Mineral phosphorus fertilizers are regularly applied to agricultural sites, but their uranium (U) content is potentially hazardous to humans and the environment. Fertilizer-derived U can accumulate in the soil, but might also leach to ground-, spring and surface waters. We sampled 19 mineral fertilizers from the canton of Bern and soils of three arable and one forest reference sites at each of four locations with elevated U concentrations (7–28 μg L⁻¹) in nearby drinking water wells. The total U concentrations of the fertilizers were measured. The soils were analysed at three depth intervals down to 1 m for general soil parameters, total Cd, P, U and NaHCO₃-extractable U concentrations, and ²³⁴/²³⁸U activity ratios (AR). The U concentrations and AR values of the drinking water samples were also measured. A theoretical assessment showed that fertilizer-derived U may cause high U concentrations in leaching waters (up to approx. 25 μg L⁻¹), but normally contributes only a small amount (approx. 0–3 μg L⁻¹). The arable soils investigated showed no significant U accumulation compared to the forest sites. The close positive correlation of AR with NaHCO₃-extractable U (R = 0.7, p < 0.001) indicates that application of fertilizer can increase the extractable U pool. The lack of depth gradients in the soil U concentrations (1.5–2.7 mg kg⁻¹) and AR (0.90–1.06) ratios are inconsistent with the accumulation of U in the surface soil, and might indicate some leaching of fertilizer-derived U. The AR values in the water samples were close to 1, possibly suggesting an influence of fertilizer-derived U. However, based on findings from the literature and considering the heterogeneity of the catchment area, the agricultural practices, and the comparatively long distance to the groundwater, we conclude that fertilizer-derived U makes only a minor contribution to the elevated U concentrations in the water samples.

Mercury (Hg) contamination in aquatic systems remains a global concern with the biomagnification of methylmercury (MeHg) through primary consumers (zooplankton) to fish and humans. In this study, total mercury (THg) and MeHg concentrations were analyzed in zooplankton collected from Baihua reservoir (Guizhou Province, China). Our results demonstrated that THg and MeHg concentrations were strongly correlated to zooplankton community and biomass composition. The THg concentration was significantly higher in micro-zooplankton compared to meso-zooplankton and macro-zooplankton, and MeHg concentration increased significantly as body size increased. Hg increases in zooplankton were influenced by the numbers of calanoid copepods and Daphnia present relative to phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass. Many zooplankton taxa in the three size-fractions were affected by THg exposure. The biomasses of Bosmina longirostris, Thermocyclops brevifurcatus, Asplanchna priodonta and Cyclops vicinus vicinus were positively correlated with Hg accumulation, while Daphnia hyalina, and Phyllodiaptomus tunguidus had a negative association. THg and MeHg bioaccumulation factors were correlated with phosphorus and total nitrogen concentration, zooplankton biomass, and chlorophyll-a concentration. Phosphorus loading was associated with increased THg and MeHg accumulation in the zooplankton highlighting biomagification with eutrophication. Chlorophyll-a levels were not correlated to THg and MeHg accumulation in zooplankton when phytoplankton densities were >10⁷ cells L⁻¹ and chlorophyll-a concentrations <9 μgL−1. This finding contradicts the idea of MeHg biodilution with increased algae biomass. However, changes in the phytoplankton species and biomass altered the availability of food for zooplankton, particularly micro-zooplankton and macro-zooplankton. Ultimately, the bioaccumulation of MeHg and THg across lower trophic levels was based more on the availability of preferred food resources than on total biological productivity.

N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide (N-EtFOSA) is commonly known as the active ingredient of sulfluramid. It can be degraded to perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in biota and environment. Earthworms (Eisenia fetida) were exposed with N-EtFOSA to examine the bioaccumulation, elimination and metabolism of N-EtFOSA by the earthworms after in vivo and in vitro exposure. N-EtFOSA could be biodegraded in quartz sands to perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA) and PFOS. In the in vivo tests, in addition to parent N-EtFOSA, three metabolites, including perfluorooctane sulfonamide acetate (FOSAA), FOSA and PFOS also accumulated in earthworms as a result of N-EtFOSA biotransformation, with FOSA as the predominant metabolite. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) and uptake rate coefficient (ku) of N-EtFOSA from sand were 20.4 and 2.41·d−1, respectively. The elimination rate constants (ke) decreased in the order FOSAA (0.130·d−1) > N-EtFOSA (0.118·d−1) > FOSA (0.073·d−1) > PFOS (0.051·d−1). The biotransformation of N-EtFOSA in earthworm was further confirmed by the in vitro test involving incubation of earthworm homogenates with N-EtFOSA. This work provides evidence on the accumulation and transformation of N-EtFOSA in terrestrial invertebrates and will be helpful to explore the indirect sources of FOSA and PFOS in environmental biota.

