Predicting toxicity in marine sediment in Taranto Gulf (Ionian Sea, Southern Italy) using Sediment Quality Guidelines and a battery bioassay

Abstract

The goal of this study was to assess coastal marine pollution in the Mar Piccolo and Taranto Gulf (Ionian Sea, Southern Italy) by combining chemical and toxicological data in order to compare and integrate both approaches. Pollutants levels, traditionally, have limited ability to predict adverse effects on living resources. Moreover, in order to provide information on the ecological impact of sediment contamination on aquatic biota Numerical Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs) and sediment toxicity bioassays were carefully recommended. In this study ERL (effect range low)/ERM (effect range medium value) and TEL (threshold effect level)/PEL (probable effect level) guidelines have been used. Bioassays were performed with two species of amphipods Gammarus aequicauda and Corophium insidiosum, one species of isopod Idotea baltica and bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis larvae. The TEL/PEL analysis suggested that, especially for stations 1 and 2, sediments in Mar Piccolo should contain acutely toxic concentrations of metals. In particular Hg content, in station 1, was about 17 times PEL value. 96 h LC(50) and 48 h EC(50) values were estimated for cadmium, copper and mercury in these species using the static acute toxicity test. M. galloprovincialis larvae was more sensitive than other species to all the reference toxicants tested (EC(50) determined for cadmium copper and mercury were of 0.59, 0.11 and 0.01 mg/l respectively). Significant differences in sensitivity of species tested to all reference toxicants (ANOVA p < 0.001) were recorded. Bioassays with these species allowed to estimated sediment toxicity from the different studied sites. On the basis of results obtained a good agreement was reported between chemical data and response of the biological endpoints tested.

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

“…All results obtained for the positive controls were within the range of previously reported values for this species (Annicchiarico et al 2007;Prato and Biandolino 2006;Prato et al 2010Prato et al , 2012. The results of acute toxicity test with C. insidiosum exposed to whole sediment for 10 days are reported in Fig.…”

“…The potential environmental risk of sediments from Mar Piccolo is mainly due to the strong contamination in the area caused by industrial settlements and harbor activities Cardellicchio et al 2006 andAnnicchiarico et al 2007;Di Leo et al 2010). The impact of these anthropic activities is confirmed by PAHs and PCBs chemical analysis, displaying concentrations that cover a range from 157 to 4690 μg kg −1 d.w. and from 83 to 1045 μg kg −1 d.w., respectively (Table 3).…”

“…Knowledge about the use of amphipods for sediment toxicity assessment is very wide. Moreover, a lot of studies indicated that this species is a good biological model for sediment toxicity evaluation, because amphipods come into contact with the compounds through both physical contact and ingestion of sediment material Biandolino 2006, 2009;Annicchiarico et al 2007;Narracci et al 2009;Prato et al 2010Prato et al , 2012. In our study, C. insidiosum showed high tolerance toward the sediments from Mar Piccolo with a mortality around 25 % in St. 1C and 1E and never exceeding 15 and 20 % for the other stations that are the mortality percentages of the control reported by the protocol for test validity (Prato et al 2010(Prato et al , 2012; the same authors previously observed a similar general mortality trend in the investigated stations (Prato et al 2012).…”

“…Sediments may act as a potential source of various chemical substances in aquatic system; in particular, heavily industrialized areas, such as Taranto, are a critical source of contaminants, like heavy metals, carcinogens and mutagens, and organic pollutants (PAH, PCB) which may accumulate in sediments via several pathways Cardellicchio et al 2006Cardellicchio et al , 2007Di Leo et al 2010). Furthermore, heavy metals can be absorbed from the water column onto fine particle surface, move thereafter toward sediments and affect the ecosystems through bio-accumulation and bio-magnification processes, potentially being toxic for environment and for human life (Annicchiarico et al 2007). The contamination of marine sediments represents a relevant environmental problem due to ecological role of this matrix into aquatic system, providing habitat and feeding for many aquatic organisms (Chapman et al 2002;Magalhaes et al 2007).…”

“…Species selection represents one of the most critical steps when setting up an experimental design for sediments monitoring (Bombardier and Bermingham 1999;Chapman et al 2002;Davoren et al 2005;Annicchiarico et al 2007;Narracci et al 2009;Prato et al 2012). In detail, the battery of bioassays selected in this study consists of a microalgal growth inhibition test (Dunaliella tertiolecta), acute and sublethal assays (Immobilization and swimming speed alteration) on crustaceans and rotifers larvae (Amphibalanus amphitrite, Artemia salina and Brachionus plicatilis), a mortality test on amphipod (Corophium insidiosum), and an embryotoxicity test on echinoderms (Paracentrotus lividus).…”