Toxicological interactions of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) with selected pollutants

Toxicity of perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid to Escherichia coli: Membrane disruption, oxidative stress, and DNA damage induced cell inactivation and/or death

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are two widely used polyfluorinated compounds (PFCs) and are persistent in the environment. This study for the first time systematically investigated their toxicities and the underlying mechanisms to Escherichia coli. Much higher toxicity was observed for PFOA than PFOS, with the 3 h half growth inhibition concentrations (IC50) determined to be 10.6 ± 1.0 and 374 ± 3 mg L(-1), respectively, while the bacterial accumulation of PFOS was much greater than that of PFOA. The PFC exposures disrupted cell membranes as evidenced by the dose-dependent variations of cell structures (by transmission electron microscopy observations), surface properties (electronegativity, hydrophobicity, and membrane fluidity), and membrane compositions (by gas chromatogram and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses). The increases in the contents of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde and the activity of superoxide dismutase indicated the increment of oxidative stress induced by the PFCs in the bacterial cells. The fact that the cell growth inhibition was mitigated by the addition of ROS scavenger (N-acetyl cysteine) further evidenced the important role of oxidative damage in the toxicities of PFOS and PFOA. Eighteen genes involved in cell division, membrane instability, oxidative stress, and DNA damage of the exposed cells were up or down expressed, indicating the DNA damage by the PFCs. The toxicities of PFOS and PFOA to E. coli were therefore ascribed to the membrane disruption, oxidative stress, and DNA damage induced cell inactivation and/or death. The difference in the bactericidal effect between PFOS and PFOA was supposed to be related to their different dominating toxicity mechanisms, i.e., membrane disruption and oxidative damage, respectively. The outcomes will shed new light on the assessment of ecological effects of PFCs.

The toxic effect and bioaccumulation in aquatic oligochaete Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri after combined exposure to cadmium and perfluorooctane sulfonate at different pH values

Cadmium (Cd) and Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) have been detected in aquatic environment. In this study, we investigated the acute effect, bioaccumulation and oxidative stress status in the aquatic oligocheate Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri after exposure to Cd and PFOS at different pH values. In the studied pH range, acute Cd toxicity was significantly enhanced with pH increasing from 6.2 to 8.0, and the 48h-EC50 of Cd was (significantly) decreased in the presence of PFOS. Bioaccumulation analysis results show that the accumulated Cd/PFOS in single exposure group increased with increasing exposure concentrations, and co-exposure makes internal Cd concentration significantly lowered for Cd(0.1) group at pH 8.0. Significant changes in superoxide dismutase activity, glutathione level and malondialdehyde content were observed in single and combined treatments. Based on IBR value, single Cd and PFOS exposure caused largest damage to the antioxidant defense system at pH 8.0 and pH 6.2, respectively, while the harmful effects of joint exposure were always the "compromise" between single Cd and PFOS exposure. This work could provide useful information for the risk assessment of co-exposure to perfluorinated compounds and heavy metals in natural environment.

Toxicity and bioaccumulation of copper in Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri under different pH values: Impacts of perfluorooctane sulfonate

Aquatic oligochaete Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri (L. hoffmeisteri) has been commonly used as a lethal and/or sub-lethal toxicological model organism in ecological risk assessments in contaminated water environments. In this study, experiments were conducted to investigate the potential toxic effects of copper (Cu(II)) with or without perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) under different pH values (6.0, 7.0 and 8.0) on LC50, bioaccumulation, and oxidative stress biomarkers in L. hoffmeisteri after 3 and 7 days. The LC50 values of Cu(II) decreased with the increasing pH and the addition of PFOS. After each exposure, increasing bioaccumulation of Cu(II) in L. hoffmeisteri was observed in the combined exposure treatments, whereas the bioaccumulation of PFOS decreased. Moreover, the activity of superoxide dismutase, the level of glutathione, and the content of malondialdehyde were significantly altered after these exposures, possibly indicating that the bioaccumulation of Cu(II) and PFOS caused adverse effects on antioxidant defenses of L. hoffmeisteri. The integrated biomarker response index, indicates that the combined effect was proposed as synergism, which is coincided with the results of toxic unit. Moreover, this work showed that aquatic environment may become more livable when water conditions changed from acidic to near-neutral or alkaline.

Combined endosulfan and cypermethrin-induced toxicity to embryo-larval development of Rhinella arenarum

