Papers by Vincent Pettigrove
Contaminant (PAHs, OCs, PCBs and trace metals) concentrations are declining in axial tissue of sand flathead (Platycephalus bassensis) collected from an urbanised catchment (Port Phillip Bay, Australia)
Marine pollution bulletin, Jan 17, 2016
Concentrations of PAHs, OCs, PCBs and trace metals were determined in the white muscle of sand fl... more Concentrations of PAHs, OCs, PCBs and trace metals were determined in the white muscle of sand flathead Platycephalus bassensis collected at 6 locations in Port Phillip Bay during 2015. No PAHs, OCs or PCBs were detected in the white muscle of sand flathead at any of the locations, however measurable levels of As, Cu, Hg, Se and Zn were detected at all sites. Only As and Hg exhibited regional difference in white muscle concentrations, with As present only in a non-toxic organic form and Hg measured at levels that are comparable to levels reported in reference sites in other studies. All contaminants detected in the white muscle of sand flathead collected in Port Phillip Bay in 2015 were below Australian Food Standards guideline values, and by world standards, the Port Phillip Bay sand flathead population is considered minimally contaminated. Furthermore, tissue contaminant concentrations appear to be decreasing over time.
No evidence of exposure to environmental estrogens in two feral fish species sampled from the Yarra River, Australia: A comparison with Northern Hemisphere studies
Ecotoxicology and environmental safety, 2016
Environmental estrogens originate from a variety of sources including sewage treatment plant (STP... more Environmental estrogens originate from a variety of sources including sewage treatment plant (STP) effluents and adverse physiological effects (endocrine disruption) have been observed in several fish species sampled downstream of STP discharges. In this study we examined common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and roach (Rutilis rutilis) for signs of exposure to environmental estrogens in the iconic Yarra River, Melbourne, Australia. The Yarra River flows through the city of Melbourne and more than 2 million people live within the catchment. Two STPs discharge water into the Yarra River within the middle reaches, and the areas immediately downstream of these discharge locations were the focus of this study. Carp and roach were chosen as test species since both have been utilised extensively for endocrine disruption research throughout Europe, North America and Asia, and data from various international studies was used for comparison with the results of the present study. Neither species show...
A Freshwater Fish Biomonitor for Edcs in Southern Victoria
Development of a passive sampler based on a polymer inclusion membrane for total ammonia monitoring in freshwaters
Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry, Jan 12, 2016
A passive sampler for determining the time-weighted average total ammonia (i.e. molecular ammonia... more A passive sampler for determining the time-weighted average total ammonia (i.e. molecular ammonia and the ammonium cation) concentration (C TWA) in freshwaters, which incorporated a polymer inclusion membrane (PIM) as a semi-permeable barrier separating the aqueous source solution from the receiving solution (i.e. 0.8 mol L(-1) HCl), was developed for the first time. The PIM was composed of dinonylnaphthalene sulfonic acid (DNNS) as a carrier, poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) as a base polymer and 1-tetradecanol as a modifier. Its optimal composition was found to be 35 wt% commercial DNNS, 55 wt% PVC and 10 wt% 1-tetradecanol. The effect of environmental variables such as the water matrix, pH and temperature were also studied using synthetic freshwaters. The passive sampler was calibrated under laboratory conditions using synthetic freshwaters and exhibited a linear response within the concentration range 0.59-2.8 mg L(-1) NH4 (+) (0.46-2.1 mg N L(-1)) at 20 °C. The performance of the sa...
Ann Entomol Soc Amer, 2005
There is growing debate about the role DNA methods can play in species identiÞcation and whether ... more There is growing debate about the role DNA methods can play in species identiÞcation and whether DNA-based methods can become the predominant means to describe species. DNA methods already have the potential to assist in traditional taxonomy and form the basis of routine species identiÞcation once species boundaries are clear. We show how DNA methods helped in separating three "species" of the midge, Cladopelma Kieffer. The "species" were initially identiÞed in surveys from Melbourne, Australia, by using cytochrome oxidase I (COI) polymerase chain reactionrestriction fragment-length polymorphism markers. The DNA markers and further sequence analysis of COI assisted in identifying unique morphological characters for the "new" species, and provided a way of linking different life stages. DNA tools should be used to routinely to assign species groups such as the Chironomidae, where in some genera there are morphological ambiguities and where life cycle stages cannot be easily connected.
