Salinity impacts on water solubility and n-octanol/water partition coefficients of selected pesticides and oil constituents

Comprehensive ecological risk assessment method for multi-pesticide pollution in the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea, China

Pesticide residues and their accumulation in marine environments pose potential threats to the ecosystem balance and human health. Assessment of pesticide residue levels and ecological risks in marine waters is insufficient. Therefore, we conducted a quantitative analysis of four different categories of pesticides in the surface waters of the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea in China. A comprehensive ecological risk assessment framework was constructed based on the importance of ecosystem services, utilizing the risk quotient (RQ) and entropy weighting methods to evaluate the multi-pesticide ecological risks in the study area. Thirteen pesticides were detected in the surface waters, with total concentration levels ranging from 8.18 to 80.60 ng/L, and the herbicide Atrazine and insecticide Imidacloprid were found at the highest levels. Concentration levels were higher in the Bohai Sea than in the Yellow Sea, and the highest area was mainly located on the coast of Shandong Province, China. The ecological risk of multi-pesticide pollution was the highest in the coastal regions of Shandong and was associated with Atrazine and Acetamiprid. Source analysis suggested that triazine herbicide and neonicotinoid insecticides are predominantly land-sourced, whereas sulfonylurea herbicides are primarily atmospheric. This study provides valuable support for formulating relevant environmental protection policies and measures.

Unraveling the Composition Profile and Ecological Risk of Triazine Herbicides and Their Transformation Products in Urban Sewage Discharge

Triazine herbicides (THs) are used globally to control weeds in urban environments, but their transformation products (TPs) are rarely considered due to the lack of reference standards. In this study, a total of 41 TPs were found in wastewater influents and effluents of 28 municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWWTPs) from six cities in China by integrating suspect screening (36 TPs), molecular networking (9 TPs), and diagnostic fragment searching (12 TPs). Among these, 36 TPs were detected for the first time in urban aquatic environments, and 28 TPs were first reported in aquatic environments. Polar THs and their TPs were only partially removed from the aqueous phase in the wastewater treatment process. Concentrations of THs and their TPs present in wastewater effluents ranged from 107 to 435 ng/L. Thus, THs and their TPs discharged from wastewater effluents pose a medium risk to freshwater algae in the receiving waters. Moreover, 4 THs (ametryne, atrazine, terbutryn, and prometryne) and 3 TPs (atrazine-desisopropyl, TP247, and TP258) pose significant risks in several effluents. Considering the persistent and mobile properties and ecological risk of THs and their TPs, these contaminants should be specifically considered in further environmental monitoring and included in the regulation.

Effects of salinity on behavior and reproductive toxicity of BPA in adult marine medaka

Salinity is an important environmental factor influencing the toxicity of chemicals. Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental endocrine disruptor with adverse effects on aquatic organisms, such as fish. However, the influence of salinity on the biotoxicity of BPA and the underlying mechanism are unclear. In this study, we exposed marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) to BPA at different salinities (0 psμ, 15 psμ, and 30 psμ) for 70days to investigate the toxic effects. At 0 psμ salinity, BPA had an inhibitory effect on the swimming behavior of female medaka. At 15 psμ salinity, exposure to BPA resulted in necrotic cells in the ovaries but not on the spermatozoa. In addition, BPA exposure changed the transcript levels of genes related to the nervous system (gap43, elavl3, gfap, mbpa, and α-tubulin) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis (fshr, lhr, star, arα, cyp11a, cyp17a1, cyp19a, and erα); the expression changes differed among salinity levels. These results suggest that salinity influences the adverse effects of BPA on the nervous system and reproductive system of medaka. These results emphasize the importance of considering the impact of environmental factors when carrying out ecological risk assessment of pollutants.

