The formation and distribution of oxygen-deficient water mass (ODW) in Jinhae Bay exhibited seasonal patterns similar to those of the summer thermocline, indicating a close mutual relationship, and the influence of ODW formation conditions appeared prominently in the bottom water. The principal factors analysis indicate that dissolved oxygen and NO2 in the bottom water during the time of ODW formation were highly correlated with NH3 and dissolved inorganic phosphorus. The findings clearly illustrate the effects on ODW of seasonal physical and chemical changes. ODW that formed in the bottom water of Jinhae Bay during summer produced high concentrations of nutrients in the bottom water; since the growth of phytoplankton was limited by the strong stratification and low concentrations of dissolved oxygen (<3mg/L) in the bottom layer, these nutrients (especially NH3 and DIP) were retained and accumulated, serving as a major source of nutrients during the dry winter.

Zhoushan Archipelago and the adjacent Xiangshan Harbor are important commercial, tourism, fishing, and mariculture areas. Considering the concern on the effects of anthropogenic activities on the environment, the level and source apportionment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments were investigated. The sum of 16 PAH (∑16 PAH) concentrations in the Zhoushan Archipelago ranged from 3.67 to 31.30ngg−1 d.w., with a mean of 15.01±1.21ngg−1 d.w., and that in Xiangshan Harbor varied from 11.58 to 481.44ngg−1 d.w., with a mean of 62.52±32.85ngg−1 d.w. Diagnostic ratios and factor analysis were performed to identify PAH sources. Results show that PAHs have mixed origins (i.e., traffic-related sources, coal combustion, petrogenic sources, and biomass burning), with pyrolytic-related pollution as the dominant source. This study provided a baseline to promote environmental protection and pollution episode monitoring in the East China Sea.

Heavy metal concentrations were measured in 29 marine wild fish species from the South China Sea. Concentrations (wet weight) were 0.51–115.81ng/g (Cd), 0.54–27.31ng/g (Pb), 0.02–1.26μg/g (Cr), 8.32–57.48ng/g (Ni), 0.12–1.13μg/g (Cu), 2.34–6.88μg/g (Zn), 2.51–22.99μg/g (Fe), and 0.04–0.81μg/g (Mn), respectively. Iron concentrations in all and Mn in some fish species were higher than the acceptable daily upper limit, suggesting human consumption of these wild fish species may pose a health risk. Human health risk assessment, however, indicated no significant adverse health effects with consumption.

We determined the contributions of photooxidation and biodegradation to the weathering of Light Louisiana Sweet crude oil by incubating surface water from the Deepwater Horizon site under natural sunlight and temperature conditions. N-alkane biodegradation rate constants were ca. ten-fold higher than the photooxidation rate constants. For the 2–3 ring and 4–5 ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), photooxidation rate constants were 0.08–0.98day−1 and 0.01–0.07day−1, respectively. The dispersant Corexit enhanced degradation of n-alkanes but not of PAHs. Compared to biodegradation, photooxidation increased transformation of 4–5 ring PAHs by 70% and 3–4 ring alkylated PAHs by 36%. For the first time we observed that sunlight inhibited biodegradation of pristane and phytane, possibly due to inhibition of the bacteria that can degrade branched-alkanes. This study provides quantitative measures of oil degradation under relevant field conditions crucial for understanding and modeling the fate of spilled oil in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

To date, little is known about existing relationships between mussels and bacteria in hydrocarbon-contaminated marine environments. The aim of this study is to find crude oil degrading bacteria in some mussels at the Persian Gulf. Twenty eight crude oil degrading bacteria were isolated from three mussels species collected from oil contaminated area at Persian Gulf. According to high growth and degradation of crude oil four strains were selected between 28 isolated strains for more study. Determination the nucleotide sequence of the gene encoding for 16S rRNA show that these isolated strains belong to: Shewanella algae isolate BHA1, Micrococcus luteus isolate BHA7, Pseudoalteromonas sp. isolate BHA8 and Shewanella haliotis isolate BHA35. The residual crude oil in culture medium was analysis by Gas Chromatography (GC). The results confirmed that these strains can degrade: 47.24%, 66.08%, 27.13% and 69.17% of crude oil respectively. These strains had high emulsification activity and biosurfactant production. Also, the effects of some factors on crude oil degradation by isolated strains were studied. The results show that the optimum concentration of crude oil was 2.5% and the best degradation take place at 12% of salinity. This research is the first reports on characterization of crude oil degrading bacteria from mussels at Persian Gulf and by using of these bacteria in the field the effect of oil pollution can be reduce on this marine environment.

The occurrence and distribution of tributyltin (TBT) and alternative biocides were investigated in sediment from semi-enclosed bays, fishing ports, and large commercial harbors in Korea. Extremely high concentration of TBT (55,264ngSn/g) was detected near a large shipyard, even after a total ban on its use in Korea. Diuron was the biocide with the highest detection frequency and concentration levels, followed by Irgarol 1051. Sea-Nine 211 was detected at 3 of 32 stations surveyed. Dichlofluanid, zinc and copper pyrithiones levels were below the detection limits at all the stations surveyed. The relatively high levels of Diuron (9–62.3ng/g) and Irgarol 1051 (1.5–11.5ng/g) were detected in harbor and shipyard areas. Diuron and Irgarol 1051 levels including TBT in sediments from hot spots in Korea exceeded global sediment quality guidelines.

