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Changes in the Marine Environment of Port Kembla Harbour, NSW, Australia, 1975–1995: A Review
PII: S0025-326X(00)00142-9
Marine Pollution Bulletin Vol. 42, No. 3, pp. 193±201, 2001 Ó 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved Printed in Great Britain 0025-326X/01 $ - see front matter
Changes in the Marine Environment of Port Kembla Harbour, NSW, Australia, 1975±1995: A Review ZHIJIA HE and R. J. MORRISON* Environment Research Institute, University of Wollongong, North®elds Avenue, NSW 2522, Australia Data on water quality, sediment quality and aquatic organisms in Port Kembla Harbour from the 1970s to the 1990s are reviewed. In the 1970s, the marine environment of Port Kembla Harbour was in poor condition as a result of pollution from heavy industries. Elevated concentrations of pollutants were found in water, sediment and ®sh in the harbour; aquatic biodiversity was limited and many ®sh kills were reported. With the implementation of pollution reduction programs (required by legislation changes) by the industries surrounding the harbour since the 1970s, pollution in the harbour has been reduced dramatically, and the quality of the marine environment of the harbour has noticeably improved. Large reductions in the concentrations of certain toxic wastes and heavy metals in water have occurred. Marine life has returned to the whole harbour (parts were described in 1977 as abiotic). Contaminants in ®sh have decreased. Despite this achievement, however, there is still considerable room for improvement in the quality of the marine environment of the harbour. Ó 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Port Kembla Harbour; water quality; sediment; aquatic organisms; heavy metals; organic contaminants; historical change.
Introduction Port Kembla Harbour is an arti®cial harbour on the east coast of New South Wales, Australia, 71 km south of Sydney (at 34°290 S, 150°540 E). It is one of four major ports on the New South Wales coast, the others being Newcastle Harbour, Sydney Harbour and Botany Bay. It is a major industrial port with AustraliaÕs largest steel works (5 Mt/annum production) adjacent to the harbour and a large (20 Mt/annum) coal exporting terminal, a grain exporting terminal (6 Mt/annum), a copper
smelter and a fertilizer manufacturing plant in the immediate vicinity of the harbour. Port Kembla ranks ninth in Australian ports, with an average of 25 million ton of cargoes moving annually through the port, carried by some 1300 ships. The port consists of an outer harbour formed adjacent to a headland to the southeast by the construction of breakwaters and an inner harbour formed by the dredging of Tom Thumb Lagoon (Fig. 1). The Outer Harbour is an area of 137.5 ha, with depths from 4 to 16 m, while the Inner Harbour is an area of 56.5 ha, with depths from 9.2 to 16.3 m. Entrance to the Inner Harbour is through a 155 m wide channel known locally as Ôthe CutÕ (Port Kembla Port Corporation, 1995). Allans Creek is the major drainage system to the harbour. It has a catchment area of 23 km2 and extends 8 km from the Illawarra escarpment in the west to Port Kembla Inner Harbour in the east. The land use within the catchment comprises an array of heavy industry, light industry, commercial, urban and rural zones. Other drainage systems to the harbour are the Town Drain from the north and some small creeks from the south. The Town Drain receives signi®cant urban runo from Wollongong City (Hanson, 1982; Rhoden, 1990). Industrial euents have been the major cause of water pollution in Port Kembla Harbour for many years. Pollution reduction programs were implemented by the heavy industries adjacent to the harbour, beginning in the 1970s. Since then, there have been numerous studies on water and sediment quality, marine organisms and water pollution control in the harbour (see Table 1). In this paper, we summarize the results of various studies of Port Kembla Harbour from 1975±1995, on water and sediment quality, benthic organisms and pollution levels, and comment on trends in the environmental health of the harbour and pollution reduction practices of local heavy industries.
Methods *Corresponding author. Tel.: +61 2 4221 4134; fax: +61 2 4221 4665. E-mail address: [email protected] (R.J. Morrison).
Reports, data and other information on water quality, sediment quality and aquatic organisms in Port Kembla 193
194 TABLE 1 Studies on the marine environmental quality of Port Kembla Harbour, 1973±1995 (acronyms listed at the bottom of the Table).a Agency/person conducting work (with date of publication)
Date
NSW SPCC/EPA (NSW EPA, pers. comm.)c Beavington (1975) AIS (BHP Steel, pers. comm.)d;e NSW SPCC (1977)f MSE (for AIS) (1978)g MSE (for AIS) (1979) NSW PWD (SPCC, 1986b)h MSE (for AIS) (1980, 1983, 1988, 1990, 1994) Moran (1984) Moran and Grant (1984) Moran and Grant (1989a) Moran and Grant (1989b) Moran and Grant (1991) Moran (1991) Moran and Grant (1993) Hanson (1982) Harris (1984) Hogan (1984) CSIRO (Batley and Low, 1986) NSW SPCC (SPCC, 1986b) NSW SPCC (SPCC, 1989) MSE (1991)i Wollongong City Council (Rhoden, 1990) BHP Steel (pers. comm.) Sydney Water (1991) MSE and CEC (1991) NSW EPA (1992) NSW EPA (1994) Kinnimonth (1993)
1977 1978 1979 1980±1991
Materials studied Biota
Water
Metals
1973±91
1974 1976±81 1977
1981±82 1981±82 1981±82 1981±82 1981±82 1981±82 1981±82 1982 1984 1984 1986 1986 1988 1990 1990 1990±95 1991 1991 1992 1992 1993
Sediment
Type of data#
Parameters studied
Organics
Others
Quant.
(CN, NH3) (CN, NH3, phenol) (CN, NH3) (CN)
(dredging) (CN, NH3)
Review
Q.C.b
Long-term/ Medium Short-term/ on-going term one o
(phenol)
(nutrients)
Qual.
Time frame
a
#Quant ± quantitative information; Qual ± qualitative information; +Long-term >2 years; medium term 3 months±2 years; Short-term <3 months. Quality control of data assessible. c NSW EPA ± New South Wales Environmental Protection Authority. d AIS ± Australian Iron and Steel Pty. Ltd. (now part of BHP Steel). e BHP ± Broken Hill Propriety Ltd., BHP Steel includes Integrated Steel, Flat Products, and Sheet and Coil. f NSW SPCC ± New South Wales State Pollution Control Commission (incorporated into EPA in 1992). g MSE ± Marine Science and Ecology, Pty. Ltd. , Melbourne. h NSW PWD ± New South Wales Public Works Department. i CEC Coastal Environmental Consultants, Ltd., Melbourne. b
Marine Pollution Bulletin
Volume 42/Number 3/March 2001
caution since dredging programs have taken place in the harbour throughout the period under investigation. For aquatic organisms, data on intertidal epibiota, subtidal epibiota and chemicals in ®sh were examined to see if any changes in the marine fauna in the harbour could be identi®ed over this period. Data on industrial pollution euents and pollution control practices of the heavy industries were collated to assess the eectiveness of water pollution reduction programs of the industries in improving the harbour marine environment.
Results
Fig. 1 Port Kembla Harbour including monitoring sites.