The combined effects of two widely used pesticides, endosulfan and cypermethrin, on survival of embryo-larval development of the South American toad (Rhinella arenarum) were examined. The toxicity bioassays were performed according to the AMPHITOX test. Embryos and larvae were exposed to mixtures of these pesticides at equitoxic ratios from acute or chronic exposure to evaluate interaction effects. The results were analyzed using both Marking's additive index and combination index (CI)-isobologram methods. Acute (96-h) and intermediate (168-h) toxicity of endosulfan-cypermethrin mixtures remained almost constant for larvae and embryos, but when exposure duration was increased, there was a significant elevation in toxicity, obtaining chronic (240-h) no-observed-effect concentrations (NOEC) values of 0.045 and 0.16 mg/L for embryos and larvae, respectively. These are environmentally relevant concentrations that reflect a realistic risk of this pesticide mixture to this native amphibian species. The toxicity increment with the exposure duration was coincident with the central nervous system development on embryos reaching the larval period, the main target organ of these pesticides. The interactions of the pesticide mixtures at acute and chronic exposure were antagonistic for embryo development (CI > 1), and additive (CI = 1) for larvae, while chronic exposure interactions were synergistic (CI < 1) for both developmental periods. Data indicated that endosulfan-cypermethrin mixtures resulted in different interaction types depending on duration and developmental stage exposed. As a general pattern and considering conditions of overall developmental period and chronic exposure, this pesticide mixture usually applied in Argentine crop fields is synergistic with respect to toxicity for this native amphibian species.

Evaluation of single and joint toxicity of perfluorooctane sulfonate and zinc to Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri: Acute toxicity, bioaccumulation and oxidative stress

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and zinc have been detected in aquatic environment widely. In order to study the combined effects of PFOS and Zn, a series of experiments was conducted to explore the acute mortality, bioaccumulation and antioxidant status of Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri. The acute toxicity was evaluated by calculating 24h-EC50 values, and it was observed that 24h-EC50 values in single and joint treatments decreased with decreasing pH value or increasing exposure concentration. Toxic unit analysis suggested that the combined effects of the PFOS+Zn binary mixture were mostly simple addition, with 8 groups showing synergism and only one group showing antagonism. The analysis of internal Zn and PFOS concentration showed that the possible interaction between Zn and PFOS can affect the bioaccumulation of the two chemicals in L. hoffmeisteri. In addition, oxidative stress status was assessed by measuring oxidation-related biochemical parameters such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and malondialdehyde, and the integrated biomarker response index was estimated to rank the toxicity order. Exposures to Zn and PFOS were found to evoke some changes in the antioxidant defense system, and a strong self-adaptive ability was noticed for L. hoffmeisteri after 10 d exposure.

Effect of PFOA/PFOS pre-exposure on the toxicity of the herbicides 2,4-D, Atrazine, Diuron and Paraquat to a model aquatic photosynthetic microorganism

Pre-exposure to the perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) perfluorooctano sulphonate (PFOS) or perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) on the toxicity of four herbicides of different types and modes of action towards the self-luminescent recombinant cyanobacterium Anabaena CPB4337 was evaluated. The rationale of the approach is that both PFOS and PFOA as surfactants are known to modify cell membrane properties and pre-exposure to them might alter herbicide toxicity towards the cyanobacterium. Anabaena CPB4337 was pre-exposed during 72h to PFOS or PFOA at a concentration below their no observed effect concentration (NOEC). After pre-exposure, cells were exposed to increasing concentrations of 2,4-D Atrazine, Diuron and Paraquat and the toxicity was compared to that of non-pre-exposed ones. The data clearly showed that PFCs pre-treatment significantly altered the toxicity of the tested herbicides. However the effects resulting from PFOA and PFOS pre-exposure were not homogeneous for all the herbicides. In general PFOA pre-exposure resulted in increased herbicide toxicity except for atrazine, while PFOS pre-exposure resulted in increased toxicity for paraquat and diuron, and reduced toxicity for atrazine with no significant effect on 2,4-D toxicity. The strongest modifying effect was found for paraquat whose toxicity doubled with PFOA pre-exposure. Further analysis of membrane properties by flow cytometry revealed that both PFOA and PFOS were able to modify membrane integrity and membrane potential of Anabaena CPB4337 at the concentrations used in the pre-exposure experiments. These results reveal relevant indirect effects of PFCs pollution with eco-toxicological implications.

Additivity and Interactions in Ecotoxicity of Pollutant Mixtures: Some Patterns, Conclusions, and Open Questions

Understanding the effects of exposure to chemical mixtures is a common goal of pharmacology and ecotoxicology. In risk assessment-oriented ecotoxicology, defining the scope of application of additivity models has received utmost attention in the last 20 years, since they potentially allow one to predict the effect of any chemical mixture relying on individual chemical information only. The gold standard for additivity in ecotoxicology has demonstrated to be Loewe additivity which originated the so-called Concentration Addition (CA) additivity model. In pharmacology, the search for interactions or deviations from additivity (synergism and antagonism) has similarly captured the attention of researchers over the last 20 years and has resulted in the definition and application of the Combination Index (CI) Theorem. CI is based on Loewe additivity, but focused on the identification and quantification of synergism and antagonism. Despite additive models demonstrating a surprisingly good predictive power in chemical mixture risk assessment, concerns still exist due to the occurrence of unpredictable synergism or antagonism in certain experimental situations. In the present work, we summarize the parallel history of development of CA, IA, and CI models. We also summarize the applicability of these concepts in ecotoxicology and how their information may be integrated, as well as the possibility of prediction of synergism. Inside the box, the main question remaining is whether it is worthy to consider departures from additivity in mixture risk assessment and how to predict interactions among certain mixture components. Outside the box, the main question is whether the results observed under the experimental constraints imposed by fractional approaches are a de fide reflection of what it would be expected from chemical mixtures in real world circumstances.

