Pub Date : 2024-07-01Epub Date: 2024-06-05DOI: 10.1007/s10646-024-02754-y
Linroy D Christian, Mark E H Burton, Azad Mohammed, Wendy Nelson, Tahlia Ali Shah, Laël Bertide-Josiah, Helen G Yurek, David C Evers
Mercury is a ubiquitous pollutant of global concern but the threat of exposure is not homogenously distributed at local, regional, or global scales. The primary route of human exposure to mercury is through consumption of aquatic foods, which are culturally and economically important in the wider Caribbean Region, especially for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). We compiled more than 1600 samples of 108 unique species of fish and aquatic invertebrates collected between 2005 and 2023 from eleven countries or territories in the wider Caribbean Region. There was wide variability in total mercury concentrations with 55% of samples below the 0.23 µg/g wet weight (ww) guideline from the U.S. FDA/EPA (2022) for 2 or 3 weekly servings and 26% exceeding the 0.46 µg/g ww guideline consistent with adverse effects on human health from continual consumption, particularly for sensitive populations. Significant relationships were found between total mercury concentrations and taxonomic family, sampling country, fish length, and trophic level. The data analyzed here support the need for further sampling with concrete geospatial data to better understand patterns and mechanisms in mercury concentrations and allow for more informed decision making on the consumption of fish and invertebrates from the wider Caribbean Region as well as supporting efforts to evaluate the effectiveness of national, regional, and international mercury policies.
{"title":"An evaluation of fish and invertebrate mercury concentrations in the Caribbean Region.","authors":"Linroy D Christian, Mark E H Burton, Azad Mohammed, Wendy Nelson, Tahlia Ali Shah, Laël Bertide-Josiah, Helen G Yurek, David C Evers","doi":"10.1007/s10646-024-02754-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10646-024-02754-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mercury is a ubiquitous pollutant of global concern but the threat of exposure is not homogenously distributed at local, regional, or global scales. The primary route of human exposure to mercury is through consumption of aquatic foods, which are culturally and economically important in the wider Caribbean Region, especially for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). We compiled more than 1600 samples of 108 unique species of fish and aquatic invertebrates collected between 2005 and 2023 from eleven countries or territories in the wider Caribbean Region. There was wide variability in total mercury concentrations with 55% of samples below the 0.23 µg/g wet weight (ww) guideline from the U.S. FDA/EPA (2022) for 2 or 3 weekly servings and 26% exceeding the 0.46 µg/g ww guideline consistent with adverse effects on human health from continual consumption, particularly for sensitive populations. Significant relationships were found between total mercury concentrations and taxonomic family, sampling country, fish length, and trophic level. The data analyzed here support the need for further sampling with concrete geospatial data to better understand patterns and mechanisms in mercury concentrations and allow for more informed decision making on the consumption of fish and invertebrates from the wider Caribbean Region as well as supporting efforts to evaluate the effectiveness of national, regional, and international mercury policies.</p>","PeriodicalId":11497,"journal":{"name":"Ecotoxicology","volume":" ","pages":"397-414"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11213769/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141247948","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-01Epub Date: 2024-06-07DOI: 10.1007/s10646-024-02764-w
Daniel Escobar-Camacho, Daniela Rosero-López, Melany Ruiz-Urigüen, Karla S Barragán, Natalia Carpintero-Salvador, José R Daza, Allison Aldous, Silvia Benítez, Timothy Tear, Andrea C Encalada
Mercury is a highly toxic element present in water, soil, air, and biota. Anthropogenic activities, such as burning fossil fuels, mining, and deforestation, contribute to the presence and mobilization of mercury between environmental compartments. Although current research on mercury pathways has advanced our understanding of the risks associated with human exposure, limited information exists for remote areas with high diversity of fauna, flora, and indigenous communities. This study aims to deepen our understanding of the presence of total mercury in water, sediments, and fish, within aquatic ecosystems of two indigenous territories: Gomataon (Waorani Nationality) and Sinangoé (Ai´Cofán Nationality) in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Our findings indicate that, for most fish (91.5%), sediment (100%) and water (95.3%) samples, mercury levels fall under international limits. For fish, no significant differences in mercury levels were detected between the two communities. However, eight species exceeded recommended global limits, and one surpassed the threshold according to Ecuadorian legislation. Piscivore and omnivore fish exhibited the highest concentrations of total mercury among trophic guilds. Only one water sample from each community's territory exceeded these limits. Total mercury in sediments exhibited greater concentrations in Gomataon than Sinangoé. Greater levels of mercury in sediments were associated with the occurrence of total organic carbon. Considering that members of the communities consume the analyzed fish, an interdisciplinary approach, including isotopic analysis, methylmercury sampling in humans, and mercury monitoring over time, is imperative for a detailed risk assessment of mercury exposure in Amazonian communities.
