Lethal effects on different marine organisms, associated with sediment–seawater acidification deriving from CO2 leakage

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 19; no. 7; pp. 2550 - 2560
• Main Authors: Basallote, M. D, Rodríguez-Romero, A, Blasco, J, DelValls, A, Riba, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.08.2012; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: 15th International Symposium on Toxicity Assessment; Acidification; Animals; Aquariums; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biological Assay; Biological Availability; Bivalvia; Carbon cycle; Carbon dioxide; Carbon Dioxide - chemistry; Carbon sequestration; Chemical analysis; clams; Contaminated sediments; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; environmental impact; estuarine sediments; exposure pathways; fish larvae; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; Geological structures; Geology; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Laboratories; Larva - drug effects; Larvae; Lethal effects; Marine environment; Marine organisms; marine sediments; Metals - chemistry; Metals - pharmacokinetics; Metals - toxicity; Mollusks; Mortality; Ocean floor; Organisms; pH effects; Polychaeta - drug effects; Population studies; risk; Risk assessment; Ruditapes philippinarum; Sea Bream; Seawater; Seawater - chemistry; Sediments; Spain; Sparus aurata; Studies; Toxicity; Toxicity Tests; Waste Water Technology; Water analysis; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Water Pollutants, Chemical - pharmacokinetics; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Water Pollution Control; Spain; Carbon capture and storage (CCS); pH; Sediment; Toxicity test; Sediment elutriates; Seawater
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-012-0899-8

CO2 leakages during carbon capture and storage in sub-seabed geological structures could produce potential impacts on the marine environment. To study lethal effects on marine organisms attributable to CO2 seawater acidification, a bubbling CO2 system was designed enabling a battery of different tests to be conducted, under laboratory conditions, employing various pH treatments (8.0, 7.5, 7.0, 6.5, 6.0, and 5.5). Assays were performed of three exposure routes (seawater, whole sediment, and sediment elutriate). Individuals of the clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) and early-life stages of the gilthead seabream, Sparus aurata, were exposed for 10 days and 72 h, respectively, to acidified clean seawater. S. aurata larvae were also exposed to acidified elutriate samples, and polychaete organisms of the specie Hediste diversicolor and clams R. philippinarum were also exposed for 10 days to estuarine whole sediment. In the fish larvae elutriate test, 100 % mortality was recorded at pH 6.0, after 48 h of exposure. Similar results were obtained in the clam sediment exposure test. In the other organisms, significant mortality (p < 0.05) was observed at pH values lower than 6.0. Very high lethal effects (calculating L[H+]50, defined as the H+ concentration that causes lethal effects in 50 % of the population exposed) were detected in association with the lowest pH treatment for all the species. The implication of these results is that a severe decrease of seawater pH would cause high mortality in marine organisms of several different kinds and life stages. The study addresses the potential risks incurred due to CO2 leakages in marine environments.