Environmental risk assessment of antibiotics including synergistic and antagonistic combination effects

The interaction-based hazard index (HIint) allows a prediction of mixture effects different from linear additivity by including information on binary mixtures between the chemicals. The aim of this study is to make a solid estimate on the possible synergistic potential of combined antibiotics and to quantify the subsequent effect for the case of the receiving river Elbe, Germany. Pieces of information on binary interactions between antibiotic groups were used from literature and from knowledge on human antibiotic combination therapy. Applying a moderate and a worst-case scenario, in terms of the interaction magnitude, resulted in 50 to 200% higher environmental risks, compared to the classical assessment approach applying simple concentration addition. A subsequent sensitivity analysis revealed that the data strength for some binary antibiotic combinations is too low to be considered for a solid estimate of synergistic effects. This led to the definition of certain preconditions in order to decide whether or not to include certain interaction information (e.g. the necessary number of interaction studies). The exclusion of information with low data strength resulted in an attenuated risk increase of 20 to 50%, based on the currently available scientific information on binary antibiotic mixtures. In order to include antibiotics with the highest share in the overall risk (macrolides, quinolones, and cephalosporins) as well as their corresponding metabolites, investigations should focus on binary interactions between them.

Joint toxicity of chlorpyrifos, atrazine, and cadmium at lethal concentrations to the earthworm Eisenia fetida

Contaminants in the environment often occur as complex mixtures, and their combined effect may exhibit toxicity to organisms. Risk assessments based on individual components tend to underestimate the effects associated with toxic action of mixtures. Toxicity studies on chemical mixtures are urgently required to assess their potential combined toxicities. The combination index (CI)-isobologram method was used to study chemical interactions to determine the nature of toxicological interactions of two pesticides chlorpyrifos and atrazine and a heavy metal cadmium toward earthworm Eisenia fetida by artificial soil and filter paper acute toxicity tests. The results showed that the binary mixture of chlorpyrifos and atrazine was antagonistic toward E. fetida at all f a levels in an artificial soil test. The combination of atrazine and Cd exhibited a slight degree of synergism throughout the exposure range, while chlorpyrifos plus Cd combination led to dual antagonistic/synergistic behavior. The nature of binary combinations in filter paper displayed opposite interaction to that in the artificial soil test, and the toxicity of ternary mixtures was not significantly synergistic than their binaries. The combination index (CI)-isobologram equation method could determine the interaction types for a series of effect levels of three chemicals in binary and ternary combinations in two types of acute earthworm tests. However, the nature of these interactions was not uniform along the f a level range in any of the two tests. Bioavailability, the nature of toxicological interaction, and the test organism need to be considered for understanding exposures and chemical measures. The synergistic effect for the particular binary combination suggests that a potential risk associated with the co-occurrence of these pollutants may still exist, which may have implications in risk assessment for the terrestrial environment. The combined effects between different contaminants might be influenced by the category of chemical, as well as the bioassay procedures. More studies of combined toxicities among these contaminants in the terrestrial environment should be conducted to identify the mixtures exhibiting synergistic pattern of interactions.

Personal care product preservatives: risk assessment and mixture toxicities with an industrial wastewater

The aquatic toxicity of eight preservatives frequently used in personal care products (PCPs) (iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, bronopol, diazolidinyl urea, benzalkonium chloride, zinc pyrithione, propylparaben, triclosan and a mixture of methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone) was assessed by means of two different approaches: a battery of bioassays composed of single species tests of bacteria (Vibrio fischeri and Pseudomonas putida) and protozoa (Tetrahymena thermophila), and a whole biological community resazurin-based assay using activated sludge. The tested preservatives showed considerable toxicity in the studied bioassays, but with a marked difference in potency. In fact, all biocides except propylparaben and diazolidinyl urea had EC50 values lower than 1 mg L(-1) in at least one assay. Risk quotients for zinc pyrithione, benzalkonium chloride, iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and triclosan as well as the mixture of the studied preservatives exceeded 1, indicating a potential risk for the process performance and efficiency of municipal sewage treatment plants (STPs). These four single biocides explained more than 95% of the preservative mixture risk in all bioassays. Each individual preservative was also tested in combination with an industrial wastewater (IWW) from a cosmetics manufacturing facility. The toxicity assessment was performed on binary mixtures (preservative + IWW) and carried out using the median-effect principle, which is a special case of the concept of Concentration Addition (CA). Almost 70% of all experiments resulted in EC50 values within a factor of 2 of the values predicted by the median-effect principle (CI values between 0.5 and 2). The rest of the mixtures whose toxicity was mispredicted by CA were assessed with the alternative concept of Independent Action (IA), which showed higher predictive power for the biological community assay. Therefore, the concept used to accurately predict the toxicity of mixtures of a preservative with a complex industrial wastewater depends on degree of biological complexity.

