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Prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers and birth outcomes Full text
2015
Chen, Limei | Wang, Caifeng | Cui, Chang | Ding, Guodong | Zhou, Yijun | Jin, Jun | Gao, Yu | Tian, Ying
This study aimed to examine the potential association between maternal PBDEs and birth outcomes, including birth weight (g), length (cm), head circumference (cm) and gestational age (week). 215 mothers were recruited from a prospective birth cohort in rural northern China between September 2010 and February 2012. Serum PBDE congeners were detected and their association with birth outcomes were examined. The median maternal serum concentrations of BDE-28, -47, -99, -100, -153 were 2.27, 2.26, 3.58, 2.13, 4.87 ng/g lipid, respectively. Maternal LgBDE-28 and LgBDE-100 were negatively associated with birth length (β = −0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI): −1.82, −0.02; β = −0.97, 95% CI: −1.83, −0.08). A negative association was found between LgBDE-28 and birth weight among male infants (β = −253.76, 95% CI: −438.16, −69.36). PBDE congeners were not associated with head circumference, or gestational age. Our results contribute to growing evidence suggesting that PBDEs have adverse effects on birth outcomes.
Show more [+] Less [-]Effects of soil and dietary exposures to Ag nanoparticles and AgNO3 in the terrestrial isopod Porcellionides pruinosus Full text
2015
Tourinho, Paula S. | van Gestel, Cornelis A.M. | Jurkschat, Kerstin | Soares, Amadeu M.V.M. | Loureiro, Susana
Effects of soil and dietary exposures to Ag nanoparticles and AgNO3 in the terrestrial isopod Porcellionides pruinosus Full text
2015
Tourinho, Paula S. | van Gestel, Cornelis A.M. | Jurkschat, Kerstin | Soares, Amadeu M.V.M. | Loureiro, Susana
The effects of Ag-NPs and AgNO3 on the isopod Porcellionides pruinosus were determined upon soil and dietary exposures. Isopods avoided Ag in soil, with EC50 values of ∼16.0 and 14.0 mg Ag/kg for Ag-NPs and AgNO3, respectively. Feeding inhibition tests in soil showed EC50s for effects on consumption ratio of 127 and 56.7 mg Ag/kg, respectively. Although similar EC50s for effects on biomass were observed for nanoparticulate and ionic Ag (114 and 120 mg Ag/kg dry soil, respectively), at higher concentrations greater biomass loss was found for AgNO3. Upon dietary exposure, AgNO3 was more toxic, with EC50 for effects on biomass change being >1500 and 233 mg Ag/kg for Ag-NPs and AgNO3, respectively. The difference in toxicity between Ag-NPs and AgNO3 could not be explained from Ag body concentrations. This suggests that the relation between toxicity and bioavailability of Ag-NPs differs from that of ionic Ag in soils.
Show more [+] Less [-]Effects of soil and dietary exposures to Ag nanoparticles and AgNO3 in the terrestrial isopod Porcellionides pruinosus Full text
2015 | 1000
Tourinho, Paula S. | van Gestel, Cornelis A. M. | Jurkschat, Kerstin | Soares, Amadeu M. V. M. | Loureiro, Susana
The effects of Ag-NPs and AgNO3 on the isopod Porcellionides pruinosus were determined upon soil and dietary exposures. Isopods avoided Ag in soil, with EC50 values of ~16.0 and 14.0 mg Ag/kg for Ag-NPs and AgNO3, respectively. Feeding inhibition tests in soil showed EC50s for effects on consumption ratio of 127 and 56.7 mg Ag/kg, respectively. Although similar EC50s for effects on biomass were observed for nanoparticulate and ionic Ag (114 and 120 mg Ag/kg dry soil, respectively), at higher concentrations greater biomass loss was found for AgNO3. Upon dietary exposure, AgNO3 was more toxic, with EC50 for effects on biomass change being >1500 and 233 mg Ag/kg for Ag-NPs and AgNO3, respectively. The difference in toxicity between Ag-NPs and AgNO3 could not be explained from Ag body concentrations. This suggests that the relation between toxicity and bioavailability of Ag-NPs differs from that of ionic Ag in soils.
