Pub Date : 2026-02-09DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119385
I. Gede Hendrawan, Ade Riestiari Sudarmawan, Putra Bagus Panji Pamungkas, Pande Gde Sasmita Julyantoro, I. Wayan Gede Astawa Karang, Dwi Budi Wiyanto, I. Made Dharma Raharja, I. Putu Ranu Fajar Maharta, Cornelia Coraima Lazaren, Alex S.J. Wyatt
Plastic pollution remains a significant threat to coral reef ecosystems, even within Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). This study assesses the levels and types of plastic debris, both macroplastics and microplastics, found in coral reef ecosystems at two MPAs in Bali: Karangasem and Nusa Penida. Coral health was evaluated using the Underwater Photo Transect (UPT) method, while plastic particles were identified through field sampling and laboratory analysis, including Raman spectroscopy. Macroplastic accumulation was higher in Karangasem, while microplastic concentrations were comparable between the two regions. Microplastics were detected in coral tissues, and Polyethylene (PET and LDPE) was the dominant polymer. Although Pollution Load Index (PLI) values indicate a low ecological risk, it is evident that both MPAs suffer from coral degradation. Notably, the data suggest that macroplastic may have a more direct impact on coral reefs through physical damage. Despite these threats, both MPAs exhibited high ecological resilience, suggesting strong recovery potential if waste inputs are reduced. The findings highlight the important of improving waste management, especially capacity building and increased funding allocation. Strengthening each strategic approach of the MPAs can reduce plastic leakage into the sea and support coral reef recovery.
{"title":"Plastic threats to coral reefs: A strategic management perspective from Bali's marine protected areas","authors":"I. Gede Hendrawan, Ade Riestiari Sudarmawan, Putra Bagus Panji Pamungkas, Pande Gde Sasmita Julyantoro, I. Wayan Gede Astawa Karang, Dwi Budi Wiyanto, I. Made Dharma Raharja, I. Putu Ranu Fajar Maharta, Cornelia Coraima Lazaren, Alex S.J. Wyatt","doi":"10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119385","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119385","url":null,"abstract":"Plastic pollution remains a significant threat to coral reef ecosystems, even within Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). This study assesses the levels and types of plastic debris, both macroplastics and microplastics, found in coral reef ecosystems at two MPAs in Bali: Karangasem and Nusa Penida. Coral health was evaluated using the Underwater Photo Transect (UPT) method, while plastic particles were identified through field sampling and laboratory analysis, including Raman spectroscopy. Macroplastic accumulation was higher in Karangasem, while microplastic concentrations were comparable between the two regions. Microplastics were detected in coral tissues, and Polyethylene (PET and LDPE) was the dominant polymer. Although Pollution Load Index (PLI) values indicate a low ecological risk, it is evident that both MPAs suffer from coral degradation. Notably, the data suggest that macroplastic may have a more direct impact on coral reefs through physical damage. Despite these threats, both MPAs exhibited high ecological resilience, suggesting strong recovery potential if waste inputs are reduced. The findings highlight the important of improving waste management, especially capacity building and increased funding allocation. Strengthening each strategic approach of the MPAs can reduce plastic leakage into the sea and support coral reef recovery.","PeriodicalId":18215,"journal":{"name":"Marine pollution bulletin","volume":"51 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-09DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119380
Peter G. Ryan, Azwianewi B. Makhado, Thando Cebekhulu, Robert J.M. Crawford, Bruce M. Dyer, Makhudu J. Masotla, Vonica Perold, Maelle Connan
Long-term monitoring of litter stranding on remote islands is an efficient way to track changes in the abundance and composition of floating marine litter. Over 30 years from 1993 to 2024, most beach litter at sub-Antarctic Marion Island derived from offshore sources (95%). The proportion of local, land-based litter decreased from 12% in 1993–1997 to <1% in 2019–2023, mainly due to improved solid waste management at the island's research station. Local litter had a much higher proportion of non-plastic items (68%), especially wood (32%) and metal (22%), than litter items from offshore sources, which were mostly made of plastic (94%). The abundance of fishing gear peaked in the 1990s, when there was a large fishery for Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) around the island. However, even then, fishing gear comprised only 9% of offshore litter items (7% over the whole study period). Bottles (60%) and pieces of foamed polystyrene packaging (17%) accounted for most offshore litter items. The abundance of offshore litter decreased from 1993 to the early 2000s (change point 2004, 95% CI: 2000–2008), then increased until 2023, mainly due to an increase in the numbers of plastic bottles washing ashore. Our results indicate a worrying increase in general household waste at this remote island in the Southern Ocean.