Acute and chronic toxicity of emerging contaminants, alone or in combination, in Chlorella vulgaris and Daphnia magna

This work presents the toxicity results of different compounds classified as emerging contaminants on primary producers and primary consumers in the aquatic compartment. The objectives were to (1) obtain acute and chronic toxicity results for algae and Daphnia magna using standardised or currently used tests, (2) study the relationship between the effects on the impaired feeding rate for daphnia and the effects of reproduction and (3) examine the responses on daphnia and algae after binary combinations of environmentally relevant compounds and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). Toxicity data on personal care products (PCPs), not reported in the scientific literature up to now, are presented. The results confirmed that the Daphnia feeding bioassay can be a sensitive, ecologically relevant endpoint to detect sublethal effects and could complement the information obtained with the reproduction test on Daphnia. The results also suggested that the concomitant occurrence of PFOS and other emerging contaminants in the aquatic compartment could affect the toxicity of some compounds according to their lipophilicity.

The synergistic toxicity of the multiple chemical mixtures: implications for risk assessment in the terrestrial environment

The combined toxicity of five insecticides (chlorpyrifos, avermectin, imidacloprid, λ-cyhalothrin, and phoxim), two herbicides (atrazine and butachlor) and a heavy metal (cadmium) has been examined with the earthworm acute toxicity test. Toxicological interactions of these chemicals in four, five, six, seven, and eight-component mixtures were studied using the combination-index (CI) equation method. In four-component and five-component mixtures, the synergistic effects predominated at lower effect levels, while the patterns of interactions found in six, seven, and eight-component mixtures displayed synergism. The λ-CY+IMI+BUT+ATR+CPF+PHO combination displayed the most strongly synergistic interaction, with CI values ranging from 0.09 to 0.15. The nature of the interaction changes with the effect level and the relevance of synergistic effects increase with the complexity of the mixture. The CI method was compared with the classical models of concentration addition (CA) and independent action (IA) and we found that the CI method could accurately predict the combined toxicity. The predicted synergism resulted from co-existence of the pesticides and the heavy metal especially at low effect levels may have important implications in risk assessment for the real terrestrial environment.

Construction of a self-luminescent cyanobacterial bioreporter that detects a broad range of bioavailable heavy metals in aquatic environments

A self-luminescent bioreporter strain of the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942 was constructed by fusing the promoter region of the smt locus (encoding the transcriptional repressor SmtB and the metallothionein SmtA) to luxCDABE from Photorhabdus luminescens; the sensor smtB gene controlling the expression of smtA was cloned in the same vector. The bioreporter performance was tested with a range of heavy metals and was shown to respond linearly to divalent Zn, Cd, Cu, Co, Hg, and monovalent Ag. Chemical modeling was used to link bioreporter response with metal speciation and bioavailability. Limits of Detection (LODs), Maximum Permissive Concentrations (MPCs) and dynamic ranges for each metal were calculated in terms of free ion concentrations. The ranges of detection varied from 11 to 72 pM for Hg²⁺ (the ion to which the bioreporter was most sensitive) to 1.54–5.35 μM for Cd²⁺ with an order of decreasing sensitivity as follows: Hg²⁺ >> Cu²⁺ >> Ag⁺ > Co²⁺ ≥ Zn²⁺ > Cd²⁺. However, the maximum induction factor reached 75-fold in the case of Zn²⁺ and 56-fold in the case of Cd²⁺, implying that Zn²⁺ is the preferred metal in vivo for the SmtB sensor, followed by Cd²⁺, Ag⁺ and Cu²⁺ (around 45–50-fold induction), Hg²⁺ (30-fold) and finally Co²⁺ (20-fold). The bioreporter performance was tested in real environmental samples with different water matrix complexity artificially contaminated with increasing concentrations of Zn, Cd, Ag, and Cu, confirming its validity as a sensor of free heavy metal cations bioavailability in aquatic environments.

Ternary toxicological interactions of insecticides, herbicides, and a heavy metal on the earthworm Eisenia fetida

The combined toxicities of five insecticides (chlorpyrifos, avermectin, imidacloprid, λ-cyhalothrin, and phoxim), two herbicides (atrazine and butachlor), and a heavy metal (cadmium) have been examined using the acute toxicity test on the earthworm. With a concentration of 2.75 mg/kg being lethal for 50% of the organisms, imidacloprid exhibited the highest acute toxicity toward the earthworm Eisenia fetida. Toxicological interactions of these chemicals in ternary mixtures were studied using the combination-index (CI) equation method. Twenty-one ternary mixtures exhibited various interactive effects, in which 11 combinations showed synergistic effects, four led to dual synergistic/additive behaviors, one exhibited an additive effect, and five showed increasing antagonism within the entire range of effects. The CI method was compared with the classical models of concentration addition and independent action, and it was found that the CI method could accurately predict combined toxicity of the chemicals studied. The predicted synergism in the majority of the mixtures, especially at low-effect levels, might have implications in the real terrestrial environment.

