Total mercury was analyzed as a function of body length, season, and diet in four commercially and recreationally important marine fish, bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix), goosefish (Lophius americanus), silver hake (Merluccius bilinearis), and summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus), collected from continental shelf waters of the northwest Atlantic Ocean. Mercury levels in the dorsal muscle tissue of 115 individuals ranged from 0.006 to 1.217μg/g (wet weight) and varied significantly among species. The relationship between predator length and mercury concentration was linear for bluefish and summer flounder, while mercury levels increased with size at an exponential rate for silver hake and goosefish. Mercury burdens were the highest overall in bluefish, but increased with size at the greatest rate in silver hake. Seasonal differences were detected for bluefish and goosefish with mercury levels peaking during summer and spring, respectively. Prey mercury burdens and predator foraging habits are discussed as the primary factors influencing mercury accumulation.

This paper proposes and tests a method of producing macrofauna habitat potential maps based on a weights-of-evidence model (a probabilistic approach) for the Hwangdo tidal flat, Korea. Samples of macrobenthos were collected during field work, and we considered five mollusca species for habitat mapping. A weights-of-evidence model was used to calculate the relative weights of 10 control factors that affect the macrobenthos habitat. The control factors were compiled as a spatial database from remotely sensed data combined with GIS analysis. The relative weight of each factor was integrated as a species potential index (SPI), which produced habitat potential maps. The maps were compared with the surveyed habitat locations, revealing a strong correlation between the potential maps and species locations. The combination of a GIS-based weights-of-evidence model and remote sensing techniques is an effective method in determining areas of macrobenthos habitat potential in a tidal flat setting.

This study established wetland microcosms that were either unplanted or planted in monoculture with native mangrove species in Taiwan (Avicennia marina, Rhizophora stylosa, and Lumnitzera racemosa) for the purpose of receiving high-salinity mariculture effluents; additionally, the microcosms operated at different hydraulic retention times (HRTs). Plant growth and the performance of the microcosms with respect to pollutant removal were investigated. The results showed that seedlings of all three mangrove species survived and grew sufficiently well under continuous flooding. The presence of mangroves consistently improved SS, BOD₅, and TP removal, particularly under short HRT conditions. The mangrove microcosms removed pollutants from the mariculture effluents with efficiencies of 5.7–27.1% (SS), 4.9–36.3% (BOD₅), 18.7–29.9% (TP), 21.2–49.8% (NH₄-N), and 5.4–37.7% (NOₓ-N). A. marina and L. racemosa were more tolerant of continuous flooding than R. stylosa. However, no species displayed consistently superior performance in decreasing all pollutant-related parameters investigated. For all pollutants, microcosms operating at a 2-d HRT exhibited a higher removal efficiency than those operating at a 0.5-d HRT.

Whilst the potential impact on beach users from microorganisms in water has received considerable attention, there has been relatively little investigation into microbial contaminants in sand. Thirty three beaches across Portugal were analyzed during a five year period (2006–2010) to determine the presence of yeasts, pathogenic fungi, dermatophytes, total coliforms, Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci in sand. Our results showed that 60.4% of the samples were positive for fungi and that 25.2% were positive for the bacterial parameters. The most frequent fungal species found were Candida sp. and Aspergillus sp., whereas intestinal enterococci were the most frequently isolated bacteria. Positive associations were detected among analyzed parameters and country-regions but none among those parameters and sampling period. Regarding threshold values, we propose 15cfu/g for yeasts, 17cfu/g for potential pathogenic fungi, 8cfu/g for dermatophytes. Eighty four cfu/g for coliforms, 250cfu/g for E. coli, and 100cfu/g for intestinal enterococci.

Scallop dredging grounds in the Firth of Lorn, western Scotland, are juxtaposed with rocky reef habitats raising concerns that reef communities may be impacted by sediment disturbed by nearby scallop dredging. A particle-tracking model of sediment transport and settling is applied at two scales. In the near-field, a suspension of typical sand/gravel-dominated bed sediment is subjected to a steady current across the dredge track. In the far-field, silt particles, which may persist in suspension for multiple tidal cycles, are tracked in the context of a regional model of tidally-driven flow. The principal sedimentary risk to reef habitats is predicted to come from settling sand particles when dredge tracks approach within tens of metres of a reef. The cumulative effect of dredging at the relatively low intensities recorded in this region is not expected to have a significant long-term impact on suspended silt concentrations and settlement in this highly dispersive environment.