Optimizing drug-like properties of selective butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors for cognitive improvement: Enhancing aqueous solubility by disrupting molecular plane

Most recently, worldwide interest in butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) as a potential target for treating Alzheimer's disease (AD) has increased. In this study, the previously obtained selective BChE inhibitors with benzimidazole-oxadiazole scaffold were further structurally modified to increase their aqueous solubility and pharmacokinetic (PK) characteristics. S16-1029 showed improved solubility (3280 μM, upgraded by 14 times) and PK parameters, including plasma exposure (AUC0-inf = 1729.95 ng/mL*h, upgraded by 2.6 times) and oral bioavailability (Fpo = 48.18%, upgraded by 2 times). S16-1029 also displayed weak or no inhibition against Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) and human ether a-go-go related gene (hERG) potassium channel. In vivo experiments on tissue distribution revealed that S16-1029 could cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and reach the central nervous system (CNS). In vivo cognitive improvement efficacy and good in vitro target inhibitory activity (eqBChE IC50 = 11.35 ± 4.84 nM, hBChE IC50 = 48.1 ± 11.4 nM) were also assured. The neuroprotective effects against several AD pathology characteristics allowed S16-1029 to successfully protect the CNS of progressed AD patients. According to the findings of this study, altering molecular planarity might be a viable strategy for improving the drug-like property of CNS-treating drugs.

Interactive Effects of Salinity and Mosquito Larvicides Toxicity to Larvae of Aedes Taeniorhynchus

Understanding the influence of salinity on the efficacy of mosquito larvicides in brackish water habitats is crucial for effective salt-marsh Aedes taeniorhynchus control. This study investigated the interactive effects of salinity on the toxicity of 3 commonly used mosquito larvicides: Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (VectoBac® 12AS), spinosad (Natular® SC), and S-methoprene (Altosid® 12AS) against Ae. taeniorhynchus larvae. Four salinity levels (0 ppt [parts per thousand], 8 ppt, 16 ppt, and 32 ppt) were tested in laboratory bioassays. The results revealed distinct responses of these larvicides to varying salinity levels. VectoBac 12AS displayed consistent efficacy across all salinity levels, indicating its suitability for brackish water habitats. In contrast, Natular 2EC exhibited increased effectiveness with higher salinity, making it a preferable choice for saline environments. Altosid 12AS showed its highest efficacy in freshwater, with reduced effectiveness as salinity increased. These findings underscore the need to consider salinity levels when selecting and applying mosquito larvicides in diverse aquatic habitats. Understanding the complex interplay between salinity and larvicide performance is essential for optimizing mosquito control strategies and mitigating mosquito-borne diseases in various environments.

Influence of Salinity on the Partitioning Behavior of Six Commonly Used Pesticides in Fish Eggs

Salinity has been reported to impact the octanol-water partition coefficient of organic contaminants entering aquatic ecosystems. However, limited data are available on the impacts of salinity on their partitioning from the aqueous phase to adjacent organic compartments. The pesticides bifenthrin, chlorpyrifos, dicloran, myclobutanil, penconazole, and triadimefon were used to investigate the effects of salinity on their partitioning to capelin (Mallotus villosus) eggs in 5 practical salinity units (PSU) versus 25 PSU artificial seawater (ASW). The partitioning coefficient was significantly higher in 25 versus 5 PSU ASW for bifenthrin, chlorpyrifos, dicloran, penconazole, and triadimefon by 31%, 28%, 35%, 28%, and 20%, respectively, while for myclobutanil there was no significant difference. Moreover, pesticide partitioning to store-bought capelin eggs was consistent with the partitioning observed for the standard assay species, inland silversides (Menidia beryllina) eggs, after partitioning between the eggs and exposure solution had reached a state of equilibrium. The present study illustrates the importance of considering the influence of salinity on the environmental partitioning and fate of hydrophobic organic contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:299-306. © 2023 SETAC.

