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Chaudhary DK, Seo D, Han S, Hong Y. Distribution of mercury in modern bottom sediments of the Beaufort Sea in relation to the processes of early diagenesis: Microbiological aspect. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 202:116300. [PMID: 38555803 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
This study investigated the contents of total mercury (THg), trace metals, and CH4 and determined the signature microbes involved in various biogeochemical processes in the sediment of the Canadian Beaufort Sea. The THg ranged between 32 and 63 μg/kg and the trace metals such as Fe, Al, Mn, and Zn were significant in distributions. The pH, SO42-, Fe2+, and redox proxy metals were crucial factors in the spatial and vertical heterogeneity of geochemical distributions. CH4 was detected only at the mud volcano site. Microbial analyses identified Clostridium, Desulfosporosinus, Desulfofustis, and Desulftiglans as the predominant Hg methylators and sulfate reducers; Nitrosopumilus and Hyphomicrobium as the major nitrifiers and denitrifiers; Methanosarcina and Methanosaeta as keystone methanogens; and Methyloceanibacter and Methyloprofundus as signature methanotrophs. Altogether, this study expands the current understanding of the microbiological and geochemical features and could be helpful in predicting ecosystem functions in the Canadian Beaufort Sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhiraj Kumar Chaudhary
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Korea University Sejong Campus, 2511 Sejong-ro, Sejong City 30019, Republic of Korea
| | - DongGyun Seo
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Korea University Sejong Campus, 2511 Sejong-ro, Sejong City 30019, Republic of Korea
| | - Seunghee Han
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), 123 Cheomdangwagi-ro, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Yongseok Hong
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Korea University Sejong Campus, 2511 Sejong-ro, Sejong City 30019, Republic of Korea.
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2
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Blanchard AL, Ainsworth L, Gailey G, Demchenko NL, Shcherbakov IA. Benthic studies adjacent to Sakhalin Island, Russia 2015 III: benthic energy density spatial models in the nearshore gray whale feeding area. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2022; 194:741. [PMID: 36255557 PMCID: PMC9579071 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-10018-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Energy densities of six dominant benthic groups (Actinopterygii, Amphipoda, Bivalvia, Cumacea, Isopoda, and Polychaeta) and total prey energy were modeled for the nearshore western gray whale feeding area, Sakhalin Island, Russia, as part of a multi-disciplinary research program in the summer of 2015. Energy was modeled using generalized additive mixed models (GAMM) with accommodations for zero-inflation (logistic regression and hurdle models) and regression predictions combined with kriging to interpolate energy densities across the nearshore feeding area. Amphipoda energy density was the highest nearshore and in the south whereas Bivalvia energy density was the highest offshore and in the northern portion of the study area. Total energy was the highest in mid-range distances from shore and in the north. Amphipoda energy density was higher than minimum energy estimates defining gray whale feeding habitats (312-442 kJ/m2) in 13% of the nearshore feeding area whereas total prey energy density was higher than the minimum energy requirement in 49% of the habitat. Inverse distance-weighted interpolations of Amphipoda energy provided a broader scale representation of the data whereas kriging estimates were spatially limited but more representative of higher density in the southern portion of the study area. Both methods represented the general trend of higher Amphipoda energy density nearshore but with significant differences that highlight the value of using multiple methods to model patterns in highly complex environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Glenn Gailey
- Cetacean EcoSystem Research, Lacey, WA, 98512, USA
| | - Natalia L Demchenko
- A.V. Zhirmunsky National Science Center of Marine Biology, Far East Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Ilya A Shcherbakov
- A.V. Zhirmunsky National Science Center of Marine Biology, Far East Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
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3
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Clark CT, Horstmann L, Misarti N. Walrus teeth as biomonitors of trace elements in Arctic marine ecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 772:145500. [PMID: 33571762 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Effective biomonitoring requires an understanding of the factors driving concentrations of the substances or compounds of interest in the tissues of studied organisms. Biomonitoring of trace elements, and heavy metals in particular, has been the focus of much research; however, the complex roles many trace elements play in animal and plant tissues can make it difficult to disentangle environmental signals from physiology. This study examined the concentrations of 15 trace elements in the teeth of 122 Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) to investigate the potential for walrus teeth as biomonitors of trace elements in Arctic ecosystems. Elemental concentrations were measured across cementum growth layer groups (GLGs), thereby reconstructing a lifetime history of element concentrations for each walrus. The locations of GLGs were used to divide trace element time series into individual years, allowing each GLG to be associated with an animal age and a calendar year. The elements studied exhibited a great deal of complexity, reflecting the numerous factors responsible for generating tooth trace element concentrations. Generalized linear mixed models were used to investigate the importance of age and sex in explaining observed variation in trace element concentrations. Some elements exhibited clear physiological signals (particularly zinc, strontium, barium, and lead), and all elements except arsenic varied by age and/or sex. Pearson's correlations revealed that elements were more strongly correlated among calendar years than among individual walruses, and correlations of trace elements within individual walruses were generally inconsistent or weak. Plots of average elemental concentrations through time from 1945 to 2014 further supported the correlation analyses, with many elements exhibiting similar patterns across the ~70-year period. Together, these results indicate the importance of physiology in modulating tooth trace element concentrations in walrus tooth cementum, but suggest that many trace elements reflect a record of environmental exposure and dietary intake/uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey T Clark
- Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington, 3737 Brooklyn Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.
