The burrowing ophiuroid Amphiura filiformis (OF Müller) is a dominant member of a silty sand comm... more The burrowing ophiuroid Amphiura filiformis (OF Müller) is a dominant member of a silty sand community in Galway Bay on the west coast of Ireland (53° 13'16? N; 9° 6'30? W). High-density populations in the area (greater than 700 m-2) generally occur in sediment having a silt/clay content of 10 to 20%. On the basis of such numerical prominence, the species has been under investigation at a fixed monitoring station since 1974. Throughout the study period, adult individuals consistently accounted for ca. 95% of the population; annual ...
The Boreo-Mediterranean amphiurid Amphiura filiformis (O. F. Müller) occurs in high densities wit... more The Boreo-Mediterranean amphiurid Amphiura filiformis (O. F. Müller) occurs in high densities within Galway Bay. This burrowing species consistently shows signs of recent regeneration (of both arms and disc “cap”) at the above locality. Specimens were collected by SCUBA in March, April and May 1980, May 1981, and April 1982. Biomass assays have revealed that individuals with up to 50%
With the implementation of the new EU environmental framework directives, high tier risk assessme... more With the implementation of the new EU environmental framework directives, high tier risk assessments of chemicals will be increasingly needed. For high production chemicals, additional tests will complement the standard battery for aquatic toxicity assessments (daphnids, algae, and fish). In the context of a new chemical notification at the European Union level, we have developed a seed germination and root elongation toxicity test with the freshwater aquatic plant Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (water cress) to confirm the low environmental risk of the chelant [S,S]-EDDS. A 14 day semi-static growth inhibition test was conducted with daily renewal of the test solution. No concentration related inhibition was found on the basis of any of the criteria investigated, i.e., time and extent of germination, biomass, number of leaves, stalk and root lengths. The no-observed effect concentration was considered to be >or=387 mg SS-EDDS/l. Although germination was selected as an appropriate endpoint to assess the effect of a chelant on an aquatic plant (other endpoints would have been dependant on essential metals that are chelated in standard culture tests), the absence of dose related effects requires further tests with higher exposure concentrations and/or other toxicant(s) to assess the validity of the test as a general tool for aquatic risk assessment.
... Sylvia Gimeno a , * , Hans Komen b , Anton GM Gerritsen a and Tim Bowmer a. ... of the method... more ... Sylvia Gimeno a , * , Hans Komen b , Anton GM Gerritsen a and Tim Bowmer a. ... of the methods), which include the proliferation of human breast cancer cells, the synthesis of vitellogenin by male trout hepatocytes, the production of galactose by recombinant yeast (Soto et al ...
1 Strategies for selecting biodegradation simulation tests and their interpretation in persistenc... more 1 Strategies for selecting biodegradation simulation tests and their interpretation in persistence evaluation and risk assessment
... Permissions & Reprints. Demasculinisation of sexually mature male common carp... more ... Permissions & Reprints. Demasculinisation of sexually mature male common carp, Cyprinus carpio, exposed to 4-tert-pentylphenol during spermatogenesis. Sylvia Gimeno a , * , Hans Komen b , Susan Jobling c , John Sumpter c and Tim Bowmer a. ...
