Identifying particulate matter (PM) emitted from industrial processes into the atmosphere is an important issue in environmental research. This paper presents a passive sampling method using simple artificial samplers that maintains the advantage of bio-monitoring, but overcomes some of its disadvantages. The samplers were tested in a heavily polluted area (Linfen, China) and compared to results from leaf samples. Spatial variations of magnetic susceptibility from artificial passive samplers and leaf samples show very similar patterns. Scanning electron microscopy suggests that the collected PM are mostly in the range of 2–25 μm; frequent occurrence of spherical shape indicates industrial combustion dominates PM emission. Magnetic properties around power plants show different features than other plants. This sampling method provides a suitable and economic tool for semi-quantifying temporal and spatial distribution of air quality; they can be installed in a regular grid and calibrate the weight of PM.

Within wetlands, epiphytes and macrophytes play an important role in storage and transfer of metals, through the food web. However, there is a lack of information about spatial and temporal changes in their metal levels, including those of mercury (Hg), a key priority contaminant of aquatic systems. We assessed total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations of epiphyte/macrophyte complexes in Lake St. Pierre, a large fluvial lake of the St. Lawrence River (Québec, Canada). THg and MeHg concentrations were ten fold higher in epiphytes than in macrophytes. THg concentrations in epiphytes linearly decreased as a function of the autotrophic index, suggesting a role of algae in epiphyte Hg accumulation, and % of MeHg in epiphytes reached values as high as 74%. Spatio-temporal variability in THg and MeHg concentrations in epiphytes and macrophytes were influenced by water temperature, available light, host species, water level, dissolved organic carbon and dissolved oxygen.

A novel field transplantation technique, in which seaweed material is incorporated into dialysis tubing, was used to investigate intra-specific responses to metals in the model brown alga Ectocarpus siliculosus. Metal accumulation in the two strains was similar, with higher concentrations in material deployed to the metal-contaminated site (Ventanas, Chile) than the pristine site (Quintay, Chile). However, the oxidative responses differed. At Ventanas, strain Es147 (from low-polluted site) underwent oxidative damage whereas Es524 (from highly polluted site) was not affected. Concentrations of reduced ascorbate (ASC) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were significantly higher in Es524. Activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), and glutathione reductase (GR) all increased in Es524, whereas only SOD increased in Es147. For the first time, employing a field transplantation technique, we provide unambiguous evidence of inter-population variation of metal-tolerance in brown algae and establish that antioxidant defences are, in part, responsible.

A novel method for in situ determination of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) adsorbed onto the root surface of Kandelia obovata seedlings was established using laser-induced time-resolved nanosecond fluorescence spectroscopy (LITRF). The linear dynamic ranges for the established method were 1.5–1240ng/spot for phenanthrene, 1.0–1360ng/spot for pyrene and 5.0–1220ng/spot for benzo[a]pyrene. Then, the mechanisms of PAHs transport from the Ko root surface to tissues were investigated. The three-phase model including fast, slow and very slow fractions was superior to the single or dual-phase model to describe the PAHs transport processes. Moreover, the fast fraction of PAHs transport process was mainly due to passive movement, while the slow and very slow fractions were not. Passive movement was the main process of B[a]P adsorbed onto Ko root surface transport to tissues. In addition, the extent of the PAHs transport to Ko root tissues at different salinity were evaluated.

During the last few years, the induction of toxicological mechanisms by atmospheric ultrafine particles (UFP) has become one of the most studied topics in toxicology and a subject of huge debates. Fine particles (FP) and UFP collected at urban and rural sites in Lebanon were studied for their chemical composition and toxicological effects. UFP were found more enriched in trace elements, secondary inorganic ions, total carbon and organic compounds than FP. For toxicological analysis, BEAS-2B cells were exposed for 24, 48 and 72 h to increasing concentrations of FP, water-UFP suspension (UFPw) and UFP organic extract (UFPorg). Our findings showed that UFP caused earlier alterations of mitochondrial metabolism and membrane integrity from the lowest concentrations. Moreover, a significant induction of CYP1A1, CYP1B1 and AhRR genes expression was showed after cells exposure to UFPorg and to a lesser extent to UFPw and FP samples.

Ecosystems modified by human activities are generally predicted to be biologically impoverished. However, much pollution impact theory stems from laboratory or small-scale field studies, and few studies replicate at the level of estuary. Furthermore, assessments are often based on sediment contamination and infauna, and impacts to epibiota (sessile invertebrates and algae) are seldom considered. We surveyed epibiota in six estuaries in south-east Australia. Half the estuaries were relatively pristine, and half were subject to internationally high levels of contamination, urbanisation, and industrialisation. Contrary to predictions, epibiota in modified estuaries had greater coverage and were similarly diverse as those in unmodified estuaries. Change in epibiota community structure was linearly correlated with sediment-bound copper, and the tubeworm Hydroides elegans showed a strong positive correlation with sediment metals. Stressors such as metal contamination can reduce biodiversity and productivity, but others such as nutrient enrichment and resource provision may obscure signals of impact.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a ubiquitous pollutant around the globe, but whether environmental concentrations have toxic effects remains controversial. BPA interferes with a number of nuclear receptor pathways, including several that mediate animal responses to environmental input. Because thermal acclimation is regulated by these pathways in fish, we hypothesized that the toxicity of BPA would change with ambient temperature. We exposed zebrafish (Danio rerio) to ecologically relevant and artificially high concentrations of BPA at two acclimation temperatures, and tested physiological responses at two test temperatures that corresponded to acclimation temperatures. We found ecologically relevant concentrations of BPA (20 μg l−1) impair swimming performance, heart rate, muscle and cardiac SERCA activity and gene expression. We show many of these responses are temperature-specific and non-monotonic. Our results suggest that BPA pollution can compound the effects of climate change, and that its effects are more dynamic than toxicological assessments currently account for.

Embryonic growth of the yellow-spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) is enhanced by the presence of the green alga Oophila amblystomatis, in the egg capsule. To further assess potential impacts of herbicides on this relationship, A. maculatum egg masses were exposed to atrazine (0–338 μg/L) until hatching (up to 66 days). Exposure to atrazine reduced PSII yield of the symbiotic algae in a concentration-dependent manner, but did not significantly affect visible algal growth or any metrics associated with salamander development. Algal cells were also cultured in the laboratory for toxicity testing. In the 96-h growth inhibition test (0–680 μg/L), ECx values were generally greater than those reported for standard algal test species. Complete recovery of growth rates occurred within 96-h of transferring cells to untreated media. Overall, development of A. maculatum embryos was not affected by exposure to atrazine at concentrations and durations exceeding those found in the environment.

In reverse osmosis, a frequently used technology in water desalination processes, wastewater (RO concentrate) is generated containing the retained solutes as well as so-called antiscalants (AS), i.e. chemical substances that are commonly applied to prevent membrane-blocking. In this study, a risk assessment of a possible discharge of concentrate into a small stream was conducted. The acute toxicity of two concentrates containing two different ASs and of concentrate without AS to the amphipods Gammarus pulex and Gammarus roeseli was studied. Mortality of gammarids exposed to the concentrate without AS was not different to the control, whereas concentrates including ASs caused mortality rates up to 100% at the highest test concentrations after 168 h. Resulting EC50-values were 36.2–39.4% (v/v) after 96 h and 26.6–58.0% (v/v) after 168 h. These results suggest that the ecotoxicological relevance of antiscalants is greater than currently assumed.