Environmental health in southwestern Atlantic coral reefs: Geochemical, water quality and ecological indicators

The emerging and legacy persistent organic contaminants in corals of the South China Sea

Seawater warming, ocean acidification and chemical pollution are the main threats to coral growth and even survival. The legacy persistent organic contaminants (POCs), such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and the emerging contaminants, including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), dechlorane plus (DPs) and novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) were studied in corals from Luhuitou fringing reef in Sanya Bay and Yongle atoll in Xisha Islands, the South China Sea (SCS). Total average concentrations of ∑16PAHs, ∑23OCPs, ∑34PCBs, ∑8PBDEs, ∑2DPs and ∑5NBFRs in 20 coral species (43 samples) from the SCS were 40.7 ± 34.6, 5.20 ± 5.10, 0.197 ± 0.159, 3.30 ± 3.70, 0.041 ± 0.042 and 36.4 ± 112 ng g-1 dw, respectively. PAHs and NBFRs were the most abundant compounds and they are likely to be dangerous pollutants for future coral growth. Compared to those found in other coral reef regions, these pollutants concentrations in corals were at low to median levels. Except for PBDEs, POCs in massive Porites were significantly higher than those in branch Acropora and Pocillopora (p < 0.01), as large, closely packed corals may be beneficial for retaining more pollutant. The current study contributes valuable data on POCs, particularly for halogenated flame retardants (HFRs, including PBDEs, DPs and NBFRs), in corals from the SCS, and will improve our knowledge of the occurrence and fate of these pollutants in coral reef ecosystems.

Response of coral bacterial composition and function to water quality variations under anthropogenic influence

Microbial communities play key roles in the adaptation of corals living in adverse environments, as the microbiome flexibility can enhance environmental plasticity of coral holobiont. However, the ecological association of coral microbiome and related function to locally deteriorating water quality remains underexplored. In this work, we used 16S rRNA gene sequencing and quantitative microbial element cycling (QMEC) to investigate the seasonal changes of bacterial communities, particularly their functional genes related to carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and sulfur (S) cycle, of the scleractinian coral Galaxea fascicularis from nearshore reefs exposed anthropogenic influence. We used nutrient concentrations as the indicator of anthropogenic activities in coastal reefs, and found a higher nutrient pressure in spring than summer. The bacterial diversity, community structure and dominant bacteria of coral shifted significantly due to seasonal variations dominated by nutrient concentrations. Additionally, the network structure and nutrient cycling gene profiles in summer under low nutrient stress was distinct from that under poor environmental conditions in spring, with lower network complexity and abundance of CNPS cycling genes in summer compared with spring. We further identified significant correlations between microbial community (taxonomic composition and co-occurrence network) and geochemical functions (abundance of multiple functional genes and functional community). Nutrient enrichment was proved to be the most important environmental fluctuation in controlling the diversity, community structure, interactional network and functional genes of the coral microbiome. These results highlight that seasonal shifts in coral-associated bacteria due to anthropogenic activities alter the functional potentials, and provide novel insight about the mechanisms of coral adaptation to locally deteriorating environments.

Are physiological responses in foraminifera reliable environmental stress bioindicators? A systematic review

Foraminifera are considered good bioindicators of environmental stress based on morphological abnormalities, but physiological responses occur far earlier and have not been evaluated as pollution markers. The aim of this review was to collate all published articles reporting physiological changes in foraminifera after environmental and anthropogenic stressors, to evaluate their reliability as early markers of environmental stress. We reviewed 70 studies, meeting the inclusion criteria, reporting 13 physiological effects classes after exposure to 17 different stressors. Immune functions, bleaching and lifecycle disruptions, were the most reported. Amphistegina and Ammonia showed high proportion of effects with lead and mercury, with a significant relationship between these heavy metals and the number of physiological effects classes in Ammonia, and between bleaching in Amphistegina gibbosa and Amphistegina lobifera with solar light and temperature. This suggests physiological responses are potentially reliable early indicators of environmental stress. It is necessary to increase quantitative physiological measures and standard exposure protocols in order to properly evaluate these organisms as pollution bioindicators.

Metal accumulation induces oxidative stress and alters carbonic anhydrase activity in corals and symbionts from the largest reef complex in the South Atlantic ocean

We evaluated the influence of metal accumulation on the oxidative status [lipid peroxidation (LPO) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC)] and carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity in host and symbionts of the coral Mussismilia harttii and the hydrocoral Millepora alcicornis collected in Abrolhos Reef Banks (Northeast Brazil), potentially impacted by a major mine dam rupture. Considering metal levels measured in reefs worldwide, Abrolhos corals had higher Fe and Mn levels than expected for preserved offshore reefs. Increasing concentrations of arsenic (As), chromium (Cr) and manganese (Mn) drove inhibition of CA and increased oxidative damage in the hydrocoral M. alcicornis. The impairment of enzymatic activity in the symbiotic algae of M. alcicornis may be related to the oxidative stress condition. The hydrocoral M. alcicornis was more affected by metals than the coral M. harttii, which did not show the expected CA inhibition after metal exposure. Our results suggest that CA activity can be applied as a complementary biomarker to evaluate the physiological impacts of environmental metal contamination in reefs. Also, the metal levels and biochemical biomarkers reported in the present study may provide reference data to monitor the health of reefs impacted by a relevant dam rupture.

