title: Integrated approach to assess ecosystem health in harbor areas.
abstract: Harbors are critical environments with strategic economic importance but with potential environmental impact: health assessment criteria are a key issue. An ecosystem health status approach was carried out in Portimão harbor as a case-study. Priority and specific chemical levels in sediments along with their bioavailability in mussels, bioassays and a wide array of biomarkers were integrated in a biomarker index (IBR index) and the overall data in a weight of evidence (WOE) model. Metals, PAHs, PCBs and HCB were not particularly high compared with sediment guidelines and standards for dredging. Bioavailability was evident for Cd, Cu and Zn. Biomarkers proved more sensitive namely changes of antioxidant responses, metallothioneins and vittellogenin-like proteins. IBR index indicated that site 4 was the most impacted area. Assessment of the health status by WOE approach highlighted the importance of integrating sediment chemistry, bioaccumulation, biomarkers and bioassays and revealed that despite some disturbance in the harbor area, there was also an impact of urban effluents from upstream.
  Environmental quality assessment in harbors.
authors: CIMA, University of Algarve Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal. Electronic address: mbebian@ualg.pt.
authors: M J
authors: MJ
authors: Bebianno
authors: CIMA, University of Algarve Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal.
authors: C G
authors: CG
authors: Pereira
authors: CIMA, University of Algarve Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Rey
authors: CIMA, University of Algarve Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Cravo
authors: CIMA, University of Algarve Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Duarte
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: D'Errico
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Regoli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000378:metabolism; D049878:Mytilus / Q000378:metabolism; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008668:Metallothionein; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
keywords: Biomarker; Harbor; IBR index; Sediment; Weight of evidence