An ecological assessment of bisphenol-A: Evidence from comparative biology

Environmental estrogen(s) induced swimming behavioural alterations in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)

The present study is an attempt to investigate the effects of long-term (75days) exposure to environmental estrogens (EE) on the swimming behaviour of zebrafish (Danio rerio). Adult zebrafish were exposed semi-statically to media containing commonly detected estrogenic water contaminants (EE2, DES and BPA) at a concentration (5ng/L) much lower than environmentally recorded levels. Time spent in swimming, surface preference, patterns and path of swimming were recorded (6mins) for each fish using two video cameras on day 15, 30 60 and 75. Video clips were analysed using a software program. Results indicate that chronic exposure to EE leads to increased body weight and size of females, reduced (P<0.05) swimming time, delay in latency, increased (P<0.05) immobility, erratic movements and freezing episodes. We conclude that estrogenic contamination of natural aquatic systems induces alterations in locomotor behaviour and associated physiological disturbances in inhabitant fish fauna.

Occurrence and effects of plastic additives on marine environments and organisms: A review

Plastics debris, especially microplastics, have been found worldwide in all marine compartments. Much research has been carried out on adsorbed pollutants on plastic pieces and hydrophobic organic compounds (HOC) associated with microplastics. However, only a few studies have focused on plastic additives. These chemicals are incorporated into plastics from which they can leach out as most of them are not chemically bound. As a consequence of plastic accumulation and fragmentation in oceans, plastic additives could represent an increasing ecotoxicological risk for marine organisms. The present work reviewed the main class of plastic additives identified in the literature, their occurrence in the marine environment, as well as their effects on and transfers to marine organisms. This work identified polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), phthalates, nonylphenols (NP), bisphenol A (BPA) and antioxidants as the most common plastic additives found in marine environments. Moreover, transfer of these plastic additives to marine organisms has been demonstrated both in laboratory and field studies. Upcoming research focusing on the toxicity of microplastics should include these plastic additives as potential hazards for marine organisms, and a greater focus on the transport and fate of plastic additives is now required considering that these chemicals may easily leach out from plastics.

Bioaccumulation and elimination of bisphenol a (BPA) in the alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa and the potential for trophic transfer to the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus

In this study, we investigated the bioaccumulation and elimination of ¹⁴C-labeled BPA by the green alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa and the subsequent transfer of ¹⁴C-BPA residues from the contaminated alga to the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus. After 10 days of BPA exposure, the algal cells accumulated 15% of the initial radioactivity from the medium, with 71% of the accumulated radioactivity occurring in the form of non-extractable bound residues. An approximate steady state of the accumulation of the ¹⁴C-BPA residues in the algae was reached after about 4 days of exposure. The bioconcentration factor of total radioactivity in the algae was 106 mL (g dry weight)^-1 at steady state. During the elimination phase, only the extractable residues were released from the algae into the water whereas the bound residues, following their ingestion by the rotifers, were converted to extractable forms and then also released. Furthermore, our results demonstrated the biomagnification of BPA-related residues in the food chain between algae and rotifers. The trophic transfer of these BPA-derived residues from the algae to rotifers and thus the environmental hazard may posed by this pathway, because of subsequent effects on the food chain.

Inter-Sectoral Bisphenol A (BPA) Flows in the 2012 Chinese Economy

Bisphenol A (BPA), a widely used petrochemical compound, has become an emerging global environmental management challenge because its leakage is associated with potential environmental and human health impacts. Until now, available BPA statistics have been limited to the products that directly use BPA. In this study, we delineate direct and indirect BPA flows for the 2012 Chinese economy. We find that construction, production of educational and recreational products, and automobile manufacturing are the most BPA-intensive sectors in terms of total BPA flows (300, 157, and 130 Gg total BPA flows, respectively). The public management and health sectors, however, incur significant indirect BPA flows, defined as embedded and inter-sectoral BPA placed into use, even though direct BPA use by these sectors is limited. By revealing the currently overlooked indirect BPA flows, this study reveals data gaps that are highly relevant to improving the accuracy of estimated BPA flows and losses. The method used herein is transferrable to other emerging and environmentally relevant materials, thereby providing the holistic understanding needed for cities, regions, or nations to design effective policy interventions.

Differential effects of bisphenol A toxicity on oyster (Crassostrea angulata) gonads as revealed by label-free quantitative proteomics

Bisphenol A (BPA) is widely used in industry, and is released in large amounts into the environment. BPA is a teratogen and an estrogen receptor agonist and negatively affects reproduction, particularly in aquatic animals, which is of concern for the aquaculture industry. Although there is a large body of literature on the mechanisms that underlie BPA disruption and the effects of different toxicities on invertebrate reproduction, many of the mechanisms involved in invertebrate responses to BPA remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of BPA on the reproduction of female and male oysters (Crassostrea angulata), and measured BPA bioaccumulation, the gonad-somatic index (GSI), and gonadal protein profiles in oysters exposed to BPA. Compared to controls, approximately 160-times more BPA accumulated in the gonads of male and female oysters after exposure to 2 mg L^-1 BPA for 16 days. Gonadal development was negatively affected in males, but was accelerated in females when exposed to BPA, based on GSI analysis and a visual inspection of histological sections of the gonads. BPA exposure induced the differential expression of many important proteins such as vitellogenin, periostin, phosphoglucomutase, collagen alpha-1(XII) chain, and zinc transporter 9, which are involved in energy metabolism, oxidative stress, gene transcription regulation, the vitellogenin interaction network, and zinc transportation. A functional analysis of these proteins indicated that BPA has different effects on gonadal development in male and female oysters.

