Pub Date : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.039
Yu Zhang , Jizhuang Chu , Shixuan Cui , Qiang Kong , Lihua Cui , Yumiao Zhou , Shudi Yao , Youru Zhang , Huanxin Zhang
Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is a persistent organic pollutant commonly detected in marine environments, and recent studies have confirmed its adverse effects on the immune systems of aquatic organisms. However, the potential molecular mechanisms of action and subsequent downstream damage caused by PCP remain unclear. This study employed transcriptomics, metabolomics, biochemical and histopathological analyses, and molecular dynamics simulations to explore the immunotoxic effects and associated downstream damage induced by PCP in marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma). The results indicated that PCP at environmentally relevant concentrations (1 and 10 μg/L) activates the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway, significantly upregulating the expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and triggering inflammatory responses. Using the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) analysis framework, the binding of PCP to TLR5 was identified as the molecular initiating event. This event triggers a series of key events, activation of the TLR signaling pathway, an enhanced inflammatory response, increased oxidative stress levels, disrupted amino acid metabolism, and liver injury, ultimately leading to impaired immune system function (adverse outcome). This study establishes the mechanistic linkage between TLR5 and metabolic dysfunction in PCP immunotoxicity, providing novel toxicological insights and theoretical support for the ecological risk assessment of PCP and related marine pollutants.
{"title":"Deciphering the TLR-mediated immunotoxic adverse outcome pathway of pentachlorophenol in marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma)","authors":"Yu Zhang , Jizhuang Chu , Shixuan Cui , Qiang Kong , Lihua Cui , Yumiao Zhou , Shudi Yao , Youru Zhang , Huanxin Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.039","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.039","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is a persistent organic pollutant commonly detected in marine environments, and recent studies have confirmed its adverse effects on the immune systems of aquatic organisms. However, the potential molecular mechanisms of action and subsequent downstream damage caused by PCP remain unclear. This study employed transcriptomics, metabolomics, biochemical and histopathological analyses, and molecular dynamics simulations to explore the immunotoxic effects and associated downstream damage induced by PCP in marine medaka (<em>Oryzias melastigma</em>). The results indicated that PCP at environmentally relevant concentrations (1 and 10 μg/L) activates the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway, significantly upregulating the expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and triggering inflammatory responses. Using the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) analysis framework, the binding of PCP to TLR5 was identified as the molecular initiating event. This event triggers a series of key events, activation of the TLR signaling pathway, an enhanced inflammatory response, increased oxidative stress levels, disrupted amino acid metabolism, and liver injury, ultimately leading to impaired immune system function (adverse outcome). This study establishes the mechanistic linkage between TLR5 and metabolic dysfunction in PCP immunotoxicity, providing novel toxicological insights and theoretical support for the ecological risk assessment of PCP and related marine pollutants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100480,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology","volume":"8 ","pages":"Pages 486-496"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145684327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-29DOI: 10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.034
Meng Qin , Wan-Li Ma , Chuan-Long Zhang , Li-Yan Liu , Pu-Fei Yang
Atmospheric pollutants exhibit seasonal variations in their concentrations and associated exposure risk due to seasonal alternations. The influencing mechanisms of multiple factors on the seasonal variation of concentration of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in atmosphere were studied in cold region of China by a multimedia fugacity model (S-L4MF Model). The significant seasonal variations were found: gaseous PBDEs exhibited higher concentration in summer and lower concentration in winter, while particulate PBDEs presented opposite trend. The influencing mechanisms of eight key driving factors on PBDEs concentrations were identified that zonal wind, air emission and snow as predominant factors governing gaseous concentration fluctuations, whereas air temperature, TSP and precipitation emerged as primary factors on particulate concentration variations. Subsequently, the seasonal differences in internal exposure risk of PBDEs were investigated by constructing a fugacity-based human model. Similarly, the internal exposure risk of PBDEs also presented seasonal variations. Notably, the internal exposure risk of particulate PBDEs demonstrated distinct size-distribution characteristics: the unimodal pattern in summer versus the bimodal pattern in winter. The study provided new insights into the understanding of seasonal variations and influencing mechanisms of atmospheric pollutants, which provided significant implications for developing seasonal-specific risk assessment frameworks.
