Current European Union regulation regarding polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) in food and feed is based on Toxic Equivalent Quotient (TEQ) concept. For confirmatory purpose, the isotope-dilution method associated to a measurement by gas chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry is usually the method of choice for precisely measuring the 29 target congeners in three separated fractions. Time and cost related to these analyses are very significant. Various kinds of screening concepts can be considered. In the present study, we elaborated and validated a prediction model for the 2005 World Health Organization TEQ in fish, based on the measurement of 4 PCDD/F and 2 non-ortho dl-PCB congeners, potentially analyzable in a single extracted fraction by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Large independent datasets have been used for model elaboration (n = 108) and validation (n = 363, n = 357 and n = 6). This study describes a statistical regression model approach for screening PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs in fish.

We evaluated whether life-time exposure to PFOS affects egg development, hatching, larval development, survival, metamorphosis and body mass of Enallagma cyathigerum (Insecta: Odonata). Eggs and larvae were exposed to five concentrations ranging from 0 to 10 000 μg/L. Our results show reduced egg hatching success, slower larval development, greater larval mortality, and decreased metamorphosis success with increasing PFOS concentration. PFOS had no effect on egg developmental time and hatching or on mass of adults. Eggs were the least sensitive stage (NOEC = 10 000 μg/L). Larval NOEC values were 1000 times smaller (10 μg/L). Successful metamorphosis was the most sensitive response trait studied (NOEC < 10 μg/L). The NOEC value suggests that E. cyathigerum is amongst the most sensitive freshwater organisms tested. NOEC for metamorphosis is less than 10-times greater than the ordinary reported environmental concentrations in freshwater, but is more than 200-times smaller than the greatest concentrations measured after accidental releases. Long-term laboratory exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonic acid reduces survival and interferes with metamorphosis of Enallagma cyathigerum (Insecta: Odonata).

The spatial distribution of organochlorine pesticides (OCs) in soils and their potential for soil–air exchange was examined. The most prominent OCs were the DDTs (Geometric Mean, GM = 1.6 ng g−1), endosulfans (0.16 ng g−1), and toxaphenes (0.64 ng g−1). DDTs in soils of southern Mexico showed fresher signatures with higher FDDTe = p,p′-DDT/(p,p′-DDT + p,p′-DDE) and more racemic o,p′-DDT, while the signatures in the central and northern part of Mexico were more indicative of aged residues. Soil–air fugacity fractions showed that some soils are net recipients of DDTs from the atmosphere, while other soils are net sources. Toxaphene profiles in soils and air showed depletion of Parlar 39 and 42 which suggests that soil is the source to the atmosphere. Endosulfan was undergoing net deposition at most sites as it is a currently used pesticide. Other OCs showed wide variability in fugacity, suggesting a mix of net deposition and volatilization. Chemical profiles of residues and soil–air fugacities are used to assess the potential of soil as a source of organochlorine pesticides to the air of Mexico.

This study reports on the occurrence and behaviour of six pesticides and one metabolite in a small stream draining a vineyard catchment. Base flow and flood events were monitored in order to assess the variability of pesticide concentrations according to the season and to evaluate the role of sampling frequency on the evaluation of fluxes estimates. Results showed that dissolved pesticide concentrations displayed a strong temporal and spatial variability. A large mobilisation of pesticides was observed during floods, with total dissolved pesticide fluxes per event ranging from 5.7 × 10−3 g/Ha to 0.34 g/Ha. These results highlight the major role of floods in the transport of pesticides in this small stream which contributed to more than 89% of the total load of diuron during August 2007. The evaluation of pesticide loads using different sampling strategies and method calculation, showed that grab sampling largely underestimated pesticide concentrations and fluxes transiting through the stream. This work brings new insights about the fluxes of pesticides in surface water of a vineyard catchment, notably during flood events.

Agricultural wastes are a source of steroid estrogens and, if present, conjugated estrogens may add to the estrogen load released to soil and aquatic environments. Dairy shed effluent samples were collected from 18 farms for analysis of steroid estrogens by GC–MS, conjugated estrogens by LC–MS–MS, and estrogenic activity by E-screen in vitro bioassay. 17α-estradiol was found at highest concentrations (median 730 ng l−1), followed by estrone (100 ng l−1) and 17β-estradiol (24 ng l−1). Conjugated estrogens (estrone-3-sulfate, 17α-estradiol-3-sulfate and 17β-estradiol-3,17-disulfate) were measured in most samples (12–320 ng l−1). Median estrogenic activity was 46 ng l−1 17β-estradiol equivalents. Conjugated estrogens contributed up to 22% of the total estrogen load from dairy farming, demonstrating their significance. Steroid estrogens dominated overall estrogenic activity measured in the samples. Significantly, 17α-estradiol contributed 25% of overall activity, despite potency 2% that of 17β-estradiol, highlighting the importance in environmental risk assessments of this previously neglected compound. In rural ecosystems, 17α-estradiol and conjugated estrogens are significant sources of environmental estrogens from agricultural wastes.