Harbour from the 1970s to the 1990s available from the New South Wales Government Departments, Broken Hill Propriety Steel (BHP Steel, including BHP Integrated Steel, BHP Flat Products Division, and BHP Sheet and Coil Division), University of Wollongong, Wollongong City Council and other organisations and individuals were collected and reviewed. In order to develop a system for examining changes, sites were selected which were equivalent to the current BHP harbour survey stations (Fig. 1). Relevant data on water quality and sediment quality from these sites were used to look for temporal trends. Only data for which some assessment of quality could be made were used in the analysis. Indications of data quality utilized were: clear statement of methods used; naming of laboratory carrying out the analyses, particularly for registered laboratories; inclusion of data quality information (replicates, reference materials data) in the report; and discussion of data collection with the scientists involved. Water quality parameters considered were dissolved oxygen (DO), ammonia (NH3 ), cyanide (CN), phenol and the metals Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn. Yearly values of the water quality parameters from each source were obtained by averaging the appropriate values for a site from all data sources in a given year. For sediments, data on the heavy metal parameters As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Pb and Zn were considered, and all results were recalculated to mg/kg on a dry weight basis. Interpretation of the sediment results must be carried out with
Water quality The data used in the following analysis was taken from reports showing evidence of some quality control procedures being in operation. The methods used were considered ÔgoodÕ at the time of measurement, but, particularly for heavy metals in water, there is evidence that much of the work carried out globally in the 1970s produced results that were unreliable at low (<5 lg/l) concentrations, due to problems with blanks, contamination of samples and detection limits (e.g., see Batley, 1999). Most of the concentrations used in this analysis were above 5 lg/l. The data show that the water quality in the 1970s was poor compared with the Australia and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC, 1992) guidelines for protection of aquatic ecosystems (marine waters). The average concentration of DO in the upper water columns (samples taken from depths <10 m) of the Inner Harbour was 20% lower than the guideline concentration while those of cyanide and phenol were 200 times and twice, respectively, the guideline concentrations. Concentrations of zinc in the upper water columns of the Inner Harbour and around Site 4 were 2±3 times the ANZECC (1992) guideline concentration, while those of lead were 1.5±3 times the guideline value, and cadmium in the upper water columns of the Outer Harbour was three times the guideline concentration. The concentrations of copper in the lower water columns (depth >10 m) were high, reaching up to 9, 6 and 7 times the guideline concentration in the Inner Harbour, the Cut (Site #4) and the Outer Harbour, respectively (Table 2; locations indicated in Fig. 1). From the 1970s to the 1990s, there were substantial reductions in the concentrations of cyanide, phenol, iron and zinc (see, for example, Fig. 2). For DO, the concentrations in the Inner Harbour increased by about 20% from the 1970s to the 1990s, while for ammonia, small reductions appear to have occurred over the same period. The concentrations of zinc decreased markedly over most of the Harbour, while for copper, decreases were recorded for the lower water column concentrations between the 1970s and the 1990s, but the surface waters showed no pattern of change. The concentrations of cadmium and lead showed no signi®cant changes from the 1970s to the 1990s (Table 2). 195
Marine Pollution Bulletin TABLE 2 Concentrations of contminants in waters in Port Kembla from 1970s to 1990s.a Years Area
1970s
DO (mg/l)
IH upper IH lower Cut* upper Cut* lower OH upper OH lower Outside H upper
Mean Number** SD*** Mean NH3 (mg/l) Number SD CN (mg/l) Mean Number SD Phenol (mg/l) Mean Number SD Fe (lg/l) Mean Number SD Zn (lg/l) Mean Number SD Cu (lg/l) Mean Numbner SD Pb (lg/l) Mean Number SD Cd (lg/l) Mean Number SD
4.81 24 0.88 1.61 208 0.83 1.035 208 0.764 0.108 0±4 ± 696 24±50 486 194.2 12±50 156.1 11.0 12±50 1.4 20.1 12±50 14.6 6.6 12±50 4.7
Years Area
IH upper IH lower Pass upper Pass lower OH upper OH lower Outside H upper
DO (mg/l) NH3 (mg/l) CN (mg/l) Phenol (mg/l) Fe (lg/l) Zn (lg/l) Cu (lg/l) Pb (lg/l) Cd (lg/l)
1990s Mean Number SD Mean Number SD Mean Number SD Mean Number SD Mean Number SD Mean Number SD Mean Number SD Mean Number SD Mean Number SD
6.32 16 0.58 1.21 20 1.19 0.088 20 0.113 0.010 20 0.004 228 20 198 51.8 20 29.8 11.1 20 9.8 8.6 20 1.9 4.6 20 1.3
5.65 63 0.67 0.62 208 0.48 0.123 208 0.137 ± 0 ± 553 50±76 488 75.9 50±76 54.2 51.4 38±64 59.3 10.3 12±38 0.5 7.9 12±38 4.2
6.59 16 0.39 0.32 20 0.76 0.020 20 0.003 0.009 20 0.003 149 20 73 28.3 20 15.6 7.8 20 4.2 8.3 20 1.8 4.6 20 1.3
5.25 24 0.07 1.02 208 0.46 0.757 208 0.400 0.054 0 ± 1444 50 1717 153.5 50 80.6 12.3 50 2.4 12.7 50 2.3 4.2 50 5.1
6.45 16 0.50 0.82 20 0.55 0.072 20 0.109 0.009 20 0.002 112 20 65 34.6 20 29.8 13.0 20 14.0 8.3 20 2.0 4.5 20 1.5
6.60 63 0.85 0.44 208 0.24 0.100 208 0.068 ± 0 ± 316 76 124 49.5 76 39.1 34.3 64 48.3 5.5 38 6.4 5.2 38 6.8
6.77 16 0.17 0.22 20 0.30 0.019 20 0.001 0.008 20 0.004 133 20 74 27.4 20 16.8 10.0 20 6.6 8.3 20 2.0 4.5 20 1.5
5.62 12±24 0.51 0.85 208 0.27 0.334 208 0.193 0.024 0 0.007 317 38±50 101 113.6 38±50 79.7 15.2 38 11.9 11.2 38 4.8 8.6 38 2.6
7.01 16 0.56 0.31 20 0.23 0.032 20 0.027 0.008 20 0.004 79 20 80 24.6 20 16.1 8.5 20 5.5 8.3 20 1.8 4.5 20 1.4
6.61 51±63 1.13 0.47 208 0.309 0.031 208 0.020 ± 0 ± 271 50±64 180 61.3 50±64 42.7 40.6 38±64 45.7 9.2 12±38 1.4 7.6 12±38 4.2
7.16 16 0.26 0.12 20 0.12 0.019 20 0.110 0.008 20 0.004 87 20 69 19.7 20 10.8 9.2 20 5.6 8.3 20 1.9 4.5 20 1.4
7.00 12 ± 0.50 208 0.43 0.063 208 0.036 ± 0 ± 112 12 ± 28.0 ± ± 10.0 12 ± 10.0 12 ± 10.0 12 ±
7.24 16 0.46 0.57 20 0.81 0.026 20 0.013 0.008 20 0.004 66 20 85 33.7 20 13.7 13.6 20 13.3 8.3 20 1.9 4.5 20 1.5
Outside H lower Guidelines# 7.50 12 ± 0.41 208 0.31 0.022 208 0.011 ± 0 ± 71 12 ± 27.0 12 ± 10.0 12 ± 10.0 12 ± 10.0 12 ± Outside H lower 6.97 16 0.50 0.14 20 0.15 0.019 20 0.001 0.008 20 0.004 101 20 79 30.4 20 18.1 10.2 20 4.0 8.3 20 2.0 4.5 20 1.5
>6 ± 0.005 0.050 ± 50.0 5.0 5.0 2.0
Guidelines >6 ± 0.005 0.050 ± 50.0 5.0 5.0 2.0
a *Cut-Site #4; IH ± Inner Harbour; OH ± Outer Harbour; **no ± number of measurements. The number of measurements varied from site to site depending particular monitoring activity. ***SD ± standard deviation, based on annual averages. Upper ± water<10 m depth; Lower ± water below 10 m depth, # ANZECC Guidlines (1992).
Sediment quality Comparison of the average heavy metal contents in the harbour sediment samples with those from areas of New South Wales with similar geology and sediment types (SPCC, 1986b), but unaected by waste disposal 196
or other pollution, showed that Port Kembla Harbour sediments contained elevated concentrations of heavy metals. Batley and Low (1986) showed that concentrations of iron, lead and zinc were about an order of magnitude higher than in sediments from areas unaf-
Volume 42/Number 3/March 2001
Fig. 2 Changes in cyanide concentrations in Port Kembla Harbour waters 1976±1994.
fected by waste disposal. Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury and zinc all lay within the ranges found in other polluted systems (Batley and Low, 1986). The relatively large concentrations of iron in Port Kembla sediments (Table 3) were expected because large quantities of iron ore are shipped into the harbour and stored in the surrounds. Determination of the temporal changes in sediment metal concentrations from the 1970s to the 1990s was dicult to de®ne as the data in Table 3 were derived from a number of dierent reports. In many of the reports, the original authors did not attempt to examine temporal changes and did not relate their data to that of earlier workers. Thus, it was dicult to relate individual sediment metal concentration changes to speci®c activities in the surrounding industries, as at least three major industries are involved, each with a dierent schedule of environmental improvement. The data in Table 3 show that a decrease did occur in the zinc concentration, and possibly for cadmium, but for the other metals no real patterns of change were observed, except possibly for copper where an increase in sediment concentration is indicated.
