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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Science and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2020) | Viewed by 21964

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Milva Pepi

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Guest Editor

Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Fano Marine Centre, Viale Adriatico, 1-N, 61032 Fano, Italy
Interests: coastal monitoring; microbial monitoring; organic matter biodegradation; climate change; coastal contaminants; public health; microbial aquatic pathogens
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Monia Renzi

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Guest Editor

Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri, 4, 34127 Trieste, Italy
Interests: marine ecology; transitional water ecosystems ecology; ecotoxicology; marine litter pollution; microplastics; nanoparticles pollution and ecological effects
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Coastal areas are sensitive to multiple factors and influence marine resources and human health. Quantitative and qualitative assessment of coastal areas, subject to natural and anthropogenic stresses, is essential to guarantee their ecological richness and economic importance. Coastal waters must be assessed and monitored, along with examination of sediments near coasts and monitoring of beaches, giving important information about the state of the whole coastal system.

Water, sediments, and sand contain all kinds of microorganisms, including those that can be dangerous to human health. The detection of indicators of fecal contamination to determine the presence of sewage and human waste allows determination of fecal pollution that carries pathogens and the associated health risks.

Monitoring of chemical contaminants and monitoring of plastic litter are of fundamental importance for the evaluation of the health status of coastal systems. Particular importance is devoted to plastic litter in coastal areas. Plastics are complex polymers, with long, repeating chains of molecules with a high strength, making plastic a very durable material that takes a very long time to decompose naturally.

This Special Issue seeks research papers on various aspects of marine coastal environment monitoring, including microbiological analyses and chemical analyses of contaminants and monitoring of plastic litter. Especially encouraged is the submission of interdisciplinary work and multicountry collaborative research. Also encouraged is the submission of health systems and health policy-related manuscripts that focus on issues related to pathogen microorganisms and dangerous contaminants in the coastal environment and the possibilities of new monitoring aspects. We welcome original research papers using different study designs as well as reviews.

Dr. Milva Pepi
Dr. Monia Renzi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

Aspects of monitoring in the marine coastal environment Methods of marine coastal environment monitoring
Microbiological and chemical contaminants in the marine coastal environment
Methods of microbial monitoring in coastal environment
Assessment of plastic litter and microplastics in marine coastal environments

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 3884 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Shell Growth of Large Benthic Foraminifera under Heavy Metals Pollution: Implications for Geochemical Monitoring of Coastal Environments

by Nir Ben-Eliahu, Barak Herut, Eyal Rahav and Sigal Abramovich

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(10), 3741; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17103741 - 25 May 2020

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4248

Abstract

This study was promoted by the recent efforts using larger benthic foraminiferal (LBF) shells geochemistry for the monitoring of heavy metals (HMs) pollution in the marine environment. The shell itself acts as a recorder of the ambient water chemistry in low to extreme HMs-polluted environments, allowing the monitoring of recent-past pollution events. This concept, known as sclerochronology, requires the addition of new parts (i.e., new shell) even in extreme pollution events. We evaluated the physiological resilience of three LBF species with different shell types and symbionts to enriched concentrations of Cd, Cu, and Pb at levels several folds higher than the ecological criteria maximum concentration (CMC) (165–166, 33–43, 1001–1206 µg L⁻¹, respectively), which is derived from aquatic organisms’ toxicity tests. The physiological response of the holobiont was expressed by growth rates quantified by the addition of new chambers (new shell parts), and by the chlorophyll a of the algal symbionts. The growth rate decrease varied between 0% and 30% compared to the unamended control for all HMs tested, whereas the algal symbionts exhibited a general non-fatal but significant response to Pb and Cu. Our results highlight that shell growth inhibition of LBF is predicted in extreme concentrations of 57 × CMC of Cu and 523 × CMC of Cd, providing a proof of concept for shell geochemistry monitoring, which is currently not used in the regulatory sectors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Coastal Environment Monitoring)

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12 pages, 2234 KiB

Open AccessArticle

System-Specific Complex Interactions Shape Soil Organic Carbon Distribution in Coastal Salt Marshes

by Dan Yang, Xin-Yu Miao, Bo Wang, Ren-Ping Jiang, Teng Wen, Mao-Song Liu, Cheng Huang and Chi Xu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(6), 2037; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17062037 - 19 Mar 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3297

