Neptunea

Abstract: Imposex development in female whelks (Prosobranchia: Neogastropoda) has been sug- gested as a bioindicator of tributyltin (TBT) pollution in the marine environment. The occurrence of imposex in the common whelk Buccinum undatum and the red whelk Neptunea antiqua in sublittoral areas of Danish waters was related to organotin levels. In contrast, imposex was absent in reference material of N. antiqua collected in the area before 1938. The concentrations of TBT in whole body tissue of B. undatum ranged from <0.2 to 3.1 ng Sn g -1 and total butyltin (∑ BT = TBT + DBT + MBT) ranged from 1.2 to 32.9 ng Sn g -1 wet weight. The intensity (i.e. frequency and severity) of imposex was generally higher in N. antiqua than in B. undatum. At 14 stations in the Kattegat and Skagerrak, imposex was present in 9 to 89% of B. undatum and 67 to 100% of N. antiqua. N. antiqua seems to be more sensitive to TBT and would thus be the better bioindicator.

Abstract: As part of the Chukchi Sea Offshore Monitoring in Drilling Area-Chemical and Benthos (COMIDA CAB) project, we determined the distribution and concentrations of aliphatic n-alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments (0–1 cm) among 52 sites across the Chukchi Sea and in muscle tissues of the benthic Northern whelk, Neptunea heros, collected opportunistically. In addition, downcore profiles of contaminants were determined at three targeted sites to establish historic patterns. Baseline responses of PAH exposure and its potential toxicological effects were examined in the common Arctic cod, Boreogadus saida, through measures of cytochrome P4501A/ ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (CYP1A/EROD), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in liver tissue. The total concentration of PAHs in surface sediments throughout the study area, including parent and alkyl-homologs, were very low (