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Okeke ES, Ezeorba TPC, Chen Y, Mao G, Feng W, Wu X. Association of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) with micro/nano-plastics: A review of recent findings on ecotoxicological and health impacts. Sci Total Environ 2024; 927:172308. [PMID: 38599396 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Despite the diverse research into the environmental impact of plastics, several stones have yet to be unraveled in terms of their ecotoxicological potential. Moreover, their detrimental impacts have become terrifying in recent years as the understanding of their tendency to associate and form cohorts with other emerging contaminants grew. Despite the hypothesis that microplastics may potentially adsorb organic pollutants, sequestering and making them not bioavailable for enhanced toxicity, evidence with pollutants such as Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) defers this assertion. TBBPA, one of the most widely used brominated flame retardants, has been enlisted as an emerging contaminant of serious environmental and human health concerns. Being also an additive to plasticware, it is not far to suspect that TBBPA could be found in association with micro/nanoplastics in our environment. Several pieces of evidence from recent studies have confirmed the micro/nanoplastics-TBBPA association and have exposed their compounded detrimental impacts on the environment and human health. This study, therefore, presents a comprehensive and up-to-date review of recent findings regarding their occurrence, factors that foster their association, including their sorption kinetics and isotherms, and their impacts on aquatic/agroecosystem and human health. The way forward and prospects for future studies were presented. This research is believed to be of significant interest to the readership due to its relevance to current environmental challenges posed by plastics and TBBPA. The study not only contributes valuable insights into the specific interaction between micro/nanoplastics and TBBPA but also suggests the way forward and prospects for future studies in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Sunday Okeke
- Institute of Environmental Health and Ecological Security, School of Emergency Management, School of the Environment and Safety, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Rd., 212013 Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China; Natural Science Unit, School of General Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State 410001, Nigeria; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State 410001, Nigeria
| | - Timothy Prince Chidike Ezeorba
- Natural Science Unit, School of General Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State 410001, Nigeria; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State 410001, Nigeria; Department of Environmental Health and Risk Management, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Yao Chen
- Institute of Environmental Health and Ecological Security, School of Emergency Management, School of the Environment and Safety, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Rd., 212013 Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guanghua Mao
- Institute of Environmental Health and Ecological Security, School of Emergency Management, School of the Environment and Safety, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Rd., 212013 Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Weiwei Feng
- Institute of Environmental Health and Ecological Security, School of Emergency Management, School of the Environment and Safety, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Rd., 212013 Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Xiangyang Wu
- Institute of Environmental Health and Ecological Security, School of Emergency Management, School of the Environment and Safety, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Rd., 212013 Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China.
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Owsianiak M, Hauschild MZ, Posthuma L, Saouter E, Vijver MG, Backhaus T, Douziech M, Schlekat T, Fantke P. Ecotoxicity characterization of chemicals: Global recommendations and implementation in USEtox. Chemosphere 2023; 310:136807. [PMID: 36228725 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [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: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Chemicals emitted to the environment affect ecosystem health from local to global scale, and reducing chemical impacts has become an important element of European and global sustainability efforts. The present work advances ecotoxicity characterization of chemicals in life cycle impact assessment by proposing recommendations resulting from international expert workshops and work conducted under the umbrella of the UNEP-SETAC Life Cycle Initiative in the GLAM project (Global guidance on environmental life cycle impact assessment indicators). We include specific recommendations for broadening the assessment scope through proposing to introduce additional environmental compartments beyond freshwater and related ecotoxicity indicators, as well as for adapting the ecotoxicity effect modelling approach to better reflect environmentally relevant exposure levels and including to a larger extent chronic test data. As result, we (1) propose a consistent mathematical framework for calculating freshwater ecotoxicity characterization factors and their underlying fate, exposure and effect parameters; (2) implement the framework into the USEtox scientific consensus model; (3) calculate characterization factors for chemicals reported in an inventory of a life cycle assessment case study on rice production and consumption; and (4) investigate the influence of effect data selection criteria on resulting indicator scores. Our results highlight the need for careful interpretation of life cycle assessment impact scores in light of robustness of underlying species sensitivity distributions. Next steps are to apply the recommended characterization framework in additional case studies, and to adapt it to soil, sediment and the marine environment. Our framework is applicable for evaluating chemicals in life cycle assessment, chemical and environmental footprinting, chemical substitution, risk screening, chemical prioritization, and comparison with environmental sustainability targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikołaj Owsianiak
- Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Produktionstorvet 424, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Michael Z Hauschild
- Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Produktionstorvet 424, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Leo Posthuma
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, 3720 BA Bilthoven, Netherlands; Department of Environmental Science, Radboud University, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Erwan Saouter
