title: Preliminary assessment of contaminants in the sediment and organisms of the Swartkops Estuary, South Africa.
abstract: Urban estuaries are susceptible to metal and organic pollution, yet most remain understudied in South Africa with respect to the presence, concentrations and distribution of contaminants. Metal and organic chemical concentrations were assessed in sediment and organisms from different trophic levels in the lower reaches of the Swartkops Estuary. Species sampled included Upogebia africana (Malacostraca: Upogebiidae), Gilchristella aestuaria (Clupeidae), Psammogobius knysnaensis (Gobiidae), Mugil cephalus (Mugilidae), Lichia amia (Carangidae), Argyrosomus japonicus (Sciaenidae), Pomadasys commersonnii (Haemulidae) and Larus dominicanus (Avis: Laridae). This study is one of the most comprehensive studies to date assessing pollution levels in a food web in estuaries in South Africa. Due to biomagnification, higher concentrations of Arsenic, Lead, Mercury and Cadmium were found in the juveniles stages of popular angling fishes. High concentrations of Cadmium and Arsenic were recorded in the liver of L. amia, A. japonicus and P. commersonnii which exceed international quality food guidelines. Eggs from the gull, L. dominicanus, showed detectable concentrations of PCBs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, P.O. Box 1600, Port Elizabeth 6000, South Africa.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nel
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, P.O. Box 1600, Port Elizabeth 6000, South Africa. Electronic address: Nadine.Strydom@nmmu.ac.za.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Strydom
authors.affiliation: Research Unit: Environmental Sciences and Development, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bouwman
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis; D003445:Crustacea / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D054750:Ecotoxicology / Q000379:methods; D063366:Estuaries; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism; D020387:Food Chain; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D010063:Ovum / Q000737:chemistry; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis; D023701:Smegmamorpha / Q000378:metabolism; D013019:South Africa; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; D008628:Mercury; D001151:Arsenic
keywords: Biomagnification; Fish; Food web; Metals; OCPs; PAHs; PCBs