Nanoplastics and fluorides are widespread environmental pollutants, but their combined exposure risks to aquatic organisms and humans remain unclear. Studying their combined effect of inducing toxicity on the gut-liver axis at environmentally relevant concentrations is critical. Using zebrafish, this study evaluated toxic effects and mechanisms of single/combined exposure to 0.1 mg/L nanoplastics (NPs) and 15 mg/L sodium fluoride (NaF). Integrating network toxicology and in vivo validation, combined exposure significantly disrupted intestinal structure, increased permeability, and disturbed microbiota balance. Gut microbiota dysbiosis mediated hepatic lipid metabolism disorders via the gut-liver axis by activating the TLR4/NF-κB pathway, inducing liver inflammation, oxidative stress, and hepatocyte apoptosis. The observed toxic effects are consistent with gut-liver axis homeostasis disruption, though definitive causal links have not been established. This reveals their combined effect of inducing liver injury by interfering with gut-liver axis homeostasis, providing a theoretical basis for assessing ecological risks of compound pollutants and scientific references for pollution management and aquatic ecological protection.
{"title":"Combined toxicity of nanoplastics and sodium fluoride to zebrafish liver: Impact on gut-liver axis homeostasis and lipid metabolism","authors":"Zizheng Wang , Boran Zhou , Yingxue Zhang, Yufei Cao, Yiqiang Zhang, Xu Han, Yu Wang, Hongjing Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107682","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107682","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nanoplastics and fluorides are widespread environmental pollutants, but their combined exposure risks to aquatic organisms and humans remain unclear. Studying their combined effect of inducing toxicity on the gut-liver axis at environmentally relevant concentrations is critical. Using zebrafish, this study evaluated toxic effects and mechanisms of single/combined exposure to 0.1 mg/L nanoplastics (NPs) and 15 mg/L sodium fluoride (NaF). Integrating network toxicology and in vivo validation, combined exposure significantly disrupted intestinal structure, increased permeability, and disturbed microbiota balance. Gut microbiota dysbiosis mediated hepatic lipid metabolism disorders via the gut-liver axis by activating the TLR4/NF-κB pathway, inducing liver inflammation, oxidative stress, and hepatocyte apoptosis. The observed toxic effects are consistent with gut-liver axis homeostasis disruption, though definitive causal links have not been established. This reveals their combined effect of inducing liver injury by interfering with gut-liver axis homeostasis, providing a theoretical basis for assessing ecological risks of compound pollutants and scientific references for pollution management and aquatic ecological protection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"291 ","pages":"Article 107682"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145731136","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 : 2025-12-09DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107681
Tao Zhang , Biqing Wen , Xunjie Huo , Jiayuan Ren , Xuerui Ge , Xiaocong Chen
This study exposed female Portunus trituberculatus crabs (developmental stages III-IV) to microplastics (MPs) and bisphenol A (BPA) individually or combined for 21 days. Assessments included growth, histology, enzyme/gene expression, and metabolomics. Both MPs and BPA caused hepatopancreatic damage and lipid accumulation but via distinct mechanisms. MPs groups showed downregulated acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) gene expression and upregulated fatty acid transport protein (FATP) genes, with reduced N-acetyl-d-glucosamine synthesis, suggesting disrupted energy metabolism (e.g., nucleotide sugar synthesis and ABC transport). BPA groups showed similarly downregulated ACC but upregulated FATP and Fatty Acid-Binding Protein (FABP) genes. Metabolomic shifts included decreased uric acid/prostaglandin F2α and increased glycochenodeoxycholic acid/inositol-1,3-bisphosphate, indicating estrogenic effects and hormonal imbalance. Combined exposure exacerbates hepatopancreatic injury and lipid metabolism disorders through complex mechanisms of action, highlighting heightened risks to aquatic ecosystems and potential human health impacts. The study underscores MPs and BPA as dual threats with unique and compounded toxicity pathways.
