Evidence of differences in the biotransformation of organic contaminants in three species of freshwater invertebrates

Microplastic-associated trophic transfer of benzo(k)fluoranthene in a limnic food web: Effects in two freshwater invertebrates (Daphnia magna, Chironomus riparius) and zebrafish (Danio rerio)

The continuously growing plastic production and incomplete recycling processes open manifold entry routes for microplastic particles (MPs) into the environment. Since knowledge on trophic transfer of contaminants sorbed to MPs is still insufficient for freshwater systems, the transfer of the model pollutant benzo(k)fluoranthene (BkF) sorbed to polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) particles in a limnic food web was investigated: Two freshwater invertebrates (Daphnia magna and Chironomus riparius larvae) were selected and either left untreated, exposed to pristine PMMA, PMMA-associated BkF, or exposed to dissolved BkF (BkF_aq). As second-level consumers, zebrafish (Danio rerio) were fed twice daily with pre-treated invertebrates over two days. Induction of hepatic cytochrome P450 by BkF was determined as 7-ethoxy-O-resorufin deethylase (EROD) activity. Both invertebrate species readily ingested PMMA particles, tracked via fluorescence microscopy and accumulated BkF_aq, measured via GC-MS. Fluorescence signals in gastrointestinal tracts of zebrafish were quantified with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The fluorescence signal in gastrointestinal tracts of zebrafish was not altered, whereas, EROD activity was significantly induced when zebrafish were fed with Chironomus riparius, pre-exposed to BkF_aq. Trophic exposure scenarios with BkF sorbed to PMMA did not result in any alterations of investigated endpoints in both invertebrate species and zebrafish compared to controls. Given that BkF amounts were in the low ng-range, as detected by GC-MS, the transport of MP-sorbed BkF to zebrafish was less effective than direct exposure to waterborne BkF_aq, and the potential threat of trophic transfer of substances such as BkF in limnic food webs may have been overestimated.

Biological Traits and the Transfer of Persistent Organic Pollutants through River Food Webs

Freshwater organisms remain at risk from bioaccumulation and biomagnification of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), but factors affecting their transfer through food webs are poorly understood. Here, we investigate transfer pathways of polychlorinated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and organochlorine through a river food web, assessing the distribution and flux between basal resources (n = 3), macroinvertebrates (n = 22), and fish (n = 1). We investigate the effects of biological traits on the observed patterns and use trait-based models to predict POP bioaccumulation. Transfer pathways differed among POPs and traits such as habitat affinity, feeding behavior, and body size explained some variation in POP burdens between organisms. Trait-based models indicated that relationships between POPs, trophic transfers, and traits were relatively well conserved across a wider array of river food webs. Although providing more consistent predictions of POP bioaccumulation than steady-state models, variability in bioaccumulation across food webs limited the accuracy of trait-model predictions. As some of the first data to illustrate how ecological processes alter the flux of pollutants through river food webs, these results reveal important links between POPs and contrasting energetic pathways. These data also show the utility of trait-based methods in the assessment of persistent contaminants, but further field validations are required.

Bioaccumulation of Highly Hydrophobic Chemicals by Lumbriculus variegatus

Bioaccumulation of highly hydrophobic chemicals (log K_OW> 8) from contaminated sediments by Lumbriculus variegatus has been studied for relatively few chemicals, and the measured and model predicted biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) can differ by orders of magnitude. In the current study, sediment bioaccumulation tests with L. variegatus were performed on sediments dosed with chemicals having a wide range of predicted n-octanol/water partition coefficients (K_OW; 10⁶-10¹⁸), including some higher than most highly hydrophobic chemicals studied to date. The highly hydrophobic chemicals had biphasic elimination kinetics with compartments A and B having fast and slow elimination kinetics, respectively, and for compartment B, elimination followed first-order kinetics. For compartment A with fast elimination kinetics, the mechanism and its kinetic-order could not be determined. Steady-state BSAFs (kg organic carbon/kg lipid) of 0.015, 0.024, and 0.022 were derived for tetradecachloro-p-terphenyl, tetradecachloro-m-terphenyl, and octadecachloro-p-quaterphenyl, respectively. The high uncertainty in predicted K_OWs for highly hydrophobic chemicals limited the comparison and evaluation of predicted BSAFs from the Arnot-Gobas food web model and BSAFs measured in this study. The results of this study point to the need to perform dietary assimilation efficiency studies with highly hydrophobic compounds to resolve uncertainties surrounding the estimation of their K_OW and the need to understand mechanism and models for the biphasic elimination kinetics.

Determination of selected emerging contaminants in freshwater invertebrates using a universal extraction technique and liquid chromatography accurate mass spectrometry

A simple sample preparation method based on a modified liquid-phase extraction approach to extract selected pharmaceuticals and personal care products from freshwater organisms is described. Extracted samples were analysed using liquid chromatography with Q-Exactive plus hybrid quadrupole Orbitrap mass spectrometry, using 2.6 μm C18 media. A 0.1% v/v acetic acid/acetonitrile mobile phase was applied over a 20 min gradient. Method detection limits in full scan mode were ca. 0.04-2.38 ng of analyte per g of sample. Linearity ranged from 0.9750 to 0.9996 over the calibration range of 0.01-100 μg/L; MS mass accuracy was <2 ppm for most analytes. This method was applied to quantify six pharmaceuticals and personal care products in seven invertebrate samples. For tandem mass spectrometry analysis, selection of precursor ions was performed for each pharmaceutical, with Mass Frontier software illustrating the fragmentation mechanism. Effects of collision energy on intensities of ions was further investigated. The tandem mass spectrometry condition resulting in the highest signal of respective selected product ion was selected to confirm each pharmaceutical, which was initially observed in the full scan mode. Results indicate that pharmaceuticals and personal care products found to be present in water-ways, may be incorporated into organisms that live in the environment of affected water streams.

