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Transport, Persistence and Toxicity of Pollutants in the Sea

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A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 26372

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mauro Marini

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Guest Editor

National Research Council, CNR-IRBIM, Largo Fiera della Pesca, 2, 60125 Ancona, Italy
Interests: chemical processing in soil; groundwater and sea water of organic and inorganic compounds and pollutants; biogeochemical processes in the sea water column and in the sediment; interactions of pollutants and xenobiotics in marine sediments and in the fishes
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Prof. Dr. Anna Annibaldi

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Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
Interests: analytical chemistry, voltammetry for environmental analysis; atomic absorption spectroscopy; gas chromatography–mass spectrometry; inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry; environmental monitoring; heavy metals and organic contaminants in marine organisms; trace elements in seawater and marine sediments; heavy metals in insects; mineral water; river water
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will describe the path of pollutants transported to the sea from the mainland and how they accumulate in the marine environment and organisms. It is also important to define the route of the metabolites and their behavior, whether decomposition or accumulation. This will contribute to increasing the knowledge on the dangers of pollutants that reach the sea and their fate once they enter the marine food chain. This Special Issue will also improve information about the pollutant load in the sea during all the seasons, due to the contribution of rivers, rainfall, etc., and the relative influence on marine organisms.

These papers will increase the knowledge of marine environment pollution, marine organism resilience to pollutants and their contamination.

Some topics of interest to be covered by the Special Issue include, but are not limited to:

Implications of anthropogenic effects on the coastal environment and seabed;
How climate changes modify surface water regimes and if they affect the runoff of contaminants at sea;
Pollutants in sediments and marine organisms;
Seasonal variations of pollutants in the sea;
Estuarine pollution and the influence on seawater contamination.

Prof. Dr. Mauro Marini
Prof. Dr. Anna Annibaldi
Guest Editors

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Keywords

Marine Pollutants
Marine Chemistry
Water Chemistry
River Runoff
Effects Climate Changes
Cloudburst
Fish Contaminants
Seabed Contaminants

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

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4 pages, 201 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Transport, Persistence, and Toxicity of Pollutants in the Sea

by Mauro Marini and Anna Annibaldi

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(14), 7017; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app12147017 - 12 Jul 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 866

Abstract

Eight research articles and two reviews are included in this Special Issue focused on the transport, persistence, and toxicity of pollutants in different seas: the Western and Central Mediterranean Sea, the Adriatic Sea, the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the South China [...] Read more.

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transport, Persistence and Toxicity of Pollutants in the Sea)

Research

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19 pages, 3149 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Meta-Analysis of a New Georeferenced Database on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Western and Central Mediterranean Seafood

by Andrea De Giovanni, Paolo Abondio, Emanuela Frapiccini, Donata Luiselli and Mauro Marini

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(6), 2776; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app12062776 - 08 Mar 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1744

Abstract

The aim of this work was to collect and harmonize the results of several studies achieved over the years, in order to obtain a database of georeferenced observations on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Western and Central Mediterranean seafood. For each observation, some information on the taxonomy and the ecology of the sampled species are reported, as well as details on the investigated hydrocarbon, and spatial and temporal information on sampling. Moreover, two health risk indexes were calculated for each record and included in the database. Through several statistical methods, we conducted a meta-analysis of the data on some of the species in this database, identifying trends that could be related to the biology of the investigated organisms, as well as to the physico-chemical properties of each hydrocarbon and to the oceanographic characteristic of this part of the Mediterranean. The analysis of the data showed that, at a consumption rate like the one typical of the Italian population, seafood caught from the area considered in the present work seems to pose a minimal risk to health. However, we also found evidence of an increasing trend of PAH concentrations in Mediterranean mussels, pointing to the need for constant monitoring. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transport, Persistence and Toxicity of Pollutants in the Sea)

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16 pages, 1705 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Seawater, Sediment and Biota of Neritic Ecosystems: Occurrence and Partition Study in Southern Ligurian Sea

by Luca Rivoira, Michele Castiglioni, Nicola Nurra, Marco Battuello, Rocco Mussat Sartor, Livio Favaro and Maria Concetta Bruzzoniti

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(5), 2564; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app12052564 - 01 Mar 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1788

