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Sinharoy A, Lens PNL. Biological selenate and selenite reduction by waste activated sludge using hydrogen as electron donor. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 319:115745. [PMID: 35853309 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Biological reduction of selenium oxyanions is widely used for selenium removal from wastewater. The process is, however, limited by the availability of a suitable, efficient and low cost electron donor. In this study, selenite and selenate reduction by waste activated sludge using hydrogen as the electron donor was investigated. Both selenite and selenate (80 mg/L) were completely removed using H2 within 8 days of incubation. In the presence of sulfate in the medium, the Se removal efficiency decreased to 77.8-95.4% (for selenite) and 88.2-99.4% (for selenate) at different temperatures and initial sulfate concentrations. Thermophilic conditions (50 °C) were better suited for both selenite and selenate reduction using H2 as electron donor with a 0.8-13.5% increase in overall Se removal. Similarly, sulfate reduction also increased from 69.1- 88% at 30 °C to 72-94.6% at 50 °C. Most of the H2 utilized was diverted towards Se and sulfate reduction with minimal production of byproducts such as methane (<0.32 mM) or volatile fatty acids (<0.92 mg/L). The elemental Se produced from selenite and selenate reduction ranged between 33.9 and 52.1 mg/L. The elemental selenium nanoparticles produced as a result of selenite and selenate reduction were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) spectroscopy. Furthermore, characterization of the biomass using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and excitation emission matrix (EEM) spectra of the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) produced by the waste activated sludge were performed to elucidate the mechanism of selenium oxyanion reduction to elemental selenium nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arindam Sinharoy
- National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, H91 TK33, Ireland.
| | - Piet N L Lens
- National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, H91 TK33, Ireland
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2
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Hierlmeier VR, Gurten S, Freier KP, Schlick-Steiner BC, Steiner FM. Persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals in insects: Current state of research and where to from here? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 825:153830. [PMID: 35181364 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing decline in the biomass, abundance, and species number of insects is an established fact. Persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals (PBTs) - persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and, in the case of our study, mercury (Hg) - play an important role, but their effect on insect populations is insufficiently investigated. Here, the current state of research on PBTs related to insects is examined with a systematic literature study using Web of Science™. We investigate time trends of research intensity compared with other organisms, insect orders and chemicals analyzed, chemicals' effects on insects, and geographical aspects. We show that research intensity increased in the early 1990s, but studies on PBTs in insects are still underrepresented compared with other organisms. The taxonomic focus lies strongly on dipterans. The predominance of studies on DDT suggests its relevance in the context of disease-vector management. Phenotypic and acute effects on insects were more often investigated than genotypic and chronic effects. Laboratory-bred insects and wild-bred insects were examined equally often, pollutant exposure and analysis were conducted predominantly in the laboratory. Mostly habitats with a medium or high human impact were studied, and natural and near-natural habitats are understudied. The sources of the substances are often unknown. Most studies were carried out in economically rich continents, including North America, Europe, and Australia. The numbers of publications dealing with Asia, South America, and Africa are comparatively low, although the control of vector-borne diseases with POPs is still intensively practiced there. We identify gaps in the research - among others, refined analytical methods for biomarkers and for the examination of chronic effects, combinations of field and laboratory experiments to analyze the same problem, and a global approach for the monitoring of PBTs will be needed for accelerating the dearly needed progress in the research of PBTs in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika R Hierlmeier
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; Bavarian Environment Agency, Department Gsteigstraße 43, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.
| | - Sabrina Gurten
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Korbinian P Freier
- Bavarian Environment Agency, Department Bürgermeister-Ulrich-Straße 160, 86179 Augsburg, Germany.