Assessing the toxicity of the "inert" safener benoxacor toward Chironomus riparius: Effects of agrochemical mixtures

The environmental effects of safeners, agrochemicals that protect crops from herbicide toxicity, are largely unknown, perhaps because they are classified as inert ingredients. We assessed the toxicity to larvae of Chironomus riparius of 1) the dichloroacetamide safener benoxacor; 2) its degradation product, monochloro-benoxacor; 3) the herbicide with which benoxacor is paired, S-metolachlor; and 4) a mixture of S-metolachlor + benoxacor. Under iron-reducing conditions, benoxacor can undergo reductive dechlorination, producing monochloro-benoxacor. To simulate iron-reducing conditions, we prepared benthic microcosms containing an iron-rich silt-clay sediment amended with cellulose. Larval C. riparius were exposed to single chemicals via spiked sediment at nominal concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 100 mg/kg. Concentrations of a 1:1 mixture of safener and herbicide ranged from 0.02 to 200 mg/kg. Kinetic modeling of microcosm aqueous-phase concentrations indicated that benoxacor transformed with a half-life of 12 d. Cox proportional hazard models of time to emergence during 28-d experiments showed that females had a lowest-observed-effect concentration (LOEC) for benoxacor at 1 mg/kg, whereas their LOEC for monochloro-benoxacor was 0.1 mg/kg. For males, the LOEC for all treatments was 100 mg/kg (200 mg/kg for the mixture). Synergistic effects of the mixture were observed only in females, with a LOEC of 0.2 mg/kg. These results suggest that benoxacor presents a low toxicity risk to C. riparius in environmental systems; however, the possibility of synergistic effects between benoxacor and S-metolachlor merits further investigation. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:2660-2670. © 2017 SETAC.

Deriving in vivo biotransformation rate constants and metabolite parent concentration factor/stable metabolite factor from bioaccumulation and bioconcentration experiments: An illustration with worm accumulation data

Growing concern for the biological fate of organic contaminants and their metabolites and the urge to connect in vitro and in vivo toxicokinetics have prompted researchers to characterize the biotransformation behavior of organic contaminants in biota. The whole body biotransformation rate constant (k_M ) is currently determined by the difference approach, which has significant methodological limitations. A new approach for determining k_M from the kinetic observations of the parent contaminant and its intermediate metabolites is proposed. In this method, k_M can be determined by fitting kinetic data of the parent contaminant and the metabolites to analytical equations that depict the bioaccumulation kinetics. The application of the proposed method is illustrated using worm bioaccumulation-biotransformation data collected from the literature. Furthermore, a metabolite parent concentration factor (MPCF) is also proposed to characterize the persistence of the metabolite in biota. Because both the proposed k_M method and MPCF build on the existing theoretical framework for bioaccumulation, they can be readily incorporated into standard experimental bioaccumulation protocols or risk assessment procedures or frameworks. Possible limitations, implications, and future directions are elaborated. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2903-2909. © 2016 SETAC.

Trait-based modelling of bioaccumulation by freshwater benthic invertebrates

Understanding the role of species traits in chemical exposure is crucial for bioaccumulation and toxicity assessment of chemicals. We measured and modelled bioaccumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Chironomus riparius, Hyalella azteca, Lumbriculus variegatus and Sphaerium corneum. We used a battery test procedure with multiple enclosures in one aquarium, which maximized uniformity of exposure for the different species, such that the remaining variability was due mostly to species traits. The relative importance of uptake from either pore water or sediment ingestion was manipulated by using 28 d aged standard OECD sediment with low (1%) and medium (5%) OM content and 13 months aged sediment with medium OM (5%) content. Survival was ≥76% and wet weight increased for all species. Reproduction of H. azteca and weight gain of H. azteca and S. corneum were significantly higher in the medium OM aged sediments than in other sediments, perhaps due to a more developed microbial community (i.e., increase in food resources). Biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAF) ranged from 3 to 114, depending on species and PCB congener, with C. riparius (3-10)<S. corneum (10-17)≤L. variegatus (7-61)≤H. Azteca (5-114), thus challenging the presumed value of 1-2 typically employed in ecological risk assessment schemes. BSAFs for freshwater taxonomic groups were compared with their marine counterparts and showed overlapping values. The dynamic bioaccumulation model with species-specific bioaccumulation parameters fitted well to the experimental data and showed that bioaccumulation parameters were depended on species traits. Enclosure-based battery tests and mechanistic BSAF models are expected to improve the quality of the exposure assessment in whole sediment toxicity tests.

Metabolism, bioaccumulation, and toxicity of pesticides in aquatic insect larvae

Aquatic insects having a high diversity are good biotic indicators for freshwater quality. Their larvae living in freshwater are sensitive to pesticides, and its impacts has been examined not only through laboratory toxicity studies using water and sediment exposure but also through higher-tier micro-/mesocosm studies and field monitoring. Many sophisticated statistical methods have been applied to assess the impacts of pesticides at levels from species to community, but their body burden has been studied much less, especially in relation to toxicity. We review the uptake, metabolism with relevant detoxifying enzymes, and depuration of pesticides in aquatic insect larvae, which determine their body burden and help to understand the toxicity profiles specific to each chemical class. We also discuss experimental conditions, environmental factors, and species sensitivity in relation to the bioconcentration/-accumulation and toxicity of pesticides.