Abstract

The Mediterranean Sea is subjected to a high anthropic pressure, which determines direct or indirect discharges of persistent organic pollutants deriving from intensive industrial activities. These compounds could easily enter and contaminate the whole marine compartment, with possible transfers (and contamination) among water, sediment and biota. Based on the above-mentioned assumptions, in this work we studied the presence of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 14 dioxin and non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the neritic protected marine area of the Southern Ligurian Sea, affected by the impact of human activities. The study was focused on the possible partition of micropollutants within seawater, sediment and zooplankton. Results showed that both seasonal and anthropic causes strongly affect contaminant transfer behaviors, with summertime periods more impacted by PAH and PCB contamination. Regarding the PAH contamination, low molecular weight congeners were mainly detected in the target matrices, revealing concentrations up to 1 µg/L in seawater (anthracene), 250 µg/Kg in sediments (benzo[b]fluoranthene) and 2.3 mg/Kg in carnivorous copepods. Concerning PCBs, only few congeners were detected in the matrices studied. To better understand the occurrence of preferential bioaccumulation pathways in zooplankton, partition studies were also performed in several taxa (hyperbenthic Isopoda, holoplanktonic crustacean copepods and ichthyoplankton) through the calculation of BAF values, observing that both living and feeding habits could influence the bioaccumulation process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transport, Persistence and Toxicity of Pollutants in the Sea)

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15 pages, 2697 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Dredged Material Disposal on Heavy Metal Concentrations and Benthic Communities in Huangmao Island Marine Dumping Area near Pearl River Estuary

by Wei Tao, Zhongchen Jiang, Xiaojuan Peng, Zhenxiong Yang, Weixu Cai, Huili Yu and Jianjun Ye

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(20), 9412; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11209412 - 11 Oct 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1518

Abstract

The Huangmao Island dumping area is adjacent to the Pearl River Estuary in the South China Sea. From its first dumping activity in 1986 to 2017, 6750 × 10⁴ m³ dredged materials were dumped in this dumping area. Sediment pollution levels, ecological risk, and benthic communities in 2011–2017 were evaluated; the results showed that the concentrations of the heavy metals (HMs; except Hg) in surface sediments of the dumping area met the class I standard of marine sediment quality (GB 18668-2002). HMs in the surface sediments were relatively high in the northern and central areas but relatively low in the south of the dumping area. Speculation was that the spatial variation in HM concentrations might be caused by dumping activities. The Nemerow index implied that the contaminated area was mainly in the north of the dumping area (S1, S2, and S3), where the dumping amount was the largest. The potential ecological risk (Eⁱ_r) indices of Zn, As, Cu, and Pb indicate that these metals posed a low risk to the ecosystem of the dumping area, whereas Cd and Hg posed a high risk at some stations. The geoaccumulation indices (I_geo) of Zn, As, Cu, and Pb specified no pollution or light pollution in the study area, whereas those of Cd and Hg in most years indicated mild contamination levels. Benthic organisms in the study area were arthropods, chordates, annelids, mollusks, echinoderms, nemertinean, coelenterate, and echiuran, among which arthropods were the most abundant. The abundance of taxa and density of benthic organisms had a little difference among the stations within the dumping area, but were significantly lower than those of the stations outside the dumping area. In addition, non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis confirmed that the observed patterns separated the stations within the dumping area from stations outside the dumping area. The evaluation results of the HMs revealed that the dumping area with a large dumping amount was more severely polluted. Dumping dredged materials seemed to have a negative impact on the benthic community in the dumping area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transport, Persistence and Toxicity of Pollutants in the Sea)

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27 pages, 21532 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sources and Metal Pollution of Sediments from a Coastal Area of the Central Western Adriatic Sea (Southern Marche Region, Italy)

by Federico Spagnoli, Rocco De Marco, Enrico Dinelli, Emanuela Frapiccini, Fabrizio Frontalini and Patrizia Giordano

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(3), 1118; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11031118 - 26 Jan 2021

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 3158

Abstract

Sediments represent a critical compartment of marine coastal ecosystems due to the toxic and long-lasting effects of the contaminants buried therein. Here, we investigated the properties of surficial sediments in front of the Southern Marche Region coast (Central Adriatic Sea, Italy). The grain size of the surficial sediments was determined by X-ray sedigraphy. TN and OC contents were determined by elemental analysis. The concentrations of Al, Fe, Mg, K, S, Ca, Ti, P, Na, Mn, Mg, Li, As, Ba, Ga, Pb, Sr, and Zn were determined by ICP-OES to evaluate their spatial patterns and temporal trends. A Q-mode Factor Analyses was applied and resulted in the identification of three compositional facies (Padanic, Coastal, and Residual) characterized by common biogeochemical, mineralogical, sedimentological properties, transport pathway, and source. Some pollution indicators, such as the enrichment factor, the geoaccumulation index, and the pollution load index were calculated to assess the deviation from the natural background levels. The results showed a pollution by As and Ba due to the human activities in the 20th century. Furthermore, a general decreasing of Al, Ti, P, Co, Cr, Cu, Ga, Ni, Pb, Sc, V, and Y concentrations from the background levels suggested a change in the sedimentation processes during the last decades. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transport, Persistence and Toxicity of Pollutants in the Sea)