Maternal Methyl Donor Supplementation during Gestation Counteracts the Bisphenol A-Induced Impairment of Intestinal Morphology, Disaccharidase Activity, and Nutrient Transporters Gene Expression in Newborn and Weaning Pigs

This study was conducted to explore whether exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) during pregnancy could change intestinal digestion and absorption function in offspring using pigs as a model, and whether methyl donor (MET) could counteract the BPA-induced impacts. Fifty Landrace × Yorkshire sows were divided into four dietary groups throughout gestation: control diet (CON); control diet supplemented with BPA (50 mg/kg); control diet supplemented with MET (3 g/kg betaine, 400 mg/kg choline, 150 μg/kg vitamin B12, and 15 mg/kg folic acid); and control diet with BPA and MET supplementation (BPA + MET). Intestine samples were collected from pigs’ offspring at birth and weaning. Maternal BPA exposure during pregnancy significantly reduced the ratio of jejunum villus height to crypt depth, decreased the jejunum sucrase activity, down-regulated the mRNA expression of jejunum peptide transporter 1 (Pept1) and DNA methyl transferase 3a (DNMT3a), and decreased the DNA methylation level of jejunum Pept1 in offspring (p < 0.05). Maternal MET supplementation significantly raised the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in jejunum and ileum, improved the jejunum lactase activity, up-regulated the mRNA expression of jejunum Pept1, lactase (LCT), DNMT1, DNMT3a, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), and increased the DNA methylation level of jejunum Pept1 in offspring (p < 0.05). However, the ratio of jejunum villus height to crypt depth was higher in BPA + MET treatment compared with CON and BPA treatment (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, there was no difference in the jejunum sucrase activity, the mRNA expression of jejunum Pept1 and DNMT3a, and the DNA methylation level of jejunum Pept1 between CON and BPA + MET treatment. These results indicated that maternal exposure to BPA during gestation might suppress offspring’s intestinal digestion and absorption function, whereas supplementation of MET could counteract these damages, which might be associated with DNA methylation.

Partitioning Behavior of Bisphenol Alternatives BPS and BPAF Compared to BPA

With the pressure to ban or limit the use of bisphenol A (BPA), production of alternatives such as bisphenol AF (BPAF) and bisphenol S (BPS) are increasing, but little is known on their partitioning behavior for use in assessing distribution in the ecosystem. Octanol-water (D_ow^pH) and soil-water partitioning were measured at several pH values for BPA, BPAF, and BPS. Sorption isotherms were constructed from measured aqueous and soil phase concentrations and were fit sufficiently well with a linear sorption model. pH-dependent distribution was observed in both octanol-water and soil-water systems particularly for BPS and BPAF, which have lower estimated pK_a values than those for BPA. Accounting for soil organic carbon (OC) content and pH was sufficient to describe sorption reasonable well across the four soils (%OC 0.1-2.5, pH 3.8-8.6); no other soil properties correlated well with bisphenol sorption. However, for a given soil especially for the two high clay low OC soils, BPS sorbed much more than expected relative to observed trends in D_ow^pH and magnitude appeared correlated to % kaolinite; therefore, Ca²⁺-bridging of BPS to clay edge sites was assessed by comparing sorption from 0.01 N KCl and 0.01 N CaCl₂; however, no significant differences were observed.

Bisphenol A effects on the chlorophyll contents in soybean at different growth stages

Bisphenol A (BPA), a suspected endocrine disruptor, can modify normal plant growth and development. Photosynthesis provides material and energy for the growth and development of plants, in which chlorophyll (Chl) plays a significant role. Many studies have shown that the growth and metabolism of plants vary at different growth stages. Thus the sensitivity of plant's responses to environmental pollution is correspondingly different. We studied the effects of BPA on the Chl contents of soybean (Glycine Max L.) at different growth stages (seedling, flowering and podding, seed-filling and maturation) by measuring the contents of essential intermediates (5-aminolevulinic acid, porphobilinogen, protoporphyrin IX, magnesium protoporphyrin and protochlorophyll) and the activities of key enzymes (5-aminolaevulinic acid dehydratase, porphobilinogen deaminase, uroporphyrinogen III synthase, magnesium chelatase) in chlorophyll synthesis. Low-dose (1.5 mg/L) BPA exposure increased the activities of key enzymes in addition to the contents of intermediates in Chl synthesis at different growth stages, resulting in increases in Chl contents and net photosynthetic rate. In contrast, medium and high-dose (17.2, 50.0 mg/L) BPA exposure produced inhibitory effects on the indices. Following the withdrawal of BPA exposure, the indices recovered to a degree that was related to the plant growth stage. The effect level (high to low) of BPA on these indices at different growth stages was: seedling stage > maturation stage > flowering and podding stage > seed-filling stage. The reverse effect was observed following the withdrawal of BPA exposure. The responses of key enzymes in plant Chl synthesis to BPA illustrate how BPA affects Chl contents. The effects of BPA show clear differences at different plant growth stages.

Bisphenol A Exposure during Pregnancy Alters the Mortality and Levels of Reproductive Hormones and Genes in Offspring Mice

The present study investigated the reproductive toxicity of bisphenol A (BPA) exposure to the mother on the offspring mice. BPA was given to pregnant mice at 50 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg, and 2500 mg/kg BW BPA daily by gavage during the whole gestation period. The offspring mice were sacrificed at 8 weeks of age. Results showed that exposure of BPA to the mother increased the mortality (P < 0.05). Maternal exposure of BPA reduced the levels of T (♂) and FSH (♀) (P < 0.01) and elevated E₂ (♀) level in the adult offspring (P < 0.01). BPA exposure caused testicular damage as shown by less Leydig cells and ovarian injury as shown by more vacuoles and less corpus granules in the adult offspring mice. Immunohistochemistry revealed that maternal exposure of BPA increased Bax and decreased Bcl-2 at the protein levels in testicular and ovary tissues in the offspring mice. BPA significantly reduced the expression of StAR in male offspring (P < 0.05). Interestingly, the mRNA levels of Cyp11a were significantly decreased in 50 mg/kg groups and were increased in 500 mg/kg group in the males. Reduced Kitlg and elevated Amh at the mRNA levels were detected in the female offspring.

Clastogenic effects of bisphenol A on human cultured lymphocytes

Bisphenol A is an endocrine disrupting compound widely used in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. It is ubiquitously present in the environment, mostly in aquatic environments, with consequent risks to the health of aquatic organisms and humans. In the present study, we analysed the cytogenetic effects of bisphenol A on human lymphocytes using in vitro chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei assays. Lymphocyte cultures were exposed to five different concentrations of BP-A (0.20, 0.10, 0.05, 0.02 and 0.01 μg/mL) for 24 h (for chromosomal aberrations test) and 48 h (for micronuclei test). The concentration of 0.05 µg/mL represents the reference dose established by United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA); 0.02 μg/mL represents the higher concentration of unconjugated BP-A found in human serum and 0.01 μg/mL represents the tolerable daily intake established by European Union. Data obtained from both assays showed significant genotoxic effects of the bisphenol A at concentrations of 0.20, 0.10 and 0.05 μg/mL, whereas at the concentration of 0.02 μg/mL, we observed only a significant increase in the micronuclei frequency. Finally, at the concentration of 0.01 μg/mL, no cytogenetic effects were observed, indicating this latter as a more tolerable concentration for human health with respect to 0.05 μg/mL, the reference dose established by US EPA.

