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Thin-layer capping using activated carbon has been described as a cost-effective in situ sediment remediation method for organic contaminants. We compared the capping efficiency of powdered activated carbon (PAC) against granular activated carbon (GAC) using contaminated sediment from Oskarshamn harbor, Sweden. The effects of resuspension on contaminant retention and cap integrity were also studied. Intact sediment cores were collected from the outer harbor and brought to the laboratory. Three thin-layer caps, consisting of PAC or GAC mixed with clay or clay only, were added to the sediment surface. Resuspension was created using a motor-driven paddle to simulate propeller wash from ship traffic. Passive samplers were placed in the sediment and in the water column to measure the sediment-to-water release of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and metals. Our results show that a thin-layer cap with PAC reduced sediment-to-water fluxes of PCBs by 57% under static conditions and 91% under resuspension. Thin-layer capping with GAC was less effective than PAC but reduced fluxes of high-molecular weight PAHs. Thin-layer capping with activated carbon was less effective at retaining metals, except for Cd, the release of which was significantly reduced by PAC. Resuspension generally decreased water concentrations of dissolved cationic metals, perhaps because of sorption to suspended sediment particles. Sediment resuspension in treatments without capping increased fluxes of PCBs with log octanol-water partitioning coefficient (K

Denitrification in sediments is a key microbial process that removes excess fixed nitrogen, while dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) converts nitrate to ammonium. Although microorganisms are responsible for essential nitrogen (N) cycling, it is not yet fully understood how these microbially mediated processes respond to toxic hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) and metals. In this study, we sampled long-term polluted sediment from the outer harbor of Oskarshamn (Baltic Sea), measured denitrification and DNRA rates, and analyzed taxonomic structure and N-cycling genes of microbial communities using metagenomics. Results showed that denitrification and DNRA rates were within the range of a national reference site and other unpolluted sites in the Baltic Sea, indicating that long-term pollution did not significantly affect these processes. Furthermore, our results indicate an adaptation to metal pollution by the N-cycling microbial community. These findings suggest that denitrification and DNRA rates are affected more by eutrophication and organic enrichment than by historic pollution of metals and organic contaminants.

The application of activated carbon (AC) to the surface of contaminated sediments is a promising technology for sediment remediation in situ. Amendment with AC has proved to be effective in reducing bioavailability and sediment-to-water release of hydrophobic organic contaminants. However, AC may cause positive or negative biological responses in benthic organisms. The causes of these effects, which include changes in growth, reproduction, and mortality, are unclear but are thought to be related to the size of AC particles. The present study investigated biological response to AC ranging from ingestible powdered AC to noningestible granular AC in two benthic deposit feeders: the polychaete Marenzelleria spp. and the clam Limecola balthica (syn. Macoma balthica). In the polychaete, exposure to powdered AC (ingestible) reduced both dry weight and carbon assimilation, whereas exposure to granular AC (noningestible) increased both dry weight and carbon assimilation. Responses in the clam were similar but less pronounced, indicating that response levels are species-specific and may vary within a benthic community. In addition, worms exposed to the finest ingestible AC particles had reduced gut microvilli length and reduced gut lumen, indicating starvation. These results strongly suggest that biological responses to AC depend on particle ingestibility, whereby exposure to ingestible particles may cause starvation through reduced bioavailability of food coingested with AC or due to rejection of AC-treated sediment as a food source. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:3465-3477. © 2021 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

This study tested two sediment amendments with active sorbents: injection of aluminum (Al) into sediments and thin-layer capping with Polonite (calcium–silicate), with and without the addition of activated carbon (AC), for their simultaneous sequestration of sediment phosphorus (P), hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs), and metals. Sediment cores were collected from a eutrophic and polluted brackish water bay in Sweden and incubated in the laboratory to measure sediment-to-water contaminant release and effects on biogeochemical processes. We used diffusive gradients in thin-film passive samplers for metals and semi-permeable membrane devices for the HOC polychlorinated biphenyls and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Al injection into anoxic sediments completely stopped the release of P and reduced the release of cadmium (Cd, −97%) and zinc (Zn, −95%) but increased the sediment fluxes of PAH (+49%), compared to the untreated sediment. Polonite mixed with AC reduced the release of P (−70%), Cd (−67%), and Zn (−89%) but increased methane (CH4) release. Adding AC to the Al or Polonite reduced the release of HOCs by 40% in both treatments. These results not only demonstrate the potential of innovative remediation techniques using composite sorbent amendments but also highlight the need to assess possible ecological side effects on, for example, sedimentary microbial processes., Efficient sorbent amendments are urgently required for the remediation of contaminated soils and sediments. Here, we investigate new composite treatments that simultaneously decrease nutrients, hydrophobic organic contaminants , and metal fluxes.

Particle mixing and irrigation of the seabed by benthic fauna (bioturbation) have major impacts on ecosystem functions such as remineralization of organic matter and sediment-water exchange. As a tribute to Prof. Gaston Desrosiers by the Nereis Park association, eighteen laboratories carried out a collaborative experiment to acquire a global snapshot of particle reworking by the polychaete Hediste diversicolor at 16 sites surrounding the Northern Atlantic. Organisms and soft sediments were collected during May – July at different geographical locations and, using a common laboratory protocol, particulate fluorescent tracers (‘luminophores’) were used to quantify particle transport over a 10-day period. Particle mixing was quantified using the maximum penetration depth of tracers (MPD), particle diffusive coefficients (Db), and non-local transport coefficients (r). Non-local coefficients (reflecting centimeter scale transport steps) ranged from 0.4 to 15 yr−1, and were not correlated across sites with any measured biological (biomass, biovolume) or environmental parameters (temperature, grain size, organic matter). Maximum penetration depths (MPD) averaged ~10.7 cm (6.5–14.5 cm), and were similar to the global average bioturbation depth inferred from short-lived radiochemical tracers. MPD was also not correlated with measures of size (individual biomass), but increased with grain size and decreased with temperature. Biodiffusion (Db) correlated inversely with individual biomass (size) and directly with temperature over the environmental range (Q10 ~ 1.7; 5–21 °C). The transport data were comparable in magnitude to rates reported for localized H. diversicolor populations of similar size, and confirmed some but not all correlations between sediment reworking and biological and environmental variables found in previous studies. The results imply that measures of particle reworking activities of a species from a single location can be generally extrapolated to different populations at similar conditions.

The sediments in the Grenland fjords in southern Norway are heavily contaminated by large emissions of dioxins and mercury from historic industrial activities. As a possible in situ remediation option, thin-layer sediment surface capping with powdered activated carbon (AC) mixed with clay was applied at two large test sites (10,000 and 40,000 m2) at 30-m and 95-m depths, respectively, in 2009. This paper describes the long-term biological effects of the AC treatment on marine benthic communities up to 4 years after treatment. Our results show that the capping with AC strongly reduced the benthic species diversity, abundance, and biomass by up to 90%. Vital functions in the benthic ecosystem such as particle reworking and bioirrigation of the sediment were also reduced, analyzed by using novel bioturbation and bioirrigation indices (BPc, BIPc, and IPc). Much of the initial effects observed after 1 and 14 months were still present after 49 months, indicating that the effects are long-lasting. These long-lasting negative ecological effects should be carefully considered before decisions are made on sediment remediation with powdered AC, especially in large areas, since important ecosystem functions can be impaired.

