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Integrated Environmental Assessment and... Sep 2021Bioaccumulation (B) assessment is challenging because there are various B-metrics from laboratory and field studies, multiple criteria and thresholds for classifying... (Review)
Review
Bioaccumulation (B) assessment is challenging because there are various B-metrics from laboratory and field studies, multiple criteria and thresholds for classifying bioaccumulative (B), very bioaccumulative (vB), and not bioaccumulative (nB) chemicals, as well as inherent variability and uncertainty in the data. These challenges can be met using a weight of evidence (WoE) approach. The Bioaccumulation Assessment Tool (BAT) provides a transparent WoE assessment framework that follows Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) principles for performing a WoE analysis. The BAT guides an evaluator through the process of data collection, generation, evaluation, and integration of various lines of evidence (LoE) (i.e., B-metrics) to inform decision-making. Phenanthrene (PHE) is a naturally occurring chemical for which extensive B and toxicokinetics data are available. A B assessment for PHE using the BAT is described that includes a critical evaluation of 74 measured in vivo LoE for fish and invertebrate species from laboratory and field studies. The number of LoE are reasonably well balanced across taxa (i.e., fish and invertebrates) and the different B-metrics. Additionally, in silico and in vitro biotransformation rate estimates and corresponding model-predicted B-metrics are included as corroborating evidence. Application of the BAT provides a consistent, coherent, and scientifically defensible WoE evaluation to conclude that PHE is not bioaccumulative (nB) because the overwhelming majority of the bioconcentration, bioaccumulation, and biomagnification metrics for both fish and invertebrates are below regulatory thresholds. An analysis of the relevant data using fugacity ratios is also provided, showing that PHE does not biomagnify in aquatic food webs. The critical review identifies recommendations to increase the consistency of B assessments, such as improved standardization of B testing guidelines, data reporting requirements for invertebrate studies, and consideration of temperature and salinity effects on certain B-metrics. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021;17:911-925. © 2021 Concawe. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
Topics: Animals; Bioaccumulation; Ecotoxicology; Fishes; Food Chain; Phenanthrenes; Risk Assessment
PubMed: 33620129
DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4401 -
Journal of Hazardous Materials Apr 2022Little is known about the distribution and bioaccumulation of organophosphate esters (OPEs) in mangrove ecosystems. In this study, water, sediments, plants and animals...
Little is known about the distribution and bioaccumulation of organophosphate esters (OPEs) in mangrove ecosystems. In this study, water, sediments, plants and animals were collected from Qi'ao Island Mangrove Nature Reserve to investigate the levels, bioaccumulation and biomagnification of OPEs. Concentrations of ΣOPEs in the mangrove plant Sonneratia apetala (an exotic species) were greater than those in Kandelia obovata (a native species). Translocation factors of OPEs in the two mangrove tree species were greater than 1, indicating that OPEs were mainly absorbed in aboveground tissues. Concentrations of OPEs in mangrove trees and animals were negatively correlated with their log K, suggesting that accumulation of OPEs in mangrove biota was influenced by hydrophobicity. A significant difference for concentrations of ΣOPEs was found among the eight mangrove animal species. Concentrations of ΣOPEs in mangrove animals were related with lipid contents, feeding habits and K of OPEs. Biota-sediment accumulation factor of OPEs was larger than 1, suggesting that bioaccumulation of OPEs occurred in mangrove animals. The targeted OPEs except isodecyl diphenyl phosphate were not biomagnified in mangrove animals. This study highlights bioaccumulation of OPEs in mangrove biota and suggests further concern about the ecological risk of OPEs to mangrove biota.
Topics: Animals; Bioaccumulation; China; Ecosystem; Environmental Monitoring; Esters; Estuaries; Organophosphates; Rivers; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 34863572
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127909 -
Applied and Environmental Microbiology Mar 2023There is mounting evidence of the contamination of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the sewage, surface water, and even marine...