Field data reveal low critical chemical concentrations for river benthic invertebrates

River ecosystems are of immense ecological and social importance. Despite the introduction of wastewater treatment plants and advanced chemical authorization procedures in Europe, chemical pollution is still a major threat to freshwater ecosystems. Here, large-scale monitoring data was exploited to identify taxon-specific chemical concentrations beyond which benthic invertebrate taxa are unlikely to occur using Threshold Indicator Taxa Analysis (TITAN). 365 invertebrate taxa and 25 organic chemicals including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, plasticisers, flame retardants, complexing agents, a surfactant and poly- and monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from a total of 399 sites were analysed. The number of taxa that responded to each of these chemicals varied between 0% and 21%. These sensitive taxa belonged predominantly to the groups Plecoptera, Coleoptera, Trichoptera, Ephemeroptera, Turbellaria, Megaloptera, Crustacea, and Diptera. Strong effects were observed in response to wastewater-associated compounds, confirming that wastewater is an important cause of biological degradation. The majority of change points identified for each compound were well below predicted no-effect concentrations derived from laboratory toxicity studies. Thus, the results show that chemicals are likely to induce effects in the environment at concentrations much lower than expected based on laboratory experiments. Overall, it is confirmed that chemical pollution is still an important factor shaping the distribution of invertebrate taxa, suggesting the need for continued efforts to reduce chemical loads in rivers.

Fate of polychlorinated biphenyls in a contaminated lake ecosystem: combining equilibrium passive sampling of sediment and water with total concentration measurements of biota

Equilibrium sampling devices can be applied to study and monitor the exposure and fate of hydrophobic organic chemicals on a thermodynamic basis. They can be used to determine freely dissolved concentrations and chemical activity ratios and to predict equilibrium partitioning concentrations of hydrophobic organic chemicals in biota lipids. The authors' aim was to assess the equilibrium status of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in a contaminated lake ecosystem and along its discharge course using equilibrium sampling devices for measurements in sediment and water and by also analyzing biota. The authors used equilibrium sampling devices (silicone rubber and polyethylene [PE]) to determine freely dissolved concentrations and chemical activities of PCBs in the water column and sediment porewater and calculated for both phases the corresponding equilibrium concentrations and chemical activities in model lipids. Overall, the studied ecosystem appeared to be in disequilibrium for the studied phases: sediment, water, and biota. Chemical activities of PCBs were higher in sediment than in water, which implies that the sediment functioned as a partitioning source of PCBs and that net diffusion occurred from the sediment to the water column. Measured lipid-normalized PCB concentrations in biota were generally below equilibrium lipid concentrations relative to the sediment (CLip ⇌Sed ) or water (CLip ⇌W ), indicating that PCB levels in the organisms were below the maximum partitioning levels. The present study shows the application versatility of equilibrium sampling devices in the field and facilitates a thermodynamic understanding of exposure and fate of PCBs in a contaminated lake and its discharge course.

Characterization of phase-II conjugation reaction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in fish species: unique pyrene metabolism and species specificity observed in fish species

Metabolic activity, particularly conjugation, was examined in fish by analyzing pyrene (a four-ring, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) metabolites using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detector (FD), a mass spectrometry (MS) system, and kinetic analysis of conjugation enzymes. Fourteen fresh water fish species, including Danio rerio and Orizias latipes, were exposed to aqueous pyrene, and the resulting metabolites were collected. Identification of pyrene metabolites by HPLC/FD and ion-trap MS indicated that the major metabolites were pyrene glucuronide and pyrene sulfate in all 14 species. Differences were observed in pyrene glucuronide:pyrene sulfate ratio and in the total amount of pyrene conjugates excreted between fish species. Furthermore, a correlation was found between the amount of pyrene glucuronide present and the total amount of the pyrene metabolite eliminated. Kinetic analysis of conjugation by hepatic microsomes in vitro indicated that the differences in excreted metabolites reflected the differences in enzymatic activities.

Unit Process Wetlands for Removal of Trace Organic Contaminants and Pathogens from Municipal Wastewater Effluents

Treatment wetlands have become an attractive option for the removal of nutrients from municipal wastewater effluents due to their low energy requirements and operational costs, as well as the ancillary benefits they provide, including creating aesthetically appealing spaces and wildlife habitats. Treatment wetlands also hold promise as a means of removing other wastewater-derived contaminants, such as trace organic contaminants and pathogens. However, concerns about variations in treatment efficacy of these pollutants, coupled with an incomplete mechanistic understanding of their removal in wetlands, hinder the widespread adoption of constructed wetlands for these two classes of contaminants. A better understanding is needed so that wetlands as a unit process can be designed for their removal, with individual wetland cells optimized for the removal of specific contaminants, and connected in series or integrated with other engineered or natural treatment processes. In this article, removal mechanisms of trace organic contaminants and pathogens are reviewed, including sorption and sedimentation, biotransformation and predation, photolysis and photoinactivation, and remaining knowledge gaps are identified. In addition, suggestions are provided for how these treatment mechanisms can be enhanced in commonly employed unit process wetland cells or how they might be harnessed in novel unit process cells. It is hoped that application of the unit process concept to a wider range of contaminants will lead to more widespread application of wetland treatment trains as components of urban water infrastructure in the United States and around the globe.

Investigation of the fate of trifluralin in shrimp

Juvenile Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) were exposed to trifluralin at 0.1 and 0.01 mg L(-1) for 72 h under controlled conditions. Samples of shrimp and tank water were collected at intervals up to 48 days after exposure. Analysis of the shrimp tissues by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-qToF-MS) in combination with profiling and metabolite identification software (Agilent MET-ID and Mass Profiler Professional) detected the presence of parent trifluralin together with two main transformation products (TPs), 2-ethyl-7-nitro-5-(trifluoromethyl)benzimidazole (TP1) and 2-amino-6-nitro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)propylamine (TP2). The highest concentration of trifluralin, determined by GC-MS, was 120 μg kg(-1) at 0 day withdrawal. Residues of trifluralin (CCα = 0.25 μg kg(-1), CCβ = 0.42 μg kg(-1)) were detectable for up to 7 days after exposure. Similarly, the highest concentrations of TP1 and TP 2, determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), were 14 and 18 μg kg(-1), respectively. Residues of TP1 (CCα = 0.05 μg kg(-1), CCβ = 0.09 μg kg(-1)) and TP2 (CCα = 0.1 μg kg(-1), CCβ = 0.17 μg kg(-1)) were detectable for up to 4 and 24 withdrawal days, respectively.