Marine biota An attempt was made to assess changes in biodiversity and marine faunal health in the harbour by examining data on intertidal epibiota, subtidal biota and chemicals in ®sh. The ability to interpret the data from many of the studies was severely compromised because studies were often based on short investigations (<1 week), no suitable control sites were considered, and details on replication and statistical analysis techniques used were not always fully presented. There were few data to examine any seasonal variations, and consequently only very general statements can be made about temporal patterns in biota. Studies in 1977 indicated that no epibiotic growth was present in the Inner Harbour between the level of the high water spring tide (HWST), and 1 m below the low water spring tide (LWST) (MSE, 1978). This abiotic zone extended to 2 m below LWST at sites close to Allans Creek. Similar studies in 1991 found polychaetes, ascidians and algae at sites, which had been abiotic in 1977 (MSE and CEC, 1991). An attempt was made to obtain data on chemicals in ®sh over the study period. In April 1976, an investigation of ®sh in the harbour by NSW Fisheries found ``high levels of cyanide and heavy metals in the ®sh'' (NSW Fisheries File #F75/1437, as reported in EPA (1994)), which led to the renewal of ®shing closures on the harbour at that time. The 1976 raw data were not available for comparison with more recent studies (J. Burchmore, NSW Fisheries, pers. comm., 1994). Two studies were carried on chemicals in ®sh in the early 1990s (MSE and Cec, 1991; EPA, 1994). Heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were analysed in 1991 from 8 species of ®sh and one invertebrate species from 14 sites in the Inner Harbour and 4 sites in the Outer Harbour (MSE and CEC, 1991). It was found that chromium, manganese and lead in ®sh and crab tissue were below detection limits (detection
TABLE 3 Heavy metal concentrations (mg/kg) in sediments from Port Kembla Harbour, environments unaected by waste disposal and other polluted systems. Sediment Port Kembla Harbour Average
Sediments unaected by wastedisposale; f
As
Cd
45 14 34 46 43 ± ±
15 4.5 4 0.8 5.6 0.5±5 1.6
40 ±
0.3 ±
a
1977 1986b; c 1990d 1991d 1992d 1993c NSW Central Coast Average for EastCoast, Australia World average Port hacking
Cr
Cu
Fe
Hg
Pb
Zn
276 174
953 95
100 429 73 000
409 269 151 479 453 484 3±20 21
2043 2220
2100 900
0.5 0.2 2.9 0.4 0.6 ± ±
203 ± 38
1468 3±20 6
1209 0±140 40
100 <10
48 <10
6000 3500
± ±
20 ±
95 10
a
Sources: MSE (1978). Sources: only for Site 3. Sources: Batley and Low (1986). d Sources: BHP (1990±93). e Sources: SPCC (1986b). f Sources: UNEP (1988). b c
197
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limits of chromium, manganese and lead were 1.0, 1.0 and 0.5 mg/kg, respectively) while tin was detected in 4 of 8 ®sh species, and iron and zinc in all species. Levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ®sh tissue were low (all <20 ng/g) in comparison with industrialized areas in other countries (MSE and CEC, 1991). Heavy metals, organochlorine compounds, dioxin and furan were analysed in 3 ®sh species collected in 1992 from 5 sites in the harbour to provide a ``snapshot'' assessment of toxic chemicals in ®sh (EPA, 1994). The results indicated that, for the 17 non-PCB organochlorines and 12 trace metals analysed, contaminant levels in ®sh samples were very low with the exception of selenium. The analytical method used, however, appeared to be overestimating the concentration of selenium actually present (T. Lewis, University of Wollongong, pers. comm., 1995). The study also indicated that 44% of the mullet samples analysed had concentrations of PCBs exceeding the National Food Authority Maximum Residue Level (0.5 mg/kg). No speci®c source of the PCBs has been identi®ed. Dioxin and furan concentrations in ®sh were very low (all <2 pptr) (EPA, 1994). Comparison of these two data sets is limited because of the selection of ®sh species and the dierent metals and organic compounds studied. For example, only 2 metals (lead and zinc) and only 3 ®sh species (black®sh ± Girella tricuspidata, sea mullet ± Mugil cephalus, and yellow®n bream ± Acanthopagrus australis) were common to both studies. For zinc, concentrations in black®sh (9±10 mg/kg w.w.) and bream (4.8±6.1 mg/kg) were fairly consistent, but for sea mullet the EPA (1994) study gave a mean of 3.4 mg/kg while the MSE (1991) study gave 14±22 mg/kg. The EPA data were consistent with data from Bebbington et al., (1977) who found that bream along the NSW coast had a mean zinc concentration of 4.2 mg/kg. No explanation for the higher zinc values found by MSE in 1991 is forthcoming. For lead, all three ®sh species in both studies had concentrations <0.5 mg/kg.
Discussion The results from the analysis show that the marine environment of Port Kembla Harbour was in poor condition in the 1970s. Elevated concentrations of toxic wastes (ammonia, cyanide and phenol) and heavy metals (iron, zinc, copper, lead and cadmium) were found in the water, particularly ammonia, cyanide and phenol in the upper water columns of the Inner Harbour, iron, zinc and lead in the upper water columns of the Inner Harbour and the Cut, and copper in the lower water columns of the whole harbour (Table 2) (SPCC, 1977). At the same time, evidence was observed of low biological diversity and productivity, especially in the Inner Harbour. No epibiotic growth was present in the intertidal and shallow subtidal areas of the Inner Harbour 198
(MSE, 1978). Fish were contaminated and in 1976 high levels of pollutants in the ®sh were found (NSW Fisheries File #F75/1437, as reported in EPA (1994)). Very few ®sh were observed in the harbour and many ®sh kills were reported (MSE, 1978; Moran, 1984). It was reported that the major polluters were large steel and copper industries surrounding the harbour (SPCC, 1977; MSE, 1978). Since 1974, under the direction of the New South Wales SPCC/EPA and their enabling legislation, and, in particular, in accordance with the NSW Clean Waters Act of 1970, pollution reduction programs have been implemented by the industries surrounding Port Kembla Harbour. These programs were aimed at providing a mutually acceptable mechanism so that the company holding a license issued under the NSW Pollution Control Act (1970) can put practical, cost eective and ecient emission controls in place. This was particularly relevant where emissions contain more than the desired concentration of contaminants, because existing plant and equipment are unable to achieve the desired levels when operated and maintained in the best manner and conditions (M. Pease, NSW EPA, pers. comm., 1995). The majority of the emission control programs were initiated in 1977 (Moran, 1984) and a variety of measures have been introduced to reduce the levels of heavy metals and other toxic wastes, particularly ammonia, cyanide and phenol, in euents discharged into the harbour. As a result, ¯ow rates and pollutant concentrations in euents have been reduced signi®cantly, e.g., the average cyanide concentration in the steel mill main drain was 4.0 mg/l in 1975, but has been below 0.1 mg/l since 1990 (Fig. 3; BHP internal documents, pers. comm., 1995). Implementation of pollution reduction programs by the industries surrounding Port Kembla Harbour, has led to a noticeable improvement in the quality of the marine environment of the harbour. From the 1970s to the 1990s, the concentrations of some heavy metals and toxic wastes in harbour waters were reduced while that of DO increased. As a result, marine life has returned to the whole harbour. Population, biomass and species richness of epibiota appears to have increased at sites nearest to Allans Creek. Contaminants in ®sh were at low concentrations by the early 1990s (EPA, 1994). Although pollution reduction programs have been implemented and signi®cant positive changes in the quality of the marine environment have been found, the marine environment of the harbour requires further improvement. Comparison of the water quality in the 1990s with the ANZECC (1992) guidelines for protection of aquatic ecosystems (marine waters) showed that the guideline concentrations were exceeded in the water for cyanide, zinc, copper, lead and cadmium in the 1990s, especially for cyanide in the upper water column of the Inner Harbour. Despite the average DO concen-
Volume 42/Number 3/March 2001
Fig. 3 Changes in the cyanide concentration 1970±1994 in the BHP Steelworks Main Drain (located 800 m upstream of harbour on Allans Creek).
tration in the 1990s achieving the guideline value, DO concentrations in the Inner Harbour and the Cut in speci®c years did not. Phenol was the only contaminant for which the guideline concentration has been consistently achieved (Table 2). Increases in heavy metal contents of sediments at certain locations (Site 8) have been found since the 1970s. Major increases in copper concentrations were recorded at most sites. The heavy metal concentrations in the sediments in the 1990s were similar to those found in other polluted systems (Chester, 1990) and about an order of magnitude higher than those from sites unaffected by waste disposal (Table 3). The elevated concentrations of these metals pose a potential threat to aquatic species in the harbour. Since the 1960s, a number of major dredging operations have been carried out in Port Kembla Harbour, which mainly covered the Inner Harbour (Sites 1, 2 and 3), the Cut (Site 4), the channel of the Outer Harbour (Site 5) and the Outer Harbour Entrance (Site 6) (Fig. 1) (NSW PWD, 1969, unpub. data; West Ham Dredging, 1975; SPCC, 1983; SPCC, 1986a; EPA, 1992). This dredging may have contributed to the reductions in the sediment heavy metal concentrations. Site 8 is close to the copper smelter drain and no major dredging operations have been reported at this site. This may be one factor contributing to the signi®cant increases in the contents of copper, lead and zinc in the sediment at this site, which is now the subject of further investigation. The marine environment of the harbour is aected not only by the surrounding heavy industries but also by a variety of other pollution sources. Coal handling, oil spillage and vessels using the harbour are potential pollution sources. Apart from the heavy industries, other likely point pollution sources are a diversity of light industries and commercial activity, including
manufacturing, construction, mechanical and electrical engineering, steel fabrication, car servicing, farms and general development activities (Rhoden, 1990). Many of these operations are located in the lower catchment of Allans Creek and in small industry zones located in the catchment of the Town Drain (Fig. 1). The relative contribution of these small point sources has not, to date, been adequately assesssed. The small industries are required to comply with the NSW Waste Minimization and Protection of the Environment Legislation (the latter supercedes the previous Clean Waters and Clean Air Acts), but enforcement has been dicult. This arises partly from a lack of resources, but also when a pollution incident is observed in a waterbody, it is often very dicult to identify the speci®c source of the contaminant. Rural and urban non-point source pollution is also created in the Allans Creek Catchment from stream bank and bed erosion, land slips, poorly managed land®ll sites and subdivision works, which aect the harbour via Allans Creek. For example, urban and rural runo carried high levels of ammonia, nitrate and nitrite from upstream areas of the Allans Creek catchment, leading to high concentrations, especially of ammonia, in the lower Allans Creek system (Kininmonth, 1993). There is an urgent need to assess the relative contributions of the diuse and point sources to pollution of Port Kembla Harbour. Currently, the industrial discharge licences are based on a combination of environmental goals, ®nance and technologies available to the industries (NSW EPA, pers. comm., 1998), which are mutually acceptable to the industries and the NSW EPA. For the continued improved management of the area, however, there is still no satisfactory scienti®c basis for determining the long term limits for the industrial discharges, but state and 199
Marine Pollution Bulletin
local government agencies are currently addressing this situation.
