Foraminiferal assemblages in sediment grab samples were utilized to evaluate the impacts of anthropogenic activities on benthic habitats in Bellingham Bay, Washington State, U.S.A. Seventy-three samples taken in 1987, 1997, 2006 and 2010 yielded 35 species of foraminifera from 28 genera. Assemblage composition and diversity data indicate a marked deterioration between 1987 and 2010, contrary to the published Chemical Index, but analogous to the situation with macrobiota. Correlation of diversity with chemical pollutants and metals did not identify any significant correlations, however, an unrelated but highly relevant study of bottom water dissolved oxygen concentrations and pH in Bellingham Bay suggests eutrophication with accompanying hypoxia and acidification may be part of the cause. Thus, the metrics of contamination alone do not adequately characterize habitat viability, and benthic foraminiferal assemblages provide insight into the health of coastal ecosystems.

Marine organisms are exposed to low doses of anthropogenic contaminants during their entire life. Authorized amounts of radionuclides are discharged in the Channel by nuclear facilities. The Pacific oyster was used to investigate the potential impact of chronic exposure to ionizing radiation. Though we exposed larvae and spat for two weeks to much higher concentrations than those encountered near nuclear facilities, oyster growth and expression of 9 selected stress genes were not significantly changed. To determine potential DNA damage, 2year old oysters were exposed for two weeks to tritiated water. The comet assay was used to evaluate the level of DNA strand breaks in haemocytes, whilst the ‘clearance rate’ was used as a measure of physiological effects. Whilst other parameters did not alter, DNA damage significantly increased. Our results highlight the significance of the observed DNA damage and their potential consequences at higher levels of biological organization.

PM1.0 and PM2.5 samples are collected in Lin'an, a Regional Atmosphere Background Station in spring (1–30 April), summer (1–31 July), autumn (1–31 October) and winter (1–31 January) in 2011 to investigate the seasonal characteristics of aerosol pollution in the Yangtze River Delta region. The daily concentrations of water-soluble ions are 24.6 ± 12.0 μg m−3 and 36.6 ± 23.6 μg m−3 in PM1.0 and PM2.5, respectively. SO42−, NO3− and NH4+ are the dominant contributors of water-soluble ions, accounting for 78.6% (spring), 83.5% (summer), 80.6% (autumn) and 81.9% (winter) of the total ions measured in PM1.0 and 80.2% (spring), 85.4% (summer), 78.9% (autumn) and 78.9% (winter) in PM2.5. Seasonal variation is observed, with the lowest ions concentration in winter and the highest one in summer. Nevertheless, the crustal elements (e.g., Ca, Mg, Al, Fe, etc.) have the highest concentrations in spring. Most of the pollution species (Sb, Se, Cd, Pb, As and Zn) have enrichment factor values higher than 100, implying a strong possibility that the air pollution originates from anthropogenic sources and have no evident seasonal variation. The high concentration of K+ and biomass burning potassium (K+BB) in PM2.5 in autumn and winter and its good correlation with black carbon (r = 0.74) suggest that the most severe pollution derives from biomass burning. Factor analysis results indicate that road dust, combustion processes (biomass burning and fossil fuels combustion), sea salt from marine sources and industrial activities are main sources of aerosol pollution in Lin'an.

Semi–volatile polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their oxygenated analogues (OPAHs) are associated with adverse health effects. They are normally sampled by active sampling but recently a number of passive samplers that rely on calibrated sampling rates (Rs), have successfully captured the full suite of PAHs associated with both the gas–and particulate phases. However, there have been few studies on the mechanisms controlling particle deposition during passive sampling. To address this issue, a diesel exhaust aerosol with a number mode of ~120 nm containing PAHs and OPAHs that are partitioned approximately equally between the gas and particle phases was used to study the performance of a passive sampler design of axial badge type. The sampler was tested with two different collection substrates and the diffusion distance was varied to determine its effects on sample collection. The results obtained were compared to data gathered by active sampling of the gas and particle phases. In addition, Rs values were calculated for selected PAHs and OPAHs. The material collected by the passive samplers was analyzed using a highly sensitive protocol involving thermal desorption followed by GC–MS. The passive sampler yielded highly reproducible Rs values and its PAH uptake was shown to be enhanced by using a collection substrate modified with a gas–adsorbing coating (Tenax®) which was exclusively addressed being uptake from the gaseous phase. However, the uptake of the less volatile OPAHs was not affected by the use of a coated substrate. Experimental data and theoretical calculations showed that particle diffusion may have substantially less impact on particulate matter collection than other deposition mechanisms. The high sensitivity and small size of the sampler suggest that after testing in other environments it may have diverse applications in sampling campaigns and as a promising candidate for a personal sampler.

