Assessing the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill: the National Status and Trends Program response; a summary report of coastal contamination

NOAA’s National Status and Trends Program (NS&T) collected oyster tissue and sediments for quantification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and petroleum associated metals before and after the landfall of oil from the Deepwater Horizon incident of 2010. These new pre- and post- landfall measurements were put into a historical context by comparing them to data collected in the region over three decades during Mussel Watch monitoring. Overall, the levels of PAHs in both sediment and oysters both pre- and post-landfall were within the range of historically observed values for the Gulf of Mexico. Some specific sites did have elevated PAH levels. While those locations generally correspond to areas in which oil reached coastal areas, it cannot be conclusively stated that the contamination is due to oiling from the Deepwater Horizon incident at these sites due to the survey nature of these sampling efforts. Instead, our data indicate locations along the coast where intensive investigation of hydrocarbon contamination should be undertaken. Post-spill concentrations of oil-related trace metals (V, Hg, Ni) were generally within historically observed ranges for a given site, however, nickel and vanadium were elevated at some sites including areas in Mississippi Sound and Galveston, Terrebonne, Mobile, Pensacola, and Apalachicola Bays. No oyster tissue metal body burden exceeded any of the United States Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) shellfish permissible action levels for human consumption.

Survey of veterinery [sic] drug residues, environmental contaminants and mycotoxins of cultured shirmp [sic] in Iran

Economical achievement of optimal growth in developing countries may lead to sustainable poverty reduction. Agricultural activities play an important role in economy and human being welfare, which leads to establishment of food security and quality. Aquaculture products in developing countries share 51.4 percent of total agricultural production.7—percent in developed countries. Therefore undoutedly food production by means of quality and quantity has to be increased .The history of shirmp production goes back to 500 years ago. Today 50 countries of the world produce shirmp .In Islamic Republic of Iran shrimp production started since 1992 in the coastal region of Persian Gulf. The shrimp culture farms canbe classified in to 4 different categories; Extensive, semi-extensive, intensive and super instensive. Global ecological manitenanc is one of the major concerns of authorities Human manipulation of nature is the most destructive activity. Industrial sweage leakage in to the rivers and water sources is a big issue that causes reduction in the aquatic population. Heavy metals have an inhibitory effect in the production and growth of sealife. Human intake of food treated with anti microbial cause's allergy, hypersensitivity and develops microbial resistance. Organochlorine compounds contamination may found in hepato pancreatic tissues of aquatic products, Aresnic may transfer to man via plant & animal product contamination. In 1991 during Persian Gulf Mir 700 oil well set

Survey of veterinery drug residues, environmental contaminants and mycotoxins of cultured shirmp in Iran

Economical achievement of optimal growth in developing countries may lead to sustainable poverty reduction. Agricultural activities play an important role in economy and human being welfare, which leads to establishment of food security and quality. Aquaculture products in developing countries share 51.4 percent of total agricultural production and 241 percent in developed countries. Therefore undoubtedly food production by means of quality and quantity has to be increased .The history of shrimp production goes back to 500 years ago. Today 50 countries of the world produce shrimp. In Islamic Republic of Iran shrimp production started since 1992 in the coastal region of Persian Gulf. The shrimp culture farms can be classified in to 4 different categories; extensive, semi-extensive, intensive and super intensive. Global ecological maintenance is one of the major concerns of authorities Human manipulation of nature is the most destructive activity. Industrial sewage leakage in to the rivers and water sources is a big issue that causes reduction in the aquatic population. Heavy metals have an inhibitory effect in the production and growth of sea life. Human intake of food treated with anti-microbial cause's allergy, hypersensitivity and develops microbial resistance. Organochlorine compounds contamination may found in hepatopancreatic tissue of aquatic products, Arsenic may transfer to man via plant and animal product contamination.

Magnitude and extent of chemical contamination and toxicity in sediments of Biscayne Bay and vicinity