Mercury (Hg) is a global contaminant of environmental concern. Numerous factors influencing its bioaccumulation in marine organisms have already been described at both individual and species levels (e.g., size or age, habitat, trophic level). However, few studies have compared the trophic characteristics of ecosystems to explain underlying mechanisms of differences in Hg bioaccumulation and biomagnification among food webs and systems. The present study aimed at investigating the potential primary role of the trophic status of systems on Hg bioaccumulation and biomagnification in temperate marine food webs, as shown by their medium-to high-trophic level consumers. It used data from samples collected at the shelf-edge (i.e. offshore organisms) in two contrasted ecosystems: the Bay of Biscay in the North-East Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Lion in the North-West Mediterranean Sea. Seven species including crustaceans, sharks and teleost fish, previously analysed for their total mercury (T-Hg) concentrations and their stable carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions, were considered for a meta-analysis. In addition, methylated mercury forms (or methyl-mercury, Me-Hg) were analysed. Mediterranean organisms presented systematically lower sizes than Atlantic ones, and lower δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values, the latter values especially highlighting the more oligotrophic character of Mediterranean waters. Mediterranean individuals also showed significantly higher T-Hg and Me-Hg concentrations. Conversely, Me-Hg/T-Hg ratios were higher than 85% for all species, and quite similar between systems. Finally, the biomagnification power of Hg was different between systems when considering T-Hg, but not when considering Me-Hg, and was not different between the Hg forms within a given system. Overall, the different parameters showed the crucial role of the low primary productivity and its effects rippling through the compared ecosystems in the higher Hg bioaccumulation seen in organisms from oligotrophic Mediterranean waters.

Arid and semi-arid ecosystems (aridlands) cover a third of Earth's terrestrial surface and contain organisms that are sensitive to low level atmospheric pollutants. Atmospheric nitrogen (N) inputs to aridlands are likely to cause changes in plant community composition, fire frequency, and carbon cycling and storage. However, few studies have documented long-term rates of atmospheric N inputs in aridlands because dry deposition is technically difficult to quantify, and extensive sampling is needed to capture fluxes with spatially and temporally heterogeneous rainfall patterns. Here, we quantified long-term spatial and temporal patterns of inorganic N deposition in protected aridland ecosystems across an extensive urban-rural gradient using multiple sampling methods. We compared long-term rates of N deposition from ion-exchange resin (IER) collectors (bulk and throughfall, 2006–2015), wet-dry bucket collectors (2006–2015), and dry deposition from the inferential method using passive samplers (2010–2012). From mixed approaches with IER collectors and inferential methods, we determined that 7.2 ± 0.4 kgNha⁻¹y⁻¹ is deposited to protected Sonoran Desert within metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona and 6.1 ± 0.3 kgNha⁻¹y⁻¹ in nearby desert ecosystems. Regional scale models overestimated deposition rates for our sampling period by 60% and misidentified hot spots of deposition across the airshed. By contrast, the easy-deployment IER throughfall collectors showed minimal spatial variation across the urban-rural gradient and underestimated deposition fluxes by 54%, largely because of underestimated dry deposition in throughfall. However, seasonal sampling of the IER collectors over 10 years allowed us to capture significant seasonal variation in N deposition and the importance of precipitation timing. These results, derived from the longest, spatially and temporally explicit dataset in drylands, highlight the need for long-term, mixed methods to estimate atmospheric nutrient enrichment to aridlands in a rapidly changing world.

Chemical compositions of streambed biofilms from a major river of central Japan (the Kushida River) were obtained, with data of associated sediments (fine-grained fractions < 63 μm) and dissolved components of waters, in order to provide preliminary information about biogeochemical significance of streambed biofilms. During the sampling period (July 31st to August 3rd, 2013), dissolved components of the river waters were influenced by the dam reservoir. Concentrations of NO₃⁻, silica (as Si), SO₄²⁻, PO₄³⁻ and Ca²⁺ decreased across the dam, whereas Fe and Mn increased across the dam, and then decreased downstream rapidly. Streambed biofilms contain significant amount of non-nutrient elements such as Al (up to 21% as Al₂O₃ on water and others-free basis), indicating that they are contaminated as siliciclatic (silt and clay) materials. Siliciclastic materials in the biofilms are basically compositionally similar to fine-grained (<63 μm) fractions of streambed sediments. However, some elements such as Ca, P, Mn, and Zn are markedly enriched in the biofilms. Particularly, Mn concentrations in the biofilm samples collected just below the dam reservoir are very high (∼4.0 wt %), probably due to accumulation from the discharged water. Concentrations of trace elements such as P, Cr, Cu, Zn and V appear to be controlled by amounts of Fe-oxides and/or Mn-oxides in biofilms. Numbers of factors are involved in controlling chemical compositions of streambed biofilms, including amount of contaminated siliciclastics, authigenic mineral formation, adsorption of dissolved materials and microbial metabolisms. As demonstrated by this study, systematic analyses including major elements and comparison with associated sediments and waters could reveal biogeochemistry of this complex system.

