Buoyant microplastic pollution disperses widely from sources via strong wind-driven water currents in lakes and oceans. This ability for dispersal depends critically upon the particle's density, which can change over time due to microbial growth (biofilm). This study quantifies biofilm-induced sinking rates of irregularly-shaped polypropylene granules (~125–2000 μm) via ex-situ experiments emulating a Great Lakes freshwater environment. Biofilm development increases particle density and lowers microplastic rise velocities, eventually causing sinking. We observed sinking for 100% of small and intermediate microplastics, and 95% of large microplastics. Under constant environmental conditions, sinking onset was observed sooner for smaller particles (~125–212 μm, 18 days) than for larger particles (~1000–2000 μm, 50 days). Differences in settling onset would lead to size-fractionation of particle sedimentation, whereby smaller particles are deposited closer to their sources relative to larger particles. Our study demonstrates a novel mechanism by which buoyant microplastics can selectively sink from the lake surface.

The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is threatened by climate change and local pressures, including contaminants in nearshore habitats. This study investigated the combined effects of a GBR-relevant contaminant, the herbicide diuron, under current and two future climate scenarios on the coral Acropora millepora. All physiological responses tested (effective quantum yield (ΔF/Fm′), photosynthesis, calcification rate) were negatively affected with increasing concentrations of diuron. Interactive effects between diuron and climate were observed for all responses; however, climate had no significant effect on ΔF/Fm′ or calcification rates. Photosynthesis was negatively affected as the climate scenarios were adjusted from ambient (28.1 °C, pCO₂ = 397 ppm) to RCP8.5 2050 (29.1 °C, pCO₂ = 680 ppm) and 2100 (30.2 °C, pCO₂ = 858 ppm) with EC50 values declining from 19.4 to 10.6 and 2.6 μg L⁻¹ diuron in turn. These results highlight the likelihood that water quality guideline values may need to be adjusted as the climate changes.

The nitrogen (N) loss processes have not been well examined in subterranean estuaries (STEs) between land and sea. We utilized a ¹⁵N isotope tracer method, q-PCR, and high-throughput sequencing to reveal the activities, abundances, and community compositions of N loss communities in a STE in Gloucester Point, Virginia, US. The highest activities, abundances and diversity of denitrifiers and anammox bacteria were detected at 50–60 cm depth in the aerobic-anaerobic transition zone (AATZ) characterized by sharp redox gradients. nirS-denitrifiers and anammox bacteria were affiliated to 10 different clusters and three genera, respectively. Denitrification and anammox played equal roles with an estimated N loss of 13.15 mmol N m⁻³ day⁻¹. A positive correlation between ammonia oxidizing prokaryote abundances and DO as well as NOₓ⁻ suggested that nitrification produces NOₓ⁻ which supports the hotspot of denitrification and anammox within the AATZ. Overall, these results highlight the roles of N loss communities in STEs.

The presence of Norovirus (NoV) and Hepatitis E virus (HEV) in non-depurated and depurated oysters raised in the north-west Italian coast was investigated by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Total and inorganic arsenic (As) and the presence of marine biotoxins (DSP, ASP, PSP) by LC-MS were also investigated. NoV was detected through all the sampling period in non depurated and depurated oysters with highest levels during wintertime (>10⁴ genome copies per gram, gc/g) and minimum values in summer below the LOQ (<130/140 gc/g). HEV has never been found as well as biotoxins. Total As concentration was found in oysters in the range 0.45–3.0 mg/kg, while inorganic As was found in all samples in concentrations below the LOQ (<0.020 mg/kg). The study highlights how the 24 h depuration process didn't reduce significantly NoV levels and therefore the high concentration of NoV in oysters could represent a risk for consumers especially during winter and spring months.

The evaluation of anthropogenic pressures in marine environments commonly involves sediments, water and marine biota. However, the evaluation of the quality of the beach sediment and sediments from shallow areas are scarce compared to sediments from deeper areas in environmental assessment studies. In this study polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and linear alkylbenzenes were assessed in sediments from shallow areas of the São Sebastião channel, southeastern Brazil. The channel is part of the Marine Protected Area of the Northern Coast of São Paulo State besides holds the largest petroleum terminal in South America further than three sewage outfalls. Despite the concentrations of these contaminants in the sediments were relatively low compared to those found in the sediments from deeper areas of the channel, suggesting low toxicity of the beach sediments, the contamination reflected the pattern of the sediments of the São Sebastião channel.

