Reproduction disturbances of Brachionus calyciflorus (rotifer) for the screening of environmental endocrine disrupters

Rotifers and especially the Brachionus calyciflorus species have already shown advantages (e.g. good sensitivity, simplicity, ecological relevance, short generation time) for the chronic toxicity assessment of water pollutants. In this study, the B. calyciflorus three-day test was evaluated on ethinylestradiol, nonylphenol and testosterone for the determination of endocrine disrupting (reproductive) effects. Reproduction (intrinsic rate of population increase) and sex ratio (males/females and mictic females/amictic females) were explored and discussed as suitable endpoints. B. calyciflorus has shown a fair sensitivity to detect reproductive disrupting effects after exposure to ethinylestradiol, nonylphenol and testosterone. Population growth (intrinsic rate of population increase, r) and the ratio ovigerous females/non-ovigerous females are both suitable endpoints, whereas the occurrence of males was not frequent enough to be used as endpoint.     

Photolysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons adsorbed on spruce [Picea abies (L) Karst] needles under sunlight irradiation

Photolysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) sorbed on surfaces of spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] needles under sunlight irradiation was investigated. PAHs were produced by combustion of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), wood, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and styrene in a stove. The factors of sunlight irradiation on the surfaces of spruce needles were taken into consideration when investigating the kinetic parameters. The photolysis of the 18 PAHs under study follows first-order kinetics. The photolysis half-lives range from 15 h for dibenzo(a,h)anthracene to 75 h for phenanthrene. Photolysis of some PAHs on surfaces of spruce needles may play an important role on the fate of PAHs in the environment.     

The suitability of gastropods as biomarkers

The measurement and induction of mixed function oxyigenases (MFOs) of limnetic gastropods were investigated to estimate their suitability as biomarkers. A determination of MFO activities was performed through the measurement of ethoxyresorufin-O-dealkylase (EROD), pentoxy-(PROD) and benzoxyresorufin-O-dealkylase-activity (BROD). Optimal measuring conditions of these activities were investigated in preparations of the digestive gland of 4 species of limnetic gastropods. Results indicate that MFO-activity inhibiting substances are accumulating in the microsomal pellet, the fraction commonly used for the measurement of MFO-activities. Therefore, the fraction used for induction studies was the postmitochondrial supernatant (PMS). EROD, PROD, and BROD activity ofPlanorbis planorbis andPlanorbis carinatus were measured after a treatment with Aroclor 1254 for 1–17 days. Maximal induction of EROD and PROD were 6 and 10 times the value in the control group ofP. carinatus, respectively induction inP. planorbis was lower. BROD-activity could not been measured inP. planorbis. InP. carinatus, BROD-activity increased to a maximum of 2 times after traetment with Aroclor 1254. The level of induction of EROD-activity is comparable to results described in analog studies with fish.     

Toxicity tests with luminescent photobacteria and quantitative structure activity relationships for nitroparaffins

EC₅₀ values of different nitroparaffins were determined by a photobacterium phosphoreum toxicity test. Octanol/water partition coefficients were determined by a reversed phase HPLC method. From these experimental data quantitative structure activity relationships were deduced which point to a dependence of toxicity on a “form factor” that includes the number of methyl and methylene groups in a molecule. The hypothesis will be formulated that the specific effects depend on the number of methylgroups and an equation for specific effects is given.     

Toxic emissions during co-combustion of biomass-waste wood-lignite blends in an industrial boiler

The objectives of this work were to study the PCDD/F emissions during the co-combustion of waste wood/coal co-combustion in an industrial boiler and to determine the relation of the toxic emissions to the fuel properties. Co-combustion experiments were performed in a 13.8 MWthermal industrial moving grate combustor. The fuels which were examined in this study included Greek lignite, natural uncontaminated wood, power poles and medium density fibers (MDFs) which were by-products of the plant production process. Fuel blends were prepared by mixing single components in various concentrations. PCDD/F emissions were collected during experimental runs and were analyzed according to standard methods. Low PCDD/F emissions were obtained during the co-combustion tests, lower than the limit value of 0.1 ng TEQ/Nm3. The lowest values were observed during the combustion of fuel blends containing MDF, possibly due to the inhibitory action of some of the N-containing MDF ingredients, such as urea. No direct correlation was found between the PCDD/F and the copper emissions, while examination of the PCDD/F homologue patterns revealed the predominance of the lower chlorinated isomers over the higher ones.     

