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Sun K, Dai LZ, Chen MH, Si YB, Fang GD, Li SY, Yu HQ. Laccase-induced decontamination and humification mechanisms of estrogen in water-crop matrices. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae118. [PMID: 38595803 PMCID: PMC11002785 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Enzymatic humification plays a crucial biogeochemical role in eliminating steroidal estrogens and expanding organic carbon stocks. Estrogenic contaminants in agroecosystems can be taken up and acropetally translocated by crops, but the roles of laccase-triggered rhizospheric humification (L-TRH) in pollutant dissipation and plant uptake remain poorly understood. In this study, the laccase-induced decontamination and humification mechanisms of 17β-estradiol (E2) in water-crop media were investigated by performing greenhouse pot experiments with maize seedlings (Zea mays L.). The results demonstrated that L-TRH effectively dissipated E2 in the rhizosphere solution and achieved the kinetic constants of E2 dissipation at 10 and 50 μM by 8.05 and 2.75 times as much as the treatments without laccase addition, respectively. The copolymerization of E2 and root exudates (i.e. phenols and amino acids) consolidated by L-TRH produced a larger amount of humified precipitates with the richly functional carbon architectures. The growth parameters and photosynthetic pigment levels of maize seedlings were greatly impeded after a 120-h exposure to 50 μM E2, but L-TRH motivated the detoxication process and thus mitigated the phytotoxicity and bioavailability of E2. The tested E2 contents in the maize tissues initially increased sharply with the cultivation time but decreased steadily. Compared with the treatment without laccase addition, the uptake and accumulation of E2 in the maize tissues were obviously diminished by L-TRH. E2 oligomers such as dimer, trimer, and tetramer recognized in the rhizosphere solution were also detected in the root tissues but not in the shoots, demonstrating that the acropetal translocation of E2 oligomers was interrupted. These results highlight a promising strategy for decontaminating estrogenic pollutants, boosting rhizospheric humification, and realizing low-carbon emissions, which would be beneficial for agroenvironmental bioremediation and sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Sun
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Farmland Ecological Conservation and Pollution Prevention, College of Resources and Environment, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Ling-Zhi Dai
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Farmland Ecological Conservation and Pollution Prevention, College of Resources and Environment, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Mei-Hua Chen
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Farmland Ecological Conservation and Pollution Prevention, College of Resources and Environment, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - You-Bin Si
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Farmland Ecological Conservation and Pollution Prevention, College of Resources and Environment, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Guo-Dong Fang
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Shun-Yao Li
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Han-Qing Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
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2
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Rogers JD, Leusch FD, Chambers B, Daniels KD, Everett LJ, Judson R, Maruya K, Mehinto AC, Neale PA, Paul-Friedman K, Thomas R, Snyder SA, Harrill J. High-Throughput Transcriptomics of Water Extracts Detects Reductions in Biological Activity with Water Treatment Processes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:2027-2037. [PMID: 38235672 PMCID: PMC11003563 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c07525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
The presence of numerous chemical contaminants from industrial, agricultural, and pharmaceutical sources in water supplies poses a potential risk to human and ecological health. Current chemical analyses suffer from limitations, including chemical coverage and high cost, and broad-coverage in vitro assays such as transcriptomics may further improve water quality monitoring by assessing a large range of possible effects. Here, we used high-throughput transcriptomics to assess the activity induced by field-derived water extracts in MCF7 breast carcinoma cells. Wastewater and surface water extracts induced the largest changes in expression among cell proliferation-related genes and neurological, estrogenic, and antibiotic pathways, whereas drinking and reclaimed water extracts that underwent advanced treatment showed substantially reduced bioactivity on both gene and pathway levels. Importantly, reclaimed water extracts induced fewer changes in gene expression than laboratory blanks, which reinforces previous conclusions based on targeted assays and improves confidence in bioassay-based monitoring of water quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse D. Rogers
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Frederic D.L. Leusch
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport Qld 4222, Australia
| | - Bryant Chambers
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
| | | | - Logan J. Everett
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
| | - Richard Judson
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