Aquatic ecotoxicity of the fungicide pyrimethanil: effect profile under optimal and thermal stress conditions

The aquatic ecotoxic profile of the fungicide pyrimethanil and its acute and chronic thermal dependence in two aquatic invertebrates Chironomus riparius and Daphnia magna were investigated. The ecotoxicity of pyrimethanil at optimal thermal conditions did not depend on the trophic level, but was species-specific. The acute pyrimethanil-toxicity on C. riparius increased with higher temperature. The chronic response of Daphnia magna to the NOEC of the fungicide was examined in a multigenerational experiment under three near-natural temperature regimes. A pyrimethanil-induced increase of total mortality was buffered by the strongly related increase of the general reproductive capacity, while population growth was stronger influenced by temperature than by the fungicide. At a LOEC, however, a second generation could not be established with D. magna at all thermal regimes. This clearly shows that thermal and multigenerational effects should be considered when appraising the ecotoxicity of pesticides and assessing their future risk for the environment.

On the borderline of dissolved and particulate organic matter: partitioning and bioavailability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

The functionality of dissolved organic matter (DOM) was studied by assessing the availability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) spiked in pore water samples separated from sediments by water extraction and centrifugation with or without subsequent filtration. The purpose was to compare the effects of traditionally defined DOM (0.45-μm cut off) and larger colloidal material present in the separated pore water samples on the partitioning and bioavailability of PAHs. The tested PAHs included phenanthrene (Phe), fluoranthene (Flu), pyrene (Pyr) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP). Bioavailability of the selected PAHs was tested with two ecologically different organisms: pelagic filter feeder Daphnia magna and sediment-dwelling deposit feeder Lumbriculus variegatus. Sorption to DOM (i.e. in filtered samples) was clearly higher for BaP than for the other PAH. This was also reflected in significantly reduced bioavailability for both model organisms in the filtered samples compared to DOM-free conditions. For the other PAHs the sorption was significant only in the unfiltered samples indicating the importance of larger colloidal material. Thus, the bioavailability of PAHs was also more effectively reduced by the colloidal material. This holds true for both the model organisms, indicating that the ecological differences i.e. filter feeder vs. deposit feeder do not affect in this respect. It appears that considering only traditionally defined DOM, material that may be present in environmental samples and is important for the speciation and bioavailability of contaminants is ignored.

Toxicity of sediment-associated unresolved complex mixture and its impact on bioavailability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Unresolved complex mixtures (UCMs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous in sediment originating from oil leaks, shipping, and other human activities and thus it is necessary to understand the role of UCM on sediment toxicity and PAH bioaccumulation. In the current study, lethal and sublethal effects of sediment-associated UCM were examined in two benthic invertebrates (Chironomus dilutus and Lumbriculus variegatus) using two spiked sediments. Results showed that UCM alone was toxic to the organisms and its toxicity was species-dependent. Approximately 1% of UCM in sediment caused 50% mortality in C. dilutus, which indicated UCM at environmentally relevant concentrations can directly cause sub-lethal and lethal effects to benthic invertebrates. Moreover, bioaccumulation testing of sediment-associated PAHs to L. variegatus showed that the addition of UCM to sediment at low concentration (0.01%) increased PAH bioavailability. These findings were further confirmed by assessing bioavailability using Tenax extraction. In contrast, high concentrations of UCM in sediment (0.5%) may have formed non-aqueous phase liquids, which served as an alternative sorption phase for PAHs and reduced PAH bioavailability. Understanding the role of UCM in the overall oil toxicity and its impact on other contaminants would improve risk assessment of sediments impacted by petroleum products in the future.

Inhibition of pyrene biotransformation by piperonyl butoxide and identification of two pyrene derivatives in Lumbriculus variegatus (Oligochaeta)

Using the freshwater annelid Lumbriculus variegatus (Oligochaeta), the presence of cytochrome P450 (CYP) isozymes was investigated by analyzing metabolites of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) pyrene in treatments with and without the CYP inhibitor piperonyl butoxide (PBO). The results show a low biotransformation capability of L. variegatus (7% of total pyrene body burden as metabolites at 168 h). Addition of PBO resulted in a significant reduction of metabolites, suggesting the presence of a CYP in L. variegatus. Besides 1-hydroxypyrene, three peaks representing unknown metabolites were detected in LC-FLD (liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection) chromatograms of L. variegatus. Deconjugations showed that sulfonation and glucosidation are involved in the formation of these unknowns. Further studies with the time of flight mass analyzer provided the identification of the glucose-sulfate conjugate of 1-hydroxypyrene. The same metabolites were detected in the solvent-nonextractable fraction by incubation of the tissue residues with proteinase K, suggesting that part of these metabolites are bound to proteins. Overall, the slow biotransformation of pyrene by L. variegatus (involving CYP) supports the use of this species in standard bioaccumulation tests; however, the tissue-bound metabolite fraction described in the current study deserves further investigation for its toxicity and availability to upper trophic levels through diet.