| | - Lara Horstmann
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2150 Koyukuk Drive, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7220, USA.
| | - Nicole Misarti
- Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1764 Tanana Loop, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.
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4
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Richir J, Bray S, McAleese T, Watson GJ. Three decades of trace element sediment contamination: The mining of governmental databases and the need to address hidden sources for clean and healthy seas. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 149:106362. [PMID: 33548849 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Trace elements (TEs) frequently contaminate coastal marine sediments with many included in priority chemical lists or control legislation. These, improved waste treatment and increased recycling have fostered the belief that TE pollution is declining. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of long-term robust datasets to support this confidence. By mining UK datasets (100s of sites, 31 years), we assess sediment concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) and use indices (PI [Pollution], TEPI [Trace Element Pollution] and Igeo [Geoaccumulation]) to assess TE pollution evolution. PI and TEPI show reductions of overall TE pollution in the 1980s then incremental improvements followed by a distinct increase (2010-13). Zn, As and Pb Igeo scores show low pollution, whilst Cd and Hg are moderate, but with all remaining temporally stable. Igeo scores are low for Ni, Fe and Cr, but increasing for Ni and Fe. A moderate pollution Igeo score for Cu has also steadily increased since the mid-1990s. Increasing site trends are not universal and, conversely, minimal temporal change masks some site-specific increases and decreases. To capture this variability we strongly advocate embedding sufficient sentinel sites within observation networks. Decreasing sediment pollution levels (e.g. Pb and Hg) have been achieved, but stabilizing Igeo and recently increasing TEPI and PI scores require continued global vigilance. Increasing Ni and Fe Igeo scores necessitate source identification, but this is a priority for Cu. Local, regional and world analyses indicate substantial 'hidden' inputs from anti-fouling paints (Cu, Zn), ship scrubbers (Cu, Zn, Ni) and sacrificial anodes (Zn) that are also predicted to increase markedly. Accurate TE input assessments and targeted legislation are, therefore, urgently required, especially in the context of rapid blue economic growth (e.g. shipping).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Richir
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth PO4 9LY, UK; Chemical Oceanography Unit, FOCUS, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium; Laboratory of Oceanology, FOCUS, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
| | - Simon Bray
- AQASS Ltd, Hound Road, Southampton SO31 5QA, UK; School of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Building 85, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Tom McAleese
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth PO4 9LY, UK
| | - Gordon J Watson
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth PO4 9LY, UK.
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5
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Watson GJ, Pini JM, Richir J, Michie LA. Detecting the effects of chronic metal exposure on benthic systems: Importance of biomarker and endpoint selection. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2021; 230:105674. [PMID: 33307390 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2020.105674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Understanding metal toxicity to benthic systems is still an ecotoxicological priority and, although numerous biomarkers exist, a multi-biomarker and endpoint approach with sediment as the delivery matrix combined with life-history relevant exposure timescales is missing. Here we assess potential toxicity by measuring a suite of biomarkers and endpoints after exposing the ecologically important polychaete Alitta(Nereis)virens to sediment spiked with environmentally relevant concentrations of copper and zinc (and in combination) for 3, 6 and 9 months. We compared biomarker and endpoint sensitivity providing a guide to select the appropriate endpoints for the chosen time frame (exposure period) and concentration (relevant to Sediment Quality Guidelines) needed to identify effects for benthic polychaetes such as A. virens. Target bioavailable sediment and subsequent porewater concentrations reflect the global contamination range, whilst tissue concentrations, although elevated, were comparable with other polychaetes. Survival reduced as concentrations increased, but growth was not significantly different between treatments. Metabolic changes were restricted to significant reductions in protein after 9 months exposure across all copper concentrations, and reductions in lipid at high copper concentrations (3 months). Significant changes in feeding behaviour and increases in metallothionein-like protein concentration were limited to the medium and high copper and zinc concentrations, respectively, both after 6 months exposure. Despite data highlighting A. virens' metal tolerance, DNA damage and protein concentrations are the most sensitive biomarkers. Copper and zinc cause biomarker responses at concentrations routinely found in coastal sediments that are characterised as low contamination, suggesting a reappraisal of the current input sources (especially copper) is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon J Watson
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Jennifer M Pini
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Jonathan Richir
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, UK; Department of Biology, Ecology and Evolution / Biological Oceanography Faculty of Sciences / FOCUS University of Liege, Quartier Agora, allée du six Août 19, Bât. B5A 4000 Sart Tilman, Belgium
| | - Laura A Michie
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, UK.
