Schwermetalle in Regenwürmern Baden-Württembergs

Goal and Scope

The heavy metal burden of the soil and of earthworms from representative long-term forest observation plots has been measured since 1984 as one component of the media-embracing environmental monitoring network of the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg. These investigations are aimed at elucidating and assessing adverse effects of pollutants on the soil biocenosis

Methods

So-called characteristic curves for the metals Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were developed for the assessment. Earthworm toxicity data and background values in soil served as criteria. This procedure facilitates a comparative assessment of different pollutants. The mobility of the metals, which greatly influences their bioavailability and toxicity, was taken into account for the effects assessment.

Results and Conclusion

Besides inventorying the heavy metals (Part 1), the question of threshold values for toxic reactions as well as for accumulation was raised. The metal concentrations were assessed in the soil with regard to its habitat function. The ecotoxicological assessment revealed that the heavy metal burden of the investigated plots lies within the background- or precautionary range, well below the screening value established here to indicate the effect threshold in earthworms. This result means that a pollution of the forest observation plots with the metals cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc is low or absent. Only the distribution of the lead content is centered slightly above background (but clearly below the toxicity threshold). This slight lead burden of the soil of the observation plots can be explained by emissions from motor vehicles. Investigations at sites that are contaminated with either chromium or copper or cadmium showed that an accumulation of these metals in the body of the worms can be observed only above a threshold concentration of several hundred micrograms of mobile metal per kilogram in the upper layer of the soil.

Recommendations and Perspectives

The hitherto unknown threshold values for the accumulation in the body of the earthworm should be statistically validated and extended to other elements. Further research is needed in order to build a well founded basis for the ecotoxicological assessment of soil pollution. Acute and chronic earthworm effect thresholds are neither available yet for arsenic, cobalt, and mercury nor for some other elements occurring less frequently as soil pollutants. Background values depending on the kind of rock have been measured so far for total chromium only. They are lacking for the more toxic chromium (VI) which is a frequent soil pollutant but naturally occurs in traces only.     

Schwermetalle in Regenwürmern Baden-Württembergs Teil 2: ?kotoxikologische Bewertung des Bodens

Methoden  

Zur Bewertung der gemessenen Schwermetallbelastungen des Bodens wurden sog. Risiko-Kennlinien für die Metalle Blei, Cadmium, Kupfer, Nickel und Zink entwickelt, die eine einheitliche Charakterisierung von Bodengehalten im Hinblick auf ihre Wirkung auf den Regenwurm sowie auf naturr?umliche Gegebenheiten erm?glichen. Die Mobilit?t der Metalle, die für die biologische Wirkung entscheidender ist als der Gesamtgehalt im Boden, wurde bei der Bewertung berücksichtigt.     

Testing model feasibility and sufficiency through laboratory simulation: A case study

Complex computer simulations of ecological models often fail to have much impact on later stages of applied research and management. We believe that this reflects a methodological gap. We present a case study where we try to bridge this gap. A recently published general model for insect outbreak has not yet been tested adequately in the field because of the complexity, size, and time involved in real-world insect pest outbreaks. However, a modified version of the model can be used to predict complex dynamics for a laboratory managed population of vinegar flies (Drosophila melanogaster).A comparison of the dynamics of the laboratory system with the simulation predictions allowed us to conclude that the model is “feasible”, i.e. under certain circumstances the model can predict the dynamics of some real system. These results were obtained despite considerable environmental and biological variability, indicating the robustness of the model. The factors chosen for the model appear to be “sufficient” to describe the real system's essential dynamics. Testing for feasibility and sufficiency should, in our opinion, always precede the much more expensive stages of field testing.     

TNT in Komposten und Flüssigkultur

The formation of aromatic amines was investigated using a summarized test (NEDA-test) during the composting of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) contaminated soil. In this test, the aromatic amines were diazolated and then coupled to N-1-Naphthyl-ethylenediamine-dihydrochloride (NEDA) to yield an azo dye which can be monitored photometrically. The test was calibrated for known TNT-metabolites with an active amine-group. Liquid samples from composting- and liquid-culture-experiments were analyzed by HPLC for these known metabolites. Moreover, the samples were monitored by the NEDA-test and the expected extinction of the TNT-metabolites found with amine function were extrapolated with the help of calibration curves. It was shown that substantial differences are obvious between the monitored and extrapolated values. After separation into polar and non-polar aromatic amines, it became clear that these differences are made by the polar aromatic amines. Polar aromatic amines, which are not detectable by presently available analytical tests, were generated during the composting of TNT-contaminated soils. Contaminated stagnant water, which was generated during anaerobization of a compost prephase, was treated aerobically for 70 days in a biofermenter. During this treatment TNT and its known metabolites were eliminated almost entirely. Simultaneously, the toxicity in the Lumis Tox-test decreased drastically. In striking contrast, the sum of aromatic amines decreased only to a minor extent. Moreover, the percentage of polar compounds from total amount of aromatic amines increased drastically from 48% to more than 95%. At present, the chemical identification of these polar compounds is still missing and is the object for further research.     