Developmental bisphenol A exposure impairs sperm function and reproduction in zebrafish

The developmental and reproductive toxicity of bisphenol A (BPA) has been demonstrated in a variety of model systems. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) were waterborne-exposed to BPA during three different developmental stages: embryonic period:6 h post fertilization (hpf) to 5 months post fertilization (mpf); larval period: 6 days post fertilization (dpf) to 5 mpf; and sexually mature period: 3 mpf to 5 mpf. Evaluations included F0 adult growth, reproduction parameters, and F1 offspring development. BPA exposure did not affect zebrafish growth in any of exposure groups. Testis weight was decreased only following the 6 hpf to 5 mpf 0.001 μM BPA exposure. The lowest effect level indicated by a reduction in sperm volume, density, motility, and velocity across a range of exposure durations was 0.001 μM, with all but sperm density significant for the longest exposure duration, which was also the only significant endpoint for the lowest exposure concentration in the 3-5 mpf exposure group. Nonmonotonic concentration-response curves were noted for all F0 reproductive endpoints for at least one of the two longest exposure durations. For the F1 offspring of fish exposed from 6 hpf to 5 mpf, malformations and mortality were increased following 0.001 μM BPA exposure, while egg production and fertilization were reduced in higher concentration treatment groups. Overall, BPA exposure during three different developmental periods impaired zebrafish reproductive development, with most significance changes found in the lowest concentration treatment groups. Genetic impacts on gamete development may underlie the secondary effects of reduced fertilization rate, embryonic mortality, and malformations.

Assessing the concentration of phthalate esters (PAEs) and bisphenol A (BPA) and the genotoxic potential of treated wastewater (final effluent) in Saudi Arabia

Plasticizers such as phthalate esters (PAEs) and bisphenol A (BPA) are highly persistent organic pollutants that tend to bio-accumulate in humans through the soil-plant-animal food chain. Some studies have reported the potential carcinogenic and teratogenic effects in addition to their estrogenic activities. Water resources are scarce in Saudi Arabia, and several wastewater treatment plants (WTPs) have been constructed for agricultural and industrial use. This study was designed to: (1) measure the concentrations of BPA and six PAEs, dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and dioctyl phthalate (DOP), in secondary- and tertiary-treated wastewater collected from five WTPs in three Saudi cities for four to five weeks and (2) test their potential genotoxicity. Three genotoxicological parameters were used: % tail DNA (%T), tail moment (TM) and percentage micronuclei (%MN). Both DBP and DEHP were detected in all treated wastewater samples. DMP, DEP, BBP, DOP, and BPA were found in 83.3, 84.2, 79, 73.7 and 97.4% of the samples, respectively. The levels of DMP (p<0.001), DOP (p<0.001) and BPA (p=0.001) were higher in tertiary- treated wastewater than secondary-treated wastewater, perhaps due to the influence of the molecular weight and polarity of the chemicals. Both weekly sampling frequency and WTP locations significantly affected the variability in our data. Treated wastewater from Wadi Al-Araj was able to induce DNA damage (%T and TM) in human lymphoblastoid TK6 cells that was statistically higher than wastewater from all other WTPs and in untreated TK6 cells (negative control). %MN in samples from both Wadi Al-Araj and Manfouah did not differ statistically but was significantly higher than in the untreated TK6 cells. This study also showed that the samples of tertiary-treated wastewater had a higher genotoxicological potential to induce DNA damage than the samples of secondary-treated wastewater. BPA and some PAEs in the treated wastewater might have the potential to induce genetic damage, despite their low levels. Genotoxicity, however, may also have been due to the presence of other contaminants. Our preliminary findings should be of concern to Saudi agriculture because long-term irrigation with treated wastewater could lead to the accumulation of PAEs and BPA in the soil and ultimately reach the human and animal food chain. WTPs need to remove pollutants more efficiently. Until then, a cautious use of treated wastewater for irrigation is recommended to avoid serious health impacts on local populations.

BPA-toxicity via superoxide anion overload and a deficit in β-catenin signaling in human bone mesenchymal stem cells

Bisphenol A (BPA), used in the manufacture of products based on polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, is well known as an endocrine-disrupting monomer. In the current study, BPA increased cytotoxicity in hBMSCs in a dose- and time-dependent manner, concomitantly with increased lipid peroxidation. Increased cell death in BPA-treated cells was markedly blocked by pretreatment with the superoxide dismutase mimetic MnTBAP and MnTMPyP, but not by catalase, glutathione, the glutathione peroxidase mimetic ebselen, the NOS inhibitor NAME, or the xanthine oxidase inhibitor allopurinol. Furthermore, the decline in nuclear β-catenin and cyclin D1 levels in hBMSCs exposed to BPA was reversed by MnTBAP treatment. Finally, treatment of hBMSCs with the GSK3β inhibitor LiCl₂ increased nuclear β-catenin levels and significantly attenuated cytotoxicity compared with BPA treatment. Our current results in hBMSCs exposed to BPA suggest that BPA causes a disturbance in β-catenin signaling via a superoxide anion overload. © 2016 The Authors Environmental Toxicology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 344-352, 2017.

Environmental Factors Impacting Bone-Relevant Chemokines

Chemokines play an important role in normal bone physiology and the pathophysiology of many bone diseases. The recent increased focus on the individual roles of this class of proteins in the context of bone has shown that members of the two major chemokine subfamilies-CC and CXC-support or promote the formation of new bone and the remodeling of existing bone in response to a myriad of stimuli. These chemotactic molecules are crucial in orchestrating appropriate cellular homing, osteoblastogenesis, and osteoclastogenesis during normal bone repair. Bone healing is a complex cascade of carefully regulated processes, including inflammation, progenitor cell recruitment, differentiation, and remodeling. The extensive role of chemokines in these processes and the known links between environmental contaminants and chemokine expression/activity leaves ample opportunity for disruption of bone healing by environmental factors. However, despite increased clinical awareness, the potential impact of many of these environmental factors on bone-related chemokines is still ill defined. A great deal of focus has been placed on environmental exposure to various endocrine disruptors (bisphenol A, phthalate esters, etc.), volatile organic compounds, dioxins, and heavy metals, though mainly in other tissues. Awareness of the impact of other less well-studied bone toxicants, such as fluoride, mold and fungal toxins, asbestos, and chlorine, is also reviewed. In many cases, the literature on these toxins in osteogenic models is lacking. However, research focused on their effects in other tissues and cell lines provides clues for where future resources could be best utilized. This review aims to serve as a current and exhaustive resource detailing the known links between several classes of high-interest environmental pollutants and their interaction with the chemokines relevant to bone healing.

