Anti-sea lice pesticides, used in the salmonid aquaculture industry, are a growing environmental concern due to their potential to adversely affect non-target crustaceans. Azamethiphos and deltamethrin are two bath treatment pesticides used on salmon farms in Norway, however, limited information is available on their impact on European lobster (Homarus gammarus) larvae in the Norwegian marine environment. Here, we firstly report the lethal (LC50) and effective (EC50) concentrations of azamethiphos and deltamethrin for stage I and stage II larvae, following 1-h exposures. Using a hydrodynamic model, we also modelled the dispersal of both compounds into the marine environment around selected Norwegian farms and mapped the potential impact zones (areas that experience LC50 and EC50 concentrations) around each farm. Our data shows that azamethiphos and deltamethrin are acutely toxic to both larval stages, with LC50 and EC50 values below the recommended treatment concentrations. We also show that the azamethiphos impact zones around farms were relatively small (mean area of 0.04–0.2 km2), however deltamethrin impact zones covered much larger areas (mean area of 21.1–39.0 km2). These findings suggest that deltamethrin poses a significant risk to European lobster in the Norwegian marine environment while the impact of azamethiphos may be less severe. | publishedVersion

The entirety of the sediment bed in lake Tyrifjorden, Norway, is contaminated by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). A factory producing paper products and a fire station were investigated as possible sources. Fire station emissions were dominated by the eight carbon perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acid (PFSA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), from aqueous film forming foams. Factory emissions contained PFOS, PFOS precursors (preFOS and SAmPAP), long chained fluorotelomer sulfonates (FTS), and perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCA). Concentrations and profiles in sediments and biota indicated that emissions originating from the factory were the main source of pollution in the lake, while no clear indication of fire station emissions was found. Ratios of linear-to branched-PFOS increased with distance from the factory, indicating that isomer profiles can be used to trace a point source. A dated sediment core contained higher concentrations in older sediments and indicated that two different PFAS products have been used at the factory, referred to here as Scotchban and FTS mixture. Modelling, based on the sediment concentrations, indicated that 42e189 tons Scotchban, and 2.4e15.6 tons FTS mixture, were emitted. Production of paper products may be a major PFAS point source, that has generally been overlooked. It is hypothesized that paper fibres released from such facilities are important vectors for PFAS transport in the aquatic environment. | publishedVersion

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are today considered important constituents of the continuously growing substance group of persistent contaminants of emerging environmental concern (PCEC). Here, we report for the first time the concentrations of 12 relevant PFASs in 28 marine water samples from the Saudi Arabian coastal waters of the Red Sea. The sum levels of 12 PFASs (Σ12 PFAS) in surface seawater ranged from <LOQ to 956 ngL−1. For the reference background site of this study, Σ12 PFAS levels ranged from <LOQ to 10.9 ng/L. The highest PFAS levels have been found in Al-Arbaeen and Al-Shabab, two lagoons continuously receiving treated sewage effluents. PFHxA, PFHxS, and 6:2 FTS were the most prevalent PFASs with relatively high concentrations. Discharge of municipal and industrial wastewaters is considered an important source of PFASs. The pattern of PFASs observed here suggests that the usage of PFAS-containing aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) is a potential additional source for these compounds in Al-Arbaeen and Al-Shabab lagoons. However, a systematic elucidation of local PFASs sources is needed. Contamination of the Red Sea waters with PFASs poses a potential imminent risk to the marine environment of the Red Sea and ultimately may even affect the health of human consumers through the consumption of local seafood | publishedVersion

peer reviewed | Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) from the Southern Hemisphere carry information on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from their feeding zones in Antarctica to their breeding grounds, making this species a sentinel of contaminants accumulation in the Southern Ocean. This study aimed to evaluate driving factors, namely feeding areas, trophic level, and sex, affecting POP concentrations in the blubber of humpback whales breeding off Mozambique and off Ecuador. Biopsies of free-ranging humpback whales including blubber and skin were collected in 2014 and 2015 from Ecuador (n = 59) and in 2017 from Mozambique (n = 89). In both populations, HCB was the major contaminant followed by DDTs > CHLs > PCBs > HCHs > PBDEs. POP concentrations were significantly higher in males compared to females. HCB, DDTs, HCHs and PBDEs were significantly different between whales from the Mozambique population and the Ecuador population. Sex and feeding habits were important driving factors accounting for POP concentrations in Ecuador whales. The whales from our study had some of the lowest POP concentrations measured for humpback whales in the world. These whales fed predominantly on krill as reflected from the low δ13C and δ15N values measured in the skin. However, the isotopic niches of whales from Mozambique and Ecuador did not overlap indicating that the two populations are feeding in different areas of the Southern Ocean. | EXPOSURE OF HUMPBACK WHALES FROM THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE TO PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS: INFLUENCE OF THEIR ISOTOPIC NICHE, SEX AND AGE DETERMINED BY EPIGENETICS