Show more [+] Less [-]Genetic and physiological responses of three freshwater diatoms to realistic diuron exposures | Réponses génétiques et physiologiques de 3 espèces de diatomées d'eau douce à des expositions réalistes au diuron Full text
2015
Moisset, S. | Kim Tiam, S. | Feurtet Mazel, A. | Morin, Soizic | Delmas, François | Mazzella, Nicolas | Gonzalez, P. | Environnements et Paléoenvironnements OCéaniques (EPOC) ; École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE) ; Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL)-Université de Bordeaux (UB)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) | Ecosystèmes aquatiques et changements globaux (UR EABX) ; Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)
[Departement_IRSTEA]Eaux [TR1_IRSTEA]BELCA | International audience | This study examined the effects of diuron on strains of three major freshwater diatom species, Eolimna minima, Nitzschia palea and Planothidium lanceolatum. These species are frequently recorded in the Morcille river, where diuron runs off during phytosanitary treatments of the vineyards around. Here, there were three diatom exposure groups for each species: 0, 1 and 10µg/L diuron during a fourteen-day laboratory assessment. Diuron water concentration, cell number, photosynthetic activity and gene expression were assessed at 6h, 2, 7 and 14 days after contamination. Diuron exposure altered photosynthetic activity in that the optimal quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII) decreased between 40 and 50% and, for Planothidium lanceolatum at 10µg/L, there was complete inhibition. Genetic responses indicated diuron effects on both photosystem II and mitochondrial metabolism in all three species at both diuron exposure levels. Thus, analysis of the expression of psaA, d1, cox1, nad5 and 12s could be an early biomarker to detect pesticide pollution. Overall, this study revealed differences in diuron sensitivity among the three species: Eolimna minima and Nitzschia palea appeared to be more tolerant than Planothidium lanceolatum. These results suggest that the development of molecular tools, and more precisely of biomarkers, will aid in early assessment of contamination and water quality.
Show more [+] Less [-]Quantitative and qualitative assessment of the impact of climate change on a combined sewer overflow and its receiving water body Full text
2015
Gooré Bi, Eustache | Monette, Frédéric | Gachon, Philippe | Gasperi, Johnny | Perrodin, Yves | Department of Construction Engineering ; Université du Québec à Montréal = University of Québec in Montréal (UQAM) | Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) | Laboratoire Eau, Environnement et Systèmes Urbains (LEESU) ; AgroParisTech-Université Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée (UPEM)-École nationale des ponts et chaussées (ENPC)-Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne - Paris 12 (UPEC UP12) | Longueuil (Quebec, Canada) agglomeration
International audience | Projections from the Canadian Regional Climate Model (CRCM) for the southern part of the province of Québec, Canada, suggest an increase in extreme precipitation events for the 2050 horizon (2041–2070). The main goal of this study consisted in a quantitative and qualitative assessment of the impact of the 20 % increase in rainfall intensity that led, in the summer of 2013, to overflows in the “Rolland-Therrien” combined sewer system in the city of Longueuil, Canada. The PCSWMM 2013 model was used to assess the sensitivity of this overflow under current (2013) and future (2050) climate conditions. The simulated quantitative variables (peak flow, Q CSO, and volume discharged, VD) served as the basis for deriving ecotoxicological risk indices and event fluxes (EFs) transported to the St. Lawrence (SL) River. Results highlighted 15 to 500 % increases in VD and 13 to 148 % increases in Q CSO by 2050 (compared to 2013), based on eight rainfall events measured from May to October. These results show that (i) the relationships between precipitation and combined sewer overflow variables are not linear and (ii) the design criteria for current hydraulic infrastructure must be revised to account for the impact of climate change (CC) arising from changes in precipitation regimes. EFs discharged into the SL River will be 2.24 times larger in the future than they are now (2013) due to large VDs resulting from CC. This will, in turn, lead to excessive inputs of total suspended solids (TSSs) and tracers for numerous urban pollutants (organic matter and nutrients, metals) into the receiving water body. Ecotoxicological risk indices will increase by more than 100 % by 2050 compared to 2013. Given that substantial VDs are at play, and although CC scenarios have many sources of uncertainty, strategies to adapt this drainage network to the effects of CC will have to be developed.