{"title":"Increases in plastic bottles washing ashore on sub-Antarctic Marion Island","authors":"Peter G. Ryan, Azwianewi B. Makhado, Thando Cebekhulu, Robert J.M. Crawford, Bruce M. Dyer, Makhudu J. Masotla, Vonica Perold, Maelle Connan","doi":"10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119380","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119380","url":null,"abstract":"Long-term monitoring of litter stranding on remote islands is an efficient way to track changes in the abundance and composition of floating marine litter. Over 30 years from 1993 to 2024, most beach litter at sub-Antarctic Marion Island derived from offshore sources (95%). The proportion of local, land-based litter decreased from 12% in 1993–1997 to <1% in 2019–2023, mainly due to improved solid waste management at the island's research station. Local litter had a much higher proportion of non-plastic items (68%), especially wood (32%) and metal (22%), than litter items from offshore sources, which were mostly made of plastic (94%). The abundance of fishing gear peaked in the 1990s, when there was a large fishery for Patagonian toothfish (<ce:italic>Dissostichus eleginoides</ce:italic>) around the island. However, even then, fishing gear comprised only 9% of offshore litter items (7% over the whole study period). Bottles (60%) and pieces of foamed polystyrene packaging (17%) accounted for most offshore litter items. The abundance of offshore litter decreased from 1993 to the early 2000s (change point 2004, 95% CI: 2000–2008), then increased until 2023, mainly due to an increase in the numbers of plastic bottles washing ashore. Our results indicate a worrying increase in general household waste at this remote island in the Southern Ocean.","PeriodicalId":18215,"journal":{"name":"Marine pollution bulletin","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146836","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-09DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119345
Yan Jiang, Man Sze Kwok, Mengyang Liu, Kenneth M.Y. Leung
Organotin compounds (OTs), persistent environmental toxicants, were historically used in antifouling paints and have been banned on vessel hulls in Hong Kong since 2017. This study tested the hypothesis that OTs in seafood from Hong Kong waters, along with their associated dietary human health risks, declined six years post the legislation and enforcement. Analysis of 23 marine species collected in 2023, including molluscs, crustaceans, and fishes revealed total OTs concentrations of 11.8–747 ng/g ww, with the highest in benthic feeding fish Gerres septemfasciatus (747 ± 133 ng/g ww) and the croaker Johnius taiwanensis (696 ± 158 ng/g ww). Following the implementation of legislation, OTs in four commercially important fish species decreased significantly (p < 0.05) by 73.2–95.7%, supporting the effectiveness of regulatory measures. Triphenyltin (TPT), accounting for 32.7–96.4% of total residues across species, dominated the OTs composition in more than 80% marine organisms in this study, and exhibited significant trophic magnification in the marine food web with a trophic magnification factor of 8.61. Dietary exposure to total OTs through seafood consumption was estimated at 1.07 to 525 ng/kg bw/day, yielding a hazard index of 0.001–0.93, which is below the safety threshold of 1 for general adults. However, high consumption of fish species with high TPT concentration (e.g., G. septemfasciatus and J. taiwanensis) could increase health risk. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of regulatory intervention, confirm the persistent ecological risk posed by TPT due to biomagnification, and highlight the need for continued monitoring to safeguard ecosystem and public health.