{"title":"Microplastics and bisphenol A exposure induce hepatopancreatic damage and lipid metabolism disorders in Portunus trituberculatus","authors":"Tao Zhang , Biqing Wen , Xunjie Huo , Jiayuan Ren , Xuerui Ge , Xiaocong Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107681","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107681","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study exposed female <em>Portunus trituberculatus</em> crabs (developmental stages III-IV) to microplastics (MPs) and bisphenol A (BPA) individually or combined for 21 days. Assessments included growth, histology, enzyme/gene expression, and metabolomics. Both MPs and BPA caused hepatopancreatic damage and lipid accumulation but via distinct mechanisms. MPs groups showed downregulated acetyl-CoA carboxylase (<em>ACC</em>) gene expression and upregulated fatty acid transport protein (<em>FATP</em>) genes, with reduced N-acetyl-<span>d</span>-glucosamine synthesis, suggesting disrupted energy metabolism (e.g., nucleotide sugar synthesis and ABC transport). BPA groups showed similarly downregulated <em>ACC</em> but upregulated <em>FATP</em> and Fatty Acid-Binding Protein (<em>FABP</em>) genes. Metabolomic shifts included decreased uric acid/prostaglandin F2α and increased glycochenodeoxycholic acid/inositol-1,3-bisphosphate, indicating estrogenic effects and hormonal imbalance. Combined exposure exacerbates hepatopancreatic injury and lipid metabolism disorders through complex mechanisms of action, highlighting heightened risks to aquatic ecosystems and potential human health impacts. The study underscores MPs and BPA as dual threats with unique and compounded toxicity pathways.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"291 ","pages":"Article 107681"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145731137","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 : 2025-12-09DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107680
Clémentine Labbé , Isabelle Métais , Hanane Perrein-Ettajani , Mohammed Mouloud , Antoine Le Guernic , Oihana Latchere , Nicolas Manier , Amélie Châtel
Microplastics (MP) are now widely contaminating multiple ecosystems. To mitigate this pollution, the development of plastic alternatives is being promoted. However, scientific data on the absence of toxicity of these alternatives is still lacking. The present study assesses the impact of petroleum-based fragmentable MP, oxo-polyethylene (oxoPE), and biobased biodegradable MP, polylactic acid (PLA), on the bivalve Scrobicularia plana. Clams were exposed for 21 days to environmental concentrations (0.008, 10 and 100 μg L−1) of both PLA and oxoPE MP and impacts were evaluated from individual to molecular levels. The effects of alternative MP were then compared with polyethylene MP ones, resulted from a previous study. An Integrative Biomarker Response - Threshold index (IBR-T) was calculated to assess the differences in toxicity between alternative and conventional plastics. An impact of PLA and oxoPE MP was shown on energy reserves, with a reduction in glycogen concentration in organisms exposed to the highest concentration (100 μg L−1). A decrease in burrowing was also reported in S. plana exposed to 0.008 and 100 µg L−1 of PLA MP. At cellular and molecular levels, catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferases (GST) activities decreased after exposure to PLA MP (10 and 100 μg L−1 respectively) suggesting a disruption of antioxidant and detoxication systems, while no impact was noted on DNA damage, whatever the biodegradable MP. Analysis using IBR-T revealed greater effects of PLA (100 μg L−1) on S. plana physiology compared to the different types of PE MP tested, while oxoPE MP showed limited toxicity. These findings support the importance of assessing the toxic effects of biodegradable and fragmentable MP to evaluate whether they can really be considered as a reliable alternative to conventional plastics.