Conclusions During the 1970s, the marine environment of Port Kembla Harbour was heavily polluted by the surrounding industries. High concentrations of toxic wastes and heavy metals were found in the water. The sediments also contained elevated concentrations of heavy metals. Aquatic organisms were highly impoverished. High levels of pollutants were found in the ®sh. Very few ®sh were observed and many ®sh kills were reported. Increased public pressure has led, since the 1970s, to the implementation of pollution reduction programs by local industries, with the result that pollution discharges to the harbour have been markedly reduced. During this time, there has been a noticeable improvement in the quality of the marine environment of the harbour. Reductions in the concentrations of toxic wastes and heavy metals in the water have been measured and there has been an increase in marine biodiversity and aquatic organism productivity in the harbour. Despite the improvements over the last 20 years, the marine environment of Port Kembla Harbour is still in need of enhancement. The ANZECC guideline concentrations for protection of aquatic ecosystems (marine waters) are exceeded for many pollutants in the water. The sediments still contain elevated concentrations of heavy metals and epibiota richness and phytoplankton activity are still at low levels compared to non-industrial sites along the NSW coast. Continued improvements in the marine environmental quality of the harbour are still required. The authors would like to thank the following for their contributions to this study: H. Urban, C.M. Wong, P. Giles, M. Hale and M. Sajdek of BHP; W.J.J. Hoogendoorn, C. Haley and L. White of the Port Kembla Port Authority; P.J. Moran, formerly of the Australian Institute of Marine Science; G. Clarke of NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation; J. Nevill, C. Ferguson, T. Jones and M. Pease of the NSW EPA; R. Divakarla of Southern Copper Ltd. Valuable comments on the draft manuscript by Dr. P. Hutchings and an anonymous referee are gratefully acknowledged. ANZECC (1992) Australian Water Quality Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Waters. Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council, Canberra. Batley, G. E. (1999) Quality assurance in environmental monitoring. Marine Pollution Bulletin 39, 23±31. Batley, G. E. and Low, G. K. C. (1986) Heavy Metals and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediments from a Dredging Site in Port Kembla Harbour. Investigation Report EC/IR13, CSIRO, Lucas Heights, NSW. Beavington, F. (1975) Pollution of heavy metals of rivulet and harbour water in Wollongong. Search 6, 390±391. Bebbington, G. N., Mackay, N. J., Chvojka, R., Williams, R. J, Dunn, A. and Auty, E. H. (1977) Heavy metals, selenium and arsenic in nine species of Australian commercial ®sh. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 28, 277±286. Chester, R. (1990) Marine Geochemistry. Unwin Hyman, London, p. 698. EPA (1992) Port Kembla Dredge Spoil Report. Environmental Protection Authority, Bankstown, NSW, p. 87.
200
EPA (1994) Contaminants in Fish from Port Kembla Harbour. Technical Report, Environmental Protection Authority, Bankstown, NSW. Hanson, A. (1982) Water Pollution Studies in Port Kembla Harbour. BE Thesis, University of Wollongong. Harris, T. J. (1984) Water Pollution Studies in Port Kembla Harbour. BE Thesis, University of Wollongong. Hogan, W. M. (1984) A Survey of Water Quality o Wollongong/Port Kembla. BE Thesis, University of Wollongong. Kininmonth, G. (1993) A Study of the Levels and Sources of Nutrients in the Lower Allans and American Creek Systems. BEnvSc Honours thesis, University of Wollongong. Moran, P. J. (1984) Water quality control and its eect on the concentration of heavy metals in Port Kembla Harbour, NSW. Marine Pollution Bulletin 15, 294±297. Moran, P. J. (1991) The eects of dredging on the larval settlement and community development of fouling organisms in Port Kembla Harbour, Australia. Water Research 25, 1151±1155. Moran, P. J. and Grant, T. R. (1984) The eect of industrial pollution on the growth rate of the serpulid polychaete. Hydroides elegans (Haswell). In Proceedings of the First International Polychaete Conference, Sydney, ed. P. A. Hutchings, pp. 361±369. The Linnean Society of New South Wales. Moran, P. J. and Grant, T. R. (1989a) Eects of industrial pollution on the development and succession of marine fouling communities: I. Analysis of species richness and frequency data. P.S.Z.N.I: Marine Ecology 10, 231±246. Moran, P. J. and Grant, T. R. (1989b) Eects of industrial pollution on the development and succession of marine fouling communities: II. Multivariate analysis of succession. P.S.Z.N.I: Marine Ecology 10, 247±261. Moran, P. J. and Grant, T. R. (1991) Transference of marine fouling communities between polluted and unpolluted sites: impact on structure. Environmental Pollution 72, 89±102. Moran, P. J. and Grant, T. R. (1993) Larval settlement of marine fouling organisms in polluted water from Port Kembla Harbour, Australia. Marine Pollution Bulletin 26, 512±514. MSE (1978) Benthic Survey of Port Kembla Harbour, NSW. Report to Australian Iron and Steel Pty. Ltd., Marine Science and Ecology, Essendon, Vic. MSE (1979) Static Toxicity Testing of Euents from Port Kembla Harbour. Marine Science and Ecology, Essendon, Vic. MSE (1980) Biomonitoring in Port Kembla Harbour. Report to Australian Iron and Steel Pty. Ltd., Marine Science and Ecology, Essendon, Vic. MSE (1983) Biomonitoring in Port Kembla Harbour 1981/82. Report to Australian Iron and Steel Pty. Ltd., Marine Science and Ecology, Essendon, Vic. MSE (1988) Biomonitoring in Port Kembla Harbour 1986/87. Report to Australian Iron and Steel Pty. Ltd., Marine Science and Ecology, Essendon, Vic. MSE (1990) Biomonitoring in Port Kembla Harbour (Settling Plate Study) October 1989±February 1990. Report to Australian Iron & Steel Pty. Ltd., Marine Science and Ecology, Essendon, Vic. MSE (1991) Bioaccumulation Studies in Port Kembla Harbour. Report to Australian Iron and Steel Pty. Ltd., Marine Science and Ecology, Essendon, Vic. MSE (1994) Biomonitoring in Port Kembla Harbour (Settling Plate Study) October 1990±March 1991. Report to Australian Iron & Steel Pty. Ltd., Marine Science and Ecology, Essendon, Vic. MSE and CEC (1991) Port Kembla Harbour Study 1991. Marine Science and Ecology, and Coastal Environmental Consultants Pty. Ltd., Essendon, Vic. Port Kembla Port Corporation (1995) Port Kembla Harbour Guidelines, Port Kembla Port Corporation, Port Kembla, NSW. Rhoden, C. (1990) An Environmental Assessment of Allans Creek Catchment. Wollongong City Council, NSW. SPCC (1977) Water Pollution and its Control in Port Kembla Harbour. New South Wales State Pollution Control Commission, Sydney. SPCC (1983) Ocean Disposal of Dredge Spoil at Port Kembla and its Eects on Epi-Benthic Communities. New South Wales State Pollution Control Commission, Sydney. SPCC (1986a) Dredge Spoil from Port Kembla, Summary Report on the Environmental Eects of Ocean Disposal. New South Wales State Pollution Control Commission, Sydney. SPCC (1986b). Wollongong ± Port Kembla Pollution Control Study. New South Wales State Pollution Control Commission, Sydney.
Volume 42/Number 3/March 2001 SPCC (1989) Coastal Resource Atlas for Oil Spills in and Around Port Kembla. New South Wales State Pollution Control Commission, Sydney. Sydney Water (1991) Historical Review of Pollution Control Studies o Port Kembla and Bellambi, NSW. Sydney Water Board, Sydney.
UNEP (1988) GESAMP. Arsenic, Mercury and Selenium in the Marine Environment. UNEP Regional Seas Reports and Studies No. 92, United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi. West Ham Dredging (1975) Port Kembla Harbours ± Major Deepening Contract No. 71117. Technical Report, West Ham Dredging Company, Sydney.