| | - Keith Maruya
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project Authority, 3535 Harbor Boulevard, Suite 110, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, USA
| | - Alvine C. Mehinto
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project Authority, 3535 Harbor Boulevard, Suite 110, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, USA
| | - Peta A. Neale
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport Qld 4222, Australia
| | - Katie Paul-Friedman
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
| | - Russell Thomas
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
| | - Shane A. Snyder
- Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI), Nanyang Technological University, 1 Cleantech Loop, CleanTech One, #06-08, 637141, Singapore
| | - Joshua Harrill
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
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3
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Stavreva DA, Collins M, McGowan A, Varticovski L, Raziuddin R, Brody DO, Zhao J, Lee J, Kuehn R, Dehareng E, Mazza N, Pegoraro G, Hager GL. Mapping multiple endocrine disrupting activities in Virginia rivers using effect-based assays. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 773:145602. [PMID: 33592464 PMCID: PMC8026610 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Water sources are frequently contaminated with natural and anthropogenic substances having known or suspected endocrine disrupting activities; however, these activities are not routinely measured and monitored. Phenotypic bioassays are a promising new approach for detection and quantitation of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). We developed cell lines expressing fluorescent chimeric constructs capable of detecting environmental contaminants which interact with multiple nuclear receptors. Using these assays, we tested water samples collected in the summers of 2016, 2017 and 2018 from two major Virginia rivers. Samples were concentrated 200× and screened for contaminants interacting with the androgen (AR), glucocorticoid (GR), aryl hydrocarbon (AhR) and thyroid receptors. Among 45 tested sites, over 70% had AR activity and 60% had AhR activity. Many sites were also positive for GR and TRβ activation (22% and 42%, respectively). Multiple sites were positive for more than one type of contaminants, indicating presence of complex mixtures. These activities may negatively impact river ecosystems and consequently human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana A Stavreva
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
| | - Michael Collins
- Center for Natural Capital, PO Box 901, Orange, VA, United States
| | - Andrew McGowan
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Lyuba Varticovski
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Razi Raziuddin
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - David Owen Brody
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Walt Whitman High School, 7100 Whittier Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20817, United States
| | - Jerry Zhao
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Walt Whitman High School, 7100 Whittier Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20817, United States
| | - Johnna Lee
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Walt Whitman High School, 7100 Whittier Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20817, United States
| | - Riley Kuehn
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Walt Whitman High School, 7100 Whittier Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20817, United States
| | - Elisabeth Dehareng
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Walt Whitman High School, 7100 Whittier Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20817, United States
| | - Nicholas Mazza
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Walt Whitman High School, 7100 Whittier Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20817, United States
| | - Gianluca Pegoraro
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Gordon L Hager
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
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Schüttler A, Jakobs G, Fix J, Krauss M, Krüger J, Leuthold D, Altenburger R, Busch W. Transcriptome-Wide Prediction and Measurement of Combined Effects Induced by Chemical Mixture Exposure in Zebrafish Embryos. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2021; 129:47006. [PMID: 33826412 PMCID: PMC8041271 DOI: 10.1289/ehp7773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Humans and environmental organisms are constantly exposed to complex mixtures of chemicals. Extending our knowledge about the combined effects of chemicals is thus essential for assessing the potential consequences of these exposures. In this context, comprehensive molecular readouts as retrieved by omics techniques are advancing our understanding of the diversity of effects upon chemical exposure. This is especially true for effects induced by chemical concentrations that do not instantaneously lead to mortality, as is commonly the case for environmental exposures. However, omics profiles induced by chemical exposures have rarely been systematically considered in mixture contexts. OBJECTIVES In this study, we aimed to investigate the predictability of chemical mixture effects on the whole-transcriptome scale. METHODS We predicted and measured the toxicogenomic effects of a synthetic mixture on zebrafish