With a wide variety of agricultural, industrial and residential areas feeding into the rivers and creeks which enter Moreton Bay there is potential for contaminants of emerging concern with high hydrophilicity and subsequent high mobility to enter the bay and consequently the seagrass beds within the bay. The high rainfall of the 2021-22 La Niña season presents potential risk of higher than usual concentrations of pesticides, pharmaceuticals, personal care products and other contaminants which could threaten the seagrass and biota that rely on it.
The aim of this study was to investigate contaminants profiles in Moreton Bay during the La Niña event by analysing seagrass, sediments and passive samplers at 7 locations in Moreton Bay. A total of 108 contaminants were investigated with 34 contaminants detected by passive sampling devices, 4 in sediment samples and 9 in the seagrass. Contaminants included: 19 herbicides, 5 fungicides, 4 pharmaceuticals, 3 personal care products and 3 insecticides. The results showed significant geographical variance within the passage, with generally higher levels detected in the northern Coochin Creek. This talk will discuss the concentrations profile of contaminants detected and how they compare to species protection guidelines and the risks posed to the Moreton Bay ecosystem.