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Marine Pollution Bulletin Vol. 42, No. 3, pp. 193±201, 2001 Ó 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved Printed in Great Britain 0025-326X/01 $ - see front matter
Changes in the Marine Environment of Port Kembla Harbour, NSW, Australia, 1975±1995: A Review ZHIJIA HE and R. J. MORRISON* Environment Research Institute, University of Wollongong, North®elds Avenue, NSW 2522, Australia Data on water quality, sediment quality and aquatic organisms in Port Kembla Harbour from the 1970s to the 1990s are reviewed. In the 1970s, the marine environment of Port Kembla Harbour was in poor condition as a result of pollution from heavy industries. Elevated concentrations of pollutants were found in water, sediment and ®sh in the harbour; aquatic biodiversity was limited and many ®sh kills were reported. With the implementation of pollution reduction programs (required by legislation changes) by the industries surrounding the harbour since the 1970s, pollution in the harbour has been reduced dramatically, and the quality of the marine environment of the harbour has noticeably improved. Large reductions in the concentrations of certain toxic wastes and heavy metals in water have occurred. Marine life has returned to the whole harbour (parts were described in 1977 as abiotic). Contaminants in ®sh have decreased. Despite this achievement, however, there is still considerable room for improvement in the quality of the marine environment of the harbour. Ó 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Port Kembla Harbour; water quality; sediment; aquatic organisms; heavy metals; organic contaminants; historical change.
Introduction Port Kembla Harbour is an arti®cial harbour on the east coast of New South Wales, Australia, 71 km south of Sydney (at 34°290 S, 150°540 E). It is one of four major ports on the New South Wales coast, the others being Newcastle Harbour, Sydney Harbour and Botany Bay. It is a major industrial port with AustraliaÕs largest steel works (5 Mt/annum production) adjacent to the harbour and a large (20 Mt/annum) coal exporting terminal, a grain exporting terminal (6 Mt/annum), a copper
smelter and a fertilizer manufacturing plant in the immediate vicinity of the harbour. Port Kembla ranks ninth in Australian ports, with an average of 25 million ton of cargoes moving annually through the port, carried by some 1300 ships. The port consists of an outer harbour formed adjacent to a headland to the southeast by the construction of breakwaters and an inner harbour formed by the dredging of Tom Thumb Lagoon (Fig. 1). The Outer Harbour is an area of 137.5 ha, with depths from 4 to 16 m, while the Inner Harbour is an area of 56.5 ha, with depths from 9.2 to 16.3 m. Entrance to the Inner Harbour is through a 155 m wide channel known locally as Ôthe CutÕ (Port Kembla Port Corporation, 1995). Allans Creek is the major drainage system to the harbour. It has a catchment area of 23 km2 and extends 8 km from the Illawarra escarpment in the west to Port Kembla Inner Harbour in the east. The land use within the catchment comprises an array of heavy industry, light industry, commercial, urban and rural zones. Other drainage systems to the harbour are the Town Drain from the north and some small creeks from the south. The Town Drain receives signi®cant urban runo from Wollongong City (Hanson, 1982; Rhoden, 1990). Industrial euents have been the major cause of water pollution in Port Kembla Harbour for many years. Pollution reduction programs were implemented by the heavy industries adjacent to the harbour, beginning in the 1970s. Since then, there have been numerous studies on water and sediment quality, marine organisms and water pollution control in the harbour (see Table 1). In this paper, we summarize the results of various studies of Port Kembla Harbour from 1975±1995, on water and sediment quality, benthic organisms and pollution levels, and comment on trends in the environmental health of the harbour and pollution reduction practices of local heavy industries.
Methods *Corresponding author. Tel.: +61 2 4221 4134; fax: +61 2 4221 4665. E-mail address: [email protected] (R.J. Morrison).
Reports, data and other information on water quality, sediment quality and aquatic organisms in Port Kembla 193
194 TABLE 1 Studies on the marine environmental quality of Port Kembla Harbour, 1973±1995 (acronyms listed at the bottom of the Table).a Agency/person conducting work (with date of publication)
Date
NSW SPCC/EPA (NSW EPA, pers. comm.)c Beavington (1975) AIS (BHP Steel, pers. comm.)d;e NSW SPCC (1977)f MSE (for AIS) (1978)g MSE (for AIS) (1979) NSW PWD (SPCC, 1986b)h MSE (for AIS) (1980, 1983, 1988, 1990, 1994) Moran (1984) Moran and Grant (1984) Moran and Grant (1989a) Moran and Grant (1989b) Moran and Grant (1991) Moran (1991) Moran and Grant (1993) Hanson (1982) Harris (1984) Hogan (1984) CSIRO (Batley and Low, 1986) NSW SPCC (SPCC, 1986b) NSW SPCC (SPCC, 1989) MSE (1991)i Wollongong City Council (Rhoden, 1990) BHP Steel (pers. comm.) Sydney Water (1991) MSE and CEC (1991) NSW EPA (1992) NSW EPA (1994) Kinnimonth (1993)
1977 1978 1979 1980±1991
Materials studied Biota
Water
Metals
1973±91
1974 1976±81 1977
1981±82 1981±82 1981±82 1981±82 1981±82 1981±82 1981±82 1982 1984 1984 1986 1986 1988 1990 1990 1990±95 1991 1991 1992 1992 1993
Sediment
Type of data#
Parameters studied
Organics
Others
Quant.
(CN, NH3) (CN, NH3, phenol) (CN, NH3) (CN)
(dredging) (CN, NH3)
Review
Q.C.b
Long-term/ Medium Short-term/ on-going term one o
(phenol)
(nutrients)
Qual.
Time frame
a
#Quant ± quantitative information; Qual ± qualitative information; +Long-term >2 years; medium term 3 months±2 years; Short-term <3 months. Quality control of data assessible. c NSW EPA ± New South Wales Environmental Protection Authority. d AIS ± Australian Iron and Steel Pty. Ltd. (now part of BHP Steel). e BHP ± Broken Hill Propriety Ltd., BHP Steel includes Integrated Steel, Flat Products, and Sheet and Coil. f NSW SPCC ± New South Wales State Pollution Control Commission (incorporated into EPA in 1992). g MSE ± Marine Science and Ecology, Pty. Ltd. , Melbourne. h NSW PWD ± New South Wales Public Works Department. i CEC Coastal Environmental Consultants, Ltd., Melbourne. b
Marine Pollution Bulletin
Volume 42/Number 3/March 2001
caution since dredging programs have taken place in the harbour throughout the period under investigation. For aquatic organisms, data on intertidal epibiota, subtidal epibiota and chemicals in ®sh were examined to see if any changes in the marine fauna in the harbour could be identi®ed over this period. Data on industrial pollution euents and pollution control practices of the heavy industries were collated to assess the eectiveness of water pollution reduction programs of the industries in improving the harbour marine environment.
Results
Fig. 1 Port Kembla Harbour including monitoring sites.
