Plastic products contain complex mixtures of chemical compounds that are incorporated into polymers to improve material properties. Besides the intentional chemical additives, other compounds including residual monomers and non-intentionnaly added substances (NIAS) as well as sorbed pollutants are usually also present in aged plastic. Since most of these substances are only loosely bound to the polymer via non-covalently interactions, i.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere is increasing evidence that sunscreen, more specifically the organic ultra-violet filters (O-UVFs), are toxic for aquatic organisms. In the present study, we simulated an environmental sunscreen exposure on the teleost fish, Chelon auratus. The first objective was to assess their spatial avoidance of environmental concentrations of sunscreen products (i.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomarkers involved in detoxification process (GST), oxidative stress (SOD and MDA), immune response (Laccase) and neurotoxic disorders (AChE) were analysed in Pacific oysters and blue mussels collected from 4 locations within the Pertuis sea (France). Seasonal variations of total pesticide mean concentrations were found in seawater with metolachlor being the main pesticide measured (up to 32 ng/L). The majority of pesticide concentrations in sediment were below the LOD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPollution particularly affects coastal ecosystems due to their proximity to anthropic sources. Among those environments, harbours are subjected to marine traffic but also to accidental and chronic pollution. These areas are thus exposed to complex mixtures of contaminants such as trace elements and organic contaminants which can impact marine species, habitats, and ecosystem services.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe present pilot study aimed to provide an overview of organic contaminant concentration levels in the littoral ecosystems of the Pertuis seas. The study determined the concentrations of twenty-nine pesticides, six nonylphenols and seven polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in sediments, seawater, Pacific oysters and blue mussels. Oysters accumulated a higher number of pesticides than blue mussels.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPearl-farming leads to significant plastic pollution in French Polynesia (FP) as the end of life of most farming gear is currently poorly managed. Plastic debris released into the aquatic environment accumulates, with potentially detrimental effects on the lagoon ecosystem and pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera, a species of ecological, commercial and social value. Here, we tested the effects of leachates from new (N) and aged (A) plastic pearl-farming gear (spat collector and synthetic rope) obtained after 24 h and 120 h incubation, on the embryo-larval development of the pearl oyster using an in-vitro assay.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEstuaries are important areas highly vulnerable to anthropogenic pollutions. Therefore, the assessment of estuarine water quality is a major ecological issue. In this study, we sampled juveniles of the European flounder in the "pristine" Canche estuary, and caged them in Canche and in two polluted sites of the Seine estuary, Rouen and Fosse Nord.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNowadays, environmental pollution by microplastics (<5 mm; MP) is a major issue. MP are contaminating marine organisms consumed by humans. This work studied MP contamination in two bivalve species of commercial interest: blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and common cockle (Cerastoderma edule) sampled on the Channel coastlines (France).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCoral reefs around the world are under threat due to anthropogenic impacts on the environment. It is therefore important to develop methods to monitor the status of the reefs and detect changes in the health condition of the corals at an early stage before severe damage occur. In this work, we evaluate underwater hyperspectral imaging as a method to detect changes in health status of both orange and white color morphs of the coral species Lophelia pertusa.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis paper concerns the migration of oil through sea-ice and the biodegradation of different hydrocarbons in sea-ice and seawater following in situ oil spills in megacosms exposed to winter and spring conditions in Svalbard (80°N). Hydrocarbon-degrading microbes were detected in ice cores and the analysis of metabolically active bacterial populations in the different layers of sea-ice indicate significant population shifts following oil exposure, whether dispersant addition or oil burning was carried out or not. The presence of dispersant in the system was associated with the most pronounced and fastest population shifts out of all exposures, as well as lower bacterial diversity as measured by the Shannon index.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA test program was conducted at laboratory and pilot scale to assess the ability of clays used in drilling mud (calcite, bentonite and barite) to create oil-mineral aggregates and disperse crude oil under arctic conditions. Laboratory tests were performed in order to determine the most efficient conditions (type of clay, MOR (Mineral/Oil Ratio), mixing energy) for OMA (Oil Mineral Aggregate) formation. The dispersion rates of four crude oils were assessed at two salinities.
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