New approaches to the ecological risk assessment of multiple stressors
Marine and Freshwater Research, 2016
Environmental Pollution, Dec 1, 2008
Sediment quality effects on freshwater macroinvertebrates are isolated.
Allinson et al Supplementary Material v1
Effects of the boscalid fungicide Filan® on the marine amphipod Allorchestes compressa at environmentally relevant concentrations
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 2015
Fungicides are widely used in agriculture to control fungal diseases. After application, fungicid... more Fungicides are widely used in agriculture to control fungal diseases. After application, fungicides can be transported offsite to surface and ground water and ultimately enter estuarine/marine environments. The presence of fungicides in the marine environment may pose risks to marine organisms but little is known about fungicide effects on these organisms, especially invertebrates. The present study investigated the effects of the commonly used boscalid fungicide Filan® on life history traits, feeding rate and energy reserves (lipid, glycogen, and protein content) of the marine amphipod Allorchestes compressa over six weeks under laboratory conditions. Amphipods were exposed to three concentrations of Filan® (1, 10, and 40 µg a.i./L) with five replicates per treatment. Lipid content and reproduction were the most sensitive measures of effect with lipid content reduced by 53.8% at the highest concentration. Survival, growth, and other energy reserves of amphipods were also negatively affected by Filan(®) and the effects were concentration dependent. Antennal deformities were incidentally observed on the amphipods at concentration of 40 µg a.i./L. The results of this study indicate comprehensive effects of boscalid fungicide Filan® on A. compressa at environmentally relevant concentrations. The decline or absence of A. compressa in marine ecosystems could impair the ecosystem function because of their important role in the trophic transfer and nutrient recycling. Our results suggest that even though the use of fungicides is often regarded as posing only a minor risk to aquatic organisms, the assessment of their long term effects is critical. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
DESCRIPTION This poster presentation discussed the limitations of the current assessment approach... more DESCRIPTION This poster presentation discussed the limitations of the current assessment approaches and how multiple stressors at large scales can be better evaluated in ecological risk assessments to inform the development of more efficient and preventive management policies based on adaptive management in the future. It is envisaged that the integration of new and emerging tools such as 'Big Data', ecological modelling with a future risk assessment paradigm will make this achievable.
Identifying, preventing and mitigating ecological traps to improve the management of urban aquatic ecosystems
Journal of Applied Ecology, 2015
ABSTRACT 1.Urbanization alters the environmental characteristics of aquatic ecosystems, often red... more ABSTRACT 1.Urbanization alters the environmental characteristics of aquatic ecosystems, often reducing the availability and quality of habitats for animals. Improving the condition of urban waterbodies is increasingly important but management activities could have unintended outcomes that increase the extinction risk for animals.2.A mismatch can exist between human perceptions of habitat quality, and what represents functional habitats for animals. This can lead to animals not responding to management activities, if presumed high quality habitats are unsuitable. More seriously, the fitness of animals could be compromised by management activities, especially if animals prefer threatening habitats resulting in an ecological trap.3.Ecological traps can drive populations to extinction and may arise directly from management activities. However there has been limited work on how to best manage traps despite their important implications for the conservation and management of animal populations.4.We illustrate how urban management activities could cause ecological traps, and potential ways that traps could be managed. We outline a decision framework to identify, prevent and mitigate ecological traps, and illustrate this framework using stormwater wetlands as a case study. Stormwater wetlands have many features of natural wetlands but accumulate pollutants as part of the stormwater treatment process and there is a high likelihood some are traps. If so, this will be an important environmental issue, given the rate at which these wetlands are being created around many cities.5.Synthesis and application. Ecological traps that arise as unintended outcomes of management activities could represent a serious but currently underappreciated environmental problem. Our study will help minimize the risk that management activities inadvertently decouple habitat selection cues from habitat quality, and mitigate the potential consequences for animals when this does occur. This is an important step to ensure that management activities achieve desired ecological outcomes and do not result in unintentional environmental degradation.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Monitoring trace metals in North and Central Victorian Waterways, Australia, using Artificial Mussel (AM) Technology (Research collaboration between GM Water, Australia, the University of Hong Kong, and Department of Primary Industries, Victoria, Australia.)
