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Betz-Koch S, Jacobs B, Oehlmann J, Ratz D, Reutter C, Wick A, Oetken M. Pesticide dynamics in three small agricultural creeks in Hesse, Germany. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15650. [PMID: 37483984 PMCID: PMC10361075 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Due to their high biodiversity, small water bodies play an important role for freshwater ecosystems. Nonetheless, systematic pesticide monitoring in small creeks with a catchment <30 km2 is rarely conducted. Methods In this study, event-driven water samples were taken from May until November 2017 and March until July 2018 after 20 rain events at three sampling sites with catchment areas of <27 km2 in the Wetterau, a region with intensive agriculture in Southern Hesse, Germany. Additionally, enriched extracts of the native water samples from the campaign in 2018 were used for the Microtox assay to determine baseline toxicity to invertebrates over time and sum of toxic units (STU) were calculated to compare the potential toxicity of the samples. Results Overall, 37 pesticides and 17 transformation products were found, whereby the herbicide metamitron (79 µg/L) showed the highest concentration. Regularly, pesticide concentrations peaked at the time of the highest water level within each sampling event. Within each sampling event maximum pesticide concentration was mostly reached in water samples taken during the first two hours. The sum of the time-weighted mean concentration values of all pesticides was between 2.0 µg/L and 7.2 µg/L, whereby the measured concentrations exceeded their regulatory acceptable concentration (RAC) at 55% of all sampling events for at least one pesticide. The mean EC50 values varied between 28.6 ± 13.1 to 41.3 ± 12.1 REF (relative enrichment factor). The results indicated that several samples caused baseline toxicity, whereby the highest activity was measured at the time of highest water levels and pesticides concentrations, and then steadily decreased in parallel with the water level. Median STUs of invertebrates ranged from -2.10 to -3.91, of algae/aquatic plants from -0.79 to -1.84 and of fish from -2.47 to -4.24. For one of the three sampling sites, a significant linear correlation between baseline toxicity and STUinvertebratewas found (r2 = 0.48). Conclusion The results of the present study suggest that (1) current pesticide monitoring programs underestimate risks posed by the exposure to pesticides for aquatic organisms and (2) pre-authorization regulatory risk assessment schemes are insufficient to protect aquatic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Betz-Koch
- Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universität Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Björn Jacobs
- German Federal Institute of Hydrology, Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde (BfG), Koblenz, Germany
| | - Jörg Oehlmann
- Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universität Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Dominik Ratz
- Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universität Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Christian Reutter
- Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universität Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Arne Wick
- German Federal Institute of Hydrology, Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde (BfG), Koblenz, Germany
| | - Matthias Oetken
- Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universität Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
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Kreutzer A, Reininghaus M, Meyer J, Kröncke I, Seiler TB, Hollert H, Witt G. Application of equilibrium passive sampling to assess the influence of anthropogenic activities and bioturbation on the distribution of hydrophobic organic chemicals in North Sea sediment cores. Environ Pollut 2023; 318:120876. [PMID: 36528202 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The pollution state in the German Bight was investigated by determination of pollutant concentrations of sediment samples using equilibrium passive sampling. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were determined in the pore water of North Sea sediment. The freely dissolved pore water concentration (Cfree) was measured applying Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) by using PDMS-coated glass fibers. The obtained results show that the North Sea contamination level with the investigated pollutants is relatively low. However, the stations close to the sediment-dumping site were higher contaminated. A macrofauna analysis showed that bioturbation activities were mostly present in the upper sediment layers, but a direct bioturbation influence on the sediment concentration distribution could not be shown. Overall, the contamination load was below baseline toxicity, but considering that several other priority pollutants will also make a contribution to the baseline toxicity, it can be counted as relatively high.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Kreutzer
- Department Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Faculty Biological Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, 60438, Germany; Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty Life Sciences, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Hamburg, 21033, Germany
| | - Mathias Reininghaus
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty Life Sciences, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Hamburg, 21033, Germany
| | - Julia Meyer
- Senckenberg Am Meer, Marine Research, Südstrand 40, 26382, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Ingrid Kröncke
- Senckenberg Am Meer, Marine Research, Südstrand 40, 26382, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | | | - Henner Hollert
- Department Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Faculty Biological Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, 60438, Germany
| | - Gesine Witt
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty Life Sciences, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Hamburg, 21033, Germany.