Smartphone-based fluorescence detection of bisphenol A from water samples

Smartphone-based quantification of bisphenol A (BPA) from water samples using the first demonstration of BPA-induced fluorescence quenching of 8-hydroxypyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid (HPTS).

Zebrafish: A Model for the Study of Toxicants Affecting Muscle Development and Function

The rapid progress in medicine, agriculture, and allied sciences has enabled the development of a large amount of potentially useful bioactive compounds, such as drugs and pesticides. However, there is another side of this phenomenon, which includes side effects and environmental pollution. To avoid or minimize the uncontrollable consequences of using the newly developed compounds, researchers seek a quick and effective means of their evaluation. In achieving this goal, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) has proven to be a highly useful tool, mostly because of its fast growth and development, as well as the ability to absorb the molecules diluted in water through its skin and gills. In this review, we focus on the reports concerning the application of zebrafish as a model for assessing the impact of toxicants on skeletal muscles, which share many structural and functional similarities among vertebrates, including zebrafish and humans.

Fatty acid metabolism in fish species as a biomarker for environmental monitoring

Pollution by Organic Contaminants (OC) in aquatic environments is a relevant issue at the global scale. Lipids comprised of Fatty Acids (FA) play many important roles in the physiology and life history of fishes. Toxic effects of OC are partly dependent on its bioaccumulation in the lipids of aquatic organisms due its physicochemical properties. Therefore, there is an increasing interest to investigate the gene expression as well as the presence and activity of proteins involved in FA metabolism. The attention on Peroxisome Proliferation Activate Receptors (PPARs) also prevails in fish species exposed to OC and in the transport, biosynthesis and β-oxidation of FA. Several studies have been conducted under controlled conditions to evaluate these biological aspects of fish species exposed to OC, as fibrates, endocrine disrupting compounds, perfluoroalkyl acids, flame retardants, metals and mixtures of organic compounds associated with a polluted area. However, only fibrates, which are agonists of PPARs, induce biological responses suitable to be considered as biomarkers of exposure to these pollutants. According to the documented findings on this topic, it is unlikely that these physiological aspects are suitable to be employed as biomarkers with some noticeable exceptions, which depend on experimental design. This emphasises the need to investigate the responses in fish treated with mixtures of OC and in wild fish species from polluted areas to validate or refute the suitability of these biomarkers for environmental or fish health monitoring.

A highly sensitive and specific capacitive aptasensor for rapid and label-free trace analysis of Bisphenol A (BPA) in canned foods

A rapid, highly sensitive, specific and low-cost capacitive affinity biosensor is presented here for label-free and single step detection of Bisphenol A (BPA). The sensor design allows rapid prototyping at low-cost using printed circuit board material by benchtop equipment. High sensitivity detection is achieved through the use of a BPA-specific aptamer as probe molecule and large electrodes to enhance AC-electroelectrothermal effect for long-range transport of BPA molecules toward electrode surface. Capacitive sensing technique is used to determine the bounded BPA level by measuring the sample/electrode interfacial capacitance of the sensor. The developed biosensor can detect BPA level in 20s and exhibits a large linear range from 1 fM to 10 pM, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 152.93 aM. This biosensor was applied to test BPA in canned food samples and could successfully recover the levels of spiked BPA. This sensor technology is demonstrated to be highly promising and reliable for rapid, sensitive and on-site monitoring of BPA in food samples.

The Genomic and Morphological Effects of Bisphenol A on Arabidopsis thaliana

The environmental toxin bisphenol A (BPA) is a known mammalian hormone disrupter but its effects on plants have not been well established. The effect of BPA on gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana was determined using microarray analysis and quantitative gene PCR. Many hormone responsive genes showed changes in expression after BPA treatment. BPA disrupted flowering by a mechanism that may involve disruption of auxin signaling. The results presented here indicate that BPA is a plant hormone disrupter.

The plasticizer bisphenol A affects somatic and sexual development, but differently in pipid, hylid and bufonid anurans

Due to their terrestrial habitats and aquatic reproduction, many amphibians are both very vulnerable and highly suitable bioindicators. The plasticizer bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the most produced chemical substances worldwide, and knowledge on its impacts on humans and animals is mounting. BPA is used for the industrial production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins and found in a multitude of consumer products. Studies on BPA have involved mammals, fish and the fully aquatic anuran model Xenopus laevis. However, our knowledge about the sexual development of non-model, often semi-terrestrial anuran amphibians remains poor. Using a recently developed experimental design, we simultaneously applied BPA to two non-model species (Hyla arborea, Hylidae; Bufo viridis, Bufonidae) and the model X. laevis (Pipidae), compared their genetic and phenotypic sex for detection of sex reversals, and studied sexual development, focusing on anatomical and histological features of gonads. We compared three concentrations of BPA (0.023, 2.28 and 228 μg/L) to control groups in a high-standard flow-through-system, and tested whether conclusions, drawn from the model species, can be extrapolated to non-model anurans. In contrast to previous studies on fish and Xenopus, often involving dosages much higher than most environmental pollution data, we show that BPA causes neither the development of mixed sex nor of sex-reversed individuals (few, seemingly BPA-independent sex reversals) in all focal species. However, environmentally relevant concentrations, as low as 0.023 μg/L, were sufficient to provoke species-specific anatomically and histologically detectable impairments of gonads, and affected morphological traits of metamorphs. As the intensity of these effects differed between the three species, our data imply that BPA diversely affects amphibians with different evolutionary history, sex determination systems and larval ecologies. These results highlight the role of amphibians as a sensitive group that is responsive to environmental pollution.