Dibenzothiophene removal by environmental bacteria with differential accumulation of intracellular inorganic polyphosphate

Dibenzothiophene (DBT), which belongs to the group of polycyclic aromatic heterocycles of sulfur, is a model substance to study the removal of sulfur compounds from oil due to its recalcitrance to traditional and specific removal processes. The aim of this work was to evaluate DBT bioremoval by environmental bacteria and its relationship with polyphosphate (polyP) accumulation, cell surface characteristics and bioemulsifying activity. Pseudomonas sp. P26 achieved the highest DBT removal percentage (48%) after 7 days of incubation. Moreover, positive correlations were estimated between DBT removal and bioemulsifying activity and biofilm formation. A strain-dependent relationship between the content of intracellular polyP and the presence of DBT in the culture medium was also demonstrated. The study of these bacterial characteristics, which could promote DBT transformation, is a first approach to select DBT-removing bacteria, in order to develop bioformulations that are able to contribute to desulfurization processes of petroleum-derived pollutants in the future.

Effect of salinity on the fate of pesticides in irrigated systems: a first overview

This review investigates the impact of salinity on the fate of the active compounds of pesticides in a cultivated environment. Due to the over-exploitation of water resources and intensification of agriculture, salinity outbreaks are being observed more often in cultivated fields under pesticide treatments. Nevertheless, there is a poor understanding of the incidence of varying water salt loads on the behavior of pesticides' active ingredients in soil and water bodies. The present review established that water salinity can affect the diffusion of pesticides' active ingredients through numerous processes. Firstly, by increasing the vapor pressure and decreasing the solubility of the compounds, which is known as the salting-out effect, salinity can change the colligative properties of water towards molecules and the modification of exchange capacity and sorption onto the chemicals. It has also been established that the osmotic stress induced by salinity could inhibit the biodegradation process by reducing the activity of sensitive microorganisms. Moreover, soil properties like dissolved organic matter, organic carbon, clay content, and soil texture control the fate and availability of chemicals in different processes of persistence in water and soil matrix. In the same line, salinity promotes the formation of different complexes, such as between humic acid and the studied active compounds. Furthermore, salinity can modify the water flux due to soil clogging because of the coagulation and dispersion of clay particle cycles, especially when the change in salinity ranges is severe.

Comparative behavioral ecotoxicology of Inland Silverside larvae exposed to pyrethroids across a salinity gradient

Pyrethroids, a class of commonly used insecticides, are frequently detected in aquatic environments, including estuaries. The influence that salinity has on organism physiology and the partitioning of hydrophobic chemicals, such as pyrethroids, has driven interest in how toxicity changes in saltwater compared to freshwater. Early life exposures in fish to pyrethroids cause toxicity at environmentally relevant concentrations, which can alter behavior. Behavior is a highly sensitive endpoint that influences overall organism fitness and can be used to detect toxicity of environmentally relevant concentrations of aquatic pollutants. Inland Silversides (Menidia beryllina), a commonly used euryhaline model fish species, were exposed from 5 days post fertilization (~1-day pre-hatch) for 96 h to six pyrethroids: bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, esfenvalerate and permethrin. Exposures were conducted at three salinities relevant to brackish, estuarine habitat (0.5, 2, and 6 PSU) and across 3 concentrations, either 0.1, 1, 10, and/or 100 ng/L, plus a control. After exposure, Inland Silversides underwent a behavioral assay in which larval fish were subjected to a dark and light cycle stimuli to determine behavioral toxicity. Assessment of total distanced moved and thigmotaxis (wall hugging), used to measure hyper/hypoactivity and anxiety like behavior, respectively, demonstrate that even at the lowest concentration of 0.1 ng/L pyrethroids can induce behavioral changes at all salinities. We found that toxicity decreased as salinity increased for all pyrethroids except permethrin. Additionally, we found evidence to suggest that the relationship between log K_OW and thigmotaxis is altered between the lower and highest salinities.