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3
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Wallraff JP, Ungeheuer F, Dombrowski A, Oehlmann J, Vogel AL. Occurrence and in vitro toxicity of organic compounds in urban background PM 2.5. Sci Total Environ 2022; 817:152779. [PMID: 35007573 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This study describes the chemical composition and in vitro toxicity of the organic fraction of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) at an urban background site, which receives emissions either from Frankfurt international airport or the city centre, respectively. We analysed the chemical composition of filter extracts (PM2.5) using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a high-resolution mass spectrometer, followed by a non-target analysis. In parallel, we applied the bulk of the filter extracts to a Microtox and acetylcholinesterase-inhibition assay for in vitro toxicity testing. We find that both the chemical composition and toxicity depend on the prevailing wind directions, and the airport operating condition, respectively. The occurrence of the airport marker compounds tricresyl phosphate and pentaerythritol esters depends on the time of the day, reflecting the night flight ban as well as an airport strike event during November 2019. We compared the organic aerosol composition and toxicity from the airport wind-sector against the city centre wind-sector. We find that urban background aerosol shows a higher baseline toxicity and acetylcholinesterase inhibition compared to rural PM2.5 that is advected over the airport. Our results indicate that the concentration and individual composition of PM2.5 influence the toxicity. Suspected drivers of the acetylcholinesterase inhibition are i.e. organophosphorus esters like triphenyl phosphate and cresyldiphenyl phosphate, and the non-ionic surfactant 4-tert-octylphenol ethoxylate. However, further research is necessary to unambiguously identify harmful organic air pollutants and their sources and quantify concentration levels at which adverse effects in humans and the environment can occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas P Wallraff
- Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Altenhöferallee 1, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Florian Ungeheuer
- Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Altenhöferallee 1, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Andrea Dombrowski
- Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jörg Oehlmann
- Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Alexander L Vogel
- Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Altenhöferallee 1, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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4
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Meador JP. The fish early-life stage sublethal toxicity syndrome - A high-dose baseline toxicity response. Environ Pollut 2021; 291:118201. [PMID: 34740289 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
A large number of toxicity studies report abnormalities in early life-stage (ELS) fish that are described here as a sublethal toxicity syndrome (TxSnFELS) and generally include a reduced heart rate, edemas (yolk sac and cardiac), and a variety of morphological abnormalities. The TxSnFELS is very common and not diagnostic for any chemical or class of chemicals. This sublethal toxicity syndrome is mostly observed at high exposure concentrations and appears to be a baseline, non-specific toxicity response; however, it can also occur at low doses by specific action. Toxicity metrics for this syndrome generally occur at concentrations just below those causing mortality and have been reported for a large number of diverse chemicals. Predictions based on tissue concentrations or quantitative-structure activity relationship (QSAR) models support the designation of baseline toxicity for many of the tested chemicals, which is confirmed by observed values. Given the sheer number of disparate chemicals causing the TxSnFELS and correlation with QSAR derived partitioning; the only logical conclusion for these high-dose responses is baseline toxicity by nonspecific action and not a lock and key type receptor response. It is important to recognize that many chemicals can act both as baseline toxicants and specific acting toxicants likely via receptor interaction and it is not possible to predict those threshold doses from baseline toxicity. We should search out these specific low-dose responses for ecological risk assessment and not rely on high-concentration toxicity responses to guide environmental protection. The goal for toxicity assessment should not be to characterize toxic responses at baseline toxicity concentrations, but to evaluate chemicals for their most toxic potential. Additional aspects of this review evaluated the fish ELS teratogenic responses in relation to mammalian oral LD50s and explored potential key events responsible for baseline toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P Meador
- Ecotoxicology Program, Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2725 Montlake Blvd E, Seattle, WA, 98112, USA.