The Grenland fjords in Norway have a long history of contamination by large emissions of dioxins and mercury. As a possible sediment remediation method in situ, thin-layer capping with powdered activated carbon (AC) mixed with clay was applied at two test sites at 30 m and 95 m depth in the Grenland fjords. This study presents long-term effects of the AC treatment on the benthic community structure, i.e. nine years after capping. Capping with AC significantly reduced the number of species, their abundance and biomass at the two test sites, compared to uncapped reference sites. At the more shallow site, the dominant brittle star species Amphiura filiformis disappeared shortly after capping and did not re-establish nine years after capping. At the deeper site, the AC treatment also caused long-lasting negative effects on the benthic community, but some recovery was observed after nine years. Ecological indices used to assess environmental status did not capture the impaired benthic communities caused by the capping. The present study is the first documentation of negative effects of powdered AC on marine benthic communities on a decadal scale. Our results show that the benefits of reduced contaminant bioavailability from capping with AC should be carefully weighed against the cost of long-term detrimental effects on the benthic community. More research is needed to develop a thin-layer capping material that is efficient at sequestering contaminants without being harmful to benthic species.

This study assesses the ecological risks (ERA) of pesticides to aquatic organisms in the River Madre de Dios (RMD), which receives surface runoff water from banana, pineapple, and rice plantations on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. Water samples collected over 2 years at five sites in the RMD revealed a total of 26 pesticides. Their toxicity risk to aquatic organisms was assessed using three recent ERA models. (1) The PERPEST model showed a high probability (>50 %) of clear toxic effects of pesticide mixtures on algae, macrophytes, zooplankton, macroinvertebrates, and community metabolism and a low probability (

A new type of activated carbon derived from Kraft lignin, separated from black liquor in the paper pulp process, was evaluated for its use as an alternative sorbent to commercial powdered activated carbons (AC) from anthracite ( AC COAL ) or coconut ( AC BIO ) for remediation in situ of contaminated sediments. Two types of kraft lignins (KL): (1) softwood (SKL), (2) hardwood (HKL) were first evaluated for their sorption to PAHs using assays in water with passive samplers (POMs). Results showed that without further chemical modifications the two kraft lignins tested had lower sorption coefficients than commercial AC COAL or AC BIO and are not good sorbents for remediation. Following these initial tests a new type of AC derived from softwood ( AC SKL ) was produced in the lab using activation with potassium hydroxide (KOH) (lignin:KOH, 1:3 by dry weight) and pyrolysis at 700 °C. Sorption properties of the new AC SKL was compared to the other ACs in water spiked with PAHs and in water with PAH-contaminated sediment. Sorption results were also compared to bioavailability measurements, using digestive fluid extraction (DFE) in vitro, a method that mimics the solubilization of contaminants that occurs in the gut of a sediment-ingesting invertebrate. AC SKL was found to have similar surface area, pore volume and sorption coefficients as AC COAL and AC BIO and thus offers a new potential sorbent for remediation, based on a more renewable biomass-derived source than AC from coal. Sediment amendment with 1% AC-SKL reduced the bioavailability of larger PAHs on average by 54% (measured by DFE), and reduced pore water concentrations of Σ PAH by 80% (measured with passive samplers). Our results show that a new type of AC based on softwood kraft lignin, a renewable and locally produced biomass material, could be used as an alternative sorbent for sediment and water remediation provided it is produced in sufficient amount and at a competitive price compared to other traditional ACs.

Growth of human populations and increased human activity, particularly in coastal areas, increase pressure on coastal ecosystems and the ecosystem services (ES) they provide. As a means toward bein ...

Biodegradation by microorganisms is a useful tool that helps alleviating hydrocarbon pollution in nature. Microbes are more efficient in degradation under aerobic than anaerobic conditions, but the majority of sediment by volume is generally anoxic. Incubation experiments were conducted to study the biodegradation potential of naphthalene-a common polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-and the diversity of microbial communities in presence/absence of activated carbon (AC) under aerobic/anaerobic conditions. Radio-respirometry experiments with endogenous microorganisms indicated that degradation of naphthalene was strongly stimulated (96%) by the AC addition under anaerobic conditions. In aerobic conditions, however, AC had no effects on naphthalene biodegradation. Bioaugmentation tests with cultured microbial populations grown on naphthalene showed that AC further stimulated (92%) naphthalene degradation in anoxia. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences implied that sediment amendment with AC increased microbial community diversity and changed community structure. Moreover, the relative abundance of Geobacter, Thiobacillus, Sulfuricurvum, and methanogenic archaea increased sharply after amendment with AC under anaerobic conditions. These results may be explained by the fact that AC particles promoted direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) between microorganisms involved in PAH degradation pathways. We suggest that important ecosystem functions mediated by microbes-such as hydrocarbon degradation-can be induced and that AC enrichment strategies can be exploited for facilitating bioremediation of anoxic oil-contaminated sediments and soils.

The Grenlandfjords in South East Norway are severely contaminated with dioxins from a magnesium smelter operated between 1950 and 2001. In 2009, the proposal of thin-layer capping as a potential mitigation method to reduce spreading of dioxins from the fjord bottom, resulted in the set-up of a large-scale field experiment in two fjord areas at 30 and 100 m depth. After capping, several investigations have been carried out to determine effects on benthic communities and bioavailability of dioxins. In this paper we present the results on uptake of dioxins and furans (PCDD/F) in passive samplers and two sediment-dwelling species exposed in boxcores collected from the test plots during four surveys between 2009 (after cap placement) and 2018. Sediment profile images (SPI) and analyses of dioxins revealed that the thin (1-5 cm) cap layers became buried beneath several centimeters of sediments resuspended from adjacent bottoms and deposited on the test plots after capping. Uptake reduction ratios (R) were calculated as dioxins accumulated in cores collected from capped sediments divided by dioxins accumulated in cores collected from uncapped reference sediments. Cap layers with dredged clay or crushed limestone had only short-term positive effect with R-values increasing to about 1.0 (no effect) 1-4 years after capping. In spite of the recontamination, cap layers with clay and activated carbon had significant long-term effects with R-values slowly increasing from 0.12-0.33 during the first three years to 0.39-0.46 in 2018, showing 54-88 % reduced uptake of dioxins (PCDD/F-TE) throughout the nine years investigation period.

