In addition to monitoring trends in plastic pollution, multi-species surveys are needed to fully understand the pervasiveness of plastic ingestion. We examined the stomach contents of 20 bird species collected from the coastal waters of the eastern North Pacific, a region known to have high levels of plastic pollution. We observed no evidence of plastic ingestion in Rhinoceros Auklet, Marbled Murrelet, Ancient Murrelet or Pigeon Guillemot, and low levels in Common Murre (2.7% incidence rate). Small sample sizes limit our ability to draw conclusions about population level trends for the remaining fifteen species, though evidence of plastic ingestion was found in Glaucous-Winged Gull and Sooty Shearwater. Documenting levels of plastic ingestion in a wide array of species is necessary to gain a comprehensive understanding about the impacts of plastic pollution. We propose that those working with bird carcasses follow standard protocols to assess the levels of plastic ingestion whenever possible.

We determined total mercury (Hg) distribution in muscle and liver of ten ray species and assessed health risk considering Hg levels in muscle and average consumption of rays in Mexico. Rays were collected from five sites in NW Mexico between March and November 2012. Hg concentrations ranged from 4.465μgg−1 in muscle of the longtail stingray Dasyatis longa to 0.036μgg−1 in liver of the diamond stingray Dasyatis dipterura. Considering all the individuals, Hg in muscle (1.612±1.322μgg−1) was significantly (p<0.05) higher than in liver (0.745±0.616μgg−1). Regarding local health risk assessment, none of the ray species may cause adverse effects on consumers.

The effects of the decline in ocean pH, known as ocean acidification, on marine species are not well understood. To test the effects on embryos and larvae of red king crab, Paralithodes camtschaticus, ovigerous crab and their larvae were held in CO2-acidified (pH 7.7) and control (ambient; pH 8.0) seawater during development. Morphometrics, hatch duration, fecundity, survival, mineral content, and condition were measured. Acidified embryos had 4% larger eyes and 5% smaller yolks, while mean hatch duration was 33% longer and female fecundity was unaffected. Acidified embryos also resulted in 4% longer larvae while acidified larvae had lower survival. Calcium content of both larvae and female carapaces after molting increased by 5% and 19%, respectively. Although ocean acidification may increase larval size and calcium content, the implications of this are unclear and decreased survival is likely to harm red king crab populations.

The influence of seasonal and environmental parameters on the occurrence of bacteria was investigated in two clam species (Venerupis pullastra and Ruditapes philippinarum), water and sediment from the Tagus estuary. Total viable counts (TVC), Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Vibrio spp. were evaluated during one-year. Overall, significant seasonal variations were found in both sampling sites, especially for E. coli and Vibrio spp. levels. In summer, significantly higher Vibrio spp. levels were found in R. philippinarum and sediment samples, but not in V. pullastra clams and water samples. In contrast, significantly higher TVC and E. coli levels were observed in winter months in water and sediment samples. Salmonella spp. was generally isolated when higher levels of E. coli were detected, particularly in R. philippinarum. This study is useful for authorities to develop monitoring strategies for coastal contamination and to estimate human health risks associated with the consumption of bivalves.

Distributions and magnitude of metals in water, sediment and soil collected from the watershed and estuarine areas of southern Bohai Sea, were investigated. The largest dissolved concentrations of As, Cu and Zn in water were 347.70, 2755.00, 2076.00μg/L, respectively, much higher than corresponding drinking water guidelines. The greatest concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cr, Ni, Pb, As and Cd in sediments were 1462.2, 1602.17, 196.43, 67.15, 63.54, 73.86 and 1.41mg/kg, dw, respectively. The mean concentrations of Cu, Ni, Cd, Zn, Cr, Pb and As in soils were 24.67, 24.73, 0.14, 64.75, 56.52, 25.12 and 9.34mg/kg, dw, respectively. Land use was confirmed to be an important factor of influence on soil metal concentrations. Metal contents along the watershed of Jie River were significantly greater than in other locations. The detection of metals in relatively high concentrations from different environmental matrices in this region indicates the necessity of further studies.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies involve localized acidification of significant volumes of seawater, inhabited mainly by planktonic species. Knowledge on potential impacts of these techniques on the survival and physiology of zooplankton, and subsequent consequences for ecosystem health in targeted areas, is scarce. The recent literature has a focus on anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, leading to enhanced absorption of CO2 by the oceans and a lowered seawater pH, termed ocean acidification. These studies explore the effects of changes in seawater chemistry, as predicted by climate models for the end of this century, on marine biota. Early studies have used unrealistically severe CO2/pH values in this context, but are relevant for CCS leakage scenarios. Little studied meso- and bathypelagic species of the deep sea may be especially vulnerable, as well as vertically migrating zooplankton, which require significant residence times at great depths as part of their life cycle.