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Oct 1, 1999
ABSTRACT The presence of tributyltin (TBT) in silty sediments is regarded as a long—term threat t... more ABSTRACT The presence of tributyltin (TBT) in silty sediments is regarded as a long—term threat to marine and estuarine environments due to its persistence. The bioaccumulation kinetics and toxicity of TBT in the deposit—feeding heart urchin Echinocardium cordatum was studied in silty sediment spiked with TBT and equilibrated prior to the 28-d exposure. An additional 10-d acute toxicity test was carried out with the burrowing amphipod Corophium volutator in the same sediment. Because E. cordatum has a low lipid content and apparently high elimination and metabolic rates, only a moderate degree of TBT bioaccumulation was observed, with biota—sediment accumulation factors (BASFs) of 0.09 to 0.21 (dry weight basis) and biota accumulation factors (BAFs) of 180 to 843 (wet weight basis). The lethal body residue in E. cordatum (soft tissue and skeleton) was 0.8 to 3.4 nmol TBT+/g wet weight which, considering the differences in lipid content, is comparable to data on other taxonomic groups. For E. cordatum and C. volutator, the LC50s for pore water (222 and 329 ng Sn/L) were also close to reported values for aquatic and benthic organisms. The TBT concentrations in the pore water of the silty sediment were much lower than might be expected from the octanol—water partition coefficient. The measured sediment—water partitioning coefficient Kp was 8,700 L/kg dry weight. Consequently, toxicity was observed at a relatively high TBT concentration in the bulk sediment with LC50s for E. cordatum and C. volutator of 1,594 and 2,185 ng Sn/g dry weight, respectively. The results show that TBT is highly toxic to the benthic species investigated and sorption in the silty sediment strongly reduced the bioavailability of the compound.
In order to investigate the accumulation of metals and related biological effects from Pulverized... more In order to investigate the accumulation of metals and related biological effects from Pulverized Fuel Ash (PFA), three intertidal benthic invertebrates were used in exposure studies with different mixtures of PFA sediments. After the first run of 90 days, high mortality was found in the lugworm Arenicola marina. After intermittent exposure to PFA, high mortality was also found for the cockle Cerastoderma edule. No mortality occurred with the baltic tellin Macoma balthica. Metal accumulation differed widely among the species. A. marina accumulated As to high levels in PFA mixtures, which may be attributed to changes in the redox potential of the sediment. It also appeared from this study that Zn levels in M. balthica tissue, for both control and exposed animals, are apparently normal but extremely high. Disposal of PFA in marine coastal waters will radically affect community structure at the dumping site. Accumulation of certain elements like As will be favoured in the mixing zone at the borders of a dump site due to a higher organic content and consequent higher bioavailability.
A workshop was held at UNESCO-IOC in Paris from the 28th to the 30th of June 2010 as part of GESA... more A workshop was held at UNESCO-IOC in Paris from the 28th to the 30th of June 2010 as part of GESAMP’s remit to advise its sponsoring agencies (IMO, FAO, UNESCO-IOC, UNIDO, WMO, IAEA, UN, UNEP, and UNDP) on ‘new and emerging issues’ in relation to the state of the marine environment. The invited participants represented the scientific community, the plastics industry, policy makers and environmental NGOs, as well as regional bodies and developing as well as developed countries. The aim was to create a forum where key stakeholders could discuss the broader issues and inform GESAMP on the topic. There are two principle sources of micro-plastic particles: i) plastic resin pellets either used in the plastics manufacturing process or purposefully fabricated as abrasives for shot blasting or in cosmetic facial scrubs; and ii) plastic fragments arising from the structural deterioration and disintegration of plastic objects, mainly litter, which can include packaging, articles of clothing, h...
Guideline for the hazard assessment of bulk liquids carried in tank ships. GESAMP is an advisory ... more Guideline for the hazard assessment of bulk liquids carried in tank ships. GESAMP is an advisory body consisting of spezialized experts nominated by the sponsoring agencies. Its principal task is to provide scientific advice concerning the prevention, reduction and control of the degradation of the marine environment to the sponsoring agencies.
Data on acute lethal inhalation toxicity from animal studies are commonly required for assessing ... more Data on acute lethal inhalation toxicity from animal studies are commonly required for assessing the hazards to human health of volatile, gaseous and dusty chemicals or their mixtures. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) made the provision of acute inhalation toxicity data a mandatory requirement for the carriage of bulk liquid chemicals transported by sea in tank ships, thereby creating the need for inhalation data on many hundreds of chemicals in bulk maritime transport. Taking note of previously published proposals for estimating acute inhalation toxicity hazards for chemicals, and the paucity of measured experimental data, an extrapolation method has been developed by the Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP) to partly fulfil this need. This method should be seen as a pragmatic approach to the challenge of missing measured experimental test data, with the added benefit of reducing tests in experimental animals. The metho...