Show more [+] Less [-]Assessment of the ecotoxicological risk of combined sewer overflows for an aquatic system using a coupled “substance and bioassay” approach Full text
2015
Goore Bi, Eustache | Monette, Frédéric | Gasperi, Johnny | Perrodin, Yves | Department of Construction Engineering ; Université du Québec à Montréal = University of Québec in Montréal (UQAM) | Department of Civil Engineering, City of Longueuil, | Laboratoire Eau Environnement et Systèmes Urbains (LEESU) ; AgroParisTech-École nationale des ponts et chaussées (ENPC)-Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne - Paris 12 (UPEC UP12)
International audience | Very few tools are available for assessing the im- pact of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) on receiving aquat- ic environments. The main goal of the study was to assess the ecotoxicological risk of CSOs for a surface aquatic ecosystem using a coupled “substance and bioassay” approach. Wastewater samples from the city of Longueuil, Canada CSO were collected for various rainfall events during one summer season and analyzed for a large panel of substances (n = 116).Fourbioassayswerealsoconductedonrepresenta- tive organisms of surface aquatic systems (Pimephales promelas, Ceriodaphnia dubia, Daphnia magna, and Oncorhynchus mykiss). The analytical data did not reveal any ecotoxicological risk for St. Lawrence River organisms, mainly due to strong effluent dilution. However, the substance approach showed that, because of their contribution to the ecotoxicological hazard posed by the effluent, total phospho- rus (Ptot), aluminum (Al), total residual chlorine, chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), pyrene, ammonia (N–NH4+), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) require more targeted monitoring. While chronic ecotoxicity tests revealed a potential impact of CSO dis- charges on P. promelas and C. dubia, acute toxicity tests did not show any effect on D. magna or O. mykiss, thus underscoring the importance of chronic toxicity tests as part of efforts aimed at characterizing effluent toxicity. Ultimately, the study leads to the conclusion that the coupled “substance and bioassay” approach is a reliable and robust method for assessing the ecotoxicological risk associated with complex discharges such as CSOs.
Show more [+] Less [-]Estimates of pesticide concentrations and fluxes in two rivers of an extensive French multi-agricultural watershed: application of the passive sampling strategy Full text
2015
Poulier, Gaëlle | Lissalde, Sophie | Charriau, Adeline | Buzier, Rémy | Cleries, Karine | Delmas, François | Mazzella, Nicolas | Guibaud, Gilles | Groupement de Recherche Eau, Sol, Environnement (GRESE) ; Université de Limoges (UNILIM) | Ecosystèmes aquatiques et changements globaux (UR EABX) ; Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)
[Departement_IRSTEA]Eaux [TR1_IRSTEA]BELCA | International audience | In this study, the passive sampling strategy was evaluated for its ability to improve water quality monitoring in terms of concentrations and frequencies of quantification of pesticides, with a focus on flux calculation. Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers (POCIS) were successively exposed and renewed at three sampling sites of an extensive French multi-agricultural watershed from January to September 2012. Grab water samples were recovered every 14 days during the same period and an automated sampler collected composite water samples from April to July 2012. 39 compounds (pesticides and metabolites) were analysed. Desethylatrazine, diuron and atrazine (banned in France for many years) likely arrived via groundwater whereas dimethanamid, imidacloprid and acetochlor (all still in use) were probably transported via leaching. The comparison of the three sampling strategies showed that the POCIS offers lower detection limits, resulting in the quantification of trace levels of compounds (acetochlor, diuron and desethylatrazine) that could not be measured in grab and composite water samples. As a consequence, the frequencies of occurrence were dramatically enhanced with the POCIS compared to spot sample data. Moreover, the integration of flood events led to a better temporal representation of the fluxes when calculated with the POCIS compared to the bimonthly grab sampling strategy. We concluded that the POCIS could be an advantageous alternative to spot sampling, offering better performance in terms of quantification limits, and more representative data.
