1
|
Muambo KE, Im H, Macha FJ, Oh JE. Reproductive toxicity and molecular responses induced by telmisartan in Daphnia magna at environmentally relevant concentrations. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 359:124525. [PMID: 39004206 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
With aging population increasing globally, the use of pharmaceutically active compounds is rising. The cardiovascular drug telmisartan has been widely detected in various environmental compartments, including biota, surface waters, and sewage treatment plant effluents at concentrations ranging from ng/L to μg/L levels. This study evaluated the effects of telmisartan on the microcrustacean Daphnia magna at a wide range of concentrations (0.35, 0.70, 1.40, 500, and 1000 μg/L) and revealed significant ecotoxicological implications of this drug, even at environmentally relevant concentration. Acute exposure to telmisartan (1.40, 500, and 1000 μg/L) resulted in a notable decrease in heart rate, while chronic exposure accelerated the time to the first brood by 3 days and reduced neonate body size. Molecular investigations revealed marked downregulation of vitellogenin genes (Vtg1 and Vtg2). Non-monotonic dose responses were observed for gene expression, early-stage body length, and the total number of offspring produced, while the heart rate and time to the first brood showed clear concentration-dependent responses. These findings highlight the potential risks, notably to reproductive capacity, associated with exposure to telmisartan in environmentally relevant concentration, suggesting the need for further studies on the potential long-term ecological consequences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly Etombi Muambo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyungjoon Im
- Institute for Environment and Energy, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Fulgence Jacob Macha
- Biocolloids and Surfaces Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Jeong-Eun Oh
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea; Institute for Environment and Energy, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Sun T, Ji C, Li F, Wu H. Time Is Ripe for Targeting Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances-Induced Hormesis: Global Aquatic Hotspots and Implications for Ecological Risk Assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:9314-9327. [PMID: 38709515 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c00686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Globally implemented ecological risk assessment (ERA) guidelines marginalize hormesis, a biphasic dose-response relationship characterized by low-dose stimulation and high-dose inhibition. The present study illuminated the promise of hormesis as a scientific dose-response model for ERA of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) represented by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). A total of 266 hormetic dose-response relationships were recompiled from 1237 observations, covering 30 species from nine representative taxonomic groups. The standardized hormetic amplitudes followed the log-normal probability distribution, being subject to the limits of biological plasticity but independent of stress inducers. The SHapley Additive exPlanations algorithm revealed that the target endpoint was the most important variable explaining the hormetic amplitudes. Subsequently, quantitative frameworks were established to incorporate hormesis into the predicted no-effect concentration levels, with a lower induction dose and a zero-equivalent point but a broader hormetic zone for PFOS. Realistically, 10,117 observed concentrations of PFOA and PFOS were gathered worldwide, 4% of which fell within hormetic zones, highlighting the environmental relevance of hormesis. Additionally, the hormesis induction potential was identified in other legacy and emerging PFAS as well as their alternatives and mixtures. Collectively, it is time to incorporate the hormesis concept into PFAS studies to facilitate more realistic risk characterizations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tao Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai 264003, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Chenglong Ji
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai 264003, P. R. China
- Function Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266237, P. R. China
- Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Qingdao 266071, P. R. China
| | - Fei Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai 264003, P. R. China
- Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Qingdao 266071, P. R. China
| | - Huifeng Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai 264003, P. R. China
- Function Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Laoshan Laboratory, Qingdao 266237, P. R. China
- Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Qingdao 266071, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Agathokleous E, Calabrese EJ, Barceló D. Environmental hormesis: New developments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167450. [PMID: 37806016 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Evgenios Agathokleous
- School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology (NUIST), Nanjing 210044, China.