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Massei R, Knapen D, Covaci A, Blust R, Mayer P, Vergauwen L. Sublethal Effect Concentrations for Nonpolar Narcosis in the Zebrafish Embryo. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021; 40:2802-2812. [PMID: 34288096 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Nonpolar narcosis, also known as baseline toxicity, has been described as the minimal toxicity that an organic chemical may elicit based on its lipophilicity. Although lethal effects of narcosis-inducing chemicals (NICs) have been thoroughly investigated, knowledge of sublethal effects is still very limited. We investigated the effects of 3 well-known NICs (phenanthrene, 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene, and pentachlorobenzene) on a variety of organismal endpoints (malformations, swim bladder inflation, respiration, heart rate, swimming activity, and turning angles), which can be plausibly linked to narcosis in zebrafish embryos. Baseline toxicity recorded as mortality is typically observed in similar exposure ranges in a wide variety of species including fish, corresponding to a chemical activity range between 0.01 and 0.1. In the present study, we found that sublethal effects occurred at concentrations approximately 5 times below lethal concentrations. Altered swimming activity and impaired swim bladder inflation were the most sensitive endpoints occurring at exposure levels below the generally accepted threshold for baseline toxicity for 2 out of 3 compounds. Overall, most effective exposure levels across the sublethal endpoints and compounds did fall within the range typically associated with baseline toxicity, and deviations were generally limited to a factor 10. Although there could be benefit in adding sublethal endpoints to toxicity tests, such as the fish embryo acute toxicity (FET) test, based on the present sublethal endpoints and available evidence from our and other studies, the underestimation of toxicity as a result of the sole assessment of mortality as an endpoint in an FET test may be limited for narcosis. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:2802-2812. © 2021 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Massei
- Zebrafishlab, Veterinary, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Dries Knapen
- Zebrafishlab, Veterinary, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Ronny Blust
- Systemic Physiological and Ecotoxicological Research, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Philipp Mayer
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Lucia Vergauwen
- Zebrafishlab, Veterinary, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
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Klein K, Hof D, Dombrowski A, Schweyen P, Dierkes G, Ternes T, Schulte-Oehlmann U, Oehlmann J. Enhanced in vitro toxicity of plastic leachates after UV irradiation. Water Res 2021; 199:117203. [PMID: 34004441 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Plastics can release numerous chemicals and thereby, contribute to the chemical pollution in aquatic systems. To which extent environmental degradation processes influence the release of plastic chemicals, is currently unknown and subject of research. We therefore evaluated aqueous leachates of 12 differently formulated plastics (e.g., pre-production, post-industrial and recycled pellets as well as final products) using in vitro bioassays and chemical analysis via LC-HRMS nontarget approach. We weathered these plastics by UV irradiation (UV-C and UV-A/B) under laboratory conditions in dryness and a subsequent leaching period in ultrapure water ('atmospheric' weathering) or directly in water ('aquatic' weathering, UV-A/Baq). A dark control (DC) without UV light served as a reference treatment. Some plastics triggered several toxicological endpoints (low-density polyethylene recyclate (LDPE-R), starch blend (SB), bio-based polybutylene succinate (Bio-PBS) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)), whereas others caused little to no effects (polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP) and LDPE). UV irradiation enhanced the plastics' toxicity, even for samples initially evaluated as toxicologically inconspicuous. The plastic samples caused oxidative stress (85%), baseline toxicity (42%), antiestrogenicity (40%) and antiandrogenicity (27%). Positive findings were measured after UV-C (63%) and UV-A/Baq (50%) treatments, followed by UV-A/B (48%) and DC (33%). Overall, we detected between 42 (DC) and 2896 (UV-A/Baq) chemical compounds. Our study demonstrates that differently formulated plastics leach toxic chemicals. UV exacerbates the plastics' toxicity by either generating active compounds and/or by facilitating their release. UV light even leads to the release of bioactive compounds from plastics of low chemical complexity. To prevent the exposure to plastic-associated chemicals, the application of chemicals could be reduced to a minimum, while on a regulatory level the evaluation of plastic eluates could be another focal point next to singular compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Klein
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Delia Hof
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Andrea Dombrowski
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Peter Schweyen
- Federal Institute of Hydrology, Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Georg Dierkes
- Federal Institute of Hydrology, Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Thomas Ternes
- Federal Institute of Hydrology, Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Ulrike Schulte-Oehlmann
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jörg Oehlmann
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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7