Show more [+] Less [-]Influence of the natural growth environment on the sensitivity of phototrophic biofilm to herbicide | Influence du milieu naturel d'origine sur la sensibilité du biofilm phototrophe à un herbicide Full text
2015
Paule, Armelle | Lamy, A. | Roubeix, V. | Delmas, François | Rols, J.L. | Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) | Ecosystèmes aquatiques et changements globaux (UR EABX) ; Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)
Influence of the natural growth environment on the sensitivity of phototrophic biofilm to herbicide | Influence du milieu naturel d'origine sur la sensibilité du biofilm phototrophe à un herbicide Full text
2015
Paule, Armelle | Lamy, A. | Roubeix, V. | Delmas, François | Rols, J.L. | Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) | Ecosystèmes aquatiques et changements globaux (UR EABX) ; Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)
[Departement_IRSTEA]Eaux [TR1_IRSTEA]BELCA | International audience | Ecotoxicological experiments were performed in laboratory-scale microcosms to investigate community-level responses of river phototrophic biofilms from different environments to herbicide exposure. Biofilms were initially cultivated on artificial substrates placed in situ for 4 weeks at two sites, site M, located in an agricultural watershed basin and site S, located in a forested watershed basin. The biofilms were subsequently transferred to microcosms and, after an acclimatization phase of 7 days, were exposed to alachlor at 10 and 30 µg L-1 for 23 days. Alachlor effects were assessed by a combination of structural parameters, including biomass (ash free dry mass and chlorophyll a), molecular fingerprinting of the bacterial community (polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and diatom species composition. Alachlor impacted the chlorophyll a and ash-free dry mass levels of phototrophic biofilms previously cultivated at site S. The structural responses of bacterial and diatom communities and diatom were difficult to distinguish from changes linked to the microcosm incubation period. Phototrophic biofilms from site S exposed at 30 µg L-1 alachlor were characterised by an increase of Achnanthidium minutissimum (K-z.) Czarnecki abundance, as well as a higher proportion of abnormal frustules. Thus, phototrophic biofilms with different histories, exhibited different responses to alachlor exposure demonstrating the importance of growth environment. These observations also confirm the problem of distinguishing changes induced by the stress of pesticide toxicity from temporal evolution of the community in the microcosm.
Show more [+] Less [-]Influence of the natural growth environment on the sensitivity of phototrophic biofilm to herbicide Full text
2015
Paule, A. | Lamy, A. | Roubeix, V. | Delmas, F. | Rols, J. L.
Ecotoxicological experiments were performed in laboratory-scale microcosms to investigate community-level structural responses of river phototrophic biofilms from different environments to herbicide exposure. Biofilms were initially cultivated on artificial supports placed in situ for 4 weeks at two sites, site M, located in an agricultural watershed basin and site S, located in a forested watershed basin. The biofilms were subsequently transferred to microcosms and, after an acclimatisation phase of 7 days were exposed to alachlor at 10 and 30 μg L⁻¹ for 23 days. Alachlor effects were assessed by a combination of structural parameters, including biomass (ash-free dry mass and chlorophyll a), molecular fingerprinting of the bacterial community (polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE)) and diatom species composition. Alachlor impacted the chlorophyll a and ash-free dry mass levels of phototrophic biofilms previously cultivated at site S. The structural responses of bacterial and diatom communities were difficult to distinguish from changes linked to the microcosm incubation period. Phototrophic biofilms from site S exposed at 30 μg L⁻¹ alachlor were characterised by an increase of Achnanthidium minutissimum (K-z.) Czarnecki abundance, as well as a higher proportion of abnormal frustules. Thus, phototrophic biofilms with different histories, exhibited different responses to alachlor exposure demonstrating the importance of growth environment. These observations also confirm the problem of distinguishing changes induced by the stress of pesticide toxicity from temporal evolution of the community in the microcosm.