| | - Edward J Calabrese
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Morrill I, N344, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Damià Barceló
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDAEA-CSIC, C/ Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Gu ZW, Xie Y, Huang P, Ding TT, Tao MT, Liu SS. Time-dependent hormetic dose responses of skin care product mixtures to Vibrio qinghaiensis sp.-Q67: Appearance and quantification. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 904:166651. [PMID: 37647971 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Hormesis is a widely recognized and extensively studied phenomenon. However, few studies have described the quantitative characteristics of hormesis required for appropriate risk assessment. Although skin care product (SCP) mixtures and their active ingredients can induce the hormesis of Vibrio qinghaiensis sp.-Q67 (Q67), the quantitative characteristics of time-dependent hormetic dose responses in SCPs have not yet been investigated. In this study, 28 SCP mixtures were tested for luminescence toxicity against Q67 after five exposure durations (0.25, 3, 6, 9, and 12 h). With increasing exposure duration, the concentration response curves (CRCs) were classified as constant monotonic nonlinear (S-shaped) for four SCPs, S- to hormetic (J-shaped) for 13 SCPs, and constant J-shaped for 11 SCPs. Of 140 CRCs, 98 were J-shaped. An increased frequency of SCPs inducing hormesis was observed. The toxicity (pEC50) of the SCPs was independent of the exposure duration and product type. The maximum stimulatory effect (Emin) of the 12 SCPs increased with exposure duration. We proposed a modified parameter, the width of inhibition dose zone (WIDZ; EC50/EC10), to depict the width of inhibition dose zone. The WIDZ of S-shaped CRCs were significantly larger than that of J-shaped CRCs. In addition, the characteristic parameters reported in the general literature were analyzed. The good linear relationship between EC50 and the maximum stimulatory effective concentration (ECmin) indicated that toxicity may be transformed into stimulatory effects over exposure durations. The width of stimulation dose zone (WSDZ) and Emin of the seven SCPs had the same increasing trends with increasing exposure duration. The combination of WIDZ with other characteristic parameters (e.g., zero effective concentration point, ECmin, etc.) could better depict hormesis with low-dose stimulation and high-dose inhibition. The quantitative characteristics of the dose-responses of hormesis-inducing SCPs could provide reference basis for the risk assessment of SCP mixtures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhong-Wei Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
| | - Yu Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Peng Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Ting-Ting Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Meng-Ting Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Shu-Shen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Agathokleous E, Blande JD, Masui N, Calabrese EJ, Zhang J, Sicard P, Guedes RNC, Benelli G. Sublethal chemical stimulation of arthropod parasitoids and parasites of agricultural and environmental importance. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 237:116876. [PMID: 37573021 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
An increasing number of studies have reported stimulation of various organisms in the presence of environmental contaminants. This has created a need to critically evaluate sublethal stimulation and hormetic responses of arthropod parasitoids and parasites following exposure to pesticides and other contaminants. Examining this phenomenon with a focus on arthropods of agricultural and environmental importance serves as the framework for this literature review. This review shows that several pesticides, with diverse chemical structures and different modes of action, applied individually or in combination at sublethal doses, commonly stimulate an array of arthropod parasitoids and parasites. Exposure at sublethal doses can enhance responses related to physiology (e.g., respiration, total lipid content, and total protein content), behavior (e.g., locomotor activity, antennal drumming frequency, host location, and parasitization), and fitness (longevity, growth, fecundity, population net and gross reproduction). Concordantly, the parasitic potential (e.g., infestation efficacy, parasitization rate, and parasitoid/parasite emergence) can be increased, and as a result host activities inhibited. There is some evidence illustrating hormetic dose-responses, but the relevant literature commonly included a limited number and range of doses, precluding a robust differentiation between sub- and superNOAEL (no-observed-adverse-effect level) stimulation. These results reveal a potentially significant threat to ecological health, through stimulation of harmful parasitic organisms by environmental contaminants, and highlight the need to include sublethal stimulation and hormetic responses in relevant ecological pesticide risk assessments. Curiously, considering a more utilitarian view, hormesis may also assist in optimizing mass rearing of biological control agents for field use, a possibility that also remains neglected.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evgenios Agathokleous
- Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological Disasters (CIC-FEMD), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, 210044, Jiangsu, China; Research Center for Global Changes and Ecosystem Carbon Sequestration & Mitigation, School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210044, Jiangsu, China.