Harbour from the 1970s to the 1990s available from the New South Wales Government Departments, Broken Hill Propriety Steel (BHP Steel, including BHP Integrated Steel, BHP Flat Products Division, and BHP Sheet and Coil Division), University of Wollongong, Wollongong City Council and other organisations and individuals were collected and reviewed. In order to develop a system for examining changes, sites were selected which were equivalent to the current BHP harbour survey stations (Fig. 1). Relevant data on water quality and sediment quality from these sites were used to look for temporal trends. Only data for which some assessment of quality could be made were used in the analysis. Indications of data quality utilized were: clear statement of methods used; naming of laboratory carrying out the analyses, particularly for registered laboratories; inclusion of data quality information (replicates, reference materials data) in the report; and discussion of data collection with the scientists involved. Water quality parameters considered were dissolved oxygen (DO), ammonia (NH3 ), cyanide (CN), phenol and the metals Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn. Yearly values of the water quality parameters from each source were obtained by averaging the appropriate values for a site from all data sources in a given year. For sediments, data on the heavy metal parameters As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Pb and Zn were considered, and all results were recalculated to mg/kg on a dry weight basis. Interpretation of the sediment results must be carried out with
Water quality The data used in the following analysis was taken from reports showing evidence of some quality control procedures being in operation. The methods used were considered ÔgoodÕ at the time of measurement, but, particularly for heavy metals in water, there is evidence that much of the work carried out globally in the 1970s produced results that were unreliable at low (<5 lg/l) concentrations, due to problems with blanks, contamination of samples and detection limits (e.g., see Batley, 1999). Most of the concentrations used in this analysis were above 5 lg/l. The data show that the water quality in the 1970s was poor compared with the Australia and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC, 1992) guidelines for protection of aquatic ecosystems (marine waters). The average concentration of DO in the upper water columns (samples taken from depths <10 m) of the Inner Harbour was 20% lower than the guideline concentration while those of cyanide and phenol were 200 times and twice, respectively, the guideline concentrations. Concentrations of zinc in the upper water columns of the Inner Harbour and around Site 4 were 2±3 times the ANZECC (1992) guideline concentration, while those of lead were 1.5±3 times the guideline value, and cadmium in the upper water columns of the Outer Harbour was three times the guideline concentration. The concentrations of copper in the lower water columns (depth >10 m) were high, reaching up to 9, 6 and 7 times the guideline concentration in the Inner Harbour, the Cut (Site #4) and the Outer Harbour, respectively (Table 2; locations indicated in Fig. 1). From the 1970s to the 1990s, there were substantial reductions in the concentrations of cyanide, phenol, iron and zinc (see, for example, Fig. 2). For DO, the concentrations in the Inner Harbour increased by about 20% from the 1970s to the 1990s, while for ammonia, small reductions appear to have occurred over the same period. The concentrations of zinc decreased markedly over most of the Harbour, while for copper, decreases were recorded for the lower water column concentrations between the 1970s and the 1990s, but the surface waters showed no pattern of change. The concentrations of cadmium and lead showed no signi®cant changes from the 1970s to the 1990s (Table 2). 195
Marine Pollution Bulletin TABLE 2 Concentrations of contminants in waters in Port Kembla from 1970s to 1990s.a Years Area
1970s
DO (mg/l)
IH upper IH lower Cut* upper Cut* lower OH upper OH lower Outside H upper
Mean Number** SD*** Mean NH3 (mg/l) Number SD CN (mg/l) Mean Number SD Phenol (mg/l) Mean Number SD Fe (lg/l) Mean Number SD Zn (lg/l) Mean Number SD Cu (lg/l) Mean Numbner SD Pb (lg/l) Mean Number SD Cd (lg/l) Mean Number SD
4.81 24 0.88 1.61 208 0.83 1.035 208 0.764 0.108 0±4 ± 696 24±50 486 194.2 12±50 156.1 11.0 12±50 1.4 20.1 12±50 14.6 6.6 12±50 4.7
Years Area
IH upper IH lower Pass upper Pass lower OH upper OH lower Outside H upper
DO (mg/l) NH3 (mg/l) CN (mg/l) Phenol (mg/l) Fe (lg/l) Zn (lg/l) Cu (lg/l) Pb (lg/l) Cd (lg/l)
1990s Mean Number SD Mean Number SD Mean Number SD Mean Number SD Mean Number SD Mean Number SD Mean Number SD Mean Number SD Mean Number SD
6.32 16 0.58 1.21 20 1.19 0.088 20 0.113 0.010 20 0.004 228 20 198 51.8 20 29.8 11.1 20 9.8 8.6 20 1.9 4.6 20 1.3
5.65 63 0.67 0.62 208 0.48 0.123 208 0.137 ± 0 ± 553 50±76 488 75.9 50±76 54.2 51.4 38±64 59.3 10.3 12±38 0.5 7.9 12±38 4.2
6.59 16 0.39 0.32 20 0.76 0.020 20 0.003 0.009 20 0.003 149 20 73 28.3 20 15.6 7.8 20 4.2 8.3 20 1.8 4.6 20 1.3
5.25 24 0.07 1.02 208 0.46 0.757 208 0.400 0.054 0 ± 1444 50 1717 153.5 50 80.6 12.3 50 2.4 12.7 50 2.3 4.2 50 5.1
6.45 16 0.50 0.82 20 0.55 0.072 20 0.109 0.009 20 0.002 112 20 65 34.6 20 29.8 13.0 20 14.0 8.3 20 2.0 4.5 20 1.5
6.60 63 0.85 0.44 208 0.24 0.100 208 0.068 ± 0 ± 316 76 124 49.5 76 39.1 34.3 64 48.3 5.5 38 6.4 5.2 38 6.8
6.77 16 0.17 0.22 20 0.30 0.019 20 0.001 0.008 20 0.004 133 20 74 27.4 20 16.8 10.0 20 6.6 8.3 20 2.0 4.5 20 1.5
5.62 12±24 0.51 0.85 208 0.27 0.334 208 0.193 0.024 0 0.007 317 38±50 101 113.6 38±50 79.7 15.2 38 11.9 11.2 38 4.8 8.6 38 2.6
7.01 16 0.56 0.31 20 0.23 0.032 20 0.027 0.008 20 0.004 79 20 80 24.6 20 16.1 8.5 20 5.5 8.3 20 1.8 4.5 20 1.4
6.61 51±63 1.13 0.47 208 0.309 0.031 208 0.020 ± 0 ± 271 50±64 180 61.3 50±64 42.7 40.6 38±64 45.7 9.2 12±38 1.4 7.6 12±38 4.2
7.16 16 0.26 0.12 20 0.12 0.019 20 0.110 0.008 20 0.004 87 20 69 19.7 20 10.8 9.2 20 5.6 8.3 20 1.9 4.5 20 1.4
7.00 12 ± 0.50 208 0.43 0.063 208 0.036 ± 0 ± 112 12 ± 28.0 ± ± 10.0 12 ± 10.0 12 ± 10.0 12 ±
7.24 16 0.46 0.57 20 0.81 0.026 20 0.013 0.008 20 0.004 66 20 85 33.7 20 13.7 13.6 20 13.3 8.3 20 1.9 4.5 20 1.5
Outside H lower Guidelines# 7.50 12 ± 0.41 208 0.31 0.022 208 0.011 ± 0 ± 71 12 ± 27.0 12 ± 10.0 12 ± 10.0 12 ± 10.0 12 ± Outside H lower 6.97 16 0.50 0.14 20 0.15 0.019 20 0.001 0.008 20 0.004 101 20 79 30.4 20 18.1 10.2 20 4.0 8.3 20 2.0 4.5 20 1.5
>6 ± 0.005 0.050 ± 50.0 5.0 5.0 2.0
Guidelines >6 ± 0.005 0.050 ± 50.0 5.0 5.0 2.0
a *Cut-Site #4; IH ± Inner Harbour; OH ± Outer Harbour; **no ± number of measurements. The number of measurements varied from site to site depending particular monitoring activity. ***SD ± standard deviation, based on annual averages. Upper ± water<10 m depth; Lower ± water below 10 m depth, # ANZECC Guidlines (1992).
Sediment quality Comparison of the average heavy metal contents in the harbour sediment samples with those from areas of New South Wales with similar geology and sediment types (SPCC, 1986b), but unaected by waste disposal 196
or other pollution, showed that Port Kembla Harbour sediments contained elevated concentrations of heavy metals. Batley and Low (1986) showed that concentrations of iron, lead and zinc were about an order of magnitude higher than in sediments from areas unaf-
Volume 42/Number 3/March 2001
Fig. 2 Changes in cyanide concentrations in Port Kembla Harbour waters 1976±1994.
fected by waste disposal. Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury and zinc all lay within the ranges found in other polluted systems (Batley and Low, 1986). The relatively large concentrations of iron in Port Kembla sediments (Table 3) were expected because large quantities of iron ore are shipped into the harbour and stored in the surrounds. Determination of the temporal changes in sediment metal concentrations from the 1970s to the 1990s was dicult to de®ne as the data in Table 3 were derived from a number of dierent reports. In many of the reports, the original authors did not attempt to examine temporal changes and did not relate their data to that of earlier workers. Thus, it was dicult to relate individual sediment metal concentration changes to speci®c activities in the surrounding industries, as at least three major industries are involved, each with a dierent schedule of environmental improvement. The data in Table 3 show that a decrease did occur in the zinc concentration, and possibly for cadmium, but for the other metals no real patterns of change were observed, except possibly for copper where an increase in sediment concentration is indicated.