Bioconcentration, bioaccumulation, and metabolism of pesticides in aquatic organisms

The ecotoxicological assessment of pesticide effects in the aquatic environment should normally be based on a deep knowledge of not only the concentration of pesticides and metabolites found but also on the influence of key abiotic and biotic processes that effect rates of dissipation. Although the bioconcentration and bioaccumulation potentials of pesticides in aquatic organisms are conveniently estimated from their hydrophobicity (represented by log K(ow), it is still indispensable to factor in the effects of key abiotic and biotic processes on such pesticides to gain a more precise understanding of how they may have in the natural environment. Relying only on pesticide hydrophobicity may produce an erroneous environmental impact assessment. Several factors affect rates of pesticide dissipation and accumulation in the aquatic environment. Such factors include the amount and type of sediment present in the water and type of diet available to water-dwelling organisms. The particular physiological behavior profiles of aquatic organisms in water, such as capacity for uptake, metabolism, and elimination, are also compelling factors, as is the chemistry of the water. When evaluating pesticide uptake and bioconcentration processes, it is important to know the amount and nature of bottom sediments present and the propensity that the stuffed aquatic organisms have to absorb and process xenobiotics. Extremely hydrophobic pesticides such as the organochlorines and pyrethroids are susceptible to adsorb strongly to dissolved organic matter associated with bottom sediment. Such absorption reduces the bioavailable fraction of pesticide dissolved in the water column and reduces the probable ecotoxicological impact on aquatic organisms living the water. In contrast, sediment dweller may suffer from higher levels of direct exposure to a pesticide, unless it is rapidly degraded in sediment. Metabolism is important to bioconcentration and bioaccumulation processes, as is detoxification and bioactivation. Hydrophobic pesticides that are expected to be highly stored in tissues would not be bioconcentrated if susceptible to biotic transformation by aquatic organisms to more rapidly metabolized to hydrophilic entities are generally less toxic. By analogy, pesticides that are metabolized to similar entities by aquatic species surely are les ecotoxicologically significant. One feature of fish and other aquatic species that makes them more relevant as targets of environmental studies and of regulation is that they may not only become contaminated by pesticides or other chemicals, but that they constitute and important part of the human diet. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the enzymes that are capable of metabolizing or otherwise assisting in the removal of xenobiotics from aquatic species. Many studies have been performed on the enzymes that are responsible for metabolizing xenobiotics. In addition to the use of conventional biochemical methods, such studies on enzymes are increasingly being conducted using immunochemical methods and amino acid or gene sequences analysis. Such studies have been performed in algae, in some aquatic macrophytes, and in bivalva, but less information is available for other aquatic species such as crustacea, annelids, aquatic insecta, and other species. Although their catabolizing activity is often lower than in mammals, oxidases, especially cytochrome P450 enzymes, play a central role in transforming pesticides in aquatic organisms. Primary metabolites, formed from such initial enzymatic action, are further conjugated with natural components such as carbohydrates, and this aids removal form the organisms. The pesticides that are susceptible to abiotic hydrolysis are generally also biotically degraded by various esterases to from hydrophilic conjugates. Reductive transformation is the main metabolic pathway for organochlorine pesticides, but less information on reductive enzymology processes is available. The information on aquatic species, other than fish, that pertains to bioconcentration factors, metabolism, and elimination is rather limited in the literature. The kinds of basic information that is unavailable but is needed on important aquatic species includes biochemistry, physiology, position in food web, habitat, life cycle, etc. such information is very important to obtaining improved ecotoxicology risk assessments for many pesticides and other chemicals. More research attention on the behavior of pesticides in, and affect on many standard aquatic test species (e.g., daphnids, chironomids, oligochaetes and some bivalves) would particularly be welcome. In addition to improving ecotoxicology risk assessments on target species, such information would also assist in better delineating affects on species at higher trophic levels that are predaceous on the target species. There is also need for designing and employing more realistic approaches to measure bioconcentration and bioaccumulation, and ecotoxicology effects of pesticides in natural environment. The currently employed steady-state laboratory exposure studies are insufficient to deal with the complexity of parameters that control the contrasts to the abiotic processes of pesticide investigated under the strictly controlled conditions, each process is significantly affected in the natural environment not only by the site-specific chemistry of water and sediment but also by climate. From this viewpoint, ecotoxicological assessment should be conducted, together with the detailed analyses of abiotic processes, when higher-tier mesocosm studies are performed. Moreover, in-depth investigation is needed to better understand the relationship between pesticide residues in organisms and associated ecotoxicological endpoints. The usual exposure assessment is based on apparent (nominal) concentrations fo pesticides, and the residues of pesticides or their metabolites in the organisms are not considered in to the context of ecotoxicological endpoints. Therefore, more metabolic and tissue distribution information for terminal pesticide residues is needed for aquatic species both in laboratory settings and in higher-tier (microcosm, mesocosm) studies.

Bioavailability and biotransformation of sediment-associated pyrethroid insecticides in Lumbriculus variegatus

In the present study, bioaccumulation potential of two pyrethroid insecticides, bifenthrin and permethrin, was measured using a Lumbriculus variegatus sediment bioaccumulation test. Two sediments differing in their physical characteristics and two different aging periods were tested. Desorption rates measured by Tenax extraction suggested that pyrethroids were bioavailable to L. variegatus, however bioavailability varied among chemicals, sediments and aging time, and was greater for permethrin than bifenthrin. The relatively low biota-sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) values resulted from the extensive biotransformation of pyrethroids by L. variegatus. Biotransformation capacity of L. variegatus to permethrin was further studied with a water-only exposure, and the percentage parent compound dropped to 36.0% after 14 d. These results indicated sediment-associated pyrethroids were bioavailable to L. variegatus, however bioaccumulation was limited because L. variegatus was capable of biotransforming the pyrethroids.