embryos. The mixture contained the compounds diuron, diclofenac, and naproxen. To predict concentration- and time-resolved whole-transcriptome responses to the mixture exposure, we adopted the mixture concept of concentration addition. Predictions were based on the transcriptome profiles obtained for the individual mixture components in a previous study. Finally, concentration- and time-resolved mixture exposures and subsequent toxicogenomic measurements were performed and the results were compared with the predictions. RESULTS This comparison of the predictions with the observations showed that the concept of concentration addition provided reasonable estimates for the effects induced by the mixture exposure on the whole transcriptome. Although nonadditive effects were observed only occasionally, combined, that is, multicomponent-driven, effects were found for mixture components with anticipated similar, as well as dissimilar, modes of action. DISCUSSION Overall, this study demonstrates that using a concentration- and time-resolved approach, the occurrence and size of combined effects of chemicals may be predicted at the whole-transcriptome scale. This allows improving effect assessment of mixture exposures on the molecular scale that might not only be of relevance in terms of risk assessment but also for pharmacological applications. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7773.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Schüttler
- Department Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Environmental Research, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - G. Jakobs
- Department Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig, Germany
| | - J.M. Fix
- Department Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig, Germany
| | - M. Krauss
- Department Effect-Directed Analysis, UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - J. Krüger
- Department Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig, Germany
| | - D. Leuthold
- Department Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig, Germany
| | - R. Altenburger
- Department Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Environmental Research, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - W. Busch
- Department Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig, Germany
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Ankley GT, Berninger JP, Blackwell BR, Cavallin JE, Collette TW, Ekman DR, Fay KA, Feifarek DJ, Jensen KM, Kahl MD, Mosley JD, Poole ST, Randolph EC, Rearick D, Schroeder AL, Swintek J, Villeneuve DL. Pathway-Based Approaches for Assessing Biological Hazards of Complex Mixtures of Contaminants: A Case Study in the Maumee River. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2021; 40:1098-1122. [PMID: 33270248 PMCID: PMC9554926 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Assessment of ecological risks of chemicals in the field usually involves complex mixtures of known and unknown compounds. We describe the use of pathway-based chemical and biological approaches to assess the risk of chemical mixtures in the Maumee River (OH, USA), which receives a variety of agricultural and urban inputs. Fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) were deployed in cages for 4 d at a gradient of sites along the river and adjoining tributaries in 2012 and during 2 periods (April and June) in 2016, in conjunction with an automated system to collect composite water samples. More than 100 industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides were detected in water at some of the study sites, with the greatest number typically found near domestic wastewater treatment plants. In 2016, there was an increase in concentrations of several herbicides from April to June at upstream agricultural sites. A comparison of chemical concentrations in site water with single chemical data from vitro high-throughput screening (HTS) assays suggested the potential for perturbation of multiple biological pathways, including several associated with induction or inhibition of different cytochrome P450 (CYP) isozymes. This was consistent with direct effects of water extracts in an HTS assay and induction of hepatic CYPs in caged fish. Targeted in vitro assays and measurements in the caged fish suggested minimal effects on endocrine function (e.g., estrogenicity). A nontargeted mass spectroscopy-based analysis suggested that hepatic endogenous metabolite profiles in caged fish covaried strongly with the occurrence of pesticides and pesticide degradates. These studies demonstrate the application of an integrated suite of measurements to help understand the effects of complex chemical mixtures in the field. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:1098-1122. © 2020 SETAC. This article has been contributed to by US Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- GT Ankley
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
- Corresponding Author: Gerald Ankley;
| | - JP Berninger
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
| | - BR Blackwell
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
| | - JE Cavallin
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
| | - TW Collette
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Ecosystem Processes Division, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - DR Ekman
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Ecosystem Processes Division, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - KA Fay
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