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Stibany F, Schmidt SN, Mayer P, Schäffer A. Toxicity of dodecylbenzene to algae, crustacean, and fish - Passive dosing of highly hydrophobic liquids at the solubility limit. Chemosphere 2020; 251:126396. [PMID: 32163782 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In the current study, improved exposure control and measurements were applied for the aquatic toxicity testing of a highly hydrophobic organic compound. The aim was to reliably determine the ecotoxicity of the model compound dodecylbenzene (DDB, Log KOW = 8.65) by applying passive dosing for aquatic toxicity testing exactly at the solubility limit. Methodologically, silicone O-rings were saturated by immersion in pure liquid DDB (i.e., "loading by swelling") and then used as passive dosing donors. Daphnia immobilization and fish embryo toxicity tests were successfully conducted and provide, together with recently reported algal growth inhibition data, a full base-set of ecotoxicological data according to REACH. All tests were conducted in closed test systems to avoid evaporative losses, and exposure concentrations were measured throughout test durations. The Daphnia test was optimized by placing the O-rings in cages to prevent direct contact between daphnids and the passive dosing donor. Toxicologically, Daphnia magna immobilization was 19.3 ± 8% (mean ± 95% CI; 6 tests) within 72 h, whereas Danio rerio fish embryos did not show any significant lethal or sublethal toxic responses within 96 h. Growth rate inhibition for the algae Raphidocelis subcapitata was previously reported to be 13 ± 5% in a first and 8 ± 3% in a repeated test. These results for aquatic organisms, spanning three trophic levels, demonstrate toxicity of a highly hydrophobic compound and suggest that improvements of the current ecotoxicological standard tests are needed for these "difficult-to-test" chemicals. Furthermore, the obtained toxicity results significantly question the existence of a generic Log KOW cut-off in baseline toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Stibany
- Institute for Environmental Research (Biology V), RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074, Aachen, Germany; Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet B115, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Stine Nørgaard Schmidt
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet B115, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Philipp Mayer
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet B115, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Andreas Schäffer
- Institute for Environmental Research (Biology V), RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074, Aachen, Germany
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Escher BI, Abagyan R, Embry M, Klüver N, Redman AD, Zarfl C, Parkerton TF. Recommendations for Improving Methods and Models for Aquatic Hazard Assessment of Ionizable Organic Chemicals. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020; 39:269-286. [PMID: 31569266 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Revised: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Ionizable organic chemicals (IOCs) such as organic acids and bases are an important substance class requiring aquatic hazard evaluation. Although the aquatic toxicity of IOCs is highly dependent on the water pH, many toxicity studies in the literature cannot be interpreted because pH was not reported or not kept constant during the experiment, calling for an adaptation and improvement of testing guidelines. The modulating influence of pH on toxicity is mainly caused by pH-dependent uptake and bioaccumulation of IOCs, which can be described by ion-trapping and toxicokinetic models. The internal effect concentrations of IOCs were found to be independent of the external pH because of organisms' and cells' ability to maintain a stable internal pH milieu. If the external pH is close to the internal pH, existing quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) for neutral organics can be adapted by substituting the octanol-water partition coefficient by the ionization-corrected liposome-water distribution ratio as the hydrophobicity descriptor, demonstrated by modification of the target lipid model. Charged, zwitterionic and neutral species of an IOC can all contribute to observed toxicity, either through concentration-additive mixture effects or by interaction of different species, as is the case for uncoupling of mitochondrial respiration. For specifically acting IOCs, we recommend a 2-step screening procedure with ion-trapping/QSAR models used to predict the baseline toxicity, followed by adjustment using the toxic ratio derived from in vitro systems. Receptor- or plasma-binding models also show promise for elucidating IOC toxicity. The present review is intended to help demystify the ecotoxicity of IOCs and provide recommendations for their hazard and risk assessment. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:269-286. © 2019 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beate I Escher
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
- Center for Applied Geoscience, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ruben Abagyan
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Michelle Embry
- Health and Environmental Sciences Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Nils Klüver
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Christiane Zarfl
- Center for Applied Geoscience, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Niehus NC, Brockmeyer B, Witt G. Bioavailability and distribution of PAHs and PCBs in the sediment pore water of the German Bight and Wadden Sea. Mar Pollut Bull 2019; 138:421-427. [PMID: 30660291 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.11.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The freely dissolved concentration (Cfree) was measured for PAHs and PCBs in sediments of the German Bight and Wadden Sea. Ex-situ Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) was applied using Polydimethlysiloxane (PDMS) coated glass fibers followed by automated thermal desorption and GC-MS analysis. This study provides the first dataset on the spatial distribution of Cfree for PAHs and PCBs in the German Bight and the Wadden Sea. We found elevated PCB concentrations in the Wadden Sea and especially in the Weser estuary. Sandy North Sea sediments were rather less contaminated, except for some former dumping sites. The sorption strength of PAHs was generally stronger, while PCBs in the Wadden Sea sediments were only weakly bound. This SPME method is a rapid and sensitive tool to study Cfree of hydrophobic organic chemicals to improve todays sediment risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora C Niehus
- Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Department Engineering, Ulmenliet 20, 21033 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Berit Brockmeyer
- Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency, Department Marine Science, Wüstland 2, 22589 Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Gesine Witt
- Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Department Engineering, Ulmenliet 20, 21033 Hamburg, Germany.