| | | | - Florian M Steiner
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
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3
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Cleveland D, Hinck JE, Lankton JS. Elemental and radionuclide exposures and uptakes by small rodents, invertebrates, and vegetation at active and post-production uranium mines in the Grand Canyon watershed. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 263:127908. [PMID: 32835973 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The effects of breccia pipe uranium mining in the Grand Canyon watershed (Arizona) on ecological and cultural resources are largely unknown. We characterized the exposure of biota to uranium and co-occurring ore body elements during active ore production and at a site where ore production had recently concluded. Our results indicate that biota have taken up uranium and other elements (e.g., arsenic, cadmium, copper, molybdenum, uranium) from exposure to ore and surficial contamination, like blowing dust. Results indicate the potential for prolonged exposure to elements and radionuclides upon conclusion of active ore production. Mean radium-226 in deer mice was up to 4 times greater than uranium-234 and uranium-238 in those same samples; this may indicate a potential for, but does not necessarily imply, radium-226 toxicity. Soil screening benchmarks for uranium and molybdenum and other toxicity thresholds for arsenic, copper, selenium, uranium (e.g., growth effects) were exceeded in vegetation, invertebrates, and rodents (Peromyscus spp., Thomomys bottae, Tamias dorsalis, Dipodomys deserti). However, the prevalence and severity of microscopic lesions in rodent tissues (as direct evidence of biological effects of uptake and exposure) could not be definitively linked to mining. Our data indicate that land managers might consider factors like species, seasonal changes in environmental concentrations, and bioavailability, when determining mine permitting and remediation in the Grand Canyon watershed. Ultimately, our results will be useful for site-specific ecological risk analysis and can support future decisions regarding the mineral extraction withdrawal in the Grand Canyon watershed and elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Cleveland
- U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Road, Columbia, MO, 65201, USA.
| | - Jo Ellen Hinck
- U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Road, Columbia, MO, 65201, USA
| | - Julia S Lankton
- U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, 6006 Schroeder Road, Madison, WI, 53711, USA
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4
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Bonnineau C, Artigas J, Chaumet B, Dabrin A, Faburé J, Ferrari BJD, Lebrun JD, Margoum C, Mazzella N, Miège C, Morin S, Uher E, Babut M, Pesce S. Role of Biofilms in Contaminant Bioaccumulation and Trophic Transfer in Aquatic Ecosystems: Current State of Knowledge and Future Challenges. REVIEWS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2021; 253:115-153. [PMID: 32166435 DOI: 10.1007/398_2019_39] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In freshwater environments, microbial assemblages attached to submerged substrates play an essential role in ecosystem processes such as primary production, supported by periphyton, or organic matter decomposition, supported by microbial communities attached to leaf litter or sediments. These microbial assemblages, also called biofilms, are not only involved in nutrients fluxes but also in contaminants dynamics. Biofilms can accumulate metals and organic contaminants transported by the water flow and/or adsorbed onto substrates. Furthermore, due to their high metabolic activity and their role in aquatic food webs, microbial biofilms are also likely to influence contaminant fate in aquatic ecosystems. In this review, we provide (1) a critical overview of the analytical methods currently in use for detecting and quantifying metals and organic micropollutants in microbial biofilms attached to benthic substrata (rocks, sediments, leaf litter); (2) a review of the distribution of those contaminants within aquatic biofilms and the role of these benthic microbial communities in contaminant fate; (3) a set of future challenges concerning the role of biofilms in contaminant accumulation and trophic transfers in the aquatic food web. This literature review highlighted that most knowledge on the interaction between biofilm and contaminants is focused on contaminants dynamics in periphyton while technical limitations are still preventing a thorough estimation of contaminants accumulation in biofilms attached to leaf litter or sediments. In addition, microbial biofilms represent an important food resource in freshwater ecosystems, yet their role in dietary contaminant exposure has been neglected for a long time, and the importance of biofilms in trophic transfer of contaminants is still understudied.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joan Artigas
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Laboratoire Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement (LMGE), Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | | | | | - Juliette Faburé
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR ECOSYS, Versailles, France
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5
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Walters DM, Cross W, Kennedy T, Baxter C, Hall R, Rosi E. Food web controls on mercury fluxes and fate in the Colorado River, Grand Canyon. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaaz4880. [PMID: 32440546 PMCID: PMC7228746 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz4880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) biomagnification in aquatic food webs is a global concern; yet, the ways species traits and interactions mediate these fluxes remain poorly understood. Few pathways dominated Hg flux in the Colorado River despite large spatial differences in food web complexity, and fluxes were mediated by one functional trait, predation resistance. New Zealand mudsnails are predator resistant and a trophic dead end for Hg in food webs we studied. Fishes preferred blackflies, which accounted for 56 to 80% of Hg flux to fishes, even where blackflies were rare. Food web properties, i.e., match/mismatch between insect production and fish consumption, governed amounts of Hg retained in the river versus exported to land. An experimental flood redistributed Hg fluxes in the simplified tailwater food web, but not in complex downstream food webs. Recognizing that species traits, species interactions, and disturbance mediate contaminant exposure can improve risk management of linked aquatic-terrestrial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. M. Walters
- U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
- Corresponding author.