{"title":"Health risks of exposure to organotin compounds via seafood consumption after their legal ban","authors":"Yan Jiang, Man Sze Kwok, Mengyang Liu, Kenneth M.Y. Leung","doi":"10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119345","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119345","url":null,"abstract":"Organotin compounds (OTs), persistent environmental toxicants, were historically used in antifouling paints and have been banned on vessel hulls in Hong Kong since 2017. This study tested the hypothesis that OTs in seafood from Hong Kong waters, along with their associated dietary human health risks, declined six years post the legislation and enforcement. Analysis of 23 marine species collected in 2023, including molluscs, crustaceans, and fishes revealed total OTs concentrations of 11.8–747 ng/g ww, with the highest in benthic feeding fish <ce:italic>Gerres septemfasciatus</ce:italic> (747 ± 133 ng/g ww) and the croaker <ce:italic>Johnius taiwanensis</ce:italic> (696 ± 158 ng/g ww). Following the implementation of legislation, OTs in four commercially important fish species decreased significantly (<ce:italic>p</ce:italic> < 0.05) by 73.2–95.7%, supporting the effectiveness of regulatory measures. Triphenyltin (TPT), accounting for 32.7–96.4% of total residues across species, dominated the OTs composition in more than 80% marine organisms in this study, and exhibited significant trophic magnification in the marine food web with a trophic magnification factor of 8.61. Dietary exposure to total OTs through seafood consumption was estimated at 1.07 to 525 ng/kg bw/day, yielding a hazard index of 0.001–0.93, which is below the safety threshold of 1 for general adults. However, high consumption of fish species with high TPT concentration (e.g., <ce:italic>G. septemfasciatus</ce:italic> and <ce:italic>J. taiwanensis</ce:italic>) could increase health risk. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of regulatory intervention, confirm the persistent ecological risk posed by TPT due to biomagnification, and highlight the need for continued monitoring to safeguard ecosystem and public health.","PeriodicalId":18215,"journal":{"name":"Marine pollution bulletin","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146838","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Bohai Sea is under considerable environmental stress due to the significant discharge of inland contaminants. Understanding the optical properties of contaminated sea ice in this region is essential for improving large-scale remote sensing of sea ice contamination. This study investigated the in situ spectral properties of sea ice contaminated with five contaminants, including sediment, motor oil, pulverized coal, charcoal powder, and secondary microplastic fragments, along the eastern coast of Liaodong Bay in the Bohai Sea. The results revealed that most contaminated sea ice exhibited lower reflectance than clean sea ice in the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared bands. Specifically, sea ice contaminated with pulverized coal (0.28) and charcoal powder (0.23) showed the lowest reflectance in the visible band. However, sea ice contaminated with secondary microplastic fragments (0.88) had a higher reflectance in the visible band compared to clean sea ice (0.75). Motor oil-contaminated sea ice displayed distinct absorption features between 500 and 550 nm, with the 560 nm wavelength offering a potential band for distinguishing this contaminant from others. In the shortwave infrared region (beyond 1400 nm), all contaminants exhibited higher reflectance than clean sea ice. Sediment-covered sea ice was most recognizable by its high reflectance difference at 1725 nm. Correlation analyses showed strong negative correlations between contaminant mass and reflectance in sea ice contaminated with pulverized coal and charcoal powder across the 350–1350 nm range, while beyond 1430 nm, sediment, secondary microplastic fragments, and charcoal powder exhibited strong positive correlations with contaminant mass.
{"title":"In situ spectral analysis of sea ice contaminated with multiple substances in Liaodong Bay, Bohai Sea","authors":"Jinghan Xu, Yu Yan, Zhikun Lin, Qingkang Hou, Jiayu Ding, Chenchen Yao, Lei Ren, Chenyu Shu, Yingjun Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119403","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119403","url":null,"abstract":"The Bohai Sea is under considerable environmental stress due to the significant discharge of inland contaminants. Understanding the optical properties of contaminated sea ice in this region is essential for improving large-scale remote sensing of sea ice contamination. This study investigated the in situ spectral properties of sea ice contaminated with five contaminants, including sediment, motor oil, pulverized coal, charcoal powder, and secondary microplastic fragments, along the eastern coast of Liaodong Bay in the Bohai Sea. The results