{"title":"Mercury in aquatic ecosystems of two indigenous communities in the Piedmont Ecuadorian Amazon: evidence from fish, water, and sediments.","authors":"Daniel Escobar-Camacho, Daniela Rosero-López, Melany Ruiz-Urigüen, Karla S Barragán, Natalia Carpintero-Salvador, José R Daza, Allison Aldous, Silvia Benítez, Timothy Tear, Andrea C Encalada","doi":"10.1007/s10646-024-02764-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10646-024-02764-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mercury is a highly toxic element present in water, soil, air, and biota. Anthropogenic activities, such as burning fossil fuels, mining, and deforestation, contribute to the presence and mobilization of mercury between environmental compartments. Although current research on mercury pathways has advanced our understanding of the risks associated with human exposure, limited information exists for remote areas with high diversity of fauna, flora, and indigenous communities. This study aims to deepen our understanding of the presence of total mercury in water, sediments, and fish, within aquatic ecosystems of two indigenous territories: Gomataon (Waorani Nationality) and Sinangoé (Ai´Cofán Nationality) in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Our findings indicate that, for most fish (91.5%), sediment (100%) and water (95.3%) samples, mercury levels fall under international limits. For fish, no significant differences in mercury levels were detected between the two communities. However, eight species exceeded recommended global limits, and one surpassed the threshold according to Ecuadorian legislation. Piscivore and omnivore fish exhibited the highest concentrations of total mercury among trophic guilds. Only one water sample from each community's territory exceeded these limits. Total mercury in sediments exhibited greater concentrations in Gomataon than Sinangoé. Greater levels of mercury in sediments were associated with the occurrence of total organic carbon. Considering that members of the communities consume the analyzed fish, an interdisciplinary approach, including isotopic analysis, methylmercury sampling in humans, and mercury monitoring over time, is imperative for a detailed risk assessment of mercury exposure in Amazonian communities.</p>","PeriodicalId":11497,"journal":{"name":"Ecotoxicology","volume":" ","pages":"440-456"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11213792/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141283263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-01Epub Date: 2024-02-16DOI: 10.1007/s10646-024-02740-4
Jessica N Pisconte, Claudia M Vega, Christopher J Sayers, C Steven Sevillano-Ríos, Martin Pillaca, Edwin Quispe, Vania Tejeda, Cesar Ascorra, Miles R Silman, Luis E Fernandez
Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) represents a significant source of anthropogenic mercury emissions to the environment, with potentially severe implications for avian biodiversity. In the Madre de Dios department of the southern Peruvian Amazon, ASGM activities have created landscapes marred by deforestation and post-mining water bodies (mining ponds) with notable methylation potential. While data on Hg contamination in terrestrial wildlife remains limited, this study measures Hg exposure in several terrestrial bird species as bioindicators. Total Hg (THg) levels in feathers from birds near water bodies, including mining ponds associated with ASGM areas and oxbow lakes, were analyzed. Our results showed significantly higher Hg concentrations in birds from ASGM sites with mean ± SD of 3.14 ± 7.97 µg/g (range: 0.27 to 72.75 µg/g, n = 312) compared to control sites with a mean of 0.47 ± 0.42 µg/g (range: 0.04 to 1.89 µg/g, n = 52). Factors such as trophic guilds, ASGM presence, and water body area significantly influenced feather Hg concentrations. Notably, piscivorous birds exhibited the highest Hg concentration (31.03 ± 25.25 µg/g, n = 12) exceeding known concentrations that affect reproductive success, where one measurement of Chloroceryle americana (Green kingfisher; 72.7 µg/g) is among the highest ever reported in South America. This research quantifies Hg exposure in avian communities in Amazonian regions affected by ASGM, highlighting potential risks to regional bird populations.