A 4-week laboratory experiment investigated the behaviour (survival and bioirrigation) and impact of the invasive polychaetes Marenzelleria viridis, M. neglecta and M. arctia on sediment-water solutes exchange, porewater chemistry, and Fe and P interactions in high-salinity sandy sediment (HSS) and low-salinity muddy sediment (LSM) from the Baltic Sea. M. viridis showed deep burrowing with efficient bioirrigation (11 L m−2 day−1) and high survival (71%) in HSS, while M. arctia exhibited shallow burrowing with high bioirrigation (12 L m−2 day−1) and survival (88%) in LSM. M. neglecta behaved poorly in both ecological settings (bioirrigation, 5–6 L m−2 day−1; survival, 21–44%). The deep M. viridis bioirrigation enhanced total microbial CO2 (TCO2) production in HSS by 175% with a net efflux of NH4 + and PO4 3−, at rates 3- to 27-fold higher than for the other species. Although the shallow and intense bioirrigation of M. arctia in LSM stimulated microbial TCO2 production to some extent (61% enhancement), the nutrient fluxes close to zero indicate that it effectively prevented the P release. Porewater Fe:PO4 3− ratios revealed that the oxidizing effect of M. arctia bioirrigation increased the PO4 3− adsorption capacity of LSM twofold relative to defaunated controls while no buffering of PO4 3− was detected in M. viridis HSS treatment. Therefore, the different behaviour of the three species in various environments and the sharp contrast between M. viridis and M. arctia effects on C, N and P cycling must be considered carefully when the ecological role of Marenzelleria species in the Baltic Sea is evaluated.

Sediment capping with activated carbon (AC) is an effective technique used in remediation of contaminated sediments, but the ecological effects on benthic microbial activity and meiofauna communities have been largely neglected. This study presents results from a 4-week experiment investigating the influence of two powdered AC materials (bituminous coal-based and coconut shell-derived) and one control material (clay) on biogeochemical processes and meiofauna in contaminated sediments. Capping with AC induced a 62-63% decrease in denitrification and a 66-87% decrease in dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA). Sediment porewater pH increased from 7.1 to 9.0 and 9.7 after addition of bituminous AC and biomass-derived AC, respectively. High pH (8) persisted for at least two weeks in the bituminous AC and for at least 24 days in the coconut based AC, while capping with clay had no effect on pH. We observed a strong impact (nitrate fluxes being halved in presence of AC) on nitrification activity as nitrifiers are sensitive to high pH. This partly explains the significant decrease in nitrate reduction rates since denitrification was almost entirely coupled to nitrification. Total benthic metabolism estimated by sediment oxygen uptake was reduced by 30 and 43% in presence of bituminous coal-based AC and coconut shell-derived AC, respectively. Meiofauna abundances decreased by 60-62% in the AC treatments. Taken together, these observations suggest that AC amendments deplete natural organic carbon, intended as food, to heterotrophic benthic communities. Phosphate efflux was 91% lower in presence of bituminous AC compared to untreated sediment probably due to its content of aluminum (Al) oxides, which have high affinity for phosphate. This study demonstrates that capping with powdered AC produces significant effects on benthic biogeochemical fluxes, microbial processes and meiofauna abundances, which are likely due to an increase in porewater pH and to the sequestration of natural, sedimentary organic matter by AC particles.

In Costa Rica considerable effort goes to conservation and protection of biodiversity, while at the same time 30 agricultural pesticide use is among the highest in the world. Several protected areas, some being wetlands or 31 marine reserves, are situated downstream large-scale banana farms, with an average of 57 pesticide applications 32 per year. The banana industry is increasingly aware of the need to reduce their negative environmental impact, 33 but few ecological field studies have been made to evaluate the efficiency of proposed mitigation strategies. This 34 study compared the composition of benthic macroinvertebrate communities up- and downstream effluent water 35 from banana farms in order to assess whether benthic invertebrate community structure can be used to detect 36 environmental impact of banana farming, and thereby usable to assess improvements in management practices. 37 Aquatic invertebrate samples were collected at 13 sites, using kick-net sampling, both up- and downstream 38 banana farms in fast flowing streams in the Caribbean zone of Costa Rica. In total, 2888 invertebrate specimens 39 were collected, belonging to 15 orders and 48 families or taxa. The change in community composition was 40 analyzed using multivariate statistics. Additionally, a biodiversity index and the Biological Monitoring Working 41 Party (BMWP) score system was applied along with a number of community composition descriptors. 42 Multivariate analyses indicated that surface waters immediately up- and downstream large-scale banana farms 43 have different macroinvertebrate community compositions with the most evident differences being higher 44 dominance by single taxa and a much higher total abundance, mostly of that same taxon. Assessment of 45 macroinvertebrate community composition thus appears to be a viable approach to detect negative impact from 46 chemical-intensive agriculture and could become an effective means to monitor the efficacy of changes/proposed 47 improvements in farming practices in Costa Rica and similar systems.

High intensity agricultural production systems are problematic not only for human health and\ud the surrounding environment, but can threaten the provision of ecosystem services on which\ud farm productivity depends. This research investigates the effects of management practices in\ud Costa Rica on on-farm insect diversity, using three different types of banana farm\ud management systems: high-input conventional system, low-input conventional system and\ud organic system. Insect sampling was done using pitfall and yellow bowl traps, left for a 24-\ud hour period at 2 locations inside the banana farm, at the edge of the farm, and in adjacent\ud forest. All 39091 individual insects were classified to family level and then morphospecies.\ud Insect species community composition and diversity were compared using multivariate\ud statistics with ordination analysis and Monte Carlo permutation testing, and revealed that each\ud of the management systems were significantly different from each other for both trap types.\ud Insect diversity decreased as management intensity increased. Reduced insect diversity\ud resulted in fewer functional groups and fewer insect families assuming different functions\ud essential to ecosystem health. Organic farms had similar species composition on the farm\ud compared to adjacent forest sites, whereas species composition increasingly differed between\ud farm and forest sites as management intensity increased. We conclude that while organic\ud production has minimal impact on insect biodiversity, even small reductions in management\ud intensity can have a significantly positive impact on on-farm insect biodiversity and\ud functional roles supported.