{"title":"Influencing mechanisms of multiple factors on seasonal variation of atmospheric polybrominated diphenyl ethers and their internal exposure risk in cold region","authors":"Meng Qin , Wan-Li Ma , Chuan-Long Zhang , Li-Yan Liu , Pu-Fei Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.034","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.034","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Atmospheric pollutants exhibit seasonal variations in their concentrations and associated exposure risk due to seasonal alternations. The influencing mechanisms of multiple factors on the seasonal variation of concentration of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in atmosphere were studied in cold region of China by a multimedia fugacity model (S-L4MF Model). The significant seasonal variations were found: gaseous PBDEs exhibited higher concentration in summer and lower concentration in winter, while particulate PBDEs presented opposite trend. The influencing mechanisms of eight key driving factors on PBDEs concentrations were identified that zonal wind, air emission and snow as predominant factors governing gaseous concentration fluctuations, whereas air temperature, TSP and precipitation emerged as primary factors on particulate concentration variations. Subsequently, the seasonal differences in internal exposure risk of PBDEs were investigated by constructing a fugacity-based human model. Similarly, the internal exposure risk of PBDEs also presented seasonal variations. Notably, the internal exposure risk of particulate PBDEs demonstrated distinct size-distribution characteristics: the unimodal pattern in summer versus the bimodal pattern in winter. The study provided new insights into the understanding of seasonal variations and influencing mechanisms of atmospheric pollutants, which provided significant implications for developing seasonal-specific risk assessment frameworks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100480,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology","volume":"8 ","pages":"Pages 456-465"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145684374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-28DOI: 10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.026
Kunlong Hui , Wenxiang Hu , Beidou Xi , Ying Yuan , Haojie Lu , Wenbing Tan
Groundwater serves as a critical source for centralized drinking water, particularly in rapidly urbanizing regions, yet its quality is increasingly threatened by heavy metals (HMs) pollution. Systematic assessments that integrate source apportionment with seasonal health risks in such settings remain limited, hindering the development of targeted protection strategies. To assess the pollution characteristics and potential health risks of HMs in groundwater in Wuzhou City, Pearl River Delta, a total of 198 groundwater samples were collected for systematic analysis during the wet season and dry season in this study. The results show that the average concentrations of Mn, Fe and Zn are the highest in the two seasons, and Mn, Fe and As often exceed the Class III water limit. Overall, the pollution level of HMs is relatively high during the dry season. Three sources of HMs were identified by principal component analysis and the absolute principal component score - multiple linear regression model: geological background (28.67 % in the dry season and 21.45 % in the wet season), mining activities (22.70 % in the dry season and 26.52 % in the wet season), and agricultural activities (24.08 % in the dry season and 32.23 % in the wet season). The calculation results of the HMs pollution index show that the average HMs pollution index during the dry season and the wet season are 18.0 and 16.1 respectively, further confirming that groundwater pollution is more prominent during the dry season. Health risk assessment and Monte Carlo simulation indicate that the non-carcinogenic risk of children is slightly higher than that of adults. The spatial distribution characteristics indicate that the health risks in the northwest of the study area are more severe. Based on the comprehensive pollution characteristics and risk assessment results, Mn, Fe and As were identified as characteristic pollutants that need to be prioritized for control. The results of this study can provide scientific support for the precise control and treatment of heavy metal pollution in groundwater in Wuzhou City, Pearl River Delta, and at the same time offer an important reference for the formulation of drinking water safety guarantee strategies in similar urbanized areas.
{"title":"Source analysis of heavy metals in groundwater of centralized drinking water sources and seasonal variations of health risks in Wuzhou City, Pearl River Delta, China","authors":"Kunlong Hui , Wenxiang Hu , Beidou Xi , Ying Yuan , Haojie Lu , Wenbing Tan","doi":"10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.026","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.026","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Groundwater serves as a critical source for centralized drinking water, particularly in rapidly urbanizing regions, yet its quality is increasingly threatened by heavy metals (HMs) pollution. Systematic assessments that integrate source apportionment with seasonal health risks in such settings remain limited, hindering the development of targeted protection strategies. To assess the pollution characteristics and potential health risks of HMs in groundwater in Wuzhou City, Pearl River Delta, a total of 198 groundwater samples were collected for systematic analysis during the wet season and dry season in this study. The results show that the average concentrations of Mn, Fe and Zn are the highest in the two seasons, and Mn, Fe and As often exceed the Class III water limit. Overall, the pollution level of HMs is relatively high during the dry season. Three sources of HMs were identified by principal component analysis and the absolute principal component score - multiple linear regression model: geological background (28.67 % in the dry season and 21.45 % in the wet season), mining activities (22.70 % in the dry season and 26.52 % in the