Chronic toxicity of Great Lakes sediments to Daphnia magna: elutriate effects on survival, reproduction and population growth

Nonylphenol induced individual and population fluctuation of Caenorhabditis elegans: Disturbances on developmental and reproductive system

The environmental risks that have arisen from endocrine disruption compounds (EDCs) have become global challenges, especially for persistent bio-accumulated xenobiotic chemicals, such as nonylphenol (NP). In the present study, the population dynamics of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) were systemically investigated by conducting developmental and reproductive bioassays under the exposure of NP, which has been widely detected in actual aquatic environments. The results revealed that under NP exposure (400 μg L^-1 NP), developmental indictors of C. elegans, including the body length and width were significantly inhibited at different life stages of L1 and L4 larva, and the growth curves were further adversely affected. In addition, abnormalities in reproductive systems were also observed under NP exposure. Such abnormalities obeyed a dose-dependent relationship with NP levels, which were closely related to the delayed spawning time and decreased reproductive rates. Moreover, the results from global genome expression analysis for nematodes revealed that the most significant enriched GO terms could be predominantly responsible for the dysregulation of growth and reproductive system. The population's parameters, including age composition and intrinsic growth rate (r_m d^-1), displayed significant changes, with a suppressed potentiality of population growth. Those data elucidated that NP exhibited a profound impact on the dynamic stability of the population, even with no obvious effect on certain biochemical markers.

Distribution of natural radionuclides in surface soils in the vicinity of abandoned uranium mines in Serbia

The activity concentrations of natural radionuclides in soils from the area affected by uranium mining at Stara Planina Mountain in Serbia were studied and compared with the results obtained from an area with no mining activities (background area). In the affected area, the activity concentrations ranged from 1.75 to 19.2 mg kg(-1) for uranium and from 1.57 to 26.9 mg kg(-1) for thorium which is several-fold higher than those in the background area. The Th/U, K/U, and K/Th activity ratios were also determined and compared with data from similar studies worldwide. External gamma dose rate in the air due to uranium, thorium, and potassium at 1 m above ground level in the area affected by uranium mining was found to be 91.3 nGy h(-1), i.e., about two-fold higher than that in background area. The results of this preliminary study indicate the importance of radiological evaluation of the area and implementation of remedial measures in order to prevent further dispersion of radionuclides in the environment.

Novel control and steady-state correction method for standard 28-day bioaccumulation tests using Nereis virens

Evaluation of dredged material for aquatic placement requires assessment of bioaccumulation potentials for benthic organisms using standardized laboratory bioaccumulation tests. Critical to the interpretation of these data is the assessment of steady state for bioaccumulated residues needed to generate biota sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) and to address control correction of day 0 contaminant residues measured in bioassay organisms. This study applied a novel performance reference compound approach with a pulse-chase experimental design to investigate elimination of a series of isotopically labeled polychlorinated biphenyl ((13)C-PCBs) in the polychaete worm Nereis virens while simultaneously evaluating native PCB bioaccumulation from field-collected sediments. Results demonstrated that all (13)C-PCBs, with the exception of (13)C-PCB209 (> 80%), were eliminated by more than 90% after 28 d. The three sediment types yielded similar (13)C-PCB whole-body elimination rate constants (k(tot)) producing the following predictive equation: log k(tot)  =  - 0.09 × log K(OW)  - 0.45. The rapid loss of (13)C-PCBs from worms over the bioassay period indicated that control correction, by subtracting day 0 residues, would result in underestimates of bioavailable sediment residues. Significant uptake of native PCBs was observed only in the most contaminated sediment and proceeded according to kinetic model predictions with steady-state BSAFs ranging from 1 to 3 and peaking for congeners of log K(OW) between 6.2 and 6.5. The performance reference compound approach can provide novel information about chemical toxicokinetics and also serve as a quality check for the physiological performance of the bioassay organism during standardized bioaccumulation testing.