Sublethal toxicity and biotransformation of pyrene in Lumbriculus variegatus (Oligochaeta)

The aim of this work was to study the toxicity and biotransformation of polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) pyrene in the oligochaete aquatic worm, Lumbriculus variegatus. PAHs are ubiquitous environmental pollutants that pose a hazard to aquatic organisms, and metabolizing capability is poorly known in the case of many invertebrate species. To study the toxicity and biotransformation of pyrene, the worm was exposed for 15 days to various concentrations of water-borne pyrene. The dorsal blood vessel pulse rate was used as a sublethal endpoint. Pyrene biotransformation by L. variegatus was studied and the critical body residues (CBR) were estimated for pyrene toxicity. The toxicokinetics of pyrene uptake was evaluated. A combination of radiolabeled (14C) and nonlabeled pyrene was used in the exposures, and liquid scintillation counting (LSC) and high-pressure liquid chromatography were employed in both water and tissue residue analyses. The results showed that L. variegatus was moderately able to metabolize pyrene to 1-hydroxypyrene (1-HP), thus demonstrating that the phase-I-like oxidizing enzyme system metabolizes pyrene in L. variegatus. The amount of the 1-HP was 1-2% of the amount of pyrene in the worm tissues. The exposure to pyrene reduced the blood vessel pulse rate significantly (p<0.05), showing that pyrene had a narcotic effect. The estimated CBRs remained constant during the exposure time, varying from 0.120 to 0.174 mmol pyrene/kg worm wet weight. The bioconcentration factors (BCF) decreased as exposure concentration increased. It was suggested that the increased toxicity of pyrene accounted for the decrease in BCFs by lowering the activity of the organism.

Bioaccumulation of atrazine and chlorpyrifos to Lumbriculus variegatus from lake sediments

The bioaccumulation of the pesticides chlorpyrifos and atrazine to the benthic oligochaeta Lumbriculus variegatus from four diverse artificially contaminated lake sediments (OC 0.13-21.5%) was studied in the laboratory. The steady state of bioaccumulation was not reached within 10d. Chlorpyrifos showed stronger bioaccumulation than the less lipophilic atrazine, the biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) being 6.2-99 for the former and 1.9-5.3 for the latter. While bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) dropped with increasing organic content of the sediments, the high level and considerable range of the obtained BSAFs indicate other sediment qualities, such as the age and characteristics of the organic material, having a strong effect on the bioavailability of these compounds. The slow and incomplete desorption of chlorpyrifos from the most inorganic sediment indicates also that this compound may be strongly bound to some type of inorganic material. Any specific influential sediment fraction or characteristic could not be identified.

Life cycle responses of the midge Chironomus riparius to polycyclic aromatic compound exposure

During acute exposure, polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) act mainly by narcosis, but during chronic exposure the same compounds may exert sublethal life cycle effects. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the chronic effects of sediment spiked PACs on the emergence of the midge Chironomus riparius. Three isomer pairs were selected, and 28-day LC50 values and 50% emergence times (EMt50) were determined. Concentration-response relationships were observed for phenanthrene, acridine, phenanthridine and acridone. Anthracene and phenanthridone had no effect on total emergence, but did cause a delay in emergence. Calculated porewater LC50 values correlated well with logKow values, suggesting narcosis as mode of action. In contrast, effect concentrations for delay in emergence (EMt50) deviated from narcosis, suggesting a specific mode of action during chronic exposure. It is concluded that emergence is a powerful endpoint to detect life cycle effects of PACs on a key sediment inhabiting invertebrate.

Uptake of organic xenobiotics by benthic invertebrates from sediment contaminated by the pulp and paper industry

Uptake of pulp and paper mill-derived pollutants by benthic invertebrates from sediment in Southern Lake Saimaa, eastern Finland, was studied. Two groups of benthic invertebrates (Diptera and Oligochaeta) were analyzed for their concentrations of resin acids (RAs), chlorophenolics (CPs) and beta-sitosterol. The samples were collected 1 and 3km downstream from the mill. In laboratory experiments Chironomus plumosus (a dipteran) and Lumbriculus variegatus (oligochaete) were exposed for 14d to sediments collected from the same locations. The concentrations of RAs, CPs and beta-sitosterol were higher in the areas downstream from the mill than those in the upstream reference area in both the feral and laboratory-exposed animals. Examination of the possible conjugation of contaminants revealed hydrolyzable fractions of RAs in Diptera, C. plumosus and L. variegatus. The results indicate both the bioavailability uptake of contaminants and uptake by benthic fauna when exposed to pulp and paper mill-contaminated sediment.

Biotransformation and antioxidant enzymes of Lumbriculus variegates as biomarkers of contaminated sediment exposure

In this study the black worm Lumbriculus variegatus was tested for suitability as biomonitor for moderately contaminated sediments. The response capacity of the biotransformation system phase II enzyme glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and the oxidative defense enzyme catalase (CAT) to contaminated sediment and atrazine was investigated to establish them as sensitive biomarkers. To get an integrated view on the enzyme activity kinetics, increasing concentrations of the herbicide atrazine were applied to stimulate GST response, and relationship between enzyme activity and herbicide concentration was observed at various exposure durations. Furthermore, animals were exposed for up to 1 week to sediments of four typical urban river sections with high anthropogenic impact. L. variegatus was capable to accomplish the environmental stress and the selected enzymes showed elevation. Significant changes of GST (membrane-bound and soluble) were detected after at least 4 days of exposure to atrazine and contaminated sediments. Although CAT increase could be observed already after 1 day of exposure to sediments, an exposure time of one week is considerable for accurate interpretation of the enzymatic response. The clear enzymatic response of especially the membrane-bound GST indicated charges with organic lipophilic substances at all sampling sites.

