Low uptakes of Cd,Cu, and Zn in Dugesia japonica,a freshwater planarian with higher tolerance to metals

Although a freshwater planarian is proposed as a potential model for studying toxicities of environmental pollutants, they are less sensitive to metal exposures, compared to other freshwater invertebrates. We hypothesised that the metal uptake is low in treated planarians, which may lead to their higher tolerance to metals. The acute toxicities of Cu and Zn to Dugesia japonica were determined. The 24- and 48-h median lethal concentrations were 4.50 and 3.46?mg?L^?1, respectively, for Cu, and 41.97 and 37.79?mg?L^?1, respectively, for Zn. Accordingly, combining with the data on Cd in our previous study, higher tolerance of planarians to metals was revealed. Also, tissue levels of Cd, Cu, and Zn in treated D. japonica were determined, and their dissolved uptake rate constants (k₁) were calculated. Results showed that bioaccumulations of these metals in D. japonica were, indeed, lower than that in other freshwater invertebrates having higher susceptibilities to these metals.     

The relation between Acid Volatile Sulfides (AVS) and metal accumulation in aquatic invertebrates: Implications of feeding behavior and ecology

The present study evaluates the relationship between Acid Volatile Sulfides (AVS) and metal accumulation in invertebrates with different feeding behavior and ecological preferences. Natural sediments, pore water and surface water, together with benthic and epibenthic invertebrates were sampled at 28 Flemish lowland rivers. Different metals as well as metal binding sediment characteristics including AVS were measured and multiple regression was used to study their relationship with accumulated metals in the invertebrates taxa.Bioaccumulation in the benthic taxa was primarily influenced by total metal concentrations in the sediment. Regarding the epibenthic taxa metal accumulation was mostly explained by the more bioavailable metal fractions in both the sediment and the water. AVS concentrations were generally better correlated with metal accumulation in the epibenthic invertebrates, rather than with the benthic taxa. Our results indicated that the relation between AVS and metal accumulation in aquatic invertebrates is highly dependent on feeding behavior and ecology.     

A review and test of predictive models for the bioaccumulation of radiostrontium in fish

Empirical relations between the ⁹⁰Sr concentration factor (CF) and the calcium concentration in freshwater aquatic systems have previously been determined in studies based on data obtained prior to the Chernobyl accident. The purpose of the present research is to review and compare these models, and to test them against a database of post-Chernobyl measurements from rivers and lakes in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and Finland. It was found that two independently developed models, based on pre-Chernobyl empirical data, are in close agreement with each other, and with empirical data. Testing of both models against new data obtained after the Chernobyl accident confirms the models’ predictive ability. An investigation of the influence of fish size on ⁹⁰Sr accumulation showed no significant relationship, though the data set was somewhat limited.     

Dietary exposure of juvenile common sole (Solea solea L.) to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs): Part 2. Formation, bioaccumulation and elimination of hydroxylated metabolites

The uptake, elimination and transformation of six PBDE congeners (BDE-28, -47, -99, -100, -153, -209) were studied in juvenile common sole (Solea solea L.) exposed to spiked contaminated food over a three-month period, and then depurated over a five-month period. Methoxylated (MeO-) and hydroxylated (OH-) PBDEs were determined in fish plasma exposed to PBDEs and compared to those obtained in control fish. While all MeO- and some OH- congeners identified in fish plasma were found to originate from non-metabolic sources, several OH- congeners, i.e., OH-tetraBDEs and OH-pentaBDEs, were found to originate from fish metabolism. Among these, 4′-OH-BDE-49 was identified as a BDE-47 metabolite. Congener 4′-OH-BDE-101, identified here for the first time, may be the result of BDE-99 metabolic transformation. Our results unequivocally showed that PBDEs are metabolised in juvenile sole via the formation of OH- metabolites. However, this was not a major biotransformation route compared to biotransformation through debromination.     

Use of whole-body and subcellular Cu residues of Lumbriculus variegatus to predict waterborne Cu toxicity to both L. variegatus and Chironomus riparius in fresh water

We tested the use of whole-body and subcellular Cu residues (biologically-active (BAM) and inactive compartments (BIM)), of the oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus to predict Cu toxicity in fresh water. The critical whole-body residue associated with 50% mortality (CBR₅₀) was constant (38.2-55.6 μg g⁻¹ fresh wt.) across water hardness (38-117 mg L⁻¹ as CaCO₃) and exposure times during the chronic exposure. The critical subcellular residue (CSR₅₀) in metal-rich granules (part of BIM) associated with 50% mortality was approximately 5 μg g⁻¹ fresh wt., indicating that Cu bioavailability is correlated with toxicity:subcellular residue is a better predictor of Cu toxicity than whole-body residue. There was a strong correlation between the whole-body residue of L. variegatus (biomonitor) and survival of Chironomus riparius (relatively sensitive species) in a hard water Cu co-exposure. The CBR₅₀ in L. variegatus for predicting mortality of C. riparius was 29.1-45.7 μg g⁻¹ fresh wt., which was consistent within the experimental period; therefore use of Cu residue in an accumulator species to predict bioavailability of Cu to a sensitive species is a promising approach.     