revealed that most contaminated sea ice exhibited lower reflectance than clean sea ice in the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared bands. Specifically, sea ice contaminated with pulverized coal (0.28) and charcoal powder (0.23) showed the lowest reflectance in the visible band. However, sea ice contaminated with secondary microplastic fragments (0.88) had a higher reflectance in the visible band compared to clean sea ice (0.75). Motor oil-contaminated sea ice displayed distinct absorption features between 500 and 550 nm, with the 560 nm wavelength offering a potential band for distinguishing this contaminant from others. In the shortwave infrared region (beyond 1400 nm), all contaminants exhibited higher reflectance than clean sea ice. Sediment-covered sea ice was most recognizable by its high reflectance difference at 1725 nm. Correlation analyses showed strong negative correlations between contaminant mass and reflectance in sea ice contaminated with pulverized coal and charcoal powder across the 350–1350 nm range, while beyond 1430 nm, sediment, secondary microplastic fragments, and charcoal powder exhibited strong positive correlations with contaminant mass.","PeriodicalId":18215,"journal":{"name":"Marine pollution bulletin","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146835","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-09DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119366
Samantha L. Shinder, Nathan G. Dodder, Kerri Danil, David W. Weller, Jennie L. Bolton, Susan J. Chivers, Eunha Hoh
The Southern California Bight (SCB) is polluted with persistent organic pollutants (POPs) due to long-term industrialization and urban development, yet documentation of top-level marine predator exposure to these contaminants is limited. We characterized POP exposure for three SCB dolphin species by analyzing dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in blubber from common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus, n = 37), short-beaked (Delphinus delphis delphis, n = 62), and long-beaked (Delphinus delphis bairdii, n = 46) common dolphins from 1990 to 2012. Temporal, spatial, sex, age, maturity status, and ecotype trends in contaminant concentrations were assessed using multilinear regression models. Short-beaked common dolphins exhibited decreasing POP concentrations temporally, consistent with reduced environmental inputs following regulatory bans. Short-beaked common dolphins from the SCB had higher ΣDDT and ΣPBDE concentrations than those from central California, indicating persistent regional differences. Significant age-sex interactions were observed for all three contaminant classes in both short- and long-beaked common dolphins, reflecting sex-specific bioaccumulation patterns. Long-beaked common dolphins exhibited the highest ΣDDT (∼110 μg/g lipid weight), ΣPCB (∼18 μg/g lipid weight), and ΣPBDE (∼7.3 μg/g lipid weight) concentrations reported globally. Elevated ΣPBDE levels were also observed in both coastal and offshore common bottlenose dolphin ecotypes, as well as in SCB short-beaked common dolphins. These findings demonstrate that exposure to POPs remains elevated among SCB top marine predators, further highlighting the continued value of dolphins as sentinel species for monitoring legacy and emerging contaminants in coastal ecosystems.
由于长期的工业化和城市发展,南加州湾(SCB)受到持久性有机污染物(POPs)的污染,但关于顶级海洋捕食者暴露于这些污染物的记录有限。通过分析1990年至2012年间常见宽吻海豚(Tursiops truncatus, n = 37)、短喙海豚(Delphinus delphis delphis, n = 62)和长喙海豚(Delphinus delphis bairdii, n = 46)鲸脂中的二氯二苯三氯乙烷(DDTs)、多氯联苯(PCBs)和多溴二苯醚(PBDEs),研究了三种SCB海豚的POP暴露特征。使用多元线性回归模型评估污染物浓度的时间、空间、性别、年龄、成熟度状态和生态型趋势。短喙普通海豚的持久性有机污染物浓度暂时下降,这与监管禁令后环境投入减少一致。来自SCB的短喙普通海豚的ΣDDT和ΣPBDE浓度高于来自加利福尼亚中部的,这表明持续的地区差异。在短喙和长喙普通海豚中观察到所有三种污染物类别的显著年龄-性别相互作用,反映了性别特异性的生物积累模式。长喙普通海豚的脂质质量ΣDDT (~ 110 μg/g)、ΣPCB (~ 18 μg/g脂质质量)和ΣPBDE (~ 7.3 μg/g脂质质量)浓度是全球报道的最高的。在沿海和近海普通宽吻海豚生态型以及SCB短喙普通海豚中也观察到ΣPBDE水平升高。这些发现表明,在SCB顶级海洋捕食者中,持久性有机污染物的暴露程度仍然很高,进一步突出了海豚作为监测沿海生态系统中遗留和新出现污染物的哨兵物种的持续价值。
{"title":"Trends of persistent organic pollutants in three dolphin species from the Southern California bight during 1990–2012","authors":"Samantha L. Shinder, Nathan G. Dodder, Kerri Danil, David W. Weller, Jennie L. Bolton, Susan J. Chivers, Eunha Hoh","doi":"10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119366","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119366","url":null,"abstract":"The Southern California Bight (SCB) is polluted with persistent organic pollutants (POPs) due to long-term industrialization and urban development, yet documentation of top-level marine predator exposure to these contaminants is limited. We characterized POP exposure for three SCB dolphin species by analyzing dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in blubber from common bottlenose dolphins (<ce:italic>Tursiops truncatus</ce:italic>, <ce:italic>n</ce:italic> = 37), short-beaked (<ce:italic>Delphinus delphis delphis</ce:italic>, <ce:italic>n</ce:italic> = 62), and