The burrowing ophiuroid Amphiura filiformis (OF Müller) is a dominant member of a silty sand comm... more The burrowing ophiuroid Amphiura filiformis (OF Müller) is a dominant member of a silty sand community in Galway Bay on the west coast of Ireland (53° 13'16? N; 9° 6'30? W). High-density populations in the area (greater than 700 m-2) generally occur in sediment having a silt/clay content of 10 to 20%. On the basis of such numerical prominence, the species has been under investigation at a fixed monitoring station since 1974. Throughout the study period, adult individuals consistently accounted for ca. 95% of the population; annual ...
The Boreo-Mediterranean amphiurid Amphiura filiformis (O. F. Müller) occurs in high densities wit... more The Boreo-Mediterranean amphiurid Amphiura filiformis (O. F. Müller) occurs in high densities within Galway Bay. This burrowing species consistently shows signs of recent regeneration (of both arms and disc “cap”) at the above locality. Specimens were collected by SCUBA in March, April and May 1980, May 1981, and April 1982. Biomass assays have revealed that individuals with up to 50%
With the implementation of the new EU environmental framework directives, high tier risk assessme... more With the implementation of the new EU environmental framework directives, high tier risk assessments of chemicals will be increasingly needed. For high production chemicals, additional tests will complement the standard battery for aquatic toxicity assessments (daphnids, algae, and fish). In the context of a new chemical notification at the European Union level, we have developed a seed germination and root elongation toxicity test with the freshwater aquatic plant Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (water cress) to confirm the low environmental risk of the chelant [S,S]-EDDS. A 14 day semi-static growth inhibition test was conducted with daily renewal of the test solution. No concentration related inhibition was found on the basis of any of the criteria investigated, i.e., time and extent of germination, biomass, number of leaves, stalk and root lengths. The no-observed effect concentration was considered to be >or=387 mg SS-EDDS/l. Although germination was selected as an appropriate endpoint to assess the effect of a chelant on an aquatic plant (other endpoints would have been dependant on essential metals that are chelated in standard culture tests), the absence of dose related effects requires further tests with higher exposure concentrations and/or other toxicant(s) to assess the validity of the test as a general tool for aquatic risk assessment.
... Sylvia Gimeno a , * , Hans Komen b , Anton GM Gerritsen a and Tim Bowmer a. ... of the method... more ... Sylvia Gimeno a , * , Hans Komen b , Anton GM Gerritsen a and Tim Bowmer a. ... of the methods), which include the proliferation of human breast cancer cells, the synthesis of vitellogenin by male trout hepatocytes, the production of galactose by recombinant yeast (Soto et al ...
1 Strategies for selecting biodegradation simulation tests and their interpretation in persistenc... more 1 Strategies for selecting biodegradation simulation tests and their interpretation in persistence evaluation and risk assessment
... Permissions & Reprints. Demasculinisation of sexually mature male common carp... more ... Permissions & Reprints. Demasculinisation of sexually mature male common carp, Cyprinus carpio, exposed to 4-tert-pentylphenol during spermatogenesis. Sylvia Gimeno a , * , Hans Komen b , Susan Jobling c , John Sumpter c and Tim Bowmer a. ...