A comparison of octanol-water partitioning between organic chemicals and their metabolites in mammals

Bioaccumulation models take various elimination and uptake processes into account, estimating rates from chemical lipophilicity, expressed as the octanol-water partition ratio (K_ow). Here, we focussed on metabolism, which transforms parent compounds into usually more polar metabolites, thus enhancing elimination. The aim of this study was to quantify the change in lipophilicity of relevant organic pollutants undergoing various biotransformation reactions in mammals. We considered oxidation reactions catalyzed by three enzyme groups: cytochrome P450 (CYP), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Estimated log K_ow values of a selected dataset of parent compounds were compared with the log K_ow of their first metabolites. The log K_ow decreased by a factor that varies between 0 and −2, depending on the metabolic pathway. For reactions mediated by CYP, the decrease in K_ow was one order of magnitude for hydroxylated and epoxidated compounds and two orders of magnitude for dihydroxylated and sulphoxidated xenobiotics. On the other hand, no significant change in lipophilicity was observed for compounds N-hydroxylated by CYP and for alcohols and aldehydes metabolized by ADH and ALDH. These trends could be anticipated by the calculus method of log K_ow. Yet, they were validated using experimental log K_ow values, when available. These relationships estimate the extent to which the elimination of pollutants is increased by biotransformation. Thus, the quantification of the K_ow reduction can be considered as a first necessary step in an alternative approach to anticipate biotransformation rates, which are hard to estimate with existing methods.     

Long-term effect of temperature on bioaccumulation of dietary metals and metallothionein induction in Sparus aurata

Previous studies have demonstrated that the commercial feed of aquacultured fish contains trace amounts of toxic and essential metals which can accumulate in tissues and finally be ingested by consumers. Recently rising temperatures, associated to the global warming phenomenon, have been reported as a factor to be taken into consideration in ecotoxicology, since temperature-dependent alterations in bioavailability, toxicokinetics and biotransformation rates can be expected. Sparus aurata were kept at 22 °C, 27 °C and 30 °C for 3 months in order to determine the temperature effect on metallothionein induction and metal bioaccumulation from a non-experimentally contaminated commercial feed. A significant temperature-dependent accumulation of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb) and iron (Fe) was found in liver, together with that of manganese (Mn), Fe and Zn in muscle. Hg presented the highest bioaccumulation factor, and essential metal homeostasis was disturbed in both tissues at warm temperatures. An enhancement of hepatic metallothionein induction was found in fish exposed to the highest temperature.     

Copper kinetics and internal distribution in the marbled crayfish (Procambarus sp.)

Metal pollution e.g. copper, in water bodies occurs worldwide. Although copper is an essential trace metal, at certain levels it is still considered as pollutant. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of exposure concentration on copper bioaccumulation in marbled crayfish (Procambarus sp.) by determining uptake and elimination kinetics. Crayfish were exposed to sub-lethal copper concentrations (average measured concentrations of 0.031 and 0.38 mg Cu L⁻¹) for 14 d and transferred to copper-free water for another 14 d. At different time points during the uptake and elimination phases copper concentrations were measured in five organs (exoskeleton, gills, muscle, ovaries and hepatopancreas). At 0.031 mg Cu L⁻¹, copper levels in the crayfish organs were not significantly increased compared to the control animals, suggesting effective regulation. Exposure to 0.38 mg Cu L⁻¹ did lead to not significantly increased copper levels in muscles and ovaries, while the gills and exoskeleton, which are in direct contact with the water, showed significantly higher copper concentrations. In these four organs, copper showed fast uptake kinetics with equilibrium reached within 10 d of exposure. Copper accumulation was highest in the hepatopancreas; uptake in this storage organ steadily increased with time and did not reach equilibrium within the 14-d exposure period. Copper accumulation levels in the marbled crayfish found in this study were hepatopancreas > gills > exoskeleton > muscle.     

Arsenic species in ecosystems affected by arsenic-rich spring water near an abandoned mine in Korea

The objectives of this study were to quantitatively estimate the distribution of arsenic with its speciation and to identify potential pathways for transformation of arsenic species from samples of water, sediments, and plants in the ecosystem affected by the Cheongog Spring, where As(V) concentration reached levels up to 0.270 mg L⁻¹. After flowing about 100 m downstream, the arsenic level showed a marked reduction to 0.044 mg L⁻¹ (about 84% removal) without noticeable changes in major water chemistry. The field study and laboratory hydroponic experiments with the dominant emergent plants along the creek (water dropwort and thunbergian smartweed) indicated that arsenic distribution, reduction, and speciation appear to be controlled by, (i) sorption onto stream sediments in exchangeable fractions, (ii) bioaccumulation by and possible release from emergent plants, and (iii) transformation of As(V) to As(III) and organic species through biological activities.     

Mercury bioaccumulation and risk to three waterbird foraging guilds is influenced by foraging ecology and breeding stage

We evaluated mercury (Hg) in five waterbird species representing three foraging guilds in San Francisco Bay, CA. Fish-eating birds (Forster's and Caspian terns) had the highest Hg concentrations in thier tissues, but concentrations in an invertebrate-foraging shorebird (black-necked stilt) were also elevated. Foraging habitat was important for Hg exposure as illustrated by within-guild differences, where species more associated with marshes and salt ponds had higher concentrations than those more associated with open-bay and tidal mudflats. Importantly, Hg concentrations increased with time spent in the estuary. Surf scoter concentrations tripled over six months, whereas Forster's terns showed an up to 5-fold increase between estuary arrival and breeding. Breeding waterbirds were at elevated risk of Hg-induced reproductive impairment, particularly Forster's terns, in which 48% of breeding birds were at high risk due to their Hg levels. Our results highlight the importance of habitat and exposure timing, in addition to trophic position, on waterbird Hg bioaccumulation and risk.