Environmental contaminants are implicated in the global decline of amphibian populations. Copper (Cu) is a widespread contaminant that can be toxic at concentrations just above the normal physiological range. In the present study we examined the effects of chronic Cu aqueous exposure on embryos and larvae of southern toads, Anaxyrus (Bufo) terrestris. Measurable levels of Cu were found in larvae, with tissue concentrations up to 27.5 μg Cu/g dry mass. Aqueous concentrations of Cu as low as 10 μg/L significantly reduced survival to the free-swimming stage and no larvae reached metamorphosis at concentrations above 15 μg/L. Clutches from populations with prior Cu exposure had the lowest survivorship. Among several populations there was significant variation in survivorship at different levels of Cu. More data are needed to understand the underlying causes of within- and among-population resilience to anthropogenic stressors.

It is a common method to analyse physiological mechanisms of organisms – commonly referred to as biomarkers – to indicate the presence of environmental pollutants. However, as biomarkers respond to a wide range of stressors we want to direct the attention on natural stressors, i.e. on parasites. After two years maintenance under controlled conditions, roach (Rutilus rutilus) revealed no influence on levels of metallothionein by the parasite Ligula intestinalis. The same was found for Gammarus fossarum infected with Polymorphus minutus. However, the heat shock protein (HSP70) response was affected in both host-parasite systems. While the infection of roach resulted in reduced levels of HSP70 compared to uninfected roach, the infection in G. fossarum led to higher levels of HSP70. We also analysed the effect of a 14 days Cd exposure (4 μg/L) on the uninfected and infected gammarids. The exposure resulted in induced levels for both, metallothionein and HSP70 whereas the combination of stressors, parasite and exposure, revealed a decrease for levels of HSP70 in comparison to the metal exposure only. Accordingly, parasites as natural parts of aquatic ecosystems have to be considered in ecotoxicological research.

Fourteen rare earth elements were determined in mosses (Pleurozium schreberi) and soils (subhorizon-Ofh and -Ol, mixed horizon-AE and AEB) from south-central Poland. The results were normalized against North American Shale Composite (NASC) and Post-Archean Australian Shales (PAAS). The distribution of REEs in the moss−soil system differed considerably, but all the samples showed the average percent of increase of medium rare earth elements. The shale-normalized concentration ratios calculated for selected elements (LaN/YbN, GdN/YbN, LaN/SmN) were in the range of 1.22–2.43, 1.74–3.10 and 0.86–1.09. Both subhorizon-Ofh (-Ol) and horizon-AE (-AEB) showed a weak enrichment of Gd. The shale-normalized patterns of soils showed a somewhat negative Eu anomaly in the horizon-AE (-AEB), and a slightly negative Ce anomaly in the subhorizon-Ofh (-Ol). A strongly positive Eu anomaly and a somewhat negative Nd anomaly were found in the moss samples.

One-dimensional (1-D) and two-dimensional (2-D) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics was used to investigate the toxic mode of action (MOA) of endosulfan, an organochlorine pesticide, and its degradation product, endosulfan sulfate, to Eisenia fetida earthworms in soil. Three soil concentrations (0.1, 1.0 and 10.0 mg/kg) were used for both endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate. Both earthworm coelomic fluid (CF) and tissues were extracted and then analyzed using 1H and 1H–13C NMR techniques. A similar separation trajectory was observed for endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate-exposed earthworms in the mean principal component analysis (PCA) scores plot for both the earthworm CF and tissue extracts.A neurotoxic and apoptotic MOA was postulated for both endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate exposed earthworms as significant fluctuations in glutamine/GABA–glutamate cycle metabolites and spermidine were detected respectively. This study highlights the application of NMR-based metabolomics to understand molecular-level toxicity of persistent organochlorine pesticides and their degradation products directly in soil.

The effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on the distribution and concentration of elements in roots of Ni-hyperaccumulating plant Berkheya coddii was studied. Micro-PIXE (particle-induced X-ray emission) analysis revealed significant differences between AMF-inoculated and non-inoculated plants as well as between main and lateral roots. The accumulation of P, K, Mn and Zn in the cortical layer of lateral roots of inoculated plants confirmed the important role of AMF in uptake and accumulation of these elements. Higher concentration of P, K, Fe, Ni, Cu and Zn in the vascular stele in roots of AMF-inoculated plants than in the non-inoculated ones indicates more efficient translocation of these elements to the aboveground parts of the plant. These findings indicate the necessity of including the influence of AMF in studies on the uptake of elements by plants and in industrial use of B. coddii for Ni extraction from polluted soils.