Bioaccumulation, sublethal toxicity, and biotransformation of sediment-associated pentachlorophenol in Lumbriculus variegatus (Oligochaeta)

The xenobiotics accumulated in sediments represent a hazard to organisms. In order to study the toxic effects of xenobiotics in organisms, body residue has been proposed as a more relevant dose-metric than the environmental concentration of the chemical. In this study, the benthic oligochaetes Lumbriculus variegatus were exposed to sediment-spiked pentachlorophenol (PCP) in a chronic study at different exposure concentrations. The aim was to examine sublethal toxic effects in sediment-dwelling and sediment-ingesting organisms, and to link the effects with chemical body residues. Growth, reproduction, and egestion rate were used as sublethal endpoints. Bioaccumulation, sublethal toxic effects, and biotransformation of PCP were investigated by exposing organisms to both artificial and natural sediments with similar organic carbon content. Sediment characteristics were assumed to have an effect on toxicity since PCP retarded both growth and reproduction in L. variegatus in the artificial sediment. In natural sediment, growth, and reproduction was also reduced in control treatments, probably indicating poor nutritional quality. Most of the extracted chemicals in L. variegatus tissues were water-soluble metabolites, indicating that L. variegatus was capable of biotransforming PCP. The extractable parent PCP body residues (CBR(50)) for L. variegatus growth and reproduction were in agreement with the values estimated for respiratory uncouplers in the literature.

Differential effects of paraquat on oxidative stress parameters and polyamine levels in two freshwater invertebrates

Paraquat is still a widely used herbicide in several countries. Its toxic action on plants occurs through a one-electron reduction interfering with the photosynthesis process. By a similar reaction, the herbicide may induce peroxidation processes in non-target animal species. Furthermore, paraquat may interfere with the cellular transport of polyamines. The aim of this work was to investigate some aspects related to paraquat-induction of oxidative stress (lipoperoxidation, enzymatic activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase) and also the levels of polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) in two species of freshwater invertebrates, the oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus and the gastropod Biomphalaria glabrata. The results showed that both organisms elicited differential responses. In addition, the data suggested that polyamines may play an important role against lipoperoxidation processes.

Glucose–sulfate conjugates as a new phase II metabolite formed by aquatic crustaceans

We found that aquatic crustaceans, decapoda; atyidae (Caridina multidentata, Neocaridina denticulate, and Paratya compressa), metabolize pyrene to a new conjugation product. The results of deconjugation treatments indicated that glucose and sulfate combined with 1-hydroxypyrene. Further analysis by LC/ESI-MS/MS showed that the molecular weight of the product was 460 (m/z 459; deprotonated ion), and that it has a glucose-sulfate moiety (m/z 241; fragment ion). These results indicated that the new metabolite was the glucose-sulfate conjugate of 1-hydroxypyrene. The glucose-sulfate conjugate is a phase II product that has not been reported previously from any organism. Several studies have demonstrated that sulfation is an important pathway for metabolism of xenobiotics in aquatic invertebrates. Thus, glucose-sulfate conjugates may add an important signal for excretion or sequestration of xenobiotics for aquatic invertebrates.

Variation in the bioaccumulation of a sediment-sorbed hydrophobic compound by benthic macroinvertebrates: patterns and mechanisms

Aquatic ecological risk assessment is primarily focused on aqueous exposure, but many hydrophobic contaminants bind to particulate material and accumulate in sediments. The risk posed by such contaminants is partially dependent on the importance of dietary exposure. Here, we describe the bioaccumulation of a highly hydrophobic compound (dioctadecyl-dimethyl ammonium chloride (DODMAC)) to four freshwater macroinvertebrates (i.e., Asellus aquaticus, Chironomus riparius, Gammarus pulex, Lumbriculus variegatus) and investigate the mechanistic basis for observed interspecific variation in bioaccumulation. Although more than 99.99% of DODMAC was sediment-bound, it was bioavailable to all four species via dietary exposure. Interspecific variation in bioaccumulation was apparent despite the lack of selective feeding and biotransformation potential and after normalization for body size and lipid content. Chironomus riparius had the highest lipid-normalized DODMAC concentration and L. variegatus had the lowest. Study species differed in factors affecting uptake (i.e., feeding rate) and absorption efficiency (i.e., gut passage time and gut surfactancy). Feeding rate did not explain interspecific variation in bioaccumulation, but bioaccumulation was enhanced by either high surfactancy and short gut passage time (e.g., G. pulex) or low surfactancy and long gut passage time (e.g., C. riparius). Risk assessment of hydrophobic contaminants should consider dietary exposure and the potential food chain effects of interspecific variation in bioaccumulation.

Bioaccumulation of paraquat by Lumbriculus variegatus in the presence of dissolved natural organic matter and impact on energy costs, biotransformation and antioxidative enzymes

Dissolved organic matter from natural sources (DNOM) is omnipresent in aquatic ecosystems. Besides affecting bioavailability of substances including xenobiotics, it directly influences physico-chemistry of the habitat and there is increasing evidence for it is interaction with organisms. We investigated direct and interacting effects of DNOM from three sources, Lake Valkea-Kotinen, Svartberget Brook, and Lake Fuchskuhle with the herbicide paraquat on the oligochaete worm Lumbriculus variegatus. Bioavailability of paraquat to L. variegates as well as activities of antioxidative enzymes catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) and biotransformation enzyme soluble glutathione S-transferase (sGST) were assessed without and in the presence of DNOM. Furthermore, metabolic heat dissipation due to the exposure was quantified. Uptake of paraquat into the worms was concentration dependently reduced by DNOM, and with differences concerning the DNOM sources. sGST and CAT responded with increased activities to DNOM (5 and 25 mg C l-1) and paraquat (5.0, 50, and 500 microg l-1) separately. Paraquat at 5.0 microg l-1 and DNOM in combination caused increased activities of sGST, especially at 5 mgC l-1, but inhibition of CAT activities. The latter probably occurred due to saturation of the enzyme. Changes in enzyme activities were independent from the source of DNOM. Increasing DNOM concentrations raised metabolic heat dissipation in L. variegatus with maximum at 3h of exposure. In the combined treatments, metabolic heat dissipation changed more due to the source of DNOM than due to the bioavailability of paraquat.