Abstract

Coastal wetlands provide many critical ecosystem services including carbon storage. Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the most important component of carbon stock in coastal salt marshes. However, there are large uncertainties when estimating SOC stock in coastal salt marshes at large spatial scales. So far, information on the spatial heterogeneity of SOC distribution and determinants remains limited. Moreover, the role of complex ecological interactions in shaping SOC distribution is poorly understood. Here, we report detailed field surveys on plant, soil and crab burrowing activities in two inter-tidal salt marsh sites with similar habitat conditions in Eastern China. Our between-site comparison revealed slight differences in SOC storage and a similar vertical SOC distribution pattern across soil depths of 0–60 cm. Between the two study sites, we found substantially different effects of biotic and abiotic factors on SOC distribution. Complex interactions involving indirect effects between soil, plants and macrobenthos (crabs) may influence SOC distribution at a landscape scale. Marked differences in the SOC determinants between the study sites indicate that the underlying driving mechanisms of SOC distribution are strongly system-specific. Future work taking into account complex interactions and spatial heterogeneity is needed for better estimating of blue carbon stock and dynamics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Coastal Environment Monitoring)

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18 pages, 2027 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Geoacumulation of Heavy Metals in Sediment of the Fluvial–Lagoon–Deltaic System of the Palizada River, Campeche, Mexico

by Gabycarmen Navarrete-Rodríguez, María del Refugio Castañeda-Chávez and Fabiola Lango-Reynoso

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(3), 969; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17030969 - 4 Feb 2020

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3335

Abstract

The fluvial–lagoon–deltaic system of the Palizada River in Campeche is an ecosystem of socioeconomic and ecological importance. It is justifiable to carry out studies in this system due to its connection with another larger ecosystem called the Términos Lagoon. The objective of this investigation was to analyze the concentration of Pb and Cd in sediments of the fluvial–lagoon–deltaic system of the Palizada River and to determine, with this, the contamination index of these metals. Cd showed the highest concentration in sampling sites and climatic seasons with respect to Pb, with a maximum value of 53.9 ± 5.0, while the Pb concentration was 10.4 ± 0.2 μg∙g⁻¹. The same tendency was present with pollution and geoaccumulation indexes; here, the Cd index stands out. The enrichment of heavy metals was identified through the accumulation of Cd and Pb; such a process was evaluated through the geoacumulation index (Igeo). The results of this indicated that the contamination of these elements is mainly of anthropogenic origin. This element represents an ecological toxic risk due to the chronic presence of heavy metals in a priority area for the conservation of aquatic and terrestrial biota such as the Palizada system, owing to its high toxicity even at low concentrations. Thus, it is important to evaluate its sublethal effects in the organisms that inhabit this system, which requires the implementation of integral monitoring. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Coastal Environment Monitoring)

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17 pages, 2747 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Geochemical Evidence of Metal-Driven Anaerobic Oxidation of Methane in the Shenhu Area, the South China Sea

by Rui Xie, Daidai Wu, Jie Liu, Tiantian Sun, Lihua Liu and Nengyou Wu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(19), 3559; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16193559 - 23 Sep 2019