{"title":"Are alternatives to polyethylene less toxic than conventional polyethylene? A case study of MP toxicity on Scrobicularia plana using an Integrative Biomarker Response index (IBR-T)","authors":"Clémentine Labbé , Isabelle Métais , Hanane Perrein-Ettajani , Mohammed Mouloud , Antoine Le Guernic , Oihana Latchere , Nicolas Manier , Amélie Châtel","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107680","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107680","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microplastics (MP) are now widely contaminating multiple ecosystems. To mitigate this pollution, the development of plastic alternatives is being promoted. However, scientific data on the absence of toxicity of these alternatives is still lacking. The present study assesses the impact of petroleum-based fragmentable MP, oxo-polyethylene (oxoPE), and biobased biodegradable MP, polylactic acid (PLA), on the bivalve <em>Scrobicularia plana</em>. Clams were exposed for 21 days to environmental concentrations (0.008, 10 and 100 μg L<sup>−1</sup>) of both PLA and oxoPE MP and impacts were evaluated from individual to molecular levels. The effects of alternative MP were then compared with polyethylene MP ones, resulted from a previous study. An Integrative Biomarker Response - Threshold index (IBR-T) was calculated to assess the differences in toxicity between alternative and conventional plastics. An impact of PLA and oxoPE MP was shown on energy reserves, with a reduction in glycogen concentration in organisms exposed to the highest concentration (100 μg L<sup>−1</sup>). A decrease in burrowing was also reported in <em>S. plana</em> exposed to 0.008 and 100 µg L<sup>−1</sup> of PLA MP. At cellular and molecular levels, catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferases (GST) activities decreased after exposure to PLA MP (10 and 100 μg L<sup>−1</sup> respectively) suggesting a disruption of antioxidant and detoxication systems, while no impact was noted on DNA damage, whatever the biodegradable MP. Analysis using IBR-T revealed greater effects of PLA (100 μg L<sup>−1</sup>) on <em>S. plana</em> physiology compared to the different types of PE MP tested, while oxoPE MP showed limited toxicity. These findings support the importance of assessing the toxic effects of biodegradable and fragmentable MP to evaluate whether they can really be considered as a reliable alternative to conventional plastics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"291 ","pages":"Article 107680"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145732407","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 : 2025-12-08DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107679
Yan Costa Gonçalves , Suzana Luisa Alves Fernandes , Francisco Tadeu Rantin , Ana Lúcia Kalinin , Diana Amaral Monteiro
The global decline in amphibian populations has been well documented and is driven by multiple environmental stressors. Among these, the synergistic effects of chemical pollution and rising water temperatures can significantly contribute to ecological disturbances. Nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE), a surfactant widely used in sanitary and agrochemical products, has been detected in aquatic ecosystems. Despite its ecological relevance, the sublethal effects of NPE on amphibians, particularly under conditions of thermal stress, remain poorly understood. This study evaluated the effects of acute exposure (48 h) to an environmentally relevant concentration of NPE (30 µg L⁻¹) on Aquarana catesbeiana tadpoles under two thermal regimes (25 °C and 30 °C), including the potential interaction between these conditions. We assessed antioxidant enzymatic activities (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione S-transferase, and glutathione peroxidase), glutathione levels, and oxidative stress biomarkers (lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation) in hepatic, branchial, and muscular tissues. Neurotoxicity was assessed via acetylcholinesterase activity measurements in brain and muscle tissues. NPE exposure caused hepatotoxicity, oxidative damage and redox imbalance in gills and muscle, as well as inhibition of muscular acetylcholinesterase activity. Elevated temperature further depleted branchial antioxidant defenses, intensified oxidative stress in hepatic and muscular tissues, and induced central neurotoxicity. These findings demonstrate that sublethal exposure to NPE compromises redox balance and cholinergic function in a tissue-specific and temperature-dependent manner. The absence of regulatory limits for NPE in several countries represents a critical ecological threat, highlighting the urgent need to update aquatic environmental guidelines in the context of global warming.