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Hartwell SI, Lomax T, Dasher D. Characterization of sediment contaminants in Arctic lagoons and estuaries. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 152:110873. [PMID: 32479272 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Baseline characterizations of estuarine sediments in Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, were conducted. Concentrations of 194 organic and elemental chemicals were analyzed in sediment and fish, plus stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen. The estuaries are shallow embayments, with little shoreline relief. The water columns were turbid, high salinity, and not stratified. Concentrations of arsenic and nickel were elevated throughout the region. Arsenic in fish tissue was elevated. Concentrations of PAHs were relatively high for pristine locations, but did not include petroleum hydrocarbons. Characteristics of PAHs indicate large contributions of terrestrial organic matter. With the exception of Peard Bay, all the estuaries reflected the strong influence of terrestrial plant input with low δo/oo values for carbon and nitrogen. Chlorinated pesticides and PCBs were uniformly low, but detectable in fish tissue. PCB and cyclodiene concentrations were half that seen in southeast Bristol Bay. Hexachlorobenzene was detected in all fish samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Ian Hartwell
- NOAA/NOS/National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Stressor Detection & Impacts Division Monitoring & Assessment Branch, 1305 East West Hwy. (SSMC-4, N/SCI-1), Silver Spring, MD 20910, United States of America.
| | - Terri Lomax
- Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC), 555 Cordova St., Anchorage, AK 99501, United States of America
| | - Doug Dasher
- University of Alaska Fairbanks, Institute of Marine Science, 905 N. Koyukuk Dr. 245 O'Neill Building, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7220, United States of America
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Štrok M, Baya PA, Dietrich D, Dimock B, Hintelmann H. Mercury speciation and mercury stable isotope composition in sediments from the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 671:655-665. [PMID: 30939318 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.03.424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Total mercury (THg) and monomethylmercury (MMHg) concentrations as well as mercury (Hg) isotope ratios were determined in sediment cores sampled from six locations from the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA). At most sites, THg concentrations showed a decreasing trend with depth, ranging from 5 to 61 ng/g, implicating possible increased Hg deposition and/or riverine inputs in top sediment layers. MMHg values showed large oscillations within the top 10 cm of the cores. This variability decreased at the bottom of the cores with MMHg concentrations ranging from less than12 to up to 1073 pg/g. Average concentrations of THg and MMHg in the top 10 cm were linearly correlated, whereas no correlation was observed with organic matter (loss on ignition). Mercury isotope ratios showed negative values for both δ202Hg (-1.59 to -0.55‰) and Δ199Hg (-0.62 to -0.01‰). δ202Hg values became more negative with depth, while the opposite was observed for Δ199Hg. The former is consistent with predicted historical atmospheric Hg trends as a result of increased coal burning worldwide. Hg isotope ratio measurements in CAA sediments offer additional opportunities to trace Hg processes and sources in the Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Štrok
- Trent University, Department of Chemistry, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9J7B8, Canada; Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Pascale Anabelle Baya
- Trent University, Department of Chemistry, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9J7B8, Canada
| | - Dörthe Dietrich
- Trent University, Department of Chemistry, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9J7B8, Canada; University of Münster, Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Corrensstrasse, 30, D-48149 Münster, Germany.
| | - Brian Dimock
- Trent University, Department of Chemistry, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9J7B8, Canada.
| | - Holger Hintelmann
- Trent University, Department of Chemistry, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9J7B8, Canada.