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3334

Abstract

Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is a common biochemical process in the ocean and it plays an important role in global climate change, elemental circulation, and atmospheric evolution over geological time. In this paper, we analyzed of δ³⁴S, Fe, Mn, Ca/Ti, and Sr/Ti ratios, and the date of carbon and sulfur from the site SH3 of Shenhu area. Result showed that (1) 0–6 mbsf (meter blow the sea floor) was mainly affected by OSR (anaerobic oxidation of organic matters) and 7–15 mbsf was a paleo-SMTZ (sulfate–methane transition zone) position. The modern SMTZ was mainly distributed at 19–25 mbsf. The barium sulfate precipitation above the modern SMTZ indicating that the current methane leakage was stable and lasted longer during geological history. (2) By studying the change of magnetic and the different carbonate minerals, results showed that there were two AOM stages. During the early stage, Fe²⁺ were mainly produced by sulfide abiotic reductive dissolution. During the later stage, Fe²⁺ were mainly produced by the metal-AOM. (3) Study of the mineral characteristics of the paleo-SMTZ and the modern SMTZ showed that the modern SMTZ carbonate minerals were mainly low-Mg calcite and aragonite, while the paleo-SMTZ carbon minerals were mainly high Mg minerals. The reason for this difference is that the modern SMTZ layer was only experienced the first stage of anaerobic oxidation of methane. In the paleo-SMTZ layer, it has experienced two stage of anaerobic oxidation of methane. During the last stage of metal-AOM, the low Mg carbonate minerals were converted into high Mg carbonate minerals. This research confirms the presence of metal-driven methane anaerobic oxidation at the bottom of sulfate-driven methane anaerobic oxidation and during the metal-driven methane anaerobic oxidation, methane and metal oxides or hydroxides would couple to convert the in situ metal oxides or hydroxides into metal ions, meanwhile the phosphorus adsorbed on the surface of the metal oxides is released into adjacent pore water, and convert to new P-bearing minerals under suitable conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Coastal Environment Monitoring)

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20 pages, 2177 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mediterranean Coastal Lagoons: The Importance of Monitoring in Sediments the Biochemical Composition of Organic Matter

by Monia Renzi, Francesca Provenza, Sara Pignattelli, Lucrezia Cilenti, Antonietta Specchiulli and Milva Pepi

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(18), 3466; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16183466 - 18 Sep 2019

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3299

Abstract

Transitional water ecosystems are targeted by the European Union (EU) Water Framework Directive (WFD, CE 2000/60) monitoring programs in coastal zones. Concerning sediments, activities performed for the WFD focus on a few variables concerning the biochemical composition of organic matter. Our research reports the effects of oxygen availability on the biochemical composition of organic matter in sediments to highlight levels of targeted variables in time and, according to the depth of sediment layer, both under oxygenated and anoxic conditions in a mesocosm study on sediment cores. Results provide evidence that tested factors of interest (i.e., disturbance type, oxygenic versus anoxic conditions; persistence time of disturbance, 0–14 days; penetration through sedimentary layers, 0–10 cm depth) are able to significantly affect the biochemical composition of organic matter in sediments. Large part of the variables considered in this study (total organic carbon (TOC), total phosphorous (TP), total sulphur (TS), Fe, carbohydrates (CHO), total proteins (PRT), biopolymeric carbon (BPC), chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) are significantly affected and correlated to the oxygenation levels and could be good early indicators of important changes of environmental conditions. Monitoring activities performed under WFD guidelines and management strategies of Mediterranean coastal lagoon ecosystems shall include the biochemical composition of organic matter in sediment to provide an exhaustive picture of such dynamic ecosystems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Coastal Environment Monitoring)

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20 pages, 3222 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Benthic Diatom Communities in Korean Estuaries: Species Appearances in Relation to Environmental Variables

by Ha-Kyung Kim, In-Hwan Cho, Eun-A Hwang, Yong-Jae Kim and Baik-Ho Kim

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(15), 2681; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16152681 - 26 Jul 2019

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3553

Abstract

In the Korean Peninsula’s southern estuaries, the distributive characteristics of epilithic diatoms and the important environmental factors predicting species occurrence were examined. The collection of diatoms and measurements of water quality and land-use were performed every May between 2009 and 2016, with no influence from the Asian monsoon and snow. Throughout the study, 564 diatoms were classified with first and second dominant species of Nitzschia inconspicua and N. perminuta. Based on diatom appearance and standing crops, the 512 sampling stations were divided into four groups by cluster analysis, and two regions, namely the West and East Sea. Geographically, G1, G2, G3, and G4 were located in the East Sea, Southeast Sea, West Sea, and Southwest Sea, respectively. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) results indicated that environmental factors, such as turbidity, electric conductivity (EC), and total phosphorus (TP), significantly influenced the distribution of epilithic diatoms. A random forest model showed that major environmental factors influencing the diatom species appearance included EC, salinity, turbidity, and total nitrogen. This study demonstrated that the spatial distribution of epilithic diatoms in the southern estuaries of the Korean Peninsula was determined by several factors, including a geographically higher tidal current-driven turbidity increase and higher industrial or anthropogenic nutrient-loading. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Coastal Environment Monitoring)

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