| | - W.F. Cross
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - T.A. Kennedy
- U.S. Geological Survey, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA
| | - C.V. Baxter
- Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209, USA
| | - R.O. Hall
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, MT 59860 USA
| | - E.J. Rosi
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY 12545, USA
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Naslund LC, Gerson JR, Brooks AC, Walters DM, Bernhardt ES. Contaminant Subsidies to Riparian Food Webs in Appalachian Streams Impacted by Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:3951-3959. [PMID: 32189492 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b05907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Selenium is highly elevated in Appalachian streams and stream organisms that receive alkaline mine drainage from mountaintop removal coal mining compared to unimpacted streams in the region. Adult aquatic insects can be important vectors of waterborne contaminants to riparian food webs, yet pathways of Se transport and exposure of riparian organisms are poorly characterized. We investigated Se concentrations in stream and riparian organisms to determine whether mining extent increased Se uptake in stream biofilms and insects and if these insects were effective Se biovectors to riparian spiders. Biofilm Se concentration increased (p = 0.006) with mining extent, reaching a maximum value of 16.5 μg/g of dw. Insect and spider Se increased with biofilm Se (p = 0.004, p = 0.003), reaching 95 and 26 μg/g of dw, respectively, in mining-impacted streams. Adult insect biomass was not related to mining extent or Se concentrations in biofilm. Even though Se concentrations in aquatic insects were significantly and positively related to mining extent, aquatic insect Se flux was not associated with mining extent because the mass of emerging insects did not change appreciably over the mining gradient. Insect and spider Se concentrations were among the highest reported in the literature, regularly exceeding the bird Se dietary risk threshold of 5 μg/g of dw. Risks of Se exposure and toxicity related to mining are thus not constrained to aquatic systems but extend to terrestrial habitats and food webs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C Naslund
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Jacqueline R Gerson
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Alexander C Brooks
- Department of Geoscience, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, United States
| | - David M Walters
- U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, Missouri 65201, United States
| | - Emily S Bernhardt
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
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7
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Day NK, Schmidt TS, Roberts JJ, Osmundson BC, Willacker JJ, Eagles-Smith CA. Mercury and selenium concentrations in fishes of the Upper Colorado River Basin, southwestern United States: A retrospective assessment. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0226824. [PMID: 31929573 PMCID: PMC6957192 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se) are contaminants of concern for fish in the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB). We explored Hg and Se in fish tissues (2,324 individuals) collected over 50 years (1962-2011) from the UCRB. Samples include native and non-native fish collected from lotic waterbodies spanning 7 major tributaries to the Colorado River. There was little variation of total mercury (THg) in fish assemblages basin-wide and only 13% (272/1959) of individual fish samples exceeded the fish health benchmark (0.27 μg THg/g ww). Most THg exceedances were observed in the White-Yampa tributary whereas the San Juan had the lowest mean THg concentration. Risks associated with THg are species specific with exceedances dominated by Colorado Pikeminnow (mean = 0.38 and standard error ± 0.08 μg THg/g ww) and Roundtail Chub (0.24 ± 0.06 μg THg/g ww). For Se, 48% (827/1720) of all individuals exceeded the fish health benchmark (5.1 μg Se/g dw). The Gunnison river had the most individual exceedances of the Se benchmark (74%) whereas the Dirty Devil had the fewest. We identified that species of management concern accumulate THg and Se to levels above risk thresholds and that fishes of the White-Yampa (THg) and Gunnison (Se) rivers are at the greatest risk in the UCRB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie K. Day
- U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, Utah, United States of America
| | - Travis S. Schmidt
- U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Water Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - James J. Roberts
- U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Water Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Barbara C. Osmundson
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Grand Junction, Colorado, United States of America
