NOAA Science Seminar Series
Title: Protecting “Pristine” Places from Pollution: Applying New Water Quality Assessment Techniques in the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa
Presenter: Dave Whitall, NOAA/NOS NCCOS, Stressor Detection and Impacts Division, Monitoring and Assessment Branch
Sponsor: NOAA’s National Ocean Service (NOS) Science Seminar Series
Seminar Contact: david.moe.nelson@noaa.gov , co-coordinator NOAA NOS Science Seminar Series
Remote Access: Register at: https://noaabroadcast.adobeconnect.com/whitall_sep15_2022_protecting_american_samoa/event/registration.html
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Abstract: Resource managers have significant concerns about the potential inputs of contaminants from an unlined, solid waste landfill into Fagatele Bay, an embayment within the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa. NCCOS researchers, in collaboration with the Sanctuary, NOAA Coral Program staff and academic partners used a variety of methods to assess the water quality status of the Bay, including new in situ sampling technology. This study assessed concentration of pollutants (e.g. PCBs, PAHs, personal care products, pesticides, metals, nutrients) in the system as well as their potential impacts (toxicity and mutagenicity). Methods utilized included: active in situ water samplers for organic chemistry analysis, metals analysis of sediment samples, bacterial (Colitag) and nutrient analyses of bottom water discrete samples, sea urchin embryo development toxicity assays using SPE-concentrated site water, application of the Salmonella typhimurium reverse mutation assay (Ames test) for mutagenic activity of SPE-concentrated site water, and analysis of foraminifera populations as an indicator of stress. Although a variety of pollutants were detected in the Bay, they were all at relatively low concentrations that are unlikely to cause adverse ecosystem effects. Overall, these methods suggest that while some pollutants are reaching the Bay, the water quality of the system is relatively good. Resource managers can use these data as a baseline to ensure that water quality does not degrade over time, and to be aware of specific pollutant groups (e.g. pharmaceuticals) that might be of emerging concern.
Bio: Dr. Dave Whitall is a Coastal Ecologist with the Monitoring and Assessment Branch, of the Stress Detection and Impacts Division in the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. Dave received a BS in environmental science from Penn State University and his PhD in environmental chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He joined NCCOS in 2003 and has published on a variety of environmental pollution topics, ranging from eutrophication to hypoxia to toxic pollution, in ecosystems ranging from polar lakes to temperate estuaries to coral reefs, including work in all seven U.S. coral reef jurisdictions.
Slides / Recordings / Other Materials:
The webinar was recorded, and can be viewed by following this link, then click "Play Recording": https://noaabroadcast.adobeconnect.com/p577knhxjfga/ .
A pdf of the slides is available upon request.
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{Dave Whitall, NOAA/NOS NCCOS, Stressor Detection and Impacts Division, Monitoring and Assessment Branch}