| | - DJ Feifarek
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
| | - KM Jensen
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
| | - MD Kahl
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
| | - JD Mosley
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Ecosystem Processes Division, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - ST Poole
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
| | - EC Randolph
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
| | - D Rearick
- General Dynamics Information Technology, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division Duluth, Minnesota, USA
| | - AL Schroeder
- University of Minnesota – Crookston, Math, Science, and Technology Department, Crookston, Minnesota, USA
| | - J Swintek
- Badger Technical Services, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota. USA
| | - DL Villeneuve
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
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6
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Kumar N, Zhao HN, Awoyemi O, Kolodziej EP, Crago J. Toxicity Testing of Effluent-Dominated Stream Using Predictive Molecular-Level Toxicity Signatures Based on High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry: A Case Study of the Lubbock Canyon Lake System. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:3070-3080. [PMID: 33600148 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c05546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Current aquatic toxicity assessments usually focus on targeted analyses coupled with toxicity testing to determine the impacts of complex mixtures on aquatic organisms. However, based on this approach alone, it is sometimes difficult to explain observed toxicity from the selected chemical analytes. Recent analytical advances such as high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) can improve the characterizations of the chemical composition of complex mixtures, but the intensive labor required to produce confident identifications limits its utility in high-throughput screening. In the present study, we evaluated a rapid workflow to predict potential toxicity signatures of complex water samples based on high-throughput, tentative HRMS identifications derived from database matching, followed by identification of chemical-ligand interactions and pathway identification. We tested the workflow with water samples from the effluent-dominated Lubbock Canyon Lake System (LCLS). Results across all sites showed that predicted toxicity signatures had little variation when correcting for HRMS false-positive rates. The most common pathways across sites were gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor and α-adrenergic receptor signaling. Alterations to the predicted pathways were successfully observed in larval zebrafish exposures to LCLS water samples. These results may allow researchers to better utilize rapid assessments of HRMS data for the assessment of adverse impacts on aquatic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naveen Kumar
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
| | - Haoqi Nina Zhao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Center for Urban Waters, Tacoma, Washington 98421, United States
| | - Olushola Awoyemi
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
| | - Edward P Kolodziej
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Center for Urban Waters, Tacoma, Washington 98421, United States
- Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, University of Washington Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington 98402, United States
| | - Jordan Crago
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
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7
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Marshall MM, McCluney KE. Mixtures of co-occurring chemicals in freshwater systems across the continental US. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 268:115793. [PMID: 33069045 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Trace chemicals are common in marine and freshwater ecosystems globally. It is recognized that in the environment, individual chemicals are rarely found in isolation. Insufficient work has examined which chemicals co-occur and which methods best identify these mixtures. Using an existing data set, we found evidence that simple correlation analysis is better at identifying mixtures of commonly co-occurring trace chemicals than more commonly used PCA methods. Moreover, simple correlation analysis, unlike PCA, can be used in cases with unbalanced designs and with data points below reportable limits. Application of this approach allowed identification of 10 groups of chemicals commonly found together in freshwaters of the continental US, representing common "chemical syndromes." Better identification of co-occurring chemical combinations could aid in our understanding of biological and ecological effects of aquatic contaminants. This research provides evidence of correlation analyses as a more effective method for identifying commonly co-occurring aquatic contaminants. We also examined the patterns of these mixtures with a dataset consisting of concentrations of 406 trace chemicals from 38 sample locations across the continental US.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie M Marshall
- Wright State University - Lake Campus, Celina, OH, 45822, United States; Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, 43402, United States.