The longer-term effect (3–5 y) of thin-layer capping on in situ sediment-to-surface water fluxes was monitored in a large-scale field experiment in the polychlorinated dibenzodioxin and dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) contaminated Grenlandfjords, Norway (4 trial plots of 10 000 to 40 000 m2 at 30 to 100 m water depth). Active caps (designed thickness 2.5 cm) were established in 2 fjords, consisting of dredged clean clay amended with powdered activated carbon (PAC) from anthracite. These active caps were compared to 2 nonactive caps in one of the fjords (designed thickness 5 cm) consisting of either clay only (i.e., without PAC) or crushed limestone. Sediment-to-water PCDD/F fluxes were measured in situ using diffusion chambers. An earlier study showed that during the first 2 years after thin-layer capping, flux reductions relative to noncapped reference fields were more extensive at the fields capped with nonactive caps (70%–90%) than at the ones with PAC-containing caps (50%–60%). However, the present work shows that between 3 and 5 years after thin-layer capping, this trend was reversed and cap effectiveness in reducing fluxes was increasing to 80% to 90% for the PAC caps, whereas cap effectiveness of the nonactive caps decreased to 20% to 60%. The increasing effectiveness over time of PAC-containing “active“ caps is explained by a combination of slow sediment-to-PAC mass transfer of PCDD/Fs and bioturbation by benthic organisms. The decreasing effectiveness of “nonactive“ limestone and clay caps is explained by deposition of contaminated particles on top of the caps. The present field data indicate that the capping efficiency of thin active caps (i.e., enriched with PAC) can improve over time as a result of slow diffusive PCDD/F transfer from sediment to PAC particles and better mixing of the PAC by bioturbation. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2015;X:000–000. © 2015 SETAC

A field experiment with thin-layer capping was conducted in the Grenland fjords, Norway, for remediation in situ of mercury and dioxin-contaminated sediments. Experimental fields at 30 and 95 m depth were capped with (i) powdered activated carbon (AC) mixed with clay (AC+cla`y), (ii) clay, and (iii) crushed limestone. Ecological effects on the benthic community and species-feeding guilds were studied 1 and 14 months after capping, and a total of 158 species were included in the analyses. The results show that clay and limestone had only minor effects on the benthic community, while AC+clay caused severe perturbations. AC+clay reduced the abundance, biomass, and number of species by up to 90% at both 30 and 95 m depth, and few indications of recovery were found during the period of this investigation. The negative effects of AC+clay were observed on a wide range of species with different feeding strategies, although the suspension feeding brittle star Amphiura filiformis was particularly affected. Even though activated carbon is effective in reducing sediment-to-water fluxes of dioxins and other organic pollutants, this study shows that capping with powdered AC can lead to substantial disturbances to the benthic community. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11356-017-8851-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

IRET, DEEP The River Madre de Dios (RMD) and its lagoon is a biodiversity rich watershed formed by a system of streams, rivers, channels, and a coastal lagoon communicating with the Caribbean Sea. This basin sustains a large area of agricultural activity (mostly banana, rice, and pineapple) with intensive use of pesticides, continually detected in water samples. We investigated in situ the toxicological effects caused by pesticide runoff from agriculture and the relation of pesticide concentrations with different biological organization levels: early responses in fish biomarkers (sub-organismal), acute toxicity to Daphnia magna (organismal), and aquatic macroinvertebrate community structure. The evaluation was carried out between October 2011 and November 2012 at five sites along the RMD influenced by agricultural discharges and a reference site in a stream outside the RMD that receives less pesticides. Acute toxicity to D. magna was observed only once in a sample from the RMD (Caño Azul); the index of biomarker responses in fish exposed in situ was higher than controls at the same site and at the RMD-Freeman. However, only macroinvertebrates were statistically related to the presence of pesticides, combined with both physical-chemical parameters and habitat degradation. All three groups of variables determined the distribution of macroinvertebrate taxa through the study sites. El río Madre de Dios (RMD) y su laguna es una cuenca rica en biodiversidad formada por un sistema de arroyos, ríos, canales y una laguna costera que se comunica con el mar Caribe. Esta cuenca sustenta una gran área de actividad agrícola (principalmente banano, arroz y piña) con uso intensivo de pesticidas, continuamente detectados en muestras de agua. Investigamos in situ los efectos toxicológicos causados ​​por la escorrentía de plaguicidas de la agricultura y la relación de las concentraciones de plaguicidas con diferentes niveles de organización biológica: respuestas tempranas en biomarcadores de peces (suborganismos), toxicidad aguda para Daphnia magna (organismo) y estructura comunitaria de macroinvertebrados acuáticos. . La evaluación se realizó entre octubre de 2011 y noviembre de 2012 en cinco sitios a lo largo de la RMD influenciados por descargas agrícolas y un sitio de referencia en un arroyo fuera de la RMD que recibe menos pesticidas. La toxicidad aguda para D. magna se observó solo una vez en una muestra del RMD (Caño Azul); el índice de respuestas de biomarcadores en peces expuestos in situ fue más alto que los controles en el mismo sitio y en el RMD-Freeman. Sin embargo, solo los macroinvertebrados se relacionaron estadísticamente con la presencia de plaguicidas, combinados tanto con parámetros físico-químicos como con la degradación del hábitat. Los tres grupos de variables determinaron la distribución de taxones de macroinvertebrados a través de los sitios de estudio. O Rio Madre de Dios (RMD) e sua lagoa é uma bacia hidrográfica rica em biodiversidade, formada por um sistema de riachos, rios, canais e uma lagoa costeira que se comunica com o Mar do Caribe. Essa bacia sustenta uma grande área de atividade agrícola (principalmente banana, arroz e abacaxi) com uso intensivo de agrotóxicos, continuamente detectados em amostras de água. Nós investigamos in situ os efeitos toxicológicos causados ​​pelo escoamento de pesticidas da agricultura e a relação das concentrações de pesticidas com diferentes níveis de organização biológica: respostas iniciais em biomarcadores de peixes (suborganismo), toxicidade aguda para Daphnia magna (organismo) e estrutura da comunidade de macroinvertebrados aquáticos . A avaliação foi realizada entre outubro de 2011 e novembro de 2012 em cinco locais ao longo do RMD influenciados por descargas agrícolas e um local de referência em um riacho fora do RMD que recebe menos pesticidas. A toxicidade aguda para D. magna foi observada apenas uma vez em uma amostra do RMD (Caño Azul); o índice de respostas de biomarcadores em peixes expostos in situ foi maior do que os controles no mesmo local e no RMD-Freeman. No entanto, apenas macroinvertebrados foram estatisticamente relacionados à presença de pesticidas, combinados com parâmetros físico-químicos e degradação do habitat. Todos os três grupos de variáveis ​​determinaram a distribuição dos táxons de macroinvertebrados nos locais de estudo. Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica Wageningen University, The Netherlands Wageningen University and Research Centre, The Netherlands Stockholm University, Sweden Instituto Regional de Estudios en Sustancias Tóxicas, Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica

Growth of human populations and increased human activity, particularly in coastal areas, increase pressure on coastal ecosystems and the ecosystem services (ES) they provide. As a means toward being able to assess the impact of multiple stressors on ES, in the present study we propose an 8-step conceptual approach for assessing effects of chemical mixtures and other stressors on ES in coastal areas: step A, identify the relevant problems and policy aims; step B, identify temporal and spatial boundaries; step C, identify relevant ES; step D, identify relevant stressors (e.g., chemicals); step E, translate impacts into ES units; step F, assess cumulative risk in ES units; step G, rank stressors based on their contribution to adverse effects on ES; and step H, implement regulation and management as appropriate and necessary. Two illustrative case studies (Swedish coastal waters and a coastal lagoon in Costa Rica) are provided; one focuses on chemicals that affect human food supply and the other addresses pesticide runoff and trade-offs among ES. The 2 cases are used to highlight challenges of such risk assessments, including use of standardized versus ES-relevant test species, data completeness, and trade-offs among ES. Lessons learned from the 2 case studies are discussed in relation to environmental risk assessment and management of chemical mixtures. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:376-386. © 2016 SETAC.