全球两栖动物数量的减少已经有了很好的记录，这是由多种环境压力因素造成的。其中，化学污染和水温升高的协同效应对生态干扰有显著的促进作用。壬基酚聚氧乙酸酯（NPE）是一种广泛应用于卫生和农化产品的表面活性剂，在水生生态系统中被检测到。尽管与生态相关，但NPE对两栖动物的亚致死效应，特别是在热应激条件下，仍然知之甚少。本研究评估了急性暴露（48小时）于环境相关浓度的NPE （30 μ g L - 1）对两种热环境（25°C和30°C）下的Aquarana catesbeiana蝌蚪的影响，包括这些条件之间潜在的相互作用。我们评估了肝脏、鳃和肌肉组织中的抗氧化酶活性（超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化氢酶、谷胱甘肽s -转移酶和谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶）、谷胱甘肽水平和氧化应激生物标志物（脂质过氧化和蛋白质羰基化）。通过测量大脑和肌肉组织中的乙酰胆碱酯酶活性来评估神经毒性。NPE暴露引起肝毒性、鳃和肌肉氧化损伤和氧化还原失衡，以及肌肉乙酰胆碱酯酶活性抑制。升高的温度进一步削弱了鳃抗氧化防御，加剧了肝脏和肌肉组织的氧化应激，并诱发了中枢神经毒性。这些发现表明，亚致死暴露于NPE以组织特异性和温度依赖的方式损害氧化还原平衡和胆碱能功能。一些国家缺乏对NPE的监管限制，这是一种严重的生态威胁，突出表明迫切需要在全球变暖的背景下更新水生环境准则。
{"title":"Interactive effects of nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE) exposure and thermal stress on oxidative stress biomarkers and neurotoxicity in bullfrog tadpoles","authors":"Yan Costa Gonçalves , Suzana Luisa Alves Fernandes , Francisco Tadeu Rantin , Ana Lúcia Kalinin , Diana Amaral Monteiro","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107679","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107679","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The global decline in amphibian populations has been well documented and is driven by multiple environmental stressors. Among these, the synergistic effects of chemical pollution and rising water temperatures can significantly contribute to ecological disturbances. Nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE), a surfactant widely used in sanitary and agrochemical products, has been detected in aquatic ecosystems. Despite its ecological relevance, the sublethal effects of NPE on amphibians, particularly under conditions of thermal stress, remain poorly understood. This study evaluated the effects of acute exposure (48 h) to an environmentally relevant concentration of NPE (30 µg L⁻¹) on <em>Aquarana catesbeiana</em> tadpoles under two thermal regimes (25 °C and 30 °C), including the potential interaction between these conditions. We assessed antioxidant enzymatic activities (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione S-transferase, and glutathione peroxidase), glutathione levels, and oxidative stress biomarkers (lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation) in hepatic, branchial, and muscular tissues. Neurotoxicity was assessed via acetylcholinesterase activity measurements in brain and muscle tissues. NPE exposure caused hepatotoxicity, oxidative damage and redox imbalance in gills and muscle, as well as inhibition of muscular acetylcholinesterase activity. Elevated temperature further depleted branchial antioxidant defenses, intensified oxidative stress in hepatic and muscular tissues, and induced central neurotoxicity. These findings demonstrate that sublethal exposure to NPE compromises redox balance and cholinergic function in a tissue-specific and temperature-dependent manner. The absence of regulatory limits for NPE in several countries represents a critical ecological threat, highlighting the urgent need to update aquatic environmental guidelines in the context of global warming.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"291 ","pages":"Article 107679"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145704938","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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}
Pollution by micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) is a major concern today, with direct consequences for human health and the environment. Microalgae, among the main primary producers in aquatic ecosystems, suffer from MNPs contamination due to the worrying amount of plastic waste and its persistence in the environment. This problem has mobilized international organizations and raised awareness among the scientific community for the identification of effective solutions. Policies aimed at reducing plastic products, waste management, and recycling are attempting to limit this problem; however, plastic pollution appears to be irreversible. Therefore, a critical analysis of the effects of MNPs on various microorganisms (e.g., microalgae) is urgently needed. Therefore, the objective of this review was to identify the impact of micro- and nanoplastics on microalgal populations, based on the currently available literature. Particular attention was paid to available laboratory studies on MNPs effects on microalgae physiology - as growth rate, pigment content, photosynthetic activity, oxidative stress - and morphology, with the aim of providing an update on the state of the art.
