Although Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) levels are decreased in the environment, the adverse effects of gestational exposure on the mother and offspring cannot be ignored due to the vulnerability of the fetus. In the present study, pregnant Balb/c mice were administered PCB52 (1 mg/kg BW/day) or corn oil vehicle by gavage until parturition. In the dams, PCB52 caused histopathological changes in the liver, higher serum levels of aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, and activated apoptosis and autophagy, suggesting hepatotoxicity. Overexpressed indicators of TLR4 pathway were observed in the liver of PCB52-exposed dams, indicated hepatic inflammation. Moreover, PCB52 exposure weakened the intestinal barrier and triggered inflammatory response, which might contribute to the hepatic inflammation by gut-liver axis. In the pups, prenatal PCB52 exposure affected the sex ratio at birth and reduced birth length and weights. Similar to the dams, prenatal PCB52 exposure induced hepatotoxicity in the pups without gender difference. Consistent with the alteration of gut microbiota, intestinal inflammation was confirmed, accompanying the disruption in the intestinal barrier and the activation of apoptosis and autophagy in the PCB52-exposed pups. Intestinal injury might be responsible for hepatotoxicity at least in part. Taken together, these findings suggested that gestational PCB52 exposure induced hepatic and intestinal injury in both maternal and offspring mice by arousing inflammation.

Severe methylmercury poisoning occurred in Minamata and neighboring communities in Japan during the 1950s and 1960s, causing what is known as Minamata disease. Although an increase in stillbirths and a reduced male proportion at birth (i.e., reduced sex ratio) have been reported, no studies have evaluated the impact of exposure on an entire set of infant and birth outcomes. We therefore evaluated the temporal trends of these outcomes in the Minamata area from 1950 to 1974. We focused on the spontaneous/artificial stillbirth rate, crude fertility rate, male proportion at birth, male proportion among stillbirths, and infant mortality. We obtained the number of stillbirths, live births, and infant deaths in Minamata City and Kumamoto Prefecture (as a reference) from 1950 to 1974. After plotting annual figures for each outcome, we divided the study period into five intervals and compared them between Minamata City and Kumamoto Prefecture using the chi-squared test. We observed a slightly increased spontaneous stillbirth rate and decreased artificial stillbirth rate in Minamata City, followed by a reduced crude fertility rate. The crude fertility rates in Minamata City during the period 1955–1965 were significantly lower compared with those in Kumamoto Prefecture (p < 0.001). An increase in the male proportion among stillbirths was observed, corresponding to a reduction in the proportion of males at birth in the late 1950s. The impact on infant mortality was equivocal. These descriptive analyses demonstrate a severe regional impact of methylmercury exposure on a series of birth outcomes in the Minamata area.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been commonly used as flame retardants and now become ubiquitous in the global environment. Using zebrafish as a model, we tested the hypothesis that PBDEs may affect the reproduction and development of fish. Zebrafish were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of DE-71 (a congener of PBDE commonly found in the environment) throughout their whole life cycle, and the effects of DE-71 on gonadal development, gamete quality, fertilization success, hatching success, embryonic development and sex ratio were investigated. Despite gonadal development was enhanced, reductions in spawning, fertilization success, hatching success and larval survival rate were evident, while significant increases in malformation and percentage of male were also observed in the F1 generation. Our laboratory results suggest that PBDEs may pose a risk to reproductive success and alter the sex ratio of fish in environments highly contaminated with PBDEs.

The bivalve Scrobicularia plana, an important species for the structure and functioning of estuarine and coastal mudflats, was studied in thirteen sites from NW France differing by their degree of contamination to document the presence of reproduction impairments (intersex, sex ratio, gonadosomatic indices) in relation to the condition revealed by using hepatosomatic and condition indices. In agreement with recent studies in other European estuaries, intersex was revealed in all the studied estuaries, including sites the chemical and ecological status of which is considered “good” according to the criteria of the European Water Framework Directive. The presence of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) could result in such disturbances. Our results re-inforce the concern linked to the subtle effects of EDCs, which are active at very low doses, often in the absence of any major sign of toxicity. However at this stage, no clear link may be established between intersex and population effects.