wet season), and agricultural activities (24.08 % in the dry season and 32.23 % in the wet season). The calculation results of the HMs pollution index show that the average HMs pollution index during the dry season and the wet season are 18.0 and 16.1 respectively, further confirming that groundwater pollution is more prominent during the dry season. Health risk assessment and Monte Carlo simulation indicate that the non-carcinogenic risk of children is slightly higher than that of adults. The spatial distribution characteristics indicate that the health risks in the northwest of the study area are more severe. Based on the comprehensive pollution characteristics and risk assessment results, Mn, Fe and As were identified as characteristic pollutants that need to be prioritized for control. The results of this study can provide scientific support for the precise control and treatment of heavy metal pollution in groundwater in Wuzhou City, Pearl River Delta, and at the same time offer an important reference for the formulation of drinking water safety guarantee strategies in similar urbanized areas.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100480,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology","volume":"8 ","pages":"Pages 392-407"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145684255","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-27DOI: 10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.035
Hongmin Lu , Ruoqi Wang , Xin Zhang, Yuze Dong, Hao Liu, Yunfan Zhang, Chengxue Ma, Mingwei Xing
Chronic exposure to fluoride and phenanthrene is recognized as a significant risk factor for neurobehavioral toxicity, and the gut-brain axis has been identified as a key mechanism in the development of anxiety behaviors following prolonged toxic insult. Nevertheless, the connections between gut microbiota disruption, serotonin (5-HT) production, and neurobehavioral toxicity induced by long-term co-exposure to fluoride and phenanthrene remain unclear. In this study, co-exposure model of phenanthrene and fluoride at environmentally relevant concentrations was established in zebrafish. Through comparative database analysis, anxiety behavior tests, 16S rRNA sequencing, metabolomics, qPCR, Western blotting, ELISA, flow cytometry, comet assay, histological analysis, and immunohistochemistry, the neurotoxic effects of fluoride or/and phenanthrene were investigated. In this study, neurobehavioral toxicity was observed in zebrafish following co-exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of fluoride and phenanthrene, characterized by diminished swimming capacity and heightened anxiety behavior. The toxic mechanism was mediated through disruption of the microbiome–gut–brain axis homeostasis and suppression of the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway. Specifically, co-exposure decreased intestinal synthesis of 5-HT and impaired the blood–brain barrier. As the intestine serves as the primary source of 5-HT, its impairment (histopathological alterations, gut microbiota dysbiosis and metabolomics) led to dysregulation of the 5-HT system. Histopathological analysis of brain tissue revealed synaptic loss, nuclear pyknosis, and the presence of apoptotic bodies. Investigations into the molecular mechanisms indicated that fluoride or/and phenanthrene inhibited Wnt signalling, promoted β-catenin degradation, and induced neurological dysfunction, as evidenced by reductions in SYP and MAP2, which subsequently activated pro-apoptotic genes (Bax, Caspase9, and Caspase3) and inflammatory responses (decreased IL-10, elevated NF-κB, IL-6, TNF-α, and cleaved IL-1β). These alterations ultimately contributed to neurobehavioral deficits. Collectively, these findings indicate that fluoride and phenanthrene induce anxiety behavior and neurotoxicity, associated with perturbations in 5-HT metabolism, gut microbiota composition, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and neuroinflammation.
{"title":"Assessing the health risks of environmentally relevant concentrations of fluoride and phenanthrene: Neurobehavioral toxicity induced in zebrafish through disruption of the microbiome-gut-brain axis and suppression of Wnt/β-catenin signalling","authors":"Hongmin Lu , Ruoqi Wang , Xin Zhang, Yuze Dong, Hao Liu, Yunfan Zhang, Chengxue Ma, Mingwei Xing","doi":"10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.035","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.035","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chronic exposure to fluoride and phenanthrene is recognized as a significant risk factor for neurobehavioral toxicity, and the gut-brain axis has been identified as a key mechanism in the development of anxiety behaviors following prolonged toxic insult. Nevertheless, the connections between gut microbiota disruption, serotonin (5-HT) production, and neurobehavioral toxicity induced by long-term co-exposure to fluoride and phenanthrene remain unclear. In this study, co-exposure model of phenanthrene and fluoride at environmentally relevant concentrations was established in zebrafish. Through comparative database analysis, anxiety behavior tests, 16S rRNA sequencing, metabolomics, qPCR, Western blotting, ELISA, flow cytometry, comet assay, histological analysis, and immunohistochemistry, the neurotoxic effects of fluoride or/and phenanthrene were investigated. In this study, neurobehavioral toxicity was observed in zebrafish following co-exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of fluoride and phenanthrene, characterized by diminished swimming capacity and heightened anxiety behavior. The toxic mechanism was mediated through disruption of the microbiome–gut–brain axis homeostasis and suppression of the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway. Specifically, co-exposure decreased intestinal synthesis of 5-HT and impaired the blood–brain barrier. As the intestine serves as the primary source of 5-HT, its impairment (histopathological alterations, gut microbiota dysbiosis and metabolomics) led to dysregulation of the 5-HT system. Histopathological analysis of brain tissue revealed synaptic loss, nuclear pyknosis, and the