BIOLOGICAL AND ECOTOXICOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF CONTAMINATED SEDIMENTS AND SOIL LEACHATE FROM BOAT MAINTENANCE AREAS

Sammanfattning

Tributyltin (TBT) and other contaminants originating from antifouling paints remain an environmental concern in marine ecosystems despite decades of regulatory restrictions. Contaminated boat maintenance areas have been identified as important sources of sediment contamination, where pollutants persist and continue affecting aquatic organisms and ecosystems. While previous research has focused primarily on contaminant occurrence, transport and remediation strategies, less attention has been directed toward biological and ecotoxicological effects associated with these environments. The aim of this study was to investigate biological and ecotoxicological effects associated with contaminated sediments in a marina and leachates originating from soil from boat maintenance areas. Reproductive and behavioural responses in Nassarius nitidus (netted dog whelk) were examined in relation to contaminated sediment from Björlanda Kile, while acute toxicity was measured through immobilization of Daphnia magna testing untreated leachate. Behavioural observations indicated delayed emergence in snails exposed to contaminated sediment compared to reference sediment. Reproductive observations suggested differences in egg capsule quantity and morphology between treatments, where contaminated sediments were associated with reduced transparency and structural abnormalities in egg capsules compared to sediment from an unpolluted reference site. Acute toxicity tests demonstrated increased immobilization in Daphnia magna exposed to untreated leachates, indicating the presence of biologically accessible contaminants. The findings shed light on the continued ecological relevance of contaminants associated with boat maintenance areas to emphasize the importance of including behavioural and reproductive endpoints in ecotoxicological assessments. The study contributes a biological perspective to the ongoing MAST-project investigating contaminant transport and remediation strategies in contaminated boat maintenance areas.