Enhanced GSH synthesis by Bisphenol A exposure promoted DNA methylation process in the testes of adult rare minnow Gobiocypris rarus

DNA methylation is a commonly studied epigenetic modification. The mechanism of BPA on DNA methylation is poorly understood. The present study aims to explore whether GSH synthesis affects DNA methylation in the testes of adult male rare minnow Gobiocypris rarus in response to Bisphenol A (BPA). Male G. rarus was exposed to 1, 15 and 225μgL(-1) BPA for 7 days. The levels of global DNA methylation, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and glutathione (GSH) in the testes were analyzed. Meanwhile, the levels of enzymes involved in DNA methylation and de novo GSH synthesis, and the substrate contents for GSH production were measured. Furthermore, gene expression profiles of the corresponding genes of all studied enzymes were analyzed. Results indicated that BPA at 15 and 225μgL(-1) caused hypermethylation of global DNA in the testes. The 15μgL(-1) BPA resulted in significant decrease of ten-eleven translocation proteins (TETs) while 225μgL(-1) BPA caused significant increase of DNA methyltransferase proteins (DNMTs). Moreover, 225μgL(-1) BPA caused significant increase of H2O2 and GSH levels, and the de novo GSH synthesis was enhanced. These results indicated that the significant decrease of the level of TETs may be sufficient to cause the DNA hypermethylation by 15μgL(-1) BPA. However, the significantly increased of DNMTs contributed to the significant increase of DNA methylation levels by 225μgL(-1) BPA. Moreover, the elevated de novo GSH synthesis may promote the DNA methylation process.

Fate of Bisphenol A in Terrestrial and Aquatic Environments

Bisphenol A (2,2-bis[4-hydroxyphenyl]propane, BPA), the monomer used to produce polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins, is weakly estrogenic and therefore of environmental and human health interest. Due to the high production volumes and disposal of products made from BPA, polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins, BPA has entered terrestrial and aquatic environments. In the presence of oxygen, diverse taxa of bacteria, fungi, algae and even higher plants metabolize BPA, but anaerobic microbial degradation has not been documented. Recent reports demonstrated that abiotic processes mediate BPA transformation and mineralization in the absence of oxygen, indicating that BPA is susceptible to degradation under anoxic conditions. This review summarizes biological and nonbiological processes that lead to BPA transformation and degradation, and identifies research needs to advance predictive understanding of the longevity of BPA and its transformation products in environmental systems.

The potential immune modulatory effect of chronic bisphenol A exposure on gene regulation in male medaka (Oryzias latipes) liver

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a well-known estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) ubiquitously present in various environmental media. The present study aims to identify the responsive genes in male fish chronically exposed to low concentrations of BPA at the transcription level. We screened genes from a suppression subtractive hybridization library constructed from male medaka (Oryzias latipes) livers after 60-d exposure to 10μg/L BPA under the condition at which changes of hepatic antioxidant parameters have been previously reported. The identified genes were predicted to be involved in multiple biological processes including antioxidant physiology, endocrine system, detoxification, notably associated with the immune response processes. With real time PCR analysis, the immune-associated genes including hepcidin-like precursor, complement component and factors, MHC class I, alpha-2-macroglobulin and novel immune-type receptor 6 isoform were significantly up-regulated in a nonmonotonic dose response pattern in livers upon exposure to different concentrations of BPA (0.1, 1, 10, 100, 1000μg/L). Our results demonstrated a negative impact on gene regulation in fish chronically exposed to relatively low and environmentally relevant concentrations of BPA, and suggested the potential immune modulatory effect of chronic EDC exposure on fish. The immunotoxicity of BPA and other EDCs should be much concerned for the health of human beings and other vertebrates exposed to it.

Global DNA methylation in gonads of adult zebrafish Danio rerio under bisphenol A exposure

Altered DNA methylation is pervasively associated with changes in gene expression and signal transduction after exposure to a wide range of endocrine disrupting chemicals. As a weak estrogenic chemical, bisphenol A (BPA) has been extensively studied for reproductive toxicity. In order to explore the effects of BPA on epigenetic modification in gonads of zebrafish Danio rerio, we measured the global DNA methylation together with the gene expression of DNA methyltransferase (dnmts), glycine N-methyltransferase (gnmt), and ten-eleven translocation (tets) in gonads of D. rerio under BPA exposure by ELISA and quantitative real-time PCR method, respectively. The global level of DNA methylation was significantly decreased in ovaries after exposed to BPA for 7 days, and testes following 35-day exposure. Moreover, the global level of DNA methylation was also significantly reduced in testes after exposed to 15μg/L BPA for 7 days. Besides the alteration of the global level of DNA methylation, varying degrees of transcriptional changes of dnmts, gnmt and tets were detected in gonads of D. rerio under BPA exposure. The present study suggested that BPA might cause the global DNA demethylation in gonads of zebrafish by regulating the transcriptional changes of the DNA methylation/demethylation-associated genes (dnmts, gnmt, and tets).

Evidence for bisphenol A-induced female infertility: a review (2007-2016)

We summarized the scientific literature published from 2007 to 2016 on the potential effects of bisphenol A (BPA) on female fertility. We focused on overall fertility outcomes (e.g., ability to become pregnant, number of offspring), organs that are important for female reproduction (i.e., oviduct, uterus, ovary, hypothalamus, and pituitary), and reproductive-related processes (i.e., estrous cyclicity, implantation, and hormonal secretion). The reviewed literature indicates that BPA may be associated with infertility in women. Potential explanations for this association can be generated from experimental studies. Specifically, BPA may alter overall female reproductive capacity by affecting the morphology and function of the oviduct, uterus, ovary, and hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis in animal models. In addition, BPA may disrupt estrous cyclicity and implantation. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to better understand the exact mechanisms of action and to detect potential reproductive toxicity at earlier stages.

Bisphenol Analogues Other Than BPA: Environmental Occurrence, Human Exposure, and Toxicity-A Review

Numerous studies have investigated the environmental occurrence, human exposure, and toxicity of bisphenol A (BPA). Following stringent regulations on the production and usage of BPA, several bisphenol analogues have been produced as a replacement for BPA in various applications. The present review outlines the current state of knowledge on the occurrence of bisphenol analogues (other than BPA) in the environment, consumer products and foodstuffs, human exposure and biomonitoring, and toxicity. Whereas BPA was still the major bisphenol analogue found in most environmental monitoring studies, BPF and BPS were also frequently detected. Elevated concentrations of BPAF, BPF, and BPS (i.e., similar to or greater than that of BPA) have been reported in the abiotic environment and human urine from some regions. Many analogues exhibit endocrine disrupting effects, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, dioxin-like effects, and neurotoxicity in laboratory studies. BPAF, BPB, BPF, and BPS have been shown to exhibit estrogenic and/or antiandrogenic activities similar to or even greater than that of BPA. Knowledge gaps and research needs have been identified, which include the elucidation of environmental occurrences, persistence, and fate of bisphenol analogues (other than BPA), sources and pathways for human exposure, effects on reproductive systems and the mammary gland, mechanisms of toxicity from coexposure to multiple analogues, metabolic pathways and products, and the impact of metabolic modification on toxicity.

