1
|
Xu L, Bai X, Li K, Zhang G, Zhang M, Wu Z, Huang Y, Hu M. Sandstorms contribute to the atmospheric microplastic pollution: Transport and accumulation from degraded lands to a megacity. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 480:136427. [PMID: 39522213 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.136427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2024] [Revised: 10/10/2024] [Accepted: 11/05/2024] [Indexed: 11/16/2024]
Abstract
Surface dust from degraded lands is a major global aerosol source, mobilized by meteorological events like sandstorms. Microplastics (MPs) in dust can be enriched in the atmosphere and transported over long distances to sensitive regions during sandstorms. This study was conducted in a megacity frequently impacted by sandstorms in spring, exploring the influx, characteristics, enrichment mechanism, and transport pathway of sandstorm-derived MPs. The deposition rate of these MPs reached 1823.65 ± 892.53 items·m-2·d-1, predominantly consisting of low-density polymers and those mainly used in synthetic fiber, with an average size of 60.75 µm. Compared to MPs in annual atmospheric deposition, these MPs were smaller and contained a higher proportion of potentially harmful polymers. These factors could increase exposure risks for residents from sandstorm-derived MPs, along with distinct meteorological and ecological effects. Backward trajectory analysis suggested the observed sandstorms originated from the Mongolian Plateau, over 1000 km away. Comparisons of MPs from surface-collected dust on the Mongolian Plateau with sandstorms-delivered MPs revealed the transport was determined by MP shape, size, and density. This study highlights the critical role of sandstorms in the MP atmospheric cycling, emphasizing the extensive impacts of MPs and the need for coordinated mitigation efforts across regions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Libo Xu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xinyi Bai
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Kang Li
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Guangbao Zhang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Mengjun Zhang
- Marine Institute for Bioresources and Environment, Peking University Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057, China; PKU-HKUST Shenzhen-Hongkong Institution, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057, China
| | - Zhijun Wu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yi Huang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Marine Institute for Bioresources and Environment, Peking University Shenzhen Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057, China; PKU-HKUST Shenzhen-Hongkong Institution, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518057, China.
| | - Min Hu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
di Domenico K, Lacchetti I, Cafiero G, Mancini A, Carere M, Mancini L. Reviewing the use of zebrafish for the detection of neurotoxicity induced by chemical mixtures through the analysis of behaviour. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 359:142246. [PMID: 38710414 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142246] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
The knowledge and assessment of mixtures of chemical pollutants in the aquatic environment is a complex issue that is often challenging to address. In this review, we focused on the use of zebrafish (Danio rerio), a vertebrate widely used in biomedical research, as a model for detecting the effects of chemical mixtures with a focus on behaviour. Our aim was to summarize the current status of the ecotoxicological research in this sector. Specifically, we limited our research to the period between January 2012 and September 2023, including only those works aimed at detecting neurotoxicity through behavioural endpoints, utilizing zebrafish at one or more developmental stages, from egg to adult. Additionally, we gathered the findings for every group of chemicals involved and summarised data from all the works we included. At the end of the screening process 101 papers were considered eligible for inclusion. Results show a growing interest in zebrafish at all life stages for this kind of research in the last decade. Also, a wide variety of different assays, involving different senses, was used in the works we surveyed, with exposures ranging from acute to chronic. In conclusion, the results of this study show the versatility of zebrafish as a model for the detection of mixture toxicity although, for what concerns behavioural analysis, the lack of standardisation of methods and endpoints might still be limiting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin di Domenico
- Ecohealth Unit, Environment and Health Department, Italian National Institute of Health, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy.
| | - Ines Lacchetti
- Ecohealth Unit, Environment and Health Department, Italian National Institute of Health, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Cafiero
- Environmental Risk Assessment, Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Aurora Mancini
- Ecohealth Unit, Environment and Health Department, Italian National Institute of Health, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Carere
- Ecohealth Unit, Environment and Health Department, Italian National Institute of Health, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Mancini
- Ecohealth Unit, Environment and Health Department, Italian National Institute of Health, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Limonta G, Panti C, Fossi MC, Nardi F, Baini M. Exposure to virgin and marine incubated microparticles of biodegradable and conventional polymers modulates the hepatopancreas transcriptome of Mytilus galloprovincialis. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 468:133819. [PMID: 38402680 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133819] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Biodegradable polymers have been proposed as an alternative to conventional plastics to mitigate the impact of marine litter, but the research investigating their toxicity is still in its infancy. This study evaluates the potential ecotoxicological effects of both virgin and marine-incubated microparticles (MPs), at environmentally relevant concentration (0.1 mg/l), made of different biodegradable polymers (Polycaprolactone, Mater-Bi, cellulose) and conventional polymers (Polyethylene) on Mytilus galloprovincialis by using transcriptomics. This approach is increasingly being used to assess the effects of pollutants on organisms, obtaining data on numerous biological pathways simultaneously. Whole hepatopancreas de novo transcriptome sequencing was performed, individuating 972 genes differentially expressed across experimental groups compared to the control. Through the comparative transcriptomic profiling emerges that the preponderant effect is attributable to the marine incubation of MPs, especially for incubated polycaprolactone (731 DEGs). Mater-Bi and cellulose alter the smallest number of genes and biological processes in the mussel hepatopancreas. All microparticles, regardless of their polymeric composition, dysregulated innate immunity, and fatty acid metabolism biological processes. These findings highlight the necessity of considering the interactions of MPs with the environmental factors in the marine ecosystem when performing ecotoxicological evaluations. The results obtained contribute to fill current knowledge gaps regarding the potential environmental impacts of biodegradable polymers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Limonta
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, 4, Siena, Italy; National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Palermo, Italy
| | - Cristina Panti
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, 4, Siena, Italy; National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Palermo, Italy.
