title: Ecological status and sources of anthropogenic contaminants in mangroves of the Wouri River Estuary (Cameroon).
abstract: Mangroves are critically threatened by human activities, despite the important ecosystem functions and services they provide. Mangroves in Cameroon represent no exception to the worldwide trend of mangrove destruction, especially around Douala, on the Wouri river estuary. In two sites around Douala, we assessed the presence of sterols, PAHs, PCBs, DEHP, DDT and its metabolite p,p'-DDE and potentially toxic metals in sediment samples. As a proxy of ecological quality, we measured the diversity and abundance of macrobenthos assemblages. We detected p,p'-DDE contamination, with concentrations higher than 3μgkg(-1) in 16 out of 26 samples which were attributed to recent widespread use of DDT. The detection of sterols revealed faecal contamination. Significant sensitivity of the macrobenthos to contaminants was revealed, with possible implications on the overall mangrove vulnerability to climate change and on the provision of ecosystem services to local populations.
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Biological and Environmental Sciences & Engineering Division, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: marco.fusi@kaust.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fusi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Gian Maria
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Beone
authors.affiliation: Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicoleta Alina
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Suciu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sacchi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trevisan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Capri
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Biological and Environmental Sciences & Engineering Division, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Daffonchio
authors.affiliation: The University of Douala, Faculty of Science, Department of Botany, P.O. Box 8948, Douala, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Ndongo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Din
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Systems Ecology and Resource Management, Department of Organism Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles - ULB, Avenue F.D. Roosevelt 50, CPI 264/1, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium; Laboratory of Plant Biology and Nature Management, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences and Bio-engineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel - VUB, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Farid
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dahdouh-Guebas
authors.affiliation: The Swire Institute of Marine Science and The School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano 6, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cannicci
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002163:Cameroon; D057231:Climate Change; D003634:DDT / Q000032:analysis; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000032:analysis; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D063366:Estuaries; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis; D008974:Mollusca; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis; D045483:Rivers; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D003634:DDT; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Cameroon; Contaminants; Macrobenthos; Mangrove; Sediment; Wouri Estuary