During 2009-10, a monitoring study was conducted across North and Central Victoria, Australia cov... more During 2009-10, a monitoring study was conducted across North and Central Victoria, Australia covering Goulburn Murray Water catchments (GMW), several streams on the peri-urban fringe of Melbourne managed by Melbourne Water (MW) and several ephemeral streams in the upper Loddon River catchment managed by North Central CMA (NCCMA) to assess the risks posed by micro pollutants such as trace metals. The study used innovative artificial mussel (AM) passive sampling technology called AM technology (or AM), and, as such, is a part of Global AM Watch program being run in eight countries including Australia, Canada, China, Iceland, Portugal, Scotland, South Africa, the USA. AMs deployed in waterways of three catchments (G-MW, MW and NCCMA) accumulated all or some of the targeted metals (cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and zinc (Zn). The order of accumulation of metals in AM was as follows: Zn>Cu>Pb>Cr>Cd>Hg Copper and zinc were detected at most sites withi...
Is catchment imperviousness a good indicator of ecosystem health?
Alliance For Global Sustainability Bookseries, 2007
Reducing the impervious area (IA) of a watershed is becoming a common practice to mitigate the ef... more Reducing the impervious area (IA) of a watershed is becoming a common practice to mitigate the effects of urban runoff on the health of aquatic ecosystems. Yet, it is often argued that this approach is rather inefficient and it is debatable whether percentage IA targets can be applied to all urban environments, as local factors (e.g., soils, geology, terrain, and
Aquatic Toxicology, 2015
Measuring biological responses in resident biota is a commonly used approach to monitoring pollut... more Measuring biological responses in resident biota is a commonly used approach to monitoring polluted habitats. The challenge is to choose sensitive and, ideally, stressor-specific endpoints that reflect the responses of the ecosystem. Metabolomics is a potentially useful approach for identifying sensitive and consistent responses since it provides a holistic view to understanding the effects of exposure to chemicals upon the physiological functioning of organisms. In this study, we exposed the aquatic non-biting midge, Chironomus tepperi, to two concentrations of zinc chloride and measured global changes in polar metabolite levels using an untargeted gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis and a targeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis of amine-containing metabolites. These data were correlated with changes in the expression of a number of target genes. Zinc exposure resulted in a reduction in levels of intermediates in carbohydrate metabolism (i.e., glucose 6-phosphate, fructose 6-phosphate and disaccharides) and an increase in a number of TCA cycle intermediates. Zinc exposure also resulted in decreases in concentrations of the amine containing metabolites, lanthionine, methionine and cystathionine, and an increase in metallothionein gene expression. Methionine and cystathionine are intermediates in the transsulfuration pathway which is involved in the conversion of methionine to cysteine. These responses provide an understanding of the pathways affected by zinc toxicity, and how these effects are different to other heavy metals such as cadmium and copper. The use of complementary metabolomics analytical approaches was particularly useful for understanding the effects of zinc exposure and importantly, identified a suite of candidate biomarkers of zinc exposure useful for the development of biomonitoring programs.
Use of Absorptive Media to Monitor Stormwater Contamination in Small Urban Drains
Alliance for Global Sustainability Bookseries, 2009
Urban streams are frequently contaminated with heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons [1]. Indus... more Urban streams are frequently contaminated with heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons [1]. Industrial catchments in Melbourne contribute disproportion-ately high concentrations of these pollutants to stormwater [2]. Major sources of stormwater pollution from industrial ...