Maternal Transfer of Bisphenol A During Nursing Causes Sperm Impairment in Male Offspring

The health effects of environmental chemicals on animals and humans are of growing concern. Human epidemiological and animal study data indicate that reproductive disorders and diseases begin early during prenatal and postnatal development. An increase of human male reproductive disturbance in the past several decades was associated to chemicals called endocrine disruptors (ED). Bisphenol A (BPA) is a ubiquitous organic environmental contaminant with ED activity. This study verified the effect of BPA exposure via breast milk during the lactation (early postnatal) period in male mice. Dams were exposed to oral BPA (300, 900, and 3000 µg/kg/BW/day) during the breastfeeding period (21 days). BPA at all concentrations significantly impaired sperm parameters in adult mice (8 months old), but mitochondrial functionality was more affected at BPA 3000. The acrosome membrane parameter was affected by BPA concentrations from 900 to 3000, and DNA integrity showed pronounced impairment at BPA 900 and 3000. BPA 3000 treatment also induced testicular degeneration and complete aplasia in some seminiferous tubules. Testicular oxidative damage was observed, and the total antioxidant capacity was impaired in BPA 900 and 3000 treatment groups. Taken together, the present study demonstrated long-term adverse effects of BPA in male mice, including reduced sperm quality, antioxidant capacity, and changes in testicular tissue. Our results clearly demonstrate the danger of BPA transferred via lactation on sperm quality registered even after a long time-elapsed from exposure to this harmful chemical.

Bisphenol A causes reproductive toxicity, decreases dnmt1 transcription, and reduces global DNA methylation in breeding zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a commercially important high production chemical widely used in epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics, and is ubiquitous in the environment. Previous studies demonstrated that BPA activates estrogenic signaling pathways associated with adverse effects on reproduction in vertebrates and that exposure can induce epigenetic changes. We aimed to investigate the reproductive effects of BPA in a fish model and to document its mechanisms of toxicity. We exposed breeding groups of zebrafish (Danio rerio) to 0.01, 0.1, and 1 mg/L BPA for 15 d. We observed a significant increase in egg production, together with a reduced rate of fertilization in fish exposed to 1 mg/L BPA, associated with significant alterations in the transcription of genes involved in reproductive function and epigenetic processes in both liver and gonad tissue at concentrations representing hotspots of environmental contamination (0.1 mg/L) and above. Of note, we observed reduced expression of DNA methyltransferase 1 (dnmt1) at environmentally relevant concentrations of BPA, along with a significant reduction in global DNA methylation, in testes and ovaries following exposure to 1 mg/L BPA. Our findings demonstrate that BPA disrupts reproductive processes in zebrafish, likely via estrogenic mechanisms, and that environmentally relevant concentrations of BPA are associated with altered transcription of key enzymes involved in DNA methylation maintenance. These findings provide evidence of the mechanisms of action of BPA in a model vertebrate and advocate for its reduction in the environment.

Short-term effect of bisphenol-a on oxidative stress responses in Atlantic salmon kidney cell line: a transcriptional study

Bisphenol A (BPA) is regularly detected in aquatic ecosystems due to increased use of products based on polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. It migrates from these products directly into rivers and marine waters or indirectly through effluents from wastewater treatment plants and landfilled sites. BPA can affect aquatic organisms both chronically and acutely at sensitive live stages. Despite reports indicating harmful effects of BPA, little is known about its role in oxidative stress responses in fish. In this study, we investigated the transcriptional effect of BPA (0, 1, 10, 100 μM) on an Atlantic salmon kidney (ASK) cell line for 6 h and 24 h by monitoring expression of 11 genes: elongation factor 1-alpha (ef1a), 18S ribosomal RNA (18s), gluthation (gsh), superoxide dismutase (sod), thioredoxin (txd), Salmo salar oxidative stress-responsive serine-rich 1 (oxr), glucose-regulated protein 78 (grp78), heat shock protein 70 (hsp70), sequestosome1 (p62), interleukin-1 beta (il-1beta) and toll-like receptor 8 (tlr8). In general, only the 100 μM concentration treatment altered the mRNA expression. BPA down-regulated the expression of gsh and sod genes for both exposure-times while txd gene was the only down-regulated after 6-h exposure. The up-regulation of genes in the ASK cell line exposed for 6 h was only observed in il-1beta, while the 24-h exposure resulted in the up-regulation of oxr, tlr8, hsp70, p62 and il-1beta genes. The last three genes increased several fold compared to the others. The results showed that BPA exposure at 100 μM imposed oxidative stress on the ASK cell line and longer exposure time involved transcriptional responses of immune-related genes. This may indicate the possible role of BPA-associated oxidative stress in induction of inflammatory response in this macrophage-like cell type.

Analysis of effects of a new environmental pollutant, bisphenol A, on antioxidant systems in soybean roots at different growth stages

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an important industrial raw material. Because of its widespread use and increasing release into environment, BPA has become a new environmental pollutant. Previous studies about BPA's effects in plants focus on a certain growth stage. However, the plant's response to pollutants varies at different growth stages. Therefore, in this work, BPA's effects in soybean roots at different growth stages were investigated by determining the reactive oxygen species levels, membrane lipid fatty acid composition, membrane lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant systems. The results showed that low-dose BPA exposure slightly caused membrane lipid peroxidation but didn't activate antioxidant systems at the seedling stage, and this exposure did not affect above process at other growth stages; high-dose BPA increased reactive oxygen species levels and then caused membrane lipid peroxidation at all growth stages although it activated antioxidant systems, and these effects were weaker with prolonging the growth stages. The recovery degree after withdrawal of BPA exposure was negatively related to BPA dose, but was positively related to growth stage. Taken together, the effects of BPA on antioxidant systems in soybean roots were associated with BPA exposure dose and soybean growth stage.