| | - James J. Willacker
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Collin A. Eagles-Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America
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Moyo S. Preliminary Estimations of Insect Mediated Transfers of Mercury and Physiologically Important Fatty Acids from Water to Land. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10010129. [PMID: 31940985 PMCID: PMC7023014 DOI: 10.3390/biom10010129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Aquatic insects provide an energy subsidy to riparian food webs. However, most empirical studies have considered the role of subsidies only in terms of magnitude (using biomass measurements) and quality (using physiologically important fatty acids), negating an aspect of subsidies that may affect their impact on recipient food webs: the potential of insects to transport contaminants (e.g., mercury) to terrestrial ecosystems. To this end, I used empirical data to estimate the magnitude of nutrients (using physiologically important fatty acids as a proxy) and contaminants (total mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg)) exported by insects from rivers and lacustrine systems in each continent. The results reveal that North American rivers may export more physiologically important fatty acids per unit area (93.0 ± 32.6 Kg Km-2 year-1) than other continents. Owing to the amount of variation in Hg and MeHg, there were no significant differences in MeHg and Hg among continents in lakes (Hg: 1.5 × 10-4 to 1.0 × 10-3 Kg Km-2 year-1; MeHg: 7.7 × 10-5 to 1.0 × 10-4 Kg Km-2 year-1) and rivers (Hg: 3.2 × 10-4 to 1.1 × 10-3 Kg Km-2 year-1; MeHg: 3.3 × 10-4 to 8.9 × 10-4 Kg Km-2 year-1), with rivers exporting significantly larger quantities of mercury across all continents than lakes. Globally, insect export of physiologically important fatty acids by insect was estimated to be ~43.9 × 106 Kg year-1 while MeHg was ~649.6 Kg year-1. The calculated estimates add to the growing body of literature, which suggests that emerging aquatic insects are important in supplying essential nutrients to terrestrial consumers; however, with the increase of pollutants in freshwater systems, emergent aquatic insect may also be sentinels of organic contaminants to terrestrial consumers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney Moyo
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
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9
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Paseka RE, Bratt AR, MacNeill KL, Burian A, See CR. Elemental Ratios Link Environmental Change and Human Health. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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10
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Olson CI, Beaubien GB, McKinney AD, Otter RR. Identifying contaminants of potential concern in remote headwater streams of Tennessee's Appalachian Mountains. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2019; 191:176. [PMID: 30788643 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-019-7305-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The susceptibility of Tennessee's Appalachian Mountains to anthropogenic stressors has remained largely uninvestigated likely due to a lack of known point source contamination. However, a growing body of scientific evidence suggests that depositional inputs can lead to concerning levels of contamination, even in remote areas. To investigate potential concerns, water quality parameters, contaminants in water (nitrogen, TSS, and metals), and contaminants in eastern brook trout (mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs], organochlorine [OC] pesticides, dioxins, furans, and phthalates) were measured in four Appalachian Mountain streams from 2015 to 2017. Concentrations were compared to literature and/or model-derived (e.g., biotic ligand model) threshold values to determine whether levels exceeded those acceptable for stream health. Dioxins and furans were detectable in fish tissue at all sites with an average 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodinbenzodioxin toxicity equivalence (TEQ) of 0.0015 ng/kg. Concentrations of PCBs, phthalates, and organochlorine pesticides were never above analytical quantitation limits, although several OC pesticides (e.g., alpha-chlordane) were detectable in fish. Aluminum concentrations in water were found at levels shown previously to cause mortality in brook trout during acidic rain events. The average whole-body methylmercury concentrations in fish among sites were 0.037 ± 0.003 μg/kg and were on average 75 ± 2% of total mercury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor I Olson
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
| | - Gale B Beaubien
- Molecular Biosciences, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
| | | | - Ryan R Otter
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA.