Modelling 2,4-dichlorophenol bioavailability and bioaccumulation by the freshwater fingernail clam Sphaerium corneum using artificial particles and humic acids

The complex and variable composition of natural sediments makes it very difficult to predict the bioavailability and bioaccumulation of sediment-bound contaminants. Several approaches have been proposed to overcome this problem, including an experimental model using artificial particles with or without humic acids as a source of organic matter. For this work, we have applied this experimental model, and also a sample of a natural sediment, to investigate the uptake and bioaccumulation of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) by Sphaerium corneum. Additionally, the particle-water partition coefficients (K(d)) were calculated. The results showed that the bioaccumulation of 2,4-DCP by clams did not depend solely on the levels of chemical dissolved, but also on the amount sorbed onto the particles and the characteristics and the strength of that binding. This study confirms the value of using artificial particles as a suitable experimental model for assessing the fate of sediment-bound contaminants.

Inhibition of cholinesterase activity by azinphos-methyl in two freshwater invertebrates: Biomphalaria glabrata and Lumbriculus variegatus

In this study, some biochemical features and the extent of inhibition induced by the organophosphorous pesticide azinphos-methyl on the cholinesterase (ChE) activity present in whole soft tissue of two freshwater invertebrate species, the gastropod Biomphalaria glabrata and the oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus were investigated. Both invertebrate organisms presented marked differences in ChE activity, type of enzymes and subcellular location. Acetylthiocholine was the substrate preferred by B. glabrata ChE. The enzyme activity was located preferentially in the supernatant of 11,000 x g centrifugation and was inhibited by increasing concentrations of substrate but not by iso-OMPA. Results showed that there were progressive inhibitions of the enzyme activity, with values 21%, 59%, 72%, 76%, and 82% lower than the control at levels of 1, 10, 50, 100 and 1000 microM of eserine, respectively. In contrast, L. variegatus ChE activity was distributed both in the supernatant and pellet fractions, with values approximately 6 and 20 times higher than B. glabrata, respectively. Studies with butyrylthiocholine and iso-OMPA suggested that about 72% of the activity corresponded to butyrylcholinesterase. A strong enzyme inhibition (88-94%) was found at low eserine concentrations (1-10 microM). ChE activity from L. variegatus and B. glabrata was inhibited by in vivo exposure to azinphos-methyl suggesting that both species can form the oxon derivative of this pesticide. However, both invertebrate species showed a very different susceptibility to the insecticide. The NOEC and EIC50 values were 500 and 1000 times lower for L. variegatus than for B. glabrata, reflecting that the oligochaetes were much more sensitive organisms. A different pattern was also observed for the recovery of the enzymatic activity when the organisms were transferred to clean water. The recuperation process was faster for the oligochaetes than for the gastropods. Mortality was not observed in either of the experimental conditions assayed, not even at concentrations that induced 90% of ChE inhibition. The differences in substrate specificity, sensitivity to inhibitors, and subcellular location between the ChEs of B. glabrata and L. variegatus could be the main factors contributing to the differential susceptibility to azinphos-methyl ChE inhibition found in the present study.

Biotransformation and bioconcentration of pyrene in Daphnia magna

Water fleas (Daphnia magna) were exposed to [14C]pyrene in the presence and absence of piperonyl butoxide (PBO), a general cytochrome P450 (CYP) inhibitor, in organic carbon-free artificial freshwater (AFW, DOC<0.2 mg l(-1)) and in natural lake water (DOC=19.9 mg l(-1)) for 24 h. The bioconcentration of total radioactivity after 24 h exposure was 50% lower in the natural lake water, indicating decreased bioavailability of pyrene by the dissolved organic matter. However, the proportions of parent compound were only ca. 12 and 19% of the total body burden in daphnids exposed in AFW and natural lake water, respectively. Therefore, the tissue concentration of the parent pyrene was not significantly different in the daphnids exposed in the two different waters. Due to extensive biotransformation the bioconcentration factor (BCF) of parent pyrene was only 16 and 23% of the BCF calculated on the basis of total radioactivity in the daphnids in AFW and natural lake water, respectively. The proportion of parent pyrene was significantly higher (over 60%) in the daphnids exposed simultaneously to PBO, which indicates the involvement of CYP monooxygenases in the biotransformation. Furthermore, increasing PBO concentration decreased the accumulation of total radioactivity in AFW but not in the natural lake water. The data demonstrate capability and importance of CYP monooxygenases in biotransformation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in D. magna.

Influence of particle characteristics and organic matter content on the bioavailability and bioaccumulation of pyrene by clams

Hydrophobic chemicals are known to associate with sediment particles including those from both suspended particulate matter and bottom deposits. The complex and variable composition of natural particles makes it very difficult therefore, to predict the bioavailability of sediment-bound contaminants. To overcome these problems we have previously devised a test system using artificial particles, with or without humic acids, for use as an experimental model of natural sediments. In the present work we have applied this experimental technique to investigate the bioavailability and bioaccumulation of pyrene by the freshwater fingernail clam Sphaerium corneum. The uptake and accumulation of pyrene in clams exposed to the chemical in the presence of a sample of natural sediment was also investigated. According to the results obtained, particle surface properties and organic matter content are the key factors for assessing the bioavailability and bioaccumulation of pyrene by clams.