long-beaked (<ce:italic>Delphinus delphis bairdii</ce:italic>, <ce:italic>n</ce:italic> = 46) common dolphins from 1990 to 2012. Temporal, spatial, sex, age, maturity status, and ecotype trends in contaminant concentrations were assessed using multilinear regression models. Short-beaked common dolphins exhibited decreasing POP concentrations temporally, consistent with reduced environmental inputs following regulatory bans. Short-beaked common dolphins from the SCB had higher ΣDDT and ΣPBDE concentrations than those from central California, indicating persistent regional differences. Significant age-sex interactions were observed for all three contaminant classes in both short- and long-beaked common dolphins, reflecting sex-specific bioaccumulation patterns. Long-beaked common dolphins exhibited the highest ΣDDT (∼110 μg/g lipid weight), ΣPCB (∼18 μg/g lipid weight), and ΣPBDE (∼7.3 μg/g lipid weight) concentrations reported globally. Elevated ΣPBDE levels were also observed in both coastal and offshore common bottlenose dolphin ecotypes, as well as in SCB short-beaked common dolphins. These findings demonstrate that exposure to POPs remains elevated among SCB top marine predators, further highlighting the continued value of dolphins as sentinel species for monitoring legacy and emerging contaminants in coastal ecosystems.","PeriodicalId":18215,"journal":{"name":"Marine pollution bulletin","volume":"57 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146837","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-09DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119259
Wagner Pereira, Alphonse Kelecom, José M. Lopes, Cleber B. Espindola, Alessander S. Carmo, Ademir X. Silva
This study assesses the radiological risk to the whitemouth croaker (Micropogonias furnieri Desmarest, 1823) by calculating the dose to biota. Samples were collected, identified, and prepared for analysis from Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The activity concentration (AC) results of 238U, 235U, 234U, 232Th, 230Th, 228Th, 228Ra, 226Ra, and 210Pb are expressed in Bq·kg−1. The study highlighted that biota radioprotection does not recommend dose limit concepts due to model boundary conditions, focusing instead on Derived Consideration Reference Levels (DCRL), which are used to screen for potential deleterious effects of ionizing radiation. The radionuclide-specific Dose Coefficient (DoCo) values for the analyzed radionuclides in saltwater fish are presented. The average dose rate found in M. furnieri was 7.72−2 μGy∙d−1. This average dose rate falls within the background range, suggesting no visible biological effects. The research emphasizes the need for radiological risk assessments in tropical regions, which are often underexplored compared to temperate regions. The study calls for broader studies using representative organisms to inform national legislation aimed at protecting biota from radiological risks, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of environmental safety and health.
{"title":"Radiological risk assessment of natural radionuclides in the whitemouth croaker (Micropogonias furnieri Desmarest, 1823) in Brazilian tropical seas","authors":"Wagner Pereira, Alphonse Kelecom, José M. Lopes, Cleber B. Espindola, Alessander S. Carmo, Ademir X. Silva","doi":"10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119259","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119259","url":null,"abstract":"This study assesses the radiological risk to the whitemouth croaker (<ce:italic>Micropogonias furnieri</ce:italic> Desmarest, 1823) by calculating the dose to biota. Samples were collected, identified, and prepared for analysis from Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The activity concentration (AC) results of <ce:sup loc=\"post\">238</ce:sup>U, <ce:sup loc=\"post\">235</ce:sup>U, <ce:sup loc=\"post\">234</ce:sup>U, <ce:sup loc=\"post\">232</ce:sup>Th, <ce:sup loc=\"post\">230</ce:sup>Th, <ce:sup loc=\"post\">228</ce:sup>Th, <ce:sup loc=\"post\">228</ce:sup>Ra, <ce:sup loc=\"post\">226</ce:sup>Ra, and <ce:sup loc=\"post\">210</ce:sup>Pb are expressed in Bq·kg<ce:sup loc=\"post\">−1</ce:sup>. The study highlighted that biota radioprotection does not recommend dose limit concepts due to model boundary conditions, focusing instead on Derived Consideration Reference Levels (DCRL), which are used to screen for potential deleterious effects of ionizing radiation. The radionuclide-specific Dose Coefficient (DoCo) values for the analyzed radionuclides in saltwater fish are presented. The average dose rate found in <ce:italic>M. furnieri</ce:italic> was 7.72<ce:sup loc=\"post\">−2</ce:sup> μGy∙d<ce:sup loc=\"post\">−1</ce:sup>. This average dose rate falls within the background range, suggesting no visible biological effects. The research emphasizes the need for radiological risk assessments in tropical regions, which are often underexplored compared to temperate regions. The study calls for broader studies using representative organisms to inform national legislation aimed at protecting biota from radiological risks, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of environmental safety and health.","PeriodicalId":18215,"journal":{"name":"Marine pollution bulletin","volume":"315 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146840","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-09DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119322