Show more [+] Less [-]Whole-tree seasonal nitrogen uptake and partitioning in adult Fagus sylvatica L. and Picea abies L. [Karst.] trees exposed to elevated ground-level ozone Full text
2015
Weigt, R.B. | Häberle, K.H. | Rötzer, T. | Matyssek, R.
The effect of long-term exposure of twice-ambient O3 (2 × O3) on whole-tree nitrogen (N) uptake and partitioning of adult beech and spruce was studied in a mixed forest stand, SE-Germany. N uptake as 15N tracer and N pools were calculated using N concentrations and biomass of tree compartments. Whole-tree N uptake tended to be lower under 2 × O3 in both species compared to trees under ambient O3 (1 × O3). Internal partitioning in beech showed significantly higher allocation of new N to roots, with mycorrhizal root tips and fine roots together receiving about 17% of new N (2 × O3) versus 7% (1 × O3). Conversely, in spruce, N allocation to roots was decreased under 2 × O3. These contrasting effects on belowground N partitioning and pool sizes, being largely consistent with the pattern of N concentrations, suggest enhanced N demand and consumption of stored N with higher relevance for tree-internal N cycling in beech than in spruce.
Show more [+] Less [-]Regionalized concentrations and fingerprints of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in German forest soils Full text
2015
Aichner, Bernhard | Bussian, Bernd M. | Lehnik-Habrink, Petra | Hein, Sebastian
Samples of 474 forest stands in Germany were analysed for concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in three sampling depths. Enhanced concentrations were mainly found at spots relatively close to densely industrialized and urbanized regions and at some topographically elevated areas. Average enrichment factors between mineral soil and humic layer depend on humus type i.e. decrease from mull via moder to mor. Based on their compound-patterns, the observed samples could be assigned to three main clusters. For some parts of our study area a uniform assignment of samples to clusters over larger regions could be identified. For instance, samples taken at vicinity to brown-coal strip-mining districts are characterized by high relative abundances of low-molecular-weight PAHs. These results suggest that PAHs are more likely originated from local and regional emitters rather than from long-range transport and that specific source-regions can be identified based on PAH fingerprints.
Show more [+] Less [-]Chromate and phosphate inhibited each other's uptake and translocation in arsenic hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata L Full text
2015
de Oliveira, Letúzia M. | Lessl, Jason T. | Gress, Julia | Tisarum, Rujira | Guilherme, Luiz R.G. | Ma, Lena Q.
We investigated the effects of chromate (CrVI) and phosphate (P) on their uptake and translocation in As-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata (PV). Plants were exposed to 1) 0.10 mM CrVI and 0, 0.25, 1.25, or 2.50 mM P or 2) 0.25 mM P and 0, 0.50, 2.5 or 5.0 mM CrVI for 24 h in hydroponics. PV accumulated 2919 mg/kg Cr in the roots at CrVI0.10, and 5100 and 3500 mg/kg P in the fronds and roots at P0.25. When co-present, CrVI and P inhibited each other's uptake in PV. Increasing P concentrations reduced Cr root concentrations by 62–82% whereas increasing CrVI concentrations reduced frond P concentrations by 52–59% but increased root P concentrations by 11–15%. Chromate reduced P transport, with more P being accumulated in PV roots. Though CrVI was supplied, 64−78% and 92−93% CrIII were in PV fronds and roots. Based on X-ray diffraction, Cr2O3 was detected in the roots confirming CrVI reduction to CrIII by PV. In short, CrVI and P inhibited each other in uptake and translocation by PV, and CrVI reduction to CrIII in PV roots served as its detoxification mechanism. The finding helps to understand the interactions of P and Cr during their uptake in PV.
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