Environmental Hazard Screening of Heterocyclic Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons: Physicochemical Data and In Silico Models

Heterocyclic polyaromatic hydrocarbons (heterocyclic PAHs) are frequently found in the environment yet, compared to homocyclic PAHs, little attention has been paid to their environmental behavior and a comprehensive hazard assessment has not been undertaken. Surprisingly, the physicochemical data necessary to perform at least a screening-level assessment are also limited. To address this, we began by experimentally determining the physicochemical properties of heterocyclic PAHs, namely, water solubility (S_w), n-octanol-water partition coefficients (K_ow), and organic carbon-water partition coefficients (K_oc). The physicochemical data obtained in this study allowed for the development of clear structure-property relationships and evaluation of the predictive power of in silico models including conductor-like screening model for realistic solvation, the poly-parameter linear solvation energy relationship, and the quantitative structure-property relationship. Finally, heterocyclic and homocyclic PAHs were evaluated in terms of persistence, bioaccumulation, mobility, and toxicity to perform a screening-level comparative hazard assessment by integrating the data and evidence from multiple sources.

Gradient of suspended particulate matter hastens the multi-interface partition dynamics of atrazine and its degradation products

Herbicides are ubiquitous pollutants in estuaries because of the increased demand for food and the need for intensive agricultural systems worldwide. Multi-interface partitioning processes are inadequate for the degradation products of herbicides, especially in sediment-laden river estuaries with intensive water and sediment partitioning. Therefore, the partition characteristics of atrazine and its degradation products at the surface water-suspended particulate matter (SPM), surface water-surface sediment, and SPM-surface sediment interfaces in a typical sediment-laden river estuary were analyzed, the dominant environmental factors were described, and the related mechanisms were explored. The results showed that the partitioning priority of atrazine and its degradation products was surface water > SPM > surface sediment. The partition coefficients of these three interfaces were significantly correlated. The primary degradation products and desisopropylhydroxyatrazine tended to partition into the SPM, and desethyldesisopropylatrazine tended to partition into the surface sediment. Canonical analysis and structural equation modeling indicated that temperature, salinity, sediment pH, and SPM concentrations were the main influencing factors. In the sediment-laden river estuary, the SPM concentration was the most dominant factor. The partition coefficients increased exponentially when the SPM concentration was <150 mg/L at the SPM-surface sediment interface, leading to a rapid shift in the interface proportion of atrazine and its degradation products. In the context of climate change and human activities, the SPM concentration in the estuary was decreasing, which hastened the release potential for atrazine and its degradation products from the estuarine sediment. The investigation of the partition traits of organic degradation pollutants promotes the understanding of the multi-interface transport processes in estuaries.

Spatiotemporal partition dynamics of typical herbicides at a turbid river estuary

Organic pollutants are ubiquitous in estuarine areas, nonetheless, the transport mechanisms of herbicides in such areas are limited. Atrazine and acetochlor were analyzed in suspended particle matter (SPM), surface sediment, and surface water from the Yellow River estuary and the surrounding rivers and sea. Among these rivers, the Yellow River contributes the most herbicide flux to the sea annually. The herbicide concentrations in water and sediment decreased from the estuarine areas to the deep sea. The fugacity fraction values of atrazine exceeded 0.5 in the Yellow River estuary, which supported that the herbicides in sediment desorbed at the estuarine areas. The herbicide in the SPM showed high concentration in the outer sea and increased as a power function with decreasing SPM content. The increasing partition capacity indicated that the herbicides tended to sink into sediment, increasing the ecological risk posed by herbicides. The ecological risk of acetochlor deserves continuous attention.

Internalization, reduced growth, and behavioral effects following exposure to micro and nano tire particles in two estuarine indicator species

Synthetic rubber emissions from automobile tires are common in aquatic ecosystems. To assess potential impacts on exposed organisms, early life stages of the estuarine indicator species Inland Silverside (Menidia beryllina) and mysid shrimp (Americamysis bahia) were exposed to three tire particle (TP) concentrations at micro and nano size fractions (0.0038, 0.0378 and 3.778 mg/L in mass concentrations for micro size particles), and separately to leachate, across a 5-25 PSU salinity gradient. Following exposure, M. beryllina and A. bahia had significantly altered swimming behaviors, such as increased freezing, changes in positioning, and total distance moved, which could lead to an increased risk of predation and foraging challenges in the wild. Growth for both A. bahia and M. beryllina was reduced in a concentration-dependent manner when exposed to micro-TP, whereas M. beryllina also demonstrated reduced growth when exposed to nano-TP (except lowest concentration). TP internalization was dependent on the exposure salinity in both taxa. The presence of adverse effects in M. beryllina and A. bahia indicate that even at current environmental levels of tire-related pollution, which are expected to continue to increase, aquatic ecosystems may be experiencing negative impacts.

