Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology最新文献

Water scarcity can intensify streamflow reduction, alter hydromorphology, increase chemical pollution, and disrupt resource exchange between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. However, the effects of streamflow reduction on pesticide concentrations in sediment, and how these changes influence aquatic insect emergence and riparian spider communities, remain poorly understood. We conducted a 39-day mesocosm experiment in Southwest Germany using 12 artificial stream mesocosm with adjacent riparian areas, randomly assigned to low-flow (0.4 L s⁻¹) treatment or control (1 L s⁻¹) to simulate flow alteration. We sampled water daily (47 days), sediment (weeks 4 and 6), emerging insects (weekly for 5 weeks), and riparian spiders (week 6). Our results show that under low-flow conditions, the mean sediment pesticide concentrations increased slightly stronger from week 4 to week 6, compared to the control. However, the high variability within treatments resulted in no significant differences between the treatments. Low flow caused a 2.9-fold reduction in the total abundance of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT), while total emerging insects (abundance and biomass) and spider abundance were not affected significantly. However, the web-building spider Tetragnatha sp. was 2.6-fold less abundant under low-flow conditions, likely due to vegetation–habitat-related responses and reduced EPT abundance, while the ground-hunting Lycosidae were unaffected, owing to their active hunting behavior and generalist strategy. These findings highlight the need to consider cross-ecosystem effects when assessing the ecological impacts of hydrological alterations in contaminated aquatic ecosystems.

Aquatic insect larvae in high mountain streams reflect natural changes in water chemistry, making them effective bioindicators of ecosystem health. Changes in element accumulation in the bodies of larvae from the functional feeding groups scrapers and predators were monitored over a 5-year period (2019–2023). We aimed to evaluate long-term and seasonal trends in the accumulation of selected elements and to assess whether these patterns were linked to hydrological conditions or reflected post-disturbance recovery. Element concentrations were measured using ED-XRF spectrometry. Principal component analysis was used to identify accumulation patterns and their relationships with water flow rate and total dissolved solids (TDS). In scrapers, principal component (PC) 1 indicated general element accumulation, which varied significantly by year and season. PC2 showed increased in iron, copper, zinc, and lead with decreased in phosphorus and sulphur, with significant seasonal variation. PC3 linked an increase in iron and barium with higher flows and reduced chlorine and TDS, showing notable variation across years and seasons. In predators, PC1 also represented general element accumulation but involved fewer elements than scrapers. PC2 showed increased chromium and copper with higher flows and lower TDS, and PC3 indicated increased sulphur with higher flow and decreased zinc. Unlike scrapers, predators did not exhibit significant interannual variation, though seasonal variations were evident. These findings suggest that scrapers are more responsive to long-term environmental changes, while seasonal accumulation patterns in both groups are influenced by stream flow, food availability, and physiological changes during ontogeny.

Behaviour is a crucial variable for assessing the fitness of animals, providing indication of their interactions with environmental stressors, particularly toxicant exposure. However, incorporating behavioural variables into bioassays requires a better understanding of individual behaviour. Most bioassays focus on the toxicant effects on the average behaviour of the studied population, assuming that all individuals in the population respond similarly to toxicant exposure. Consequently, this oversight may reduce the predictive accuracy and environmental relevance of toxicity bioassays. This study investigates the effects of unionized ammonia and fluoride ion exposure (28 days) on individual behaviour and reproduction of the aquatic snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum. Each bioassay included one control and three toxicant concentrations, with 20 animals per treatment group. Behaviour and reproduction of each animals were monitored individually over 28-day period. Results showed that the two highest concentrations of both toxicants caused significant changes in individual snail behaviour. Both individual behaviour and reproduction exhibited a similar level of sensitivity to these toxicants. This study shows that individual behaviour can be as effective as reproductive metrics in detecting toxicant exposure. Therefore, to maintain the sensitivity of behavioural bioassays, it is essential to carefully analyse individual behavioural responses in aquatic snails.

The contamination of soil, water, and air by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) allows the transfer of metals to food. When introduced into food through soil, PTEs are absorbed by plant roots and transported to the bloodstream. The region surrounding Sepetiba Bay (SB), a densely populated area intensively exploited for tourist purposes, is one of the most contaminated by PTEs in the southeastern region of Brazil. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate (by ICP-MS) the concentrations of PTEs in agricultural products (roots, fruits, leaves, seeds, cheese, and eggs) cultivated and sold by rural producers in the region surrounding SB. The 26 food types selected for this study were produced in this region and purchased at local markets. The results for the analyzed foods revealed relatively high concentrations of Zn > Cu > Ni > Cr > As > Pb > Co > Hg > Cd, exceeding the limits established by ANVISA and international laws. Cluster analysis (CA) and principal component analysis (PCA) grouped the PTEs according to their possible sources: ore transport (Zn, Cu, Pb, and Cd), natural (Hg, Cr, and Ni), and fertilizers (Co and As). The CA allowed us to distinguish two main food groups in terms of the enrichment of PTEs. Group 1 contains leaves, animal products, and seeds with higher levels of Hg, Cr, Ni, Co, and As. Group 2 includes roots and fruits, which have higher concentrations of Zn, Cu, Pb, and Cd than Group 1. The Hazard Quotient (HQ) suggests that As and Cr pose a higher risk in foods of CA-Group 1 (leaves, animal products, and seeds). Hazard Index (HI) values > 1 indicate a risk of probable long-term carcinogenesis in adults. Thus, this study reveals that the continued consumption of food produced in the region surrounding SB could cause health problems for the local population.