Spatial uncertainty information of the environmental risk of soil heavy metal is crucial for precise environmental management. This study first compared three geostatistical methods for spatial simulation of soil Copper (Cu) in a peri-urban agriculture area of Wuhan city, China, that are sequential Gaussian co-simulation (CoSGS) with auxiliary in-situ portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) data (CoSGS_in-situ), CoSGS with auxiliary ex-situ PXRF data (CoSGS_ex-situ), and sequential Gaussian simulation without auxiliary data (SGS). Then, the environmental risk of soil Cu was assessed based on the joint thresholds of soil Cu and soil pH in the Chinese soil environmental quality standards II. The geostatistical simulated realizations of soil Cu and soil pH were used to calculate the probabilities of exceeding the joint thresholds. Validation showed that CoSGS_ex-situ is slightly better than CoSGS_in-situ in the performance of both E-type estimates (i.e., mathematical expectation estimates) and uncertainty modelling of soil Cu, and SGS is the worst. The spatial uncertainty information of both soil Cu and soil pH was transferred to the environmental risk map through the corresponding geostatistical simulated realizations. The areas with higher probabilities of exceeding the joint thresholds mainly located in the northwest and southwest of the study area. It is concluded that CoSGS_ex-situ and CoSGS_in-situ were more cost-effective than the traditional SGS in the spatial simulation of soil Cu, and the simulated realizations of soil Cu and soil pH provide a solution to the spatial assessment of the probabilities of exceeding the joint thresholds.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of embryonic short-term exposure to benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), a model polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, on ovarian development and reproductive capability in adult female zebrafish. In 1-year-old fish after embryonic exposure to BaP for 96 h, the gonadosomatic indices and the percentage of mature oocytes were significantly decreased in the 0.5, 5 and 50 nmol/L treatments. The spawned egg number, the fertilization rate and the hatching success were significantly reduced, while the malformation rate of the F1 unexposed larvae were increased. The mRNA levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, ovarian cytochrome P450 aromatase cyp19a1a and cyp19b, estrogen receptor esr1 and esr2, and hepatic vitellogenin vtg1 and vtg2 genes, were down-regulated in adult female zebrafish that were exposed to BaP during embryonic stage. Both 17β-estradiol and testosterone levels were reduced in the ovary of adult females. The methylation levels of the gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) gene gnrh3 were significantly increased in the adult zebrafish brain, and those of the GnRH receptor gene gnrhr3 were elevated both in the larvae exposed to BaP and in the adult brain, which might cause the down-regulation of the mRNA levels of gnrh3 and gnrhr3. This epigenetic change caused by embryonic exposure to BaP might be a reason for physiological changes along the brain–pituitary–gonad axis. These results suggest that short-term exposure in early life should be included and evaluated in any risk assessment of pollutant exposure to the reproductive health of fish.

Diethyl phthalate (DEP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) are two typical small phthalate esters, extensively used in personal care and consumer products. Although previous studies have linked phthalate esters to several health issues, it is still unclear whether they can affects the early stages of embryonic development. In this study, we evaluated the early developmental neurotoxicity as well as the cytotoxicity of DEP and DBP, using mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). Our results showed that both DEP and DBP could decrease mESC viability in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, while DBP could activate the caspase-3/7 enzymes and cause cell membrane damage as well as intracellular ROS accumulation, interestingly DEP treatment only showed stimulation of ROS production. In addition, DEP and DBP treatment at non-cytotoxic concentrations, abnormally altered the expression levels of several vitally important regulators of embryo development. For instance, neural ectoderm markers, such as Pax6, Nestin, Sox1 and Sox3, were significantly up-regulated upon DEP and DBP exposure. In conclusion, our work suggests a potential developmental toxicity of DEP and DBP on mammals, especially for neural ectoderm specification. Our findings help better understand the association between health problems and DEP/DBP exposure and most significantly remind us of the importance of additional health risk tests for these two largely used chemicals.

Exposure to ambient air pollution has been linked with adverse health outcomes of the circulatory and nervous systems. Given that falls are closely related to circulatory and nervous health, we hypothesize that air pollution may adversely affect fall-related injury. We employed Wave 1 data from 36,662 participants aged ≥50 years in WHO's Study on Global AGEing and Adult Health in six low- and middle-income countries. Ambient annual concentration of PM2.5 was estimated using satellite data. A three-level logistic regression model was applied to examine the long-term association between ambient PM2.5 and the prevalence of fall-related injury, and associated disease burden, as well as the potential effect modification of consumption of fruit and vegetables. Ambient PM2.5 was found to be significantly associated with the risk of fall-related injury. Each 10 μg/m3 increase corresponded to 18% (OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.28) increase in fall-related injury after adjusting for various covariates. The association was relatively stronger among participants with lower consumption of fruit (OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.33) than higher consumption (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.92, 1.23), and among those with lower vegetable consumption (OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.28) than higher consumption (OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.91, 1.27). Our study suggests that ambient PM2.5 may be one risk factor for fall-related injury and that higher consumption of fruit and vegetables could alleviate this effect.