skip to main content


Title: Understanding the dynamic response of Durafet-based sensors: A case study from the Murderkill Estuary-Delaware Bay system (Delaware, USA)
Award ID(s):
1757353
PAR ID:
10421121
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
Volume:
283
Issue:
C
ISSN:
0272-7714
Page Range / eLocation ID:
108247
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. The 17th-century colonization of North America brought thousands of Europeans to Indigenous lands in the Delaware region, which comprises the eastern boundary of the Chesapeake Bay in what is now the Mid- Atlantic region of the United States.1 The demographic features of these initial colonial migrations are not uni- formly characterized, with Europeans and European-Americans migrating to the Delaware area from other countries and neighboring colonies as single persons or in family units of free persons, indentured servants, or tenant farmers.2 European colonizers also instituted a system of racialized slavery through which they forcibly transported thousands of Africans to the Chesapeake region. Historical information about African- descended individuals in the Delaware region is limited, with a population estimate of less than 500 persons by 1700 CE.3,4 To shed light on the population histories of this period, we analyzed low-coverage genomes of 11 individuals from the Avery’s Rest archaeological site (circa 1675–1725 CE), located in Delaware. Previous osteological and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence analyses showed a southern group of eight individ- uals of European maternal descent, buried 15–20 feet from a northern group of three individuals of African maternal descent.5 Autosomal results further illuminate genomic similarities to Northwestern European refer- ence populations or West and West-Central African reference populations, respectively. We also identify three generations of maternal kin of European ancestry and a paternal parent-offspring relationship between an adult and child of African ancestry. These findings expand our understanding of the origins and familial relationships in late 17th and early 18th century North America. 
    more » « less
  2. Water quality analysis of Philadelphia County surface waters have indicated that storm events alter the concentrations of pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), antibiotics, heavy metals, and other pollutants, which could impact aquatic organisms' diversity as well as human health. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the microbial communities in these environments and their responses to these pollutants. To address this knowledge gap, culturing and analysis of genomes isolated from surface water samples was carried out at two different time points: one under average conditions (SW1) and another three days after a storm event (SW2). Colorimetric water quality assays were also employed to assess the levels of common pollutants in waterways and observe alterations in the relative concentrations of various chemicals in the Schuylkill River after storm events. Gram staining, and culture analysis of isolated colonies from surface waters in Philadelphia County waterways was performed to understand microbial diversity and the principles of bacterial identification. Genomic DNA was extracted from bacteria concentrated via filtration. PCR amplification of the 16s rRNA gene was performed in preparation for genomic sequencing. Genomic sequencing of samples from various waterways was performed and analyzed using bioinformatics software to identify microorganisms and classify taxa. The results demonstrate that storm events influence the diversity of microorganisms in the Delaware River Watershed. Further analysis of pollutant levels and the metagenomic data will be needed to further elucidate the correlation between specific pollutants and potential pathogens as well as the influence of said pollutants on microbial diversity. 
    more » « less
  3. Due to the prevalence of plastic pollution in coastal ecosystems, aquatic organisms are at high risk for accumulating microplastics (MPs). Filter-feeding bivalves, such as mussels and oysters, may be exposed to, and subsequently accumulate, MPs due to the high volume of water they pass through their bodies. This study assessed the levels of MPs within Atlantic ribbed mussels (Geukensia demissa), a common filter feeder found along the United States Atlantic Coast, from 12 sites within Rehoboth Bay, Indian River Bay, and Little Assawoman Bay, collectively known as the Delaware Inland Bays. Composited mussels from each site were digested using potassium hydroxide and filtered. Microplastics were physically identified, sorted based on color, and counted using a digital microscope. Microplastics, almost entirely dominated by synthetic microfibers, were found in all mussels well above laboratory blanks. Across all sites, 40% of microfibers were black, and 27% of fibers were clear. The composite concentrations of MPs ranged from 0.25 to 2.06 particles/g wet tissue, with a mean of 0.08 ± 0.06. In general, higher concentrations were found in mussels collected at sites that were adjacent to more urbanized land use versus those from rural sites. At two sites, individual mussels, in addition to composites, were analyzed and had MP concentrations ranging from 11 to 69 particles/mussel. This study represents the first evaluation of MPs in this ecologically important coastal species and suggests its viability as a biomonitoring species for microplastic pollution.

     
    more » « less