Project 10:

Assessment of Biological Responses to Organic and Metal Contaminants in New Bedford Harbor: Methods for Monitoring Ecological Health

Project leader: Timothy Ford
Project co-leader: James Shine

Background:

The ecological health of the coastal environment has the ability to affect human health. Humans can be exposed to contaminants in the coastal environment through their food or through their work or recreational interactions with the coastal environment. Many coastal contaminants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metals are believed to accumulate in larger organisms as they “move” up the food chain.

Specific aim:

Researchers will examine the effects of environmental contaminants on the organisms living at the bottom of water bodies. Both microbial and macrobiotic organisms will be exposed to contaminants and then tested to determine:

• The extent that these contaminants accumulate in each organism
• The physiological and biochemical responses, including the responses of their endocrine or hormone systems, that these organisms have to the contaminants.

In addition, this project will develop microbial molecular biomarkers for contaminant exposure.

Methods:

The research is being done on aquatic environments in New Bedford Harbor (New Bedford, MA, a U.S. EPA Superfund site)

 

and Clark Fork River (west-central Montana, a U.S. EPA Superfund site).

Clark Fork River, Montana

 

This project includes three studies:

• In the first study researchers will examine the PCBs, PAHs and metals that are taken in by sediments, bottom-dwelling invertebrates and fish. They will take measurements to understand the rate at which the organisms take up these contaminants, as well as the pathways through which the contaminants accumulate.

• In the second study researchers will examine the biological effects of the contaminants on invertebrates and fish.

• In the third study of the project researchers will expand on previous research to find microbial molecular traits that can be used for monitoring contaminant exposure.

Results:

• For organic contaminants, the detection of biphenyl degrading genes may reflect the presence of low cogener number PCBs, which are more likely to be bioavailable than high cogener number PCBs that only degrade anaerobically.

Recent publications:

• Bouskill, N., J.A. Jay, S. Broadaway, E. Pulcini, R. Handy, T. Galloway and T. Ford. 2004. An investigation of the prevalence of cellular stress genes within sediments of the Clark Fork River system. 104th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. Poster # Q025.

• Bouskill, N., T. Galloway, R. Handy and T. Ford. 2004. The development and application of microbial molecular biomarkers of ecosystem health. In Applying Molecular Technology Methods to Characterize and Reduce Risks to Humans and the Ecosystrem. SBRP Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA. Poster #6.

• Coward, K., E. Pulcini, S. Broadaway, P. Promasith, and T.E. Ford. 2004. Presence of bph genes in PCB contaminated New Bedford Harbor sediments. 104th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. Poster # Q105.

• Egorov, A.I., F. Frost, T. Muller, E. Naumova, A. Tereschenko, and T.E. Ford. 2004. Serological evidence of Cryptosporidium infections in a Russian city and evaluation of risk factors for infection. Ann. Epidemiol. 14:29-136.

• Ford, T.E. 2004. Future needs and priorities for Drinking Water and Health. Article 2.20.1.8 In Water Science and Resources, UNESCO-EOLSS Encyclopedia.

• Ford, T.E. 2004. Future needs and priorities. In Cloete, T.E., J. Rose, L.H. Nel, and T.E. Ford (Eds) Microbial Waterborne Pathogens, IWA publishing, London, pp 187-204.

• Ford, T.E., J. Jay, A. Patel, M. Kile, P. Promasith, T. Galloway, R. Sanger, K. Smith, and M. Depledge. 2003. Microbial biomarkers of contaminant stress: Their future as monitoring tools. Environ. Health Perspect. In press.

• Karmacharya, A., E. Pulcini, S. Broadawat, B. Pyle, P. Promasith, and T.E. Ford. Mycobacterium spp. in a hot water by-pass system. 2004. 104th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. Poster #Q054.

• Lachmayr, K.L., and T.E. Ford. 2004. Quantifying the load of antibiotics on the environment. 104th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. Poster # Q401.

• Promasith, P, H. Chenrachsith, S. Arsa, S. Phongern, T. Netpae, S. Khumklai, A. Patel, M. Rothermich, and T.E. Ford. 2004. Possible Routes of Exposure to Mycobacterium avium Complex (MAC) in Drinking Water. 104th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. Poster #Y035.

• Riederer, A.M., J.P. Shine, L.M. Danan, and T.E. Ford. Concentrations of lead and mercury in multimedia samples from homes near the former Clark Air Base, Philippines. Sci. Tot. Environ. In press.