Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in marine environments has become a major environmental concern. Nonetheless, the biological effects of EDCs on organisms in coastal environments remain poorly characterized. In this study, biomonitoring of EDCs in male fish Sebastiscus marmoratus was carried out in the Maowei Sea, China. The results showed that the concentration of 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) was below the detection limit, the concentrations of 4-tert-octylphenol (4-t-OP) and bisphenol A (BPA) in seawater were moderate compared with those in other global regions, and the possible sources are the municipal wastewater discharge. Nested ANOVA analyses suggest significant differences of the brain aromatase activities and plasma vitellogenin (VTG) expression between the port area and the oyster farming area. A new fish expert system (FES) was developed for evaluating the biological effects of EDCs on fish. Our findings show that the FES is a potential tool to evaluate the biological effects of marine pollutants.

This paper aims to study the spatial and temporal patterns of selected agricultural runoff, specifically in terms of glyphosate, nitrate, and ammonia in bottom water, as well as their possible sources, within an active cockle farming area in Bagan Pasir, Perak, Malaysia. Samples were taken along the cockle farming area from March to November 2019. Glyphosate was analyzed using HPLC with both extraction and derivatization methods using 9-fluorenyl-methyl chloroformate (FMOC-Cl), while nitrate and ammonia levels were determined using the standard Hach method. Generally, glyphosate, nitrate, and ammonia were present within the study site with the average concentration of 37.44 ± 12.27 μg/l, 1.65 ± 0.52 mg/l, and 0.37 ± 0.19 mg/l, respectively. The results suggest that glyphosate and nitrate might be derived from an inland source, while a uniform and low level of ammonia suggested might originate from lithogenic origins. Continuous monitoring remains encouraged.

Human health risk was determined by assessing risk due to dermal contact with the sediment and Benzo [a] pyrene -equivalent concentrations (BaP-TEQ- carcinogenic equivalents and BaP-MEQ- mutagenic equivalents). Ecological risk of PAHs in the sediment was determined by comparing PAHs concentrations to effect range low (ERL) and effect range median (ERM); to estimate the risk associated with the combined effects of PAHs, mean ERM quotient (mERMq) was calculated. Results revealed that hazard index (HI) due to dermal contact of the sediment for adults are 596 and 73.84 for children. Similarly, cancer risk for adults was all >10⁻¹ and was within 10⁻³ ≤ 10⁻¹ for children, for every compound; the sum of cancer risk for adults and children were 8.26 and 1.022 respectively.

A comprehensive radiological survey using multivariate statistical analysis was carried out to evaluate the distribution of ⁴⁰K, ²³²Th, ²²⁶Ra, ²³⁵U, and ¹³⁷Cs, and associated radiation indices in beach sand samples of the coastal area of the Aegean Sea. The activity concentration of selected radionuclides was measured and no clue of recent migration of radiocaesium by not only precipitation but also through an indirect way, such as ocean runoff, was found. As part of radiological risk assessment, external radiation hazard index, radium equivalent activity, effective dose, and absorbed dose rate were estimated. Pearson correlation, cluster, and PCA analysis were used by processing observed radiological parameters to determine the correlation between the radiological parameters and locations. Pearson correlation shows a strong association between all parameters and activity of ²²⁶Ra and ²³²Th. A spatial distribution map was provided to a distinct visual representation of the distribution of radionuclide contents in the study area.

In 2014–2016 more than 600 specimens of semi-solid crude oil were recovered from 30 ocean beaches along the coastline of South Australia, as part of the recently completed Great Australian Bight Research Program. All are believed to be products of submarine oil seepage. Their source-specific biomarker signatures provide the basis for their assignment to sixteen oil families, some previously unrecognised. Two of these families (asphaltite and asphaltic tar) likely originated from Cretaceous marine source rocks in the offshore Bight Basin. The others comprise waxy oils of lacustrine, fluvio-deltaic and marine source affinity. Their biomarker characteristics do not match those of any Australian crude oil. However, they are strikingly similar to those of oils found in Cenozoic and Mesozoic basins throughout the Indonesian Archipelago and elsewhere in Southeast Asia.