Ecotoxicological effects of 2 carbonaceous and 7 mineral capping materials suggested for in situ remediation of contaminated sediments in the Grenland fjords, Norway, were investigated in a mesocos ...

The efficiency of thin-layer capping in reducing sediment-to-water fluxes and bioaccumulation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans, hexachlorobenzene, and octachlorostyrene was investigated in a boxcosm experiment. The influence of cap thickness (0.5-5 cm) and different cap materials was tested using a three-factor experimental design. The cap materials consisted of a passive material (coarse or fine limestone or a marine clay) and an active material (activated carbon (AC) or kraft lignin) to sequester the contaminants. The cap thickness and the type of active material were significant factors, whereas no statistically significant effects of the type of passive material were observed. Sediment-to-water fluxes and bioaccumulation by the two test species, the surface-dwelling Nassarius nitidus and the deep-burrowing Nereis spp., decreased with increased cap thickness and with addition of active material. Activated carbon was more efficient than lignin, and a ~90% reduction of fluxes and bioaccumulation was achieved with 3 cm caps with 3.3% AC. Small increases in fluxes with increased survival of Nereis spp. indicated that bioturbation by Nereis spp. affected the fluxes.

The bioaccumulation of buried polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) added to specific depths in sediment (2.0-2.5, 5.0-5.5 and 10.0-10.5cm) was studied in two infaunal species with similar feeding habits (surface deposit-feeders) but different bioturbation modes. The deep-burrowing polychaetes Marenzelleria spp. (Mz) displayed up to 36 times higher tissue concentrations of buried (spiked) contaminants than the surface-dwelling biodiffusing amphipod Monoporeia affinis. The differences in bioaccumulation were most pronounced for less hydrophobic contaminants due to the bioirrigating activity of Mz. Contaminants buried at shallow depths displayed higher accumulation than more deeply buried contaminants. In contrast, the bioaccumulation of unspiked (native) contaminants with a uniform vertical distribution in the sediment was similar between the species. For Mz, the BSAFs increased with increased K(OW) for the uniformly distributed contaminants, but decreased for the buried contaminants, which indicates that the dominant uptake routes of the buried contaminants can differ from the uniformly distributed contaminants. The surface sediment concentration of buried contaminants increased in Mz treatments, showing that Mz bioturbation can remobilize historically buried contaminants to the biologically active surface layer and increase the exposure for surface-dwelling species.

In situ amendment of contaminated sediments using activated carbon (AC) is a recent remediation technique, where the strong sorption of contaminants to added AC reduces their release from sediments and uptake into organisms. The current study describes a marine underwater field pilot study in Trondheim harbor, Norway, in which powdered AC alone or in combination with sand or clay was tested as a thin-layer capping material for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated sediment. Several novel elements were included, such as measuring PAH fluxes, no active mixing of AC into the sediment, and the testing of new manners of placing a thin AC cap on sediment, such as AC+clay and AC+sand combinations. Innovative chemical and biological monitoring methods were deployed to test capping effectiveness. In situ sediment-to-water PAH fluxes were measured using recently developed benthic flux chambers. Compared to the reference field, AC capping reduced fluxes by a factor of 2-10. Pore water PAH concentration profiles were measured in situ using a new passive sampler technique, and yielded a reduction factor of 2-3 compared to the reference field. The benthic macrofauna composition and biodiversity were affected by the AC amendments, AC + clay having a lower impact on the benthic taxa than AC-only or AC + sand. In addition, AC + clay gave the highest AC recoveries (60% vs 30% for AC-only and AC + sand) and strongest reductions in sediment-to-water PAH fluxes and porewater concentrations. Thus, application of an AC-clay mixture is recommended as the optimal choice of the currently tested thin-layer capping methods for PAHs, and more research on optimizing its implementation is needed.

Bioturbation can remobilize previously buried contaminants, leading to an increased exposure of aquatic biota. The remobilization of buried polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) from three different sediment depth layers (2.0-2.5 cm, 5.0-5.5 cm, and 10.0-10.5 cm) was studied in a laboratory experiment with two benthic macrofauna species, the amphipod Monoporeia affinis and the polychaete Marenzelleria spp. Remobilization of PCBs and PBDEs was significantly higher in the presence of Marenzelleria spp. than in M. affinis treatments and controls (without macrofauna). The highest remobilization occurred from the most shallow layers (2.0-2.5 cm5.0-5.5 cm10.0-10.5 cm), but contaminants were remobilized due to bioturbation from layers down to at least 10 cm. Congeners with lower hydrophobicity were remobilized to a higher extent than more hydrophobic congeners. The contaminant distribution between the particulate and the dissolved phase in the water column depended on hydrophobicity and burial depth of the contaminant, with congeners from deeper layers displaying an increased distribution to the particulate phase. Release fluxes and sediment-to-water mass transfer coefficients (MTCs) show that bioturbation by the polychaete Marenzelleria spp. can lead to a significant remobilization of buried contaminants from Baltic Sea sediments.

This experimental study examined the interactive effects of bioturbation and settling organic matter (OM) on the fate (burial and remobilisation) of 2 surface-deposited contaminants in Baltic Sea s ...

We used computer-aided tomography (CT) for 3D visualization and 2D analysis of marine sediment cores from 3 stations (at 10, 75 and 118 m depths) with different environmental impact. Biogenic structures such as tubes and burrows were quantified and compared among sta- tions. Subsequent to CT scanning, the animals and other material in the cores were collected to vali- date the image analysis. The shallowest (10 m) station was the most anthropogenically impacted, having horizontally stratified sediment with few biogenic structures close to the sediment surface but many shells and relic tubes (i.e. tubes with no connection to the sediment-water interface) deeper in the sediment. The sediment at the reference station (75 m) and the deepest station (118 m, previously impacted by hypoxia) had large numbers of polychaete tubes throughout the sediment down to at least 30 cm, although many of the tubes deeper down in the sediment were considered relic tubes. Inhabited tubes had a similar density to shells and seem to persist in the sediment for many years. Water volume of inhabited tubes was largest close to the sediment-water interface, whereas water volume in relic tubes was greater between depths of about 3 cm to 30 cm. Many bivalves, particularly Thyasira equalis, were distributed in the middle and deep part of the sediment at the 75 and 118 m stations. Water volume of inhabited tubes was greatest at the 118 m station, showing that benthic fauna recovering from previous hypoxic events can establish burrows and tubes with greater vol- umes, and probably with greater impact on biogeochemical processes, than at a reference station with more stable environmental conditions. This investigation demonstrated that utilization of CT scanning and software can be applied to visualize and quantify physical and biological structures within sediment thicknesses of several decimetres.