| | - Kevin E McCluney
- Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, 43402, United States
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8
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Leet JK, Richter CA, Cornman RS, Berninger JP, Bhandari RK, Nicks DK, Zajicek JL, Blazer VS, Tillitt DE. Effects of early life stage exposure of largemouth bass to atrazine or a model estrogen (17α-ethinylestradiol). PeerJ 2020; 8:e9614. [PMID: 33072434 PMCID: PMC7537618 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Endocrine disrupting contaminants are of continuing concern for potentially contributing to reproductive dysfunction in largemouth and smallmouth bass in the Chesapeake Bay watershed (CBW) and elsewhere. Exposures to atrazine (ATR) have been hypothesized to have estrogenic effects on vertebrate endocrine systems. The incidence of intersex in male smallmouth bass from some regions of CBW has been correlated with ATR concentrations in water. Fish early life stages may be particularly vulnerable to ATR exposure in agricultural areas, as a spring influx of pesticides coincides with spawning and early development. Our objectives were to investigate the effects of early life stage exposure to ATR or the model estrogen 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) on sexual differentiation and gene expression in gonad tissue. We exposed newly hatched largemouth bass (LMB, Micropterus salmoides) from 7 to 80 days post-spawn to nominal concentrations of 1, 10, or 100 µg ATR/L or 1 or 10 ng EE2/L and monitored histological development and transcriptomic changes in gonad tissue. We observed a nearly 100% female sex ratio in LMB exposed to EE2 at 10 ng/L, presumably due to sex reversal of males. Many gonad genes were differentially expressed between sexes. Multidimensional scaling revealed clustering by gene expression of the 1 ng EE2/L and 100 µg ATR/L-treated male fish. Some pathways responsive to EE2 exposure were not sex-specific. We observed differential expression in male gonad in LMB exposed to EE2 at 1 ng/L of several genes involved in reproductive development and function, including star, cyp11a2, ddx4 (previously vasa), wnt5b, cyp1a and samhd1. Expression of star, cyp11a2 and cyp1a in males was also responsive to ATR exposure. Overall, our results confirm that early development is a sensitive window for estrogenic endocrine disruption in LMB and are consistent with the hypothesis that ATR exposure induces some estrogenic responses in the developing gonad. However, ATR-specific and EE2-specific responses were also observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica K Leet
- Columbia Environmental Research Center, United States Geological Survey, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Catherine A Richter
- Columbia Environmental Research Center, United States Geological Survey, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Robert S Cornman
- Fort Collins Science Center, United States Geological Survey, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Jason P Berninger
- Columbia Environmental Research Center, United States Geological Survey, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Ramji K Bhandari
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Diane K Nicks
- Columbia Environmental Research Center, United States Geological Survey, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - James L Zajicek
- Columbia Environmental Research Center, United States Geological Survey, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Vicki S Blazer
- Leetown Science Center, United States Geological Survey, Kearneysville, WV, USA
| | - Donald E Tillitt
- Columbia Environmental Research Center, United States Geological Survey, Columbia, MO, USA
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9
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DeMarini DM. A review on the 40th anniversary of the first regulation of drinking water disinfection by-products. ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS 2020; 61:588-601. [PMID: 32374889 PMCID: PMC7640377 DOI: 10.1002/em.22378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Water disinfection, primarily by chlorination, is one of the greatest achievements of public health. However, more than half a century after its introduction, studies in the 1970s reported that (a) chlorine interacted with organic matter in the water to form disinfection by-products (DBPs); (b) two DBPs, chloroform and bromoform, both trihalomethanes (THMs), were rodent carcinogens; (c) three brominated THMs were mutagenic; in six studies chlorinated drinking waters in the United States and Canada were mutagenic; and (d) in one epidemiological study there was an association between bladder cancer mortality and THM exposure. This led the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to issue its first DBP regulation in 1979. Forty years later, >600 DBPs have been characterized, 20/22 have been shown to be rodent carcinogens, >100 have been shown to be genotoxic, and 1000s of water samples have been found to be mutagenic. Data support a hypothesis that long-term dermal/inhalation exposure to certain levels of the three brominated THMs, as well as oral exposure to the haloacetic acids, combined with a specific genotype may increase the risk for bladder cancer for a small but significant population group. Improved water-treatment methods and stricter regulations have likely reduced such risks over the years, and further reductions in potential risk are anticipated with the application of advanced water-treatment methods and wider application of drinking water regulations. This 40-year research effort is a remarkable example of sustained cooperation between academic and government scientists, along with public/private water companies, to find answers to a pressing public health question.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M. DeMarini