{"title":"Elevated mercury exposure in bird communities inhabiting Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining landscapes of the southeastern Peruvian Amazon.","authors":"Jessica N Pisconte, Claudia M Vega, Christopher J Sayers, C Steven Sevillano-Ríos, Martin Pillaca, Edwin Quispe, Vania Tejeda, Cesar Ascorra, Miles R Silman, Luis E Fernandez","doi":"10.1007/s10646-024-02740-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10646-024-02740-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) represents a significant source of anthropogenic mercury emissions to the environment, with potentially severe implications for avian biodiversity. In the Madre de Dios department of the southern Peruvian Amazon, ASGM activities have created landscapes marred by deforestation and post-mining water bodies (mining ponds) with notable methylation potential. While data on Hg contamination in terrestrial wildlife remains limited, this study measures Hg exposure in several terrestrial bird species as bioindicators. Total Hg (THg) levels in feathers from birds near water bodies, including mining ponds associated with ASGM areas and oxbow lakes, were analyzed. Our results showed significantly higher Hg concentrations in birds from ASGM sites with mean ± SD of 3.14 ± 7.97 µg/g (range: 0.27 to 72.75 µg/g, n = 312) compared to control sites with a mean of 0.47 ± 0.42 µg/g (range: 0.04 to 1.89 µg/g, n = 52). Factors such as trophic guilds, ASGM presence, and water body area significantly influenced feather Hg concentrations. Notably, piscivorous birds exhibited the highest Hg concentration (31.03 ± 25.25 µg/g, n = 12) exceeding known concentrations that affect reproductive success, where one measurement of Chloroceryle americana (Green kingfisher; 72.7 µg/g) is among the highest ever reported in South America. This research quantifies Hg exposure in avian communities in Amazonian regions affected by ASGM, highlighting potential risks to regional bird populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":11497,"journal":{"name":"Ecotoxicology","volume":" ","pages":"472-483"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139740627","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-04-29DOI: 10.1007/s10646-024-02747-x
David C. Evers, Joshua T. Ackerman, Staffan Åkerblom, Dominique Bally, Nil Basu, Kevin Bishop, Nathalie Bodin, Hans Fredrik Veiteberg Braaten, Mark E. H. Burton, Paco Bustamante, Celia Chen, John Chételat, Linroy Christian, Rune Dietz, Paul Drevnick, Collin Eagles-Smith, Luis E. Fernandez, Neil Hammerschlag, Mireille Harmelin-Vivien, Agustin Harte, Eva M. Krümmel, José Lailson Brito, Gabriela Medina, Cesar Augusto Barrios Rodriguez, Iain Stenhouse, Elsie Sunderland, Akinori Takeuchi, Tim Tear, Claudia Vega, Simon Wilson, Pianpian Wu
An important provision of the Minamata Convention on Mercury is to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the adopted measures and its implementation. Here, we describe for the first time currently available biotic mercury (Hg) data on a global scale to improve the understanding of global efforts to reduce the impact of Hg pollution on people and the environment. Data from the peer-reviewed literature were compiled in the Global Biotic Mercury Synthesis (GBMS) database (>550,000 data points). These data provide a foundation for establishing a biomonitoring framework needed to track Hg concentrations in biota globally. We describe Hg exposure in the taxa identified by the Minamata Convention: fish, sea turtles, birds, and marine mammals. Based on the GBMS database, Hg concentrations are presented at relevant geographic scales for continents and oceanic basins. We identify some effective regional templates for monitoring methylmercury (MeHg) availability in the environment, but overall illustrate that there is a general lack of regional biomonitoring initiatives around the world, especially in Africa, Australia, Indo-Pacific, Middle East, and South Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Temporal trend data for Hg in biota are generally limited. Ecologically sensitive sites (where biota have above average MeHg tissue concentrations) have been identified throughout the world. Efforts to model and quantify ecosystem sensitivity locally, regionally, and globally could help establish effective and efficient biomonitoring programs. We present a framework for a global Hg biomonitoring network that includes a three-step continental and oceanic approach to integrate existing biomonitoring efforts and prioritize filling regional data gaps linked with key Hg sources. We describe a standardized approach that builds on an evidence-based evaluation to assess the Minamata Convention’s progress to reduce the impact of global Hg pollution on people and the environment.