{"title":"Micro/nanoplastic-induced stress in microalgae: Latest laboratory evidence and knowledge gaps","authors":"Amina Antonacci , Vincenzo Vedi , Sara Colella , Alessia Di Fraia , Manuela Rossi , Gabriella Fiorentino , Viviana Scognamiglio","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107677","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107677","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pollution by micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) is a major concern today, with direct consequences for human health and the environment. Microalgae, among the main primary producers in aquatic ecosystems, suffer from MNPs contamination due to the worrying amount of plastic waste and its persistence in the environment. This problem has mobilized international organizations and raised awareness among the scientific community for the identification of effective solutions. Policies aimed at reducing plastic products, waste management, and recycling are attempting to limit this problem; however, plastic pollution appears to be irreversible. Therefore, a critical analysis of the effects of MNPs on various microorganisms (e.g., microalgae) is urgently needed. Therefore, the objective of this review was to identify the impact of micro- and nanoplastics on microalgal populations, based on the currently available literature. Particular attention was paid to available laboratory studies on MNPs effects on microalgae physiology - as growth rate, pigment content, photosynthetic activity, oxidative stress - and morphology, with the aim of providing an update on the state of the art.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"291 ","pages":"Article 107677"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145689952","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 : 2025-12-05DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107678
Min Su , Dangen Gu , Le Liang , Zhendong Zhou , Chenchen Zhu , Jiaoyang Qi , Pu Wu , Tian Xu , Zhongguan Jiang
As emerging pollutants, micro-nanoplastics (MNPs), have been widely detected in aquatic ecosystems. When engaging with fish species, MNPs can be initially accumulated in fish gills and intestinal tract, followed by subsequent transportation to other tissues and organs through the circulatory system. However, the tissue-specific accumulation of MNPs in relation to size differences remains uncertain. In this study, continuous exposure experiments with MNPs of different particle sizes were conducted to evaluate tissue-specific accumulation and to examine associated biochemical responses. Generally, fish intestine and gills accumulated MNPs of all size, whereas fish muscle and brain only accumulated nano-sized MNPs. Specifically, fish muscle and brain showed significantly higher MNPs enrichment of 25 nm (vs. 250 nm), since they can easily pass through the intercellular spaces or be endocytosed within cells. In terms of time-dependent accumulations, fish intestines and gills exhibited rapid initial uptake followed by fluctuating variations of MNPs as exposing lasted, since these organs possess both a high capacity for MNP accessibility and elimination. However, fish liver and brain showed a monotonic increase in MNPs accumulation with continuous exposure, which can be ascribed to the difficulty in draining the metabolic waste of these organs. When examining toxic effects, both AChE and CYP450 enzyme activities in all exposure groups were significantly higher than the control group, indicating that MNPs triggered neurotoxicity and metabolic detoxification. Our study highlights considering size and tissue-specific accumulations of MNPs when planning MNPs control for fish health and fishery products safety.
{"title":"Size-dependent and tissue specific accumulation of polystyrene microplastics and nanoplastics in zebrafish","authors":"Min Su , Dangen Gu , Le Liang , Zhendong Zhou , Chenchen Zhu , Jiaoyang Qi , Pu Wu , Tian Xu , Zhongguan Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107678","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107678","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As emerging pollutants, micro-nanoplastics (MNPs), have been widely detected in aquatic ecosystems. When engaging with fish species, MNPs can be initially accumulated in fish gills and intestinal tract, followed by subsequent transportation to other tissues and organs through the circulatory system. However, the tissue-specific accumulation of MNPs in relation to size differences remains uncertain. In this study, continuous exposure experiments with MNPs of different particle sizes were conducted to evaluate tissue-specific accumulation and to examine associated biochemical responses. Generally, fish intestine and gills accumulated MNPs of all size, whereas fish muscle and brain only accumulated nano-sized MNPs. Specifically, fish muscle and brain showed significantly higher MNPs enrichment of 25 nm (vs. 250 nm), since they can easily pass through the intercellular spaces or be endocytosed within cells. In terms of time-dependent accumulations, fish intestines and gills exhibited rapid initial uptake followed by fluctuating variations of MNPs as exposing lasted, since these organs possess both a high capacity for MNP accessibility and elimination. However, fish liver and brain showed a monotonic increase in MNPs accumulation with continuous exposure, which can be ascribed to the difficulty in draining the metabolic waste of these organs. When examining toxic effects, both AChE and CYP450 enzyme activities in all exposure groups were significantly higher than the control group, indicating that MNPs triggered neurotoxicity and metabolic detoxification. Our study highlights considering size and tissue-specific accumulations of MNPs when planning MNPs control for fish health and fishery products safety.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"291 ","pages":"Article 107678"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145689954","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 : 2025-12-04DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107671