| | - James D Blande
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P. O. Box 1627, 70211, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Noboru Masui
- School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, 4228526, Japan
| | - Edward J Calabrese
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Morrill I, N344, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Jing Zhang
- College of Ecological Technology and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai, 201418, PR China
| | | | - Raul Narciso C Guedes
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Giovanni Benelli
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via Del Borghetto 80, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Sun Y, Wang X, Zhou S, Zhou Y, Hua J, Guo Y, Wang Y, Zhang W, Yang L, Zhou B. Evaluation and Mechanistic Study of Transgenerational Neurotoxicity in Zebrafish upon Life Cycle Exposure to Decabromodiphenyl Ethane (DBDPE). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:16811-16822. [PMID: 37880149 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c04578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
The novel brominated flame retardant decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) has become a ubiquitous emerging pollutant in the environment, which may evoke imperceptible effects in humans or wild animals. Hence in this study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to DBDPE (0, 0.1, 1, and 10 nM) until sexual maturity (F0), and F1 and F2 generations were cultured without further exposure to study the multi- and transgenerational toxicity and underlying mechanism. The growth showed sex-different changing profiles across three generations, and the social behavior confirmed transgenerational neurotoxicity in adult zebrafish upon life cycle exposure to DBDPE. Furthermore, maternal transfer of DBDPE was not detected, whereas parental transfer of neurotransmitters to zygotes was specifically disturbed in F1 and F2 offspring. A lack of changes in the F1 generation and opposite changing trends in the F0 and F2 generations were observed in a series of indicators for DNA damage, DNA methylation, and gene transcription. Taken together, life cycle exposure to DBDPE at environmentally relevant concentrations could induce transgenerational neurotoxicity in zebrafish. Our findings also highlighted potential impacts on wild gregarious fish, which would face higher risks from predators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yumiao Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaochen Wang
- Ecology and Environment Monitoring and Scientific Research Center, Ecology and Environment Administration of Yangtze River Basin, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Wuhan 430010, China
| | - Shanqi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resource and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Yuxi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jianghuan Hua
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Yongyong Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Yan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resource and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Lihua Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Bingsheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Agathokleous E, Sonne C, Benelli G, Calabrese EJ, Guedes RNC. Low-dose chemical stimulation and pest resistance threaten global crop production. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 878:162989. [PMID: 36948307 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Pesticide resistance increases and threatens crop production sustainability. Chemical contamination contributes to the development of pest resistance to pesticides, in part by causing stimulatory effects on pests at low sub-toxic doses and facilitating the spread of resistance genes. This article discusses hormesis and low-dose biological stimulation and their relevance to crop pest resistance. It highlights that a holistic approach is needed to tackle pest resistance to pesticides and reduce imbalance in accessing food and improving food security in accordance with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Among others, the effects of sub-toxic doses of pesticides should be considered when assessing the impact of synthetic and natural pesticides, while the promotion of alternative agronomical practices is needed to decrease the use of agrochemicals. Potential alternative solutions include camo-cropping, exogenous application of phytochemicals that are pest-suppressing or -repelling and/or attractive to carnivorous arthropods and other pest natural enemies, and nano-technological innovations. Moreover, to facilitate tackling of pesticide resistance in poorer countries, less technology-demanding and low-cost practices are needed. These include mixed cropping systems, diversification of cultures, use of 'push-pull cropping', incorporation of flower strips into cultivations, modification of microenvironment, and application of beneficial microorganisms and insects. However, there are still numerous open questions, and more research is needed to address the ecological and environmental effects of many of these potential solutions, with special reference to trophic webs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evgenios Agathokleous
- Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological Disasters (CIC-FEMD), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, Jiangsu, China; Research Center for Global Changes and Ecosystem Carbon Sequestration & Mitigation, School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Christian Sonne
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Arctic Research Center (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Sustainability Cluster, School of Engineering, University of Petroleum & Energy Studies, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248007, India
| | - Giovanni Benelli
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Edward J Calabrese
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Morrill I, N344, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Raul Narciso C Guedes
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-900, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Agathokleous E. On the meta-analysis of hormetic effects. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 852:158273. [PMID: 36028035 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158273] [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: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The evidence for hormetic responses with chemical effects at doses lower than the no-observed-adverse-effect-level (sub-NOAEL) is increasing, creating a need for meta-analyses of sub-NOAEL effects across studies. However, the distinct features of hormetic responses complicate the procedures of meta-analyses aiming to study sub-NOAEL, hormetic effects, and there is no standardized methodology to serve as a guideline. In this piece, a protocol is proposed, which covers the selection of more holistic keywords to be integrated into the literature search queries, the designation of control, and the identification of NOAEL (and thus sub-NOAEL dose responses). It also considers the selection of the response indicators and the incorporation of time and dose as sources of variation. This protocol can serve as a reference point for a harmonized and more robust methodology to meta-analyze sub-NOAEL effects of chemicals on living organisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evgenios Agathokleous