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8
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Trefry JH, Neff JM. Effects of offshore oil exploration and development in the Alaskan Beaufort Sea: A three-decade record for sediment metals. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2019; 15:209-223. [PMID: 29920933 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Revised: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Impacts from oil exploration, development, and production in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska, USA are assessed using concentrations of metals in sediments collected during 2014 to 2015, combined with a large data set for 1985 to 2006. Concentrations of 7 (1980s) or 17 (1999-2015) metals in 423 surface sediments from 134 stations, plus 563 samples from 30 cores were highly variable, primarily as a function of sediment granulometry with naturally greater metals concentrations in fine-grained, Al-rich sediment. Metals versus Al correlation plots were used to normalize metals concentrations and identify values significantly above background. Barium, Cr, Cu, Hg, and Pb concentrations were above background, but variable, within 250 m of some offshore sites where drilling occurred between 1981 and 2001; these areas totaled <6 km2 of 11 000 km2 in the total lease area. Random and fixed sampling along the coastal Beaufort Sea from 1985 to 2015 yielded 40 positive anomalies for metals in surface sediments (∼0.8% of 5082 data points). About 85% of the anomalies were from developed areas. Half the anomalies were for the 5 metals found enhanced near drilling sites. No metals concentrations, except As, exceeded accepted sediment quality criteria. Interannual shifts in metals values for surface sediments at inner shelf sites were common and linked to storm-induced transitions in granulometry; however, metal-to-Al ratios were uniform during these shifts. Sediment cores generally recorded centuries of background values, except for As, Fe, and Mn. These 3 metals were naturally enriched in sediments from deeper water (>100 m) via diagenetic remobilization at sediment depths of 5 to 15 cm, upward diffusion, and precipitation in surface oxic layers. Minimal evidence for anthropogenic inputs of metals, except near some exploratory drilling sites, is consistent with extraction of most oil from land or barrier islands in the Alaskan Arctic and restricted offshore activity to date. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2019;15:209-223. © 2018 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H Trefry
- Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida, USA
| | - Jerry M Neff
- Neff & Associates, Hendersonville, North Carolina, USA
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9
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Watson GJ, Pini JM, Richir J. Chronic exposure to copper and zinc induces DNA damage in the polychaete Alitta virens and the implications for future toxicity of coastal sites. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 243:1498-1508. [PMID: 30293035 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.09.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Copper and zinc are metals that have been traditionally thought of as past contamination legacies. However, their industrial use is still extensive and current applications (e.g. nanoparticles and antifouling paints) have become additional marine environment delivery routes. Determining a pollutant's genotoxicity is an ecotoxicological priority, but in marine benthic systems putative substances responsible for sediment genotoxicity have rarely been identified. Studies that use sediment as the delivery matrix combined with exposures over life-history relevant timescales are also missing for metals. Here we assess copper and zinc's genotoxicity by exposing the ecologically important polychaete Alitta virens to sediment spiked with environmentally relevant concentrations for 9 months. Target bioavailable sediment and subsequent porewater concentrations reflect the global contamination range for coasts, whilst tissue concentrations, although elevated, were comparable with other polychaetes. Survival generally reduced as concentrations increased, but monthly analyses show that growth was not significantly different between treatments. The differential treatment mortality may have enabled the surviving worms in the high concentration treatments to capture more food thus removing any concentration treatment effects for biomass. Using the alkaline comet assay we confirm that both metals via the sediment are genotoxic at concentrations routinely found in coastal regions and this is supported by elevated DNA damage in worms from field sites. However, combined with the growth data it also highlights the tolerance of A. virens to DNA damage. Finally, using long term (decadal) monitoring data we show stable or increasing sediment concentrations of these metals for many areas. This will potentially mean coastal sediment is a significant mutagenic hazard to the benthic community for decades to come. An urgent reappraisal of the current input sources for these 'old pollutants' is, therefore, required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon J Watson
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, UK.