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Schmidt SN, Armitage JM, Arnot JA, Mackay D, Mayer P. Linking algal growth inhibition to chemical activity: Excess toxicity below 0.1% of saturation. Chemosphere 2018; 208:880-886. [PMID: 30068031 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.05.168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/27/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Chemical activity quantifies the energetic level of an organic compound relative to its pure liquid [0-1], and several studies have reported that baseline toxicity generally requires chemical activities of 0.01-0.1. The first aim was to challenge this chemical activity range for baseline toxicity. Algal growth inhibition data (median effective concentrations, EC50) were compiled from two recent studies and included 108 compounds categorised as non-polar (mode of toxic action, MOA1) and polar (MOA2) narcotics. These data were linked to chemical activity by (1) plotting them relative to a regression for (subcooled) liquid solubility (SL), which served as visual reference for chemical activity of unity and (2) determining EC50/SL ratios that essentially equal median effective chemical activity (Ea50). Growth inhibition required chemical activity >0.01 for MOA1 and >0.001 for MOA2 compounds. The second aim was to identify compounds exerting excess toxicity, i.e., when growth inhibition occurred at chemical activity <0.001. From a recent review with 2323 data entries, 315 EC50 values passed our selection criteria. 280 of these EC50 values were within or near the baseline toxicity range (Ea50>0.001), and 25 compounds were found to exert excess toxicity (Ea50<0.001). Of these compounds, 16 are pesticides or precursors. Methodologically, this study includes two methods for translating EC50 values into the chemical activity framework, each having advantages and limitations. Scientifically, this study confirms that baseline toxicity generally requires chemical activities of 0.01-0.1 and extends the application of the chemical activity approach beyond baseline toxicity, by demonstrating its utility to identify compounds that exert excess toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stine N Schmidt
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
| | | | - Jon A Arnot
- ARC Arnot Research & Consulting Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Donald Mackay
- Trent University, Department of Chemistry, Canadian Environmental Modelling Centre (CEMC), Peterborough, ON, Canada
| | - Philipp Mayer
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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11
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Scholz S, Schreiber R, Armitage J, Mayer P, Escher BI, Lidzba A, Léonard M, Altenburger R. Meta-analysis of fish early life stage tests-Association of toxic ratios and acute-to-chronic ratios with modes of action. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018; 37:955-969. [PMID: 29350428 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Revised: 12/30/2018] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Fish early life stage (ELS) tests (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development test guideline 210) are widely conducted to estimate chronic fish toxicity. In these tests, fish are exposed from the embryonic to the juvenile life stages. To analyze whether certain modes of action are related to high toxic ratios (i.e., ratios between baseline toxicity and experimental effect) and/or acute-to-chronic ratios (ACRs) in the fish ELS test, effect concentrations (ECs) for 183 compounds were extracted from the US Environmental Protection Agency's ecotoxicity database. Analysis of ECs of narcotic compounds indicated that baseline toxicity could be observed in the fish ELS test at similar concentrations as in the acute fish toxicity test. All nonnarcotic modes of action were associated with higher toxic ratios, with median values ranging from 4 to 9.3 × 104 (uncoupling < reactivity < neuromuscular toxicity < methemoglobin formation < endocrine disruption < extracellular matrix formation inhibition). Four modes of action were also found to be associated with high ACRs: 1) lysyl oxidase inhibition leading to notochord distortion, 2) putative methemoglobin formation or hemolytic anemia, 3) endocrine disruption, and 4) compounds with neuromuscular toxicity. For the prediction of ECs in the fish ELS test with alternative test systems, endpoints targeted to the modes of action of compounds with enhanced toxic ratios or ACRs could be used to trigger fish ELS tests or even replace these tests. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:955-969. © 2018 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Scholz
- Department of Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Rene Schreiber
- Department of Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
| | - James Armitage
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Philipp Mayer
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Beate I Escher
- Department of Cell Toxicology, UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
- Environmental Toxicology, Center for Applied Geosciences, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Annegret Lidzba
- Department of Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Marc Léonard
- Environmental Research Department, L'Oréal Advanced Research, Aulnay sous Bois, France
| | - Rolf Altenburger
- Department of Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Environmental Research (Biology V), RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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12
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Lang SC, Mayer P, Hursthouse A, Kötke D, Hand I, Schulz-Bull D, Witt G. Assessing PCB pollution in the Baltic Sea - An equilibrium partitioning based study. Chemosphere 2018; 191:886-894. [PMID: 29107230 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.10.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Revised: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Sediment cores and bottom water samples from across the Baltic Sea region were analyzed for freely dissolved concentrations (Cfree), total sediment concentrations (CT) and the dissolved aqueous fraction in water of seven indicator PCBs. Ex-situ equilibrium sampling of sediment samples was conducted with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coated glass fibers that were analyzed by automated thermal desorption GC-MS, which yielded PCB concentrations in the fiber coating (CPDMS). Measurements of CPDMS and CT were then applied to determine (i) spatially resolved freely dissolved PCB concentrations; (ii) baseline toxicity potential based on chemical activities (a); (iii) site specific mixture compositions; (iv) diffusion gradients at the sediment water interface and within the sediment cores; and (vi) site specific distribution ratios (KD). The contamination levels were low in the Gulf of Finland and moderate to elevated in the Baltic Proper, with the highest levels observed in the western Baltic Sea. The SPME method has been demonstrated to be an appropriate and sensitive tool for area surveys presenting new opportunities to study the in-situ distribution and thermodynamics of hydrophobic organic chemicals at trace levels in marine environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susann-Cathrin Lang
- University of Applied Sciences Hamburg, Department of Environmental Engineering, Ulmenliet 20, 21033 Hamburg, Germany; Institute of Biomedical and Environmental Health Research, School of Science & Sport, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley Campus, Paisley PA 1 2BE, United Kingdom.