Elevated Temperature and Exposure to Copper Leads to Changes in the Antioxidant Defense System of the Reef-Building Coral Mussismilia harttii

The frequency and severity of coral bleaching events have increased in recent years. Global warming and contamination are primarily responsible for triggering these responses in corals. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the isolated and combined effects of elevated temperature and exposure to copper (Cu) on responses of the antioxidant defense system of coral Mussismilia harttii. In a marine mesocosm, fragments of the coral were exposed to three temperatures (25.0, 26.6, and 27.3°C) and three concentrations of Cu (2.9, 5.4, and 8.6 μg/L) for up to 12 days. Levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and the activity of enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and glutamate cysteine ligase (GCL), were evaluated on the corals and symbionts. The short exposure to isolated and combined stressors caused a reduction in GSH levels and inhibition of the activity of antioxidant enzymes. After prolonged exposure, the combination of stressors continued to reduce GSH levels and SOD, CAT, and GCL activity in symbionts and GST activity in host corals. GCL activity was the parameter most affected by stressors, remaining inhibited after 12-days exposure. Interesting that long-term exposure to stressors stimulated antioxidant defense proteins in M. harttii, demonstrating a counteracting response that may beneficiate the oxidative state. These results, combined with other studies already published suggest that the antioxidant system should be further studied in order to understand the mechanisms of tolerance of South Atlantic reefs.

A potential threat to the coral reef environments: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and phthalate esters in the corals and their ambient environment (Persian Gulf, Iran)

Pollution of the surrounding habitat poses one of the biggest threats to the coral health and even survival. This study focuses on the occurrence, distribution, bioaccumulation and bioconcentration of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and phthalate esters (PAEs) in corals, their zooxanthellae and mucus, as well as in their ambient environment in Larak coral reef (Persian Gulf) for the first time. The highest concentrations of the pollutants were recorded in mucus, followed by zooxanthellae, tissue and skeleton. Soft corals with higher lipid content contained more PBDEs and PAEs. Pollutants were both efficiently bioconcentrated from water and bioaccumulated from the ambient sediment, albeit bioconcentration played the most prominent role. Elevated PBDEs and especially PAEs concentrations were detected in the skeletons of the bleached corals if compared to the skeleton samples of the non-bleached individuals.

Phosphate bound to calcareous sediments hampers skeletal development of juvenile coral

To test the hypothesis that terrestrial runoff affects the functions of calcareous sediments in coral reefs and hampers the development of corals, we analysed calcareous sediments with different levels of bound phosphate, collected from reef areas of Okinawajima, Japan. We confirmed that phosphate bound to calcareous sediments was readily released into ambient seawater, resulting in much higher concentrations of phosphorous in seawater from heavily polluted areas (4.3-19.0 µM as compared with less than 0.096 µM in natural ambient seawater). Additionally, we examined the effect of phosphate released from calcareous sediments on the development of Acropora digitifera coral juveniles. We found that high phosphate concentrations in seawater clearly inhibit the skeletal formation of coral juveniles. Our results demonstrate that calcareous sediments in reef areas play a crucial role in mediating the impact of terrestrial runoff on corals by storing and releasing phosphate in seawater.

Isolated and combined effects of thermal stress and copper exposure on the trophic behavior and oxidative status of the reef-building coral Mussismilia harttii

Global warming and local disturbances such as pollution cause several impacts on coral reefs. Among them is the breakdown of the symbiosis between host corals and photosynthetic symbionts, which is often a consequence of oxidative stress. Therefore, we investigated if the combined effects of thermal stress and copper (Cu) exposure change the trophic behavior and oxidative status of the reef-building coral Mussismilia harttii. Coral fragments were exposed in a mesocosm system to three temperatures (25.0, 26.6 and 27.3 °C) and three Cu concentrations (2.9, 5.4 and 8.6 μg L^-1). Samples were collected after 4 and 12 days of exposure. We then (i) performed fatty acid analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to quantify changes in stearidonic acid and docosapentaenoic acid (autotrophy markers) and cis-gondoic acid (heterotrophy marker), and (ii) assessed the oxidative status of both host and symbiont through analyses of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Our findings show that trophic behavior was predominantly autotrophic and remained unchanged under individual and combined stressors for both 4- and 12-day experiments; for the latter, however, there was an increase in the heterotrophy marker. Results also show that 4 days was not enough to trigger changes in LPO or TAC for both coral and symbiont. However, the 12-day experiment showed a reduction in symbiont LPO associated with thermal stress alone, and the combination of stressors increased their TAC. For the coral, the isolated effects of increase in Cu and temperature led to an increase in LPO. The effects of combined stressors on trophic behavior and oxidative status were not much different than those from the isolated effects of each stressor. These findings highlight that host and symbionts respond differently to stress and are relevant as they show the physiological response of individual holobiont compartments to both global and local stressors.