- Biomolecular and Computational Toxicology Division, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
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Iwanowicz LR, Smalling KL, Blazer VS, Braham RP, Sanders LR, Boetsma A, Procopio NA, Goodrow S, Buchanan GA, Millemann DR, Ruppel B, Vile J, Henning B, Abatemarco J. Reconnaissance of Surface Water Estrogenicity and the Prevalence of Intersex in Smallmouth Bass ( Micropterus Dolomieu) Inhabiting New Jersey. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17062024. [PMID: 32204384 PMCID: PMC7142597 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17062024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The observation of testicular oocytes in male fishes has been utilized as a biomarker of estrogenic endocrine disruption. A reconnaissance project led in the Northeastern United States (US) during the period of 2008–2010 identified a high prevalence of intersex smallmouth bass on or near US Fish & Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuges that included the observation of 100% prevalence in smallmouth bass males collected from the Wallkill River, NJ, USA. To better assess the prevalence of intersex smallmouth bass across the state of New Jersey, a tiered reconnaissance approach was initiated during the fall of 2016. Surface water samples were collected from 101 (85 river, 16 lake/reservoir) sites across the state at base-flow conditions for estrogenicity bioassay screening. Detectable estrogenicity was observed at 90% of the sites and 64% were above the US Environmental Protection Agency trigger level of 1 ng/L. Median surface water estrogenicity was 1.8 ng/L and a maximum of 6.9 ng/L E2EqBLYES was observed. Adult smallmouth bass were collected from nine sites, pre-spawn during the spring of 2017. Intersex was identified in fish at all sites, and the composite intersex prevalence was 93.8%. Prevalence across sites ranged from 70.6% to 100%. In addition to intersex, there was detectable plasma vitellogenin in males at all sites. Total estrogenicity in surface water was determined at these fish collection sites, and notable change over time was observed. Correlation analysis indicated significant positive correlations between land use (altered land; urban + agriculture) and surface water estrogenicity. There were no clear associations between land use and organismal metrics of estrogenic endocrine disruption (intersex or vitellogenin). This work establishes a baseline prevalence of intersex in male smallmouth bass in the state of New Jersey at a limited number of locations and identifies a number of waterbodies with estrogenic activity above an effects-based threshold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke R. Iwanowicz
- US Geological Survey, Leetown Science Center, Kearneysville, WV 25430, USA; (V.S.B.); (R.P.B.); (L.R.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: 304-724-4550
| | - Kelly L. Smalling
- US Geological Survey, New Jersey Water Science Center, Lawrence, NJ 08648, USA; (K.L.S.); (A.B.)
| | - Vicki S. Blazer
- US Geological Survey, Leetown Science Center, Kearneysville, WV 25430, USA; (V.S.B.); (R.P.B.); (L.R.S.)
| | - Ryan P. Braham
- US Geological Survey, Leetown Science Center, Kearneysville, WV 25430, USA; (V.S.B.); (R.P.B.); (L.R.S.)
| | - Lakyn R. Sanders
- US Geological Survey, Leetown Science Center, Kearneysville, WV 25430, USA; (V.S.B.); (R.P.B.); (L.R.S.)
| | - Anna Boetsma
- US Geological Survey, New Jersey Water Science Center, Lawrence, NJ 08648, USA; (K.L.S.); (A.B.)
| | - Nicholas A. Procopio
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Science and Research, Trenton, NJ 08625, USA; (N.A.P.); (S.G.); (G.A.B.); (D.R.M.); (B.R.)
| | - Sandra Goodrow
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Science and Research, Trenton, NJ 08625, USA; (N.A.P.); (S.G.); (G.A.B.); (D.R.M.); (B.R.)
| | - Gary A. Buchanan
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Science and Research, Trenton, NJ 08625, USA; (N.A.P.); (S.G.); (G.A.B.); (D.R.M.); (B.R.)
| | - Daniel R. Millemann
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Science and Research, Trenton, NJ 08625, USA; (N.A.P.); (S.G.); (G.A.B.); (D.R.M.); (B.R.)
| | - Bruce Ruppel
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Science and Research, Trenton, NJ 08625, USA; (N.A.P.); (S.G.); (G.A.B.); (D.R.M.); (B.R.)
| | - John Vile
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water Monitoring and Standards, Trenton, NJ 08625, USA; (J.V.); (B.H.); (J.A.)
| | - Brian Henning
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water Monitoring and Standards, Trenton, NJ 08625, USA; (J.V.); (B.H.); (J.A.)
| | - John Abatemarco
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water Monitoring and Standards, Trenton, NJ 08625, USA; (J.V.); (B.H.); (J.A.)
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