International audience | Antibiotics have been increasingly used over the past decades for human medicine, food-animal agriculture, aquaculture, and plant production. A significant part of the active molecules of antibiotics can be released into the environment, in turn affecting ecosystem functioning and biogeochemical processes. At lower organizational scales, these substances affect bacterial symbionts of insects, with negative consequences on growth and development of juveniles, and population dynamics. Yet, the multiple alterations of cellular physiology and metabolic processes have remained insufficiently explored in insects. We evaluated the effects of five antibiotics with different mode of action, i.e. ampicillin, cefradine, chloramphenicol, cycloheximide, and tetracycline, on the survival and ultrastructural organization of the flight muscles of newly emerged blow flies Chrysomya albiceps. Then, we examined the effects of different concentrations of antibiotics on mitochondrial protein content, efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation, and activity of transaminases (Glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase and glutamate pyruvate transaminase) and described the cellular metabolic perturbations of flies treated with antibiotics. All antibiotics affected the survival of the insects and decreased the total mitochondrial protein content in a dose-dependent manner. Ultrastructural organization of flight muscles in treated flies differs dramatically compared to the control groups and severe pathological damages/structures disorganization of mitochondria appeared. The activities of mitochondrial transaminases significantly increased with increased antibiotic concentrations. The oxidation rate of pyruvate + proline from isolated mitochondria of the flight muscles of 1-day-old flies was significantly reduced at high doses of antibiotics. In parallel, the level of several metabolites, including TCA cycle intermediates, was reduced in antibiotics-treated flies. Overall, antibiotics provoked a system-wide alteration of the structure and physiology of flight muscles of the blow fly Ch. albiceps, and may have fitness consequences at the organism level. Environmental antibiotic pollution is likely to have unwanted cascading ecological effects of insect population dynamics and community structure.

[Departement_IRSTEA]Ecotechnologies [TR1_IRSTEA]TED [ADD1_IRSTEA]Valoriser les effluents et déchets organiques | International audience | Intensified treatment wetlands can reduce treatment wetlands footprint, improve efficiencies and deal with unusual influent characteristics. A specific design of 750 p.e. has been implemented for a highway rest area in France.

International audience | Trace elements (TEs) availability, biochemical activity and functional gene diversity was studied in a Cu-contaminated soil, revegetated for six years with a mixed stand of willow, black poplar, and false indigo-bush, and amended or not with compost plus dolomitic limestone (OMDL). The OMDL amendment significantly reduced Cu and As availability and soil toxicity, and increased the biochemical activity and microbial functional diversity assessed with the GEOCHIP technique, as compared to the unamended soil (Unt). The OMDL soil showed significantly higher abundance of 25 functional genes involved in decomposition organic compounds, and 11, 3 and 11 functional genes involved in the N, P and S biogeochemical cycles. Functional gene abundance was positively correlated with nutrient contents but negatively correlated with Cu availability and soil toxicity. The abundance of microbial functional genes encoding for resistance to various TEs also increased, possibly due to the microbial proliferation and lower Cu exposure in the presence of high total soil Cu concentration. Genes encoding for antibiotic resistance due to the co-occurrence of TEs and antibiotic resistant genes on genetic mobile elements. Overall, phytomanagement confirmed its potential to restore the biological fertility and diversity of a severely Cu-contaminated soil, but the increase of TEs and antibiotic resistant gene abundances deserve attention in future studies.

International audience | The level and the ecological risk assessment of heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cr, V, As, Pb, Cd and Co) were evaluated in surface sediments from fifty-one stations along the Algerian coast. The main objective was to evaluate the risk that such metals may cause to the ecosystem, and thus the stations were choose in relation with the fishing trawlable areas of Algeria. The usual chemical indexes Geoaccumulation index (Igeo), Enrichment factor (EF) and Pollution Load Index (PLI) as well as potential ecological risk index reveal that the metal pollution along this coast is low, and is only related to As contents. Nevertheless, the concentrations of Ni, Cr and As exceed their respective ERL values (Effect range low) usually applied for Sediment Quality Guideline. However, Cr and Ni are mainly natural and cannot be related to anthropogenic inputs and their ecotoxicological levels as to be questioned.

International audience | In the French West Indies (Caribbean), the insecticide Chlordecone (CLD) has been extensively used to reducebanana weevil (Cosmopolites sordidus) infestations in banana plantations. Previous studies have shown high CLDconcentrations in freshwater and coastal communities of the region. CLD concentrations, however, have not yetbeen assessed in marine top predators. We investigated CLD concentrations in cetacean blubber tissues fromGuadeloupe, including Physeter macrocephalus, Lagenodelphis hosei, Stenella attenuata and Pseudorca crassidens.Chlordecone was detected in all blubber samples analysed, with the exception of four P. macrocephalus.Concentrations (range: 1 to 329 ng·g−1 of lipid weight) were, however, lower than those found in species fromfresh and brackish water. Ecological factors (open ocean habitat), CLD kinetics, and cetacean metabolism (highor specific enzymatic activity) might explain low concentrations found in cetacean blubber. Future analyses thatinclude internal organ sampling would help to confirm CLD levels observed in this study.