- Department of Ecology, School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Agathokleous E. Environmental pollution impacts: Are p values over-valued? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 850:157807. [PMID: 35934042 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157807] [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: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
An examination revealed the dominance of the published literature of environmental science by p values. Meanwhile, the use of effect size has been neglected in publications reporting primary data, yet the size of effect is often more informative than p values inference in assessing the effects of pollution on living organisms, comparing susceptibility/resistance among organisms, and ranking pollutants according to their potency, among others. Statistical significance does not necessarily mean biological, practical, or scientific significance, and its use based on (often misinterpreted) p values reflects the average response or effect at average conditions based on an assumed linear model fit to the entire sample. However, pollution impacts and organismal responses are rarely characterized by linear and symmetric features, and dichotomous 'statistical significance' based on p values is inadequate to fully describe data and findings. Considering 'the fallacy of the average', variance, and differential response of different population percentiles in new studies would provide otherwise wasted biologically, practically, or scientifically significant information. Since p values often inform as to whether some findings warrant further examination, journals should consider mandating the reporting of effect sizes and confidence intervals, together with p values (should they be used), to provide more integrated information regarding pollution impacts. Moreover, replacing 'statistical significance' with language of evidence, especially in key components of publications, such as abstracts and conclusions, could help preventing potential misleading of the public and decision and policy makers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evgenios Agathokleous
- School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (NUIST), Ningliu Rd. 219, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210044, China.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Agathokleous E, Peñuelas J, Azevedo RA, Rillig MC, Sun H, Calabrese EJ. Low Levels of Contaminants Stimulate Harmful Algal Organisms and Enrich Their Toxins. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:11991-12002. [PMID: 35968681 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c02763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
A widespread increase in intense phytoplankton blooms has been noted in lakes worldwide since the 1980s, with the summertime peak intensity amplifying in most lakes. Such blooms cause annual economic losses of multibillion USD and present a major challenge, affecting 11 out of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Here, we evaluate recent scientific evidence for hormetic effects of emerging contaminants and regulated pollutants on Microcystis sp., the most notorious cyanobacteria forming harmful algal blooms and releasing phycotoxins in eutrophic freshwater systems. This new evidence leads to the conclusion that pollution is linked to algal bloom intensification. Concentrations of contaminants that are considerably smaller than the threshold for toxicity enhance the formation of harmful colonies, increase the production of phycotoxins and their release into the environment, and lower the efficacy of algaecides to control algal blooms. The low-dose enhancement of microcystins is attributed to the up-regulation of a protein controlling microcystin release (McyH) and various microcystin synthetases in tandem with the global nitrogen regulator Ycf28, nonribosomal peptide synthetases, and several ATP-binding cassette transport proteins. Given that colony formation and phycotoxin production and release are enhanced by contaminant concentrations smaller than the toxicological threshold and are widely occurring in the environment, the effect of contaminants on harmful algal blooms is more prevalent than previously thought. Climate change and nutrient enrichment, known mechanisms underpinning algal blooms, are thus joined by low-level pollutants as another causal mechanism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evgenios Agathokleous
- Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological Disasters (CIC-FEMD), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
- Research Center for Global Changes and Ecosystem Carbon Sequestration & Mitigation, School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, Catalonia 08193, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia 08193, Spain
| | - Ricardo A Azevedo
- Departamento de Genética, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz"/Universidade de São Paulo (ESALQ/USP), Avenida Pádua Dias, 11, Piracicaba, São Paulo, São Paulo 13418-900, Brazil
| | - Matthias C Rillig
- Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), D-14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Haoyu Sun
- Key Laboratory of Organic Compound Pollution Control Engineering (MOE), School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Edward J Calabrese
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Morrill I, N344, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Agathokleous E, Barceló D, Aschner M, Azevedo RA, Bhattacharya P, Costantini D, Cutler GC, De Marco A, Docea AO, Dórea JG, Duke SO, Efferth T, Fatta-Kassinos D, Fotopoulos V, Ginebreda A, Guedes RNC, Hayes AW, Iavicoli I, Kalantzi OI, Koike T, Kouretas D, Kumar M, Manautou JE, Moore MN, Paoletti E, Peñuelas J, Picó Y, Reiter RJ, Rezaee R, Rinklebe J, Rocha-Santos T, Sicard P, Sonne C, Teaf C, Tsatsakis A, Vardavas AI, Wang W, Zeng EY, Calabrese EJ. Rethinking Subthreshold Effects in Regulatory Chemical Risk Assessments. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:11095-11099. [PMID: 35878124 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c02896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Evgenios Agathokleous