Over the past 20 years, the focus of forest science on air pollution has moved from forest decline to a holistic framework of forest health, and from the effects on forest production to the ecosystem services provided by forest ecosystems. Hence, future research should focus on the interacting factorial impacts and resulting antagonistic and synergistic responses of forest trees and ecosystems. The synergistic effects of air pollution and climatic changes, in particular elevated ozone, altered nitrogen, carbon and water availability, must be key issues for research. Present evidence suggests air pollution will become increasingly harmful to forests under climate change, which requires integration amongst various stressors (abiotic and biotic factors, including competition, parasites and fire), effects on forest services (production, biodiversity protection, soil protection, sustained water balance, socio-economical relevance) and assessment approaches (research, monitoring, modeling) to be fostered. Interactions between air pollution and climate change effects on forest services demand long-term research approaches that integrate multi-factorial field experiments, monitoring and modeling.

Evaluation of health impacts arising from inhalation of pollutant particles <10 μm (PM10) is an active research area. However, lack of exposure data at high spatial resolution impedes identification of causal associations between exposure and illness. Biomagnetic monitoring of PM10 deposited on tree leaves may provide a means of obtaining exposure data at high spatial resolution. To calculate ambient PM10 concentrations from leaf magnetic values, the relationship between the magnetic signal and total PM10 mass must be quantified, and the exposure time (via magnetic deposition velocity (MVd) calculations) known. Birches display higher MVd (∼5 cm−1) than lime trees (∼2 cm−1). Leaf saturation remanence values reached ‘equilibrium’ with ambient PM10 concentrations after ∼6 ‘dry’ days (<3 mm/day rainfall). Other co-located species displayed within-species consistency in MVd; robust inter-calibration can thus be achieved, enabling magnetic PM10 biomonitoring at unprecedented spatial resolution.

The purpose of this paper was to use quantitative systems-level approach employing biotic ligand model based threshold damage model to examine physiological responses of tilapia and freshwater clam to sequential pulsed and fluctuating arsenic concentrations. We tested present model and triggering mechanisms by carrying out a series of modeling experiments where we used periodic pulses and sine-wave as featured exposures. Our results indicate that changes in the dominant frequencies and pulse timing can shift the safe rate distributions for tilapia, but not for that of freshwater clam. We found that tilapia increase bioenergetic costs to maintain the acclimation during pulsed and sine-wave exposures. Our ability to predict the consequences of physiological variation under time-varying exposure patterns has also implications for optimizing species growing, cultivation strategies, and risk assessment in realistic situations.

Spiroxamine [SPX] belongs to a spiroketalamine group of substances. The biodegradation of [1,3-dioxolane-4-14C]-SPX has been examined in 2 soils of different physicochemical properties. The total recovery of radioactivity from soils was 98.6-103.5% of that applied. The total amount of extractable radioactivity declined with a simultaneous increase in non-extractable radioactivity. Volatile organics were detected at lower levels; however, mineralization played a marked effect on the route of SPX dissipation. The half-life ranges between 37 and 44 d. SPX does not undergo any enantioselective degradation. 4 metabolites: despropyl-SPX, desethyl-SPX, SPX N-oxide and SPX acid were identified, applying mass spectrometric technique. Sorption-desorption data fitted well with a Freundlich model in log form (r2, 0.99). KDsorp ranged between 44 and 230, suggesting SPX ought to be considered as a substance with low leaching potential [groundwater ubiquity score (GUS), <1.8]. Furthermore, an overall low desorption of 1–11% indicates firm retention of SPX by the soils.

We exposed flour beetles (Tribolium castaneum) to a mixture of four poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The experimental setup was chosen such that the emphasis was on assessing partial effects. We interpreted the effects of the mixture by a process-based model, with a threshold concentration for effects on survival. The behavior of the threshold concentration was one of the key features of this research. We showed that the threshold concentration is shared by toxicants with the same mode of action, which gives a mechanistic explanation for the observation that toxic effects in mixtures may occur in concentration ranges where the individual components do not show effects. Our approach gives reliable predictions of partial effects on survival and allows for a reduction of experimental effort in assessing effects of mixtures, extrapolations to other mixtures, other points in time, or in a wider perspective to other organisms. We show a mechanistic approach to assess effects of mixtures in low concentrations.