Hui Gao, Bing Li, Ruijing Li, Yingbin Lou, Xuan Jia, Shuang Zhang, Ziwei Yao
To investigate the cross-media behavior and key drivers of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in typical rivers around the Bohai Rim region, this study analyzed 26 rivers discharging into the Bohai Sea using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) and high-throughput quantitative fluorescence PCR. A total of 36 antibiotics were identified in the water samples and 33 in the sediments, with total concentrations ranging from n.d. to 1515.134 ng/L in water and n.d. to 85.926 ng/g in sediment. Tetracyclines were the dominant antibiotic class in both media. Additionally, 50 types of ARGs were detected in the water and 52 in the sediments, with absolute abundances ranging from n.d. to 1.04 × 105 copies/L in water and up to 2.13 × 105 copies/g in sediment. Gene abundances were generally higher in sediments, with macB and intI1 emerging as the predominant genes. Compared with pre-COVID-19 data, no significant increase in antibiotic concentrations or ARG abundances in the rivers was observed. Furthermore, the findings revealed that ARGs were highly mobile between the water and sediment phases, with non-corresponding antibiotics exerting a notable influence on this movement, while the effects of environmental physicochemical factors appeared minimal. This study provides key scientific insights for developing effective strategies to prevent antibiotic pollution and control the cross-media transmission of ARGs in the Bohai Sea region.
{"title":"Occurrence characteristics, cross-media behavior, and influencing factors of antibiotics and ARGs in typical rivers around the Bohai Sea","authors":"Hui Gao, Bing Li, Ruijing Li, Yingbin Lou, Xuan Jia, Shuang Zhang, Ziwei Yao","doi":"10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119322","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119322","url":null,"abstract":"To investigate the cross-media behavior and key drivers of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in typical rivers around the Bohai Rim region, this study analyzed 26 rivers discharging into the Bohai Sea using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) and high-throughput quantitative fluorescence PCR. A total of 36 antibiotics were identified in the water samples and 33 in the sediments, with total concentrations ranging from n.d. to 1515.134 ng/L in water and n.d. to 85.926 ng/g in sediment. Tetracyclines were the dominant antibiotic class in both media. Additionally, 50 types of ARGs were detected in the water and 52 in the sediments, with absolute abundances ranging from n.d. to 1.04 × 10<ce:sup loc=\"post\">5</ce:sup> copies/L in water and up to 2.13 × 10<ce:sup loc=\"post\">5</ce:sup> copies/g in sediment. Gene abundances were generally higher in sediments, with <ce:italic>macB</ce:italic> and <ce:italic>intI1</ce:italic> emerging as the predominant genes. Compared with pre-COVID-19 data, no significant increase in antibiotic concentrations or ARG abundances in the rivers was observed. Furthermore, the findings revealed that ARGs were highly mobile between the water and sediment phases, with non-corresponding antibiotics exerting a notable influence on this movement, while the effects of environmental physicochemical factors appeared minimal. This study provides key scientific insights for developing effective strategies to prevent antibiotic pollution and control the cross-media transmission of ARGs in the Bohai Sea region.","PeriodicalId":18215,"journal":{"name":"Marine pollution bulletin","volume":"95 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146839","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-09DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119371
Nara de Oliveira-Ferreira, Lilian Sander Hoffmann, Bárbara M.R. Manhães, Elitieri B. Santos-Neto, Marcelo Merten Cruz, Cristina Araujo Matzenbacher, Haydée Andrade Cunha, Tatiana Lemos Bisi, Alexandre de Freitas Azevedo, Thales Renato Ochotorena de Freitas, José Lailson-Brito