{"title":"Global mercury concentrations in biota: their use as a basis for a global biomonitoring framework","authors":"David C. Evers, Joshua T. Ackerman, Staffan Åkerblom, Dominique Bally, Nil Basu, Kevin Bishop, Nathalie Bodin, Hans Fredrik Veiteberg Braaten, Mark E. H. Burton, Paco Bustamante, Celia Chen, John Chételat, Linroy Christian, Rune Dietz, Paul Drevnick, Collin Eagles-Smith, Luis E. Fernandez, Neil Hammerschlag, Mireille Harmelin-Vivien, Agustin Harte, Eva M. Krümmel, José Lailson Brito, Gabriela Medina, Cesar Augusto Barrios Rodriguez, Iain Stenhouse, Elsie Sunderland, Akinori Takeuchi, Tim Tear, Claudia Vega, Simon Wilson, Pianpian Wu","doi":"10.1007/s10646-024-02747-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-024-02747-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p>An important provision of the Minamata Convention on Mercury is to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the adopted measures and its implementation. Here, we describe for the first time currently available biotic mercury (Hg) data on a global scale to improve the understanding of global efforts to reduce the impact of Hg pollution on people and the environment. Data from the peer-reviewed literature were compiled in the Global Biotic Mercury Synthesis (GBMS) database (>550,000 data points). These data provide a foundation for establishing a biomonitoring framework needed to track Hg concentrations in biota globally. We describe Hg exposure in the taxa identified by the Minamata Convention: fish, sea turtles, birds, and marine mammals. Based on the GBMS database, Hg concentrations are presented at relevant geographic scales for continents and oceanic basins. We identify some effective regional templates for monitoring methylmercury (MeHg) availability in the environment, but overall illustrate that there is a general lack of regional biomonitoring initiatives around the world, especially in Africa, Australia, Indo-Pacific, Middle East, and South Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Temporal trend data for Hg in biota are generally limited. Ecologically sensitive sites (where biota have above average MeHg tissue concentrations) have been identified throughout the world. Efforts to model and quantify ecosystem sensitivity locally, regionally, and globally could help establish effective and efficient biomonitoring programs. We present a framework for a global Hg biomonitoring network that includes a three-step continental and oceanic approach to integrate existing biomonitoring efforts and prioritize filling regional data gaps linked with key Hg sources. We describe a standardized approach that builds on an evidence-based evaluation to assess the Minamata Convention’s progress to reduce the impact of global Hg pollution on people and the environment.</p>","PeriodicalId":11497,"journal":{"name":"Ecotoxicology","volume":"37 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140811009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-04-22DOI: 10.1007/s10646-024-02753-z
Gabriel Hiroshi Fujiwara, Heidi Samantha Moraes Utsunomiya, João Victor Cassiel Ferraz, Davi Marques Gutierres, Isabela Ferreira Fernandes, Cleoni dos Santos Carvalho
Metal contamination of the environment poses a significant threat to human health and can cause significant damage to aquatic ecosystems. Danio rerio was exposed to Sorocaba River water for 96 h from two different sites in summer (S) and winter (W). Concentrations of Al, Cd, Cu, Mn and Zn were determined in the exposure water and in sediment. At the end of the exposure, the concentrations of Al, Cu and Mn at the Ibiúna point (P1) and Mn at the Itupararanga point (P2) decreased compared to the initial concentrations in the water. In summer and winter, the highest concentrations of Cu and Mn were found in the sediment. Exposure to the Sorocaba River water caused various responses both in summer and winter. For example, GPx decreased in winter, Glutathione S-Transferase (GST) increased in summer, and Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) decreased in both seasons in the viscera. In winter, SOD Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) increased, while GPx and GST (winter) decreased in muscle; regarding viscera carbonyl proteins, there was an increase in the summer at P2. Acetylcholinesterase activity decreased in the brain in winter at P2 and NOS decreased in the summer-exposed groups and increased in the winter P2-exposed group. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and malate dehydrogenase (MDH) decreased in viscera (S, P1) and increased in muscle (S, P1 and P2). The glucose and triglycerides increased in muscle, both in summer and winter. Correlation analysis revealed associations between biomarkers from different organs. These alterations suggest that the fish experienced oxidative stress in response to exposure to the Sorocaba River, contaminated with metals, highlighting their vulnerability to environmental pollutants.
