Jon Knutzen

Effects of decreased pH on marine organisms

Abstract Sea water scrubbing of flue gas may result in a significant pH decrease in the waters of coastal areas with restricted dilution capacity. A review of the literature on pH tolerance of marine organisms indicates that there is little evidence of harm caused by decrease of 0.5–1.0 pH units. However, few long term or life cycle studies have been conducted. As pH may influence seawater chemistry in several important ways, notably the carbonic acid equilibrium, chemical form of metals, and the characteristics of dissolved substances, it is concluded that pH tolerance deserves more interest from marine biologists than it has received hitherto.

Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments and mussels from saudafjord, W. Norway, by glass capillary gas chromatography

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) have been determined, by glass capillary gas chromatography, in two species of bivalves (Mytilus edulis and Modiolus modiolus) and sediments of Saudafjorden, Norway. The PAH observed are derived from waste effluents from a ferro alloy smelter. Up to 34 PAH compounds were identified, including some reported to be carcinogenic. The concentrations decreased rapidly with distance from the source and with sediment depth, but could be traced more than 15 km from the source. Relative abundance of various PAH did not change significantly in the mussels collected from the head to the mouth of the fjord. In the sediments, however, phenanthrene increased from minor importance to dominance towards the mouth, whereas the relative content of anthracene and benzo [a]pyrene decreased. The results are compared with observations from other marine localities and discussed in relation to transport processes, biodegradation and chemical transformation in the sediments.

Occurrence of PAH in marine organisms and sediments from smelter discharge in Norway

Norwegian aluminium works have each discharged 1–10 tons or more of PAH per annum directly into fjords, most of which originates from the scrubbing of hall gas in connection with Soderberg technology and from the production of anodes. In recent years, discharges have been considerably reduced, but still > 10 tons per year are discharged from the industry. Environmental assessment studies have systematically been performed from about 1980. Analyses of indicator organisms which accumulate PAH in high concentrations without apparent detrimental effects, have been used to assess the extent of contamination of water masses. The blue mussel (Mytilus edulis), and also its close relative the horse mussel (Modiolus modiolus), appear to be the most important indicators. The large amounts of waste have resulted in considerable contamination of fjord biota and sediments. PAH concentrations in indicator organisms of > 1000 times the background values have been recorded within 1–2 km of the outfalls. Elevated concentrations have been traced for more than 35–40 km. Surface sediment concentrations in the range of some hundred μg total PAH/g dry wt. have been observed. The concentration gradients vary but are generally steep. In several receiving waters, considerable improvements have been recorded shortly after a reduction in output load, and concentrations in mussels have fallen to 1100 of previous values in some cases. Remobilization experiments indicate that ‘hot spot’ accumulations might be of significance.

Determination of polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF) and dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD) levels and isomer patterns in fish, crustacea, mussel and sediment samples from a fjord region polluted by Mg-production

SummaryIsomer-specific determination of polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) and dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) was carried out in 37 samples of different fish species, crustaea and mussel from a fjord area contaminated by waste water from a Mg-factory. In addition 6 sediment samples were analysed. The tetra- and pentachlorodibenzofuran isomer pattern of the Mg-process is very characteristic and dominated by isomers with chlorine in the positions 1,2,3,7 and/or 8. Very similar patterns were found in sediment, crustacea and mussel samples up to 15 km from the factory. Nearly all isomers were present in crab, shrimp and mussel while fish samples contained mainly 2,3,7,8-substituted congeners. The isomer distributions and concentration levels for different species and tissues with high and low fat content are presented. The applied analysis techniques and the quality assurance procedure as well as practical problems are described in detail. The found levels varied between low ppt- and high ppb-levels for single isomers.

Polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF) and dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD) levels in organisms and sediments from the frierfjord, southern Norway

Abstract The contamination of a fjord region by PCDD and PCDF produced from a Mg-production plant has been studied. Levels in organisms (fish, crustacea, mussels) and sediments were determined. The results allowed an estimate of the spreading of PCDD/PCDF by coastal currents. The present situation is compared with available information from other contaminated areas and with data for other contaminants in the recipient area such as hexachlorobenzene and octachlorostyrene.

Effects on marine organisms from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and other constituents of waste water from aluminium smelters with examples from Norway

Abstract A brief review is presented of the effects from the main stress factors in Norwegian aluminium smelter effluents: PAH, fluoride and depressed pH from the combination of Soderberg technology with treatment of gases in seawater scrubbers. The main focus is on PAH. It is shown that toxic effects from fluoride or depressed pH are usually not to be expected outside the primary dilution zone. Generally, ecological effects in the recipients are restricted to 1–2 km from the waste outfalls. The apparent discrepancy between toxicity thresholds of PAH from the literature and the merely moderate adverse effects in Norwegian recipients is considered to be due to (i) the inadequate relevancy of tests with dissolved PAH for effluents dominated by PAH in the particulate state and (ii) less availability of soot associated with oil derived PAH in sediments, and the probable role of dissolved organic matter in making pore water PAH less available than unassociated PAH in solution.

Source and species-dependent accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in littoral indicator organisms from norwegian smelter-affected marine waters

The accumulation responses of littoral indicator organisms to different sources of combustion-derived PAHs have been analysed using principal component analysis (PCA). Further, biota profiles were compared with sediment profiles. The data consisted of a total of 272 samples of Mytilus edulis, Modiolus modiolus, Littorina littorea and Patella vulgata collected over a 20-year period from seven smelter-affected fjords. The results show that the indicator organisms reflect contaminant levels in the ambient environment and that their metabolic regulation was not strong enough to suppress source-specific signals from the smelter-generated PAHs. The indicators generally captured the same patterns as the sediments, demonstrating their ability to integrate over time as well as space. The differences in PAH patterns between the various indicator organisms were mainly a function of their depth and habitat preferences, and thus of ambient PAH composition. A simple dispersion model would suffice for illustrating the main distribution of total PAH concentration.

DDT contamination of fish and sediments from Lake Orsjoen, Southern Norway: comparison of data from 1975 and 1994

Abstract Long term DDT contamination is reported of a small lake which previously was recipient of the insecticide wastes from a plant nursery. 19 years after closing down of the outfall sum-DDT in perch and pike exceeds an assumed “high background level” by about 5–10 times. Gradient studies of sediments and perch indicated that deposits in the close vicinity of the former outfall still acted as a source for contamination of the more distant parts of the lake. Comparison with 1975 data nevertheless showed that DDT levels in fish had been reduced by about 90% and a rough estimate indicated a “half life” of DDT of 5–7 years.

Elimination of polychlorinated dibenzofurans and dibenzo-p-dioxins from blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and tissue distribution of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD)

Abstract Blue mussels ( Mytilus edulis ) were exposed to water supplied from a tank with sediment contaminated by polychlorinated dibenzofurans and dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDF/PCDD). After an exposure period of 99 days the elimination patterns of PCDF/PCDD were followed for a three months period. The half-lives of some selected isomers ranged from 18 to 58 days. Whole-body autoradiography of blue mussels exposed to 14 C-labelled 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD) showed that the radioactivity was concentrated in the hepatopancreas with smaller amounts in the gills and foot.