| | - Philipp Mayer
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Andrew Hursthouse
- Institute of Biomedical and Environmental Health Research, School of Science & Sport, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley Campus, Paisley PA 1 2BE, United Kingdom
| | - Danijela Kötke
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Centre for Materials and Coastal Research, Institute of Coastal Research, Max-Planck-Strasse 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
| | - Ines Hand
- Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Seestraße 15, 18119 Rostock, Germany
| | - Detlef Schulz-Bull
- Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Seestraße 15, 18119 Rostock, Germany
| | - Gesine Witt
- University of Applied Sciences Hamburg, Department of Environmental Engineering, Ulmenliet 20, 21033 Hamburg, Germany
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13
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Bittermann K, Goss KU. Assessing the toxicity of ionic liquids - Application of the critical membrane concentration approach. Chemosphere 2017; 183:410-418. [PMID: 28554025 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.05.097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2017] [Revised: 05/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Charged organic chemicals are a prevailing challenge for toxicity modelling. In this contribution we strive to recapitulate the lessons learned from the well-known modelling of narcosis (or baseline toxicity) of neutral chemicals and apply the concept to charged chemicals. First we reevaluate the organism- and chemical independent critical membrane concentration causing 50% mortality,.cmemtox, based on a critical revision of a previously published toxicity dataset for neutral chemicals. In accordance to values reported in the literature we find a mean value for cmemtox of roughly 100 mmol/kg (membrane lipid) for a broad variety of 42 aquatic organisms (333 different chemicals), albeit with a considerable scatter. Then we apply this concept to permanently charged ionic liquids (ILs). Using COSMOmic, a quantum mechanically based mechanistic model that makes use of the COSMO-RS theory, we predict membrane-water partition coefficients (Kmem/w) of the anionic and cationic IL components. Doing so, cmemtox(total) for permanently charged ILs can be estimated assuming independent, concentration additive contributions of the cationic and its respective anionic species. The resulting values for some of the toxicity data for ionic liquids are consistent with the expected range for baseline toxicity for neutral chemicals while other values are consistently greater or smaller. Based on the calculation of toxic ratios we identify ILs that exert a specific mode of toxic action. Limitations of the modelling approach especially but not exclusively due to the use of nominal concentrations instead of freely-dissolved concentrations in the published literature are critically discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Bittermann
- UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Permoserstr. 15, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Kai-Uwe Goss
- UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Permoserstr. 15, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany; University of Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Chemistry, Kurt Mothes Str. 2, D-06120 Halle, Germany.
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14
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Kang HJ, Lee SY, Kwon JH. Physico-chemical properties and toxicity of alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. J Hazard Mater 2016; 312:200-207. [PMID: 27037474 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2016.03.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2016] [Revised: 03/12/2016] [Accepted: 03/19/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Crude oil and refined petroleum products contain many polycyclic and heterocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, in particular, alkylated PAHs. Although alkylated PAHs are found in significantly higher quantities than their corresponding unsubstituted PAHs, the most studies on the physico-chemical properties and toxicities of these compounds have been conducted on unsubstituted PAHs. In this study, we measured crucial physico-chemical properties (i.e., water solubility, partition coefficients between polydimethylsiloxane and water (KPDMSw), and partition coefficient between liposomes and water (Klipw)) of selected alkylated PAHs, and evaluated their toxicity using the luminescence inhibition of Aliivibrio fischeri and growth inhibition of Raphidocelis subcapitata. In general, the logarithms of these properties for alkylated PAHs showed good linear correlations with log Kow, as did those for unsubstituted PAHs. Changes in molecular symmetry on the introduction of alkyl groups on aromatic ring structure significantly altered water solubility. The inhibition of bacterial luminescence and algal growth by alkylated PAHs can be explained well by the baseline toxicity hypothesis, and good linear relationships between log Kow or log Klipw and log (1/EC50) were found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Joong Kang
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul02841, Republic of Korea
| | - So-Young Lee
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Hwan Kwon
- Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul02841, Republic of Korea.