Current knowledge on fate and effect of agricultural pesticides comes is mainly from temperate ecosystems. More studies are needed in tropical systems in order to assess contamination risks to nontarget endemic tropical species from the extensive use of pesticides e.g. in banana and pineapple plantations. In this study, acute laboratory toxicity tests with organophosphate pesticides ethoprophos and chlorpyrifos were conducted on two Costa Rican species, cladoceran Daphnia ambigua and fish Parachromis dovii. Tests showed that chlorpyrifos was more toxic than ethoprophos to D. ambigua and P. dovii and that D. ambigua was also more sensitive than P. dovii to both pesticides. Additionally, bioassays were performed by exposing D. magna and P. dovii to contaminated water collected from the field. Chemical analyses of field water revealed that fungicides were generally the most frequent pesticide group found, followed by insecticides/nematicides and herbicides. The bioassays and values obtained from the literature confirmed that D. magna was more sensitive to pesticide contamination than P. dovii and that D. ambigua was more sensitive than D. magna, suggesting that the native cladoceran is a more suitable test species than its temperate counterpart. Species sensitivity distributions showed no significant difference in sensitivity between tropical and temperate fish and the arthropod species exposed to chlorpyrifos in this study. Choline esterase activity (ChE) was measured in P. dovii in laboratory tests in order to assess the applicability of this biomarker. ChE inhibition in P. dovii was observed in the laboratory at levels below the LC10 of both ethoprophos and chlorpyrifos, confirming that ChE is an efficient biomarker of exposure. Both indigenous Costa Rican species used in this study were found to be suitable standard tropical test species. Further studies are needed to investigate how protective the safe environmental concentrations, derived from LC50 of native tropical species, are for protecting tropical aquatic natural communities.

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) accumulation by the 2 brittle star Amphiura filiformis and A. chiajei was studied in a laboratory experiment and in the field. In the laboratory study, the fate of 14 C-2,2',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCB) was determined in benthic microcosms, with and without the addition of phytoplankton (Phaeodactylum tricornutum). Added phytoplankton was rapidly mineralised and stimulated an increased dissolved organic carbon content in the water-column and bacterial production on the sediment surface. TCB uptake by the brittle stars was significantly higher in the microcosms enriched with phytoplankton. Differences in TCB concentrations were still significant after normalisation to lipid content, suggesting that selective feeding rather than equilibrium partitioning was the cause of the increased TCB burden. Treatment effects were more apparent in body (disk) tissue, than in the arm fraction of the brittle stars, in agreement with the lipid content of the tissues. No difference in total organic carbon, total nitrogen or TCB concentrations of the sediment surface was detected. In the field, ophiuroids and sediment cores were collected at a coastal urban estuary off the city of Goteborg, Sweden, and at an offshore station in the Kattegat Sea. Sum-PCBs of sediment and brittle stars were ca 3 times higher at the coastal station than at the offshore station. Biota sediment accumulation factors, determined from the laboratory and field exposures, ranged from 1.5 to 5.9. The results from this study suggest that eutrophication processes, such as increased phytoplankton production, may contribute to increasing the accumulation of organic pollutants in benthic sediment-ingesting fauna. The significance of A. filitormis in the transfer of PCBs to higher trophic levels is also discussed based on data of sublethal predation by the demersal flat fish Limanda limanda and from production estimates of an A. filiformis population.

Nutrient reduction and the improvement of bottom water oxygen concentrations are thought to be key factors in the recovery of eutrophic aquatic ecosystems. The effects of reoxygenation and bioturbation of natural hypoxic sediments in the Baltic Sea were studied using a mesocosm experiment. Anoxic sediment box cores were collected from 100 m depth in Kanholmsfjärden (Stockholm Archipelago) and maintained in flow-through mesocosms with 3 treatments: (1) hypoxic: supplied with hypoxic water; (2) normoxic: supplied with oxic water; and (3) Marenzelleria: supplied with oxic water and the polychaete Marenzelleria spp. (2000 ind. m–2). After a 7 wk long conditioning period, net fluxes of dissolved O2, CH4, Fe2+, Mn2+, NH4+, NO2-, NO3-, PO43- and H4SiO4, and rates of nitrate ammonification (DNRA), denitrification and anammox were determined. Phosphate was taken up by the sediment in all treatments, and the uptake was highest in the normoxic treatment with Marenzelleria. Normoxic conditions stimulated the denitrification rate by a factor of 5. Denitrification efficiency was highest under normoxia (50%), intermediate in bioturbated sediments (16%), and very low in hypoxic sediments (4%). The shift from hypoxic to normoxic conditions resulted in a significantly higher retention of NH4+, H4SiO4 and Mn2+ in the sediment, but the bioturbation by Marenzelleria reversed this effect. Results from our study suggest that bioturbation by Marenzelleria stimulates the exchange of solutes between sediment and bottom water through irrigation and enhances bacterial sulfate reduction in the burrow walls. The latter may have a toxic effect on nitrifying bacteria, which, in turn, suppresses denitrification rates. Funding Agencies|Managing Baltic Nutrients||BEAM||BOX project||Stockholm University Marine Research Centre||Stockholm University

In marine environments influenced by human activities, the sea-bed is a major recipient of both contaminants and organic matter. Deposition and recycling of contaminants from bottom sediments may be affected by the eutrophication status of the area. Contaminants and eutrophication factors may also interact to affect bioaccumulation as well as the growth, health and reproduction of benthic organisms. Consequently, from an environmental management point of view, these interactions should be considered when decisions are made about input of contaminants and organic matter to the aquatic environment. In order to elucidate interaction patterns between eutrophication and contaminants, radio-labelled contaminants were applied in a large scale experiment performed at Marine Research Station Solbergstrand, situated by the Oslofjord, Norway. The continous flow through experiment was performed in glass aquaria containing three sediment-dwelling species ( Abra alba, Nereis diversicolor and Amphiura filiformis ) placed in marine clay sediments. Blue mussels ( Mytilus edulis ) were kept in separate downstream aquaria and exposed to the out-flowing water from the sediment aquaria. In 12 contaminated aquaria the sediment was spiked with 203 Hg (0.23 mg Hg kg −1 dry sediment), 109 Cd (5 mg Cd kg −1 ) and 14 C-benzo[ a ]pyrene (1 mg BaP kg −1 ). In 12 organically enriched aquaria, phytoplankton (2 mg C kg −1 dry sediment) was initially mixed into the sediment and two months later another batch corresponding to 20 g C m −2 was added to the aquaria. Finally, the concentration of oxygen was continuously lowered from 7–9 mg O 2 l −1 in 12 well-oxygenated aquaria to 2.4–3.5 mg O 2 l −1 in 12 low-oxic aquaria by purging the source water with nitrogen. Allowing three replicate aquaria for each treatment, all combinations of the two levels (high/low) of the three factors (contaminants, oxygen availability and carbon load) could be tested in a factorial design using 24 aquaria. Sulphide ion activies were continuously recorded by Ag|AgS electrodes in the sediments and overlying water, and redox potentials were measured by Pt-electrodes inserted in the sediment. There were only minor changes in redox and sulphide potentials during the experimental period. Also, mortalities of the test species were negligible in all aquaria. After an experimental period of three months, the concentration of contaminants was quantified in sediments, porewater and biota using beta/gamma emission from the isotopes. Effects of the treatments on sediment-dwelling invertebrates were assessed using growth ( Nereis, Abra and Amphiura ), arm regeneration ( Amphiura ) and biomarker responses. In this paper (paper I) the principles and hypotheses for studying interactions between organic loading and contaminants are outlined as well as the experimental design. The results from the experiment are presented in three separate papers (papers II–IV) elsewhere in this volume. A short synthesis is presented in this paper, comparing the conclusions from the individual studies.