Occurrence, spatial distributions, and ecological risk of pyrethroids in coastal regions of South Yellow and East China Seas

Pyrethroids are increasingly receiving attention as aqueous micropollutants, but their presence has been reported only in a few small coastal areas. In this study, we investigated the distribution, sources, and risks of nine pyrethroids in large marine zones. The 40 seawater samples were collected from the South Yellow Sea (SYS) and East China Sea (ECS) in China, during the spring of 2020, using a high-volume, solid-phase extraction method. The total pyrethroid concentrations ranged from 0.72 to 1.82 ng L^-1 in the SYS and from 0.02 to 11.0 ng L^-1 in the ECS. We used cluster analysis to classify pollutant sources into five categories, and discussed the influence of sources on the transport and distribution of pyrethroids in each group. Ecological risk assessment indicated that pyrethroids pose a high risk to crustaceans and a negligible risk to others. These results are important for understanding the behavior of pyrethroids in marine environments.

Selection of formulated sediment and feeding condition for 10-day spiked-sediment toxicity test with estuarine amphipod Grandidierella japonica

This study was performed to select formulated sediment with appropriate feeding conditions for the evaluation of estuarine sediment toxicity. Grandidierella japonica, which inhabits seawater worldwide, was examined for 10-day survival, and the repeatability was evaluated under nine test conditions. The formulated sediment feeding condition combined with the highest survival rate was applied to evaluate fluoranthene toxicity in the sediment. The KB-T10 feeding condition showed the highest survival rate of 93.5%, with sufficient repeatability (4.6%). In the fluoranthene spiked-sediment toxicity test, the estimated LC50 (95% significance level) was successfully achieved under the KB-T10 condition but not under the OE-T10 condition. Therefore, we propose the use of TetraMin® (1 mg/org./day) and Kemble sediment in 10-day static spiked-sediment toxicity tests with G. japonica. Further improvements are needed for OECD sediment in seawater to increase the survival rate and prevent chemical loss due to overlying water renewal.

A Mini-review of the Toxicity of Pollutants to Fish Under Different Salinities

In recent years, with the development of the global economy, water pollution has increased. Pollutants migrate, accumulate, and diffuse in aquatic environments. Most of the pollutants eventually enter aquatic organisms. The accumulation of pollutants affects the development and reproduction of organisms, and many pollutants have teratogenic, carcinogenic, and/or mutagenic effects. Aquatic organisms in estuaries and coastal areas are under pressure due to both salinity and pollutants. Among them, salinity, as an environmental factor, may affect the behavior of pollutants in the aquatic environment, causing changes in their toxic effects on fishes. Salinity also directly affects the growth and development of fishes. Therefore, this paper focuses on metals and organic pollutants and discusses the toxic effects of pollutants on fish under different salinities. This research is of great significance to environmental protection and ecological risk assessment of aquatic environments.

Occurrence, source apportionment and risk assessment of antibiotics in water and sediment from the subtropical Beibu Gulf, South China