Biomonitoring of perylene in symbiotic reef and non-reef building corals and species-specific responses in the Kharg and Larak coral reefs (Persian Gulf, Iran): Bioaccumulation and source identification

In this study, coral soft tissue, skeleton and zooxanthellae, as well as their ambient sediment and seawater were analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with a special focus on perylene. Samples were collected from two different environments: the Kharg Island, which is affected by numerous anthropogenic stressors and Larak Island, which is mainly used for recreational and fishing activities and is characterized by dense vegetation. The heaviest loadings of PAHs were observed on Kharg Island, yet higher concentrations of perylene were detected on Larak Island and it was identified as the prevailing compound in this area. Pyrogenic perylene sources were prevailing on Kharg Island, whereas the perylene on Larak Island was determined to be of natural origin. After analyzing the biological samples, higher perylene concentrations were observed in zooxanthellae than in tissue and skeleton. The lowest and the highest perylene loadings were found in the tissue and skeleton of Platygyra daedalea and Porites lutea, respectively. This applies to both reefs. We found that perylene distribution in the corals and their ambient environment follows an irregular pattern, demonstrating remarkable effects from the local inputs. The lipid content in the coral tissue and the location of the coral colony were deduced to be the main factors affecting perylene distribution in corals. On Larak Island, a significant correlation between perylene loadings in sediment and corals was observed. On Kharg Island, a strong interaction between the water column and the corals was detected. The symbiotic relationship between the corals and zooxanthellae might play the most significant role in bioconcentration and bioaccumulation of perylene. Due to the insolubility of PAHs, they could be transferred through a food chain to zooxanthellae and eventually deposited in the coral bodies.

Effects of pollution on marine organisms

This review covers selected 2019 articles on the biological effects of pollutants, including human physical disturbances, on marine and estuarine plants, animals, ecosystems, and habitats. The review, based largely on journal articles, covers field, and laboratory measurement activities (bioaccumulation of contaminants, field assessment surveys, toxicity testing, and biomarkers) as well as pollution issues of current interest including endocrine disrupters, emerging contaminants, wastewater discharges, marine debris, dredging, and disposal. Special emphasis is placed on effects of oil spills and marine debris due largely to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil blowout in the Gulf of Mexico and proliferation of data on the assimilation and effects of marine debris microparticulates. Several topical areas reviewed in the past (e.g., mass mortalities ocean acidification) were dropped this year. The focus of this review is on effects, not on pollutant sources, chemistry, fate, or transport. There is considerable overlap across subject areas (e.g., some bioaccumulation data may be appeared in other topical categories such as effects of wastewater discharges, or biomarker studies appearing in oil toxicity literature). Therefore, we strongly urge readers to use keyword searching of the text and references to locate related but distributed information. Although nearly 400 papers are cited, these now represent a fraction of the literature on these subjects. Use this review mainly as a starting point. And please consult the original papers before citing them.

Larvae of the South Atlantic coral Favia gravida are tolerant to salinity and nutrient concentrations associated with river discharges

Rivers release freshwater, nutrients and pollutants into reefs. This type of environmental stress reduces coral larvae settlement and alter its energy metabolism. We investigated the tolerance of Favia gravida (Scleractinia) larvae to river discharges. We exposed larvae to (i) different salinities (25, 30, 35 and 40 PSU); and (ii) dilutions of river water containing nutrients and metals (0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% river water) under control salinity of 35 PSU. We then examined settlement and larval enzymatic activity. No differences in settlement were detected among salinities. Settlement was also similar to control for larvae under 100% river water. Enzymatic activity for citrate synthase remained unaltered for all treatments. Lactate dehydrogenase activity was slightly altered under different salinities, suggesting a mild stress response. Findings suggest that F. gravida larvae are tolerant to a wide range of salinity and nutrient conditions and that this is a stress-tolerant species.