The toxicity of sediments in Biscayne Bay and many adjoining tributaries was determined as part of a bioeffects assessments program managed by NOAA’s National Status and Trends Program. The objectives of the survey were to determine: (1) the incidence and degree of toxicity of sediments throughout the study area; (2) the spatial patterns (or gradients) in chemical contamination and toxicity, if any, throughout the study area; (3) the spatial extent of chemical contamination and toxicity; and (4) the statistical relationships between measures of toxicity and concentrations of chemicals in the sediments. The survey was designed to characterize sediment quality throughout the greater Biscayne Bay area. Surficial sediment samples were collected during 1995 and 1996 from 226 randomly-chosen locations throughout nine major regions. Laboratory toxicity tests were performed as indicators of potential ecotoxicological effects in sediments. A battery of tests was performed to generate information from different phases (components) of the sediments. Tests were selected to represent a range in toxicological endpoints from acute to chronic sublethal responses. Toxicological tests were conducted to measure: reduced survival of adult amphipods exposed to solid-phase sediments; impaired fertilization success and abnormal morphological development in gametes and embryos, respectively, of sea urchins exposed to pore waters; reduced metabolic activity of a marine bioluminescent bacteria exposed to organic solvent extracts; induction of a cytochrome P-450 reporter gene system in exposures to solvent extracts; and reduced reproductive success in marine copepods exposed to solid-phase sediments. Contamination and toxicity were most severe in several peripheral canals and tributaries, including the lower Miami River, adjoining the main axis of the bay. In the open basins of the bay, chemical concentrations and toxicity generally were higher in areas north of the Rickenbacker Causeway than south of it. Sediments from the main basins of the bay generally were less toxic than those from the adjoining tributaries and canals. The different toxicity tests, however, indicated differences in severity, incidence, spatial patterns, and spatial extent in toxicity. The most sensitive test among those performed on all samples, a bioassay of normal morphological development of sea urchin embryos, indicated toxicity was pervasive throughout the entire study area. The least sensitive test, an acute bioassay performed with a benthic amphipod, indicated toxicity was restricted to a very small percentage of the area. Both the degree and spatial extent of chemical contamination and toxicity in this study area were similar to or less severe than those observed in many other areas in the U.S. The spatial extent of toxicity in all four tests performed throughout the bay were comparable to the “national averages” calculated by NOAA from previous surveys conducted in a similar manner. Several trace metals occurred in concentrations in excess of those expected in reference sediments. Mixtures of substances, including pesticides, petroleum constituents, trace metals, and ammonia, were associated statistically with the measures of toxicity. Substances most elevated in concentration relative to numerical guidelines and associated with toxicity included polychlorinated biphenyls, DDT pesticides, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, hexachloro cyclohexanes, lead, and mercury. These (and other) substances occurred in concentrations greater than effects-based guidelines in the samples that were most toxic in one or more of the tests. (PDF contains 180 pages)

The effect of the drug colchicine on the early life of fish

The alkaloid drug colchicine is a mitotic inhibitor. The results of this study show that colchicine influence the normal functioning of the mitotic process in Sarotherodon galilaeus, S. melanotheron and the hybrid S. galilaeus, X S. melanotheron leading to the production of unusual chromosomal events such as anaphase bridges, laggards and polyploid cells. These unusual events could have serious genetic implications in the area of variability of the chromosome number. The use of colchicine also produces results with consistent karyotypes and better morphology as well as providing detailed information on the behaviour of the chromosome of the early life of fish. The knowledge of such information will be of great use in cytotaxonomy, fish breeding and in studying the effects of sub-lethal levels of water pollutants on fish

Incidences de la modification de la circulation des eaux sur l'hydrochimie et le degré de contamination bacterienne d'un estuaire eutrophe tropical

In order to control the proliferation of floating aquatic vegetation in Côte d'Ivoire, a coastal inlet, allowing a direct communication between the Comoe river and the ocean, was created in September 1987. The impact of this operation on the hydrochemistry (salinity, nutrients, algal biomass) and the bacterial contamination level was studied in the area close to the Vridi canal.

The history of contamination in sediments from the Mersey Estuary. Development of a chronology for the contamination of the Mersey Estuary by heavy metals and organochlorines

This is the history of contamination in sediments from the Mersey Estuary: Development of a chronology for the contamination of the Mersey Estuary by heavy metals and organochlorines Report produced by the Environment Agency in 1998. This report looks at the history of industrial contamination of the Mersey and Ribble Estuaries back to the early part of the last century, many decades before the start of monitoring programmes providing a remarkably detailed picture of very complex changes. There is a clear record in the sediment of the contamination by each heavy metal (including: Cu, Cr, Hg, Pb, Zn) and organochlorine chemical (including DDT isomers and PCB congeners) studied. The results of the study clearly show the increases in levels of contamination as industry expanded early last century followed by various improvements as this century progressed. Each pollutant has its own idiosyncratic pattern of change with some improvements predating modern environmental concerns whilst other changes seem to relate directly to recent improvements in legislative control. Overall, for the pollutants studied, the results clearly demonstrate the magnitude of improvement that has been achieved in what was a very polluted area. The only major reservation to this story is that despite the wide range of substances covered, many other potentially important pollutants remain to be studied in a similar manner.