There is mounting evidence of the contamination of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the sewage, surface water, and even marine environment. Various studies have confirmed that bivalve mollusks can bioaccumulate SARS-CoV-2 RNA to detectable levels. However, these results do not provide sufficient evidence for the presence of infectious viral particles. To verify whether oysters can bind the viral capsid and bioaccumulate the viral particles, Pacific oysters were artificially contaminated with the recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike protein S1 subunit (rS1). The bioaccumulation pattern of the rS1 in different tissues was investigated by immunohistological assays. The results revealed that the rS1 was bioaccumulated predominately in the digestive diverticula. The rS1 was also present in the epithelium of the nondigestive tract tissues, including the gills, mantle, and heart. In addition, three potential binding ligands, including angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE 2)-like substances, A-type histo-blood group antigen (HBGA)-like substances, and oyster heat shock protein 70 (oHSP 70), were confirmed to bind rS1 and were distributed in tissues with various patterns. The colocalization analysis of rS1 and those potential ligands indicated that the distributions of rS1 are highly consistent with those of ACE 2-like substances and oHSP 70. Both ligands are distributed predominantly in the secretory absorptive cells of the digestive diverticula and may serve as the primary ligands to bind rS1. Therefore, oysters are capable of bioaccumulating the SARS-CoV-2 capsid readily by filter-feeding behavior assisted by specific binding ligands, especially in digestive diverticula. This is the first article to investigate the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein bioaccumulation pattern and mechanism in Pacific oysters by the histochemical method. Oysters can bioaccumulate SARS-CoV-2 capsid readily by filter-feeding behavior assisted by specific binding ligands. The new possible foodborne transmission route may change the epidemic prevention strategies and reveal some outbreaks that current conventional epidemic transmission routes cannot explain. This original and interdisciplinary paper advances a mechanistic understanding of the bioaccumulation of SARS-CoV-2 in oysters inhabiting contaminated surface water.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; SARS-CoV-2; RNA, Viral; Bioaccumulation; COVID-19; Ostreidae; Water
PubMed: 36815797
DOI: 10.1128/aem.02106-22 -
Journal of Hazardous Materials Mar 2022The bioaccumulation and depuration of TiO nanoparticles (TiONPs) by zebrafish via the dietary exposure following the OECD Test Guideline 305 (OECD TG305) was evaluated...
The bioaccumulation and depuration of TiO nanoparticles (TiONPs) by zebrafish via the dietary exposure following the OECD Test Guideline 305 (OECD TG305) was evaluated using particle size- and number concentration-resolved analysis based on single-particle ICP-MS (spICP-MS). We found that using enzymatic digestion without HO or excessive heating can recover 84.0 ± 4.0% and 94.5 ± 3.5% of TiONP mass and number concentrations from fish tissue, respectively, without altering the size distribution of parent TiONPs. OECD TG305 can allow for the evaluation of bioaccumulation and depuration of TiONPs by fish based on the particle mass and number dose metrics. The toxicokinetic modeling can reasonably describe the mass- and number-based measurement data with the derived absorption efficiency α at ~0.2, depuration rate at ~0.5 d, and kinetic biomagnification factor (BMF) at ~0.007 comparable with available data. The mass concentration- and number concentration-based bioaccumulation metrics including body burdens are correlated for TiONPs that remained nano-sized in vivo and exhibited marginal physicochemical alterations upon uptake by fish. The result indicates that the traditional mass concentration metric may be used to represent the fish bioaccumulation potential for chemically inert NPs like TiO.
Topics: Animals; Bioaccumulation; Hydrogen Peroxide; Nanoparticles; Titanium; Zebrafish
PubMed: 34863574
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127801 -
International Journal of Environmental... Mar 2022Although hydrophobic ultraviolet (UV) stabilizers are an emerging environmental concern because of their widespread occurrence, persistence, and bioaccumulation...
Although hydrophobic ultraviolet (UV) stabilizers are an emerging environmental concern because of their widespread occurrence, persistence, and bioaccumulation potential, experimental values of their partitioning properties required for risk assessment are scarce. In this study, -octanol-water partition (K) and lipid-water partition constants (K), which are key parameters for environmental risk assessment, were experimentally determined for five selected hydrophobic UV stabilizers (UV326, UV327, UV328, UV329, and UV531) based on third-phase partitioning among polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), water, and -octanol/lipid. The partition constants between PDMS and water (K), obtained using the dynamic permeation method were used to derive K and K. The obtained log K and log K values were in the ranges of 7.08-7.94 and 7.50-8.34, respectively, indicating that the UV stabilizers exhibited a high bioaccumulation potential in aquatic environments. The experimental K and K values obtained in this study provide valuable information for the evaluation of the fate, distribution, bioavailability, and toxicity of the UV stabilizers in aquatic environments.