A large-scale field experiment on in situ thin-layer capping was carried out in the polychlorinated dibenzodioxin and dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) contaminated Grenlandsfjords, Norway. The main focus of the trial was to test the effectiveness of active caps (targeted thickness of 2.5 cm) consisting of powdered activated carbon (AC) mixed into locally dredged clean clay. Nonactive caps (targed thickness of 5 cm) consisting of clay without AC as well as crushed limestone were also tested. Fields with areas of 10,000 to 40,000 m(2) were established at 30 to 100 m water depth. Auxiliary shaken laboratory batch experiments showed that 2% of the applied powdered AC substantially reduced PCDD/F porewater concentrations, by90% for tetra-, penta- and hexa-clorinated congeners to 60-70% for octachlorinated ones. In-situ AC profiles revealed that the AC was mixed into the sediment to 3 to 5 cm depth in 20 months. Only around 25% of the AC was found inside the pilot fields. Sediment-to-water PCDD/F fluxes measured by in situ diffusion chambers were significantly lower at the capped fields than at reference fields in the same fjord, reductions being largest for the limestone (50-90%) followed by clay (50-70%), and the AC + clay (60%). Also reductions in overlying aqueous PCDD/F concentrations measured by passive samplers were significant in most cases (20-40% reduction), probably because of the large size of the trial fields. The AC was less effective in the field than in the laboratory, probably due to prolonged sediment-to-AC mass transfer times for PCDD/Fs and field factors such as integrity of the cap, new deposition of contaminated sediment particles, and bioturbation. The present field data indicate that slightly thicker layers of limestone and dredged clay can show as good physicochemical effectiveness as thin caps of AC mixed with clay, at least for PCDD/Fs during the first two years after cap placement.

International audience; This experimental study quantified and compared particle-mixing and solute transport by the polychaetes Marenzelleria neglecta (2 g ww, 3200 ind.m−2) and Hediste diversicolor (2 g ww, 800 ind.m−2) in Baltic Sea sediments. Particle tracers (luminophores) were added to the sediment surface and their vertical distribution in the sediment was measured after 10 d. The rate of particle mixing was quantified using a gallery-diffusion model calculating the biodiffusion coefficient Db and the non-local transport parameter r. Bioirrigation was measured by adding an inert solute tracer (bromide) to the overlying water 1, 1.5 and 2 d before the end of the experiment, and quantified by calculating the net bromide flux and fitting the bromide profiles to a 1D diffusion model providing an apparent biodiffusion coefficient Da. The two polychaete worms displayed similar particle-mixing and solute transport efficiencies (based on total biomass) despite different modes of bioturbation. However, H. diversicolor was a more efficient particle-reworker and M. neglecta a more efficient bioirrigator, on an individual level. H. diversicolor buried a higher percentage (13%) of luminophores below the top 0.5 cm surface layer than M. neglecta (6%). Db did not differ between the two species (2.4×10−3 cm2 d−1) indicating a similar rate of diffusive mixing of the top sediment, however, the nonlocal transport parameter r was 2.5 y−1 for H. diversicolor and zero for M. neglecta, suggesting no significant particle-transport below the biodiffusive layer by M. neglecta. The average individual net bromide fluxes obtained were ca. 0.01 mL min−1 for H. diversicolor and 0.003 mL min−1 for M. neglecta, corresponding to an area-specific rate of ca. 12 L m−2 d−1 at the used densities. Da did not differ between the two polychaetes, suggesting a higher individual solute exchange efficiency of M. neglecta considering the much higher ventilation rates reported for H. diversicolor than for Marenzelleria sp. The ongoing colonization of Baltic Sea sediments by M. neglecta at high densities may thus lead to an enhanced soluble release of both nutrients and contaminants. These results add information to the understanding of the potential effects of the invasion of M. neglecta on sediment biogeochemistry when competing with and/or replacing native species.

The role of sediment-living meiofauna, benthic invertebrates smaller than 1000 μm such as nematodes and ostracods, on the mineralization of naphthalene, a common polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) in marine sediments, was studied in microcosms using radiorespirometry. A method to extract live meiofauna was developed and used in order to experimentally manipulate meiofauna abundance and group diversity. Higher abundances of meiofauna were found to significantly decrease naphthalene mineralization. Furthermore, a change in the bacterial community composition (studied using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism) was also observed in presence of higher meiofauna abundance, as well as a lower number of cultivable naphthalene-degrading bacteria. The reduced mineralization of naphthalene and the altered bacterial community composition in the presence of increased meiofauna abundance is likely the result of top-down control by meiofauna. This study shows that higher abundances of meiofauna can significantly decrease the microbial mineralization of PAHs such as naphthalene and also significantly modify the bacterial community composition in natural marine sediments.

The release of a 14C-labeled trichlorobiphenyl compound ([14C]PCB 32) from sediment to water was quantified weekly in a 30-d microcosm experiment with recirculating water. Two modes of bioturbation-driven polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) release—bioturbation by the amphipod Monoporeia affinis (a particle biodiffuser) and bioturbation by the polychaete Marenzelleria sp. (a bioirrigator)—were compared to the PCB release caused by physical resuspension of the sediment generated by a motor-driven paddle used twice a week. Bioturbation by the amphipod M. affinis caused a significantly higher remobilization of both particle-associated PCB (PCBpart) and dissolved PCB (PCBdiss) than the other treatments. Bioturbation by Marenzelleria sp. and physical resuspension caused a similar release of PCBdiss despite a significantly higher amount of total suspended solids in the water column after physical resuspension. In all treatments, the release of PCBdiss was more than one order of magnitude higher than that of PCBpart, indicating a significant potential route of exposure for pelagic organisms, such as fish, to the most bioavailable PCB form. Calculated mass-transfer coefficients (0.3–1.3 cm/d) correspond to previously reported values for trichlorinated PCBs. The present results indicate that biological reworking of sediments can be just as, or even more, important than physical resuspension for the remobilization of sediment-bound contaminants.