Toxicity of mixtures of λ-cyhalothrin, imidacloprid and cadmium on the earthworm Eisenia fetida by combination index (CI)-isobologram method

Contaminants in the environment do not appear singly and usually occur as mixtures. We applied the combination index (CI)-isobologram method which allows computerized quantitation of synergism, additive effect and antagonism to determine the nature of toxicological interactions of two pesticides λ-cyhalothrin, imidacloprid, and heavy metal cadmium towards earthworm Eisenia fetida. In an artificial soil test, λ-cyhalothrin and Cd combination was slightly synergistic at low effect levels which turned into a slight antagonism above f(a) values of 0.6, while the binary mixtures containing imidacloprid exhibited antagonism. The presence of imidacloprid in the ternary mixture also resulted in an antagonistic effect to the earthworms. This behavior became more antagonistic in the ternary mixture in filter paper tests.

Application of the combination index integrated with confidence intervals to study the toxicological interactions of antibiotics and pesticides in Vibrio qinghaiensis sp.-Q67

It is necessary to explore the effect of confidence intervals on the combination index (CI) so that rationally evaluate the toxicological interaction (synergism or antagonism) which is dependent on the concentration ratio, the mixture concentration and the exposure time. To effectively detect the toxicological interaction taking place in mixtures, we combined the CI with the observation-based confidence intervals (OCI) which can characterize the uncertainty in toxicity test and in data fitting. In time scale, the short-term (15min) and long-term (12h) toxicities of three chemicals (imidacloprid (IMI), pirimicarb (PIR) and streptomycin sulfate (STR)) and their binary mixtures on Vibrio qinghaiensis sp.-Q67 were determined by the microplate toxicity analysis (MTA). The mixtures of IMI, PIR and STR have additive actions all but four IMI-PIR rays (R2-R5) at the effect levels above about 30-40% whose long-term toxicological interaction are synergism.

Evolutionary ecotoxicology of perfluoralkyl substances (PFASs) inferred from multigenerational exposure: a case study with Chironomus riparius (Diptera, Chironomidae)

A multigeneration toxicity test on Chironomus riparius was performed with the aim of investigating the evolutionary consequences of exposure to perfluoralkyl substances (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, PFOS; perfluorooctanoic acid, PFOA; perfluorobutane sulfonate, PFBS). Six-hundred larvae were bred per treatment and per generation until emergence and egg deposition under a nominal concentration of 10μg/L of contaminants. Newborn larvae were used to start the next generation. Evolution of genetic variability was evaluated along a total of 10 consecutive generations based on 5 microsatellite loci. Analysis of life-history traits (survival, sex ratio and reproduction) was also carried out. Rapid genetic variability reduction was observed in all treatments, including controls, across generations due to the test conditions. Nevertheless, an increased mutation rate determined a stronger conservation of genetic variability in PFOS and, at minor extent, in PFBS exposed populations compared to controls. No significant effects were induced by exposure to PFOA. Direct mutagenicity or induced stress conditions may be at the base of increased mutation rate, indicating the potential risk of mutational load caused by exposure to PFOS and PFBS. The test provided the opportunity to evaluate the use of approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) and coalescent approaches in evolutionary ecotoxicology. A weak performance was evidenced for ABC, either in terms of bias or dispersion of effective population sizes and of estimates of mutation rate. On the contrary, coalescent simulations proved the sensitivity of traditional genetic endpoints (i.e. heterozygosity and number of alleles) to the alteration of mutation rate, but not to erosion of genetic effective size.

Combined toxicity of butachlor, atrazine and λ-cyhalothrin on the earthworm Eisenia fetida by combination index (CI)-isobologram method

Pesticides in the environment do not appear singly and usually occur as complex mixtures and their combined effect may exhibit toxicity to organisms. The individual and combined toxicities of two herbicides, atrazine and butachlor and an insecticide λ-cyhalothrin have been examined to the earthworm Eisenia fetida, as a non-target terrestrial organism, in artificial soil and filter paper tests. The order of toxicity for the individual pesticides was ranked as atrazine>λ-cyhalothrin>butachlor in both tests. We applied the combination index (CI)-isobologram method which is widely used to study chemical interactions to determine the nature of toxicological interactions of the pesticides and it allows computerized quantitation of synergism, additive effect and antagonism. For most cases in artificial soil test, synergism was observed in majority of the mixtures except for the combination of butachlor plus λ-cyhalothrin. This particular combination displayed opposite interaction in filter paper test. The CI method was compared with the classical models of Concentration Addition (CA) and Independent Action (IA) and we found that CI method could accurately predict the combined toxicity and can serve as a useful tool in ecotoxicological risk assessment.

