4.7 Article

Integrated chemical exposure assessment of coastal green turtle foraging grounds on the Great Barrier Reef

Journal

SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
Volume 657, Issue -, Pages 401-409

Publisher

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.322

Keywords

High resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS); Chemical exposure; Exposure assessment marine wildlife; Green turtle; Passive sampling

Funding

  1. Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) Australia, through a grant from the Banrock Station Environmental Trust
  2. Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowship [FF120100546]
  3. ARC
  4. National Health and Medical Research Council [GNT1106911]
  5. Queensland Health

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The Great Barrier Reef receives run-off from 424,000 km(2) catchment area across coastal Queensland, incorporating diffuse agricultural run-off, and run-off point sources of land-based chemical pollutants from urban and industrial development. Marine biota, such as green turtles (Chelonia mydas), are exposed to these diverse chemical mixtures in their natural environments, and the long term effects on turtle and ecosystem health remain unknown. This study was part of a larger multi-disciplinary project characterising anthropogenic chemical exposures from the marine environment and turtle health. The aim of this study was to screen for a wide range of anthropogenic chemical pollutants present in the external and internal environment of green turtles, using a combination of traditional targeted chemical analyses, non-target suspect screening, and effect-based bioassay methods, while employing a case-control study design. A cornbination of passive (water) and grab (water, sediment) samples were investigated. Three known green turtle foraging sites were selected for sampling: two coastal 'case' sites influenced primarily by urban; industrial and agricultural activities, respectively; and a remote, offshore 'control' site. Water and sediment samples from each of the three sampling locations showed differences in chemical pollutant profiles that reflected the dominant land uses in the adjacent catchment. Targeted mass spectrometric analysis for a range of pesticides, industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals and personal care products found the greatest detection frequency and highest concentrations in coastal samples, compared to the control. Non-target screening analysis of water showed clear differentiation in chemical profile of the urban/industrial site. In-vitro assays of sediment samples from the control site had lowest induction, compared to coastal locations, as expected. Here we present evidence that turtles foraging in coastal areas are exposed to a range of anthropogenic pollutants derived from the adjacent coastal catchment areas. (C) 2018 Published by Elsevier B.V.

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