{"title":"Biochemistry biomarkers and metal levels as indicators of environmental pollution in Danio rerio exposed to the Sorocaba River (S.P.), Brazil","authors":"Gabriel Hiroshi Fujiwara, Heidi Samantha Moraes Utsunomiya, João Victor Cassiel Ferraz, Davi Marques Gutierres, Isabela Ferreira Fernandes, Cleoni dos Santos Carvalho","doi":"10.1007/s10646-024-02753-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-024-02753-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Metal contamination of the environment poses a significant threat to human health and can cause significant damage to aquatic ecosystems. <i>Danio rerio</i> was exposed to Sorocaba River water for 96 h from two different sites in summer (S) and winter (W). Concentrations of Al, Cd, Cu, Mn and Zn were determined in the exposure water and in sediment. At the end of the exposure, the concentrations of Al, Cu and Mn at the Ibiúna point (P1) and Mn at the Itupararanga point (P2) decreased compared to the initial concentrations in the water. In summer and winter, the highest concentrations of Cu and Mn were found in the sediment. Exposure to the Sorocaba River water caused various responses both in summer and winter. For example, GPx decreased in winter, Glutathione S-Transferase (GST) increased in summer, and Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) decreased in both seasons in the viscera. In winter, SOD Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) increased, while GPx and GST (winter) decreased in muscle; regarding viscera carbonyl proteins, there was an increase in the summer at P2. Acetylcholinesterase activity decreased in the brain in winter at P2 and NOS decreased in the summer-exposed groups and increased in the winter P2-exposed group. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and malate dehydrogenase (MDH) decreased in viscera (S, P1) and increased in muscle (S, P1 and P2). The glucose and triglycerides increased in muscle, both in summer and winter. Correlation analysis revealed associations between biomarkers from different organs. These alterations suggest that the fish experienced oxidative stress in response to exposure to the Sorocaba River, contaminated with metals, highlighting their vulnerability to environmental pollutants.</p>","PeriodicalId":11497,"journal":{"name":"Ecotoxicology","volume":"135 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140634423","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-04-22DOI: 10.1007/s10646-024-02750-2
Justine Dewaele, Alexandre Barraud, Sara Hellström, Robert J. Paxton, Denis Michez
Wild bees are crucial pollinators of flowering plants and concerns are rising about their decline associated with pesticide use. Interspecific variation in wild bee response to pesticide exposure is expected to be related to variation in their morphology, physiology, and ecology, though there are still important knowledge gaps in its understanding. Pesticide risk assessments have largely focussed on the Western honey bee sensitivity considering it protective enough for wild bees. Recently, guidelines for Bombus terrestris and Osmia bicornis testing have been developed but are not yet implemented at a global scale in pesticide risk assessments. Here, we developed and tested a new simplified method of pesticide exposure on wild bee species collected from the field in Belgium. Enough specimens of nine species survived in a laboratory setting and were exposed to oral and topical acute doses of a sulfoximine insecticide. Our results confirm significant variability among wild bee species. We show that Osmia cornuta is more sensitive to sulfoxaflor than B. terrestris, whereas Bombus hypnorum is less sensitive. We propose hypotheses on the mechanisms explaining interspecific variations in sensitivity to pesticides. Future pesticide risk assessments of wild bees will require further refinement of protocols for their controlled housing and exposure.
{"title":"A new exposure protocol adapted for wild bees reveals species-specific impacts of the sulfoximine insecticide sulfoxaflor","authors":"Justine Dewaele, Alexandre Barraud, Sara Hellström, Robert J. Paxton, Denis Michez","doi":"10.1007/s10646-024-02750-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-024-02750-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Wild bees are crucial pollinators of flowering plants and concerns are rising about their decline associated with pesticide use. Interspecific variation in wild bee response to pesticide exposure is expected to be related to variation in their morphology, physiology, and ecology, though there are still important knowledge gaps in its understanding. Pesticide risk assessments have largely focussed on the Western honey bee sensitivity considering it protective enough for wild bees. Recently, guidelines for <i>Bombus terrestris</i> and <i>Osmia bicornis</i> testing have been developed but are not yet implemented at a global scale in pesticide risk assessments. Here, we developed and tested a new simplified method of pesticide exposure on wild bee species collected from the field in Belgium. Enough specimens of nine species survived in a laboratory setting and were exposed to oral and topical acute doses of a sulfoximine insecticide. Our results confirm significant variability among wild bee species. We show that <i>Osmia cornuta</i> is more sensitive to sulfoxaflor than <i>B. terrestris</i>, whereas <i>Bombus hypnorum</i> is less sensitive. We propose hypotheses on the mechanisms explaining interspecific variations in sensitivity to pesticides. Future pesticide risk assessments of wild bees will require further refinement of protocols for their controlled housing and exposure.</p>","PeriodicalId":11497,"journal":{"name":"Ecotoxicology","volume":"100 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140634973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-04-11DOI: 10.1007/s10646-024-02752-0
Antônio Duarte Pagano, Eduardo Bieharls Blödorn, William Borges Domingues, Lucas Petitemberte de Souza, Tony Leandro Rezende da Silveira, Mateus Tavares Kütter, Natiéli Machado Gonçalves, Matheus Vieira Volcan, Patrícia Gomes Costa, Adalto Bianchini, Mariana Härter Remião, Vinicius Farias Campos
The annual killifish Austrolebias charrua is an endangered species, endemic to the southern region of South America, which inhabits temporary ponds that emerges in the rainy season. The main anthropogenic threat driving the extinction of A. charrua stems from extensive agriculture, primarily due to the widrespread use of glyphosate-based herbicides near their habitats. Annual killifishes have been used as models for ecotoxicological studies but, up to now, there are no studies about reference genes in any Austrolebias species. This represents an obstacle to the use of qPCR-based technologies, the standard method for gene expression quantification. The present study aimed to select and validate potential reference genes for qPCR normalization in the annual killifish Austrolebias charrua considering different tissues, gender and environmental conditions. The candidate reference genes 18s, actb, gapdh, ef1a, shox, eif3g, and the control gene atp1a1 were evaluated in male and female individuals in three different tissues (brain, liver, and gills) under two experimental conditions (control and acute exposition to Roundup Transorb®). The collected tissues were submitted to RNA extraction, followed by cDNA synthesis, cloning, sequencing, and qPCR. Overall, 18s was the most stable reference gene, and 18s and ef1a were the most stable combination. Otherwise, considering all variables, gapdh and shox were the least stable candidate genes. Foremost, suitable reference genes were validated in A. charrua, facilitating accurate mRNA quantification in this species, which might be useful for developing molecular tools of ecotoxicological assessment based on gene expression analysis for environmental monitoring of annual killifish.