Does need matter? Needs assessments and decision‐making among major humanitarian health agencies

Disasters of physical origin, including earthquakes, floods, landslides, tidal waves, tropical storms, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions, have affected millions of people globally over the past 100 years. Proportionately, there is far greater likelihood of being affected by such disasters in low‐income countries than in high‐income countries. Furthermore, low‐income countries are in need of international assistance following disasters more often than high‐income countries. The funding of international humanitarian assistance has increased from USD 12.9 billion in 2006 to an estimated USD 16.7 billion in 2010. The majority of this funding is channelled through humanitarian agencies and is supposed to be distributed based on the need of those affected, as assessed using needs assessments. Such needs assessments may be used to inform decisions internally, to influence others, to justify response decisions, and to obtain funding. Little is known about the quality of needs assessments in practical applications. Consequently, this paper reports on and analyses the views of operational decision‐makers in major health‐related humanitarian agencies on needs assessments.     

The polymorphism of the human serum paraoxonase †

The activity of paraoxonase, the enzyme which hydrolyses paraoxon, 0,0‐diethyl‐0–4‐nitrophenylphosphate, in human serum shows a genetically determined polymorphism with strong interethnic differences. The serum paraoxonase genotype has a significant influence on the paraoxon clearance. Individuals with high serum paraoxonase activity may be better protected against the toxic effects of parathion (0,0‐diethyl‐0–4‐nitrophenylthiophosphate).

In Caucasians the polymorphism is governed by two alleles. The first allele has a gene frequency p _low of 0.67 to 0.78, and is manifested in both the form of a first homozygotic group with low activities and a second heterozygotic group with medium activities. About 50% of all Europeans belong to the low activity group. The second allele with a gene frequency q _high of 0.22 to 0.33 is manifested in the second heterozygotic and a third homozygotic group with medium resp. high activities. The Hardy‐Weinberg rule for a two allele model is valid for the distribution.

The percentage of the low activity group decreases as one moves from Europe to Africa and Asia. In most of the Mongoloids and Negroids only 5 to 20% of the population can be included in the low activity group, which is not even demonstrable in Aborigines, Maoris, Tonga and some African and Indian (Central America) tribes. The validity of the Hardy‐Weinberg rule for a two‐ or three‐allele model must be rejected in non‐Caucasians.     

The human serum paraoxonase—Polymorphism and specificity

Human serum contains EDTA‐sensitive (Ca⁺⁺‐dependent) and EDTA‐stable (albumin) paraoxonases which hydrolyse paraoxon, 0,0‐diethyl,0–4‐nitrophenyl phosphate.

In Caucasians the EDTA‐sensitive enzyme shows a genetically determined polymorphism which is governed by two alleles. In typical Mongoloid or Negro populations this polymorphism is expressed to a lesser degree, and in a few samples (e.g. Aborigines) it cannot be observed at all. The distribution of the activity of the EDTA‐stable (albumin) paraoxonase is unimodal.

Many authors supposed that paraoxonase is an arylesterase (EC 3.1.1.2) which means that it is also able to hydrolyse phenylacetate or β‐naphthylacetate. New investigations have shown that the human serum fractions splitting paraoxon can be separated from those hydrolysing phenylacetate and related substrates.

The polymorphism of the EDTA‐sensitive human serum paraoxonase can be applied to investigations concerning specificity. From this it becomes evident that this enzyme is rather specific. Already slight changes of the paraoxon molecule lead to a decrease of activity. On the other hand the enzyme seems to hydrolyse also phosphonic acid esters and 4‐nitrophenylacetate in the same way like paraoxon (polymorphism).

There is a linkage relationship of paraoxonase with cystic fibrosis and DNA markers. According to these results the (EDTA‐sensitive) paraoxonase locus is on the human chromosome 7.

A high serum paraoxonase level actually protects serum cholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.8) and has to be considered in biological monitoring of workers exposed to parathion.     

Spatial variability in characteristics and trace metal levels in sediments from watercourses

Assessing sediment quality requires sampling designs which address variability. Often however, only one sample or composited sample is collected at a sample site. Existing studies on sediment variability or sampling strategies primarily concern lake or marine sediments. Two rivers and one canal were sampled to assess sediment variability. Further, it was determined if sediment contamination in running water could be predicted by using visual criteria and/or knowledge of the presence of depositional and erosion areas. Metal concentrations and sediment characteristics were measured in different visually distinct areas of the river. At all sample sites the coefficient of variance was relatively high for most sediment characteristics (1.4‐ > 100%) and metal levels (15.3–63.6%). In one river the majority of sediment characteristics variation was between two sediment types and detected by visually distinct differences. Significant differences in cadmium and zinc concentrations were also detected. Contrary to what was expected, cadmium, and zinc levels were highest in the coarse fraction. No differences were found in the second river. In the canal a greater concentration of fine grained sediments and metals were found in the deep areas. It was not possible to predict sediment areas with the highest levels of metal contamination using visual criteria or knowledge of the erosion and sedimentation pattern of the river.