How is ecosystem health defined and measured? A critical review of freshwater and estuarine studies
Ecological Indicators, 2016
Environmental science and pollution research international, 2014
Studies on endocrine disruption in Australia have mainly focused on wastewater effluents. Limited... more Studies on endocrine disruption in Australia have mainly focused on wastewater effluents. Limited knowledge exists regarding the relative contribution of different potential sources of endocrine active compounds (EACs) to the aquatic environment (e.g., pesticide run-off, animal farming operations, urban stormwater, industrial inputs). In this study, 73 river sites across mainland Australia were sampled quarterly for 1 year. Concentrations of 14 known EACs including natural and synthetic hormones and industrial compounds were quantified by chemical analysis. EACs were detected in 88 % of samples (250 of 285) with limits of quantification (LOQ) ranging from 0.05 to 20 ng/l. Bisphenol A (BPA; LOQ = 20 ng/l) was the most frequently detected EAC (66 %) and its predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) was exceeded 24 times. The most common hormone was estrone, detected in 28 % of samples (LOQ = 1 ng/l), and the PNEC was also exceeded 24 times. 17α-Ethinylestradiol (LOQ = 0.05 ng/l) was de...
Factors influencing occurrence of a freshwater turtle in an urban landscape: a resilient species?
Wildlife Research, 2014
ABSTRACT Context Species vary broadly in their ability to adapt to urbanisation. Freshwater turtl... more ABSTRACT Context Species vary broadly in their ability to adapt to urbanisation. Freshwater turtles are vulnerable to the loss and degradation of terrestrial and aquatic habitat in urban environments. There have been few publications investigating impacts of urbanisation on freshwater turtles in Australia. Aims We investigated the effects of urbanisation on the distribution and abundance of the eastern long-necked turtle (Chelodina longicollis) in greater Melbourne. Methods We examined occurrence and relative abundance of C. longicollis at 55 wetlands across an urban-rural gradient in relation to site- and landscape-level factors. Occupancy was modelled using the program PRESENCE, and incorporated landscape and habitat covariates. A negative binomial regression model was used to examine the influence of landscape and habitat factors on relative abundance by using WinBUGS. Key resultsC. longicollis occupied 85% of the 55 wetlands we surveyed, and we found no evidence that wetland occupancy was influenced by the variables we measured. However, relative abundance was highest at wetlands with low water conductivity and heavy metal pollution, and in wetlands furthest from rivers. ConclusionsC. longicollis appears to be resilient to urbanisation and is likely to persist in urban landscapes, possibly because of the creation of new wetlands in Australian cities. However, long-term studies focussed on demographic parameters, or survivorship, may elucidate as yet undetected effects of urbanisation. Although no specific management recommendations may be necessary for C. longicollis in urban areas at this time, this species may be in decline in non-urban areas as a result of climatic changes and wetland drying. Implications Our findings suggest that caution is required before drawing generalised conclusions on the impacts of urbanisation on turtles, as the effects are likely to be species-specific, dependent on specific ecology and life-history requirements. Further studies are required to ascertain these relationships for a wider array of species and over longer time spans.
Journal of Environment Quality, 2014
Trace organic contaminant (TrOC) studies in Australia have, to date, focused on wastewater efflue... more Trace organic contaminant (TrOC) studies in Australia have, to date, focused on wastewater effluents, leaving a knowledge gap of their occurrence and risk in freshwater environments. This study measured 42 TrOCs including industrial compounds, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals and personal care products by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry at 73 river sites across Australia quarterly for 1 yr. Trace organic contaminants were found in 92% of samples, with a median of three compounds detected per sample (maximum 18). The five most commonly detected TrOCs were the pharmaceuticals salicylic acid (82%, maximum = 1530 ng/L), paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen; 45%, maximum = 7150 ng/L), and carbamazepine (27%, maximum = 682 ng/L), caffeine (65%, maximum = 3770 ng/L), and the flame retardant tris(2chloroethyl) phosphate (44%, maximum = 184 ng/L). Pesticides were detected in 28% of the samples. To determine the risk posed by the detected TrOCs to the aquatic environment, hazard quotients were calculated by dividing the maximum concentration detected for each compound by the predicted noeffect concentrations. Three of the 42 compounds monitored (the pharmaceuticals carbamazepine and sulfamethoxazole and the herbicide simazine) had a hazard quotient >1, suggesting that they may be causing adverse effects at the most polluted sites. A further 10 compounds had hazard quotients >0.1, indicating a potential risk; these included four pharmaceuticals, three personal care products, and three pesticides. Most compounds had hazard quotients significantly <0.1. The number of TrOCs measured in this study was limited and further investigations are required to fully assess the risk posed by complex mixtures of TrOCs on exposed biota.
Uploads
Papers by Vincent Pettigrove