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Oct 1, 1999
ABSTRACT The presence of tributyltin (TBT) in silty sediments is regarded as a long—term threat t... more ABSTRACT The presence of tributyltin (TBT) in silty sediments is regarded as a long—term threat to marine and estuarine environments due to its persistence. The bioaccumulation kinetics and toxicity of TBT in the deposit—feeding heart urchin Echinocardium cordatum was studied in silty sediment spiked with TBT and equilibrated prior to the 28-d exposure. An additional 10-d acute toxicity test was carried out with the burrowing amphipod Corophium volutator in the same sediment. Because E. cordatum has a low lipid content and apparently high elimination and metabolic rates, only a moderate degree of TBT bioaccumulation was observed, with biota—sediment accumulation factors (BASFs) of 0.09 to 0.21 (dry weight basis) and biota accumulation factors (BAFs) of 180 to 843 (wet weight basis). The lethal body residue in E. cordatum (soft tissue and skeleton) was 0.8 to 3.4 nmol TBT+/g wet weight which, considering the differences in lipid content, is comparable to data on other taxonomic groups. For E. cordatum and C. volutator, the LC50s for pore water (222 and 329 ng Sn/L) were also close to reported values for aquatic and benthic organisms. The TBT concentrations in the pore water of the silty sediment were much lower than might be expected from the octanol—water partition coefficient. The measured sediment—water partitioning coefficient Kp was 8,700 L/kg dry weight. Consequently, toxicity was observed at a relatively high TBT concentration in the bulk sediment with LC50s for E. cordatum and C. volutator of 1,594 and 2,185 ng Sn/g dry weight, respectively. The results show that TBT is highly toxic to the benthic species investigated and sorption in the silty sediment strongly reduced the bioavailability of the compound.
In order to investigate the accumulation of metals and related biological effects from Pulverized... more In order to investigate the accumulation of metals and related biological effects from Pulverized Fuel Ash (PFA), three intertidal benthic invertebrates were used in exposure studies with different mixtures of PFA sediments. After the first run of 90 days, high mortality was found in the lugworm Arenicola marina. After intermittent exposure to PFA, high mortality was also found for the cockle Cerastoderma edule. No mortality occurred with the baltic tellin Macoma balthica. Metal accumulation differed widely among the species. A. marina accumulated As to high levels in PFA mixtures, which may be attributed to changes in the redox potential of the sediment. It also appeared from this study that Zn levels in M. balthica tissue, for both control and exposed animals, are apparently normal but extremely high. Disposal of PFA in marine coastal waters will radically affect community structure at the dumping site. Accumulation of certain elements like As will be favoured in the mixing zone at the borders of a dump site due to a higher organic content and consequent higher bioavailability.
A workshop was held at UNESCO-IOC in Paris from the 28th to the 30th of June 2010 as part of GESA... more A workshop was held at UNESCO-IOC in Paris from the 28th to the 30th of June 2010 as part of GESAMP’s remit to advise its sponsoring agencies (IMO, FAO, UNESCO-IOC, UNIDO, WMO, IAEA, UN, UNEP, and UNDP) on ‘new and emerging issues’ in relation to the state of the marine environment. The invited participants represented the scientific community, the plastics industry, policy makers and environmental NGOs, as well as regional bodies and developing as well as developed countries. The aim was to create a forum where key stakeholders could discuss the broader issues and inform GESAMP on the topic. There are two principle sources of micro-plastic particles: i) plastic resin pellets either used in the plastics manufacturing process or purposefully fabricated as abrasives for shot blasting or in cosmetic facial scrubs; and ii) plastic fragments arising from the structural deterioration and disintegration of plastic objects, mainly litter, which can include packaging, articles of clothing, h...
Guideline for the hazard assessment of bulk liquids carried in tank ships. GESAMP is an advisory ... more Guideline for the hazard assessment of bulk liquids carried in tank ships. GESAMP is an advisory body consisting of spezialized experts nominated by the sponsoring agencies. Its principal task is to provide scientific advice concerning the prevention, reduction and control of the degradation of the marine environment to the sponsoring agencies.
Data on acute lethal inhalation toxicity from animal studies are commonly required for assessing ... more Data on acute lethal inhalation toxicity from animal studies are commonly required for assessing the hazards to human health of volatile, gaseous and dusty chemicals or their mixtures. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) made the provision of acute inhalation toxicity data a mandatory requirement for the carriage of bulk liquid chemicals transported by sea in tank ships, thereby creating the need for inhalation data on many hundreds of chemicals in bulk maritime transport. Taking note of previously published proposals for estimating acute inhalation toxicity hazards for chemicals, and the paucity of measured experimental data, an extrapolation method has been developed by the Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP) to partly fulfil this need. This method should be seen as a pragmatic approach to the challenge of missing measured experimental test data, with the added benefit of reducing tests in experimental animals. The metho...
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