Helena Costa, Maud Van Essche, Juliane A. Riedel, Akash Gupta, Audun H. Rikardsen, Anders Goksøyr, Pierre Blévin, Mikael Harju, Laura Pirard, Susan Bengston Nash, Sofie Sødestrøm, Courtney A. Waugh
Killer whales (Orcinus orca) accumulate high levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which have been linked to immunomodulation. Over the past decades, large-scale mortality events associated with cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV) have affected cetacean populations, and concerns have been raised about the role of contaminants in exacerbating these outbreaks. However, establishing cause-effect relationships in free-roaming cetaceans remains a significant challenge. In vitro approaches present unique potential for furthering our understanding of the effects of multiple environmental stressors in marine mammal health. In this study, we used primary fibroblasts cultured from wild Norwegian killer whale skin biopsies (n = 6) to assess how exposure to POP mixtures affects cell viability and CeMV replication. Our findings demonstrate that CeMV successfully replicates in killer whale fibroblasts, with the viral replication significantly increasing over the duration of the experiment. POP exposure led to a concentration-dependent decrease in cell viability and a significant increase in viral replication. These results validate killer whale primary fibroblasts as a valuable in vitro tool for the study of co-exposure of POPs and morbillivirus on toothed cetaceans. Moreover, these findings support the need for further research to confirm the role of contaminants in intensifying the severity of CeMV infections in the wild.
{"title":"A whale in a well: Co-exposure of a persistent organic pollutant mixture and cetacean morbillivirus on killer whale (Orcinus orca) primary fibroblasts","authors":"Helena Costa, Maud Van Essche, Juliane A. Riedel, Akash Gupta, Audun H. Rikardsen, Anders Goksøyr, Pierre Blévin, Mikael Harju, Laura Pirard, Susan Bengston Nash, Sofie Sødestrøm, Courtney A. Waugh","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107671","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107671","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Killer whales (<em>Orcinus orca</em>) accumulate high levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which have been linked to immunomodulation. Over the past decades, large-scale mortality events associated with cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV) have affected cetacean populations, and concerns have been raised about the role of contaminants in exacerbating these outbreaks. However, establishing cause-effect relationships in free-roaming cetaceans remains a significant challenge. <em>In vitro</em> approaches present unique potential for furthering our understanding of the effects of multiple environmental stressors in marine mammal health. In this study, we used primary fibroblasts cultured from wild Norwegian killer whale skin biopsies (<em>n</em> = 6) to assess how exposure to POP mixtures affects cell viability and CeMV replication. Our findings demonstrate that CeMV successfully replicates in killer whale fibroblasts, with the viral replication significantly increasing over the duration of the experiment. POP exposure led to a concentration-dependent decrease in cell viability and a significant increase in viral replication. These results validate killer whale primary fibroblasts as a valuable <em>in vitro</em> tool for the study of co-exposure of POPs and morbillivirus on toothed cetaceans. Moreover, these findings support the need for further research to confirm the role of contaminants in intensifying the severity of CeMV infections in the wild.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"291 ","pages":"Article 107671"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145689955","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 : 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107672
Tiantian Chen , Jiaqi Chen , Wenlong Dong , Shuqun Song , Weijun Tian , Caiwen Li
As emerging contaminants, benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers (BUVSs) have been frequently detected in aquatic environments, which usually co-occur with heavy metals and cause complex toxicity to aquatic organisms. However, the specific role of BUVSs in the combined toxicity remains poorly understood. Herein, a harmful marine dinoflagellate Akashiwo sanguinea was used to explore the individual and combined toxicities of UV-234 and cadmium (Cd2+). Exposure to UV-234 at an environmental concentration (10 μg L−1) slightly inhibited algal growth (P > 0.05). Individual exposure to both low (1.77 mg L−1) and high (5.30 mg L−1) concentrations of Cd2+ significantly impaired algal photosynthesis by altering photosynthetic pigments, disrupting energy absorption, dissipation and trapping, reaction center activation, and electron transport, thereby inducing oxidative stress, and up-regulated pyruvate metabolism and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Notably, co-exposure with UV-234 mitigated the toxic effects induced by Cd2+, and caused weaker inhibition of algal growth via inducing less substantial oxidative damage. These findings highlight the significant influence of UV-234 and Cd2+ co-exposure on marine dinoflagellates, providing new insights into the joint toxicity mechanisms and a scientific basis for environmental risk assessment of emerging BUVSs.