This paper presents the first acute toxicity data of the natural insecticide spinosad in amphibians. The sensitivity of two neotropical sympatric anuran species, Boana pulchella and Rhinella arenarum, to spinosad-based formulation Tracer™ was evaluated. Lethal effects are reported in tadpoles of B. pulchella stage 25 between 2.81 and 35.44 mg spinosad/L, while for the same concentration range no lethal effects were detected in tadpoles of R. arenarum of the same stage. In addition, Tracer™ produced sublethal effects at the individual level on the swimming activity, morphology (growth and presence of abnormalities), and development of B. pulchella from 2.81 to 5.78 mg spinosad/L, while in R. arenarum effects were only detected in the swimming activity and growth from 2.78 and 6.22 mg/L, respectively. At the biochemical level, Tracer™ produced inhibition of different enzymatic activities, among them, catalase activity at 2.81 mg spinosad/L, glutathione S- transferase activity from 2.81 to 2.98 mg spinosad/L, and acetylcholinesterase activity at 2.81 mg spinosad/L. These findings allow us to conclude that B. pulchella is more sensitive than R. arenarum to spinosad-based formulation Tracer™. The effects demonstrated here are not consistent with those expected since spinosad is supposed to be an environmental healthy alternative. This paper provides useful and necessary information to implement regulations on the use of new compounds entering the market and its associated risks. | Instituto de Recursos Biológicos | Fil: Bahl, María Florencia. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Química. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. | Fil: Brodeur, Celine Marie Julie. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Recursos Bilológicos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. | Fil: Salgado Costa, Carolina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Química. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. | Fil: D'Andrea, María Florencia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Recursos Bilológicos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. | Fil: Sansiñena, Jesica Alejandra. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Química. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. | Fil: Marino, Damián José. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Química. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. | Fil: Natale, Guillermo S. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Química. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina.

The prediction and identification of the factors controlling heavy metal transfer in soil-crop ecosystems are of critical importance. In this study, random forest (RF), gradient boosted machine (GBM), and generalised linear (GLM) models were compared after being used to model and identify prior factors that affect the transfer of heavy metals (HMs) in soil-crop systems in the Yangtze River Delta, China, based on 13 covariates with 1822 pairs of soil-crop samples. The mean bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) for all crops followed the order Cd > Zn > As > Cu > Ni > Hg > Cr > Pb. The RF model showed the best prediction ability for the BAFs of HMs in soil-crop ecosystems, followed by GBM and GLM. The R2 values of the RF models for the BAFs of Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Hg, Cd, As, and Pb were 0.84, 0.66, 0.59, 0.58, 0.58, 0.51, 0.30, and 0.17, respectively. The primary controlling factor in soil-to-crop transfer of all HMs under study was plant type, followed by soil heavy metal content and soil organic materials. The model used herein could be used to assist the prediction of heavy metal contents in crops based on heavy metal contents in soil and other covariates, and can significantly reduce the cost, labour, and time requirements involved with laboratory analysis. It can also be used to quantify the importance of variables and identify potential control factors in heavy metal bioaccumulation in soil-crop ecosystems.