Photocatalytic Degradation of Hydrofluorocarbon under Visible Light Irradiation

Hydrofluorocarbons are difficult to remove from the water environment due to their inertness to photolysis, hydrolysis, and biodegradation. In the study, the rapid decomposition of hydrofluorocarbons was found in the presence of bismuth oxide as a photocatalyst under visible light irradiation. Compared with nanoTiO2 and direct photolysis, the photocatalysis by bismuth oxide can remove hydrofluorocarbons more efficiently under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm). The effects of temperature, pH, and initial hydrofluorocarbons concentration on the photocatalytic decomposition rates were investigated. Based on the detection of reactive radicals, photocatalytic reduction by hydrated electron was determined as the major degradation route. The detailed defluorination pathway was also proposed.

Fate and effects of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in the aquatic environment: a review

Polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are distributed ubiquitously in the aquatic environment, which raises concern for the flora and fauna in hydrosystems. The present critical review focuses on the fate and adverse effects of PFASs in the aquatic environment. The PFASs are continuously emitted into the environment from point and nonpoint sources such as sewage treatment plants and atmospheric deposition, respectively. Although concentrations of single substances may be too low to cause adverse effects, their mixtures can be of significant environmental concern. The production of C8 -based PFASs (i.e., perfluorooctane sulfonate [PFOS] and perfluorooctanoate [PFOA]) is largely phased out; however, the emissions of other PFASs, in particular short-chain PFASs and PFAS precursors, are increasing. The PFAS precursors can finally degrade to persistent degradation products, which are, in particular, perfluoroalkane sulfonates (PFSAs) and perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs). In the environment, PFSAs and PFCAs are subject to partitioning processes, whereby short-chain PFSAs and PFCAs are mainly distributed in the water phase, whereas long-chain PFSAs and PFCAs tend to bind to particles and have a substantial bioaccumulation potential. However, there are fundamental knowledge gaps about the interactive toxicity of PFAS precursors and their persistent degradation products but also interactions with other natural and anthropogenic stressors. Moreover, because of the continuous emission of PFASs, further information about their ecotoxicological potential among multiple generations, species interactions, and mixture toxicity seems fundamental to reliably assess the risks for PFASs to affect ecosystem structure and function in the aquatic environment.

Evaluation on joint toxicity of chlorinated anilines and cadmium to Photobacterium phosphoreum and QSAR analysis

The individual IC50 (the concentrations causing a 50% inhibition of bioluminescence after 15min exposure) of cadmium ion (Cd) and nine chlorinated anilines to Photobacterium phosphoreum (P. phosphoreum) were determined. In order to evaluate the combined effects of the nine chlorinated anilines and Cd, the toxicities of chlorinated anilines combined with different concentrations of Cd were determined, respectively. The results showed that the number of chlorinated anilines manifesting synergy with Cd decreased with the increasing Cd concentration, and the number manifesting antagonism decreased firstly and then increased. The joint toxicity of mixtures at low Cd concentration was weaker than that of most binary mixtures when combined with Cd at medium and high concentrations as indicated by TUTotal. QSAR analysis showed that the single toxicity of chlorinated anilines was related to the energy of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (ELUMO). When combined with different concentrations of Cd, the toxicity was related to the energy difference (EHOMO-ELUMO) with different coefficients. Van der Waals' force or the complexation between chlorinated anilines and Cd had an impact on the toxicity of combined systems, which could account for QSAR models with different physico-chemical descriptors.

Ecotoxicological effects of perfluorooctanoic acid on freshwater microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Scenedesmus obliquus

As a persistent bioaccumulative compound, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is found in various ecosystems and receives growing attention. The acute toxicity of PFOA was tested on 2 freshwater microalgae, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Scenedesmus obliquus. The 96-h concentration for 50% of maximal effect (EC50) values were measured, physiological responses of the algae were investigated, and uptake of PFOA by the algae was quantified. The EC50 values for C. reinhardtii and S. obliquus were 51.9 ± 1.0 mg/L and 44.0 ± 1.5 mg/L PFOA, respectively. After 8-d exposure to PFOA ranging from 10 mg/L to 40 mg/L, the growth of C. reinhardtii was significantly inhibited, whereas that of S. obliquus was only slightly suppressed. Increases in malonaldehyde and proline levels were observed in the 2 algae when exposed to PFOA at certain concentrations, for instance, 20 mg/L and 40 mg/L, which is indicative of the trigger of a defensive mechanism. The percentage of PFOA that was adsorbed by the algae after 8-d exposure at a dosage between 5 mg/L and 20 mg/L ranged from 5.5% to 7.5%, and the uptake of PFOA by the algae exceeded 10%.

Evaluation of the ecotoxicity of pollutants with bioluminescent microorganisms

This chapter deals with the use of bioluminescent microorganisms in environmental monitoring, particularly in the assessment of the ecotoxicity of pollutants. Toxicity bioassays based on bioluminescent microorganisms are an interesting complement to classical toxicity assays, providing easiness of use, rapid response, mass production, and cost effectiveness. A description of the characteristics and main environmental applications in ecotoxicity testing of naturally bioluminescent microorganisms, covering bacteria and eukaryotes such as fungi and dinoglagellates, is reported in this chapter. The main features and applications of a wide variety of recombinant bioluminescent microorganisms, both prokaryotic and eukaryotic, are also summarized and critically considered. Quantitative structure-activity relationship models and hormesis are two important concepts in ecotoxicology; bioluminescent microorganisms have played a pivotal role in their development. As pollutants usually occur in complex mixtures in the environment, the use of both natural and recombinant bioluminescent microorganisms to assess mixture toxicity has been discussed. The main information has been summarized in tables, allowing quick consultation of the variety of luminescent organisms, bioluminescence gene systems, commercially available bioluminescent tests, environmental applications, and relevant references.