{"title":"Combined effects of benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers and cadmium on physiological performance of marine dinoflagellate Akashiwo sanguinea","authors":"Tiantian Chen , Jiaqi Chen , Wenlong Dong , Shuqun Song , Weijun Tian , Caiwen Li","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107672","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107672","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As emerging contaminants, benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers (BUVSs) have been frequently detected in aquatic environments, which usually co-occur with heavy metals and cause complex toxicity to aquatic organisms. However, the specific role of BUVSs in the combined toxicity remains poorly understood. Herein, a harmful marine dinoflagellate <em>Akashiwo sanguinea</em> was used to explore the individual and combined toxicities of UV-234 and cadmium (Cd<sup>2+</sup>). Exposure to UV-234 at an environmental concentration (10 μg L<sup>−1</sup>) slightly inhibited algal growth (<em>P</em> > 0.05). Individual exposure to both low (1.77 mg L<sup>−1</sup>) and high (5.30 mg L<sup>−1</sup>) concentrations of Cd<sup>2+</sup> significantly impaired algal photosynthesis by altering photosynthetic pigments, disrupting energy absorption, dissipation and trapping, reaction center activation, and electron transport, thereby inducing oxidative stress, and up-regulated pyruvate metabolism and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Notably, co-exposure with UV-234 mitigated the toxic effects induced by Cd<sup>2+</sup>, and caused weaker inhibition of algal growth via inducing less substantial oxidative damage. These findings highlight the significant influence of UV-234 and Cd<sup>2+</sup> co-exposure on marine dinoflagellates, providing new insights into the joint toxicity mechanisms and a scientific basis for environmental risk assessment of emerging BUVSs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"291 ","pages":"Article 107672"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145689956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107663
Sazal Kumar , Wayne A. O’Connor , Allison C. Luengen , Frederic D.L. Leusch , Steve D. Melvin , Chenglong Ji , Junfei Zhan , Geoff R. MacFarlane
In estuaries, aquatic organisms are often exposed to estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EEDCs), including 17β-estradiol (E2) and nonylphenol (NP), which affect physiology and metabolism. This study evaluated metabolic profiles of Sydney rock oysters (Saccostrea glomerata) using 1HNMR -based metabolomics after acute (14 days), pulse (14 days exposure followed by 14 days depuration), and chronic (28 days) exposure of E2 at 200 ng/L and NP at 5000 ng/L. Only acute exposure to both E2 and NP led to marked metabolic perturbations. Energy and stress-related metabolites including adenosine monophosphate, succinate, acetoacetate, and glutamate significantly increased in acute treatments compared to controls, suggesting heightened energy demand to cope with oxidative and osmotic stress. However, the metabolites from pulse and chronic exposure treatments were not significantly different from the control. Such responses highlight a time-dependent adaptation of molluscs, similar to depuration. E2 is expected to be more rapidly metabolised in molluscs than NP, leading to comparatively slower metabolic adaptation of molluscs to NP exposure. Finally, this study emphasizes that oysters have a time-dependent adaptive mechanism to cope with EEDC exposure.
