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Monitoring the Biological Effects of Contamination in the Severn Estuary. David J Bird University of the West of England, Bristol. Title. Severn Estuary. The Severn Estuary & Bristol Channel. One of the four largest estuaries in the UK. Second highest tidal range in the world. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Title
Monitoring the Biological Effects of Contamination in the Severn Estuary
David J BirdUniversity of the West of England, Bristol
Severn Estuary
The Severn Estuary & Bristol Channel
One of the four largest estuaries in the UK
Second highest tidal range in the world
Internationally important for wading birds
Most significant estuary in the UK for elvers
Migratory corridor for endangered and vulnerable species of migratory fish
River lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis)
Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)
Twaite shad (Alosa fallax)
Allis shad (Alosa alosa)
Swansea
Port Talbot
Avonmouth
BristolCardiff
OLDBURY
HINKLEY
Nash PointBedwin Sands
PeterstoneFlats
Sharpness Docks
National MonitoringProgramme sites
BRISTOLCHANNEL
SEVERNESTUARY
Monitoring fish abundance from power station water-intake screens
Common name 1972/1977 1996/1998 Difference
Rank Mean % Rank Mean %
Sand goby 1 8572 29.2 1 36129 37.7 +4.2Whiting 2 8294 28.2 3 17714 18.5 +2.1Flounder 3 2896 9.9 7 1899 2.0 -1.5Bass 4 2156 7.3 2 22585 23.6 +10.5Sea snail 5 1980 6.7 8 1466 1.5 -1.4Poor cod 6 846 2.9 17 35 <0.1 -24.2Thin-lipped grey mullet 7 779 2.7 6 2477 2.6 +3.2Twaite shad 8 776 2.6 11 729 0.8 -1.1Eel 9 737 2.5 10 949 1.0 +1.3Herring 10 574 2.0 9 1444 1.5 +2.5Sprat 11 360 1.2 4 5402 5.6 +15.03-spined stickleback 12 254 0.9 14 178 0.2 -1.4River lamprey 13 191 0.7 16 109 0.1 -1.8Bib 14 182 0.6 13 184 0.2 +1.0Common goby 15 149 0.5 15 159 0.2 +1.1Norway pout 20 48 0.2 5 2944 3.1 +61.3Dover sole 17 75 0.3 12 345 0.4 +4.6Total (all species) 29366 95828
Metabolism
Excretion
Bioaccumulation
General bodysurface
Respiratorysurfaces
Ingestion
FateRoutes
of uptake
Watercolumn
Sediment
Food
Sources ofcontamination
Common eelAnguilla anguilla
FlounderPleuronectes flesus
RagwormHediste diversicolor
Brown shrimpCrangon crangon
Baltic tellinMacoma balthica
BRISTOLCHANNEL
SEVERNESTUARY
CdCdSwansea
Port Talbot
Avonmouth
BristolCardiff
1-10kg
10-100kg
>100kg
Swansea
Port Talbot
Avonmouth
BristolCardiff
BRISTOLCHANNEL
SEVERNESTUARY
0-100kg
100-1000kg
>1000kg
CuCu
BRISTOLCHANNEL
SEVERNESTUARY
Swansea
Port Talbot
Avonmouth
BristolCardiff
0-2 tonnes
2-4 tonnes
>4 tonnes
ZnZn
Tissue damage& toxicity
Bioaccumulation Induction of
metal-binding proteins
Exposure tometal
contamination
Biological effects of metals
Tissue damage& toxicity
Induction ofmetal-binding
proteinsBioaccumulation
Exposure tometal
contamination
Biological effects of metals
Oldbury
0
250
500
750
1000M
etal
loth
ion
ein
g
/g w
et w
t
0+ 1+ 2+ 3+ 4++
Year class
0
5
10
15
Cad
miu
m
g/g
dry
wt
0+ 1+ 2+ 3+ 4++
Year class
0
100
200
300
Zin
c
g/g
dry