Novel Bi₁₂O₁₅Cl₆ Photocatalyst for the Degradation of Bisphenol A under Visible-Light Irradiation

Bisphenol A (BPA), a typical endocrine-disrupting chemical, is widely present in water environments, and its efficient and cost-effective removal is greatly needed. Among various physicochemical methods for BPA degradation, visible-light-driven catalytic degradation of BPA is a promising approach because of its utilization of solar energy. Bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) is recognized as an efficient photocatalyst, but its band gap, >3.0 eV, makes it inefficient for solar energy utilization, especially for degrading nondye pollutants like BPA. Thus, preparation and application of bismuth oxychloride photocatalysts with an increased visible-light activity are essential. In this work, inspired by density functional theory calculations, a novel bismuth oxychloride photocatalyst, Bi12O15Cl6, was designed. The nanosheets were successfully synthesized using a facile solvothermal method followed by a thermal treatment route. The prepared Bi12O15Cl6 nanosheets had a favorable energy band structure and thus exhibited a superior visible-light photocatalytic activity for degrading BPA. The BPA degradation rate by the Bi12O15Cl6 was determined to be 13.6 and 8.7 times faster than those for BiOCl and TiO2 (P25), respectively. The photogenerated reactive species and degradation intermediates were identified, and the photocatalytic mechanism was elucidated. Furthermore, the as-synthesized Bi12O15Cl6 nanosheets remained stable in the photocatalytic process and could be used repeatedly, demonstrating their promising application in the degradation of diverse pollutants in water and wastewater.

BPA-Induced Deregulation Of Epigenetic Patterns: Effects On Female Zebrafish Reproduction

Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the commonest Endocrine Disruptor Compounds worldwide. It interferes with vertebrate reproduction, possibly by inducing deregulation of epigenetic mechanisms. To determine its effects on female reproductive physiology and investigate whether changes in the expression levels of genes related to reproduction are caused by histone modifications, BPA concentrations consistent with environmental exposure were administered to zebrafish for three weeks. Effects on oocyte growth and maturation, autophagy and apoptosis processes, histone modifications, and DNA methylation were assessed by Real-Time PCR (qPCR), histology, and chromatin immunoprecipitation combined with qPCR analysis (ChIP-qPCR). The results showed that 5 μg/L BPA down-regulated oocyte maturation-promoting signals, likely through changes in the chromatin structure mediated by histone modifications, and promoted apoptosis in mature follicles. These data indicate that the negative effects of BPA on the female reproductive system may be due to its upstream ability to deregulate epigenetic mechanism.

Oxidative stress and immunotoxic effects of bisphenol A on the larvae of rare minnow Gobiocypris rarus

Bisphenol A (BPA), a known endocrine disrupting chemical, is ubiquitous in the aquatic environment and can pose risk to the health of aquatic organisms. Studies on immunotoxicity of BPA in aquatic organisms are limited. In this study, rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) larvae were exposed to 1, 225 and 1000μg/L BPA for 7 days. Inflammatory effects of BPA exposure were assessed from the increased production of nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), the change of iNOS mRNA and other TLRs-associated immune gene expression. Our findings provide evidences that different concentrations of BPA can induce a toxic response in fish to produce reactive free radicals which can affect the function of T lymphocytes and decrease the transcription levels of cytokine genes. The excess production of H2O2, induced oxidative stress and suppressed TLR4/NF-κB signaling, leading to immunosuppressive effects in fish larvae. The present results suggest that BPA has the potential to induce oxidative stress accompanied by immunosuppression in rare minnow larvae.

Mechanistic study of photo-oxidation of Bisphenol-A (BPA) with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and sodium persulfate (SPS)

The removal of Bisphenol-A (BPA) from contaminated water using advanced oxidation methods such as UV-C assisted oxidation by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and sodium persulfate (SPS) has been reported by the authors earlier (Sharma et al., 2015a). In the present study, the authors report the removal of BPA from aqueous solution by the above two methods and its degradation mechanism. UV-C light (254 nm wavelength, 40 W power) was applied to BPA contaminated water at natural pH (pHN) under room temperature conditions. Experiments were carried out with the initial BPA concentration in the range of 0.04 mM-0.31 mM and the oxidant/BPA molar ratio in the range of 294:1-38:1 for UV-C/H2O2 and 31.5-4.06:1 for UV-C/SPS systems. The removal of BPA enhanced with decreasing BPA concentration. The total organic carbon also decreased with the UV-C irradiation time under optimum conditions ([H2O2]0 = 11.76 mM; [SPS]0 = 1.26 mM; temperature (29 ± 3 °C). Competition of BPA for reaction with HO or [Formula: see text] radicals at its higher concentrations results in a decrease in the removal of BPA. The intermediates with smaller and higher molecular weights than that of BPA were found in the treated water. Based on GC-MS and FTIR spectra of the reaction mixture, the formation of hydroxylated by-products testified the HO mediated oxidation pathway in the BPA degradation, while the formation of quinones and phenoxy phenols pointed to the [Formula: see text] dominating pathway through the formation of hydroxycyclohexadienyl (HCHD) and BPA phenoxyl radicals. The main route of BPA degradation is the hydroxylation followed by dehydration, coupling and ring opening reactions.

Medaka as a model for studying environmentally induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of phenotypes

Ability of environmental stressors to induce transgenerational diseases has been experimentally demonstrated in plants, worms, fish, and mammals, indicating that exposures affect not only human health but also fish and ecosystem health. Small aquarium fish have been reliable model to study genetic and epigenetic basis of development and disease. Additionally, fish can also provide better, economic opportunity to study transgenerational inheritance of adverse health and epigenetic mechanisms. Molecular mechanisms underlying germ cell development in fish are comparable to those in mammals and humans. This review will provide a short overview of long-term effects of environmental chemical contaminant exposure in various models, associated epigenetic mechanisms, and a perspective on fish as model to study environmentally induced transgenerational inheritance of altered phenotypes.

Bisphenol A degradation by a new acidic nano zero-valent iron diatomite composite

A new nano zero-valent iron material that generates acidic conditionsin situexhibits a high removal efficiency of BPA under natural pH conditions.

Coloured ornamental traits could be effective and non-invasive indicators of pollution exposure for wildlife

Growth in human populations causes habitat degradation for other species, which is usually gauged by physical changes to landscapes. Corresponding habitat degradation to air and water is also common, but its effects on individuals can be difficult to detect until they result in the decline or disappearance of populations. More proactive measures of pollution usually combine abiotic samples of soil, water or air with invasive sampling of expendable species, but this approach sometimes creates ethical dilemmas and has limited application for threatened species. Here, we describe the potential to measure the effects of pollution on many species of birds and fish by using ornamental traits that are expressed as coloured skin, feathers and scales. As products of sexual selection, these traits are sensitive to environmental conditions, thereby providing honest information about the condition of their bearers as ready-made biomarkers. We review the documented effects of several classes of pollutants, including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, industry-related compounds and metals, on two classes of colour pigments, namely melanins and carotenoids. We find that several pollutants impede the expression of both carotenoids and brown melanin, while enhancing traits coloured by black melanin. We also review some of the current limitations of using ornamental colour as an indicator of pollution exposure, suggest avenues for future research and speculate about how advances in robotics and remote imagery will soon make it possible to measure these traits remotely and in a non-invasive manner. Wider awareness of this potential by conservation managers could foster the development of suitable model species and comparative metrics and lay a foundation for pollution monitoring that is more generalizable and biologically relevant than existing standards.