一年生鳉鱼 Austrolebias charrua 是南美洲南部地区特有的濒危物种,栖息于雨季出现的临时池塘中。导致 A. charrua 灭绝的主要人为威胁来自广泛的农业,这主要是由于在其栖息地附近广泛使用草甘膦除草剂。一年生鳉鱼被用作生态毒理学研究的模型,但到目前为止,还没有关于任何澳大利亚鳉鱼物种参考基因的研究。这对使用基因表达量化的标准方法--基于 qPCR 的技术构成了障碍。本研究旨在根据不同的组织、性别和环境条件,选择和验证一年生鳉鱼(Austrolebias charrua)中用于 qPCR 归一化的潜在参考基因。在两种实验条件下(对照和急性暴露于 Roundup Transorb®),对雌雄个体的三种不同组织(脑、肝和鳃)中的候选参考基因 18 s、actb、gapdh、ef1a、shox、ef3g 和对照基因 atp1a1 进行了评估。对采集的组织进行 RNA 提取,然后进行 cDNA 合成、克隆、测序和 qPCR。总体而言,18 s 是最稳定的参考基因,18 s 和 ef1a 是最稳定的组合。否则,考虑到所有变量,gapdh 和 shox 是最不稳定的候选基因。最重要的是,在 A. charrua 中验证了合适的参考基因,有助于该物种 mRNA 的精确定量,这可能有助于开发基于基因表达分析的生态毒理学评估分子工具,用于一年生鳉鱼的环境监测。
{"title":"Validation of qPCR reference genes in the endangered annual killifish Austrolebias charrua considering different tissues, gender and environmental conditions","authors":"Antônio Duarte Pagano, Eduardo Bieharls Blödorn, William Borges Domingues, Lucas Petitemberte de Souza, Tony Leandro Rezende da Silveira, Mateus Tavares Kütter, Natiéli Machado Gonçalves, Matheus Vieira Volcan, Patrícia Gomes Costa, Adalto Bianchini, Mariana Härter Remião, Vinicius Farias Campos","doi":"10.1007/s10646-024-02752-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-024-02752-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The annual killifish <i>Austrolebias charrua</i> is an endangered species, endemic to the southern region of South America, which inhabits temporary ponds that emerges in the rainy season. The main anthropogenic threat driving the extinction of <i>A. charrua</i> stems from extensive agriculture, primarily due to the widrespread use of glyphosate-based herbicides near their habitats. Annual killifishes have been used as models for ecotoxicological studies but, up to now, there are no studies about reference genes in any <i>Austrolebias</i> species. This represents an obstacle to the use of qPCR-based technologies, the standard method for gene expression quantification. The present study aimed to select and validate potential reference genes for qPCR normalization in the annual killifish <i>Austrolebias charrua</i> considering different tissues, gender and environmental conditions. The candidate reference genes <i>18</i> <i>s, actb, gapdh, ef1a, shox, eif3g</i>, and the control gene <i>atp1a1</i> were evaluated in male and female individuals in three different tissues (brain, liver, and gills) under two experimental conditions (control and acute exposition to Roundup Transorb<sup>®</sup>). The collected tissues were submitted to RNA extraction, followed by cDNA synthesis, cloning, sequencing, and qPCR. Overall, <i>18</i> <i>s</i> was the most stable reference gene, and <i>18</i> <i>s</i> and <i>ef1a</i> were the most stable combination. Otherwise, considering all variables, <i>gapdh</i> and <i>shox</i> were the least stable candidate genes. Foremost, suitable reference genes were validated in <i>A. charrua</i>, facilitating accurate mRNA quantification in this species, which might be useful for developing molecular tools of ecotoxicological assessment based on gene expression analysis for environmental monitoring of annual killifish.</p>","PeriodicalId":11497,"journal":{"name":"Ecotoxicology","volume":"66 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140592841","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Global pesticide usage reaching 2.7 million metric tons annually, brings a grave threat to non-target organisms, especially aquatic organisms, resulting in serious concerns. Predicting aquatic toxicity of pesticides towards Daphnia magna is significant. In this work, random forest (RF) algorithm, together with ten Dragon molecular descriptors, was successfully utilized to develop a quantitative structure–activity/toxicity relationship (QSAR/QSTR) model for the toxicity pEC50 of 745 pesticides towards Daphnia magna. The optimal QSTR model (RF Model I) based on the RF parameters of ntree = 50, mtry = 3 and nodesize = 5, yielded R2 = 0.877, MAE = 0.570, rms = 0.739 (training set of 596 pEC50), R2 = 0.807, MAE = 0.732, rms = 0.902 (test set of 149 pEC50), and R2 = 0.863, MAE = 0.602, rms = 0.774 (total set of 745 pEC50), which are accurate and satisfactory. The optimal RF model is comparable to other published QSTR models for Daphnia magna, although the optimal RF model possessed a small descriptor subset and dealt with a large dataset of pesticide toxicity pEC50. Thus, the investigation in this work provides a reliable, applicable QSTR model for predicting the toxicity pEC50 of pesticides towards Daphnia magna.