Species of the genus Microcystis are among the most notorious cyanobacteria in eutrophic lakes worldwide, with ability present adverse effects on many aquatic organisms. In the surface sediments, Microcystis can be ingested by benthic macroinvertebrates such as Chironomus. However, the potential negative effects of Microcystis on Chironomus life history traits remain unclear. In the present study, we investigated the effect of different Microcystis diets on specific behaviors (burrowing activity, locomotion ability) and life history traits of Chironomus pallidivittatus (Diptera, Chironomidae). We also studied the interactive effects of microcystin-producing M. aeruginosa and temperature (15, 20, and 25 °C) stress on chironomid larvae. The results showed that the inhibitory effect on the cumulative emergence and burrowing activity of larvae was more severe when they were fed M. aeruginosa among the three Microcystis diets groups. Locomotion ability (i.e., locomotor distance and velocity) and adult dry weight decreased significantly in the group fed M. aeruginosa. Locomotion was significantly inhibited and mortality increased when the larvae were fed a mixture of M. aeruginosa and M. wesenbergii, which may have been the result of additive or synergistic effect of the toxins. Under the stress of lower temperature, C. pallidivittatus larvae exhibited weaker locomotion and growth ability, and the emerging adults were mostly male. At both the lower and higher temperature conditions, M. aeruginosa cause cumulative emergence decreased, and sex ratio imbalance, which inhibited the reproduction of larvae from the population perspective. The fourth-instar larvae showed better adaption to Microcystis than did the other instars. This study thus highlights the adverse effects of microcystin-producing M. aeruginosa on Chironomus. It also provides a novel perspective on how environmental factors may influence the behavior and life history traits of chironomid larvae, and how they may respond to cyanobacterial blooms and global warming.

Sex determination is a complex process that can be influenced by environment in various taxa. Disturbed environments can affect population sex ratios and thus threaten their viability. Emerging evidences support a role of epigenetic mechanisms, notably DNA methylation, in environmental sex determination (ESD). In this work, using zebrafish as model and a transgenerational experiment comprising 4 successive generations, we report a strength link between the promotor methylation level of three genes in female gonads and population sex ratio. One generation of zebrafish was exposed throughout its lifetime to cadmium (Cd), a non-essential metal, at an environmentally relevant concentration. The subsequent generations were not exposed. At the first and the third generation a subset of individuals was exposed to an elevated temperature, a well-known masculinizing factor in zebrafish. While heat was associated to an increase in the methylation level of cyp19a1a gene and population masculinization, foxl2a/dmrt1 methylation levels appeared to be influenced by Cd and fish density leading to offspring feminization. Ancestral Cd exposure indeed led to a progressive feminization of the population over generations and affected the sex plastic response of zebrafish in response to heat. The effect of Cd on the methylation level of foxl2a was observed until the third generation, supporting potential transgenerational inheritance. Our results support (i) a key role of cyp19a1a methylation in SD in zebrafish in response to environmental cues and (ii) the fact that the environment experienced by parents, namely mothers in the present case, can affect their offspring sex ratio via environment-induced DNA methylation changes in gonads.

Despite of much evidence of trace metal pollution in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE), the seasonal dynamics of metal bioavailability as well as the potential impacts of metal pollution on the local marine organisms in this estuary is poorly understood. In the present study, the accumulation of trace metals and reproductive states of three populations of oyster Crassostrea hongkongensis, a keystone bivalve species in the PRE, were for the first time investigated throughout a one-year field study. Significant temporal fluctuations of metal accumulation were observed in the somatic tissues of oysters, suggesting seasonal variations of metal bioavailability in the PRE. A major feature of the seasonal variations was the increased levels of metal bioaccumulation in the summer season for the contaminated sites nearby the major river inlets. High riverine inputs accompanied by relatively lower salinity in summer may greatly contribute to such variations. Furthermore, oyster populations from two contaminated sites had a poor reproductive condition in comparison with the reference oyster population, as reflected by a significant decrease of gonad-somatic index (GSI) and gonad cover area (GCA), as well as an obvious change of sex ratios. Gonadal metal accumulation of Cu, Zn, Ni, Co and Pb in the contaminated oysters was much higher than that in the relatively uncontaminated oysters. Especially, the concentrations of these metals in the gonad during the breeding season had significantly negative correlations with the gonad condition indexes (GSI and GCA). Our results suggested strong seasonal fluctuations of bioavailability of trace metals in this highly contaminated estuary as well as an adverse effect of metal pollution on the reproduction of local oyster populations.