- Collaborative Innovation Center on Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological Disasters (CIC-FEMD), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, Jiangsu China
- Research Center for Global Changes and Ecosystem Carbon Sequestration & Mitigation, School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, Jiangsu China
| | - Damià Barceló
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDAEA-CSIC; Barcelona 08034, Spain
- Catalan Institute for Water Research, ICRA-CERCA; Girona 17003, Spain
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Bronx, New York 10461, United States
| | - Ricardo Antunes Azevedo
- Departamento de Genética, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz"/Universidade de São Paulo (ESALQ/USP); São Paulo CEP 13418-900, Brazil
| | - Prosun Bhattacharya
- KTH-international Groundwater Arsenic Research Group, Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology; Stockholm SE-100 44, Sweden
| | - David Costantini
- Unité Physiologie Moléculaire et Adaptation (PhyMA), UMR 7221 Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle; CNRS, 7 Rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France
| | - G Christopher Cutler
- Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Campus, Dalhousie University; Truro, Nova Scotia B2N 5E3, Canada
| | | | - Anca Oana Docea
- Department of Toxicology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova; Craiova 200349, Romania
| | - José G Dórea
- Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Brasília; Brasília 70919-970, Brazil
| | - Stephen O Duke
- National Center for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi; Mississippi 38677, United States
| | - Thomas Efferth
- Johannes Gutenberg University, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Biology; Mainz 55128, Germany
| | - Despo Fatta-Kassinos
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Nireas-International Water Research Centre, School of Engineering, University of Cyprus; P.O. Box 20537, Nicosia 1678, Cyprus
| | - Vasileios Fotopoulos
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science, Cyprus University of Technology; Lemesos 3603, Cyprus
| | - Antonio Ginebreda
- Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, c/Jordi Girona 18-26, Barcelona 08034, Spain
| | - Raul Narciso C Guedes
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa;Viçosa, Minas Gerais 36570-900, Brazil
| | - A Wallace Hayes
- Center for Environmental/Occupational Risk Analysis & Management, University of South Florida, College of Public Health; Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
- Michigan State University; East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Ivo Iavicoli
- Department of Public Health, Section of Occupational Medicine, University of Naples Federico II; Naples 80131, Italy
| | | | - Takayoshi Koike
- Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University; Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8589, Japan
| | - Demetrios Kouretas
- Department of Biochemistry-Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Larisa 41500, Greece
| | - Manish Kumar
- School of Engineering, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies; Dehradun 248007, India
| | - José E Manautou
- Pharmaceutical Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Michael N Moore
- European Centre for Environment & Human Health (ECEHH), University of Exeter Medical School, Knowledge Spa, Royal Cornwall Hospital; Truro TR1 3HD, U.K
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory; Plymouth, Devon PL1 3DH, U.K
- School of Biological & Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth; Plymouth PL 4 8AA, U.K
| | - Elena Paoletti
- Institute of Research on Terrestrial Ecosystems, National Research Council; Sesto Fiorentino 50019, Italy
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB; Bellaterra, Catalonia 08193, Spain
- CREAF; Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia 08193, Spain
| | - Yolanda Picó
- Environmental and Food Safety Research Group (SAMA-UV), Desertification Research Centre (CIDE), Universitat de València-CSIC-GV; Valencia 46113, Spain
| | - Russel J Reiter
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine, UT Health San Antonio; San Antonio, Texas 78229, United States
| | - Ramin Rezaee
- International UNESCO Center for Health-Related Basic Sciences and Human Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences,Mashhad 91779-43335, Iran
- Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 91779-43335, Iran
| | - Jörg Rinklebe
- University of Wuppertal, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water, and Waste-Management, Laboratory of Soil, and Groundwater-Management; Wuppertal 42285, Germany
| | - Teresa Rocha-Santos
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) & Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro; Aveiro 3810-193, Portugal
| | - Pierre Sicard
- ARGANS, 260 route du Pin Montard, Biot 06410, France
| | - Christian Sonne
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC); Roskilde DK-4000, Denmark
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-added Products, School of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University; Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Christopher Teaf
- Institute of Science & Public Affairs, Florida State University; Tallahassee, Florida 32306, United States
| | - Aristidis Tsatsakis
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete; Heraklion 71003, Greece
| | - Alexander I Vardavas
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete; Heraklion 71003, Greece
| | - Wenjie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Forest Plant Ecology, Northeast Forestry University; Harbin 150040, China
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Science; Changchun 130102, China
| | - Eddy Y Zeng
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University; Guangzhou 511443, China
| | - Edward J Calabrese
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts; Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Agathokleous E, Moore MN, Calabrese EJ. Environmental hormesis: A tribute to Anthony Stebbing. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 832:154996. [PMID: 35417830 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Evgenios Agathokleous
- School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology (NUIST), Nanjing 210044, China.
| | - Michael N Moore
- European Centre for Environment & Human Health (ECEHH), University of Exeter Medical School, Knowledge Spa, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, UK; Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, Devon, UK; School of Biological & Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
| | - Edward J Calabrese
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Morrill I, N344, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| |
Collapse
|