| | - Jennifer M Pini
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Jonathan Richir
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, UK; Department of Biology, Ecology and Evolution, Biological Oceanography Faculty of Sciences, FOCUS University of Liege, Quartier Agora, allée du six Août 19, Bât B5A 4000, Sart Tilman, Belgium
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10
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Pragst F, Stieglitz K, Runge H, Runow KD, Quig D, Osborne R, Runge C, Ariki J. High concentrations of lead and barium in hair of the rural population caused by water pollution in the Thar Jath oilfields in South Sudan. Forensic Sci Int 2016; 274:99-106. [PMID: 28069428 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.12.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2016] [Revised: 12/03/2016] [Accepted: 12/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In the oil fields of Thar Jath, South Sudan, increasing salinity of drinking water was observed together with human incompatibilities and rise in livestock mortalities. Hair analysis was used to characterize the toxic exposure of the population. Hair samples of volunteers from four communities with different distance from the center of the oil field (Koch 23km, n=24; Leer 50km, n=26; Nyal 110km, n=21; and Rumbek 220km, n=25) were analyzed for altogether 39 elements by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Very high concentrations and a toxic health endangerment were assessed for lead and barium. The concentration of lead increased steadily with decreasing distance from the oil field from Rumbek (mean 2.8μg/g) to Koch (mean 18.7μg/g) and was there in the same range as in highly contaminated mining regions in Kosovo, China or Bolivia. The weighting materials in drilling muds barite (BaSO4) and galena (PbS) were considered to be the sources of drinking water pollution and high hair values. The high concentrations of lead and barium in hair demonstrate clearly the health risk caused by harmful deposition of toxic industrial waste but cannot be used for diagnosis of a chronic intoxication of the individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fritz Pragst
- Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Charité, Turmstraße 21, Building N, 10559 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Klaus Stieglitz
- Sign of Hope e.V., Schneckenburgstraße 11d, 78467 Konstanz, Germany.
| | - Hella Runge
- African Water Ltd., Mariendorfer Straße 15e, 48155 Münster, Germany.
| | - Klaus-Dietrich Runow
- Institute of Functional and Environmental Medicine, Buttlarstraße 4a, 34466 Wolfhagen, Germany.
| | - David Quig
- Doctors's Data, Inc., 3755 Illinois Avenue, St. Charles, IL 60174-2420, USA.
| | - Robert Osborne
- Sign of Hope e.V., P.O. Box 21335-00505, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Christian Runge
- African Water Ltd., Mariendorfer Straße 15e, 48155 Münster, Germany.
| | - John Ariki
- Director Centre for Remote Sensing and GIS, University of Juba, P.O. Box 82, Juba, South Sudan.
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11
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Miller MWC, Lovvorn JR, Matz AC, Taylor RJ, Latty CJ, Safine DE. Trace Elements in Sea Ducks of the Alaskan Arctic Coast: Patterns of Variation Among Species, Sexes, and Ages. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2016; 71:297-312. [PMID: 27272534 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-016-0288-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Climate change and increasing industrialization in the Arctic call for the collection of reference data for assessing changes in contaminant levels. For migratory birds, measuring and interpreting changes in trace element burdens on Arctic breeding areas require insights into factors such as sex, body size, or wintering area that may modify patterns independently of local exposure. In the Alaskan Arctic, we determined levels of trace elements in liver and kidney of common eiders (Somateria mollissima) and long-tailed ducks (Clangula hyemalis) from the Prudhoe Bay oil field and of king eiders (S. spectabilis) and threatened spectacled eiders (S. fischeri) and Steller's eiders (Polystica stelleri) from near the town of Barrow. Small-bodied Steller's eiders and long-tailed ducks from different locations had similarly low levels of selenium (Se), cadmium (Cd), and copper (Cu), perhaps reflecting high mass-specific rates of metabolic depuration during long spring migrations through areas of low exposure. In larger species, Se, Cd, and Cu concentrations were higher in adults than juveniles suggesting that these elements were acquired in nonbreeding marine habitats. Adult male spectacled eiders had exceptionally high Se, Cd, and Cu compared with adult females, possibly because of depuration into eggs and longer female occupancy of nonmarine habitats. Adult female common eiders and juvenile long-tailed ducks at Prudhoe Bay had high and variable levels of Pb, potentially due to local exposure. Explanations for substantial variations in Hg levels were not apparent. Further research into reasons for differing element levels among species and sexes will help clarify the sources, pathways, and risks of exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micah W C Miller
- Department of Zoology and Center for Ecology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA.