- Molecular Biosciences, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA.
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11
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Park K, Kwak TS, Kim WS, Kwak IS. Changes in exoskeleton surface roughness and expression of chitinase genes in mud crab Macrophthalmus japonicus following heavy metal differences of estuary. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2019; 138:11-18. [PMID: 30660251 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Risk assessment of heavy metals is important for the health evaluation of inhabiting species in aquatic ecosystem. This study investigated whether chitin exoskeleton of mud crab Macrophthalmus japonicus is affected by heavy metals in estuary sediments in Korea. We compared heavy metal concentrations and analyzed the expression of M. japonicus chitinase genes, which play the crucial role in the formation of chitin exoskeleton. Concentrations of heavy metals were highly observed in crab body inhabiting Hampyeong among estuarine sites. High expressions of chitinase 1 were observed in crab gill and hepatopancreas from Myodo, which is the site with the lowest concentration of heavy metal in crab body. The surface roughness of the exoskeleton decreased with the increased concentration of heavy metals accumulated in the crab body. These results suggest that the total bioconcentration of heavy metals in crabs affected the expression of chitinase genes and changes in the exoskeleton surface roughness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiyun Park
- Faculty of Marine Technology, Chonnam National University, Chonnam 550-749, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Soo Kwak
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, GNTECH, Gyeongnam 660-758, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Seok Kim
- Faculty of Marine Technology, Chonnam National University, Chonnam 550-749, Republic of Korea
| | - Ihn-Sil Kwak
- Faculty of Marine Technology, Chonnam National University, Chonnam 550-749, Republic of Korea.
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12
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Osmundson BC, Lusk JD. Field Assessment of Colorado pikeminnow Exposure to Mercury Within Its Designated Critical Habitat in Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2019; 76:17-30. [PMID: 30259077 PMCID: PMC6326962 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-018-0566-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Mercury contamination in freshwater fish is widespread across North America, including the western United States. Atmospheric mercury from both natural and manmade emissions deposits into watersheds and, through methylation and biomagnification, accumulates in aquatic food webs. Highest mercury concentrations are found in predatory fish. The endangered Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius) is a long-lived, top-level piscivore endemic to the Colorado River basin. Mercury exposure to Colorado pikeminnow and another native fish species, the roundtail chub (Gila robusta), was assessed by analyzing muscle tissues collected using a nonlethal technique. Mercury concentrations in Colorado pikeminnow > 400-mm long, captured from critical habitat throughout the species' present range, exceeded the tissue threshold-effect level of 0.2 µg/g wet weight (WW) for whole body fish (0.31 µg/g WW in muscle) recommended to protect fish from injury. Mercury is a neurotoxin and endocrine disruptor, and impacts to fish may include reduced ability to avoid predators, secure food, and reproduce. The highest mercury concentrations were found in both Colorado pikeminnow and roundtail chub collected from the White River, a tributary to the Green River. Colorado pikeminnow from the White and Green rivers had the highest mean mercury concentrations and the lowest mean relative body conditions. Exposure to high mercury concentrations may act in concert with other threatening factors to compromise Colorado pikeminnow population viability and eventual recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara C Osmundson
- Colorado Ecological Services, Western Colorado Field Office, US Fish and Wildlife Service, 445 West Gunnison Ave., Suite 240, Grand Junction, CO, 81501-5711, USA.
- , 380 34 Road, Palisade, CO, 81526, USA.
| | - Joel D Lusk
- New Mexico Ecological Services, US Fish and Wildlife Service, 2105 Osuna Road NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87113-1001, USA.
