Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology最新文献

Nanoencapsulated geraniol (nGER) may be a promising alternative to currently used synthetic pesticides, as it combines the pesticidal effects of geraniol with the protection against environmental degradation provided by zein nanocapsules. Anurans are non-target organisms that are highly harmed by the effects of pesticides; however, studies investigating the effects caused by alternatives to pesticides in amphibians are scarce. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of nGER through behavioral analyses and muscle acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in Aquarana catesbeiana tadpoles exposed to different concentrations of nGER (1, 5, 10, and 20 mg L^-1). Characterization of the nanoparticles in the aquarium water over the exposure time (96 h) revealed similar sizes among the different groups. However, the concentration of particles in the higher concentrations (10 and 20 mg L^-1) decreased, indicating a process of aggregation and precipitation. The results of the biomarkers showed that these higher nGER concentrations induce lethargy in animals within 96 h of exposure. Though, induction of muscle AChE was only observed in animals exposed to 5 mg L^-1. Thus, the neuro-depressive effect of nGER appears to be unrelated to AChE activity in bullfrog tadpoles. Therefore, the hypothesis of this study was partially accepted since higher concentrations of nGER significantly altered the behavior of A. catesbeiana. However, this was not related to changes in AChE. As this is the first investigation into nGER toxicity in amphibians, the findings emphasize the importance of evaluating non-target organisms before considering alternative pesticides as sustainable.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and graphene oxide nanoparticles (GNs) have known health effects on humans and other organisms. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the bioaccumulation and depuration of AgNPs in guppy (Poecilia reticulata) tissues in the presence of GNs. In so doing, two non-lethal concentrations of AgNPs, one non-lethal concentration of GNs, and two concentrations of the combination of AgNPs and GNs were used along with a control group. Based on the results obtained, on day 28, the level of silver in the gill tissue was 0.980 and 1.22 mg/g in the individual groups and 1.34 and 1.23 mg/g in the combined groups, respectively. Conversely, the silver uptake in the intestine tissue on day 28 was 0.377 and 0.267 mg/g in the individual groups and 0.659 and 0.475 mg/g in the combined groups, respectively. Silver uptake in guppy tissues increased with higher concentrations and longer exposure times, and it varied depending on the specific tissues involved. Also, findings show that the depuration rate within 14 days for both tissues is similar across individual and mixture exposure modes, indicating a comparable capacity for the depuration of silver particles. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the presence of GNs has a synergistic effect on the uptake of silver in guppy tissues.

Tin, a heavy metal, in trace amounts is believed to play various roles in the biological development of fish, including involvement in cell structure, enzyme activities, and the metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates. Two endocrine-disrupting chemicals, Tributyltin (TBT) and Triphenyltin (TPT), are prevalent in aquatic environments. This study examines the bioaccumulation of these compounds and their impact on oxidative stress enzymes. Zebrafish embryos were used to assess the acute toxicity of TBT, TPT, and SnCl₂. Toxicity tests were conducted on fertilized eggs using different concentrations of TBT, TPT, and SnCl₂ (0, 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 ng/L). The LC_{50, 96 h} values for TBT, TPT, and SnCl₂ in zebrafish embryos were 4.2, 8.7, and 12.56 ng/L, respectively. The study found an increase in the catalase (CAT) superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) for TBT, TPT, and SnCl₂. Moreover, TBT showed higher bioaccumulation than other compounds. The mortality rate was higher in embryos exposed to TBT, suggesting that embryos are more susceptible to TBT and can induce oxidative stress and disrupt the antioxidant equilibrium..

Growing evidence has indicated that mercury sulfide nanoparticles (HgS NPs) are the potential precursors for neurotoxic methylmercury. But how and which soil components affect HgS NP retention remains unclear. Here, we examined the retention of uncoated and humic acid coated HgS NPs in 18 natural soils with varied properties. Our results suggested that the K_r values (retention coefficients) for uncoated and humic acid HgS NPs were 2.46 × 10³ to 8.32 × 10⁵ L kg^{- 1} and 3.00 × 10³ to 2.73 × 10⁵ L kg^- 1, respectively. Soil properties (i.e., electrical conductivity, organic matter (OM), oxalate-extractable Fe and Mn) significantly affected the uncoated HgS NP retention, accounting for 69% of the variability in the K_r values. Meanwhile, OM exhibited a tendency to reduce coated HgS NP retention. Importantly, HgS NPs exhibited significant dissolution in representative soil porewaters. These findings highlight the soil property-dependent retention of HgS NPs in realistic environment.

Co-contamination of microplastics (MPs) and cadmium (Cd) has attracted attentions in forest soils due to their complex behaviors and ecological risks. This study investigates the interactions between MPs and Cd²⁺, focusing on effects of different types (polyethylene: PE, polybutylene succinate: PBS, poly-11-bromoundecyl acrylate: PBA), sizes (75-150 and 150-300 μm) and concentrations (1% and 10%) of MPs on soil properties. Results showed that MPs significantly influence contents of soil dissolved organic carbon and available nitrogen, while increased MPs concentrations reduced the dissolved organic matter (DOM) availability and decomposition. Adsorption and desorption of Cd²⁺ were higher in biodegradable MPs (PBS and PBA), with the Freundlich model providing a better fit for Cd²⁺ adsorption. Pearson correlation and redundancy analysis identified soil DOM, number of humic-like substances, and microbial by-products as key factors influencing Cd²⁺ behavior. These findings contribute to understanding risks of co-contamination by MPs and heavy metals in forest soils.