We provide the first report on winter concentrations of 32 trace metals from dovekies (Alle alle), a small, Arctic seabird that has a seasonal shift in diet from small zooplankton in the breeding season to larger zooplankton and small fish in the non-breeding season. Concentrations of selected trace elements, as well as stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope concentrations for a sample of 25 dovekies, were similar between adult males and females, and there was evidence that dovekies feeding at higher trophic levels had higher hepatic Hg. We also found plastic debris in nine of 65 (14%) gizzards examined. Our study helps provide a more complete picture of the foraging ecology and contaminant profile of dovekies, an important species in Arctic marine food webs.

To assess the potential for nutritional exploitation of caged-fish-derived waste through the use of extractive co-cultured species in a pilot system for an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), we compared their C and N stable isotope ratios with those of uncultured macroinvertebrates in and around the system. Black rockfish were co-cultured with sea cucumber, oyster, and two macroalgae as extractive species. Isotope signatures of the co-cultured sea cucumber at the IMTA site differed from those at the control site, indicating their assimilation of aquaculture wastes. In contrast, δ13C and δ15N of individual taxa of the cultured oyster and uncultured invertebrates were consistent between sites, suggesting a minor contribution of the aquaculture waste to benthic and pelagic food chains in and around the IMTA system. These results provide evidence of the suitability of using sea cucumber as an extractive species to reduce the impact of a monoculture system on the ambient environment.

We assessed the effects of 40 ocean outfalls on adjacent macrobenthic invertebrates. Data were obtained from a review of gray and peer-review literature. Different parameters describing the outfall characteristics were compiled (length, maximum depth, treatment level, flow and organic matter mass discharged). Exposure to wave action was represented by significant wave height. The magnitude of the effect was categorized in three impact levels and classified considering different ecological indicators. A theoretical predictive model was formulated in which the lower the organic matter and the higher the energy of the system, the lower the benthic impact. The main conclusion was that the general pattern of the succession of benthic communities brought about by ocean outfalls fits the model of Pearson–Rosenberg but with some deviations i) the probability of a significant impact is much lower, ii) not all the successional stages occur and, iii) the magnitude of the changes are usually lower.

Estrogenic activity of 12 sediment samples from Liaohe River protected areas was evaluated by the recombinant yeast bioassays. The bioassay-derived 17β-estradiol equivalents of crude extracts (Bio-EEQcrudes) were between 52.2 and 207.6pg/g dry weight. The most concerned estrogenic receptor (ER) agonists including estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2), 4-nonylphenols (4-NP), bisphenol A (BPA), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were determined. The concentrations of E1, E2, E3, EE2, BPA, andΣ10OCPs ranged up to 203.3pg/g, 185.8pg/g, 237.7pg/g, 188.5pg/g, 51.0ng/g, and 3.6ng/g, respectively. Taken together with polarity-based fractionation, in vitro bioassay and chemical analysis, it indicated that E1, E2, and EE2 were the predominant ER agonists and were mainly from the discharge of domestic wastewater and breeding wastewater. Meanwhile, this study showed that the establishment of protected areas had not obviously reduced the ecological risk caused by ER agonists in Liaohe River protected areas sediments.

Using monthly otter-trawl deployments, spatial and temporal variability among the relative densities of marine debris were assessed in the Paranaguá estuarine complex; a subtropical World Heritage Listed area in southern Brazil. During 432 deployments over 12months, 291 marine debris items were identified; of which most (92%) were plastic, and more specifically shopping bags, food packages, candy wrappers and cups typically >21mm long. The most contaminated sectors were those closest to Paranaguá city and the adjacent port, and had up to 23.37±3.22 pieces ha−1. Less urbanized sectors had between 12.84±1.49 and 9.32±1.10 pieces ha−1. Contamination did not vary between dry or wet seasons, but rather was probably affected by consistent urban disposal and localized hydrological processes. Marine debris might be minimized by using more environment friendly materials, however a concrete solution requires adequately integrating local government and civil society.

The Mediterranean Sea is one of the most polluted seas worldwide, especially with regard to plastics. The presence of this emerging man made contaminant in marine environments precludes large effects and interactions with species exposed to massive litter quantities. In this review, available data of floating and seafloor litter around Mediterranean sub-basins are reported. A review of scientific literature on the interaction of plastic with marine biota resulted in the identification of 134 species, several taxa and feeding strategies affected from 1986 to 2014. Data from 17,334 individuals showed different levels of ingestion and effects on catalogued IUCN species (marine mammals and sea turtles) in addition to several pelagic fish and elasmobranchs. Biodiversity is certainly under threat, and knowledge of the extent of taxa affected is of concern considering the increasing plastic loads in the Mediterranean Sea and worldwide.