The high levels of indoor particulate matter in developing countries and the apparent scale of its impact on the global burden of disease underline the importance of particulate matter as an environmental health risk and the consequent need for monitoring them particularly in indoor school microenvironments. The concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, and PM1.0, were measured along with ionic concentrations K+, Ca2+, Na+, Mg2+, SO42–, NO3–, Cl– and F– collected from settled dust in the indoor–outdoor environment of roadside and residentially located schools in Agra City, from January to May 2008–09. Along with PM concentrations at the roadside and residentially located schools meteorological parameters like temperature, humidity, and wind speed and air exchange rate was also calculated during the study period. The enrichment factor was calculated using Ca as a reference to the trace ionic species to identify the sources. Principle component analysis showed three to two factors inside and three factors outside the classrooms of the roadside and residentially located schools. These factors reflected sources like soil dust, road dust, vehicle emissions, anthropogenic sources, industrial emissions, metal processes, and incineration activities and their contributions were estimated using principal component analysis. Symptoms like asthma, dizziness, coughing, itching, eye irritation, shortness of breath, headache, cold and flu were observed. Measurements of such exposure levels would be helpful in the prevention of environmental risks to school children.

The Arabian Gulf region is moving towards a nuclear energy option with the first nuclear power plant now operational in Bushehr, Iran, and others soon to be constructed in Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia. Radiological safety is becoming a prime concern in the region. This study compiles available data and presents recent radionuclide data for the northern Gulf waters, considered as pre-nuclear which will be a valuable dataset for future monitoring work in this region. Radionuclide monitoring in the marine environment is a matter of prime concern for Kuwait, and an assessment of the potential impact of radionuclides requires the establishment and regular updating of baseline levels of artificial and natural radionuclides in various environmental compartments. Here we present baseline measurements for 210Po, 210Pb, 137Cs, 90Sr, and 3H in Kuwait waters. The seawater concentration of 3H, 210Po, 210Pb, 137Cs, and 90Sr vary between 130–146, 0.48–0.68, 0.75–0.89, 1.25–1.38 and 0.57–0.78mBqL−1, respectively. The 40K concentration in seawater varies between 8.9–9.3BqL−1. The concentration of 40K, total 210Pb, 137Cs, 90Sr, 226Ra, 228Ra, 238U, 235U, 234U, 239+240Pu and 238Pu were determined in sediments and range, respectively, between 353–445, 23.6–44.3, 1.0–3.1, 4.8–5.29, 17.3–20.5, 15–16.4, 28.7–31.4, 1.26–1.30, 29.7–30.0, 0.045–0.21 and 0.028–0.03Bqkg−1 dry weight. Since, radionuclides are concentrated in marine biota, a large number of marine biota samples covering several trophic levels, from microalgae to sharks, were analyzed. The whole fish concentration of 40K, 226Ra, 224Ra, 228Ra, 137Cs, 210Po and 90Sr range between 230–447, 0.7–7.3, <0.5–6.6, <0.5–15.80, <0.17, 0.88–4.26 and 1.86–5.34Bqkg−1 dry weight, respectively. 210Po was found to be highly concentrated in several marine organisms with the highest 210Po concentration found in Marica marmorata (193.5–215.6Bqkg−1 dry weight). 210Po in most dissected fish samples shows increasing concentrations in the following order: edible tissue, gills, digestive system, liver and fecal matter. Fish fecal pellets had 210Po concentrations several orders of magnitude higher than the seawater, fish muscle, and the fishes' ingested food. The high 210Po concentration in fish fecal matter, suggest that the bulk of 210Po content in fish was eventually excreted back into the environment as fecal pellets. In most fish high concentrations were noted in liver, with the highest 210Po concentration recorded in shark liver (126.2–141.5Bqkg−1 wet). Moreover, 210Po concentration in the soft tissue of molluscs (10.36–215.60Bqkg−1 dry weight) was far higher than that in fish muscle (0.05–7.49Bqkg−1 wet weight). A seasonal drop in 210Po concentration in seawater was observed to vary with the abundance of phytoplankton and macroalgae due possibly to biological dilution. 137Cs concentration in all the fish sampled was below the detection limit, and the concentration in seawater was also low; hence such low levels provide an opportunity to use this radionuclide as an indicator for any future radiocesium releases in this region.

Diffuse pollution from oil spills is a widespread problem in port areas (as a result of fuel supply, navigation and loading/unloading activities). This article presents a method to assess the environmental risk of oil handling facilities in port areas. The method is based on (i) identification of environmental hazards, (ii) characterization of meteorological and oceanographic conditions, (iii) characterization of environmental risk scenarios, and (iv) assessment of environmental risk. The procedure has been tested by application to the Tarragona harbor. The results show that the method is capable of representing (i) specific local pollution cases (i.e., discriminating between products and quantities released by a discharge source), (ii) oceanographic and meteorological conditions (selecting a representative subset data), and (iii) potentially affected areas in probabilistic terms. Accordingly, it can inform the design of monitoring plans to study and control the environmental impact of these facilities, as well as the design of contingency plans.

Two bias adjustment techniques, the hybrid forecast (HF) and the Kalman filter (KF), have been applied to investigate their capability to improve the accuracy of predictions supplied by an air quality forecast system (AQFS). The studied AQFS operationally predicts NO2, ozone, particulate matter and other pollutants concentrations for the Lazio Region (Central Italy). A thorough evaluation of the AQFS and the two techniques has been performed through calculation and analysis of statistical parameters and skill scores. The evaluation performed considering all Lazio region monitoring sites evidenced better results for KF than for HF. RMSE scores were reduced by 43.8% (33.5% HF), 25.2% (13.2% HF) and 41.6% (39.7% HF) respectively for hourly averaged NO2, hourly averaged O3 and daily averaged PM10 concentrations. A further analysis performed clustering the monitoring stations per type showed a good performance of the AQFS for ozone for all the groups of stations (r = 0.7), while satisfactory results were obtained for PM10 and NO2 at rural background (r = 0.6) and Rome background stations (r = 0.7). The skill scores confirmed the capability of the adopted techniques to improve the reproduction of exceedance events.