{"title":"Quantitative structure–activity relationship predicting toxicity of pesticides towards Daphnia magna","authors":"Cong Chen, Bowen Yang, Mingwang Li, Saijin Huang, Xianwei Huang","doi":"10.1007/s10646-024-02751-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-024-02751-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Global pesticide usage reaching 2.7 million metric tons annually, brings a grave threat to non-target organisms, especially aquatic organisms, resulting in serious concerns. Predicting aquatic toxicity of pesticides towards <i>Daphnia magna</i> is significant. In this work, random forest (RF) algorithm, together with ten Dragon molecular descriptors, was successfully utilized to develop a quantitative structure–activity/toxicity relationship (QSAR/QSTR) model for the toxicity p<i>EC</i><sub>50</sub> of 745 pesticides towards <i>Daphnia magna</i>. The optimal QSTR model (RF Model I) based on the RF parameters of <i>ntree</i> = 50, <i>mtry</i> = 3 and <i>nodesize</i> = 5, yielded <i>R</i><sup>2</sup> = 0.877, <i>MAE</i> = 0.570, <i>rms</i> = 0.739 (training set of 596 p<i>EC</i><sub>50</sub>), <i>R</i><sup>2</sup> = 0.807, <i>MAE</i> = 0.732, <i>rms</i> = 0.902 (test set of 149 pEC<sub>50</sub>), and <i>R</i><sup>2</sup> = 0.863, <i>MAE</i> = 0.602, <i>rms</i> = 0.774 (total set of 745 p<i>EC</i><sub>50</sub>), which are accurate and satisfactory. The optimal RF model is comparable to other published QSTR models for <i>Daphnia magna</i>, although the optimal RF model possessed a small descriptor subset and dealt with a large dataset of pesticide toxicity p<i>EC</i><sub>50</sub>. Thus, the investigation in this work provides a reliable, applicable QSTR model for predicting the toxicity p<i>EC</i><sub>50</sub> of pesticides towards <i>Daphnia magna</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":11497,"journal":{"name":"Ecotoxicology","volume":"205 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140592848","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Despite the prevalence of discharge of large volumes of heavy-metal-bearing seawater from coal-fired power plants into adjacent seas, studies on the associated ecological risks remain limited. This study continuously monitored concentrations of seven heavy metals (i.e. As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn) in surface seawater near the outfall of a coal-fired power plant in Qingdao, China over three years. The results showed average concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn of 2.63, 0.33, 2.97, 4.63, 0.008, 0.85, and 25.00 μg/L, respectively. Given the lack of data on metal toxicity to local species, this study investigated species composition and biomass near discharge outfalls and constructed species sensitivity distribution (SSD) curves with biological flora characteristics. Hazardous concentrations for 5% of species (HC5) for As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn derived from SSDs constructed from chronic toxicity data for native species were 3.23, 2.22, 0.06, 2.83, 0.66, 4.70, and 11.07 μg/L, respectively. This study further assessed ecological risk of heavy metals by applying the Hazard Quotient (HQ) and Joint Probability Curve (JPC) based on long-term heavy metal exposure data and chronic toxicity data for local species. The results revealed acceptable levels of ecological risk for As, Cd, Hg, and Pb, but unacceptable levels for Cr, Cu, and Zn. The order of studied heavy metals in terms of ecological risk was Cr > Cu ≈ Zn > As > Cd ≈ Pb > Hg. The results of this study can guide the assessment of ecological risk at heavy metal contaminated sites characterized by relatively low heavy metal concentrations and high discharge volumes, such as receiving waters of coal-fired power plant effluents.