wt
0
50
100
150
200
Co
pp
er
g/g
dry
wt
9
63 54
25
5
4
23
23
20
16
Metals & metallothioneins in flounder livers
<7 7-8
8-9
9-10
10-1
1
11-1
2
12-1
3
13-1
4
14-1
5
15-1
6
>16
Carapace length (mm)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Ca
dm
ium
( g
g-1
dry
wt)
BaP Metabolite
(A)
Severn Estuary
Bioaccumulation of Cd in Crangon
Induction ofPhase IIenzymes
Induction ofPhase I
enzymes
Formation ofPhase 1
metabolites
Formation ofPhase II
metabolites
Exposure toorganic
contamination
Biological effects of organic contaminants
Induction ofPhase IIenzymes
Induction ofPhase I
enzymes
Formation ofPhase 1
metabolites
Formation ofPhase II
metabolites
Exposure toorganic
contamination
Biological effects of organic contaminants
0
10
20
30
40
Te
mp
(°C
)
0
500
1000
1500
2000
ER
OD
act
ivit
y (p
mo
l/min
/mg
pro
tein
)
M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F
0
500
1000
1500
2000
1996 1997
Mean monthly temperature, Oldbury
EROD activity, eels
EROD activity, flounders
EROD activity, eels
Mean monthly water temperature, Oldbury
Excretion ofbile metabolites
Induction ofPhase IIenzymes
Induction ofPhase I
enzymes
Formation ofPhase 1
metabolites
Formation ofPhase II
metabolites
Exposure toorganic
contamination Bile metabolites in fish
1-O
H
Ph
e
7, 8
D
BaP
1-O
H
Pyr
3-O
H
BaP
1-O
H
BaP
1-O
H
Ch
r
3020 251510
Elution time (mins)
1000
1100
1200
1300
1400
1500
1600
Sig
nal
1000
1100
1200
Sig
nal
1000
1100
1200
1300
1400
Sig
nal
(a) Standards
(c) Tyne
(b) Severn
1OH P
he
7,8D
BaP
1OH P
yr
1OH C
hr
1OH B
aP
3OH B
aP
TOTAL
PAH metabolite
1OH P
he
7,8D
BaP
1OH P
yr
1OH C
hr
1OH B
aP
3OH B
aP
TOTAL
PAH metabolite
0.0001
0.001
0.01
0.1
1
10N
orm
ali
se
d m
eta
bo
lite
co
nc
en
tra
tio
n (
m)
0.0001
0.001
0.01
0.1
1
10
Severn
Tees
Thames
Tyne
Wear
ND
ND
ND
ND
Metabolites
Growth &reproduction
Mutagenesis &carinogenesisTissue
damage
Biological effects of metabolites
Behaviouraleffects
Endocrine &immune systems
Metabolites
Growth &reproduction
Mutagenesis &carinogenesisTissue
damage
Biological effects of metabolites
Behaviouraleffects
Endocrine &immune systems
0 0.1 10 100
Cadmium (g/l)
Failure to bury
0 50 100
Cadmium (g/l)
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
Pro
po
rtio
n
Successful prey capture
0102030405060708090
100
Pe
rce
nta
ge
Se
ve
rn e
stu
ary
Ex
e e
stu
ary
Behavioural responses in Crangon
Conclusions
A range of approaches at different levels of biological organisation is required
Regular long-term monitoring is essential to establish temporal trends
Developments in genomics & proteomics will change the way the effects of contamination are assessed and monitored
Acknowledgements:
FUNDING: Leverhulme Trust, Environment Agency, University of the West of England, British Ecological Society, The Fisheries Society of the U K
SAMPLING: Oldbury & Hinkley power stations, Plymouth Marine Laboratory
PEOPLE: Members of the Severn Estuary Research Group, including Dr Lyn Newton, Dr Jeanette Rotchell, Dr Sabine Duquesne, Dr Peter Ruddock & Dr Caroline Culshaw