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13
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de Queiroz JV, Vieira JCS, da Cunha Bataglioli I, Bittarello AC, Braga CP, de Oliveira G, do Carmo Federici Padilha C, de Magalhães Padilha P. Total Mercury Determination in Muscle and Liver Tissue Samples from Brazilian Amazon Fish Using Slurry Sampling. Biol Trace Elem Res 2018; 184:517-522. [PMID: 29196873 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-017-1212-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
This paper presents a slurry sampling method for total mercury determination by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) in tissue of fish from the Amazon. The tissue samples were lyophilized and macerated, and then the slurry samples were prepared by putting 20 mg of tissue, added to a solution containing Triton X-100, Suprapur HNO3, and zirconium nitrate directly in sampling vials of a spectrometer. Mercury standard solutions were prepared under the same conditions as the slurry samples. The slurry samples and the mercury standard solutions were sonicated for 20 s. Twenty microliters of slurry samples were injected into the graphite tube, which contained an internal wall lined with tungsten carbide. Under these conditions, it was possible to thermally stabilize the mercury up to an atomization temperature of 1700 °C. The method was validated by mercury determination in reference materials DORM-4 and DOLT-4. The LOD and LOQ were 0.014 and 0.045 mg kg-1, respectively, and recovery percentages in relation to the concentration values were certified in the order of 98%.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Vitor de Queiroz
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
| | | | | | - Alis Correia Bittarello
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
| | | | - Grasieli de Oliveira
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
| | | | - Pedro de Magalhães Padilha
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
- Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
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Vieira JCS, Braga CP, de Oliveira G, Padilha CDCF, de Moraes PM, Zara LF, Leite ADL, Buzalaf MAR, Padilha PDM. Mercury Exposure: Protein Biomarkers of Mercury Exposure in Jaraqui Fish from the Amazon Region. Biol Trace Elem Res 2018; 183:164-171. [PMID: 28828596 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-017-1129-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 08/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
This study presents data on the extraction and characterization of proteins associated with mercury in the muscle and liver tissues of jaraqui (Semaprochilodus spp.) from the Madeira River in the Brazilian Amazon. Protein fractionation was carried out by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2D-PAGE). Mercury determination in tissues, pellets, and protein spots was performed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). Proteins in the spots that showed mercury were characterized by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). The highest mercury concentrations were found in liver tissues and pellets (426 ± 6 and 277 ± 4 μg kg-1), followed by muscle tissues and pellets (132 ± 4 and 86 ± 1 μg kg-1, respectively). Mercury quantification in the protein spots allowed us to propose stoichiometric ratios in the range of 1-4 mercury atoms per molecule of protein in the protein spots. The proteins characterized in the analysis by ESI-MS/MS were keratin, type II cytoskeletal 8, parvalbumin beta, parvalbumin-2, ubiquitin-40S ribosomal S27a, 39S ribosomal protein L36 mitochondrial, hemoglobin subunit beta, and hemoglobin subunit beta-A/B. The results suggest that proteins such as ubiquitin-40S ribosomal protein S27a, which have specific domains, possibly zinc finger, can be used as biomarkers of mercury, whereas mercury and zinc present characteristics of soft acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Cavalcante Souza Vieira
- Institute of Bioscience of Botucatu, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rubião Júnior, Botucatu, São Paulo, 18618-970, Brazil
| | - Camila Pereira Braga
- Institute of Bioscience of Botucatu, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rubião Júnior, Botucatu, São Paulo, 18618-970, Brazil.
