A synchronized amphibian metamorphosis assay as an improved tool to detect thyroid hormone disturbance by endocrine disruptors and apolar sediment extracts

Amphibian metamorphosis assays are used to evaluate potential effects of endocrine disrupting compounds on the thyroid hormone axis. In this study, Xenopus laevis tadpoles are kept in a solution of 0.2% thiourea (TU) to arrest and synchronise them in their development. The advantage of this synchronized amphibian metamorphosis assays is that synchronised tadpoles are available at any time to start metamorphosis experiments, and experimental groups are much more homogenous at the start of experimental exposure compared with groups selected from an untreated pool of animals. The water volume per animal was kept constant throughout the experimental period to overcome the influence of declining numbers of animals per aquarium due to metamorphosis and mortality on the density dependent development of the remaining tadpoles. Clophen A50 (a technical PCB mixture), the single congener 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB 77) and apolar sediment extracts that were previously tested positive in the T-Screen, an in vitro proliferation assay for thyroid hormone disruption, were tested in the Synchronized Amphibian Metamorphosis Assay. Endpoints studied were mortality, malformations, body weight, and percentage of metamorphosed froglets at the end of the 60-day experimental period, percentage of tadpoles in different developmental stages, and developmental stage-dependent awarded penalty points. Dietary exposure to Clophen A50 (0.2-50mg/kg food) resulted in a significant increased percentage of tadpoles that did not pass metamorphosis at concentrations higher than 2mg/kg food. Time until metamorphosis in those animals that were able to metamorphose after the 60-days experimental period was significantly decreased. Dietary exposure to PCB 77, a congener that can be readily metabolised, did not result in significant effects in any exposure group (2-500 microg/kg food). Apolar sediment extracts from two of the three sites that are contaminated with a wide variety of chemicals significantly decreased the percentage of metamorphosed animals and significantly increased the number of tadpoles that remained in early and late metamorphic stages. These effects already occurred when the extracts where diluted more than 1000 times (on an organic carbon base) compared to environmental concentrations. The rank of potency was comparable to results obtained with the T-screen. This suggests the presence of thyroid hormone disrupting compounds in the aquatic environment and possible effects of such compounds on animal development in the wild.     

碳素纤维在近岸海洋污染物磷酸盐、硅酸盐处理中的应用

对碳素纤维进行氧化改性,利用改性后的碳素纤维处理近岸污染海水,重点研究了改性碳素纤维对海水中活性磷酸盐和活性硅酸盐的吸附作用。考察了碳素纤维液相改性时间、碳素纤维投加量、活性磷酸盐初始浓度、活性硅酸盐初始浓度、吸附时间、海况、pH值等单因素对近岸海洋污染物磷酸盐、硅酸盐吸附效果的影响。研究结果表明:改性碳素纤维对硅酸盐的吸附效果较好,去除率可达70%,对活性磷酸盐的去除率为31%左右。通过正交实验确定改性碳素纤维材料修复模拟近岸海水的优化条件为:碳素纤维改性时间为1.5 h,投加量为0.01 g,硅酸盐初始浓度为3mg/L,磷酸盐初始浓度为20 mg/L,海况为3级,pH值为8,吸附时间为3 h。在此条件下,碳素纤维对磷酸盐的去除率可达31.06%,硅酸盐去除率可达70.88%。     

An in vitro/in vivo screening assay as a sensitive tool to assess endocrine disruptive activity in surface water

Adult male fathead minnow were exposed for 14 or 28-days under flow-through conditions to undiluted filtered water samples from the rivers Meuse and Rhine in the Netherlands. The experiment included two vessels per treatment each containing 10 fish and samples of five fish were taken after 14 and 28 days. Additional groups were exposed to 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2) as a reference and untreated drinking water as a negative control. Major endpoints examined included induction of vitellogenin (VTG) synthesis, VTG mRNA activity, hepato- and gonadosomatic indices (HSI and GSI) and gonadal histology. No significant difference was recorded in body weight or mean GSI values between the various treatments. Only exposure to Meuse water resulted in significantly higher HSI means after 14 days. Histological examination showed no apparent effects on gonadal tissue except for eosinophilic blood plasma in fish exposed to Meuse water or EE2. After 14 and 28 days, elevated VTG and VTG mRNA levels were measured in most livers of the fish exposed to Meuse water, but not in the fish exposed to Rhine water. This was confirmed by measuring estrogenic responses in the in vitro ER CALUX assay. Induction of VTG synthesis proved to be the most sensitive endpoint in the Non Spawning Male Fish Assay for in vivo detection of bio-available estrogenic activity supplementary to a sensitive in vitro assay. The other endpoints examined varied too much and required a higher number of fish or replicates to achieve sufficient power for statistical testing making them less animal friendly.     

