title: Arsenic in marine sediments from French Mediterranean ports: geochemical partitioning, bioavailability and ecotoxicology.
abstract: This work investigates arsenic mobility, bioavailability and toxicity in marine port sediments using chemical sequential extraction and laboratory toxicity tests. Sediment samples were collected from two different Mediterranean ports, one highly polluted with arsenic and other inorganic and organic pollutants (Estaque port (EST)), and the other one, less polluted, with a low arsenic content (Saint Mandrier port (SM)). Arsenic distribution in the solid phase was studied using a sequential extraction procedure specifically developed for appraising arsenic mobility in sediments. Toxicity assessment was performed on sediment elutriates, solid phases and aqueous arsenic species as single substance using the embryo-toxicity test on oyster larvae (Crassostrea gigas) and the Microtox test with Vibrio fischeri. Toxicity results showed that all sediment samples presented acute and sub-chronic toxic effects on oyster larvae and bacteria, respectively. The Microtox solid phase test allow to discriminate As-contaminated samples from the less contaminated ones, suggesting that toxicity of whole sediment samples is related to arsenic content. Toxicity of dissolved arsenic species as single substance showed that Vibrio fischeri and oyster larvae are most sensitive to As(V) than As(III). The distribution coefficient (Kd) of arsenic in sediment samples was estimated using results obtained in chemical sequential extractions. The Kd value is greater in SM (450 Lkg(-1)) than in EST (55 Lkg(-1)), indicating that arsenic availability is higher for the most toxic sediment sample (Estaque port). This study demonstrates that arsenic speciation play an important role on arsenic mobility and its bioavailability in marine port sediments.
authors.affiliation: University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, Laboratoire des Ecosystèmes marins côtiers et réponses aux stress (ECOMERS/EA 4228), Faculty of Sciences, Parc Valrose, 06108 Nice Cedex 02, France. yannickpajany@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mamindy-Pajany
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hurel
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Géret
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Galgani
authors.forename: Fabienne
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Battaglia-Brunet
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Marmier
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roméo
mesh_terms: D048908:Aliivibrio fischeri; D000818:Animals; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D049896:Crassostrea; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000187:drug effects; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005602:France; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D001151:Arsenic