg−1), methylmercury in Minamata Bay sediment is more eluted than other mercury species.

Precursors that can be transformed into perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) have not been investigated in detail. In this study, the levels of potential PFAA precursors in the Jiaozhou Bay, inflowing rivers, and STP (sewage treatment plant) effluents were investigated by converting all PFAA precursors into perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) by chemical oxidation. The significance of controlling PFAA precursors was indicated by the ratios of PFCAs converted by the oxidative treatment of precursors to PFAAs before oxidation (∑△[PFCAC4-C12]/∑[PFAA]before oxidation). The higher levels of △[PFCAC4-C12] (average = 18.89 ng/L) and lower ratios (∑△[PFCAC4-C12]/∑[PFAA]before oxidation, average = 0.21) were revealed in the STP effluents rather than in the water of the Jiaozhou Bay and rivers, which implied the precursors conversion during the sewage treatment process. The concentrations of △[PFCAs] and the aforementioned ratios showed apparent spatial and temporal differences. These results indicated that STPs were the important sources of precursors to other water bodies.

Twenty four surface sediments were gathered from the Uppanar river estuary, southern India to evaluate the trace element contamination risk in the sediments. The circulation of organic matter and calcium carbonate were controlled by algal blooms and shell fragments. Moreover, the concentrations of iron and manganese in the estuarine sediments were possibly contributed by riverine sources and geogenic processes. The geoaccumulation index, enrichment factor and contamination factor reveals that the sediments were contaminated by copper and chromium. The pollution load index recommends that the estuarine sediments have the risk of pollution. The sediment pollution index highlights that the majority of the sediments are low polluted sediments. The potential ecological risk index discloses that the Uppanar river estuary is under moderate risk. The statistical analysis reveals that the organic matter content is managed by fine fractions and the majority of the trace elements are associated with each other having similar origin.

This study investigated the long-term variations and compositions of nutrients and the associated controlling factors in the western North Yellow Sea on the basis of historical data. The NO3-N and DIN concentrations and N/P showed continuous increases over the past two decades, which were dominantly affected by riverine inputs, such as inputs from the Yellow River, Yalujiang River and Jia River and atmospheric deposition. However, due to human activities, such as dam construction in rivers and climate change, the SiO3-Si concentrations and Si/P ratios decreased before the early 1990s and then gradually increased. The vertical distributions of nutrients displayed higher concentrations at the bottom than those at the surface in summer, which was attributed to the combined influence of the thermocline, the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass, the Yellow Sea Warm Current and biological activities.

Microplastics (MPs) are generated from plastic and have negative impact to our environment due to high level of fragmentation. They can be originated from various sources in different forms such as fragment, fiber, foam and so on. For detection of MPs, many techniques have been developed with different functions such as microscopic observation, density separation, Raman and FTIR analysis. Besides, due to ingestion of MPs by wide range of marine species, research on the effect of this pollution on biota as well as human is vital. Therefore, we comprehensively reviewed the occurrence and distribution of MPs pollution in both marine and freshwater environments, including rivers, lakes and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). For future studies, we propose the development of new techniques for sampling MPs in aquatic environments and biota and recommend more research regarding MPs release by WWTPs.

Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) runoff from Great Barrier Reef (GBR) catchments is a threat to coral reef health. Several initiatives address this threat, including the Australian Government's Reef 2050 Plan. However, environmental decision makers face an unsolved prioritization challenge: determining the exposure of reefs to DIN from individual rivers. Here, we use virtual river tracers embedded within a GBR-wide hydrodynamic model to resolve the spatial and temporal dynamics of 16 individual river plumes during three wet seasons (2011−2013). We then used in-situ DIN observations to calibrate tracer values, allowing us to estimate the contribution of each river to reef-scale DIN exposure during each season. Results indicate that the Burdekin, Fitzroy, Tully and Daintree rivers pose the greatest DIN exposure risk to coral reefs during the three seasons examined. Results were used to demonstrate a decision support framework that combines reef exposure risk with river dominance (threat diversity).