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairbanks Fish and Wildlife Field Office, Fairbanks, AK, 99701, USA.
| | - James R Lovvorn
- Department of Zoology and Center for Ecology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901, USA
| | - Angela C Matz
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairbanks Fish and Wildlife Field Office, Fairbanks, AK, 99701, USA
| | - Robert J Taylor
- Trace Elements Research Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Christopher J Latty
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Fairbanks, AK, 99701, USA
| | - David E Safine
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairbanks Fish and Wildlife Field Office, Fairbanks, AK, 99701, USA
- Division of Migratory Birds Management, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, AK, 99503, USA
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12
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Yang J, Wang W, Zhao M, Chen B, Dada OA, Chu Z. Spatial distribution and historical trends of heavy metals in the sediments of petroleum producing regions of the Beibu Gulf, China. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2015; 91:87-95. [PMID: 25547615 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2014] [Revised: 12/05/2014] [Accepted: 12/09/2014] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The concentrations of As, Sb, Hg, Pb, Cd, and Ba in the surface and core sediments of the oil and gas producing region of the Beibu Gulf were measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES), Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry (AFS), and the spatial distribution and historical trends of these elements are discussed. The results show that the concentrations of these elements are highest near the platforms. The results of Enrichment Factor (EF) and Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI) also reveal significantly higher enrichment around the platforms, which imply that the offshore petroleum production was the cause of the unusual distribution and severe enrichment of these elements in the study area. The environment around the platforms was highly laden with toxic elements, thereby representing a very high ecological risk to the environment of the study area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jichao Yang
- College of Marine Geoscience, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Weiguo Wang
- Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Xiamen 361005, China.
| | - Mengwei Zhao
- College of Marine Geoscience, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China; Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Bin Chen
- College of Marine Geoscience, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Olusegun A Dada
- College of Marine Geoscience, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China; Dept. of Marine Science & Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria
| | - Zhihui Chu
- College of Marine Geoscience, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
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Venkatesan MI, Naidu AS, Blanchard AL, Misra D, Kelley JJ. Historical changes in trace metals and hydrocarbons in nearshore sediments, Alaskan Beaufort Sea, prior and subsequent to petroleum-related industrial development: part II. Hydrocarbons. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2013; 77:147-164. [PMID: 24210222 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2013] [Revised: 10/01/2013] [Accepted: 10/05/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Composition and concentration of hydrocarbons (normal and isoprenoid alkanes, triterpenoids, steranes, and PAHs) in nearshore surface sediments from Elson Lagoon (EL), Colville Delta-Prudhoe Bay (CDPB) and Beaufort Lagoon (BL), Alaskan Beaufort Sea, were assessed for spatio-temporal variability. Principal component analysis of the molecules/biomarkers concentrations delineated CDPB and BL samples into two groups, and cluster analysis identified three station groups in CDPB. Overall there was no geographic distribution pattern in the groups. The diversities between groups and individual samples are attributed to differences in n-alkanes and PAHs contents, which are influenced predominantly by sediment granulometry and sitespecific fluvial input. The predominant hydrocarbon source is biogenic, mainly terrigenous, with hardly any contribution from natural oil seeps, oil drill effluents and/or refined crude. The terrigenous source is corroborated by δ(13)C, δ(15)N, and OC/N of sediment organic matter. Time interval (1976-1977, 1984 and 1997) changes in hydrocarbon compositions and concentrations in CDPB are not significant.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Indira Venkatesan
- Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California at Los Angeles, 5863 Slichter Hall, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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Trefry JH, Dunton KH, Trocine RP, Schonberg SV, McTigue ND, Hersh ES, McDonald TJ. Chemical and biological assessment of two offshore drilling sites in the Alaskan Arctic. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2013; 86:35-45. [PMID: 23535013 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2013.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2012] [Revised: 01/04/2013] [Accepted: 02/20/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
A retrospective chemical and biological study was carried out in Camden Bay, Alaskan Beaufort Sea, where single exploratory oil wells were drilled at two sites more than two decades ago. Barium from discharged drilling mud was present in sediments at concentrations as high as 14%, ~200 times above background, with significantly higher concentrations of Ba, but not other metals, within 250 m of the drilling site versus reference stations. Elevated concentrations of Cr, Cu, Hg and Pb were found only at two stations within 25 m of one drilling site. Concentrations of total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (TPAH) were not significantly different at reference versus drilling-site stations; however, TPAH were elevated in Ba-rich layers from naturally occurring perylene in ancient formation cuttings. Infaunal biomass and species abundance were not significantly different at reference versus drilling-site stations; infauna were less diverse at drilling-site stations. Our assessment showed that discharges from single wells within large areas caused minimal long-term, adverse impacts to the benthic ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H Trefry
- Department of Marine & Environmental Systems, Florida Institute of Technology, 150 West University Boulevard, Melbourne, FL 32901, USA.
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