Ecotoxicological responses of a reef calcifier exposed to copper, acidification and warming: A multiple biomarker approach

Multiple global and local stressors threat coral reefs worldwide, and symbiont-bearing foraminifera are bioindicators of reef health. The aim of this study was to investigate single and combined effects of copper (Cu) and climate change related stressors (ocean acidification and warming) on a symbiont-bearing foraminifer by means of an integrated biomarker analysis. Using a mesocosm approach, Amphistegina gibbosa were exposed for 25 days to acidification, warming and/or Cu contamination on a full orthogonal design (two levels each factor). Cu was the main factor increasing bleaching and respiration rates. Warming was the main cause of mortality and reduced growth. Calcification related enzymes were inhibited in response to Cu exposure and, in general, the inhibition was stronger under climate change. Multiple biological endpoints responded to realistic exposure scenarios in different ways, but evidenced general stress posed by climate change combined with Cu. These biological responses drove the high values found for the 'stress index' IBR (Integrated Biomarker Response) - indicating general organismal health impairment under the multiple stressor scenario. Our results provide insights for coral reef management by detecting potential monitoring tools. The ecotoxicological responses indicated that Cu reduces the tolerance of foraminifera to climate change (acidification + warming). Once the endpoints analysed have a high ecological relevance, and that responses were evaluated on a classical reef bioindicator species, these results highlight the high risk of climate change and metal pollution co-exposure to coral reefs. Integrated responses allowed a better effects comprehension and are pointed as a promising tool to monitor pollution effects on a changing ocean.

Special Issue: Application of Photoactive Nanomaterials in Degradation of Pollutants

Photoactive nanomaterials are receiving increasing attention due to their potential application to light-driven degradation of water and gas-phase pollutants. However, to exploit the strong potential of photoactive materials and access their properties require a fine tuning of their size/shape dependent chemical-physical properties and on the ability to integrate them in photo-reactors or to deposit them on large surfaces. Therefore, the synthetic approach, as well as post-synthesis manipulation could strongly affect the final photocatalytic properties of nanomaterials. The potential application of photoactive nanomaterials in the environmental field includes the abatement of organic pollutant in water, water disinfection, and abatement of gas-phase pollutants in outdoor and indoor applications.

Examine all available evidence before making decisions on sunscreen ingredient bans

Coral bleaching is a worldwide problem and more needs to be done to determine causes and potential solutions. A myopic focus on sunscreen ingredients as the proximate cause of coral bleaching provides consumers a false belief that enacted bans of these ingredients will erase decades of coral reef decline. Instead, these bans will likely only lead to decreased sunscreen use and exposure to potentially harmful UV radiation. A closer examination of all available evidence on the causes of coral reef bleaching needs to be undertaken, including a more thorough appraisal of studies conducted under artificial conditions using higher concentrations of sunscreen ingredients.

Scalable Synthesis of Mesoporous TiO2 for Environmental Photocatalytic Applications

Increasing environmental concern, related to pollution and clean energy demand, have urged the development of new smart solutions profiting from nanotechnology, including the renowned nanomaterial-assisted photocatalytic degradation of pollutants. In this framework, increasing efforts are devoted to the development of TiO2-based nanomaterials with improved photocatalytic activity. A plethora of synthesis routes to obtain high quality TiO2-based nanomaterials is currently available. Nonetheless, large-scale production and the application of nanosized TiO2 is still hampered by technological issues and the high cost related to the capability to obtain TiO2 nanoparticles with high reaction yield and adequate morphological and structural control. The present review aims at providing a selection of synthetic approaches suitable for large-scale production of mesoporous TiO2-based photocatalysts due to its unique features including high specific surface area, improved ultraviolet (UV) radiation absorption, high density of surface hydroxyl groups, and significant ability for further surface functionalization The overviewed synthetic strategies have been selected and classified according to the following criteria (i) high reaction yield, (ii) reliable synthesis scale-up and (iii) adequate control over morphological, structural and textural features. Potential environmental applications of such nanostructures including water remediation and air purification are also discussed.

Scalable Synthesis of Mesoporous TiO2 for Environmental Photocatalytic Applications

Increasing environmental concern, related to pollution and clean energy demand, have urged the development of new smart solutions profiting from nanotechnology, including the renowned nanomaterial-assisted photocatalytic degradation of pollutants. In this framework, increasing efforts are devoted to the development of TiO2-based nanomaterials with improved photocatalytic activity. A plethora of synthesis routes to obtain high quality TiO2-based nanomaterials is currently available. Nonetheless, large-scale production and the application of nanosized TiO2 is still hampered by technological issues and the high cost related to the capability to obtain TiO2 nanoparticles with high reaction yield and adequate morphological and structural control. The present review aims at providing a selection of synthetic approaches suitable for large-scale production of mesoporous TiO2-based photocatalysts due to its unique features including high specific surface area, improved ultraviolet (UV) radiation absorption, high density of surface hydroxyl groups, and significant ability for further surface functionalization The overviewed synthetic strategies have been selected and classified according to the following criteria (i) high reaction yield, (ii) reliable synthesis scale-up and (iii) adequate control over morphological, structural and textural features. Potential environmental applications of such nanostructures including water remediation and air purification are also discussed.