Topics: 1-Octanol; Bioaccumulation; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Water; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 35409673
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19073989 -
Chemosphere Apr 2023With the ever-increasing application of carbon dots (CDs), a substantial amount will be released and assemble in the aquatic environment. Nevertheless, potential...
With the ever-increasing application of carbon dots (CDs), a substantial amount will be released and assemble in the aquatic environment. Nevertheless, potential photodegradation of CDs in the aquatic environment, their accumulation and impacts in aquatic organisms remain unclear. Our study examined the toxicity of CDs to two marine dinoflagellates Prorocentrum micans and Prorocentrum donghaiense. Their bioaccumulation including the uptake and elimination kinetics was also determined. Significant photodegradation of CDs in seawater was observed. Moreover, both the degraded CDs and their photodegradation products were toxic to the dinoflagellates. Although P. donghaiense was more sensitive to CDs than P. micans with the median effect concentration 17.0 and 99.0 mg L, respectively, such sensitivity difference disappeared when the toxicity data were plotted against cellularly accumulated CDs instead of their concentration in the experimental medium. Therefore, the higher sensitivity of P. donghaiense was attributable to its higher accumulation of CDs. Overall, the photodegradation and bioaccumulation of CDs should be considered when evaluating their environmental risks.
Topics: Dinoflagellida; Bioaccumulation; Carbon; Aquatic Organisms; Seawater; Quantum Dots
PubMed: 36791814
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138155 -
The Science of the Total Environment Apr 2020Vanadium is a multivalent redox-sensitive metal that is widely distributed in the environment. Low levels of vanadium elevate plant height, root length, and biomass... (Review)
Review
Vanadium is a multivalent redox-sensitive metal that is widely distributed in the environment. Low levels of vanadium elevate plant height, root length, and biomass production due to enhanced chlorophyll biosynthesis, seed germination, essential element uptake, and nitrogen assimilation and utilization. However, high vanadium concentrations disrupt energy metabolism and matter cycling; inhibit key enzymes mediating energy production, protein synthesis, ion transportation, and other important physiological processes; and lead to growth retardation, root and shoot abnormalities, and even death of plants. The threshold level of toxicity is highly plant species-specific, and in most cases, the half maximal effective concentration (EC) of vanadium for plants grown under hydroponic conditions and in soil varies from 1 to 50 mg/L, and from 18 to 510 mg/kg, respectively. Plants such as Chinese green mustard, chickpea, and bunny cactus could accumulate high concentrations of vanadium in their tissues, and thus are suitable for decontaminating and reclaiming of vanadium-polluted soils on a large scale. Soil pH, organic matter, and the contents of iron and aluminum (hydr)oxides, phosphorus, calcium, and other coexisting elements affect the bioavailability, toxicity, and plant uptake of vanadium. Mediation of these conditions or properties in vanadium-contaminated soils could improve plant tolerance, accumulation, or exclusion, thereby enhancing phytoremediation efficiency. Phytoremediation with the assistance of soil amendments and microorganisms is a promising method for decontamination of vanadium polluted soils.
Topics: Bioaccumulation; Biodegradation, Environmental; Soil; Soil Pollutants; Vanadium
PubMed: 31810710
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135637 -
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Apr 2024Modelling approaches to estimate the bioaccumulation of organic chemicals by earthworms are important for improving the realism in risk assessment of chemicals. However,... (Review)
Review
Modelling approaches to estimate the bioaccumulation of organic chemicals by earthworms are important for improving the realism in risk assessment of chemicals. However, the applicability of existing models is uncertain, partly due to the lack of independent datasets to test them. This study therefore conducted a comprehensive literature review on existing empirical and kinetic models that estimate the bioaccumulation of organic chemicals in earthworms and gathered two independent datasets from published literature to evaluate the predictive performance of these models. The Belfroid et al. (1995a) model is the best-performing empirical model, with 91.2% of earthworm body residue simulations within an order of magnitude of observation. However, this model is limited to the more hydrophobic pesticides and to the earthworm species Eisenia fetida or Eisenia andrei. The kinetic model proposed by Jager et al. (2003b) which out-performs that of Armitage and Gobas (2007), predicted uptake of PCB 153 in the earthworm E. andrei to within a factor of 10. However, the applicability of Jager et al.'s model to other organic compounds and other earthworm species is unknown due to the limited evaluation dataset. The model needs to be parameterised for different chemical, soil, and species types prior to use, which restricts its applicability to risk assessment on a broad scale. Both the empirical and kinetic models leave room for improvement in their ability to reliably predict bioaccumulation in earthworms. Whether they are fit for purpose in environmental risk assessment needs careful consideration on a case by case basis.