Twenty-eight samples of surface seawater were collected from the West Pacific Ocean during 2019 using a high-volume solid-phase extraction with high-throughput organic analysis (Hi-throat/Hi-volume SPE) method, and concentrations of 10 organophosphate ester flame retardants and plasticizers (OPEs) were determined. The total OPE concentration in the samples was 3.02–48.4 ng L⁻¹ (mean 25.0 ± 10.5 ng L⁻¹), with tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) being the largest contributor. Cluster analysis results showed off-shore input from the coast of East and Southeast Asia was an important source of these chemicals. Tri-p-tolyl phosphate (TpTP) should also be considered for long-term monitoring, because of its high detection frequency. Results of a risk assessment indicated low ecological risk to species in the West Pacific Ocean for TPhP and ΣOPEs. Hazard quotients (HQs) were all <1, indicating that the health risk to humans from these chemicals was at acceptable levels.

To verify data accuracy regarding microplastics (MPs), the effects of chemical preprocessing and optical identification with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were examined using survey data. We aimed to clarify the cause of overestimation of the number concentration of MPs without FTIR by focusing on shape types. The proportion of fragments (foam) decreased (increased) after FTIR analysis. Although significant difference was found in terms of the size distribution of fragments (after FTIR > before FTIR), no such difference was found with regard to foam. These findings indicate that impurities categorized as fragments via visual confirmation, especially those measuring <1000 μm, were removed using the FTIR technique. Although previous studies recommended the use of data on MPs measuring >1000 μm, this threshold should be applied only to fragments and not to foam.

Humans rely fundamentally on the marine environment, which is at the same time subject to an increasingly broad range of anthropogenic pressures, leading to growing concerns and the need for effective management for marine protection. One activity is the dredging of ports and harbours which is necessary to maintain safe channels for commercial and recreational navigation. Regulatory authorities in developing countries have few resources to conduct full EIAs for determining dredged material disposal sites but are required to do so under international obligations. The Tool in this paper provides an effective, pragmatic, transparent, consistent, and robust approach to protect the environment whilst using limited technical and scientific resources through a risk based approach to defining need, characterising and designating disposal sites at sea for dredged material. Whilst this approach for dredged material disposal sites was developed for use in UK, this process is equally applicable to other waste types, worldwide.

Microbeads are solid primary microplastics < 5 mm in diameter that are added to cosmetic products for cleansing and/or exfoliation of the skin. After use, they are discharged into the drain and end up in Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs), from which they can escape into waters. Once disposed, there is no efficient method of recovery and the environmental conditions do not allow full biodegradation. Focusing mainly on the possible effect of microbeads on the environment and the human health, and taking into account that there have always been alternatives with similar cost, scientists suggested banning microbeads from cosmetic products. Despite the increasing knowledge on the microplastics' effects, the pressure from non-governmental organizations (NGO's) and the increasing public concern, few European and other countries worldwide have taken legislative steps against microbeads, and even fewer against other microplastics used in cosmetic products, mainly because it is a common belief that cosmetic industries responded massively to the call for a phase-out. Although EU acted soon after scientists focused on microbeads' effects by restricting cosmetics with microbeads to bare the EU Ecolabel in 2014, there is still no European-wide ban, which will probably take place as of 2022. Present study offers a thorough literature review on the presence of microbeads in cosmetics up to date, focusing primarily on the actions against their use, and questioning whether future pollution from microbeads or/and microplastics in cosmetics has been successfully handled.

The occurrence of several aquatic contaminants, including pharmaceuticals, were investigated in seawater samples collected from effluent-dominated sites in Indonesia: 4 sites in Jakarta Bay and one on the north coast of Central Java. The data presented in this preliminary study provide a snapshot of seawater quality in these areas. Results show that nutrient parameters exceeded the Indonesian Standard Quality of Seawater limits, and some metals were also present. Interestingly, high concentrations of paracetamol were detected at Angke (610 ng/L) and Ancol (420 ng/L), both in Jakarta Bay. To date, this is the first study to report the presence of paracetamol (acetaminophen) in the coastal waters around Indonesia. The high concentrations detected, compared to other levels reported in scientific literature, raise concerns about the environmental risks associated with long-term exposure and, especially, the impact on nearby shellfish farms. Given pharmaceuticals' consideration as emerging contaminants, these data suggest further investigations are needed.