Environmental hazards from natural hydrocarbons seepage: integrated classification of risk from sediment chemistry, bioavailability and biomarkers responses in sentinel species.
Potential effects of natural emissions of hydrocarbons in the marine environment have been poorly investigated. In this study, a multidisciplinary weight of evidence (WOE) study was carried out on a shallow seepage, integrating sediment chemistry with bioavailability and onset of subcellular responses (biomarkers) in caged eels and mussels. Results from different lines of evidence (LOEs) were elaborated within a quantitative WOE model which, based on logical flowcharts, provide synthetic indices of hazard for each LOE, before their integration in a quantitative risk assessment. Evaluations of different LOEs were not always in accordance and their overall elaboration summarized as Moderate the risk in the seepage area. This study provided first evidence of biological effects in organisms exposed to natural hydrocarbon emissions, confirming the limit of chemical characterization as stand-alone criteria for environmental quality assessment and the utility of multidisciplinary investigations to determine the good environmental status as required by Environmental Directives.
Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60100 Ancona, Italy.
Maura
M
Benedetti
Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60100 Ancona, Italy.
Stefania
S
Gorbi
Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60100 Ancona, Italy.
Daniele
D
Fattorini
Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60100 Ancona, Italy.
Giuseppe
G
D'Errico
Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60100 Ancona, Italy.
Francesco
F
Piva
Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60100 Ancona, Italy.
Davide
D
Pacitti
Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60100 Ancona, Italy. Electronic address: f.regoli@univpm.it.
Francesco
F
Regoli
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
D015415:Biomarkers; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Biological effects; Environmental risk; Marine strategy framework directive; Natural seepage; Weight of evidence