Bioremediation of bisphenol-A polluted soil by Sphingomonas bisphenolicum AO1 and the microbial community existing in the soil

Bisphenol A (BPA, 2,2'-Bis (4-hydroxyphenyl) propane) is an artificial pollutant that is easily detected in soil and water environments. BPA decomposition and removal from the environment is relatively difficult due to its stability. This study evaluated the BPA decomposition and removal activities of the microbial community existing in the soil with or without Sphingomonas bisphenolicum AO1, and revealed the toxic effects of BPA towards the microbial community. The microbial community in soil was able to degrade BPA at 1.0 mg·g(-1) soil or lower, although its degradation was slow. On the other hand, BPA at more than 10 mg·g(-1) soil was not only degraded by the microbial community but also decreased its diversity, suggesting that BPA is harmful to many microorganisms. PCR-TTGE analysis and the cloned 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that Sphingomonadales, Xanthomonadales, Burkholderiales and Pseudomonadales in the microbial community might independently or cooperatively degrade BPA. On the other hand, supplementation with strain AO1 was able to significantly improve the BPA decomposition activity of the microbial community in soil even at 10 mg BPA·g(-1) soil, although BPA at 100 mg·g(-1) soil overwhelmed the BPA decomposition activity of strain AO1. Furthermore, it was also concluded that strain AO1 could not inhabit BPA purified soil after decomposition of BPA by strain AO1 and the soil microbial community, suggesting that the application of strain AO1 could be a low-burden method for the decomposition and removal of BPA from the natural environment.

Low dose exposure to Bisphenol A alters development of gonadotropin-releasing hormone 3 neurons and larval locomotor behavior in Japanese Medaka

Accumulating evidence indicates that chronic low dose exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor, may disrupt normal brain development and behavior mediated by the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) pathways. While it is known that GnRH neurons in the hypothalamus regulate reproductive physiology and behavior, functional roles of extra-hypothalamic GnRH neurons remain unclear. Furthermore, little is known whether BPA interacts with extra-hypothalamic GnRH3 neural systems in vulnerable developing brains. Here we examined the impact of low dose BPA exposure on the developing GnRH3 neural system, eye and brain growth, and locomotor activity in transgenic medaka embryos and larvae with GnRH3 neurons tagged with GFP. Fertilized eggs were collected daily and embryos/larvae were chronically exposed to 200ng/ml of BPA, starting at 1 day post fertilization (dpf). BPA significantly increased fluorescence intensity of the GnRH3-GFP neural population in the terminal nerve (TN) of the forebrain at 3dpf, but decreased the intensity at 5dpf, compared with controls. BPA advanced eye pigmentation without affecting eye and brain size development, and accelerated times to hatch. Following chronic BPA exposure, 20dpf larvae showed suppression of locomotion, both in distance covered and speed of movement (47% and 43% reduction, respectively). BPA-induced hypoactivity was accompanied by decreased cell body sizes of individual TN-GnRH3 neurons (14% smaller than those of controls), but not of non-GnRH3 neurons. These novel data demonstrate complex neurobehavioral effects of BPA on the development of extra-hypothalamic GnRH3 neurons in teleost fish.

Effects of bisphenol A, an environmental endocrine disruptor, on the endogenous hormones of plants

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a ubiquitous endocrine-disrupting chemical in the environment that exerts potential harm to plants. Phytohormones play important roles both in regulating multiple aspects of plant growth and in plants' responses to environmental stresses. But how BPA affects plant growth by regulating endogenous hormones remains poorly understood. Here, we found that treatment with 1.5 mg L(-1) BPA improved the growth of soybean seedlings, companied by increases in the contents of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and zeatin (ZT), and decreases in the ratios of abscisic acid (ABA)/IAA, ABA/gibberellic acid (GA), ABA/ZT, ethylene (ETH)/GA, ETH/IAA, and ETH/ZT. Treatment with higher concentrations of BPA (from 3 to 96 mg L(-1)) inhibited the growth of soybean seedlings, meanwhile, decreased the contents of IAA, GA, ZT, and ETH, and increased the content of ABA and the ratios of ABA/IAA, ABA/GA, ABA/ZT, ETH/GA, ETH/IAA, and ETH/ZT. The increases in the ratios of growth and stress hormones were correlated with the increase in the BPA content of the roots. Thus, BPA could affect plant growth through changing the levels of single endogenous hormone and the ratios of growth and stress hormones in the roots because of BPA absorption by the roots.

Ecological risk assessment of bisphenol A in surface waters of China based on both traditional and reproductive endpoints

Bisphenol A (BPA) occurs widely in natural waters with both traditional and reproductive toxicity to various aquatic species. The water quality criteria (WQC), however, have not been established in China, which hinders the ecological risk assessment for the pollutant. This study therefore aims to derive the water quality criteria for BPA based on both acute and chronic toxicity endpoints and to assess the ecological risk in surface waters of China. A total of 15 acute toxicity values tested with aquatic species resident in China were found in published literature, which were simulated with the species sensitivity distribution (SSD) model for the derivation of criterion maximum concentration (CMC). 18 chronic toxicity values with traditional endpoints were simulated for the derivation of traditional criterion continuous concentration (CCC) and 12 chronic toxicity values with reproductive endpoints were for reproductive CCC. Based on the derived WQC, the ecological risk of BPA in surface waters of China was assessed with risk quotient (RQ) method. The results showed that the CMC, traditional CCC and reproductive CCC were 1518μgL(-1), 2.19μgL(-1) and 0.86μgL(-1), respectively. The acute risk of BPA was negligible with RQ values much lower than 0.1. The chronic risk was however much higher with RQ values of between 0.01-3.76 and 0.03-9.57 based on traditional and reproductive CCC, respectively. The chronic RQ values on reproductive endpoints were about threefold as high as those on traditional endpoints, indicating that ecological risk assessment based on traditional effects may not guarantee the safety of aquatic biota.