Settling organic matter (OM) is the major food source for heterotrophic benthic fauna. The high sorption affinity of many contaminants for OM implies that OM can influence both the distribution and bioavailability of contaminants. Here, we experimentally examine the role of settling OM of various nutritional qualities on the bioaccumulation of cadmium and the flame retardant BDE-99 by three benthic invertebrates; Macoma balthica, Monoporeia affinis and Marenzelleria sp. Contaminants were associated with three types of OM; a microalgae (Tetraselmis spp.), lignin and sediment. Bioaccumulation of Cd was proportional to OM nutritional quality for all three species, and was species-specific in the order Marenzelleria > M. balthica > M. affinis. BDE-99 bioaccumulation was highest in the treatment with the most nutritious OM (Tetraselmis). Consequently, both benthic species composition and the nutritive value of organic matter settling to the seafloor can have a substantial effect on the bioaccumulation of both metals and organic contaminants.

Baltic Sea sediments are among the world's most polluted regarding eutrophication and contamination. Eutrophication-induced hypoxia has caused depletion of bioturbating macrofauna in vast areas, producing laminated sediments. We investigated if reoxygenation and colonization by the invading deep-burrowing polychaete Marenzelleria neglecta may cause an augmented contaminant release from Baltic Sea sediments. Intact laminated sediment cores were exposed either to in situ hypoxia, reoxygenation, or reoxygenation combined with bioturbating M. neglecta. The release fluxes of particle-associated (N(Pat)) and dissolved (N(Diss)) PCBs and chlorinated pesticide residues (POPs) were quantified (GC-ECD) after 85 d along with contaminant concentrations in sediment and biota. Lavoisier-based mass transfer coefficients (Kf) were calculated from N(Diss). Sediment contaminant concentrations were high (sigmaPCB7: 42-52 ng g(sediment)(-1) dw) due to emissions from Stockholm. N(Diss) always exceeded N(Part) by an order of magnitude. Bioturbation enhanced N(Diss) and Kf from hypoxic sediments 0.7-3 times while reoxygenation alone had no significant effect. M. neglecta accumulated low amounts of contaminants but significantly stimulated aquatic release of bioavailable sequestered contaminants. Bioturbation should be included in aquatic contaminant fate models. We advise to consider quiescent pollutant sources and possible ecological shifts when aiming to restore eutrophicated aquatic environments.

Lumbriculus variegatus and Diporeia spp. were exposed to two contaminant pairs 3 H-benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and 14 C-2,4,5,2'4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (HCBP), and 3 H-pyrene (PY) and 14 C-3,4,3',4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl(TCBP) sorbed to each of seven field-collected sediments of varying composition. Toxicokinetic coefficients, bioaccumulation factors (BAF), and biota-sediment accumulation factors ([BSAF], BAF normalized to the organism lipid content and sediment organic carbon content) were determined. The contaminant desorption rates from sediments were measured with a Tenax resin extraction technique. The desorption rate constants for rapid, slow, and very slow contaminant compartments and the fractions of contaminant in each compartment were compared with the toxicokinetic coefficients, BAF, and BSAF to describe contaminant behavior across sediments, among compounds, and between species. The best description of the bioavailability was the log BSAF regressed against the fraction rapidly desorbed (F rapid ) across all sediments and compounds for both species, r 2 = 0.67 and 0.66 for L. variegatus and Diporeia, respectively. Use of a calculated fraction desorbed in 6 h or 24 h, which has been suggested as a surrogate for F rapid , did not produce as predictive a regression because of uneven desorption in a fixed duration for each compound among the sediments. Thus, F rapid provided a good surrogate for the bioavailability of the sediment-sorhed contaminant as represented by BSAF across seven sediments and four compounds with predictions within a factor of approximately two of the measured value.

Nonylphenol (NP) is a moderately persistent, hydrophobic chemical with endocrine-disrupting and acute narcotic effects in aquatic biota. Concern exists about the ultimate fate of NP in aquatic ecosystems and the potential for bioaccumulation by benthic biota from the sediment with the potential for further transfer to higher trophic levels. Our goals were to determine if benthic amphipods bioaccumulate significant amounts of NP from sediment and to determine how additions of organic matter influence NP bioaccumulation by amphipods. Estuarine sediment was spiked with 14C-NP and enriched with two types of organic carbon (OC) sources of different nutritional qualities. Macrophytic algae (Ulva species) were used as a labile and nutritious OC source. Wood lignins were used as a refractory and low-nutrition OC source. Nonylphenol bioaccumulation was measured in Eohaustorius estuarius, Grandidierella japonica, and Corophium salmonis after 16 d of exposure. Nonylphenol accumulation was inversely proportional to OC quantity, but was unaffected by OC nutritional quality. Significant differences were found in the accumulation patterns between the three amphipod species. Mean biota-sediment accumulation factors ranged from 8.1 to 33.9 in E. estuarius, from 4.6 to 17.2 in G. japonica, and averaged 7.1 in male C. salmonis and 16.0 in female C. salmonis. These accumulation factors indicate that estuarine amphipods could constitute an important source of NP to higher trophic levels, such as juvenile fish.

Roskilde University (Denmark) hosted a November 2015 workshop, Environmental Risk—Assessing and Managing Multiple Risks in a Changing World. This Focus article presents the consensus recommendations of 30 attendees from 9 countries regarding implementation of a common currency (ecosystem services) for holistic environmental risk assessment and management; improvements to risk assessment and management in a complex, human-modified, and changing world; appropriate development of protection goals in a 2-stage process; dealing with societal issues; risk-management information needs; conducting risk assessment of risk management; and development of adaptive and flexible regulatory systems. The authors encourage both cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to address their 10 recommendations: 1) adopt ecosystem services as a common currency for risk assessment and management; 2) consider cumulative stressors (chemical and nonchemical) and determine which dominate to best manage and restore ecosystem services; 3) fully integrate risk managers and communities of interest into the risk-assessment process; 4) fully integrate risk assessors and communities of interest into the risk-management process; 5) consider socioeconomics and increased transparency in both risk assessment and risk management; 6) recognize the ethical rights of humans and ecosystems to an adequate level of protection; 7) determine relevant reference conditions and the proper ecological context for assessments in human-modified systems; 8) assess risks and benefits to humans and the ecosystem and consider unintended consequences of management actions; 9) avoid excessive conservatism or possible underprotection resulting from sole reliance on binary, numerical benchmarks; and 10) develop adaptive risk-management and regulatory goals based on ranges of uncertainty. © 2016 SETAC Funding: Roskilde University and their Environmental Risk Research Initiative. S. Loureiro acknowledges the financial support of CESAM (UID/AMB/50017), to FCT/MEC through national funds, and the cofunding by FEDER (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007638), within the PT2020 Partnership Agreement and Compete 2020.