Bottom sediments of the central and eastern parts of the Barents Sea: Ecotoxicological studies

Abstract

Bioassay is used to study bottom sediment ecotoxicity in the central and eastern parts of the Barents Sea. The effect of sediment elutriates on the growth of microalgae Phaedactylum tricornutum Bohlin and survival of brine shrimp Artemia salina L. larvae has been studied. As shown by scientific evidence, low and moderately toxic bottom sediments are present in the Eastern Basin, West Novaya Zemlya and South Novaya Zemlya troughs along with non-toxic bottom sediments, which may be indicative of accumulation of pollutants in these areas of the Barents Sea. Toxic bottom sediments have not been found in the sea areas adjacent to them. Reduced survival rate in sediment elutriates of low and moderate toxicity has been shown predominantly by A. salina larvae. Only one sediment elutriate from the South Novaya Zemlya trough has had a slight toxic effect on Ph. tricornutum. The amount of fine-grained fraction (> 0.063 mm) in bottom sediments classified as low and moderately toxic is 24.8–66.8 % and do not differ from its amount found in bottom sediments classified as non-toxic – 27.8–76.9 %. The findings obtained are consistent with published chemical analysis data according to which the Eastern Basin, West Novaya Zemlya and South Novaya Zemlya troughs are included in the Barents Sea areas having highest amounts of a number of pollutants in bottom sediments.

Keywords

• bioassay
• toxicity
• marine sediments
• barents sea
• phaeodactylum tricornutum
• artemia salina
• биотестирование
• токсичность
• донные отложения
• баренцево море