presence of apoptotic bodies. Investigations into the molecular mechanisms indicated that fluoride or/and phenanthrene inhibited Wnt signalling, promoted β-catenin degradation, and induced neurological dysfunction, as evidenced by reductions in SYP and MAP2, which subsequently activated pro-apoptotic genes (Bax, Caspase9, and Caspase3) and inflammatory responses (decreased IL-10, elevated NF-κB, IL-6, TNF-α, and cleaved IL-1β). These alterations ultimately contributed to neurobehavioral deficits. Collectively, these findings indicate that fluoride and phenanthrene induce anxiety behavior and neurotoxicity, associated with perturbations in 5-HT metabolism, gut microbiota composition, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and neuroinflammation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100480,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology","volume":"8 ","pages":"Pages 352-367"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145618175","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-27DOI: 10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.036
Tingting Teng , Xinzi Wang , Yueqiao Liu , Xiaohui Zhao , Yujiao Sun , Aizhong Ding , Jiayuan Pan , Dayi Zhang
Petroleum contamination threatens soil ecosystems, but microbial responses in multi-contaminated area (MCA) and aged-contaminated area (ACA) remain unclear. This study compared bacterial communities in MCA and ACA at China's Lanzhou Petrochemical Site using 16S rRNA sequencing, network analysis and PICRUSt2. MCA had 12-fold higher total petroleum hydrocarbons than ACA, and MAHs and PAHs in MCA were 201-fold and 10-fold higher. PAHs drove bacterial communities in MCA, while those in ACA were shaped by ecological toxicity assessed by whole-cell bioreporter. The network structure of MCA was complex (more modules, positive edges and keystone taxa), whereas that of ACA was relatively simplified. Bacterial community assembly in MCA involved both stochastic (83.09 %) and deterministic (16.91 %) processes, whereas there was only stochastic process in ACA. Bacteria in MCA exhibited stronger carbohydrate metabolic capabilities related to fresh hydrocarbon utilization, whereas those in ACA were more inclined toward amino acid metabolism and membrane transport functions. Our study provides a thorough exploration of soil bacterial response and assembly mechanisms under various petroleum pollution scenarios, offering guidance for developing customized bioremediation strategies in oil-contaminated environments.
{"title":"Distinct bacterial community structure, assembly and functions between aged and multiple petroleum-contaminated sites","authors":"Tingting Teng , Xinzi Wang , Yueqiao Liu , Xiaohui Zhao , Yujiao Sun , Aizhong Ding , Jiayuan Pan , Dayi Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.036","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.036","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Petroleum contamination threatens soil ecosystems, but microbial responses in multi-contaminated area (MCA) and aged-contaminated area (ACA) remain unclear. This study compared bacterial communities in MCA and ACA at China's Lanzhou Petrochemical Site using 16S rRNA sequencing, network analysis and PICRUSt2. MCA had 12-fold higher total petroleum hydrocarbons than ACA, and MAHs and PAHs in MCA were 201-fold and 10-fold higher. PAHs drove bacterial communities in MCA, while those in ACA were shaped by ecological toxicity assessed by whole-cell bioreporter. The network structure of MCA was complex (more modules, positive edges and keystone taxa), whereas that of ACA was relatively simplified. Bacterial community assembly in MCA involved both stochastic (83.09 %) and deterministic (16.91 %) processes, whereas there was only stochastic process in ACA. Bacteria in MCA exhibited stronger carbohydrate metabolic capabilities related to fresh hydrocarbon utilization, whereas those in ACA were more inclined toward amino acid metabolism and membrane transport functions. Our study provides a thorough exploration of soil bacterial response and assembly mechanisms under various petroleum pollution scenarios, offering guidance for developing customized bioremediation strategies in oil-contaminated environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100480,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology","volume":"8 ","pages":"Pages 408-417"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145684256","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-27DOI: 10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.038
Yafei Gao , Chenran Cai , Han Li , Lu Cheng , Hongkai Zhu , Hongwen Sun , Yang Peng , Hongzhi Zhao
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are neurotoxicants that may induce cognitive deficits via thyroid dysfunction. Older adults, due to physiological decline, are more susceptible to such toxicants. This cross-sectional study involving 433 elderly adults examined the relationships between PAH exposure, cognitive decline and thyroid-mediated pathways. Urinary PAH metabolites were measured and cognitive performance was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Participants were categorized into low-risk (n = 367) and high-risk mild cognitive impairment (MCI) groups (n = 66) based on MMSE scores. Logistic regression results indicated that the odds of MCI risk increased with each one-unit increase in log-transformed levels of 2-OHNap, 2-OHFlu, and 3-OHFlu. Linear modeling further revealed that these metabolites (OH-Nap and OH-Flu) were dose-dependently negatively associated with orientation, attention and memory. In addition, there was a nonlinear dose-response relationship between 1-OHNap and verbal ability, and ΣOH-PAHs and attention/memory. Critically, mediating effect analysis showed that the FT3/FT4 ratio mediated the association between PAH metabolites and MMSE scores with a contribution of 22.5 %–26.3 %. This study reveals the mechanism by which PAHs exposure may mediate cognitive decline in the elderly by interfering with thyroid function, providing an important scientific basis for the prevention of environmental factor-induced neurodegenerative diseases.