The Saint Peter Saint Paul archipelago (SPSPA) is situated in the central Equatorial Atlantic, approximately 1000 km from the northeastern coast of Brazil. A small population of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) exhibits strong site fidelity to the remote archipelago. As apex predators, these dolphins can act as sentinels for the transport and bioaccumulation of organohalogen compounds in isolated marine environments. Remote biopsies were collected from nine individuals (n = 9) to investigate pollutant exposure. Blubber samples were analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), brominated flame retardants (BFRs), and naturally produced methoxylated organobromines (MeO-BDEs), using gas chromatography coupled with electron capture detection or mass spectrometry. Skin samples were analyzed in an isotopic ratio mass spectrometer. The profile of the chemical markers observed in these bottlenose dolphins was dominated by high molecular weight PCBs and high δ13C, similar to coastal dolphin species. Atmospheric transport, adsorption to benthic substrates, and species-specific metabolic capacity possibly shape contaminant accumulation in this population. Naturally produced MeO-BDEs and carbon ratios suggest low oceanic-coastal dispersal of dolphins. These findings suggest the efficient transport of man-made pollutants to isolated locations and the key role of apex predators, such as bottlenose dolphins, as POPs reservoirs in oceanic zones.
{"title":"Long-range transport of POPs to the central Atlantic Ocean: using a resident population of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) as sentinel species","authors":"Nara de Oliveira-Ferreira, Lilian Sander Hoffmann, Bárbara M.R. Manhães, Elitieri B. Santos-Neto, Marcelo Merten Cruz, Cristina Araujo Matzenbacher, Haydée Andrade Cunha, Tatiana Lemos Bisi, Alexandre de Freitas Azevedo, Thales Renato Ochotorena de Freitas, José Lailson-Brito","doi":"10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119371","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119371","url":null,"abstract":"The Saint Peter Saint Paul archipelago (SPSPA) is situated in the central Equatorial Atlantic, approximately 1000 km from the northeastern coast of Brazil. A small population of common bottlenose dolphins (<ce:italic>Tursiops truncatus</ce:italic>) exhibits strong site fidelity to the remote archipelago. As apex predators, these dolphins can act as sentinels for the transport and bioaccumulation of organohalogen compounds in isolated marine environments. Remote biopsies were collected from nine individuals (<ce:italic>n</ce:italic> = 9) to investigate pollutant exposure. Blubber samples were analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), brominated flame retardants (BFRs), and naturally produced methoxylated organobromines (MeO-BDEs), using gas chromatography coupled with electron capture detection or mass spectrometry. Skin samples were analyzed in an isotopic ratio mass spectrometer. The profile of the chemical markers observed in these bottlenose dolphins was dominated by high molecular weight PCBs and high δ<ce:sup loc=\"post\">13</ce:sup>C, similar to coastal dolphin species. Atmospheric transport, adsorption to benthic substrates, and species-specific metabolic capacity possibly shape contaminant accumulation in this population. Naturally produced MeO-BDEs and carbon ratios suggest low oceanic-coastal dispersal of dolphins. These findings suggest the efficient transport of man-made pollutants to isolated locations and the key role of apex predators, such as bottlenose dolphins, as POPs reservoirs in oceanic zones.","PeriodicalId":18215,"journal":{"name":"Marine pollution bulletin","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146847","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-09DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119405
Selin Çelik, Osman İsa Çelik
In support of the United Nations Ocean Decade goals for sustainable pollution reduction and improved ocean health, this study develops a science-based prognostic framework to assess and manage microbial contamination in urban estuarine systems. Taking the heavily urbanized Golden Horn (Istanbul) as a primary study site, a coupled two-dimensional (2D) hydrodynamic–fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) model was developed and rigorously validated using field observations from contrasting dry (December 2022) and wet (April 2023) conditions. Scenario analyses revealed that a theoretical best-case of eliminating FIB inputs from the Alibey and Kağıthane Creeks and a localized shoreline point source produces near-complete reductions in microbial concentrations, with this idealized zero-load scenario suggesting that ‘excellent’ bathing water quality standards could theoretically be achieved within approximately 15 days. Conversely, increasing seawater inflow—a strategy often proposed to enhance circulation—did not improve microbial conditions and, under wet-weather scenarios, resulted in further contamination. These findings suggest that source control serves as a more fundamental requirement than hydrodynamic manipulation for restoring microbial water quality in semi-enclosed urban estuaries. By integrating transferable modeling methods with actionable management guidance, this study contributes to global efforts towards sustainable estuarine health and pollution mitigation.