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Directorate D - Sustainable Resources, 21027 Ispra, Italy
| | - Martina G Vijver
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9518, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Thomas Backhaus
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Mélanie Douziech
- Centre of Observations, Impacts, Energy, MINES Paris Tech, PSL University, Sophia Antipolis, France; LCA Research Group, Agroscope, Reckenholzstrasse 191, Zurich, 8046, Switzerland
| | - Tamar Schlekat
- Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Pensacola, FL, United States
| | - Peter Fantke
- Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Produktionstorvet 424, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
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Martín C, Fajardo C, Costa G, Sánchez-Fortún S, San Andrés MD, González F, Nande M, Mengs G, Martín M. Bioassays to assess the ecotoxicological impact of polyethylene microplastics and two organic pollutants, simazine and ibuprofen. Chemosphere 2021; 274:129704. [PMID: 33529946 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.129704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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: 11/07/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Research on the environmental impact of plastics, especially on the effect of microplastics (MPs), has become a priority issue in recent years, mainly in terrestrial ecosystems where there is a lack of studies. This work aims to assess the impact of two types of polyethylene MPs, white microbeads (W) and fluorescent blue microbeads (FB), and their interactions with two contaminants, ibuprofen (Ib) and simazine (Sz), on different organisms. A set of bioassays for Vibrio fischeri, Caenorhabditis elegans and Lactuca sativa was carried out, which helped to establish the ecotoxicological impact of those pollutants. C. elegans showed the least sensitivity, while V. fischeri and L. sativa showed a high toxicological response to MPs alone. We found that W and FB induced an inhibition of 27% and 5.79%, respectively, in V. fischeri, and the growth inhibition rates were near 70% in L. sativa for both MPs. MPs exhibited a potential role as contaminant vectors in V. fischeri since the inhibition caused by W-Ib or W-Sz complexes was near 39%. The W-Sz complex significantly reduced leaf development in L. sativa, and a reduction of 30% in seed germination was detected when the complex FB-Sz was tested. This study reveals the importance of designing a complete set of analyses with organisms from different trophic levels, considering the great variability in the effects of MPs and the high number of relevant factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Martín
- Dpt. of Biotechnology-Plant Biology, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), 3 Complutense Ave., 28040, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Carmen Fajardo
- Dpt. of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Universidad de Alcalá de Henares (UAH), w/n San Diego Sq., 28801, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
| | - Gonzalo Costa
- Dpt. of Animal Physiology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), w/n Puerta de Hierro Ave., 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sebastián Sánchez-Fortún
- Dpt. of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), w/n Puerta de Hierro Ave., 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Dolores San Andrés
- Dpt. of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), w/n Puerta de Hierro Ave., 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando González
- Dpt. of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), w/n Puerta de Hierro Ave., 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mar Nande
- Dpt. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), w/n Puerta de Hierro Ave., 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gerardo Mengs
- Dpt. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), w/n Puerta de Hierro Ave., 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Margarita Martín
- Dpt. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), w/n Puerta de Hierro Ave., 28040, Madrid, Spain
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Wu M, Yang C, Du C, Liu H. Microplastics in waters and soils: Occurrence, analytical methods and ecotoxicological effects. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2020; 202:110910. [PMID: 32800245 PMCID: PMC7324347 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.110910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [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: 03/29/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous in the environment and more abundant in the marine environment. Consequently, increasing focus has been put on MPs in oceans and seas, while little importance has been attached to their presence in freshwaters and soils. Therefore, this paper aimed to provide a comprehensive review of the occurrence, analysis and ecotoxicology of MPs. The abundance and distribution of MPs in several typical freshwater systems of China were summarized. It suggested that the surface water of Poyang Lake contained the highest concentration of 34 items/L MPs among all the 8 freshwater systems, and the content of MPs in sediments were higher than that of the surface water. Net-based zooplankton sampling methods are the most frequently utilized sampling methods for MPs, and density separation, elutriation and digestion are three major pretreatment methods. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and pyrolysis-gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry are often used to identify the polymer types of MPs. Besides, MPs might damage the digestive tract of various organisms and negatively inhibit their growth, feeding and reproduction. The ways of human exposure to MPs are by ingestion, inhalation and dermal exposure, digestive and respiratory system might be adversely influenced. However, potential health risks of MPs to humans are remained insufficiently researched. Overall, by showing the presence of MPs in freshwaters and soils as well as possible ecotoxicological effects on the environment and humans, this paper provided a framework for future research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjie Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Pollution Processes and Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming, Guangdong, 525000, China; College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China
| | - Chunping Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Pollution Processes and Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming, Guangdong, 525000, China; College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China; Hunan Provincial Environmental Protection Engineering Center for Organic Pollution Control of Urban Water and Wastewater, Changsha, Hunan, 410001, China.