{"title":"The hidden mediator between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure and cognitive function of elder adults: FT3/FT4 ratio","authors":"Yafei Gao , Chenran Cai , Han Li , Lu Cheng , Hongkai Zhu , Hongwen Sun , Yang Peng , Hongzhi Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.038","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.038","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are neurotoxicants that may induce cognitive deficits via thyroid dysfunction. Older adults, due to physiological decline, are more susceptible to such toxicants. This cross-sectional study involving 433 elderly adults examined the relationships between PAH exposure, cognitive decline and thyroid-mediated pathways. Urinary PAH metabolites were measured and cognitive performance was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Participants were categorized into low-risk (n = 367) and high-risk mild cognitive impairment (MCI) groups (n = 66) based on MMSE scores. Logistic regression results indicated that the odds of MCI risk increased with each one-unit increase in log-transformed levels of 2-OHNap, 2-OHFlu, and 3-OHFlu. Linear modeling further revealed that these metabolites (OH-Nap and OH-Flu) were dose-dependently negatively associated with orientation, attention and memory. In addition, there was a nonlinear dose-response relationship between 1-OHNap and verbal ability, and ΣOH-PAHs and attention/memory. Critically, mediating effect analysis showed that the FT3/FT4 ratio mediated the association between PAH metabolites and MMSE scores with a contribution of 22.5 %–26.3 %. This study reveals the mechanism by which PAHs exposure may mediate cognitive decline in the elderly by interfering with thyroid function, providing an important scientific basis for the prevention of environmental factor-induced neurodegenerative diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100480,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology","volume":"8 ","pages":"Pages 418-429"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145684375","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-26DOI: 10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.031
Ting-Ting Ding , Xiao-Yu Wang , Shi-Lin Du , Hong-Yi Liang , Ya-Hui Zhang , Jin Zhang , Ming-Xiao Li , Shu-Shen Liu
Neonicotinoids (NEOs), as widely used insecticides, have raised increasing concerns regarding their ecological impacts. Current knowledge on the mixture toxicity of NEOs, particularly under environmental concentrations, remains insufficient. This study investigated the occurrence of five representative NEOs, including imidacloprid (IMI), thiamethoxam (THM), clothianidin (CLO), acetamiprid (ACE), and thiacloprid (THA), in surface water from the Linjiang (LJ) and Xuebu (XB) River Basins within the Yangtze River Basin. The total concentrations of the five NEOs ranged from 0.16 to 72.31 ng/L, with higher levels detected in the LJ Basin. High-throughput microplate toxicity analysis showed that the single THA and THM exhibited stimulatory effects (−17 % to 47 %) on Vibrio qinghaiensis sp.-Q67 (Q67). The 72 mixtures of the five NEOs exhibited not only inhibitory effects (up to 34 %) on Q67 at 12 h but also previously unobserved stimulatory effects (down to −32 %). These mixtures showed three different time-dependent toxicity characteristics during 0.25–12 h: 23 mixtures consistently exhibited stimulatory effects, 30 mixtures shifted from stimulatory to no effect, and 19 mixtures shifted from no effect to inhibitory effects. CLO, although showing no direct effect as a single compound, was identified as a key driver influencing mixture toxicity, exhibiting interactions with other components. Ecological risk assessment indicated that IMI, THM, CLO, and ACE posed potential ecological risks in the LJ Basin (risk quotients≥0.1). Based on the findings, management of NEOs in the LJ Basin may need to be strengthened, with particular attention to CLO due to its single ecological risk and key driver influencing mixture toxicity. This study provides comprehensively understanding of single and mixture toxicities of NEOs at environmental concentrations.
