Contamination of the coastal waters of Bermuda by organotins and the triazine herbicide Irgarol 1051

A study of the distribution of the 'booster' biocide 2-methylthio-4-tert-butylamino-6-cyclopropyl amino-s-triazine (Irgarol 1051) was carried out in the coastal waters of Bermuda. Irgarol 1051 concentrations (as determined by GC/MS) up to 590 ngl-1 have been measured within Hamilton Harbour. The data presented herein unequivocally demonstrate contamination of the coastal system of Bermuda by Irgarol 1051. Concurrently, TBT concentrations were measured and results indicate that levels are falling through legislated changes in antifouling treatments, from 220 ngl-1 in 1990 to <20 ngl-1 (as Sn) by 1995, in the open water area of Hamilton Harbour. Concentrations of TBT immediately offshore from a boatyard were found to be >600 ngl-1 (Sn), indicating continuing release due to painting operations and sediments in the area

Understanding and predicting the diffusivity of organic compounds in polydimethylsiloxane material for passive sampler application using a simple QSPR model

International audienc

Urinary PAH metabolites as biomarkers of exposure in aquatic environments.

While immunoassays have been extensively applied to evaluate environmental contamination, to date they have rarely been used for the analysis of biological fluids outside of human medicine. These media are important because pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their metabolites become concentrated in tissues, body fluids, and excreta, thereby offering a measure of exposure to biologically available contaminants. Such analyses also provide a nondestructive tool for monitoring exposure. Crabs (Carcinus maenas) were exposed to phenanthrene and pyrene (separately) at concentrations ranging from 0 to 200 μg

MED POL survey of organotins in the Mediterranean

A pilot survey of tributyltin (TBT) and its derivatives in Mediterranean areas was undertaken in 1988 within the framework of the MED POL activities. The areas studied were the French Mediterranean coast, the Northern Tyrrhenian coast, the Southern coast of Turkey and the Alexandria (Egypt) coastal area. 113 water samples were analysed from the first three areas and 35 sediment samples from the fourth. Samples were collected at sites selected according to differing environmental conditions and potential inputs of TBT. Two shellfish-culture areas in the South of France located near marinas were included. The data reported represent the first coordinated survey of butyltin levels in seawater and sediments from Mediterranean areas. The concentrations generally exceed the no-observed effect level (NOEL) of 20 ng l−1 and are comparable to those previously reported for similar situations outside the Mediterranean area

Flow cytometry and pigment analyses as tools to investigate the toxicity of herbicides to natural phytoplankton communities

Characterisation of natural phytoplanktonic communities is currently being advanced through flow cytometry and high resolution pigment analyses. To date, toxicological methods to assess impacts of herbicides on natural phytoplankton populations are lacking. Here, we report the novel use of these techniques in combination to study changes in phytoplankton populations exposed to 2-methylthio-4-tertiary-butylamino-6-cyclopropylaminos-triazine (Irgarol 1051), a herbicide used in antifouling paints. Flow cytometry results revealed that following a 72-h exposure to approximately 100 ng L -1, eukaryote abundance was less than half that in the controls. High performance liquid chromatographic analyses of pigments demonstrated that 190-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin was selectively lost relative to the control. This carotenoid is specific to the prymnesiophytes which are key constituents of phytoplanktonic communities within temperate marine waters. Values of EC50 (72 h) as low as 70 ng L -1 were calculated from the selective reduction in this compound. Concentrations substantially exceeding this level have been reported in UK and other European coastal waters

Novel use of a whole cell E. coli bioreporter as a urinary exposure biomarker.

Bacterial bioreporters have substantial potential for contaminant assessment but their real world application is currently impaired by a lack of sensitivity. Here, we exploit the bioconcentration of chemicals in the urine of animals to facilitate pollutant detection. The shore crab Carcinus maenas was exposed to the organic contaminant 2-hydroxybiphenyl, and urine was screened using an Escherichia coli-based luciferase gene (luxAB) reporter assay specific to this compound. Bioassay measurements differentiated between the original contaminant and its metabolites, quantifying bioconcentration factors of up to one hundred-fold in crab urine. Our results reveal the substantial potential of using bacterial bioreporter assays in real-time monitoring of biological matricesto determine exposure histories, with wide ranging potential for the in situ measurement of xenobiotics in risk assessments and epidemiology

Post incident monitoring to evaluate environmental damage from shipping incidents: Chemical and biological assessments

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