Perfluorooctanesulphonic acid (PFOS) is a ubiquitous contaminant in the aquatic environment and our earlier studies demonstrated that chronic PFOS exposures lead to a female-biased sex ratio and decreased sperm quality in male zebrafish. The underlying mechanism for these reproductive effects is unknown. In the present study, 8 h post-fertilization (hpf) zebrafish were exposed to PFOS at 250 μg/L for 5 months, and the levels of sex hormones, expression of sex determination related genes, and histological and ultrastructural changes of gonads were fully characterized. During the sex differentiation period, we observed elevated estradiol (E2) and decreased testosterone (T) levels in whole tissue homogenates from PFOS exposed juveniles. In fully mature adult male fish, serum E2 levels were slightly increased, however, the estrogen receptor alpha (esr1) was significantly elevated in PFOS treated male gonads. Histological and electron microscopic examinations revealed structural changes in the gonads of PFOS exposed male and female adult zebrafish. In summary, chronic PFOS exposure disrupts sex hormone level and related gene expression and impairs gonadal development, which may contribute to the previously reported PFOS reproductive toxicity.

Despite intensive ecotoxicological research, we still know relatively little about the ecological impacts of many environmental contaminants. Filling these knowledge gaps is particularly important regarding amphibians, because they play significant roles in freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems, and their populations are declining worldwide. In this study, we investigated two pollutants that have been poorly studied in ecotoxicology despite their widespread occurrence in surface waters: the herbicide terbuthylazine and the pharmaceutical drug carbamazepine. We exposed two anuran species throughout their larval development to each of two environmentally relevant concentrations of each pollutant, and recorded mortality and 17 sub-lethal endpoints up to several months after exposure. Mortality was low and unrelated to treatment. In agile frogs (Rana dalmatina), we found that treatment with 0.3 μg/L terbuthylazine decreased tadpole activity and reduced fat bodies in juveniles, whereas treatment with 50 μg/L carbamazepine decreased spleen size and increased spleen pigmentation. In common toads (Bufo bufo), treatment with 0.003 μg/L terbuthylazine increased body mass at metamorphosis, treatment with 0.3 μg/L terbuthylazine increased the size of optic tecta, and treatment with 0.5 μg/L carbamazepine decreased hypothalamus size. Treatment with 50 μg/L carbamazepine reduced the feeding activity of toad tadpoles, decreased their production of anti-predatory bufadienolide toxins, and increased their body mass at metamorphosis; juvenile toads in this treatment group had reduced spleen pigmentation. Neither treatments affected the time to metamorphosis, post-metamorphic body mass, or sex ratios significantly. These results show that environmental levels of both terbuthylazine and carbamazepine can have several sub-lethal effects on anurans, which may be detrimental to individual fitness and population persistence in natural conditions. Our findings further highlight that toxic effects cannot be generalized between chemicals of similar structure, because the terbuthylazine effects we found do not conform with previously reported effects of atrazine, a related and extensively studied herbicide.

Adverse effects of ambient fine particles (PM₂.₅) on sperm quality and oocyte fertilization have been identified by previous research. However, insufficient human studies tested associations between PM₂.₅ and decreased fertility rates.We associated long-term exposure to PM₂.₅ and county-level fertility rates reported by 2010 census across China. Exposure assessments were based on PM₂.₅ maps (2009–2010) with a spatial resolution of 0.1° derived from satellite remote sensing data from another published study. We used a Poisson regression to examine the relationship between PM₂.₅ and fertility rates with adjustment of potential confounders including county-level socioeconomic factors (e.g. sex ratio) and a spatially smoothed trend.We found that fertility rates were significantly decreased by 2.0% (95% confidence interval: 1.8%, 2.1%) per 10 μg/m³ increment of PM₂.₅. We also found a geographical variation of the associations.The study add to epidemiological evidences on adverse effects of PM₂.₅ on fertility rates.