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24 pages, 9176 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Coastal Geodynamic Processes on the Distribution of Trace Metal Content in Sandy Beach Sediments, South-Eastern Baltic Sea Coast (Lithuania)

by Dovilė Karlonienė, Donatas Pupienis, Darius Jarmalavičius, Aira Dubikaltinienė and Gintautas Žilinskas

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(3), 1106; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11031106 - 25 Jan 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1948

Abstract

Sandy coasts are one of the most dynamic spheres; continuously changing due to natural processes (severe weather and rising water levels) and human activities (coastal protection or port construction). Coastal geodynamic processes lead to beach sediment erosion or accumulation. The coast’s dynamic tendencies determine the changes in the volume of beach sediments; grain size; mineralogical; and geochemical composition of sediments. In addition to lithological and mineralogical analysis of sediments, geochemical analysis can provide valuable information about the local and regional patterns of sediment transport, distribution, provenance, and coasts’ conditions. The study aims to assess trace metals’ temporal and spatial distribution determined in the sandy beach sediments along the south-eastern Baltic Sea coast (Lithuania) during 2011–2018. The Lithuanian seacoast is divided into two parts: mainland and spit coast. Our results revealed that the dominant group of elements on the mainland includes Ca–Mg–Mn–Ti and on the Curonian Spit Fe–Pb–As–Co–Cr–Ni–Al, which remain unchanged during the years. The analysis included additional parameters such as beach volume, grain size and sorting, and heavy mineral concentration on the beach. The spatial analysis of trace elements indicated that the trace metal content depends on the coastal processes, but it differs in the mainland and spit sea coast. We identified a higher concentration of trace metals in the erosion-dominated areas in all analysed years on the mainland coast. On the spit coast, the trace metal concentration increased in areas associated with relict coarse sand and where the loading of sediments was active on the beach due to the northward along-shore transport. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transport, Persistence and Toxicity of Pollutants in the Sea)

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16 pages, 3909 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Natural Versus Anthropic Influence on North Adriatic Coast Detected by Geochemical Analyses

by Eliana Barra, Francesco Riminucci, Enrico Dinelli, Sonia Albertazzi, Patrizia Giordano, Mariangela Ravaioli and Lucilla Capotondi

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(18), 6595; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app10186595 - 21 Sep 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2305

Abstract

This study focused on the geochemical and sedimentological characterization of recent sediments from two marine sites (S1 and E1) located in the North Adriatic Sea, between the Po River prodelta and the Rimini coast. Major and trace metal concentrations reflect the drainage area of the Po River and its tributaries, considered one of the most polluted areas in Europe. Sediment geochemistry of the two investigated sites denote distinct catchment areas. High values of Cr, Ni, Pb and Zn detected in sediments collected in the Po River prodelta (S1 site) suggest the Po River supply, while lower levels of these elements characterize sediments collected in front of the Rimini coast (E1 site), an indication of Northern Apennines provenance. Historical trends of Pb and Zn reconstructed from the sedimentary record around the E1 site document several changes that can be correlated with the industrialization subsequent to World War II, the implementation of the environmental policy in 1976 and the effects of the Comacchio dumping at the end of 1980. At the S1 site, the down core distributions of trace elements indicate a reduction of contaminants due to the introduction of the Italian Law 319/76 and the implementation of anti-pollution policies on automotive Pb (unleaded fuels) in the second half of the 1980s. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transport, Persistence and Toxicity of Pollutants in the Sea)

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13 pages, 1106 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Hg Levels in Marine Porifera of Montecristo and Giglio Islands (Tuscan Archipelago, Italy)

by Camilla Roveta, Daniela Pica, Barbara Calcinai, Federico Girolametti, Cristina Truzzi, Silvia Illuminati, Anna Annibaldi and Stefania Puce

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(12), 4342; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app10124342 - 24 Jun 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2837

