Water quality related research at the Water quality related research at the Plymouth Marine LaboratoryPlymouth Marine Laboratory

Prof. Jim Readman

Integration

Sediment dynamics Bio-engineering

Morphology Pollutant dispersal

Modelling impact of climate change and

toxicants

Particles Binding Flocs Deposition

Physical Processes

Biological Processes

Chemical Processes

Estuarine and Coastal Function and Health

An Integrated Programme

Bioavailability Toxicology

Impact of biota on hydro- and

sediment dynamics

Functioning of EcosystemsFunctioning of Ecosystems

Quantify key biological, physical & chemical processes, & their interactions, that control environmental health

Study contaminant fluxes and the role of natural particulates in governing mobility & bioavailability

Develop and apply simulation models of effects at

molecular, cellular, organ, animal and community scales

Rapid DistressSignals (DiagnosticBiomarkers),Prognostic for Pathology

Pathology, Immunodeficiencyand Physiological Disturbance

Population Decline,Loss of Biodiversity,Habitat Destruction

EcosystemPollutant Chemicals &Radionuclides

Molecular& Cellular

Tissue Organs IndividualAnimal

Long TermShort Term

Signal : Noise, Responsiveness, Detectability

Biological Complexity, Response

Time & Ecological Significance

Biological Effects & Ecological RelevanceBiological Effects & Ecological RelevanceBiological Effects & Ecological RelevanceBiological Effects & Ecological Relevance

““Biomarkers” of contaminant exposure & effectBiomarkers” of contaminant exposure & effect

• DNA adductsDNA adducts• DNA damageDNA damage

• CYP’sCYP’s• MDR/MXRMDR/MXR

• Anti-oxidant protectionAnti-oxidant protection• Oncoproteins e.g., Oncoproteins e.g., rasras

• Connexin/Gap junctionsConnexin/Gap junctions• MetallothioneinsMetallothioneins• Stress proteinsStress proteins

• Lysosomal damage & dysfunctionLysosomal damage & dysfunction• Augmented autophagyAugmented autophagy

• Cellular dysfunction & atrophyCellular dysfunction & atrophy• Histopathology and organ damageHistopathology and organ damage

• PathophysiologyPathophysiology

Research into the distribution, transport, reactivity, fate and impact of pollutants. Chemicals studied have included:

• Pesticides/Agrochemicals• Oestrogens & Anti-androgens

• Carcinogens• Oils (fingerprinting)

• Nutrients• Sewage Pollution Markers

• Biomarkers (fatty acids, pigments etc.)• Antifouling Agents

• Industrial By-products• Detergents

• Trace Metals• etc...

Chemical analyses:

PML is equipped with ultra-sensitive “state of the art”

analytical facilities, which include:

• Gas Chromatography (GC) with a range of detectors

(FID, ECD, NPD, FPD)• High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with Diode Array,

Ultra Violet and Fluorescence detection• GC- Mass Spectrometers (MS)

• HPLC-MS• GC-MS/MS (EI & CI with -ve ion)

• HPLC-MS/MS (Electrospray and APCI)• Autoanalysers

Solid phase micro-extraction

MTBE• Head space – SPME method developed

• Estuarine behaviour paper submitted (Marine Chemistry)

PAH• Method developed for environmental/pore waters

(Environmental Geochemistry and Health. 25. 69-75)

• Differentiates soluble/colloidal• Implications for bioavailability measurements

Rapid Assessment of Marine Pollution

immunoassay chemical analyses

combined with

“biomarker” biological assays

Effects of contaminants on phytoplankton

• antifouling “booster” biocides• flow cytometry and pigments

• 14C bicarbonate uptake• co-ordination of EC ACE project (€1.1 million)

Effect of Irgarol 1051 on total eucaryotic phytoplankton

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

0 20 40 60 80

Time (h)

Cel

ls p

er m

l

Control

100

300

500

800

2000

0

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20

30

40

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60

0 500 1000 1500 2000

Irgarol concentration (ng/l)

19

'-h

ex

. co

nc

. (n

g/l)

HPLC pigment analysis(3 days exposure to IRGAROL 1051)

Readman et al. (In press)

Marine Environmental Research.

ng/L

Sorption studies: kinetics and colloids

• sterols and PAH• 14C-labelled experiments

• remobilisation of contaminants

Bowman, J.C., Zhou, J.L. and Readman, J.W. (2002).

Sediment-water interactions of natural oestrogens under estuarine conditions.

Marine Chemistry 77. 263-276

Bowman, J.C., Zhou, J.L. and Readman, J.W. (2002).

Sorption and desorption of benzo(a)pyrene in aquatic systems.

Journal of Environmental Monitoring 4. 761-766.

Bowman, J.C., Readman, J.W. and Zhou, J.L. (2003).

Seasonal variability in the concentrations of Irgarol 1051 in Brighton Marina, UK; including the impact of dredging

Marine Pollution Bulletin. 46. 444-451.

Sorption (and hence transport, toxicity etc.) is controlled by the degree of binding.

Truely Dissolved

Surface sorbed

So

ot p

artic

le -

per

man

ently

bo

un

d

Bound with

in p

artic

le

pore

Intra-lamellar

bound in clay

Ass

oci

ated

wit

h

coll

oid

/oil

dro

ple

t

Occluded within bacteria

Occluded w

ithin

particle

Modelled using linear free energy theories

stre

ngth

Increasingbinding

Bulk organic composition:

• sediment cohesivity• contributions from carbohydrates and proteins

• effects on contaminant mobility

0

0.5

1

0

1

2

Chlorophyll (µg/g)

% Organic Carbon

Lipids (%)

Carbohydrates(mg/g)

Proteins (%)

Critical erosionvelocities (cm/s)

2m

0Mud bank profile

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50

1002

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6

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125 m

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