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15
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Schmidt S, Busch W, Altenburger R, Küster E. Mixture toxicity of water contaminants-effect analysis using the zebrafish embryo assay (Danio rerio). Chemosphere 2016; 152:503-512. [PMID: 27011319 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2016] [Revised: 03/02/2016] [Accepted: 03/03/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Three water contaminants were selected to be tested in the zebrafish embryo toxicity test (DarT) in order to investigate the sensitivity of the zebrafish embryo toxicity test with respect to mixture effect detection. The concentration-response curves for the observed effects lethality and hypo-pigmentation were calculated after an exposure of the embryos for 96 h with a fungicide (carbendazim), a plasticizer or propellent precursor (2,4-DNT: 2,4- dinitrotoluene) and an aromatic compound (AαC: 2-amino-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indol), respectively. Follow-up mixture tests were based on the calculated LC50 or EC50 of the single compounds and combined effects were predicted according to the mixture concepts of concentration addition (CA) and independent action (IA). The order of toxicity for the single substances was carbendazim (LC50 = 1.25 μM) < AαC (LC50 = 8.16 μM) < 2,4-DNT (LC50 = 177.05 μM). For AαC and 2,4 DNT hypo-pigmentation was observed in addition (AαC EC50 = 1.81 μM; 2,4-DNT EC50 = 8.81 μM). Two binary and one ternary mixture were studied on lethality and one on hypo-pigmentation: 2,4-DNT/AαC (LC50 = 119.21 μM, EC50 = 5.37 μM), carbendazim/AαC (LC50 = 4.49 μM) and AαC/Carbendazim/2,4 DNT (LC50 = 108.62 μM). Results showed that the effects were in agreement with the CA model when substances were tested in mixtures. Therefore, in a reasonable worst case scenario substance combination effects in fish embryos were at maximum only prone to overestimation when using CA as the mixture concept.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Schmidt
- UFZ- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Wibke Busch
- UFZ- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Rolf Altenburger
- UFZ- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Eberhard Küster
- UFZ- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
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16
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Wang Y, Yang X, Wang J, Cong Y, Mu J, Jin F. A DFT-based toxicity QSAR study of aromatic hydrocarbons to Vibrio fischeri: Consideration of aqueous freely dissolved concentration. J Hazard Mater 2016; 308:149-156. [PMID: 26812082 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2016.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2015] [Revised: 12/21/2015] [Accepted: 01/04/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) techniques based on toxicity mechanism and density functional theory (DFT) descriptors were adopted to develop predictive models for the toxicity of alkylated and parent aromatic hydrocarbons to Vibrio fischeri. The acute toxicity data of 17 aromatic hydrocarbons from both literature and our experimental results were used to construct QSAR models by partial least squares (PLS) analysis. With consideration of the toxicity process, the partition of aromatic hydrocarbons between water phase and lipid phase and their interaction with the target biomolecule, the optimal QSAR model was obtained by introducing aqueous freely dissolved concentration. The high statistical values of R(2) (0.956) and Q(CUM)(2) (0.942) indicated that the model has good goodness-of-fit, robustness and internal predictive power. The average molecular polarizability (α) and several selected thermodynamic parameters reflecting the intermolecular interactions played important roles in the partition of aromatic hydrocarbons between the water phase and biomembrane. Energy of the highest occupied molecular orbital (E(HOMO)) was the most influential descriptor which dominated the toxicity of aromatic hydrocarbons through the electron-transfer reaction with biomolecules. The results demonstrated that the adoption of freely dissolved concentration instead of nominal concentration was a beneficial attempt for toxicity QSAR modeling of hydrophobic organic chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- Key Laboratory for Ecological Environment in Coastal Areas, State Oceanic Administration, National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, No. 42 Linghe Street, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Xianhai Yang
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Jiang-wang-miao Street, Nanjing 210042, China
| | - Juying Wang
- Key Laboratory for Ecological Environment in Coastal Areas, State Oceanic Administration, National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, No. 42 Linghe Street, Dalian 116023, China.