Toxicity of perfluorooctanoic acid to Pseudomonas putida in the aquatic environment

Perfluorinated compounds are potential persistent organic pollutants which attracted much concerns in recent years. Thus relevant toxicity data of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are vitally important for identification of possible risk in the aquatic environment. In the present study, the acute toxic effect of PFOA in the absence and presence of either chromium (III) or tetra butyl ammonium (TBA) towards Pseudomonas putida in the aquatic environment was investigated by microcalorimetry. The thermokinetic parameters including growth rate constant (k), inhibitory ratio, and half inhibitory concentration, were calculated and compared using the data obtained from the power-time curves. Our work revealed the toxicity of PFOA under three experimental conditions in a descending sequence: PFOA, PFOA+Cr(3+), and PFOA+TBA. The results highlighted that the presence of un-ionized NH3 in the test solutions could not be a potential significant contributor to the observed toxicity of PFOA. In addition, PFOA interacted antagonistically with Cr(3+) and TBA. TBA was found to substantially enhance the surface pressure of PFOA which could be related with the toxicity of PFOA. The higher surface pressure caused for the reduction in toxicity. Thus the results highlighted the potential toxicological risk associated with this surfactant in the aquatic ecosystems.

Source apportionment of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in sediments: using three multivariate factor analysis receptor models

Understanding the levels, distribution and sources of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in sediments is of great significance for the management of aquatic environments. In this work, 26 sediment samples were collected from Dianchi Lake in China and ten PFCs compounds were measured. The concentrations of the total PFCs (∑PFCs) in the sediments ranged from 0.21 to 2.45 ng g(-1)dw (dry weight), with an average value of 0.95 ng g(-1)dw. PFOS was the most abundant compound among the ten PFCs with the average concentration of 0.33 ng g(-1)dw, followed by PFOA at 0.21 ng g(-1)dw. A two-dimensional HCA (hierarchical cluster analysis) heat map was depicted to analyze the spatial variation of individual PFCs compound and the possible origins in the sediments. Two groups were clustered by HCA, showing the possible source categories (PFOS-cluster and PFOA-cluster). Additionally, PCA-MLR, PMF and Unmix models were employed to quantitatively calculate the contribution of extracted sources. Three models concluded consistent results that PFOS-factor and PFOA-factor were the two main source categories for PFCs in the sediments. The contribution percentages were 43% (PCA-MLR), 48% (PMF) and 46% (Unmix) from the former source, and were 54% (PCA-MLR), 43% (PMF) and 44% (Unmix) from the latter source, respectively. The findings and the approaches used in this work can provide useful information for further study of source apportionment for PFCs in sediments and other environmental compartments.

Modeling toxicity of mixtures of perfluorooctanoic acid and triazoles (triadimefon and paclobutrazol) to the benthic cladoceran Chydorus sphaericus

Toxicity of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and triazoles, that is, paclobutrazol (PBZ) and triadimefon (TDF), singly and in binary mixtures was assessed on the benthic cladoceran Chydorus sphaericus. Following single exposure, toxicity of PBZ was not significantly different from that of TDF as shown by the overlapping 95% confidence intervals of their median effective concentrations: EC50(PBZ) = 0.07-0.09 mM; EC50(TDF) = 0.066-0.078 mM. PFOA was far less toxic than these triazoles: EC50(PFOA) = 0.20-0.24 mM. Assuming no interactions between PFOA and the triazoles, the toxicity of PFOA in mixtures with the triazoles estimated by the concentration addition (CA) and independent action (IA) models was significantly lower than its toxicity in single exposure. This contrasted with the results for PBZ and TDF. Based on the assumption that PFOA may interact with the triazoles, different predictions were obtained by the two models. Significant alleviation of PBZ and TDF on the toxicity of PFOA was found by the extended CA model only. According to the extended IA model, PFOA had nonsignificant effects on the toxicity of PBZ while significantly increasing the toxicity of TDF. This difference is possibly related to different modes of actions for various functional groups in PBZ and TDF.

Combined effects of PFOS and PFOA on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are two kinds of emerging contaminants most studied in recent years. However, there is limited information about their combined toxicity to aquatic organisms. In the present study, the single and combined toxicity of PFOA and PFOS to zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos were investigated. PFOS was more toxic than PFOA for the single toxicity. In four mixtures, PFOS and PFOA showed complex interactive effects that changed from additive to synergistic effect, then to antagonistic effect, and at last turnover to synergic effect again, with increased molar ratios of PFOS. Neither the concentration-addition model nor the independent-action model could predict the combined effects when strong interactive effects existed. Although the interactive effects of PFOS and PFOA affected their combined toxicity, the trend of mixture toxicity still showed an increase with increasing molar ratios of PFOS in the mixture.

