Ecotoxicological effects of sediments from Mar Piccolo, South Italy: toxicity testing with organisms from different trophic levels

Abstract

The Mar Piccolo of Taranto (Ionian Sea, Southern Italy) is a semi-enclosed and strongly polluted basin. For decades, it has been subjected to different anthropogenic impacts. These stressors caused severe sediments contamination with high concentration of different pollutants (PAHs, PCB, heavy metals). In order to assess the current status of sediments contamination, an ecotoxicological investigation combined with chemical analysis (heavy metals, PAH, and PCB) has been performed. In order to derive ecologically relevant conclusions, a multiorganisms and multiend-points approach has been applied, exposing organisms from different trophic levels to elutriate and whole sediment. The battery of bioassays consists of a microalgal growth inhibition test (Dunaliella tertiolecta), acute and sublethal assays (end-points: mortality, immobilization and swimming speed alteration) on crustaceans larvae and juveniles, and rotifers (Amphibalanus amphitrite, Artemia salina, Corophium insidiosum and Brachionus plicatilis), and embryotoxicity test on echinoderms (Paracentrotus lividus). Considering the high levels of sediment contamination highlighted from chemical analysis, an unexpected very low toxic effect was observed, even considering the sublethal end-point (larval swimming speed alteration). The results of this study suggest a very complex contaminants dynamic in the Mar Piccolo sediments that, despite a strong level of contamination, seems to not affect in a proportional manner the biological compartment.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons degradation by marine-derived basidiomycetes: optimization of the degradation process

“…For that end, crustaceans and rotifers larvae are applied in ecotoxicological assays due to their ecological relevance and their easy maintenance under laboratory conditions. 17 , 18 , 19 Additionally, PAHs biodegradation generally is incomplete, resulting in intermediate compounds. Determinations of PAHs degradation metabolic pathways enable to predict the destiny of such compounds in the environment and elucidate toxicity loss.…”

Preparation of Cu2+ and Pb2+ spiked sediment for sediment toxicity tests: a case study from Soai Rap estuary in Sai Gon - Dong Nai river system

“…The concentration of free metal ions in the supernatant liquid was determined using ICP-OES. The settled fraction was centrifuged (Centrifuge DLAB DM0636) at 1,200 rpm for 15 minutes (Thain, 1992;Costa et al, 2016), then samples from the solid fraction were taken for metal-spiked sediment desorption equilibrium tests.…”

Occurrence, distribution and composition of aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediment cores from the Lower Fox River, Wisconsin, US

“…The toxic effects of PAHs on human health are known to include mutagenicity, teratogenicity, immunogenicity, and carcinogenicity. PAHs such as benzo[a]pyrene can increase the risk of skin, lung, bladder, liver, and stomach cancers (Costa et al 2016; Cucak et al 2017; Leitão et al 2017; Lou et al 2016; Yuan et al 2016). Additionally, PAHs have been known to cross the placental boundary suggesting that a fetus is 10 times more vulnerable to PAH-induced DNA damage than the offspring’s mother (Herbstman et al 2012; Lee et al 2017a).…”