This study aims to inspect the oil spill propagation in the Caspian Sea using Sentinel-1 data as well as wind and observation data. Detection processes clearly show that although the north and middle basin are the main sources of oil pollution, the southern basin would be the final destination of these oil slicks. Comparison of oil spill clusters in the southern and on the Apsheron indicates that the size of these clusters decreases under the physical process of the southern basin like eddies. Further, the mixed layer is estimated at 25–35 m in the southern basin. After applying the analytical formulas, the eddy diffusivity profile is plotted, leading to an estimate of nearly 5 × 10⁻⁴ m²/s on the surface water. The droplet oil diameters are calculated which vary from 150 μm to 250 μm based on an analytical model in a steady-state mode.

The hydrothermal ecosystem is very unusual, yet little research has so far been conducted on meiofauna in hydrothermal zones. To identify the communities of both meiofauna and nematodes around the Onnuri Vent Field (OVF), we collected sediment from a hydrothermal zone in the OVF and deep-sea (DS) sediments (non-vent) outside the OVF. Sampling was conducted at seven stations using multiple corers on the Research Vessel ISABU in June 2018 and June–July 2019. The average densities of meiofauna ± standard deviation ranged from 21.7 ± 5.2 to 122.3 ± 45.0 individuals/10 cm². The structure of the meiofaunal community differed between the OVF and DS. The two most dominant groups of meiofauna in both environments were nematodes and harpacticoids. Statistical analyses showed significant differences in the structure of the nematode community between OVF and DS. We also found that the richness, evenness, and diversity of nematodes in the OVF were lower than those in the DS.

Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) are two hazardous pollutants that threaten shrimp farming. The intestine is an important organ for digestion and immunity. We separately exposed Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei to 500 μg/L Cd or 500 μg/L Pb seawater for 7 days, and 45 shrimp from each group were used to evaluate the changes of intestinal histopathological, oxidative stress, and microbiota composition. After Cd and Pb exposure, shrimp intestine appeared significant mucosal damage and oxidative stress, and the microbiota variation were induced. Specifically, the abundance of the phyla Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria were induced, that of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were deduced. The abundances of putative beneficial bacteria (Lactobacillus, Weissella, Demequina, Formosa and Ruegeria) and potentially pathogenic bacteria (Vibrio and Photobacterium) were fluctuated. Furthermore, the nutrient metabolic function of intestinal microbes was significantly altered. We concluded that Cd and Pb exposure had negative effects on the intestinal health of shrimp.

The increasing abundance of microplastics (MPs) in rivers and oceans continues to face major challenges. In particular, MPs with smaller particle sizes are difficult to identify and quantify when they reach the environment. This study investigated four typical wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), including urban WWTPs and industrial WWTP with different treatment technologies. The results showed that the average abundance of MPs in the influent and effluent was 538.67 ± 22.05 n/L to 1290 ± 65.26 n/L and 20.44 ± 1.19 n/L to 40.67 ± 11.12 n/L. The primary and secondary treatment processes can effectively remove MPs between 51.04% and 72.82% from wastewater. After tertiary treatments, the removal efficiency was further increased to more than 90%. The study aims to explore the removal mechanism of MPs in each stage of the wastewater treatment process and to reveal the fate of MPs in WWTPs, and help to understand their future monitoring to optimize the wastewater treatment process.

The deployment of artificial reefs (ARs) has become a popular technique for creating new hard-bottom habitats, and for enhancing biodiversity and resource abundance for fisheries. We compared colonizing faunal assemblages and reef-associated food-web structures between ARs and nearby natural reefs (NRs) off the Korean coast using stable isotope techniques. Reef communities showed high compositional disparities in colonizing assemblages. Distinct δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N ranges of functional groups could be used to distinguish pelagic from benthic trophic pathways in the reef food web. The isotopic niches of entire faunal assemblages, as well as individual functional groups, overlapped between NRs and ARs, resulting in equivalency for the isotopic functional indices. Mixing model estimates for carnivorous invertebrates and fish suggested strong trophic links to reef-associated faunal prey at both reef types. Finally, these results highlight a convergence in trophic structure between ARs and NRs in accordance with functional diversity in the colonized faunal assemblages.