Structural effects of the bioavailable fraction of pesticides in soil: suitability of elutriate testing

This study focused the ecotoxicological evaluation of four different pesticides (chlorpyrifos, glyphosate, vinclozolin, endosulfan), sprayed into an agricultural soil, using a standard battery of aquatic bioassays for testing of soil elutriates: Vibrio fischeri -Microtox(®); Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata growth inhibition; Daphnia magna acute and chronic toxicity. Despite relevant pesticide residues were recovered from the soil matrix (concentrations higher than 1000 μg kg(-1)), much lower concentrations could be retrieved from elutriates (highest records for endosulfan of ca. 250 ng L(-1)and 1400 ng L(-1); dissolved and particulate concentration, respectively) and little effects were generally found in the bioassays. Lethal effects (D. magna 48 h-EC50 of 36.8%) could be noticed following exposure to the endosulfan elutriate. Elutriates induced no toxicity on V. fischeri; algal growth was generally inhibited at high elutriate dilutions and stimulated at the lower elutriate dilutions; and no overall impairment of D. magna life-history was noticed. Results revealed that cross-contamination during field application, input of organic matter and nutrients by elutriates in test solutions, and choice of test species and endpoints may constrain the ecotoxicological assessment. Suitability of established aquatic bioassay test batteries for these purposes, and questioning on whether direct assays with soil organisms could be more protective tools is discussed.

Is the 1:4 elutriation ratio reliable? Ecotoxicological comparison of four different sediment: water proportions

Methodological research was carried out to evaluate the discriminatory capability of three toxicity bioassays toward different elutriation ratios (1:4, 1:20, 1:50, and 1:200 sediment:water ratios). Samples from six sampling stations of the Lagoon of Venice have been investigated. The toxicity bioassay results (sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus Lmk sperm cell and embryo toxicity bioassays and bivalve mollusk Crassostrea gigas Thunberg embryo toxicity bioassays) have shown that elutriates generated from the widely used 1:4 ratio were less toxic than those from intermediate ratios (1:20 and 1:50).

A field-based population model for the sediment toxicity test organism Leptocheirus plumulosus: II. Model application

A stage-structured population model has been developed for the estuarine amphipod Leptocheirus plumulosus to provide interpretive guidance for sediment toxicity tests with this species. This time-varying, field-based model includes several matrices to reflect seasonal changes in demographics. In this paper, we conduct sensitivity analysis of the model to identify which life history parameters have the greatest potential impact on population growth rate (lambda). Results indicate seasonal variability in the relative demographic importance of vital rates. Over winter, annual population growth is most sensitive to the persistence of juveniles and adults and growth from the juvenile to the adult stage. In spring and fall, changes in fecundity are likely to have large effects on population dynamics. In addition, we demonstrate the applicability of the model by using it to interpret toxicological data from an assessment of sediment contamination in Baltimore Harbor, MD. The model was parameterized with survival data from acute toxicity tests with L. plumulosus to project effects on population growth rate (lambda). Results of these model simulations indicate that relatively small changes in survival can result in large changes in lambda, indicating high risk to benthic populations. Furthermore, population projections mirror observed abundances of L. plumulosus at the test sites. These analyses provide a first indication of the usefulness of the Leptocheirus population model as a tool for exploring ecological effects of sediment contamination.

A field-based population model for the sediment toxicity test organism Leptocheirus plumulosus: I. Model development

We describe the development of a stage-structured population matrix model for the estuarine amphipod Leptocheirus plumulosus, a sediment toxicity test organism, based on regular sampling of a natural population for approximately 2 years. Annual population dynamics were characterized by abundance peaks in the spring and fall, and low densities in the summer and winter. We use a sequence of seasonal projection matrices to capture these qualitative patterns in population dynamics. We compare two methods for estimating transition probabilities: multiple regression and truncated singular value decomposition (SVD). Overall, SVD gave more realistic parameter estimates than regression, although fecundity estimation was problematic. There were predictable trends in growth, survival and fecundity within years. The SVD-derived model provides a framework for assessing the population-level effects of contaminants on Leptocheirus.

The toxicity and concentrations of PAHs in creosote-contaminated lake sediment

Sediment samples, divided into three layers (0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm), were collected from 16 sites in Lake Jämsänvesi, Central Finland. The acute toxicity of pore waters and elutriates (sediment + water 1:4 v/v) were studied by bioluminescence inhibition test and by immobilisation of water fleas (Daphnia magna Straus). Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments and elutriates were measured by gas chromatography using flame ionization detection (GC/FID). The highest total PAH concentration was 3.3 mg/g dry weight in the sediment and up to 1.7 mg/l in the elutriate of the uppermost (0-10 cm) layer, also being the most toxic to photoluminencent bacteria and water flea. When sediment and water mix, like during dredging operations, toxic compounds may spread from the sediment to the water column and can pose on environmental risk.