This study investigated how air, water, light, and salinity influence the release of three additives-phthalic acid esters (PAEs), organophosphate esters (OPEs), and organic ultraviolet absorbents (OUVAs)-from expanded polystyrene plastic (EPS). GC-MS/MS was used to quantify the concentrations of the three additives. The release kinetics and mechanisms under different conditions and the effects of various factors were analyzed. The release of PAEs and OPEs was more consistent with the first-order kinetics, while the release fitting of OUVAs was more in line with the second-order kinetics. Among all conditions, air exposure led to the highest release rates of PAEs (∑₁₆PAEs: k = 0.868 ng/g·day) and OPEs (∑₁₁OPEs: k = 0.927 ng/g·day). Compared to freshwater, seawater moderately inhibited EPS aging and additive release due to ion effects. Light significantly influenced both the rate and amount of additive release. Finally, the global release of plastic additives from EPS waste was estimated at 33.5k tons for PAEs, 646 tons for OPEs, and 420 tons for OUVAs.

In light of the environmental pollution risks, the effect of rainfall and flow conditions and addition of farmyard manure on leaching potential of mesosulfuron, iodosulfuron methyl and their transformation products (TPs) was evaluated. Leaching was higher under 300 mm rainfall compared to 150 mm. Discontinuous flow conditions led to lower residues of the parent herbicides but higher concentrations of their TPs. Among different TPs, mesosulfuron (M1), 2-[3-(4-hydroxy-6-methoxy pyrimidin-2-yl) ureido sulfonyl]- 4 - methane sulfonamido methyl benzoate (M2), metsulfuron methyl (I1) and methyl-2-(amino-sulfonyl) benzoate (I2) was detected. M2 has the highest mobility followed by M1 and I1 suggesting highest potential contamination risk of M2 to lower soil profiles and groundwater. Addition of farmyard manure to soil reduced leachability of both parent herbicides and TPs, highlighting its potential to mitigate groundwater contamination and providing a sustainable approach to minimizing herbicide pollution. However, future studies are required to assess the effect of various organic matter amendments on the leaching of herbicides.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental contaminants widely detected in water and sediment worldwide. Despite growing concerns about their ecological and health risks, their distribution in African aquatic environments remains understudied. This study addresses the knowledge gap in PFAS contamination by analysing the spatial and temporal distribution of 18 PFAS in Apies River water and sediment in Pretoria, South Africa. Surface water and sediment samples were collected upstream and downstream of the Apies River during dry seasons. The analysis of PFAS concentrations was conducted using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Statistical analysis, including paired t-tests, non-metric multidimensional scaling, and hierarchical cluster analysis, were applied to determine spatial and temporal trends. The study revealed significant spatial variations in PFAS contamination, with upstream locations consistently exhibiting higher concentrations than downstream. In surface water samples, L_PFBS, 4:2 FTS, 6:2 FTS, and L_PFHpS showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between sites. Perfluorocarboxylic acids were the dominant PFAS class in surface water (50.47-57.15%), whereas perfluorosulfonic acids were more prevalent in sediments. Upstream sediment had higher L_PFHpS (43.00 ng/g), L_PFDS (38.89 ng/g), and L_PFHxS (23.91 ng/g) than downstream (31.96, 27.84, and 18.02 ng/g, respectively). The findings reveal contamination sources and partitioning between surface water and sediments, aiding in water quality management and pollution mitigation strategies.

Increasing population, industrial developments and agricultural activities around Atatürk Dam Lake, the largest dam of Türkiye, are also increasing level of pollutants in this reservoir. Catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD), 8-Hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in tissues of Cyprinus carpio caught from Samsat (relatively clean), Sitilce (affected by domestic/industrial wastes) and Bozova (affected by agricultural activities) regions of dam lake were analyzed in this work. Significant declines in SOD, AChE and GSH (P < 0.05) and significant elevations in CAT, EROD, 8-OHdG and MDA (P < 0.05) were observed in fish from Sitilce and Bozova regions compared to Samsat region. In Sitilce and Bozova, while these elevations were 54% and 121% for EROD, 40% and 92% for 8-OHdG, these declines were 33% and 58% for SOD, 29% and 55% for AChE, respectively. Our research shows environmental pollutants cause oxidative damage and neurotoxicity in fish from Atatürk Dam Lake.

Microplastics (MPs) have been increasingly recognized as a pervasive environmental pollutant, with their presence extending to the atmosphere in urban, suburban, and even remote locations. Despite this, the precise sources of atmospheric microplastics remain elusive. Our study focuses on elucidating the contribution of textile industries to atmospheric microplastic pollution by investigating the atmospheric fallout within and around textile industrial areas. Samples of suspended MPs were collected over seven days from indoor and outdoor locations in six textile industries at Dhaka city, Bangladesh. Through examination using fluorescent microscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, we identified transparent and black microplastics, predominantly synthetic textile fibres with lengths ranging from 20 to 180 μm. Chemical analysis revealed polymers such as polyester, nylon, regenerated cellulose, and natural fibres among the observed microplastics. Deposition rates inside the textile factory ranged from 109.0 × 10³ to 245.3 × 10³ MPs/m²/day, while those outside ranged from 19.3 × 10³ to 72.7 × 10³ MPs/m²/day, indicating a significant contribution of textile operations to atmospheric microplastic contamination. Furthermore, we calculated the exposure of textile workers to microplastics through inhalation and ingestion, with average rates of 8.7 ± 4.3 mg/kg-Bw/year and 97.9 ± 17.5 mg/kg-Bw/year, respectively. These findings emphasize the substantial health risks faced by textile workers due to microplastic exposure. In conclusion, our study provides compelling evidence implicating the textile factory as a noteworthy source of atmospheric microplastic pollution. It is crucial to address this issue in order to reduce environmental contamination and protect the health of those employed in textile production plants.