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Aquilina-Beck A, Reed LA, Rider M, Burdine W, Daugomah J, Apeti D, Key P, DeLorenzo M. Employing molecular, chemical and physiological techniques using Crassostrea virginica to assess ecosystem health along coastal South Carolina and North Carolina, United States. Environ Res 2023; 236:116817. [PMID: 37541416 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
Natural and anthropogenic environmental impacts can introduce contaminants into sensitive habitats, threatening ecosystems and human health. Consistent monitoring of coastal areas provides critical environmental assessment data. Sediments and Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) tissues were collected at fourteen South Carolina (SC) and four North Carolina (NC) sites as part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Mussel Watch environmental monitoring program. Cellular and molecular techniques were employed to measure C. virginica stress response, specifically, Lipid Peroxidation (LPx), Glutathione (GSH), and qPCR techniques. Gene specific primers targeted for detecting oxidative stress and cellular death were developed in C. virginica to gauge response to current environmental conditions using gill and hepatopancreas (HP) tissue. In order to validate gene specific markers as additional assessment tools, a 96 h zinc (Zn) laboratory exposure was performed. Cellular biomarker data revealed tissue specific responses. Hepatopancreas data showed C. virginica exhibited stress through the lipid peroxidation assay amongst sampling sites, however, response was managed through glutathione detoxification. Gill tissue data had significantly lower levels of cellular biomarker response compared to hepatopancreas. Molecular biomarkers targeting these cellular stress pathways through qPCR analysis show upregulation of Metallothionein in hepatopancreas and gill tissue with a concurrent > 2-fold upregulation in the detoxification marker Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) at three NC sites. SC sites displayed higher stress levels through LPx assays and down-regulation in GPx gene activity. Laboratory zinc exposure revealed no significance in cellular biomarker results, however, molecular data showed gills responding to zinc treatment through upregulation of Metallothionein, SOD and Cathepsin L, indicating an acute response in gills. Collectively, chemical, cellular and molecular methods clarify sentinel stress response of biological impacts and aid in evaluating environmental health in coastal ecosystems. This combined methodological approach provides a detailed analysis of environmental conditions and improves land-use management decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allisan Aquilina-Beck
- CSS, Inc, Under Contract to National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Charleston, SC, USA.
| | - Lou Ann Reed
- National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Mary Rider
- CSS, Inc, Under Contract to National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - William Burdine
- CSS, Inc, Under Contract to National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - James Daugomah
- National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Dennis Apeti
- National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Pete Key
- National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Marie DeLorenzo
- National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Charleston, SC, USA
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White ND, Balthis L, Kannan K, De Silva AO, Wu Q, French KM, Daugomah J, Spencer C, Fair PA. Elevated levels of perfluoroalkyl substances in estuarine sediments of Charleston, SC. Sci Total Environ 2015; 521-522:79-89. [PMID: 25828416 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.03.078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2015] [Revised: 03/19/2015] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Urban areas are sources of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the environment, although little is known about specific point sources and distribution of PFASs. Sentinel species, like bottlenose dolphins, are important indicators of environmental perturbations. The high PFAS levels found in dolphins inhabiting Charleston, South Carolina prompted investigation of these chemicals in this area. This study provides further evidence on the extent of contamination and potential sources of PFASs. In this study, concentrations of 11 PFASs measured in estuarine sediments collected in 2012 from the Charleston Harbor and the Ashley and Cooper Rivers (n=36) in South Carolina revealed higher levels than those reported in any other U.S. urban areas. Detectable levels were found in all sample locations with mean total PFAS concentrations of 3.79ngg(-1) (range 0.22 to 19.2ngg(-1) d.w.). Dominant compounds were perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) (mean 1.52ngg(-1); range 0.09-7.37ngg(-1) d.w.), followed by perfluorodecanoate (PFDA) (mean 0.83ngg(-1); range 0.06-4.76ngg(-1) d.w.) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) (mean 0.42ngg(-1); range 0.02-2.52ngg(-1) d.w.). PFOS levels in sediments at 19 of 36 sites (representing 52% of the study area) exceeded the published global median PFOS sediment concentration of 0.54ngg(-1).
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha D White
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Ocean Service, Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research, 219 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, USA
| | - Len Balthis
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Ocean Service, Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research, 219 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, USA
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Empire State Plaza, PO Box 509, Albany, NY 12201-0509, USA
| | - Amila O De Silva
- Environment Canada, Water Science Technology Directorate, 867 Lakeshore Rd, Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Qian Wu
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Empire State Plaza, PO Box 509, Albany, NY 12201-0509, USA
| | - Katherine M French
- Environment Canada, Water Science Technology Directorate, 867 Lakeshore Rd, Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - James Daugomah
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Ocean Service, Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research, 219 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, USA
| | - Christine Spencer
- Environment Canada, Water Science Technology Directorate, 867 Lakeshore Rd, Burlington, ON L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Patricia A Fair
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Ocean Service, Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research, 219 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, USA.
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Fulton M, Key P, Wirth E, Leight AK, Daugomah J, Bearden D, Sivertsen S, Scott G. An evaluation of contaminated estuarine sites using sediment quality guidelines and ecological assessment methodologies. Ecotoxicology 2006; 15:573-81. [PMID: 17031607 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-006-0092-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/19/2006] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Toxic contaminants may enter estuarine ecosystems through a variety of pathways. When sediment contaminant levels become sufficiently high, they may impact resident biota. One approach to predict sediment-associated toxicity in estuarine ecosystems involves the use of sediment quality guidelines (ERMs, ERLs) and site-specific contaminant chemistry while a second approach utilizes site-specific ecological sampling to assess impacts at the population or community level. The goal of this study was to utilize an integrated approach including chemical contaminant analysis, sediment quality guidelines and grass shrimp population monitoring to evaluate the impact of contaminants from industrial sources. Three impacted sites and one reference site were selected for study. Grass shrimp populations were sampled using a push-netting approach. Sediment samples were collected at each site and analyzed for metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and pesticides. Contaminant levels were then compared to sediment quality guidelines. In general, grass shrimp population densities at the sites decreased as the ERM quotients increased. Grass shrimp densities were significantly reduced at the impacted site that had an ERM exceedance for chromium and the highest Mean ERM quotient. Regression analysis indicated that sediment chromium concentrations were negatively correlated with grass shrimp density. Grass shrimp size was reduced at two sites with intermediate levels of contamination. These findings support the use of both sediment quality guidelines and site-specific population monitoring to evaluate the impacts of sediment-associated contaminants in estuarine systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Fulton
- Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research, NOAA, 219 Ft. Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, USA.
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