Quantification of in situ nutrient and heavy metal remediation by a small pearl oyster ( Pinctada imbricata) farm at Port Stephens, Australia

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 50; no. 4; pp. 417 - 422
• Main Authors: Gifford, S., Dunstan, H., O’Connor, W., Macfarlane, G.R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Aquaculture; Biodegradation of pollutants; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and medical sciences; Bioremediation; Biotechnology; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environment and pollution; Eutrophication; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Marine; Marine and brackish environment; Metal; Metals, Heavy - metabolism; Metals, Heavy - pharmacokinetics; New South Wales; Nitrogen - metabolism; Nitrogen - pharmacokinetics; Nutrient cycling; Ostreidae - metabolism; Phosphorus - metabolism; Phosphorus - pharmacokinetics; Pinctada; Pinctada imbricata; Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism; Water Pollutants, Chemical - pharmacokinetics; Australia; Oceania; New South Wales; Australia, New South Wales; PSE, Australia, New South Wales, Port Stephens; Australia, New South Wales, Port Stephens; Pinctada; Nutrient cycling; Metal; Bioremediation; Eutrophication; Aquaculture; In situ; Pearl oyster; Heavy metal; Marine environment; Nutrient; Water pollution; Ecological recovery
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2004.11.024

The use of pearl oysters has recently been proposed as an environmental remediation tool in coastal ecosystems. This study quantified the nitrogen, phosphorus and heavy metal content of the tissue and shell of pearl oysters harvested from a small pearl oyster farm at Port Stephens, Australia. Each tonne of pearl oyster material harvested resulted in approximately 703 g metals, 7452 g nitrogen, and 545 g phosphorus being removed from the waters of Port Stephens. Increasing current farm production of 9.8 t yr −1 to 499 t yr −1 would balance current nitrogen loads entering Port Stephens from a small Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) located on its southern shores. Furthermore, manipulation of harvest dates to coincide with oyster condition would likely remove substantially greater quantities of nutrients. This study demonstrates that pearl aquaculture may be used to assist in the removal of pollutants from coastal waters while producing a commercially profitable commodity.