| | - Yi Cong
- Key Laboratory for Ecological Environment in Coastal Areas, State Oceanic Administration, National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, No. 42 Linghe Street, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Jingli Mu
- Key Laboratory for Ecological Environment in Coastal Areas, State Oceanic Administration, National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, No. 42 Linghe Street, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Fei Jin
- Key Laboratory for Ecological Environment in Coastal Areas, State Oceanic Administration, National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, No. 42 Linghe Street, Dalian 116023, China
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17
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Schmidt SN, Mayer P. Linking algal growth inhibition to chemical activity: baseline toxicity required 1% of saturation. Chemosphere 2015; 120:305-308. [PMID: 25155827 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2014] [Revised: 07/07/2014] [Accepted: 07/09/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Recently, high-quality data were published on the algal growth inhibition caused by 50 non-polar narcotic compounds, of which 39 were liquid compounds with defined water solubility. In the present study, the toxicity data for these liquids were applied to challenge the chemical activity range for baseline toxicity. First, the reported effective concentrations (EC50) were divided by the respective water solubilities (S water), since the obtained EC50/S water ratio essentially equals the effective chemical activity (Ea50). The majority of EC50/S water ratios were within the expected chemical activity range of 0.01-0.1 for baseline toxicity, and none of the ratios were significantly below 0.01. On a practical level, these findings suggest EC50 values for baseline toxicity to be at or above 1% of liquid solubility, which would have been accurate or conservative for all 39 liquids with defined water solubility in the applied dataset. On an environmental risk assessment level, predicted no-effect concentrations (PNECs) for baseline toxicity could even be set as a percentage of saturation, which can easily be extended to mixtures. However, EC50 values well below 1% of liquid saturation can still occur and would be a direct indication of excess toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stine N Schmidt
- Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Philipp Mayer
- Department of Environmental Engineering, DTU Environment, Technical University of Denmark, Miljøvej 113, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
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18
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Stieger G, Scheringer M, Ng CA, Hungerbühler K. Assessing the persistence, bioaccumulation potential and toxicity of brominated flame retardants: data availability and quality for 36 alternative brominated flame retardants. Chemosphere 2014; 116:118-23. [PMID: 24656972 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.01.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2013] [Revised: 01/11/2014] [Accepted: 01/15/2014] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) are major brominated flame retardants (BFRs) that are now banned or under restrictions in many countries because of their persistence, bioaccumulation potential and toxicity (PBT properties). However, there is a wide range of alternative BFRs, such as decabromodiphenyl ethane and tribromophenol, that are increasingly used as replacements, but which may possess similar hazardous properties. This necessitates hazard and risk assessments of these compounds. For a set of 36 alternative BFRs, we searched 25 databases for chemical property data that are needed as input for a PBT assessment. These properties are degradation half-life, bioconcentration factor (BCF), octanol-water partition coefficient (Kow), and toxic effect concentrations in aquatic organisms. For 17 of the 36 substances, no data at all were found for these properties. Too few persistence data were available to even assess the quality of these data in a systematic way. The available data for Kow and toxicity show surprisingly high variability, which makes it difficult to identify the most reliable values. We propose methods for systematic evaluations of PBT-related chemical property data that should be performed before data are included in publicly available databases. Using these methods, we evaluated the data for Kow and toxicity in more detail and identified several inaccurate values. For most of the 36 alternative BFRs, the amount and the quality of the PBT-related property data need to be improved before reliable hazard and risk assessments of these substances can be performed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Stieger
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Scheringer
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Carla A Ng
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Konrad Hungerbühler
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
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Aruoja V, Moosus M, Kahru A, Sihtmäe M, Maran U. Measurement of baseline toxicity and QSAR analysis of 50 non-polar and 58 polar narcotic chemicals for the alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. Chemosphere 2014; 96:23-32. [PMID: 23895738 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.06.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2013] [Revised: 06/28/2013] [Accepted: 06/30/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
In this paper a set of homogenous experimental algal toxicity data was measured for 50 non-polar narcotic chemicals using the alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata in a closed test with a growth rate endpoint. Most of the tested compounds are high volume industrial chemicals that so far lacked published REACH-compliant algal growth inhibition values. The test protocol fulfilled the criteria set forth in the OECD guideline 201 and had the same sensitivity as the open test which allowed direct comparison of toxicity values. Baseline QSAR model for non-polar narcotic compounds was established and compared with previous analogous models. Multi-linear QSAR model was derived for the non-polar and 58 previously tested polar (anilines and phenols) narcotic compounds modulating hydrophobicity, molecular size, electronic and molecular stability effects coded in the molecular descriptors. Descriptors in the model were analyzed and applicability domain was assessed providing further guidelines for the in silico prediction purposes in decision support while performing risk assessment. QSAR models in the manuscript are available on-line through QsarDB repository for exploring and prediction services (http://hdl.handle.net/10967/106).
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Affiliation(s)
- Villem Aruoja
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, Tallinn 12618, Estonia.
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