| | - Grasieli de Oliveira
- Institute of Bioscience of Botucatu, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rubião Júnior, Botucatu, São Paulo, 18618-970, Brazil
| | | | - Paula Martin de Moraes
- Institute of Bioscience of Botucatu, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rubião Júnior, Botucatu, São Paulo, 18618-970, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Pedro de Magalhães Padilha
- Institute of Bioscience of Botucatu, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rubião Júnior, Botucatu, São Paulo, 18618-970, Brazil
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15
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Chen H, Guo Z, Zhou Y, Li D, Mu L, Klerks PL, Luo Y, Xie L. Accumulation, depuration dynamics and effects of dissolved hexavalent chromium in juvenile Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2018; 148:254-260. [PMID: 29069612 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2017.10.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Revised: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We previously demonstrated that chronic exposure to hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) causes a variety of adverse effects in the Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). The present study investigated the transition of acute to chronic effects by assessing the influences of Cr(VI) exposure concentration and exposure duration on Cr accumulation and their effects on fish growth and antioxidant physiology. Juvenile fish were exposed to 0.05, 0.5, 4 or 8mg/L Cr(VI) for 28 days. Endpoints were evaluated on days 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28. In addition, Cr depuration was examined for fish from two exposure groups (0.5 and 8mg/L). Chromium accumulation was rapid initially, then continued at a slower rate till the end of the exposure period without showing signs of reaching a steady state. Depuration patterns differed between the two exposure groups, but both reached 50% in 14 days. The rapid initial accumulation was accompanied by increased lipid peroxidation and elevated activities of antioxidants (e.g., GST, SOD and CAT). Activities of these enzymes had mostly returned to baseline levels by day 7, but there was no evidence of further cellular damage from ROS. Effects on fish length and weight continued to be evident over the 28-day exposure period. Our study suggest that the initial effects of Cr(VI) exposure may not be a good predictor of more-chronic effects in fish as a consequence of an efficient acclimation response by the antioxidant system that limits ROS-mediated toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxing Chen
- The Environmental Research Institute, MOE Key Laboratory Environmental Theoretical Chemistry, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhongbao Guo
- Guangxi Academy of Fishery Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Guangxi Academy of Fishery Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China
| | - Dan Li
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Lei Mu
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Liaoning 110016, China
| | - Paul L Klerks
- Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, P.O. Box 43602, Lafayette, LA 70504-3602, United States
| | - Yongju Luo
- Guangxi Academy of Fishery Sciences, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China.
| | - Lingtian Xie
- The Environmental Research Institute, MOE Key Laboratory Environmental Theoretical Chemistry, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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16
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Welti N, Striebel M, Ulseth AJ, Cross WF, DeVilbiss S, Glibert PM, Guo L, Hirst AG, Hood J, Kominoski JS, MacNeill KL, Mehring AS, Welter JR, Hillebrand H. Bridging Food Webs, Ecosystem Metabolism, and Biogeochemistry Using Ecological Stoichiometry Theory. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1298. [PMID: 28747904 PMCID: PMC5507128 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Although aquatic ecologists and biogeochemists are well aware of the crucial importance of ecosystem functions, i.e., how biota drive biogeochemical processes and vice-versa, linking these fields in conceptual models is still uncommon. Attempts to explain the variability in elemental cycling consequently miss an important biological component and thereby impede a comprehensive understanding of the underlying processes governing energy and matter flow and transformation. The fate of multiple chemical elements in ecosystems is strongly linked by biotic demand and uptake; thus, considering elemental stoichiometry is important for both biogeochemical and ecological research. Nonetheless, assessments of ecological stoichiometry (ES) often focus on the elemental content of biota rather than taking a more holistic view by examining both elemental pools and fluxes (e.g., organismal stoichiometry and ecosystem process rates). ES theory holds the promise to be a unifying concept to link across hierarchical scales of patterns and processes in ecology, but this has not been fully achieved. Therefore, we propose connecting the expertise of aquatic ecologists and biogeochemists with ES theory as a common currency to connect food webs, ecosystem metabolism, and biogeochemistry, as they are inherently concatenated by the transfer of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous through biotic and abiotic nutrient transformation and fluxes. Several new studies exist that demonstrate the connections between food web