Marine biota An attempt was made to assess changes in biodiversity and marine faunal health in the harbour by examining data on intertidal epibiota, subtidal biota and chemicals in ®sh. The ability to interpret the data from many of the studies was severely compromised because studies were often based on short investigations (<1 week), no suitable control sites were considered, and details on replication and statistical analysis techniques used were not always fully presented. There were few data to examine any seasonal variations, and consequently only very general statements can be made about temporal patterns in biota. Studies in 1977 indicated that no epibiotic growth was present in the Inner Harbour between the level of the high water spring tide (HWST), and 1 m below the low water spring tide (LWST) (MSE, 1978). This abiotic zone extended to 2 m below LWST at sites close to Allans Creek. Similar studies in 1991 found polychaetes, ascidians and algae at sites, which had been abiotic in 1977 (MSE and CEC, 1991). An attempt was made to obtain data on chemicals in ®sh over the study period. In April 1976, an investigation of ®sh in the harbour by NSW Fisheries found ``high levels of cyanide and heavy metals in the ®sh'' (NSW Fisheries File #F75/1437, as reported in EPA (1994)), which led to the renewal of ®shing closures on the harbour at that time. The 1976 raw data were not available for comparison with more recent studies (J. Burchmore, NSW Fisheries, pers. comm., 1994). Two studies were carried on chemicals in ®sh in the early 1990s (MSE and Cec, 1991; EPA, 1994). Heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were analysed in 1991 from 8 species of ®sh and one invertebrate species from 14 sites in the Inner Harbour and 4 sites in the Outer Harbour (MSE and CEC, 1991). It was found that chromium, manganese and lead in ®sh and crab tissue were below detection limits (detection
TABLE 3 Heavy metal concentrations (mg/kg) in sediments from Port Kembla Harbour, environments unaected by waste disposal and other polluted systems. Sediment Port Kembla Harbour Average
Sediments unaected by wastedisposale; f
As
Cd
45 14 34 46 43 ± ±
15 4.5 4 0.8 5.6 0.5±5 1.6
40 ±
0.3 ±
a
1977 1986b; c 1990d 1991d 1992d 1993c NSW Central Coast Average for EastCoast, Australia World average Port hacking
Cr
Cu
Fe
Hg
Pb
Zn
276 174
953 95
100 429 73 000
409 269 151 479 453 484 3±20 21
2043 2220
2100 900
0.5 0.2 2.9 0.4 0.6 ± ±
203 ± 38
1468 3±20 6
1209 0±140 40
100 <10
48 <10
6000 3500
± ±
20 ±
95 10
a
Sources: MSE (1978). Sources: only for Site 3. Sources: Batley and Low (1986). d Sources: BHP (1990±93). e Sources: SPCC (1986b). f Sources: UNEP (1988). b c
197
Marine Pollution Bulletin
limits of chromium, manganese and lead were 1.0, 1.0 and 0.5 mg/kg, respectively) while tin was detected in 4 of 8 ®sh species, and iron and zinc in all species. Levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ®sh tissue were low (all <20 ng/g) in comparison with industrialized areas in other countries (MSE and CEC, 1991). Heavy metals, organochlorine compounds, dioxin and furan were analysed in 3 ®sh species collected in 1992 from 5 sites in the harbour to provide a ``snapshot'' assessment of toxic chemicals in ®sh (EPA, 1994). The results indicated that, for the 17 non-PCB organochlorines and 12 trace metals analysed, contaminant levels in ®sh samples were very low with the exception of selenium. The analytical method used, however, appeared to be overestimating the concentration of selenium actually present (T. Lewis, University of Wollongong, pers. comm., 1995). The study also indicated that 44% of the mullet samples analysed had concentrations of PCBs exceeding the National Food Authority Maximum Residue Level (0.5 mg/kg). No speci®c source of the PCBs has been identi®ed. Dioxin and furan concentrations in ®sh were very low (all <2 pptr) (EPA, 1994). Comparison of these two data sets is limited because of the selection of ®sh species and the dierent metals and organic compounds studied. For example, only 2 metals (lead and zinc) and only 3 ®sh species (black®sh ± Girella tricuspidata, sea mullet ± Mugil cephalus, and yellow®n bream ± Acanthopagrus australis) were common to both studies. For zinc, concentrations in black®sh (9±10 mg/kg w.w.) and bream (4.8±6.1 mg/kg) were fairly consistent, but for sea mullet the EPA (1994) study gave a mean of 3.4 mg/kg while the MSE (1991) study gave 14±22 mg/kg. The EPA data were consistent with data from Bebbington et al., (1977) who found that bream along the NSW coast had a mean zinc concentration of 4.2 mg/kg. No explanation for the higher zinc values found by MSE in 1991 is forthcoming. For lead, all three ®sh species in both studies had concentrations <0.5 mg/kg.
Discussion The results from the analysis show that the marine environment of Port Kembla Harbour was in poor condition in the 1970s. Elevated concentrations of toxic wastes (ammonia, cyanide and phenol) and heavy metals (iron, zinc, copper, lead and cadmium) were found in the water, particularly ammonia, cyanide and phenol in the upper water columns of the Inner Harbour, iron, zinc and lead in the upper water columns of the Inner Harbour and the Cut, and copper in the lower water columns of the whole harbour (Table 2) (SPCC, 1977). At the same time, evidence was observed of low biological diversity and productivity, especially in the Inner Harbour. No epibiotic growth was present in the intertidal and shallow subtidal areas of the Inner Harbour 198
(MSE, 1978). Fish were contaminated and in 1976 high levels of pollutants in the ®sh were found (NSW Fisheries File #F75/1437, as reported in EPA (1994)). Very few ®sh were observed in the harbour and many ®sh kills were reported (MSE, 1978; Moran, 1984). It was reported that the major polluters were large steel and copper industries surrounding the harbour (SPCC, 1977; MSE, 1978). Since 1974, under the direction of the New South Wales SPCC/EPA and their enabling legislation, and, in particular, in accordance with the NSW Clean Waters Act of 1970, pollution reduction programs have been implemented by the industries surrounding Port Kembla Harbour. These programs were aimed at providing a mutually acceptable mechanism so that the company holding a license issued under the NSW Pollution Control Act (1970) can put practical, cost eective and ecient emission controls in place. This was particularly relevant where emissions contain more than the desired concentration of contaminants, because existing plant and equipment are unable to achieve the desired levels when operated and maintained in the best manner and conditions (M. Pease, NSW EPA, pers. comm., 1995). The majority of the emission control programs were initiated in 1977 (Moran, 1984) and a variety of measures have been introduced to reduce the levels of heavy metals and other toxic wastes, particularly ammonia, cyanide and phenol, in euents discharged into the harbour. As a result, ¯ow rates and pollutant concentrations in euents have been reduced signi®cantly, e.g., the average cyanide concentration in the steel mill main drain was 4.0 mg/l in 1975, but has been below 0.1 mg/l since 1990 (Fig. 3; BHP internal documents, pers. comm., 1995). Implementation of pollution reduction programs by the industries surrounding Port Kembla Harbour, has led to a noticeable improvement in the quality of the marine environment of the harbour. From the 1970s to the 1990s, the concentrations of some heavy metals and toxic wastes in harbour waters were reduced while that of DO increased. As a result, marine life has returned to the whole harbour. Population, biomass and species richness of epibiota appears to have increased at sites nearest to Allans Creek. Contaminants in ®sh were at low concentrations by the early 1990s (EPA, 1994). Although pollution reduction programs have been implemented and signi®cant positive changes in the quality of the marine environment have been found, the marine environment of the harbour requires further improvement. Comparison of the water quality in the 1990s with the ANZECC (1992) guidelines for protection of aquatic ecosystems (marine waters) showed that the guideline concentrations were exceeded in the water for cyanide, zinc, copper, lead and cadmium in the 1990s, especially for cyanide in the upper water column of the Inner Harbour. Despite the average DO concen-
Volume 42/Number 3/March 2001
Fig. 3 Changes in the cyanide concentration 1970±1994 in the BHP Steelworks Main Drain (located 800 m upstream of harbour on Allans Creek).
tration in the 1990s achieving the guideline value, DO concentrations in the Inner Harbour and the Cut in speci®c years did not. Phenol was the only contaminant for which the guideline concentration has been consistently achieved (Table 2). Increases in heavy metal contents of sediments at certain locations (Site 8) have been found since the 1970s. Major increases in copper concentrations were recorded at most sites. The heavy metal concentrations in the sediments in the 1990s were similar to those found in other polluted systems (Chester, 1990) and about an order of magnitude higher than those from sites unaffected by waste disposal (Table 3). The elevated concentrations of these metals pose a potential threat to aquatic species in the harbour. Since the 1960s, a number of major dredging operations have been carried out in Port Kembla Harbour, which mainly covered the Inner Harbour (Sites 1, 2 and 3), the Cut (Site 4), the channel of the Outer Harbour (Site 5) and the Outer Harbour Entrance (Site 6) (Fig. 1) (NSW PWD, 1969, unpub. data; West Ham Dredging, 1975; SPCC, 1983; SPCC, 1986a; EPA, 1992). This dredging may have contributed to the reductions in the sediment heavy metal concentrations. Site 8 is close to the copper smelter drain and no major dredging operations have been reported at this site. This may be one factor contributing to the signi®cant increases in the contents of copper, lead and zinc in the sediment at this site, which is now the subject of further investigation. The marine environment of the harbour is aected not only by the surrounding heavy industries but also by a variety of other pollution sources. Coal handling, oil spillage and vessels using the harbour are potential pollution sources. Apart from the heavy industries, other likely point pollution sources are a diversity of light industries and commercial activity, including
manufacturing, construction, mechanical and electrical engineering, steel fabrication, car servicing, farms and general development activities (Rhoden, 1990). Many of these operations are located in the lower catchment of Allans Creek and in small industry zones located in the catchment of the Town Drain (Fig. 1). The relative contribution of these small point sources has not, to date, been adequately assesssed. The small industries are required to comply with the NSW Waste Minimization and Protection of the Environment Legislation (the latter supercedes the previous Clean Waters and Clean Air Acts), but enforcement has been dicult. This arises partly from a lack of resources, but also when a pollution incident is observed in a waterbody, it is often very dicult to identify the speci®c source of the contaminant. Rural and urban non-point source pollution is also created in the Allans Creek Catchment from stream bank and bed erosion, land slips, poorly managed land®ll sites and subdivision works, which aect the harbour via Allans Creek. For example, urban and rural runo carried high levels of ammonia, nitrate and nitrite from upstream areas of the Allans Creek catchment, leading to high concentrations, especially of ammonia, in the lower Allans Creek system (Kininmonth, 1993). There is an urgent need to assess the relative contributions of the diuse and point sources to pollution of Port Kembla Harbour. Currently, the industrial discharge licences are based on a combination of environmental goals, ®nance and technologies available to the industries (NSW EPA, pers. comm., 1998), which are mutually acceptable to the industries and the NSW EPA. For the continued improved management of the area, however, there is still no satisfactory scienti®c basis for determining the long term limits for the industrial discharges, but state and 199
Marine Pollution Bulletin
local government agencies are currently addressing this situation.