{"title":"Time-dependent toxicity and key toxic components of five neonicotinoid mixtures under environmental concentrations in the Yangtze River Basin","authors":"Ting-Ting Ding , Xiao-Yu Wang , Shi-Lin Du , Hong-Yi Liang , Ya-Hui Zhang , Jin Zhang , Ming-Xiao Li , Shu-Shen Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.031","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.031","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Neonicotinoids (NEOs), as widely used insecticides, have raised increasing concerns regarding their ecological impacts. Current knowledge on the mixture toxicity of NEOs, particularly under environmental concentrations, remains insufficient. This study investigated the occurrence of five representative NEOs, including imidacloprid (IMI), thiamethoxam (THM), clothianidin (CLO), acetamiprid (ACE), and thiacloprid (THA), in surface water from the Linjiang (LJ) and Xuebu (XB) River Basins within the Yangtze River Basin. The total concentrations of the five NEOs ranged from 0.16 to 72.31 ng/L, with higher levels detected in the LJ Basin. High-throughput microplate toxicity analysis showed that the single THA and THM exhibited stimulatory effects (−17 % to 47 %) on <em>Vibrio qinghaiensis</em> sp.-Q67 (Q67). The 72 mixtures of the five NEOs exhibited not only inhibitory effects (up to 34 %) on Q67 at 12 h but also previously unobserved stimulatory effects (down to −32 %). These mixtures showed three different time-dependent toxicity characteristics during 0.25–12 h: 23 mixtures consistently exhibited stimulatory effects, 30 mixtures shifted from stimulatory to no effect, and 19 mixtures shifted from no effect to inhibitory effects. CLO, although showing no direct effect as a single compound, was identified as a key driver influencing mixture toxicity, exhibiting interactions with other components. Ecological risk assessment indicated that IMI, THM, CLO, and ACE posed potential ecological risks in the LJ Basin (risk quotients≥0.1). Based on the findings, management of NEOs in the LJ Basin may need to be strengthened, with particular attention to CLO due to its single ecological risk and key driver influencing mixture toxicity. This study provides comprehensively understanding of single and mixture toxicities of NEOs at environmental concentrations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100480,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology","volume":"8 ","pages":"Pages 379-391"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145684253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Amphibians are particularly vulnerable to pesticide exposures, according to numerous laboratory and field studies. Enzymatic activities in biological tissues and body condition are usually proposed as relevant biomarkers for studying the effects of pesticides on these organisms, especially in agricultural context. Nevertheless, measuring enzymatic activities in animals often requires invasive sampling methods, such as blood sampling or destruction of individuals, in the case of juveniles in particular. Limiting the harmful effects of invasive methods and developing non-invasive approaches is crucial to the ethical principles that aim to minimize the impact on individuals. We aimed to test a non-invasive sampling approach, namely buccal swabbing, to investigate the effects of pesticides on the enzymatic activities of two native amphibian species, the common toad (Bufo bufo) and the green frog (Pelophylax sp.), in six ponds distributed along a pesticide contamination gradient. We also performed morphometric measurements to determine the body condition of the swabbed individuals. Our results show that buccal swabbing effectively allows quantifying the activities of 6 enzymes present in the saliva of wild amphibians and involved in neurological, non-specific immunity, and nutrition processes, supporting the relevance of this approach to assess their enzymatic responses in situ. Enzymatic levels of acetylcholinesterase, β-galactosidase, and β-glucosidase, as well as cytotoxic biomarkers, such as glutathione S-transferase, and peroxidases, were either significantly correlated with pesticide concentrations, or responsive to synchronic-antagonistic effects of pesticide fluxes occurring in an agricultural constructed wetland. These results suggest that buccal swabbing in amphibians is applicable in the field for this purpose and that agricultural constructed wetlands could have the potential to affect aquatic fauna. Body condition was similar between ponds, regardless of the pesticide pressure level, probably because this variable reacts on longer time scales than enzymatic activities, or because of absence of effects, especially as this trait may be driven by other environmental factors. Our study highlights the relevance of using buccal swabbing to study the effects of pesticides on amphibians in the field while having limited impacts on animal welfare.