| | - Cheng Du
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Pollution Processes and Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming, Guangdong, 525000, China.
| | - Hongyu Liu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, Hunan, 410082, China
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Pinheiro SMM, de Almeida M, Oliveira OMC, Moreira ÍTA. Formation of OSA and dispersion of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a tropical estuary as a tool in the prevention of environmental impacts: influence of the biogeochemical characteristics of the estuary. Environ Monit Assess 2020; 192:88. [PMID: 31900672 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-019-8036-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The formation of an oil-suspended particulate material aggregate (OSA) is one of the weathering processes that occur after the spill of oil in marine environments, responsible for the dispersion of hydrocarbons. Oil and particle aggregates are formed from the interaction between small oil droplets and suspended particulate matter (SPM). In general, SPM are fine particles which may be inorganic minerals or organic particles in the water column. OSAs provide vertical dispersion of oil along the water column depending on the acquired density (buoyancy), and may remain near the surface, water column, or bottom of water bodies. The present study examines the formation of these aggregates through the laboratory simulation of an oil spill in the waters of the São Paulo river estuary. The main objective was to investigate the dispersion of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), verifying which estuary characteristics most influenced the formation of OSAs and in addition to determine the regions of probable ecotoxicological impact due to the negative buoyancy of the formed aggregate. The results show that there was greater dispersion to the water column, mainly of lighter PAHs, ranging from 85,804.05 ng g-1 (P11C) to 566,989.84 ng g-1 (P17C). The percentage of dispersed PAH concentration per experimental unit ranged from 9.90% in unit P2 to 75.27% in unit P18. The formation of OSAs was influenced mainly by salinity and chlorophyll a. As the most vulnerable regions, the impacts are one mouth (P2 and P4), one central region (P7, P8, and P10), and one source (P18).
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Affiliation(s)
- Samires Moura Malaquias Pinheiro
- Lepetro/ Pospetro Institute of Geosciences, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, s/n, Salvador, BA, 40170-290, Brazil.