尽管燃煤发电厂向邻近海域排放大量含重金属海水的现象十分普遍,但对相关生态风险的研究仍然有限。本研究对中国青岛某燃煤电厂排污口附近表层海水中七种重金属(即砷、镉、铬、铜、汞、铅和锌)的浓度进行了为期三年的连续监测。结果显示,As、Cd、Cr、Cu、Hg、Pb 和 Zn 的平均浓度分别为 2.63、0.33、2.97、4.63、0.008、0.85 和 25.00 μg/L。鉴于缺乏有关金属对当地物种毒性的数据,本研究调查了排放口附近的物种组成和生物量,并构建了具有生物区系特征的物种敏感性分布(SSD)曲线。根据本地物种的慢性毒性数据构建的 SSD 得出的 5%物种(HC5)的砷、镉、铬、铜、汞、铅和锌的有害浓度分别为 3.23、2.22、0.06、2.83、0.66、4.70 和 11.07 μg/L。本研究根据本地物种长期接触重金属的数据和慢性毒性数据,采用危害商数(HQ)和联合概率曲线(JPC)进一步评估重金属的生态风险。结果表明,砷、镉、汞和铅的生态风险水平可以接受,但铬、铜和锌的生态风险水平不可接受。所研究的重金属的生态风险顺序为 Cr > Cu ≈ Zn > As > Cd ≈ Pb > Hg。这项研究的结果可以指导对重金属污染地点的生态风险进行评估,这些地点的特点是重金属浓度相对较低,且排放量较大,例如燃煤电厂污水的受纳水体。
{"title":"Ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in desulfurized seawater discharged from a coal-fired power plant in Qingdao","authors":"Yongliang Feng, Yiran Ru, Jun Wang, Xiaona Zhang, Hua Tian, Shuhe Lei, Ziang Zhao, Shaoguo Ru","doi":"10.1007/s10646-024-02735-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-024-02735-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Despite the prevalence of discharge of large volumes of heavy-metal-bearing seawater from coal-fired power plants into adjacent seas, studies on the associated ecological risks remain limited. This study continuously monitored concentrations of seven heavy metals (i.e. As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn) in surface seawater near the outfall of a coal-fired power plant in Qingdao, China over three years. The results showed average concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn of 2.63, 0.33, 2.97, 4.63, 0.008, 0.85, and 25.00 μg/L, respectively. Given the lack of data on metal toxicity to local species, this study investigated species composition and biomass near discharge outfalls and constructed species sensitivity distribution (SSD) curves with biological flora characteristics. Hazardous concentrations for 5% of species (HC<sub>5</sub>) for As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn derived from SSDs constructed from chronic toxicity data for native species were 3.23, 2.22, 0.06, 2.83, 0.66, 4.70, and 11.07 μg/L, respectively. This study further assessed ecological risk of heavy metals by applying the Hazard Quotient (HQ) and Joint Probability Curve (JPC) based on long-term heavy metal exposure data and chronic toxicity data for local species. The results revealed acceptable levels of ecological risk for As, Cd, Hg, and Pb, but unacceptable levels for Cr, Cu, and Zn. The order of studied heavy metals in terms of ecological risk was Cr > Cu ≈ Zn > As > Cd ≈ Pb > Hg. The results of this study can guide the assessment of ecological risk at heavy metal contaminated sites characterized by relatively low heavy metal concentrations and high discharge volumes, such as receiving waters of coal-fired power plant effluents.</p>","PeriodicalId":11497,"journal":{"name":"Ecotoxicology","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140592942","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}