Cocaine and its metabolites are the prevalent psychotropic substances in aquatic environment. However, to date the knowledge on their adverse effects to non-target organisms is inadequate. The aims of this study were to investigate sub-lethal effects induced by the ecgonine methyl ester (EME) to the freshwater bivalve Dreissena polymorpha and to compare its toxicity to that by benzoylecgonine (BE), the other main cocaine metabolite. EME sub-lethal effects were investigated by 14 days in-vivo exposures and a multi-biomarker approach. Slight variations in biomarker responses were found at 0.15 μg/L treatment. 0.5 μg/L EME treatment induced destabilization of lysosome membranes, an overall inactivation of defense enzymes, increases in lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation and DNA fragmentation, but no variations in fixed genetic damage. The use of a biomarker response index (BRI) showed that at 0.5 μg/L both cocaine metabolites had the same toxicity to zebra mussels specimens.

Metal-contaminated sediments pose a recognised threat to sediment-dwelling fauna. Re-mobilisation of contaminated sediments however, may impact more broadly on benthic ecosystems, including on diverse assemblages living on hard substrata patches immediately above sediments. We used manipulative field experiments to simultaneously test for the effects of metal contamination on recruitment to marine sediments and overlying hard substrata. Recruitment to sediments was strongly and negatively affected by metal contamination. However, while assemblage-level effects on hard-substratum fauna and flora were observed, most functional groups were unaffected or slightly enhanced by exposure to contaminated sediments. Diversity of hard-substratum fauna was also enhanced by metal contamination at one site. Metal-contaminated sediments appear to pose less of a hazard to hard-substratum than sediment-dwelling assemblages, perhaps due to a lower direct contaminant exposure or to indirect effects mediated by contaminant impacts on sediment fauna. Our results indicate that current sediment quality guidelines are protective of hard-substrata organisms.

This investigation considered the effects of Zn, Cu, Al and Fe (50 and 500 mg kg−1) on the loss, sequential extractability, using calcium chloride (CaCl2), hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPCD) and dichloromethane (DCM) and biodegradation of 14C-phenanthrene in soil over 63 d contact time. The key findings were that the presence of Cu and Al (500 mg kg−1) resulted in larger amounts of 14C-phenanthrene being extracted by CaCl2 and HPCD. Further, the CaCl2 + HPCD extractions directly predicted the biodegradation of the PAH in the presence of the metals, with the exception of 500 mg kg−1 Cu and Zn. The presence of high concentrations of some metals can impact on the mobility and accessibility of phenanthrene in soil, which may impact on the risk assessment of PAH contaminated soil.

Placenta and umbilical cord blood are important media for investigating maternal–fetal exposure to environmental pollutants. Historically hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) were once widely-used in China. In this study, residues of HCHs were measured in placenta and umbilical cord blood samples for 40 women from Beijing. The measured median values of HCHs were 62.0 and 68.8 ng/g fat in placenta and umbilical cord blood, respectively. Concentrations of HCHs in placenta and umbilical cord blood of urban cohort were higher than those of rural group due to enhanced consumption of fish, meat, and milk. Residues of HCHs in placenta were significantly correlated with total food consumption, dietary intake, and maternal age, and could be predicted using the parameters dependent upon ingestion of meat and milk. The transplacental exposure of fetuses to HCHs was revealed by a close association between the residual levels in the paired placenta and the paired umbilical cord blood samples.

Carbon nanotubes, organic contaminants and dissolved organic matter (DOM) are co-introduced into the environment. Thus, the interactions between these components have to be evaluated to better understand their environmental behavior. In this study, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were used as sorbent, carbamazepine was the primary adsorbate, and bisphenol A and phenanthrene were used as competitors. Strong competition with bisphenol A and no effect of phenanthrene on adsorption of carbamazepine was obtained. The hydrophobic neutral fraction of the DOM exhibited the strongest reductive effect on carbamazepine adsorption, most probably due to interactions in solution. In contrast, the hydrophobic acid fraction decreased carbamazepine adsorption mainly via direct competition. When DOM and bisphenol A were co-introduced, the adsorption of carbamazepine was significantly reduced. This study suggests that the chemical nature of DOM can significantly affect the sorptive behavior of polar organic pollutants with carbon nanotubes when all are introduced to the aquatic system.