Bioaccumulation and depuration in sea urchins Paracentrotus lividus (Lebanon) and Heliocidaris erythrogramma (Australia) Waste deposit mountain Carol M.S. Sukhn MSc Subtidal Ecology and Ecotoxicology Evolution and Ecology Research Center School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney Australia Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of New South Wales School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES) Faculty of Science March 2013 ii THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Thesis/Dissertation Sheet Surname or Family name: Sukhn First name: Carol Other given name/s: N/A Abbreviations for degree as given in the University Calendar: PhD School: Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences Faculty: Science Title: Bioaccumulation and depuration in sea urchins Paracentrotus lividus (Lebanon) and Heliocidaris erythrogramma (Australia). Abstract With toxicants being introduced daily into the environment, monitoring becomes an essential tool for the protection of human health and biota. The sea urchin, Paracentrotus lividus, was surveyed off the Lebanese coast to assess whether proximity to a major source of pollution affected abundance, biomass, size and metal content of the urchin. Metal concentrations in four body parts of the urchin did not vary with distance from the pollution source, nor did size, abundance and biomass, which were more directly affected by an unplanned closure to the fishery in 2007. The distribution of the urchin is therefore not considered a sensitive bioindicator of contamination, however, the contaminant loads measured are considered a direct concern with regards to human health, as consumption of urchin roe is currently unregulated. To better understand the bioaccumulation of contaminants in the body parts of P. lividus, laboratory exposures to organics (PAHs, OCPs), inorganic metals (Ni,V, Cd, Pb) and bacteria were undertaken. The experiments also determined the bioconcentration factor in body parts of urchins, where the roe was found to accumulate the most contaminants out of all body parts (test, spines and teeth). The urchins accumulated PAHs, toxic metals and OCPs. P. lividus was also tested for its ability to depurate toxicants either naturally (field translocation) or in the laboratory. Sea urchins eliminated Ni, V, Pb, dieldrin and 4,4‘DDE at different rates while the depuration of Cd was not observed. Field depuration was more rapid and consistent than laboratory depuration and could be used by the aquaculture industry to meet food safety regulations. The Australian sea urchin Heliocidaris erythrogramma was tested for its ability to bioaccumulate metals and PAHs in a laboratory exposure study. Gender differences in accumulation were observed and an initial baseline of metals was established for the organism at one site in Sydney Harbour. The levels of metals in the roe were within the food safety regulations except for lead. P. lividus and H. erythrogramma are good bioaccumulators and their roe may be used as potential biomonitors for short periods of time after oil spills or pulsed exposure events. Declaration relating to disposition of project thesis/dissertation I hereby grant to the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or in part in the University libraries in all form of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all property rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstracts International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only) . ......... ..Andrew Coulter GRS.......... 31rst of March, 2011. Signature Witness Date The University recognises that there may be exceptional circumstances requiring restrictions on copying or conditions on use. Requests for restriction for a period up to 2 years must be made in writing. Requests for a longer period of restriction may be considered in exceptional circumstances and require the approval of the Dean of Graduate Research. FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Date of completion of requirements for Award: THIS SHEET IS TO BE GLUED TO THE INSIDE FRONT COVER OF THE THESIS i COPYRIGHT STATEMENT ‘I hereby grant the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all proprietary rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstract International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). I have either used no substantial portions of copyright material in my thesis or I have obtained permission to use copyright material; where permission has not been granted I have applied/will apply for a partial restriction of the digital copy of my thesis or dissertation.' Signed …………………………………… ……........................... Date ……………………………8th of March, 2013………........................... AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT ‘I certify that the Library deposit digital copy is a direct equivalent of the final officially approved version of my thesis. No emendation of content has occurred and if there are any minor variations in formatting, they are the result of the conversion to digital format.’ Signed ……………………………… …………….......................... Date ……………………………………8th of March, 2013………........................... iii ORIGINALITY STATEMENT ‗I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and to the best of my knowledge it contains no materials previously published or written by another person, or substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at UNSW or any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgment is made in the thesis. Any contribution made to the research by others, with whom I have worked at UNSW or elsewhere, is explicitly acknowledged in the thesis. I also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project‘s design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged.‘ Signed ................... ....................... Date.............................. 8th of March, 2013... iv Acknowledgments Acknowledgment is about giving thanks to people, events and things, which helped in the completion of this thesis. So.... My first thank you goes of course to my supervisor Dr Emma Johnston for accepting my application to the doctorate, for guiding me throughout the thesis and for keeping me ―logical‖ all the time. Also for being so courageous to visit the sampling sites in Lebanon at a time of turmoil just to make sure that everything was set up correctly. I also thank you for being a statistical wiz and for teaching me lots and lots of statistics; I am forever indebted to you. Many thanks go to my co-supervisor Dr Imad Saoud for his good guidance, his ―occasional‖ patience and for setting up a good marine laboratory allowing for these studies to happen. Oh! And a special thank you for paying for most of the analyses. I thank Dr Nadim Cortas for establishing the Environment Core Laboratory and for his valuable comments and review of the thesis. I also thank Dr Ghazi Zaatari for granting me some time off to write this thesis. The fieldwork would never have happened without the help of the NGO ―Cedars for Care‖ president Mrs Iffat Chatila and her volunteers. A special thank you to the best skipper Mr Ahmad Iskandarani (Cedars for Care) for the many hours of rolling out ropes in the temporal variation experiment over the past seven years. These experiments would not have happened without the priceless help of the Lebanese Army and its divers. To every single one of you (pilots, navy and seals) I give my thanks and my appreciation. I know the diving conditions were so hard at some sites over the years, but your thoroughness in the implementation of instructions and your punctuality was very much appreciated. To the staff of the Environment Core Laboratory at the American University of Beirut (AUB): Sanaa Fayad, Osanna Nashalian, Rawia Masri and Lina Beydoun, thank you for your help and patience. Rosaline Sislian: can I ever thank you enough? I don‘t think so. Without you I would not have made it on time. To Dr Youssef Mneimneh, thank you for allowing me to use your laboratory whenever I needed it. To the volunteers who helped me every now and then with field or laboratory work, a thank you from the heart. To the staff of the marine biology laboratory at AUB, Joly Ghanawi especially, thank you for your help throughout all the experiments particularly for the many times you were dragged in on Saturdays and Sundays to help change water and clean tanks. v To Dr Jane Williamson and her team at the Marine Laboratory of Macquarie University, my sincere gratitude for allowing me the use of your premises to run the bioaccumulation experiment on the Heliocidaris erythrogramma. To my family: Saidé, Milad, Joseph, Marina, Sophie, Gabrielle, Elena, Suzie, Dany, Mary-Jo, Charbel Ray, Lu-Jane, Julie, Seamuss, Jack, Hala, Jihane, Nick, Jamal, John, Anna, Rayan, Nada, Sol, Raoul, Mary, Siham, thank you for the support and love. You are my rock. Cousin Nada, even though you were expecting me to go to London to write up this thesis just so I could mention you in my acknowledgments (as you eloquently joked about) well here you go: I ended up writing my thesis down under, but you are still thanked for the years of genuine love and great support.