Assessing chemical contamination in the coastal waters of the Adriatic Sea using active mussel biomonitoring with Mytilus galloprovincialis.

The MYTIAD project focused on the assessment of chemical contamination (metals, PAHs, PCBs and organochlorine pesticides) in the Adriatic coastal waters by active mussel watching. Its purpose was harmonising and standardising strategies and methodologies used to assess the contamination status of the Adriatic Sea, in the framework of the WFD, the MSFD and UNEP/MAP Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme. Data on metals pointed out some hotspots along the eastern and western Adriatic Sea coasts, with the highest values of total PAH concentration detected in Split, Trieste, and Taranto (Ionian Sea). PCB and endrin contamination was higher in the Adriatic Sea than in the western Mediterranean Sea. This is the first comprehensive overview of contamination in the Adriatic Sea with critical comparisons of related studies over the Mediterranean Sea. It provides a useful harmonised dataset to support a coordinated definition of baselines, targets and thresholds, and further management of chemical contamination.

First assessment on trace elements in sediment cores from Namibian coast and pollution sources evaluation.

Trace elements (TEs), Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and Pb isotope ratios were determined in six small cores sampled along the Namibian coast and different indices, such as Enrichment Factor, Geo-accumulation Index and Pollution load index, were calculated to evaluate possible metal contamination in the area. Concentrations of Pb, Cu, As and Cd were strongly enhanced at the upper 7 cm of core C5, which is located at Walvis Bay, at the major harbor and urban/industrial center of Namibia, indicating the impact from the recent anthropogenic activities. Principal Component Analysis was applied to the data set indicating possible common sources of the contaminants. Pb stable isotope ratios, combined with the dating of core C5 at Walvis Bay, further confirmed the anthropogenic provenance of Pb sources in the recent sediment deposits, which occurred after 1945, when the anthropogenic activities in the area began to increase. REEs profiles were also determined, showing enrichment in REEs for some of the samples, typical for the minerals present in the area. Ce anomaly was detected in one of the cores but the REEs profile did not reveal anomalies ascribable to anthropogenic influence.

Baseline study on trace and rare earth elements in marine sediments collected along the Namibian coast.

Namibia is a fast-growing country with extensive mineral extraction activities used in diamond, fluorspar, uranium, and metals production. To assess the impact of land based human activities on the Namibian coastal marine environment, 25 elements were analyzed in 22 surface sediments samples collected along the coast. After applying a variety of pollution assessment indices (Enrichment Factor, Igeo and Pollution Load Indexes) was concluded that As, Cd and Sb were considerably enriched in the sediments from several sites, while Cu, Pb and Zn showed very high enrichment near the Walvis Bay harbor. Pearson's correlation and Principal Component Analysis were used to investigate common metal sources. Additionally, the determination of Pb isotope ratios confirmed the contribution of land based human activities at Walvis Bay and Lüderitz as sources of pollution. The analysis of REEs did not reveal any important enrichment due to anthropogenic activities, but provides a needed baseline for further investigations.

Metal concentrations and metallothionein levels in Mytilus galloprovincialis from Elefsis bay (Saronikos gulf, Greece).

Spatial and temporal variability of Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn, Fe and Mn and metallothionein (MT) concentrations were determined in mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis from Elefsis bay (Saronikos gulf, Greece). Higher concentrations of both metal concentrations and MTs were recorded in mussels inhabiting industrial locations (steelworks and shipyard), indicating a markedly higher metal bioavailability. However at these sites, located at the eastern part of the bay, mussel metal concentrations were not always correlated with both seawater metal concentrations and MTs possibly due to different time scales of integration of the metal sources into mussels and/or the participation of other metal regulatory mechanisms except MT induction. The pattern of the temporal variation of mussel metal concentrations and the MT levels was similar among stations with higher values during the winter-spring season and lower during the summer-autumn period. The inverse relationship of flesh condition index with mussel metal concentrations was attributed to the influence of mussel annual reproductive cycle.

Influence of geology on arsenic concentrations in ground and surface water in central Lesvos, Greece.

The occurrence of As was studied in groundwater used for human consumption and irrigation, in stream water and sediments and in water from thermal springs in the drainage basin of Kalloni Gulf, island of Lesvos, Greece, in order to investigate the potential influence of the geothermal field of Polichnitos-Lisvori on the ground and surface water systems of the area. Total dissolved As varied in the range <0.7-88.3 microg L(-1) in groundwater, 41.1-90.7 microg L(-1) in thermal spring water and 0.4-13.2 microg L(-1) in stream water, whereas As concentrations in stream sediments varied between 2.0-21.9 mg kg(-1). Four out of 31 groundwater samples exceeded the EC standard of 10 microg L(-1). The survey revealed an enrichment in both surface and groundwater hydrological systems in the northern part of the area (average concentrations of As in groundwater, stream water and stream sediment: 8.0 microg L(-1), 8.8 microg L(-1) and 15.0 mg kg(-1) respectively), in association with the volcanic bedrocks, while lower As concentrations were found in the eastern part (average concentrations in groundwater, stream water and stream sediment: 2.9 microg L(-1), 1.7 microg L(-1) and 5.9 mg kg(-1) respectively), which is dominated by ophiolitic ultramafic formations. The variation of As levels between the different parts of the study area suggests that local geology exerts a determinant influence on As geochemical behaviour. On the other hand, the geothermal activity manifested in the area of Polichnitos-Lisvori does not affect the presence of As in groundwater and streams.

A rapid decision-making method for the evaluation of pollution-sensitive coastal areas in the Mediterranean sea.

Places of natural beauty and/or cultural value in the Mediterranean Sea are presenting adverse effects due to pollution. These environmental threats caused by point and nonpoint sources are mainly the reason why these areas represent "pollution-sensitive areas," where the risk of deterioration is immediate. However, the risk will decrease and eventually disappear if protective measures are applied. In the present article, a multicriteria decision-making method is proposed for the prioritization of the Mediterranean sensitive coastal areas, taking into consideration criteria of pollution risk such as impact on human health, aquatic ecosystems, and socioeconomic value of the area. Weighting factors were then attributed to the different criteria according to their regional priorities, and a total pollution risk score was calculated for every sensitive area. However, some sensitive areas are more vulnerable than others because of their natural characteristics. Therefore, the total pollution risk score was then multiplied by a vulnerability weighting factor and a Total Sensitivity Score was calculated for every sensitive area. With this method, Mediterranean sensitive areas in coastal zones can be ranked on a priority list and then categorized according to their "sensitivity," in a way that decision-makers can select the most urgent cases to direct their attention for the effective protection of the Mediterranean marine environment. The method is rapid and practicable and has already been used with existing data and information in several Mediterranean countries.