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Ocean acidification increases the toxicity of contaminated sediments
David A Roberts1, Silvana N R Birchenough, Ceri Lewis
1Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft, UK.
Global Change Biology
|March 19, 2013
Summary
Ocean acidification (OA) increases the toxicity of contaminated sediments to benthic organisms like amphipods. This effect is likely due to additive physiological stress rather than changes in metal speciation, highlighting the need to re-evaluate environmental policies.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Ecotoxicology
- Marine Biology
Background:
- Ocean acidification (OA) poses a threat to marine ecosystems by altering chemical conditions.
- The impact of OA on the bioavailability and toxicity of sediment-bound metals is not well understood.
- Benthic organisms, such as amphipods, are crucial components of marine food webs and can be exposed to contaminated sediments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally investigate the effects of projected ocean acidification on the toxicity of contaminated sediments to the amphipod Corophium volutator.
- To determine if OA alters metal bioavailability and toxicity in sediments.
- To assess the combined effects of OA and sediment contamination on benthic organisms.
Main Methods:
- Amphipods (Corophium volutator) were exposed to two types of sediment (high and low metal contamination) under varying pCO2 levels simulating current and future OA conditions.
- Survival and DNA damage in amphipods were measured.
- The flux of labile metals (Ni, Zn) in the sediment and water column was quantified using Diffusive Gradients in Thin-films (DGT).
Main Results:
- Contaminated sediments became more acutely toxic to C. volutator under elevated pCO2 (1140 μatm).
- Increased DNA damage was observed in amphipods exposed to contaminated sediments at 750 μatm pCO2 and to reference sediments at 1140 μatm pCO2.
- Elevated pCO2 increased the flux of nickel and zinc to labile states, but this effect was not solely linked to contaminated sediments.
Conclusions:
- The toxicological interaction between OA and sediment contaminants is likely driven by additive physiological stress rather than altered metal speciation.
- Near-future OA conditions can increase the susceptibility of benthic ecosystems to contaminants.
- Environmental policies and sediment metal guidelines may require reevaluation to account for the impacts of OA on contaminant toxicity.
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