{"title":"First in situ application of a non-invasive sampling approach to assess pesticide effects on amphibian enzymatic activities","authors":"Alexandre J.W. Michel , Julie Tonial , Soline Bettencourt-Amarante , Cédric Chaumont , Mathieu Girondin , Julien Tournebize , Alienor Jeliazkov , Jérémie D. Lebrun","doi":"10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.028","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.028","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Amphibians are particularly vulnerable to pesticide exposures, according to numerous laboratory and field studies. Enzymatic activities in biological tissues and body condition are usually proposed as relevant biomarkers for studying the effects of pesticides on these organisms, especially in agricultural context. Nevertheless, measuring enzymatic activities in animals often requires invasive sampling methods, such as blood sampling or destruction of individuals, in the case of juveniles in particular. Limiting the harmful effects of invasive methods and developing non-invasive approaches is crucial to the ethical principles that aim to minimize the impact on individuals. We aimed to test a non-invasive sampling approach, namely buccal swabbing, to investigate the effects of pesticides on the enzymatic activities of two native amphibian species, the common toad (<em>Bufo bufo</em>) and the green frog (<em>Pelophylax</em> sp.), in six ponds distributed along a pesticide contamination gradient. We also performed morphometric measurements to determine the body condition of the swabbed individuals. Our results show that buccal swabbing effectively allows quantifying the activities of 6 enzymes present in the saliva of wild amphibians and involved in neurological, non-specific immunity, and nutrition processes, supporting the relevance of this approach to assess their enzymatic responses <em>in situ</em>. Enzymatic levels of acetylcholinesterase, β-galactosidase, and β-glucosidase, as well as cytotoxic biomarkers, such as glutathione S-transferase, and peroxidases, were either significantly correlated with pesticide concentrations, or responsive to synchronic-antagonistic effects of pesticide fluxes occurring in an agricultural constructed wetland. These results suggest that buccal swabbing in amphibians is applicable in the field for this purpose and that agricultural constructed wetlands could have the potential to affect aquatic fauna. Body condition was similar between ponds, regardless of the pesticide pressure level, probably because this variable reacts on longer time scales than enzymatic activities, or because of absence of effects, especially as this trait may be driven by other environmental factors. Our study highlights the relevance of using buccal swabbing to study the effects of pesticides on amphibians in the field while having limited impacts on animal welfare.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100480,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology","volume":"8 ","pages":"Pages 430-455"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145684296","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-26DOI: 10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.037
Jinzhi Ren , Ying Peng , Chenyang Sun , Yining Zhang , Jianjun Li , Simin Xia , Caixia Gao , Yimeng Wang , Xiangping Nie
There is an urgent need for a more efficient and ethical approach to chemical toxicity assessment. The emergence of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) based on fish embryos transcriptomics provides a promising alternative. Triphenyl phosphate (TPP) — a pervasive contaminant in estuaries — disrupts lipid homeostasis in mammals via PPARγ activation, yet its ecotoxicological impacts on estuarine fish remain unknown. Leveraging NAMs, this study integrates concentration-dependent transcriptomics (CDT), molecular docking, and phenotypic toxicity assays to unravel effects of TPP on embryonic development and lipid metabolism in the benthic fish Mugilogobius chulae. We found that TPP induced significant lethality (LC₅₀ = 1.86 × 106 ng/L) and teratogenicity (EC₅₀ = 5.27 × 105 ng/L), suppressing spontaneous movement, heart rate, and hatching. At concentrations of 5270 ng/L and 52,700 ng/L, TPP elevated triglycerides, total cholesterol, and hepatotoxicity markers (alanine aminotransferase / aspartate aminotransferase). CDT analysis identified fatty acid metabolism pathways as the most sensitive targets, with TPP upregulating PPARγ while downregulating CD36 and ACSL5 — indicating blocked fatty acid oxidation and explaining lipid accumulation. Crucially, co-exposure with PPARγ antagonist GW9662 reversed metabolic disorders, validating the mechanistic role of PPARγ. Furthermore, molecular docking confirmed that TPP binds PPARγ with agonist-like affinity. This work establishes a NAM-based framework for deciphering the toxicity of contaminants of emerging concern in estuarine ecosystems, offering novel tools for ecological risk assessment.