| | - Maria Cristina Fossi
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, 4, Siena, Italy; National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesco Nardi
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Palermo, Italy; Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via A. Moro, 2, Siena, Italy
| | - Matteo Baini
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, 4, Siena, Italy; National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Palermo, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Jian M, Chen X, Liu S, Liu Y, Liu Y, Wang Q, Tu W. Combined exposure with microplastics increases the toxic effects of PFOS and its alternative F-53B in adult zebrafish. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 920:170948. [PMID: 38365036 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170948] [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: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) can adsorb and desorb organic pollutants, which may alter their biotoxicities. Although the toxicity of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and its alternative 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (F-53B) to organisms has been reported, the comparative study of their combined toxic effects with MPs on aquatic organisms is limited. In this study, adult female zebrafish were exposed to 10 μg/L PFOS/F-53B and 50 μg/L MPs alone or in combination for 14 days to investigate their single and combined toxicities. The results showed that the presence of MPs reduced the concentration of freely dissolved PFOS and F-53B in the exposure solution but did not affect their bioaccumulation in the zebrafish liver and gut. The combined exposure to PFOS and MPs had the greatest impact on liver oxidative stress, immunoinflammatory, and energy metabolism disorders. 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis revealed that the combined exposure to F-53B and MPs had the greatest impact on gut microbiota. Functional enrichment analysis predicted that the alternations in the gut microbiome could interfere with signaling pathways related to immune and energy metabolic processes. Moreover, significant correlations were observed between changes in gut microbiota and immune and energy metabolism indicators, highlighting the role of gut microbiota in host health. Together, our findings demonstrate that combined exposure to PFOS/F-53B and MPs exacerbates liver immunotoxicity and disturbances in energy metabolism in adult zebrafish compared to single exposure, potentially through dysregulation of gut microbiota.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Minfei Jian
- College of Life Science, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
| | - Xi Chen
- College of Life Science, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China; Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330096, China
| | - Shuai Liu
- Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330096, China.
| | - Yingxin Liu
- Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330096, China; School of New Energy Science and Engineering, Xinyu University, Xinyu 338004, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330096, China
| | - Qiyu Wang
- Institute of Microbiology, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330096, China
| | - Wenqing Tu
- School of Land Resources and Environment, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Lucon-Xiccato T, Savaşçı BB, Merola C, Benedetti E, Caioni G, Aliko V, Bertolucci C, Perugini M. Environmentally relevant concentrations of triclocarban affect behaviour, learning, and brain gene expression in fish. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:166717. [PMID: 37657536 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
Many chemicals spilled in aquatic ecosystems can interfere with cognitive abilities and brain functions that control fitness-related behaviour. Hence, their harmful potential may be substantially underestimated. Triclocarban (TCC), one of the most common aquatic contaminants, is known to disrupt hormonal activity, but the consequences of this action on behaviour and its underlying cognitive mechanisms are unclear. We tried to fill this knowledge gap by analysing behaviour, cognitive abilities, and brain gene expression in zebrafish larvae exposed to TCC sublethal concentrations. TCC exposure substantially decreased exploratory behaviour and response to stimulation, while it increased sociability. Additionally, TCC reduced the cognitive performance of zebrafish in a habituation learning task. In the brain of TCC-exposed zebrafish, we found upregulation of c-fos, a gene involved in neural activity, and downregulation of bdnf, a gene that influences behavioural and cognitive traits such as activity, learning, and memory. Overall, our experiments highlight consistent effects of non-lethal TCC concentrations on behaviour, cognitive abilities, and brain functioning in a teleost fish, suggesting critical fitness consequences of these compounds in aquatic ecosystems as well as the potential to affect human health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tyrone Lucon-Xiccato
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Beste Başak Savaşçı
- Unit of Evolutionary Biology/Systematic Zoology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany; Department of Bioscience and Agro-Food and Environmental Technology, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Carmine Merola
- Department of Bioscience and Agro-Food and Environmental Technology, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Benedetti
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Giulia Caioni
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Valbona Aliko
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
| | - Cristiano Bertolucci
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Monia Perugini
- Department of Bioscience and Agro-Food and Environmental Technology, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| |
Collapse
|