{"title":"Towards sustainable urban estuary health: Modeling microbial pollution sources and mitigation strategies in the Golden Horn","authors":"Selin Çelik, Osman İsa Çelik","doi":"10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119405","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119405","url":null,"abstract":"In support of the United Nations Ocean Decade goals for sustainable pollution reduction and improved ocean health, this study develops a science-based prognostic framework to assess and manage microbial contamination in urban estuarine systems. Taking the heavily urbanized Golden Horn (Istanbul) as a primary study site, a coupled two-dimensional (2D) hydrodynamic–fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) model was developed and rigorously validated using field observations from contrasting dry (December 2022) and wet (April 2023) conditions. Scenario analyses revealed that a theoretical best-case of eliminating FIB inputs from the Alibey and Kağıthane Creeks and a localized shoreline point source produces near-complete reductions in microbial concentrations, with this idealized zero-load scenario suggesting that ‘excellent’ bathing water quality standards could theoretically be achieved within approximately 15 days. Conversely, increasing seawater inflow—a strategy often proposed to enhance circulation—did not improve microbial conditions and, under wet-weather scenarios, resulted in further contamination. These findings suggest that source control serves as a more fundamental requirement than hydrodynamic manipulation for restoring microbial water quality in semi-enclosed urban estuaries. By integrating transferable modeling methods with actionable management guidance, this study contributes to global efforts towards sustainable estuarine health and pollution mitigation.","PeriodicalId":18215,"journal":{"name":"Marine pollution bulletin","volume":"286 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146789","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-07DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119398
Yoshiyasu Takefuji
Marine Pollution Bulletin increasingly applies machine learning and explainable AI to pollutant and shellfish poisoning risk, exemplified by PCA-based source apportionment and SHAP-based feature attribution. However, linear PCA may misrepresent structure in inherently nonlinear environmental data, and existing studies often treat model-derived feature importances as evidence of true associations without assessing consistency or dose-response relationships. This paper clarifies that supervised models possess two distinct accuracies: prediction and feature importance, and only prediction can be validated against ground truth. Using a Basque coastal dataset (8195 instances, 14 features) with chlorophyll-a as a proxy for paralytic shellfish poisoning risk, we introduce a leave-top1-out procedure to test ranking stability. Random Forest and XGBoost with and without SHAP show pronounced instability, indicating biased, model-dependent importances. In contrast, unsupervised and non-target-prediction methods yield perfectly stable rankings while matching or exceeding supervised performance, supporting routine stability, consistency, dose-response, and linearity checks in environmental ML studies.
{"title":"The reliability gap: Why high predictive accuracy doesn't guarantee stable feature importance.","authors":"Yoshiyasu Takefuji","doi":"10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119398","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119398","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Marine Pollution Bulletin increasingly applies machine learning and explainable AI to pollutant and shellfish poisoning risk, exemplified by PCA-based source apportionment and SHAP-based feature attribution. However, linear PCA may misrepresent structure in inherently nonlinear environmental data, and existing studies often treat model-derived feature importances as evidence of true associations without assessing consistency or dose-response relationships. This paper clarifies that supervised models possess two distinct accuracies: prediction and feature importance, and only prediction can be validated against ground truth. Using a Basque coastal dataset (8195 instances, 14 features) with chlorophyll-a as a proxy for paralytic shellfish poisoning risk, we introduce a leave-top1-out procedure to test ranking stability. Random Forest and XGBoost with and without SHAP show pronounced instability, indicating biased, model-dependent importances. In contrast, unsupervised and non-target-prediction methods yield perfectly stable rankings while matching or exceeding supervised performance, supporting routine stability, consistency, dose-response, and linearity checks in environmental ML studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":18215,"journal":{"name":"Marine pollution bulletin","volume":"226 ","pages":"119398"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146142984","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}