{"title":"Acute disturbance, but chronic re-equilibration of the oyster metabolome to 17β-estradiol and nonylphenol exposure","authors":"Sazal Kumar , Wayne A. O’Connor , Allison C. Luengen , Frederic D.L. Leusch , Steve D. Melvin , Chenglong Ji , Junfei Zhan , Geoff R. MacFarlane","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107663","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107663","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In estuaries, aquatic organisms are often exposed to estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EEDCs), including 17β-estradiol (E2) and nonylphenol (NP), which affect physiology and metabolism. This study evaluated metabolic profiles of Sydney rock oysters (<em>Saccostrea glomerata</em>) using <sup>1</sup>HNMR -based metabolomics after acute (14 days), pulse (14 days exposure followed by 14 days depuration), and chronic (28 days) exposure of E2 at 200 ng/L and NP at 5000 ng/L. Only acute exposure to both E2 and NP led to marked metabolic perturbations. Energy and stress-related metabolites including adenosine monophosphate, succinate, acetoacetate, and glutamate significantly increased in acute treatments compared to controls, suggesting heightened energy demand to cope with oxidative and osmotic stress. However, the metabolites from pulse and chronic exposure treatments were not significantly different from the control. Such responses highlight a time-dependent adaptation of molluscs, similar to depuration. E2 is expected to be more rapidly metabolised in molluscs than NP, leading to comparatively slower metabolic adaptation of molluscs to NP exposure. Finally, this study emphasizes that oysters have a time-dependent adaptive mechanism to cope with EEDC exposure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"291 ","pages":"Article 107663"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145650842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107664
Anaïs H.R. Belfor, S. Schaack
Interest in the effects of pharmaceutical pollution on aquatic habitats has expanded with the growing number and increased distribution of drugs worldwide. In this study, we perform an experiment to examine the effects of two drugs, fluoxetine (known commercially as the anti-depressant Prozac™) and metformin (a widely-used diabetes medication), both of which are common freshwater contaminants. We investigated the effects of the two drugs alone and in combination on Daphnia magna in both in crowded and non-crowded conditions in order to understand how pharmaceutical pollution and naturally-occurring environmental cues might interact to shape phenotypic traits and gene expression. We assayed fecundity, respiration, transgenerational effects, and gene expression levels for three genes. Pharmaceuticals affected offspring, respiration, and gene expression, while crowding affected fecundity. Specifically, fluoxetine induced male production and metformin made offspring sickly. Overall, these drugs and their combination had detectable impacts on many traits, and in some cases the effects depended on crowding conditions. Daphnia, a model system in ecology and ecotoxicology, provides myriad insights into the effects of pollutants, both because of its key role in freshwater food webs and its ability to serve as an experimental system to determine sublethal and lethal effects. Our findings contribute to our current understanding of pharmaceutical pollution and suggest that investigating the risks using more real-world scenarios is important for the maintenance of freshwater drinking supplies and freshwater ecosystems.
{"title":"The effects of fluoxetine and metformin pollution on phenotypic traits and gene expression in Daphnia magna","authors":"Anaïs H.R. Belfor, S. Schaack","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107664","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107664","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Interest in the effects of pharmaceutical pollution on aquatic habitats has expanded with the growing number and increased distribution of drugs worldwide. In this study, we perform an experiment to examine the effects of two drugs, fluoxetine (known commercially as the anti-depressant Prozac™) and metformin (a widely-used diabetes medication), both of which are common freshwater contaminants. We investigated the effects of the two drugs alone and in combination on <em>Daphnia magna</em> in both in crowded and non-crowded conditions in order to understand how pharmaceutical pollution and naturally-occurring environmental cues might interact to shape phenotypic traits and gene expression. We assayed fecundity, respiration, transgenerational effects, and gene expression levels for three genes. Pharmaceuticals affected offspring, respiration, and gene expression, while crowding affected fecundity. Specifically, fluoxetine induced male production and metformin made offspring sickly. Overall, these drugs and their combination had detectable impacts on many traits, and in some cases the effects depended on crowding conditions. <em>Daphnia</em>, a model system in ecology and ecotoxicology, provides myriad insights into the effects of pollutants, both because of its key role in freshwater food webs and its ability to serve as an experimental system to determine sublethal and lethal effects. Our findings contribute to our current understanding of pharmaceutical pollution and suggest that investigating the risks using more real-world scenarios is important for the maintenance of freshwater drinking supplies and freshwater ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"291 ","pages":"Article 107664"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145657337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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}
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