ecology, biogeochemistry, and ecosystem metabolism. In addition to a general introduction into the topic, this paper presents examples of how these fields can be combined with a focus on ES. In this review, a series of concepts have guided the discussion: (1) changing biogeochemistry affects trophic interactions and ecosystem processes by altering the elemental ratios of key species and assemblages; (2) changing trophic dynamics influences the transformation and fluxes of matter across environmental boundaries; (3) changing ecosystem metabolism will alter the chemical diversity of the non-living environment. Finally, we propose that using ES to link nutrient cycling, trophic dynamics, and ecosystem metabolism would allow for a more holistic understanding of ecosystem functions in a changing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Welti
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern FinlandKuopio, Finland
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, AdelaideSA, Australia
| | - Maren Striebel
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, University of OldenburgOldenburg, Germany
| | - Amber J. Ulseth
- Stream Biofilm and Ecosystem Research, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanne, Switzerland
| | - Wyatt F. Cross
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, BozemanMT, United States
| | - Stephen DeVilbiss
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, MilwaukeeWI, United States
| | - Patricia M. Glibert
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, CambridgeMD, United States
| | - Laodong Guo
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, MilwaukeeWI, United States
| | - Andrew G. Hirst
- The Hirst Lab, Organismal Biology, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of LondonLondon, United Kingdom
- Centre for Ocean Life, National Institute for Aquatic Resources, Technical University of DenmarkCopenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jim Hood
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, Aquatic Ecology Laboratory, The Ohio State University, ColumbusOH, United States
| | - John S. Kominoski
- The Kominoski Lab, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, MiamiFL, United States
| | - Keeley L. MacNeill
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, IthacaNY, United States
| | - Andrew S. Mehring
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La JollaCA, United States
| | - Jill R. Welter
- Department of Biology, St. Catherine University, MinneapolisMN, United States
| | - Helmut Hillebrand
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, University of OldenburgOldenburg, Germany
- Helmholtz-Institute for Functional Marine BiodiversityOldenburg, Germany
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17
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Hinck JE, Cleveland D, Brumbaugh WG, Linder G, Lankton J. Pre-mining trace element and radiation exposure to biota from a breccia pipe uranium mine in the Grand Canyon (Arizona, USA) watershed. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2017; 189:56. [PMID: 28091884 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-017-5765-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 01/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The risks to wildlife and humans from uranium (U) mining in the Grand Canyon watershed are largely unknown. In addition to U, other co-occurring ore constituents contribute to risks to biological receptors depending on their toxicological profiles. This study characterizes the pre-mining concentrations of total arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), thallium (Tl), U, and zinc (Zn); radiation levels; and histopathology in biota (vegetation, invertebrates, amphibians, birds, and mammals) at the Canyon Mine. Gross alpha levels were below the reporting limit (4 pCi/g) in all samples, and gross beta levels were indicative of background in vegetation (<10-17 pCi/g) and rodents (<10-43.5 pCi/g). Concentrations of U, Tl, Pb, Ni, Cu, and As in vegetation downwind from the mine were likely the result of aeolian transport. Chemical concentrations in rodents and terrestrial invertebrates indicate that surface disturbance during mine construction has not resulted in statistically significant spatial differences in fauna concentrations adjacent to the mine. Chemical concentrations in egg contents and nestlings of non-aquatic birds were less than method quantification limits or did not exceed toxicity thresholds. Bioaccumulation of As, Pb, Se, Tl, and U was evident in Western spadefoot (Spea multiplicata) tadpoles from the mine containment pond; concentrations of As (28.9-31.4 μg/g) and Se (5.81-7.20 μg/g) exceeded toxicity values and were significantly greater than in tadpoles from a nearby water source. Continued evaluation of As and Se in biota inhabiting and forging in the mine containment pond is warranted as mining progresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jo Ellen Hinck
- U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Rd., Columbia, MO, 65201, USA.
| | - Danielle Cleveland
- U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Rd., Columbia, MO, 65201, USA
| | - William G Brumbaugh
- U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Rd., Columbia, MO, 65201, USA
| | - Greg Linder
- U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, HeronWorks Field Office, Brooks, OR, 97305, USA
| | - Julia Lankton
- U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, 6006 Schroeder Rd, Madison, WI, 53711, USA
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