The Paraná River basin is one of the most important in South America and is affected by human activities that take place on its margins. In particular, the De la Cruz stream flows through an industrial pole and the Arrecifes River goes mainly through agricultural fields. The aim of this study was to evaluate the water quality of the De la Cruz stream (S1) and the Arrecifes River (S2) by means of physicochemical parameters, including metals and pesticides concentrations. Since amphibians are good indicators of environmental quality, bioassays with Rhinella arenarum were carried on. For lethal and sublethal parameters, embryos and larvae were exposed to a dilution gradient of water samples and AMPHITOX Solution (AS) as negative control for 504 h. For the determination of oxidative stress biomarkers (Catalase -CAT-, Glutathione S-Transferase -GST-, Reduced Glutathione -GSH-, and lipid peroxidation -TBARS-), embryos and larvae were exposed to undiluted water samples and AS. For the determination of micronuclei, larvae at hind limb bud stage (S.28) were exposed to undiluted water samples, simultaneously with negative and positive controls (AS and cyclophosphamide 40 mg/L, respectively). Dissolved oxygen was low in both sites and the copper levels exceeded the Argentine limit for the protection of aquatic life. In embryos exposure, water sample from S1 caused lethal effects (504h-LC50 = 49 (28–71.6)%), increased TBARS levels, and GST and CAT activities. In larvae exposure, water sample from this site decreased CAT activity, while the water sample from S2 caused important lethal effects (504h-LC50 = 98.72 (60.60–302.52)%), low GSH levels and increased GST activity. Water samples from both sites induced higher micronuclei frequency than the negative control. This study alerts about the degradation of water quality of the studied sites including lethal and sublethal effects in R. arenarum that can jeopardize the native populations of this species. | Fil: Peluso, Julieta. Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM). Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. | Fil: Aronzon, Carolina Mariel. Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM). Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Argentina. | Fil: Ríos de Molina, María del Carmen. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. | Fil: Rojas, Dante Emanuel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica. Instituto de Química Biológica; Argentina. | Fil: Cristos, Diego Sebastian. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Biológica. Instituto de Química Biológica; Argentina. | Fil: Pérez Coll, Cristina Silvia. Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM). Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Argentina.

International audience | Anthropogenic fibers, gathering synthetic fibers, artificial fibers and natural fibers are ubiquitous in the natural environment. Tremendous concentrations of anthropogenic fibers were previously measured in the tropical Saigon River (Vietnam), i.e. a river impacted by textile and apparel industries. In the present study, we want to examine the role of contrasted seasonal variation (e.g., dry and rainy seasons), via the rainfall and monthly water discharges, and of water's physico-chemical conditions on the concentrations of anthropogenic fibers in the surface water. The one year and half monthly survey evidenced that concentrations of anthropogenic fibers varied from 22 to 251 items L-1 and their variations were not related to rainfall, water discharge or abiotic factors. However, their color and length distribution varied monthly suggesting variations in sources and sinks. Based on the 2017 survey, we estimated an annual emission of anthropogenic fibers from the river to the downstream coastal zone of 115e164 × 10 12 items yr-1.

International audience | In this study we systematically reviewed 1203 research papers published between 2008 and 2018 in China and recorded related data on eight kinds of soil heavy metals (Cr, Pb, Cd, Hg, As, Cu, Zn, and Ni). Based on that, the pollution levels, ecological risk and health risk caused by soil heavy metals were evaluated and the pollution hot spots and potential driving factors of different heavy metals in different provinces were also identified. Results indicated accumulation of heavy metals in soils of most provinces in China compared with background values. Consistent with previous findings, the most prevalent polluted heavy metals were Cd and Hg. Polluted regions are mainly located in central, southern and southwestern China. Hunan, Guangxi, Yunnan, and Guangdong provinces were the most polluted provinces. For the potential health risk caused by heavy metals pollution, children are more likely confront with non-carcinogenic risk than adults and seniors. And children in Hunan and Guangxi province were experiencing relatively larger non-carcinogenic risk. In addition, children in part of provinces were undergoing potentially carcinogenic risks due to soil heavy metals exposure. Furthermore, in our study the 31 provinces in mainland China were divided into six subsets according to corresponding potential driving factors for heavy metal accumulation. Our study provide more comprehensive and updated information for contributing to better soil management, soil remediation, and soil contamination control in China.

Benthic foraminifera are sensitive to environmental changes and widely used as tools to monitor pollution. Rising numbers of deformed tests are often used as indicator for elevated levels of heavy metals, but little is known about the relation between heavy metal incorporation into foraminiferal tests and the formation of test deformities. Here, two sediment cores from the south-eastern North Sea are compared, regarding the occurrence of deformed foraminiferal tests, foraminiferal test chemistry (ICP-MS) and bulk sediment Pb content (XRF). The total abundance of deformed foraminiferal tests seems not to align temporarily with historical heavy metal pollution. Therefore, we suggest that foraminifera react with test deformation to other environmental stressors than the studied heavy metals. Test chemistry reflects historical increased bulk sediment heavy metal content, despite a slight temporal offset. We propose that Pb (and Cd) are only incorporated into foraminiferal tests above a yet to be defined threshold of pollution.