Biological interactions and toxicity

From an environmental and biological perspective, of most significance is not the total concentration of a contaminant in sediment, but the fraction that available for cycling in the food chain (i.e. the bioaccessible fraction). We have evaluated this fraction in estuarine sediment using a variety of biological and enzymatic reagents that act as surrogates for the gastric fluids of representative suspension-feeding and deposit-feeding organisms. Proteinase K, a crude fungal extract, and bovine serum albumin have been employed thus far, and appear to mobilise metallic contaminants by a complexation-desorption mechanism rather than enzymatically. Thus, metals like Cu and Zn that are able to complex with a variety of functional groups in these surrogates, are mobilised from sediment to the greatest extent. This approach is currently being applied to paint chips derived from boatyard activities in order to examine the potential for metallic components of paint and antifouling applications to enter the marine food chain.

Above: Bioaccessibility of metals in Plym estuary sediment and lugworm casts

Above: Extensive boating activity in the Kingsbridge Ria, SW England

Above: Typical EM spectrum for boat hull paint

Publications

Coelho, J.P., Policarpo, E., Pradal, M., Millward, G.E., Periera, M.E. & Duarte, A.C. (2007). Mercury contamination in invertebrate biota in a temperate coastal lagoon (Ria de Aveiro, Portugal). Marine Pollution Bulletin 54, 475-480.

Jha, A.N., Dogra, Y., Turner, A. & Millward, G.E. (2006).Are low doses of tritium genotoxic to Mytilus edulis? Marine Environmental Research 62, S297-S300.

Jha, A.N., Dogra, Y., Turner, A. & Millward, G.E. (2005). Impact of low doses of tritium on the marine mussel, Mytilus edulis: Genotoxic effects and tissue specific bioconcentration. Mutation Research 586, 47-57.

Kalman, J. and Turner, A. (2007). An evaluation of the bioaccessibility of metals in estuarine sediments using the commercially available protein, bovine serum albumin. Marine Chemistry 107, 486-497.

Tran, D., Moody, A.J., Fisher, A., Foulkes, M.E. and Jha, A.N. (2007). Protective effects of selenium on mercury-induced DNA damage in mussel haemocytes. Aquatic Toxicology 84, 11-18. 

Turner, A. and Bishop, E. (2006). Processing of the chemcial components of estuarine sediment by the lugworm, Arenicola marina.  Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 68, 86-92.

Turner, A. (2006). Enzymatic-availability of trace metals in estuarine sediment. Marine Chemistry 98, 140-147.

Turner, A., Lewis, M., Shams, L. and Brown, M. (2007). Uptake of platinum group elements by the marine macroalga, Ulva lactuca. Marine Chemistry 105, 271-280.

Turner, A., Fitzer, S. and Glegg, G.A. (2007). Impacts of boat paint chips on the distribution and availability of copper in an English ria. Environmental Pollution (in press) .

Contact

Dr Andrew Turner