| | - Marcos de Almeida
- Lepetro/ Pospetro Institute of Geosciences, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, s/n, Salvador, BA, 40170-290, Brazil
| | - Olívia Maria Cordeiro Oliveira
- Lepetro/ Pospetro Institute of Geosciences, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, s/n, Salvador, BA, 40170-290, Brazil
| | - Ícaro Thiago Andrade Moreira
- Lepetro/ Pospetro Institute of Geosciences, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, s/n, Salvador, BA, 40170-290, Brazil
- Polytechnic School, Department of Environmental and Sanitary Engineering, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Professor Aristídes Novis, 2, Salvador, BA, 40210-630, Brazil
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Majumder A, Gupta B, Gupta AK. Pharmaceutically active compounds in aqueous environment: A status, toxicity and insights of remediation. Environ Res 2019; 176:108542. [PMID: 31387068 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [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: 01/29/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) have pernicious effects on all kinds of life forms because of their toxicological effects and are found profoundly in various wastewater treatment plant influents, hospital effluents, and surface waters. The concentrations of different pharmaceuticals were found in alarmingly high concentrations in various parts of the globe, and it was also observed that the concentration of PhACs present in the water could be eventually related to the socio-economic conditions and climate of the region. Drinking water equivalent limit for each PhAC has been calculated and compared with the occurrence data from various continents. Since these compounds are recalcitrant towards conventional treatment methods, while advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have shown better efficiency in degrading these PhACs. The performance of the AOPs have been evaluated based on percentage removal, time, and electrical energy consumed to degrade different classes of PhACs. Ozone based AOPs were found to be favorable because of their low treatment time, low cost, and high efficiency. However, complete degradation cannot be achieved by these processes, and various transformation products are formed, which may be more toxic than the parent compounds. The various transformation products formed from various PhACs during treatment have been highlighted. Significant stress has been given on the role of various process parameters, water matrix, oxidizing radicals, and the mechanism of degradation. Presence of organic compounds, nitrate, and phosphate usually hinders the degradation process, while chlorine and sulfate showed a positive effect. The role of individual oxidizing radicals, interfering ions, and pH demonstrated dissimilar effects on different groups of PhACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhradeep Majumder
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India.
| | - Bramha Gupta
- School of Water Resources, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India.
| | - Ashok Kumar Gupta
- Environmental Engineering Division, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India.
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Bessa da Silva M, Abrantes N, Nogueira V, Gonçalves F, Pereira R. TiO2 nanoparticles for the remediation of eutrophic shallow freshwater systems: Efficiency and impacts on aquatic biota under a microcosm experiment. Aquat Toxicol 2016; 178:58-71. [PMID: 27471045 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2016.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [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: 04/22/2016] [Revised: 07/02/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The application of nanomaterials (NMs) in the remediation of eutrophic waters, particularly in the control of internal loading of nutrients, has been started, but limited investigations evaluated the effectiveness of these new treatment approaches and of their potential impacts on species from shallow freshwater lakes. The present work investigated, under a microcosm experiment, the application of a TiO2 nanomaterial both for reducing nutrient (mainly phosphorus and nitrogen forms) desorption and release from sediments (preventive treatment-PT) and for eliminating algal blooms (remediation treatment-RT). Furthermore, we also intended to assess the potential impacts of nano-TiO2 application on key freshwater species. The results showed the effectiveness of nano-TiO2 in controlling the release of phosphates from surface sediment and the subsequent reduction of total phosphorus in the water column. A reduction in total nitrogen was also observed. Such changes in nutrient dynamics contributed to a progressive inhibition of development of algae after the application of the NM in PT microcosms. Concerning the ability of nano-TiO2 to interact with algal cells, this interaction has likely occurred, mainly in RT, enhancing the formation of aggregates and their rapid settlement, thus reducing the algal bloom. Both treatments caused deleterious effects on freshwater species. In PT, Daphnia magna and Lemna minor showed a significant inhibition of several endpoints. Conversely, no inhibitory effect on the growth of Chironomus riparius was recorded. In opposite, C. riparius was the most affected species in RT microcosms. Such difference was probably caused by the formation of larger TiO2-algae aggregates in RT, under a high algal density, that rapidly settled in the sediment, becoming less available for pelagic species. In summary, despite the effectiveness of both treatments in controlling internal nutrient loading and in the mitigating algal bloom episodes, their negative effects on biota have to be seriously taken into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Márcia Bessa da Silva
- Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; CESAM (Centre of Environmental and Marine Studies), University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Nelson Abrantes
- CESAM (Centre of Environmental and Marine Studies), University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Verónica Nogueira
- Department of Biology & GreenUP/CITAB-UP, Porto, Portugal, Faculty of Science, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; CIIMAR (Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research), University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal
| | - Fernando Gonçalves
- Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; CESAM (Centre of Environmental and Marine Studies), University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Ruth Pereira
- Department of Biology & GreenUP/CITAB-UP, Porto, Portugal, Faculty of Science, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal; CIIMAR (Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research), University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal
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