CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE SCIENCE AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT MONITORING REPORT Number 52 Monitoring and surveillance of non-radioactive contaminants in the aquatic environment and activities regulating the disposal of wastes at sea, 1997 LOWESTOFT 2000 This report has been compiled by J. Jones, B. Sc. and A. Franklin, B. Sc. of the CEFAS Burnham Laboratory, Bumham-on-Crouch, Essex, CMO 8F1A, from whom further copies can be obtained. Staff responsible for the projects described in this report are listed in Annex 1. Sei. Ser., Aquat. Environ. Monit. Rep., CEFAS, Lowestoft, (52), 92pp. © Crown copyright, 2000 Requests for reproduction of material contained within this report should be addressed to CEFAS CONTENTS Page FOREWORD BACKGROUND TO THE WORK SEA WATER 1. Winter nutrients in the coastal waters of England and Wales..........................................................7 1.1 Introduction........................................................................................................................................... 7 1.2 Methods ................................................................................................................................................7 1.2.1 Sampling................................................................................................................................ 7 1.2.2 Sample analysis...................................................................................................................7 1.3 Results and discussion.......................................................................................................................7 1.3.1 Description of January 1997 NMP station nutrient distribution.....................................7 1.4 Conclusions........................................................................................................................................10 BIOTA 2. Heavy metals in bivalve molluscs from designated harvesting areas around England and Wales...................................................................................................................................11 2.1 Introduction......................................................................................................................................... 11 2.2 Materials and methods......................................................................................................................11 2.3 Results and discussion.....................................................................................................................11 2.4 Conclusions........................................................................................................................................16 3. Arsenic spéciation in fish muscle around the coasts of England and Wales........................... 16 3.1 Introduction......................................................................................................................................... 16 3.2 Method................................................................................................................................................ 17 3.3 Results................................................................................................................................................ 17 3.4 Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................... 18 4. PAH levels in fish and shellfish, post Sea Empress oil spill............................................................18 SEDIMENTS 5. Total arsenic in sediments from the western North Sea and the Humber Estuary.................21 5.1 Introduction.........................................................................................................................................21 5.2 Method................................................................................................................................................21 5.3 Results and discussion.................................................................................................................... 21 BIOLOGICAL EFECTS 6. The use of enzyme biomarkers in biological effects monitoring...................................................23 6.1 General introduction......................................................................................................................... 23 6.2 Ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD)......................................................................................... 23 6.2.1 Introduction.........................................................................................................................23 6.2.2 Methods............................................................................................................................... 24 6.2.3 Results ................................................................................................................................ 24 6.2.4 Discussion........................................................................................................................... 26 6.2.5 Conclusions......................................................................................................................... 29 6.3 Acetylcholinesterase (AChE)...........................................................................................................30 6.3.1 Introduction......................................................................................................................... 30 6.3.2 M ethod................................................................................................................................ 30 6.3.3 Results ................................................................................................................................ 33 6.3.4 Discussion........................................................................................................................... 34 6.3.5 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................37 6.4 General conclusion............................................................................................................................37 7. Oestrogenic endocrine disruption in flounder{platichthys flesus L.) from United Kingdom estuarine and marine w a te rs ..................................................................................37 7.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................37 7.2 Executive summary.......................................................................................................................... 37 /continued: 8. Monitoring and surveillance for disease in marine fish 1997: Monitoring programme for externally visible disease biomarkers and hepatic pathology in marine.................... fish 39 8.1 Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 39 8.2 Methods............................................................................................................................................ 39 8.3 Results............................................................................................................................................. 41 8.4 Discussion....................................................................................................................................... 44 BENTHOS 9. Epifaunal studies around the United Kingdom coastline............................................................... 45 9.1 Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 45 9.2 Methods............................................................................................................................................ 45 9.3 Results............................................................................................................................................. 46 9.4 Discussion........................................................................................................................................54 10. A comparison of benthic changes at a dredged material disposal site...................................... 55 10.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 55 10.2 Methods............................................................................................................................................ 56 10.3 Results ..............................................................................................................................................57 10.4 Discussion........................................................................................................................................59 DISPOSAL AT SEA 11. Metal concentrations in dredged sediment....................................................................................... 60 11.1 Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 60 11.2 Sampling dredged material............................................................................................................60 11.3 Methods...........................................................................................................................................