International audience | Antibiotic resistance is a global public health issue and metal exposure can co-select for antibiotic resistance. We examined genome sequences of three multi-drug and metal resistant bacteria: one Shewanella sp., and two Vibrio spp., isolated from the gut of the mummichog fish (Fundulus heteroclitus). Our primary goal was to understand the mechanisms of co-selection. Phenotypically, the strains showed elevated resistance to arsenate, mercury, and various types of β-lactams. The genomes contained genes of public health concern including one carbapenemase (bla OXA-48). Our analyses indicate that the co-selection phenotype is mediated by chromo-somal resistance genes and cross-resistance. No evidence of co-resistance was found; most resistance genes were chromosomally located. Moreover, the identification of many efflux pump gene homologs indicates that cross-resistance and/or co-regulation may further contribute to resistance. We suggest that the mummichog gut microbiota may be a source of clinically relevant antibiotic resistance genes.

The flame-retardant tris(2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate (TDBrPP) was in the 1970s banned for uses in textiles that may be in contact with the skin, owing to strong suspicions that the substance was a human carcinogen. The substance is looked for but rarely detected in samples from the built and natural environments, but there are indications that TDBrPP is still in use. Here, we report the measurement of a polymer-water partition coefficient (Kpw) for two types of silicone rubber (SR), allowing quantitative estimation of freely dissolved concentrations of TDBrPP by passive sampling in water. We found levels of 100 to 200 pg/L in two Arctic rivers that were sampled during a 2014–2015 survey of contamination using passive samplers in Norwegian and Russian rivers draining into the Barents Sea. We also report the widespread presence of other organophosphorus flame retardants in this survey of eight rivers that drain into the Barents Sea. | acceptedVersion

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) can be used as chemical sentinels for the assessment of anthropogenic influences on Arctic environmental change. We present an overview of studies on PCBs in the Arctic and combine these with the findings from ArcRisk—a major European Union-funded project aimed at examining the effects of climate change on the transport of contaminants to and their behaviour of in the Arctic—to provide a case study on the behaviour and impact of PCBs over time in the Arctic. PCBs in the Arctic have shown declining trends in the environment over the last few decades. Atmospheric long-range transport from secondary and primary sources is the major input of PCBs to the Arctic region. Modelling of the atmospheric PCB composition and behaviour showed some increases in environmental concentrations in a warmerArctic, but the general decline in PCB levels is still the most prominent feature. ‘Within-Arctic’ processing of PCBs will be affected by climate change-related processes such as changing wet deposition. These in turn will influence biological exposure and uptake of PCBs. The pan-Arctic rivers draining large Arctic/sub-Arctic catchments provide a significant source of PCBs to the Arctic Ocean, although changes in hydrology/sediment transport combined with a changing marine environment remain areas of uncertainty with regard to PCB fate. Indirect effects of climate change on human exposure, such as a changing diet will influence and possibly reduce PCB exposure for indigenous peoples. Body burdens of PCBs have declined since the 1980s and are predicted to decline further. | publishedVersion

International audience | Climate change and human activities induce an increased frequency and intensity of cyanobacterial blooms which could release toxins to aquatic ecosystems. Zooplankton communities belong to the first affected organisms, but in tropical freshwater ecosystems, this issue has yet been poorly investigated. We tested two questions (i) if the tropical Daphnia lumholtzi is capable to develop tolerance to an ecologically relevant concentration of purified microcystin-LR and microcystins from cyanobacterial extract transferable to F1 and F2 generations? And (ii) would F1 and F2 generations recover if reared in toxin-free medium? To answer these questions, we conducted two full factorial mutigenerational experiments, in which D. lumholtzi was exposed to MC-LR and cyanobacterial extract at the concentration of 1 μg L microcystin continuously for three generations. After each generation, each treatment was spit into two one reared in the control (toxin free) while the other continued in the respective exposure. Fitness-related traits including survival, maturity age, body length, and fecundity of each D. lumholtzi generation were quantified. Though there were only some weak negative effects of the toxins on the first generation (F0), we found strong direct, accumulated and carried-over impacts of the toxins on life history traits of D. lumholtzi on the F1 and F2, including reductions of survival, and reproduction. The maturity age and body length showed some inconsistent patterns between generations and need further investigations. The survival, maturity age (for extract), and body length (for MC-LR) were only recovered when offspring from toxin exposed mothers were raised in clean medium for two generations. Chronic exposure to long lasting blooms, even at low density, evidently reduces survival of D. lumholtzi in tropical lakes and reservoirs with ecological consequences.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) can be used as chemical sentinels for the assessment of anthropogenic influences on Arctic environmental change. We present an overview of studies on PCBs in the Arctic and combine these with the findings from ArcRisk—a major European Union-funded project aimed at examining the effects of climate change on the transport of contaminants to and their behaviour of in the Arctic—to provide a case study on the behaviour and impact of PCBs over time in the Arctic. PCBs in the Arctic have shown declining trends in the environment over the last few decades. Atmospheric long-range transport from secondary and primary sources is the major input of PCBs to the Arctic region. Modelling of the atmospheric PCB composition and behaviour showed some increases in environmental concentrations in a warmerArctic, but the general decline in PCB levels is still the most prominent feature. ‘Within-Arctic’ processing of PCBs will be affected by climate change-related processes such as changing wet deposition. These in turn will influence biological exposure and uptake of PCBs. The pan-Arctic rivers draining large Arctic/sub-Arctic catchments provide a significant source of PCBs to the Arctic Ocean, although changes in hydrology/sediment transport combined with a changing marine environment remain areas of uncertainty with regard to PCB fate. Indirect effects of climate change on human exposure, such as a changing diet will influence and possibly reduce PCB exposure for indigenous peoples. Body burdens of PCBs have declined since the 1980s and are predicted to decline further. | publishedVersion