Abstract

Porifera are filter-feeding organisms known to bioaccumulate different contaminants in their tissues. The presence of mercury (Hg) has been reported in different Mediterranean species, mainly collected in the southern coast of France. In the present study, mercury concentrations in the tissue of the sponges of Montecristo and Giglio, two islands of Tuscany Archipelago National Park (TANP), are presented for the first time. Analyses of total mercury content were performed by Direct Mercury Analyzer. Statistical differences have been reported in the Hg concentrations of species collected in both islands, but they do not appear related to the anthropic impacts of the islands. Among the collected species, a high intra- and inter-variability have been recorded, with Cliona viridis showing the lowest concentration (0.0167–0.033 mg·kg⁻¹ dry weight), and Chondrosia reniformis and Sarcotragus spinosulus the highest (0.57 ± 0.15 and 0.64 ± 0.01 mg·kg⁻¹ dry weight, respectively). The variability of Hg measured did not allow us to identify sponges as bioindicators of toxic elements. Anyway, these results improve knowledge on the ecosystem of the TANP, underlining the species-specificity of metal concentrations for Porifera, and providing additional data to address the main input of the Marine Strategy guidelines to protect coasts, seas and oceans. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transport, Persistence and Toxicity of Pollutants in the Sea)

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18 pages, 5127 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sediment Dynamics of the Neretva Channel (Croatia Coast) Inferred by Chemical and Physical Proxies

by Federico Giglio, Stefania Romano, Sonia Albertazzi, Francesca Chiarini, Mariangela Ravaioli, Marco Ligi and Lucilla Capotondi

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(3), 807; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app10030807 - 23 Jan 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2530

Abstract

We examined the transport of sediments and their surficial pathways from the mouth of Neretva River, through the Neretva Channel, toward the Adriatic Sea. This research was based on twelve box-cores and five grab samples collected within the Neretva Channel. Sediment dynamics were evaluated using several proxies, such as organic matter, radiochemical isotopes and select metal concentrations and physical parameters. The data analysis showed that the influence of the river on particle distribution along the Neretva Channel decreases northward, with an estimated sediment accumulation rate ranging from 1.9 to 8.5 mm/yr. The lowest accumulation rate was found in the sector not influenced by river inflow, whereas the preferential sediment accumulation area is in the center of the basin. We speculate that dispersion and accumulation of sediments are both driven by an eddy in the waters of the Neretva Channel triggered/or intensified seasonally by the interaction of karstic springs, river input and Adriatic Sea waters. Our results indicate that the anthropogenic factor does not affect the concentration of metals within the channel and that the river particles dynamics determine the Pb areal distribution, while Cr and Ni have a possible source located to the northwest of the river-mouth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transport, Persistence and Toxicity of Pollutants in the Sea)

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Review

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27 pages, 889 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Methylmercury and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Mediterranean Seafood: A Molecular Anthropological Perspective

by Andrea De Giovanni, Cristina Giuliani, Mauro Marini and Donata Luiselli

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(23), 11179; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app112311179 - 25 Nov 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2235

Abstract

Eating seafood has numerous health benefits; however, it constitutes one of the main sources of exposure to several harmful environmental pollutants, both of anthropogenic and natural origin. Among these, methylmercury and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons give rise to concerns related to their possible effects on human biology. In the present review, we summarize the results of epidemiological investigations on the genetic component of individual susceptibility to methylmercury and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exposure in humans, and on the effects that these two pollutants have on human epigenetic profiles (DNA methylation). Then, we provide evidence that Mediterranean coastal communities represent an informative case study to investigate the potential impact of methylmercury and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on the human genome and epigenome, since they are characterized by a traditionally high local seafood consumption, and given the characteristics that render the Mediterranean Sea particularly polluted. Finally, we discuss the challenges of a molecular anthropological approach to this topic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transport, Persistence and Toxicity of Pollutants in the Sea)

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16 pages, 3870 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Biomonitoring of Heavy Metals: The Unexplored Role of Marine Sessile Taxa

by Camilla Roveta, Anna Annibaldi, Afghan Afghan, Barbara Calcinai, Cristina Gioia Di Camillo, Chiara Gregorin, Silvia Illuminati, Torcuato Pulido Mantas, Cristina Truzzi and Stefania Puce

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(2), 580; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app11020580 - 08 Jan 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3703

Abstract

Coastal areas are known to receive significant anthropogenic inputs, mainly deriving from metropolitan areas, industries, and activities related to tourism. Among these inputs, some trace elements are listed as priority pollutants in the European Water Framework Directive, due to their ability to bioaccumulate in organisms. Many studies have been conducted on heavy metals (HMs) accumulation and on their possible effects on different edible marine species. While the most studied sessile organisms are bivalves, in the current review, we focus our attention on other sessile taxa (sponges, cnidarians, bryozoans, polychaetes, cirripeds, and tunicates), proposed as bioindicators in coastal shallow waters. Although their potential as bioindicator tools has been repeatedly highlighted in the literature, these organisms are still poorly investigated and considered for monitoring. In this context, we analyze the available literature about this topic, in order to summarize the current knowledge and identify possible applications of these organisms in a bioremediation scenario. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transport, Persistence and Toxicity of Pollutants in the Sea)

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