{"title":"New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) reveal triphenyl phosphate (TPP) disrupts lipid metabolism in estuarine fish via PPARγ activation: A concentration-dependent transcriptomic and molecular docking study","authors":"Jinzhi Ren , Ying Peng , Chenyang Sun , Yining Zhang , Jianjun Li , Simin Xia , Caixia Gao , Yimeng Wang , Xiangping Nie","doi":"10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.037","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.037","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>There is an urgent need for a more efficient and ethical approach to chemical toxicity assessment. The emergence of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) based on fish embryos transcriptomics provides a promising alternative. Triphenyl phosphate (TPP) — a pervasive contaminant in estuaries — disrupts lipid homeostasis in mammals <em>via</em> PPARγ activation, yet its ecotoxicological impacts on estuarine fish remain unknown. Leveraging NAMs, this study integrates concentration-dependent transcriptomics (CDT), molecular docking, and phenotypic toxicity assays to unravel effects of TPP on embryonic development and lipid metabolism in the benthic fish <em>Mugilogobius chulae</em>. We found that TPP induced significant lethality (LC₅₀ = 1.86 × 10<sup>6</sup> ng/L) and teratogenicity (EC₅₀ = 5.27 × 10<sup>5</sup> ng/L), suppressing spontaneous movement, heart rate, and hatching. At concentrations of 5270 ng/L and 52,700 ng/L, TPP elevated triglycerides, total cholesterol, and hepatotoxicity markers (alanine aminotransferase / aspartate aminotransferase). CDT analysis identified fatty acid metabolism pathways as the most sensitive targets, with TPP upregulating PPARγ while downregulating CD36 and ACSL5 — indicating blocked fatty acid oxidation and explaining lipid accumulation. Crucially, co-exposure with PPARγ antagonist GW9662 reversed metabolic disorders, validating the mechanistic role of PPARγ. Furthermore, molecular docking confirmed that TPP binds PPARγ with agonist-like affinity. This work establishes a NAM-based framework for deciphering the toxicity of contaminants of emerging concern in estuarine ecosystems, offering novel tools for ecological risk assessment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100480,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology","volume":"8 ","pages":"Pages 368-378"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145684254","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-25DOI: 10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.032
Congjun Li , Yu Fu , Eleni Gentekaki , Lifang Li
Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) has come into use as an alternative to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), but it remains elusive whether their comparative toxicities in aquatic organisms under co-occurring heavy metals like cadmium (Cd), particularly one ecologically important microorganism, the protists. Here, we compared the combined toxicity of PFOA and HFPO-DA in euryhaline ciliate Paramecium duboscqui under Cd-contaminated conditions. Chronic exposure (14 days) to field-realistic concentrations of Cd (50 μg/L) and PFOA/HFPO-DA (1 μg/L) revealed similarly adverse effects on growth performance. When combined with Cd, HFPO-DA caused greater disruption to membrane permeability thus enhancing Cd availability in ciliates, and amplifying oxidative stress and apoptosis activation. Moreover, combining HFPO-DA and Cd significantly reduced the motility distance, mean and max velocity in ciliates compared to PFOA. Transcriptomic analysis consequently revealed that disruptions in the core energy metabolism pathways were likely responsible for the insufficient supply of ATP energy in P. duboscqui. Additionally, the simultaneous downregulation of ciliary motility-related gene set and pathway, with the most pronounced suppression observed under HFPO-DA and Cd co-exposure mechanistically linked transcriptional changes to behavioral consequences. Our findings suggest that the combined effects of PFOA/HFPO-DA and Cd pose compounded ecological risks, underscoring the need to consider PFOA and its alternative HFPO-DA in regulatory frameworks along with heavy metals.
{"title":"HFPO-DA and PFOA exert differential combined toxicity with Cd in Paramecium: growth, behavior and molecular insights","authors":"Congjun Li , Yu Fu , Eleni Gentekaki , Lifang Li","doi":"10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.032","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enceco.2025.11.032","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) has come into use as an alternative to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), but it remains elusive whether their comparative toxicities in aquatic organisms under co-occurring heavy metals like cadmium (Cd), particularly one ecologically important microorganism, the protists. Here, we compared the combined toxicity of PFOA and HFPO-DA in euryhaline ciliate <em>Paramecium duboscqui</em> under Cd-contaminated conditions. Chronic exposure (14 days) to field-realistic concentrations of Cd (50 μg/L) and PFOA/HFPO-DA (1 μg/L) revealed similarly adverse effects on growth performance. When combined with Cd, HFPO-DA caused greater disruption to membrane permeability thus enhancing Cd availability in ciliates, and amplifying oxidative stress and apoptosis activation. Moreover, combining HFPO-DA and Cd significantly reduced the motility distance, mean and max velocity in ciliates compared to PFOA. Transcriptomic analysis consequently revealed that disruptions in the core energy metabolism pathways were likely responsible for the insufficient supply of ATP energy in <em>P. duboscqui</em>. Additionally, the simultaneous downregulation of ciliary motility-related gene set and pathway, with the most pronounced suppression observed under HFPO-DA and Cd co-exposure mechanistically linked transcriptional changes to behavioral consequences. Our findings suggest that the combined effects of PFOA/HFPO-DA and Cd pose compounded ecological risks, underscoring the need to consider PFOA and its alternative HFPO-DA in regulatory frameworks along with heavy metals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100480,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology","volume":"8 ","pages":"Pages 339-351"},"PeriodicalIF":8.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145618177","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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