title: Ecotoxicological effects of sediments from Mar Piccolo, South Italy: toxicity testing with organisms from different trophic levels.
abstract: The Mar Piccolo of Taranto (Ionian Sea, Southern Italy) is a semi-enclosed and strongly polluted basin. For decades, it has been subjected to different anthropogenic impacts. These stressors caused severe sediments contamination with high concentration of different pollutants (PAHs, PCB, heavy metals). In order to assess the current status of sediments contamination, an ecotoxicological investigation combined with chemical analysis (heavy metals, PAH, and PCB) has been performed. In order to derive ecologically relevant conclusions, a multiorganisms and multiend-points approach has been applied, exposing organisms from different trophic levels to elutriate and whole sediment. The battery of bioassays consists of a microalgal growth inhibition test (Dunaliella tertiolecta), acute and sublethal assays (end-points: mortality, immobilization and swimming speed alteration) on crustaceans larvae and juveniles, and rotifers (Amphibalanus amphitrite, Artemia salina, Corophium insidiosum and Brachionus plicatilis), and embryotoxicity test on echinoderms (Paracentrotus lividus). Considering the high levels of sediment contamination highlighted from chemical analysis, an unexpected very low toxic effect was observed, even considering the sublethal end-point (larval swimming speed alteration). The results of this study suggest a very complex contaminants dynamic in the Mar Piccolo sediments that, despite a strong level of contamination, seems to not affect in a proportional manner the biological compartment.
authors.affiliation: CNR- Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR), Arsenale-Tesa 104, Castello 2737/F, 30122, Venezia, VE, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: CNR- Institute of Marine Science (ISMAR), Via De Marini, 6, 16149, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Piazza
authors.affiliation: CNR- Institute of Marine Science (ISMAR), Via De Marini, 6, 16149, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gambardella
authors.affiliation: CNR- Institute of Marine Science (ISMAR), Via De Marini, 6, 16149, Genova, Italy.|Costa Edutainment S.p.A., Acquario di Genova, Area Porto Antico Ponte Spinola, 16128, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moresco
authors.affiliation: CNR - Institute for Coastal Marine Environment (IAMC), Via Roma 3, 74100, Taranto, Italy.
authors.forename: Ermelinda
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Prato
authors.affiliation: CNR - Institute for Coastal Marine Environment (IAMC), Via Roma 3, 74100, Taranto, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Biandolino
authors.affiliation: CNR- Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR), Arsenale-Tesa 104, Castello 2737/F, 30122, Venezia, VE, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cassin
authors.affiliation: CNR- Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR), Arsenale-Tesa 104, Castello 2737/F, 30122, Venezia, VE, Italy.
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Botter
authors.affiliation: CNR - Institute of Marine Science (ISMAR), via Pola 4, 71010, Lesina, FG, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maurizio
authors.affiliation: CNR - Institute of Marine Science (ISMAR), via Pola 4, 71010, Lesina, FG, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Adamo
authors.affiliation: CNR - Institute of Marine Science (ISMAR), via Pola 4, 71010, Lesina, FG, Italy.
authors.forename: Adele
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fabbrocini
authors.affiliation: CNR- Institute of Marine Science (ISMAR), Via De Marini, 6, 16149, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faimali
authors.affiliation: CNR- Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR), Arsenale-Tesa 104, Castello 2737/F, 30122, Venezia, VE, Italy. francesca.garaventa@ismar.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Garaventa
mesh_terms: D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000187:drug effects*; D054750:Ecotoxicology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D007558:Italy; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
keywords: Bioassay; Marine organisms; PAHs; PCBs; Sediment toxicity; Swimming speed alteration