Are dioxin-like contaminants responsible for the eel (Anguilla anguilla) drama?

Eel populations worldwide are dangerously close to collapsing. Our study is the first to show that current levels of dioxin-like contaminants are strong candidates because of their devastating effects on development and survival of eel embryos. Female and male silver eels were artificially stimulated to maturation and reproduction by treatment with carp pituitary extracts and hCG, respectively. During maturation of female European silver eels, about 60 g fat per kg eel is incorporated in the oocytes. Together with the fat, however, persistent organic pollutants such as dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are incorporated too. The total dioxin-like toxic potency of the individual gonad batches was determined as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxine equivalents (TEQs), using an in vitro reporter gene assay. The observed differences in development and survival showed a significant negative correlation with the TEQ levels in the gonads, already at levels far below the maximal allowable level for fish consumption, i.e., 4 ng TEQ/kg fish. The clear inverse relationship between the TEQ level and the survival period of the fertilised eggs strongly suggests that the current levels of dioxin-like compounds seriously impair the reproduction of the European eel. The peak of the environmental levels of dioxin-like PCBs and the decline of eel coincide worldwide, further suggesting that, in addition to other threats, these contaminants contributed significantly to the current collapse in eel populations.     

二氧化氯消毒前后污水毒性的变化及消毒条件的影响

采用发光细菌试验和umu试验,分别考察了二氧化氯投加量和反应时间对污水二氧化氯消毒后急性毒性和遗传毒性变化的影响.结果表明,随着二氧化氯消毒剂投加量的增加,消毒后水样的急性毒性不断增大,但遗传毒性逐渐减小后趋于稳定.随着反应时间的延长,二氧化氯的消耗量不断增大,消毒后水样的急性毒性先增大后减小,遗传毒性逐渐减小后趋于稳定.由于消毒条件对污水急性毒性和遗传毒性有着不同的影响,说明污水中产生急性毒性和产生遗传毒性的物质不同,对于某一种污水,通过控制消毒条件可以使消毒后污水的急性毒性和遗传毒性都较低.     

Environmental impact and recovery at two dumping sites for dredged material in the North Sea

The environmental impact and recovery associated with the long and uninterrupted disposal of large volumes of moderately contaminated dredged material from the port of Rotterdam was studied at nearby dumping sites in the North Sea. Observations were made on sediment contamination, ecotoxicity, biomarker responses and benthic community changes shortly after dumping at the 'North' site had ceased and at the start of disposal at the new dumping site 'Northwest'. During the period of dumping, very few benthic invertebrates were found at the North site. Concentrations of cadmium, mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and tributyltin (TBT) in the fine sediment fraction (<63 microm) from this site were 2-3 times higher than at the reference site. In four different bioassays with marine invertebrates the sediments showed no acute toxic effects. In tissue (pyloric caeca) of resident starfish Asterias rubens, residual levels of mercury, zinc, PCBs and dioxin-like activity were never more than twice those at the reference site. Four different biomarkers (DNA integrity, cytochrome P450 content, benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylase activity and acetylcholinesterase inhibition) were used on the starfish tissues, but no significant differences were found between North and the reference site. Minor pathological effects were observed in resident dab Limanda limanda. One year after dumping had ceased at the North site, a significant increase in the species richness and abundance of benthic invertebrates and a concomitant decrease in the fine sediment fraction of the seabed were observed. After 8.2 million m3 of moderately contaminated dredged material had been dumped at the new dumping site Northwest, the species richness and abundance of benthic invertebrates declined over an area extending about 1-2 km eastwards. This correlated with a shift in sediment texture from sand to silt. The contamination of the fine sediment fraction at the Northwest location doubled. It is concluded that marine benthic resources at and around the dumping sites have been adversely affected by physical disturbance (burial, smothering). However, no causal link could be established with sediment-associated contaminants from the dredged spoils.     