Toxicity of five antibiotics and their mixtures towards photosynthetic aquatic organisms: implications for environmental risk assessment

The individual and combined toxicities of amoxicillin, erythromycin, levofloxacin, norfloxacin and tetracycline have been examined in two organisms representative of the aquatic environment, the cyanobacterium Anabaena CPB4337 as a target organism and the green alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata as a non-target organism. The cyanobacterium was more sensitive than the green alga to the toxic effect of antibiotics. Erythromycin was highly toxic for both organisms; tetracycline was more toxic to the green algae whereas the quinolones levofloxacin and norfloxacin were more toxic to the cyanobacterium than to the green alga. Amoxicillin also displayed toxicity to the cyanobacterium but showed no toxicity to the green alga. The toxicological interactions of antibiotics in the whole range of effect levels either in binary or multicomponent mixtures were analyzed using the Combination Index (CI) method. In most cases, synergism clearly predominated both for the green alga and the cyanobacterium. The CI method was compared with the classical models of additivity Concentration Addition (CA) and Independent Action (IA) finding that CI could accurately predict deviations from additivity. Risk assessment was performed by calculating the ratio between Measured Environmental Concentration (MEC) and the Predicted No Effect Concentration (PNEC). A MEC/PNEC ratio higher than 1 was found for the binary erythromycin and tetracycline mixture in wastewater effluents, a combination which showed a strong synergism at low effect levels in both organisms. From the tested antibiotic mixtures, it can be concluded that certain specific combinations may pose a potential ecological risk for aquatic ecosystems with the present environmentally measured concentrations.

Testing for departures from additivity in mixtures of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs)

This study is a follow-up to a paper by Carr et al. that determined a design structure to optimally test for departures from additivity in a fixed ratio mixture of four perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) using an in vitro transiently-transfected COS-1 PPARα reporter model with a mixing ratio that is based on average serum levels in NHANES subjects. Availability of information regarding potential for additivity of PFAAs in mixtures is critically important for risk assessors who are concerned with the ability of the compounds to affect human health and impact ecological systems. It is clear that exposures are not to single compounds, but to mixtures of the PFAAs. This paper presents the results from the data collected using the design from Carr et al. along with subsequent analyses that were performed to classify the relationships among mixtures of PFAAs. A non-linear logistic additivity model was employed to predict relative luciferase units (RLU), an indicator of PPARα activation. The results indicated a less than additive relationship among the four PFAAs. To determine if the possible "antagonism" is from the competition among or between carboxylates and sulfonates, four different binary mixtures were also studied. There was a less than additive relationship in all four binary mixtures. These findings are generally similar to two other reports of interfering interactions between PFAAs in mixtures. The most conservative interpretation for our data would be an assumption of additivity (and lack of a greater than additive interaction), with a potential for antagonistic interactions.

Occurrence of perfluorinated compounds in raw water from New Jersey public drinking water systems

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) were previously detected (≥ 4 ng/L) in 65% and 30%, respectively, of 23 New Jersey (NJ) public drinking water systems (PWS) sampled in 2006. We now report on a 2009 study of the occurrence of PFOA, PFOS, and eight other perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in raw water samples from 30 intakes (18 groundwater and 12 surface water) from 29 additional NJ PWS. Between 1 and 8 PFCs were detected (≥ 5 ng/L) in 21 (70%) of 30 PWS samples at total PFC concentrations of 5-174 ng/L. Although PFOA was the most commonly detected PFC (57% of samples) and was found at the highest maximum concentration (100 ng/L), some of the higher levels of other PFCs were at sites with little or no PFOA. Perfluorononanoic acid was detected more frequently (30%) and at higher concentrations (up to 96 ng/L) than in raw or finished drinking water elsewhere, and it was found at several sites as the sole or predominant PFC, a pattern not reported in other drinking water studies. PFOS, perfluoropentanoic acid, and perfluorohexanoic acid were each detected in more than 20% of samples, while perfluoroheptanoic acid, perfluorobutane sulfonic acid, and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid were detected less frequently. Perfluorobutanoic acid was found only once (6 ng/L), and perfluorodecanoic acid was not detected. Total PFCs were highest in two reservoirs near an airfield; these were also the only sites with total perfluorosulfonic acids higher than total perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs). PFC levels in raw and finished water from the same source were similar at those sites where both were tested. Five wells of two additional NJ PWS known to be contaminated with PFOA were also each sampled 4-9 times in 2010-13 for nine of the same PFCs. Total PFCs (almost completely PFCAs) at one of these PWS located near an industrial source of PFCs were higher than in any other PWS tested (up to 330 ng/L). These results show that multiple PFCs are commonly found in raw water from NJ PWS. Future work is needed to develop approaches for assessing the potential human health risks of exposure to mixtures of PFCs found in drinking water and other environmental media.