A two-fluid, small scale numerical ocean model was developed to simulate plume dynamics and increases in water acidity due to leakages of CO2 from potential sub-seabed reservoirs erupting, or pipeline breaching into the North Sea. The location of a leak of such magnitude is unpredictable; therefore, multiple scenarios are modelled with the physiochemical impact measured in terms of the movement and dissolution of the leaked CO2. A correlation for the drag coefficient of bubbles/droplets free rising in seawater is presented and a sub-model to predict the initial bubble/droplet size forming on the seafloor is proposed. With the case studies investigated, the leaked bubbles/droplets fully dissolve before reaching the water surface, where the solution will be dispersed into the larger scale ocean waters. The tools developed can be extended to various locations to model the sudden eruption, which is vital in determining the fate of the CO2 within the local waters.

Birds are often the most numerous vertebrates damaged and rehabilitated in marine oil spills; however, the efficacy of avian rehabilitation is frequently debated and rarely examined experimentally. We compared survival of three radio-marked treatment groups, oiled, rehabilitated (ORHB), un-oiled, rehabilitated (RHB), and un-oiled, non-rehabilitated (CON), in an experimental approach to examine post-release survival of surf scoters (Melanitta perspicillata) following the 2007 M/V Cosco Busan spill in San Francisco Bay. Live encounter-dead recovery modeling indicated that survival differed among treatment groups and over time since release. The survival estimate (±SE) for ORHB was 0.143±0.107 compared to CON (0.498±0.168) and RHB groups (0.772±0.229), suggesting scoters tolerated the rehabilitation process itself well, but oiling resulted in markedly lower survival. Future efforts to understand the physiological effects of oil type and severity on scoters are needed to improve post-release survival of this species.

The objectives of this study were to (i) assess trace metal concentrations in Hydrilla verticillata and sediment from an estuarine creek in Alabama (USA), where high metal levels in biota were previously reported, and (ii) investigate the relationship between metal concentrations in H. verticillata and the sediment compartment. Our results indicate that sediment and H. verticillata exhibit moderate metal concentrations in the study area. We found that levels in plant tissues can be up to five times higher than in the sediment (e.g., Cd), suggesting that H. verticillata can take up and store several trace metals (Cd, Hg, Ni, and Zn) from this compartment. Together with studies focused on the uptake and accumulation of trace metals from the surrounding water, laboratory- and field-based studies are needed to better evaluate this plant’s ability to acquire metals from the sediment that constitutes a contaminant sink in human-impacted coastal regions.

Marine debris has been found in marine animals since the early 20th century, but little is known about the impacts of the ingestion of debris in large marine mammals. In this study we describe a case of mortality of a sperm whale related to the ingestion of large amounts of marine debris in the Mediterranean Sea (4th published case worldwide to our knowledge), and discuss it within the context of the spatial distribution of the species and the presence of anthropogenic activities in the area that could be the source of the plastic debris found inside the sperm whale. The spatial distribution modelled for the species in the region shows that these animals can be seen in two distinct areas: near the waters of Almería, Granada and Murcia and in waters near the Strait of Gibraltar. The results shows how these animals feed in waters near an area completely flooded by the greenhouse industry, making them vulnerable to its waste products if adequate treatment of this industry’s debris is not in place. Most types of these plastic materials have been found in the individual examined and cause of death was presumed to be gastric rupture following impaction with debris, which added to a previous problem of starvation. The problem of plastics arising from greenhouse agriculture should have a relevant section in the conservation plans and should be a recommendation from ACCOBAMS due to these plastics’ and sperm whales’ high mobility in the Mediterranean Sea.