Conclusions During the 1970s, the marine environment of Port Kembla Harbour was heavily polluted by the surrounding industries. High concentrations of toxic wastes and heavy metals were found in the water. The sediments also contained elevated concentrations of heavy metals. Aquatic organisms were highly impoverished. High levels of pollutants were found in the ®sh. Very few ®sh were observed and many ®sh kills were reported. Increased public pressure has led, since the 1970s, to the implementation of pollution reduction programs by local industries, with the result that pollution discharges to the harbour have been markedly reduced. During this time, there has been a noticeable improvement in the quality of the marine environment of the harbour. Reductions in the concentrations of toxic wastes and heavy metals in the water have been measured and there has been an increase in marine biodiversity and aquatic organism productivity in the harbour. Despite the improvements over the last 20 years, the marine environment of Port Kembla Harbour is still in need of enhancement. The ANZECC guideline concentrations for protection of aquatic ecosystems (marine waters) are exceeded for many pollutants in the water. The sediments still contain elevated concentrations of heavy metals and epibiota richness and phytoplankton activity are still at low levels compared to non-industrial sites along the NSW coast. Continued improvements in the marine environmental quality of the harbour are still required. The authors would like to thank the following for their contributions to this study: H. Urban, C.M. Wong, P. Giles, M. Hale and M. Sajdek of BHP; W.J.J. Hoogendoorn, C. Haley and L. White of the Port Kembla Port Authority; P.J. Moran, formerly of the Australian Institute of Marine Science; G. Clarke of NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation; J. Nevill, C. Ferguson, T. Jones and M. Pease of the NSW EPA; R. Divakarla of Southern Copper Ltd. Valuable comments on the draft manuscript by Dr. P. Hutchings and an anonymous referee are gratefully acknowledged. ANZECC (1992) Australian Water Quality Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Waters. Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council, Canberra. Batley, G. E. (1999) Quality assurance in environmental monitoring. Marine Pollution Bulletin 39, 23±31. Batley, G. E. and Low, G. K. C. (1986) Heavy Metals and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediments from a Dredging Site in Port Kembla Harbour. Investigation Report EC/IR13, CSIRO, Lucas Heights, NSW. Beavington, F. (1975) Pollution of heavy metals of rivulet and harbour water in Wollongong. Search 6, 390±391. Bebbington, G. N., Mackay, N. J., Chvojka, R., Williams, R. J, Dunn, A. and Auty, E. H. (1977) Heavy metals, selenium and arsenic in nine species of Australian commercial ®sh. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 28, 277±286. Chester, R. (1990) Marine Geochemistry. Unwin Hyman, London, p. 698. EPA (1992) Port Kembla Dredge Spoil Report. Environmental Protection Authority, Bankstown, NSW, p. 87.
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EPA (1994) Contaminants in Fish from Port Kembla Harbour. Technical Report, Environmental Protection Authority, Bankstown, NSW. Hanson, A. (1982) Water Pollution Studies in Port Kembla Harbour. BE Thesis, University of Wollongong. Harris, T. J. (1984) Water Pollution Studies in Port Kembla Harbour. BE Thesis, University of Wollongong. Hogan, W. M. (1984) A Survey of Water Quality o Wollongong/Port Kembla. BE Thesis, University of Wollongong. Kininmonth, G. (1993) A Study of the Levels and Sources of Nutrients in the Lower Allans and American Creek Systems. BEnvSc Honours thesis, University of Wollongong. Moran, P. J. (1984) Water quality control and its eect on the concentration of heavy metals in Port Kembla Harbour, NSW. Marine Pollution Bulletin 15, 294±297. Moran, P. J. (1991) The eects of dredging on the larval settlement and community development of fouling organisms in Port Kembla Harbour, Australia. Water Research 25, 1151±1155. Moran, P. J. and Grant, T. R. (1984) The eect of industrial pollution on the growth rate of the serpulid polychaete. Hydroides elegans (Haswell). In Proceedings of the First International Polychaete Conference, Sydney, ed. P. A. Hutchings, pp. 361±369. The Linnean Society of New South Wales. Moran, P. J. and Grant, T. R. (1989a) Eects of industrial pollution on the development and succession of marine fouling communities: I. Analysis of species richness and frequency data. P.S.Z.N.I: Marine Ecology 10, 231±246. Moran, P. J. and Grant, T. R. (1989b) Eects of industrial pollution on the development and succession of marine fouling communities: II. Multivariate analysis of succession. P.S.Z.N.I: Marine Ecology 10, 247±261. Moran, P. J. and Grant, T. R. (1991) Transference of marine fouling communities between polluted and unpolluted sites: impact on structure. Environmental Pollution 72, 89±102. Moran, P. J. and Grant, T. R. (1993) Larval settlement of marine fouling organisms in polluted water from Port Kembla Harbour, Australia. Marine Pollution Bulletin 26, 512±514. MSE (1978) Benthic Survey of Port Kembla Harbour, NSW. Report to Australian Iron and Steel Pty. Ltd., Marine Science and Ecology, Essendon, Vic. MSE (1979) Static Toxicity Testing of Euents from Port Kembla Harbour. Marine Science and Ecology, Essendon, Vic. MSE (1980) Biomonitoring in Port Kembla Harbour. Report to Australian Iron and Steel Pty. Ltd., Marine Science and Ecology, Essendon, Vic. MSE (1983) Biomonitoring in Port Kembla Harbour 1981/82. Report to Australian Iron and Steel Pty. Ltd., Marine Science and Ecology, Essendon, Vic. MSE (1988) Biomonitoring in Port Kembla Harbour 1986/87. Report to Australian Iron and Steel Pty. Ltd., Marine Science and Ecology, Essendon, Vic. MSE (1990) Biomonitoring in Port Kembla Harbour (Settling Plate Study) October 1989±February 1990. Report to Australian Iron & Steel Pty. Ltd., Marine Science and Ecology, Essendon, Vic. MSE (1991) Bioaccumulation Studies in Port Kembla Harbour. Report to Australian Iron and Steel Pty. Ltd., Marine Science and Ecology, Essendon, Vic. MSE (1994) Biomonitoring in Port Kembla Harbour (Settling Plate Study) October 1990±March 1991. Report to Australian Iron & Steel Pty. Ltd., Marine Science and Ecology, Essendon, Vic. MSE and CEC (1991) Port Kembla Harbour Study 1991. Marine Science and Ecology, and Coastal Environmental Consultants Pty. Ltd., Essendon, Vic. Port Kembla Port Corporation (1995) Port Kembla Harbour Guidelines, Port Kembla Port Corporation, Port Kembla, NSW. Rhoden, C. (1990) An Environmental Assessment of Allans Creek Catchment. Wollongong City Council, NSW. SPCC (1977) Water Pollution and its Control in Port Kembla Harbour. New South Wales State Pollution Control Commission, Sydney. SPCC (1983) Ocean Disposal of Dredge Spoil at Port Kembla and its Eects on Epi-Benthic Communities. New South Wales State Pollution Control Commission, Sydney. SPCC (1986a) Dredge Spoil from Port Kembla, Summary Report on the Environmental Eects of Ocean Disposal. New South Wales State Pollution Control Commission, Sydney. SPCC (1986b). Wollongong ± Port Kembla Pollution Control Study. New South Wales State Pollution Control Commission, Sydney.
Volume 42/Number 3/March 2001 SPCC (1989) Coastal Resource Atlas for Oil Spills in and Around Port Kembla. New South Wales State Pollution Control Commission, Sydney. Sydney Water (1991) Historical Review of Pollution Control Studies o Port Kembla and Bellambi, NSW. Sydney Water Board, Sydney.
UNEP (1988) GESAMP. Arsenic, Mercury and Selenium in the Marine Environment. UNEP Regional Seas Reports and Studies No. 92, United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi. West Ham Dredging (1975) Port Kembla Harbours ± Major Deepening Contract No. 71117. Technical Report, West Ham Dredging Company, Sydney.
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