Levels of organochlorine pesticides in Amazon turtle (Podocnemis unifilis) in the Xingu River,Brazil

Abstract

Due to the toxicity and high environmental persistence of organochlorine pesticides in aquatic organisms, turtles have been studied as environment biomonitors. These animals are important sources of protein for the riverside and indigenous peoples of the Brazilian amazon. In the present study, organochlorine pesticide contamination was investigated in Podocnemis unifilis. Liver, muscle and fatty tissue samples were removed from 50 specimens collected from five sampling points located in the Xingu River basin. Fourteen organochlorine pesticides were analysed via gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (CG-ECD). Eight organochlorine pesticides were detected with average concentrations of ∑DDT, ∑Endossulfan and ∑HCH which were 26.17?±?26.35, 14.38?±?23.77 and 1.39?±?8.46?ng g^?1 in moisture content, respectively. DDT compounds were the most predominant, with a greater concentration of pp′-DDT in the liver and pp′-DDD in the muscle. Significant differences were noted between the types of tissues studied, and the concentration of OCPs varied between sampling sites.     

Multi-elements atmospheric deposition study in Albania

For the first time, the moss biomonitoring technique and inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometric (ICP-AES) analytical technique were applied to study multi-element atmospheric deposition in Albania. Moss samples (Hypnum cupressiforme) were collected during the summer of 2011 and September–October 2010 from 62 sites, evenly distributed over the country. Sampling was performed in accordance with the LRTAP Convention–ICP Vegetation protocol and sampling strategy of the European Programme on Biomonitoring of Heavy Metal Atmospheric Deposition. ICP-AES analysis made it possible to determine concentrations of 19 elements including key toxic metals such as Pb, Cd, As, and Cu. Cluster and factor analysis with varimax rotation was applied to distinguish elements mainly of anthropogenic origin from those predominantly originating from natural sources. Geographical distribution maps of the elements over the sampled territory were constructed using GIS technology. The median values of the elements in moss samples of Albania were high for Al, Cr, Ni, Fe, and V and low for Cd, Cu, and Zn compared to other European countries, but generally were of a similar level as some of the neighboring countries such as Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania. This study was conducted in the framework of ICP Vegetation in order to provide a reliable assessment of air quality throughout Albania and to produce information needed for better identification of contamination sources and improving the potential for assessing environmental and health risks in Albania, associated with toxic metals.     

The role the Great Barrier Reef plays in resident wellbeing and implications for its management

Improvements in human wellbeing are dependent on improving ecosystems. Such considerations are particularly pertinent for regions of high ecological, but also social and cultural importance that are facing rapid change. One such region is the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Although the GBR has world heritage status for its ‘outstanding universal value’, little is known about resident perceptions of its values. We surveyed 1545 residents, finding that absence of visible rubbish; healthy reef fish, coral cover, and mangroves; and iconic marine species, are considered to be more important to quality of life than the jobs and incomes associated with industry (most respondents were dissatisfied with the benefits they received from industry). Highly educated females placed more importance on environmental non-use values than other respondents; less educated males and those employed in mining found non-market use-values relatively more important. Environmental non-use values emerged as the most important management priority for all.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13280-014-0554-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS): application for monitoring organic micropollutants in wastewater effluent and surface water

In this paper, we discuss the advantages and drawbacks of POCIS (Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler) for the evaluation of river water quality downstream of wastewater treatment plants. POCIS proved well adapted to sampling alkylphenols and several pharmaceuticals. Concentration factors and the decrease in limits of quantification, compared to grab water sample analyses, were significant except for hormones, β-blockers and bronchodilators. Promising preliminary results obtained in situ on deuterated atenolol used as a performance reference compound need to be confirmed in-lab. This work confirms that POCIS is a valuable tool for monitoring hydrophilic organic molecules in river and wastewaters.     