Halogenated natural products (HNPs) are frequently detected in marine organisms. High HNP concentrations have previously been found in marine mammals from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, including in the blubber of herbivorous dugongs (Dugong dugon). To identify the source of HNPs we initially focused on the analysis of Australian seagrass (Halophila ovalis) which serves as the principal food source for dugongs. GC/MS analysis of the seagrass indicated the presence of several organobromine compounds. One compound was identified as 2,3,4,5-tetrabromo-1-methylpyrrole (TBMP) by synthesis. Subsequent analysis of semipermeable membrane devices demonstrated that the photo-sensitive TBMP is widespread in the Great Barrier Reef (Queensland, Australia). The detection of larger TBMP concentrations in fish fillets from Chile and traces in mussels from New Zealand indicated that this potential HNP may be distributed throughout the Southern Pacific Ocean.

Concentrations of Zn, Cd and Pb were measured in muscle of pelagic, demersal and benthic fishes, captured in the coastal area adjoining the Tagus estuary (Portugal), in 1998 and 2010. Additionally, Pb and Cd were determined in estuarine waters, showing a pronounced decrease between 1999 and 2010. Accordingly, specimens captured in 2010 presented significantly lower metal concentrations than individuals caught in 1998. Reductions were more evident for Pb (reduction of 59–99%) than for Cd (14–93%) and Zn (17–54%). Values in pelagic and demersal species exhibited higher reductions than in benthic species. Decrease of metal concentrations in fish appears thus to reflect the improvement of estuarine water quality as anthropogenic sources have been reduced or eliminated. Furthermore, it emphasises the usefulness of the descriptor “Contaminants in Fish” to assess the efficiency of measures to achieve a good environmental status, in the scope of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

Perfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFCs) including perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) were measured in environmental samples collected from around Homebush Bay, an urban/industrial area in the upper reaches of Sydney Harbour and Parramatta River estuary. Water, surface sediment, Sea Mullet (Mugil cephalus), Sydney Rock Oyster (Saccostrea commercialis) and eggs of two bird species; White Ibis (Threskiornis molucca), and Silver Gull (Larus novaehollandiae) were analysed. In most samples PFOS was the dominant PFC. Geometric mean PFOS concentrations were 33ng/gww (wet weight) in gull eggs, 34ng/gww in ibis eggs, and 1.8ng/gww and 66ng/gww in Sea Mullet muscle and liver, respectively. In sediment the PFOS geometric mean was 1.5ng/g, in water average PFOS and PFOA concentrations ranged from 7.5 to 21ng/L and 4.2 to 6.4ng/L, respectively. In oysters perfluorododecanoic acid was most abundant, with a geometric mean of 2.5ng/gww.

Ten sediment core samples with lengths ranging from 35 to 100cm were collected in the Baixada Santista region and analyzed to determine As, Br, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, Rb, Sb, Ta, Th, U, Zn and rare earths (Sc, Ce, Eu, La, Lu, Nd, Sm, Tb and Yb) level concentrations using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The studied region is located in the southeastern coast of São Paulo State and is comprised of a densely urbanized area, the largest industrial complex of the country, with a predominance of petrochemical and fertilizer plants. It is also home to Brazil’s most important and busiest port. The conclusions found that the As, La, Sm, Ne, Ce, Eu, Hf, Ta, Th, and U elements have a high background level in the region and that Fe and Zn were the main indicators of anthropogenic contribution in the sediments.

This paper compares the ignitability of Troll B crude oil weathered under simulated Arctic conditions (0%, 50% and 90% ice cover). The experiments were performed in different scales at SINTEF’s laboratories in Trondheim, field research station on Svalbard and in broken ice (70–90% ice cover) in the Barents Sea. Samples from the weathering experiments were tested for ignitability using the same laboratory burning cell. The measured ignitability from the experiments in these different scales showed a good agreement for samples with similar weathering. The ice conditions clearly affected the weathering process, and 70% ice or more reduces the weathering and allows a longer time window for in situ burning. The results from the Barents Sea revealed that weathering and ignitability can vary within an oil slick. This field use of the burning cell demonstrated that it can be used as an operational tool to monitor the ignitability of oil spills.