The impact of various human activities on protected environments remains a significant concern. Mining for ores is crucial in many aspects of society. To achieve global decarbonisation, more metals are required, which will lead to increased worldwide metal exploration and mining. Zambia is primarily a mining country and has expanded exploration into protected lands (national parks). The effects of this exploration on these protected areas is ongoing. This study aimed to establish baseline data for monitoring metal pollution in the Lower Zambezi National Park before mining commenced. It also evaluated whether tourism influenced metal pollution in national parks and how these metals and metalloids correlate within tree bark and soils. To accomplish this, soil and Acacia tree bark samples were collected from Lower Zambezi National Park and Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park. Arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) were analysed in this study. The concentrations of metals and metalloids were higher in areas with vehicular traffic and mining activity in the national parks, which may directly impact the biosystems in those areas. Maximum levels of metals in soil in these areas were as follows: As 40.8 mg/kg, Cd 0.879 mg/kg, Cr 241 mg/kg, Hg 1.1 mg/kg, Pb 211 mg/kg, and Zn 1285 mg/kg. When compared to areas of lower anthropogenic activities, differences in metal concentrations were up to 1000-fold. These changes can potentially affect the adaptation of wildlife to various stressors, especially as we are facing global climate change.

This study demonstrates the naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs: ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K) in vegetables and their corresponding agricultural soil samples collected from southeastern Bangladesh (Chittagong). Elemental abundances measured by neutron activation analysis have been converted into associated radioactivities. Mean_n=30 specific radioactivities of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K in soil were 43.5, 61.5, and 645.2 Bq kg⁻¹, respectively, which were relatively higher compared to the corresponding recommended values. Activities of NORMs in vegetables (edible parts) ranged (Bq kg⁻¹) from 1.75 to 16(²²⁶Ra), 0.8–23.09(²³²Th), and 174–1743(⁴⁰K), which were higher than the corresponding recommended values, respectively. Higher radioactivity in the studied vegetables is mostly attributable to the fertilizer usages (specifically phosphate, potash, and organic fertilizers) and irrigation processes. Average_n=9 transfer factors of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K for under-surface vegetables (e.g., potato) were 0.078, 0.0933, and 0.799, whereas their average_n=21 TFs for over-surface vegetables (e.g., tomato) were 0.078, 0.102, and 1.5, respectively. Human health concerns are demonstrated by estimating standard radiological-risk indices. The cancer risks of the tomato sample surpass the allowable limit (3.5 × 10⁻³ Sv⁻¹). Estimated ingestion dose was higher in tomato, okra, yardlong bean, and eggplant compared to the corresponding world average (290 µSv y⁻¹). Ingestion of NORMs through the uptake of vegetables can cause severe damage to the different tissues of digestive system by receiving alpha-radiations from the decay products of ²³⁸U and ²³²Th. Optimized usages of chemical fertilizers, crop rotation, and elevated use of organic compost fertilizers are recommended for controlling the NORMs abundances in the edible part of the vegetables.

Wetlands play an important role in biogeochemical cycles, as their hydrological and edaphic properties drive chemical reactions that facilitate the storage or transfer of various elements. Some herbaceous wetlands are ecosystems dominated by grass-like communities, sedges and rushes, and the information available at international level reveals they are poorly studied ecosystems in terms of elemental analysis. This research seeks to contribute to the understanding of herbaceous wetlands producing an inventory of essential and non-essential elements, the latter expected to be increased from the direct interaction of the wetland with a road. Several elements, divided into four major groups (macro-elements, micro-elements, trace elements and non-essential elements), were quantitatively analyzed in five environmental matrices (interstitial water, sediments, vegetal aerial parts and roots, and snail shells) as well as urban dust, for the purpose of finding out whether urban dust from the road was a fixed source of non-essential elements for the wetland. Based on our findings, we report the presence of 24 elements (calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, nickel, chromium, manganese, copper, zinc, silicon, barium, cobalt, molybdenum, selenium, vanadium, sodium, aluminum, cadmium, lead, antimony, arsenic, thallium and mercury), not all of them reported in all samples. We found several elements in highest concentrations in the portion of the wetland closest to the road, in water (Cu and Tl), sediments (Fe, Cr, Cu, V and Tl), aerial tissue of the plants (Mn, Co, V, Cd, Pb and As) and plants roots (Ni, Cr, Cu, Zn, Co, Mo, V, Al, Cd, Se, Pb and As). These elements overlap with those found in urban dust (Fe, Ni, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ba, Co, V, Cd, Pb, As, Tl), supporting the hypothesis that the road might be a source of both essential and non-essential elements to the wetland.