Verteilungskoeffizienten chlorierter Kohlenwasserstoffe zwischen Muskulatur und Leber bei Fischen

Zusammenfassung  Lipidbezogene Verteilungskoeffizienten (KL_M/L) zwischen Muskelkonzentrationen-(C_ML) und Leberkonzentrationen (C_LL) zweier Friedfischarten Brassen (Abramis brama) und Aalmutter (Zoarces viviparus) ergeben theoriekonform (KL_M/L=C_ML/C_LL=1) nominale Werte um 1 für persistente (hochchlorierte PCB) und Werte über 1 für metabolisierbare lipophile Umweltchemikalien wie chlorierte Cyclohexane oder DDT.      

Half-lives of tetra-, penta-, hexa-, hepta-, and octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in rats,monkeys, and humans--a critical review

The elimination half-lives (t1/2) in Sprague-Dawley rats for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), 1,2, 3,7,8-pentachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (PeCDD), 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (HxCDD), 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-heptachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (HpCDD) and 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9-octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (OCDD) were estimated in long-term studies by Schlatter, Poiger and others. Furthermore, there are some published half-lives of TCDD in adult humans. The average half-life of TCDD in adult humans is approximately 2840 days, while in Sprague-Dawley rats the average t1/2 of TCDD is 19 days. The t1/2 of TCDD in humans is about 150 times that of rats. This factor was used to calculate the t1/2 values of the other polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) in humans from the rat data. Furthermore, the terminal t1/2 values of PCDDs in adult humans were calculated from the regression equation: logt1/2H = 1.34 logt1/2R + 1.25 which was recently established for 50 xenobiotics (t1/2H = terminal half-lives in days for humans, t1/2R = terminal half-lives in days for rats). The following terminal half-lives in adult humans were obtained: 12.6 years for 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD, 26-45 years for 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDD, 80-102 years for 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD and ca. 112-132 years for OCDD. These half-lives of PCDDs are critically compared with measured t1/2 values of PCDDs and other persistent organic pollutants in rats, monkeys and humans.     

Freisetzung schwerflüchtiger chlorierter Kohlenwasserstoffe aus aquatischem Sediment durch Baumaßnahmen in Berlin

In 1996, in fish — especially eels — from the Berlin Teltowkanal (TK) in Rudow, above the former border between the east and west, suddenly appearing amounts of sDDT (ΣDDT, DDE, DDD as 2,4′ and 4,4′ isomers) were determined, demonstrating about 22 000 μg/kg FS or approximately 10fold of the amount measured in the previous year. It was the aim of the works to verify the suspected cause — deep dredging at the former border crossing (Wredebrücke, TK km 32,4) which was closed for all shipping up to 1990 — to pursue the hight of the sDDT loads during the following years and to find out the spatial dimensions of the new sDDT contaminations. The background of these incidents was the production of DDT preprarations in the former VEB Berlin-Chemie (BC), about 5 km upwards from the Wredebrücke until 1984, leading to serious loads in the water. Measured as the contents in indicator fishes, they decreased continuously from 1983, the beginning of the investigations, until 1995. The sampling was performed as electrical fishing by the Fischereiamt (FiA) at the Senat from Berlin, who also gave the order for the capillary gas-chromatographic determinations. The sDDT batch from 1995 decreased in the canal downwards from the Wredebrücke which could be seen at the sampling points Barnackufer, TK km 16.4, Griebnitzsee, TK km 30 and Kleiner Wannsee/Pohlesee, for instance, all waters influenced by the TK. The profiles of the constituents of sDDT in fish in the vicinity of BC was nearly equivalent to those in the production wastewaters. 2,4′-DDD was taken as an indicator substance. This compound could be found in fish until 1984 and appeared in Rudow and at the Barnackufer for the first time in 1995, thus indicating that 2,4′-DDD was released again at the dredging. The isomers of HCH, the main congeners of PCB and HCB, remained inconspicous as contaminants in fish of the TK. In 1998, the sDDT values in fish of the TK at Rudow clearly decreased; at the Barnackufer already by 1997. Similar phenomena were also observed in Berlin waters in the vicinity of other building sites. They are practical examples for the remobilisation of substances from aquatic sediments.     

Ozone‐induced xeromorphism of beech leaves (Fagus sylvatica L.)

The influence of different concentrations of ozone under different light intensities on young trees of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) is studied. Young beeches were exposed continuously for 5 months in fumigation chambers, located outdoors, with 131±30/μg/m³O₃, and for 2 months in fumigation chambers, located in air‐conditioned greenhoouses, with 100±10, 200±20 and 300±30/μg/m³O₃, respectively. The observed symptoms point towards an increased xeromorphism in beech leaves, positively influenced by high light intensities. Ozone‐induced water stress may be the cause of xeromorphic tissue changes. On the ultrastructural level chloroplasts have become senescent.