Topics: Animals; Oligochaeta; Soil Pollutants; Bioaccumulation; Pesticides; Organic Chemicals; Soil
PubMed: 38520811
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116240 -
The Science of the Total Environment Apr 2022While the secondary metabolites of DDT such as 2,2-bis(chlorophenyl)-1-chloroethylene (DDMU) and 2,2-bis(chlorophenyl)methane (DDM) have been detected in the environment...
While the secondary metabolites of DDT such as 2,2-bis(chlorophenyl)-1-chloroethylene (DDMU) and 2,2-bis(chlorophenyl)methane (DDM) have been detected in the environment for several decades, knowledge is extremely limited on their bioaccumulation characteristics. Here, we reported the bioaccumulation and maternal transfer of p,p'-DDMU and p,p'-DDM in two wild fishes, i.e., the northern snakehead (Channa argus) and crucian carp (Carassius auratus), from a DDT contaminated site in South China. The hepatic concentrations of p,p'-DDMU and p,p'-DDM in the fish were up to 549 and 893 ng/g lipid weight, contributing 5.3% and 3.2% in average to ΣDDXs (the sum concentrations of DDT and its 6 metabolites), respectively. The residues of p,p'-DDMU and p,p'-DDM in the fish exhibited interspecific and intraspecific variations, resulting from the differences in lipid content, sex, and body sizes (length and mass) between or within species. Both p,p'-DDMU and p,p'-DDM were consistently detected in the fish eggs, demonstrating their maternal transfer in female fish. The mean eggs to liver lipid-normalized concentration (E/L) ratios of p,p'-DDMU and p,p'-DDM were 0.98 and 1.77 in the northern snakehead, 0.35 and 0.01 in crucian carp, respectively; which were comparable to or even exceeded those of DDT and its major metabolites calculated in the same individual. Statistical analyses of the data showed that the E/L ratios were positively correlated with body sizes of the fish, but negatively correlated with the hepatic concentrations of p,p'-DDMU and p,p'-DDM in females; suggesting the influences of fish sizes and the mother body residues on their maternal transfer efficiencies.
Topics: Animals; Bioaccumulation; China; DDT; Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; Female; Fishes
PubMed: 34813814
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151814 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Aug 2020Leptolyngbya boryana (L. boryana) is a typical filamentous cyanobacterium that is widely distributed in aquatic ecosystems and is considered to play an important role in...
Leptolyngbya boryana (L. boryana) is a typical filamentous cyanobacterium that is widely distributed in aquatic ecosystems and is considered to play an important role in the arsenic biogeochemical cycle. Our results showed that L. boryana resisted arsenite (As(III)) and arsenate (As(V)) concentrations up to 0.25 mM and 5 mM, respectively. When exposed to 100 μM As(III) or As(V) for 4 weeks, L. boryana accumulated as much arsenic as 570.0 mg kg and 268.5 mg kg, respectively. After the 4-week exposure to As(III) and As(V), organoarsenicals including dimethylarsenate (DMAs(V)) and oxo-arsenosugar-phosphate (Oxo-PO) were detected in the cells of L. boryana, while inorganic arsenic, especially As(V), was still the main species in both the cells and medium. Furthermore, arsenic oxidation was observed to be solely caused by L. boryana cells and was considered the dominant detoxification pathway. In conclusion, due to its powerful arsenic accumulation, biotransformation, and detoxification abilities, L. boryana might play an important role in arsenic remediation in aquatic environments.
Topics: Arsenic; Bioaccumulation; Biotransformation; Cyanobacteria; Ecosystem
PubMed: 32447729
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-09294-y