Since the recognition of mercury as a global pollutant, studies have aimed to provide information on its biogeochemical trends and risks to humans and the environment. Mostly focused on aquatic matrices, mercury biomagnification studies have indicated sensitive populations and trends to mercury in the environment. Nonetheless there is still an information gap on mercury behavior in terrestrial ecosystems, especially those located in tropical developing countries. Due to its relevance to biodiversity conservation, tropical high-altitude grasslands, located in the Atlantic Forest, represent a great opportunity to study mercury’s behavior on mountainous sites. Thus, the main goals of this study were: to determine the occurrence of total mercury in high-altitude small mammals in Brazil, evaluating morphometric parameters, genus, sex and spatial variations over Hg bioaccumulation dynamics; to measure δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N stable isotopic values in biologic tissues as tool to understand the role of ecological interactions and their influence of Hg in food webs; and to assess the potential of Hg biomagnification in tropical high-altitude small mammal food webs. To achieve these aims, sampling campaigns were carried out at Itatiaia and Serra dos Órgãos National Parks (SE Brazil), collecting small mammal species in campos de altitude and cloud forest systems. For total mercury quantification, a CvAAS and, for (carbon and nitrogen) stable isotope measurements, an ICP-MS were used. We found mercury concentrations ranging from 12.5 to 2022 μg/kg, δ¹⁵N ranging from 1.61 to 7.02‰ and δ¹³C ranging from −27.30 to −10.45‰ and TMS values of: 0.65 for Serra dos Órgãos National Park and 0.39 for Itatiaia National Park. The present work provides an initial screen of mercury in Brazilian tropical uplands vertebrates and its mobility through the food web. This is the first report of mercury biomagnification in terrestrial mammals in Brazil.

The Canyon of Caprera (Mediterranean Sea) hosts high biodiversity, including threatened filter-feeding vertebrates such as the basking shark and fin whale. Due to their elusive nature, mobility and conservation status, direct contaminant assessment in these species is often challenging. To address this limitation, the present study focuses on zooplankton, an essential prey and bioindicator, to indirectly assess the levels of persistent organic pollutants and trace elements (TEs) in their feeding grounds. This approach provides a noninvasive method to estimate potential pollutant exposure in vulnerable megafauna and to evaluate the associated risks of pollutant transfer through the food web. Zooplankton samples accumulated mean PCB and DDT levels of 31.3 ± 17.5 ng g⁻¹ and 19.8 ± 15.3 ng g⁻¹ dry weight (dw), respectively. Regarding TEs, zooplankton exhibited high levels of essential TEs (e.g., Fe 778 ± 640 mg kg⁻¹ dw), while nonessential TEs were found in lower concentrations (e.g., Hg 0.1 ± 0.1 mg kg⁻¹ dw). Potential daily pollutant intake by the filter-feeding species was estimated using published zooplankton consumption rates, highlighting a significant pathway for contaminant transfer. Zooplankton contaminant levels exceeded the Environmental Quality Standard for Hg and the Maximum Allowable Limits established for foodstuff for Cr, Cd, Cu, Zn, As, Pb, suggesting potential risk for the aquatic environment, with implications for zooplankton feeders. These results demonstrate the utility of zooplankton as a noninvasive proxy for contaminant exposure in threatened marine megafauna and highlight the importance of monitoring pollution in key Mediterranean habitats.

Graphical abstract

Lichen collections may contribute to a better understanding of past environmental conditions. By analysing herbarium specimens and recently collected material of the lichen Lobaria pulmonaria, this study reconstructs six decades (1960–2022) of air quality changes in remote forests of Central Europe (the Western Carpathians). Twenty specimens were selected for retrospective analysis of major and trace elements (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, S, Sb, and Zn), focusing on both historical and current background concentrations. The results revealed peaks of potentially toxic elements (As, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, S, and Sb) up to 1989, with a progressive decline observed thereafter, particularly for Pb following the introduction of unleaded gasoline. Background element concentrations from 1960 to 1989 were at least four times higher than actual levels. The study highlights the value of herbarium collections for reconstructing air pollution history and tracking changes in background element concentrations in remote areas, particularly when alternative data sources are unavailable. It also addresses both the opportunities and limitations of this approach.