Compliance Program report of findings: FY 79 pesticides and metals in Fish Program (7305.007)

Because fish bioaccumulate* certain chemicals, levels of chemical contaminants in their edible portion must be closely monitored. In recent years, FDA has conducted several surveys designed to determine the occurrence and levels of selected chemicals or groups of chemicals in fish. Previous fish surveillance programs included the Mercury in Wholesale Fish Survey (FY 71), the FY 73 and 74 Comprehensive Fish Surveys, the Canned Tuna Program (FY 75), the Kepone and Mirex Contamination Program (FY 77), and the FY 77 Mercury in Swordfish Program. In addition, recent Compliance Programs for Pesticides and Metals in Foods and Pesticides, Metals, and Industrial Chemicals in Animal Feed have specified coverage of fish and fish products. Because of previous findings and the sustained high level of fish imported into the United States, a separate compliance program dealing solely with chemical contaminants in fish was initiated by the FDA Bureau of Foods in FY 78. The program includes all domestic and imported fish coverage except that directed by the Bureau of Veterinary Medicine for animal feed components derived from fishery products. The earlier surveys indicated that "bottom feeder" species such as catfish generally had the highest levels of pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). For this reason, coverage at these species has been emphasized. Similarly, tuna has received special attention because it is the most prevalent fish in the U.S. diet and because of potential problems with mercury. Halibut, swordfish, and snapper also were emphasized in the sampling because of potential problems with mercury levels determined in previous years. The findings in this program were used in detecting emerging problems in fish and directing FDA efforts to deal with them. Care must be exercised in drawing conclusions about trends from the data because this Compliance Program was not statistically designed. Sampling objectives and sources may vary from year to year; thus the results are not directly comparable.

Chemical contamination in southwest Puerto Rico: a survey of contaminants in the coral Porites astreoides

Coral ( Porites astreoides ) from eight sites in southwest Puerto Rico were analyzed for approximately 150 chemical contaminants, to provide a preliminary characterization of environmental contamination in the corals, and assess the relationships between chemical contamination in corals and adjacent sediments. Overall, the concentration of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) detected in the limited number of coral samples collected were comparable to concentrations found in sediments. However, the concentration of a chemical contaminant (e.g., PAHs) in the corals at a site was often different from what was found in adjacent sediments. The level of PCBs and DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) in the corals appeared higher just outside of Guanica Bay, and there was some evidence of a downstream concentration gradient for these two contaminant classes. The trace elements copper and zinc were frequently detected in Porites astreoides , and the concentrations were usually comparable to those found in adjacent sediments. Chromium was an exception in that it was not detected in any of the coral samples analyzed, although it was detected in all of the sediment samples.

Domoic acid contamination within eight representative species from the benthic food web of Monterey Bay, California, USA

Benthic food webs often derive a significant fraction of their nutrient inputs from phytoplankton in the overlying waters. If the phytoplankton include harmful algal species like Pseudo-nitzschia australis, a diatom capable of producing the neurotoxin domoic acid (DA), the benthic food web can become a depository for phycotoxins. We tested the general hypothesis that DA contaminates benthic organisms during local blooms of P. australis, a widespread toxin producer along the US west coast. To test for trophic transfer and uptake of DA into the benthic food web, we sampled 8 benthic species comprising 4 feeding groups: filter feeders (Emerita analoga and Urechis caupo); a predator (Citharichthys sordidus); scavengers (Nassarius fossatus and Pagurus samuelis) and deposit feeders (Neotrypaea californiensis, Dendraster excentricus and Olivella biplicata). Sampling occurred before, during and after blooms of P. australis in Monterey Bay, CA, USA during 2000 and 2001. DA was detected in all 8 species, with contamination persisting over variable time scales. Maximum DA levels in N. fossatus (674 ppm), E. analoga (278 ppm), C. sordidus (515 ppm), N. californiensis (145 ppm), P. samuelis (56 ppm), D. excentricus (15 ppm) and O. biplicata (3 ppm) coincided with P. australis blooms, while DA levels in U. caupo remained above 200 ppm (max. = 751 ppm) throughout the study period. DA in 6 species exceeded levels thought to be safe for higher level consumers (i.e. ≥20 ppm) and thus is likely to have deleterious effects on marine birds, sea lions and the endangered California sea otter, known to prey upon these benthic species.

Use of homeo drug for curing ulcerative syndrome in fishes

Fungal infection was observed in Catla catla and Labeo rohita cultured in two private fish farms. The later stage of the infection resulted in ulcerations followed by haemorrhage on the dorsal surface of the body. Initially, usual treatments of copper sulphate, potassium permanganate and common salt solution were tried, but no improvement was observed. Then repeated intramuscular injections of homeopathic drug Heaper Sulpher and Arnica spray were given with encouraging results. Infection reported in another farm was also successfully controlled using a similar treatment.

Limit of drug residues in aquatic products (NY5071-2002)

Weimin, ZOU, lexian YANG, lan JIANG, Shuqin WU, Qi YI, Jianli WU