An integrated assessment of estrogenic contamination and biological effects in the aquatic environment of The Netherlands

An extensive study was carried out in the Netherlands on the occurrence of a number of estrogenic compounds in surface water, sediment, biota, wastewater, rainwater and on the associated effects in fish. Compounds investigated included natural and synthetic hormones, phthalates, alkylphenol(ethoxylate)s and bisphenol-A. The results showed that almost all selected (xeno-)estrogens were present at low concentrations in the aquatic environment. Locally, they were found at higher levels. Hormones and nonylphenol(ethoxylate)s were present in concentrations that are reportedly high enough to cause estrogenic effects in fish. Field surveys did not disclose significant estrogenic effects in male flounder (Platichthys flesus) in the open sea and in Dutch estuaries. Minor to moderate estrogenic effects were observed in bream (Abramis brama) in major inland surface waters such as lowland rivers and a harbor area. The prevalence of feminizing effects in male fish is largest in small regional surface waters that are strongly influenced by sources of potential hormone-disrupting compounds. High concentrations of plasma vitellogenin and an increased prevalence of ovotestes occurred in wild male bream in a small river receiving a considerable load of effluent from a large sewage treatment plant. After employing in vitro and in vivo bioassays, both in situ and in the laboratory, we conclude that in this case hormones (especially 17 alpha-ethynylestradiol) and possibly also nonylphenol(ethoxylate)s are primarily responsible for these effects.     

中国地区多溴联苯醚在不同环境介质中的监测进展

多溴联苯醚(Polybrominated diphenyl ethers, PBDEs)为一类新型的溴代阻燃剂,广泛应用于塑料制品、纺织品、电路板和建筑材料等领域。随着生产量和使用量的增加,PBDEs已造成全球环境污染,其带来的环境问题已引起各国关注。同时PBDEs的长距离迁移性和难降解性,使其在环境介质中进行富集,从而加重污染。归纳了中国地区PBDEs的监测进展,分别从大气、水体、沉积物和土壤中PBDEs的污染水平以及原因进行了分析和探讨。在此基础上,对于我国PBDEs的研究方向提出了展望。     

Risk assessment of metals and organic pollutants for herbivorous and carnivorous small mammal food chains in a polluted floodplain (Biesbosch, The Netherlands)

A risk assessment was made for a carnivorous and a herbivorous food chain in a heavily polluted natural estuary (Biesbosch), by determining the most critical pollutants and the food chain most at risk. Exposure of food chains to metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was assessed by analyzing dietary concentrations, internal concentrations, and biomarkers of exposure. Common shrew (Sorex araneus) and bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) were selected as representative small mammal species for the carnivorous and herbivorous food chain, respectively, and earthworms (Lumbricus rubellus) and snails (Cepaea nemoralis) as representative prey species for the carnivorous food chain. Metals contributed most to the total risk for small mammals and earthworms. PCBs, but not PAHs, contributed to the overall risk for S. araneus at regularly flooded locations. The carnivorous food chain appeared most at risk given the higher exposure levels and bioaccumulating potency found for contaminants in S. araneus.     

2003~2018年干旱对中国森林绿度异常的影响

基于卫星观测和气象再分析数据提取2003~2018年间中国森林绿度异常现象(月尺度LAI长期趋势的累积偏差), 并分析干旱对森林绿度异常影响的时空动态变化, 探究不同森林类型的干旱敏感性.结果表明: ①干旱导致的绿度异常现象频率分布呈现出南高北低的空间格局, 而高强度异常现象主要分布于中国的东北与西南地区.②2003~2018年间绿度异常严重程度呈现显著增加趋势(即绿度异常强度指数下降), 变化率为: -0.06/a(P<0.05), 而绿度异常面积比率下降, 变化率为-0.0049/a.③中国森林对干旱胁迫较为敏感的区域主要分布于云南北部与大兴安岭北部, 这是由区域的地质和气候特点以及植被类型共同作用导致的.④干旱主导区不同森林类型的干旱敏感性依次为: 阔叶林>针叶林>混交林, 绿度异常与SPEI回归斜率依次为1.8>1.3>1.2.⑤针叶林遭受的干旱强度最高, 2003~2018年间统计的SPEI中位数为-1.65, 绿度异常现象也最为严重, 多年绿度异常指数中位数为-1.81, 说明干旱强度而非敏感性主导了森林绿度异常的现象.