Handling of Astyanax sp. for biomonitoring in Cangüiri Farm within a fountainhead (Iraí River Environment Preservation Area) through the use of genetic biomarkers

Aquatic environmental pollution may cause biodiversity loss. Thus, monitoring studies are very important because fish health reflects both quality and sustainability of the environment, as well as of the individuals that live there. In the present report, genetic biomarkers (piscine micronucleus test; comet assay with blood, liver, and kidney cells) were used in specimens of Astyanax sp. to analyze the contamination level of the Cangüiri Farm through biomonitoring. The Cangüiri Farm, the old school farm of the Federal University of Paraná, is inside the Iraí River Environment Preservation Area, created in 1996 to preserve the sources of public water supply in Curitiba and metropolitan area. We verified that the fishes collected within the Cangüiri Farm area presented high damage levels, showing more environment contamination when compared to the specimens collected in the Costa Ecologic Park, used as reference in the present report. The results indicate that the Cangüiri Farm, which is inside an environment protection area, created especially for the protection of the fountainhead for water supply, may be contaminated. These toxic residues, which were remarkably persistent in the environment, are possibly derived from agricultural activities in the wider area. Thus, we suggest the analysis of the area with other biomarkers and for a longer time period.     

Oxidative stress in duckweed (Lemna minor L.) caused by short-term cadmium exposure

The mechanisms of plant defence against cadmium toxicity have been studied by short-term exposure of Lemna minor L. (common duckweed) to concentrations of CdCl2 ranging from 0 to 500microM. High accumulation of cadmium was observed (12,320+/-2155microgg(-1) at 500microM CdCl2), which caused a gradual decrease of plant growth, increased lipid peroxidation, and weakened the entire antioxidative defence. Total glutathione concentration decreased significantly; however, the concentration of oxidized glutathione remained stable. The responses of four antioxidant enzymes showed that catalase was the most inhibited after CdCl2 exposure, ascorbate peroxidase and guaiacol peroxidase moderately, and glutathione reductase least. The total antioxidative potential revealed an induced antioxidative network at 0.1microM CdCl2 (137+/-13.2% of the control) and its reduction to only 47.4+/-4.0% of the control at higher cadmium concentrations. The possible application of the examined biomarkers in ecotoxicological research is discussed.     

Vigilance and mixed-species association of some East African forest monkeys

Summary The frequency of looking up was scored as a measure of vigilance behavior in two species of African forest monkeys (genus Cercopithecus) that often associate in mixed-species groups. The fact that looking up decreased with increasing foliage density around focal individuals was taken as evidence that looking up is an expression of vigilance for predators. The rate of looking up was higher in single-species groups than in mixed species groups for both species. Association had a more marked effect on the rate of looking up when monkeys fed on plant material as opposed to insects. The adjustment of the rate of looking up with respect to association status does not reflect the presence or absence of other monkeys in the same feeding tree. Although a reduction in vigilance levels probably leads to increased feeding efficiency, it is not a sufficient explanation of mixed-species association in the species under study.     

Effects of atmospheric exposure to naphthalene on xenobiotic-metabolising enzymes in the snail Helix aspersa

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are xenobiotics whose elevated toxicity for living organisms requires to efficiently monitor air pollution, either by evaluating their levels in the environment, or by assessing their biological impacts on sentinel organisms. We investigated the effects of naphthalene exposure on some xenobiotic-metabolising enzyme activities in three organs of Helix aspersa. Particular activities depending on cytochrome P450 (ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase, EROD; ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase, ECOD; pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylase, PROD) and associated with glutathione (glutathione S-transferase, GST; glutathione peroxidase, GPX; glutathione reductase, GR) were assessed. In control animals, the P450-dependent specific activities were distributed according to the range kidney > digestive gland > mantle cavity forming tissues (MCFT). Neither ECOD nor PROD activities could be detected in MCFT. In the two other organs, the major phase I activities were due to ECOD, the level of PROD being very low or null. The glutathione-associated activities showed comparable levels in the three organs, except GPX activity that was higher in the digestive gland. Naphthalene (NAP) exposure did not affect any activity in MCFT, but it significantly decreased EROD and ECOD activities in the kidney as opposed to their increase in the digestive gland, whereas PROD activities were not influenced by the treatment. Glutathione-dependent activities were not significantly affected by NAP exposure, except for GPX which activity diminished in the digestive gland. This study demonstrates that complex detoxification pathways should exist in Helix aspersa as in mammals and that they could be used as potential biomarkers of NAP exposure.