The widespread use of antibiotics has raised global concerns, but scarce information on antibiotics in the subtropical marine environment is available. In the present study, seawater and sediment samples were collected to investigate the occurrence, spatial distribution, source, and ecological risks of 22 antibiotics in the Beibu Gulf. The total concentrations of target antibiotics (∑antibiotics) were in the range of 1.74 ng/L to 23.83 ng/L for seawater and 1.33 ng/g to 8.55 ng/g dry weight (dw) for sediment. Spatially, a decreasing trend of antibiotic levels from coast to offshore area was observed, with relatively high levels at the sites close to the Qinzhou Bay and Qiongzhou Strait. Sulfamethoxazole (SMX), trimethoprim (TMP), and norfloxacin (NOX) were predominant in seawater, while NOX, enoxacin (ENX), and enrofloxacin (ENR) were the most abundant antibiotics in sediment. In general, the sediment-water partitioning coefficients (K_d) were positively correlated with log molecular weight (MW). Salinity, particle size, and pH of water were predicted to be vital factors influencing the partition of sulfadiazine (SDZ), CIX, and ENR (p < 0.05). Livestock and aquaculture were identified as dominant sources of antibiotics in the Beibu Gulf based on PCA-MLR and Unmix model. Risk assessment revealed that SMX, CIX could pose medium risks to algae in the Beibu Gulf. Overall, our results provided paramount insights into understanding the fate and transport behaviors of antibiotics in the subtropical marine environment.

Romain SJ, Pedersen EI, Siddiqui S, Chappell PE, White JW, Armbrust KL, Brander SM. Salinity Alters Toxicity of Commonly Used Pesticides in a Model Euryhaline Fish Species (Menidia beryllina)

Changing salinity in estuaries due to sea level rise and altered rainfall patterns, as a result of climate change, has the potential to influence the interactions of aquatic pollutants as well as to alter their toxicity. From a chemical property point of view, ionic concentration can increase the octanol–water partition coefficient and thus decrease the water solubility of a compound. Biologically, organism physiology and enzyme metabolism are also altered at different salinities with implications for drug metabolism and toxic effects. This highlights the need to understand the influence of salinity on pesticide toxicity when assessing risk to estuarine and marine fishes, particularly considering that climate change is predicted to alter salinity regimes globally and many risk assessments and regulatory decisions are made using freshwater studies. Therefore, we exposed the Inland Silverside (Menidia beryllina) at an early life stage to seven commonly used pesticides at two salinities relevant to estuarine waters (5 PSU and 15 PSU). Triadimefon was the only compound to show a statistically significant increase in toxicity at the 15 PSU LC₅₀. However, all compounds showed a decrease in LC₅₀ values at the higher salinity, and all but one showed a decrease in the LC₁₀ value. Many organisms rely on estuaries as nurseries and increased toxicity at higher salinities may mean that organisms in critical life stages of development are at risk of experiencing adverse, toxic effects. The differences in toxicity demonstrated here have important implications for organisms living within estuarine and marine ecosystems in the Anthropocene as climate change alters estuarine salinity regimes globally.

Global variation in freshwater physico-chemistry and its influence on chemical toxicity in aquatic wildlife

Chemical pollution is one of the major threats to global freshwater biodiversity and will be exacerbated through changes in temperature and rainfall patterns, acid-base chemistry, and reduced freshwater availability due to climate change. In this review we show how physico-chemical features of natural fresh waters, including pH, temperature, oxygen, carbon dioxide, divalent cations, anions, carbonate alkalinity, salinity and dissolved organic matter, can affect the environmental risk to aquatic wildlife of pollutant chemicals. We evidence how these features of freshwater physico-chemistry directly and/or indirectly affect the solubility, speciation, bioavailability and uptake of chemicals [including via alterations in the trans-epithelial electric potential (TEP) across the gills or skin] as well as the internal physiology/biochemistry of the organisms, and hence ultimately toxicity. We also show how toxicity can vary with species and ontogeny. We use a new database of global freshwater chemistry (GLORICH) to demonstrate the huge variability (often >1000-fold) for these physico-chemical variables in natural fresh waters, and hence their importance to ecotoxicology. We emphasise that a better understanding of chemical toxicity and more accurate environmental risk assessment requires greater consideration of the natural water physico-chemistry in which the organisms we seek to protect live.

The Differential Effects of Salinity Level on Chlorpyrifos and Imidacloprid Toxicity to an Estuarine Amphipod

Agricultural activity within coastal watersheds results in estuaries becoming the receiving environment for pesticide inputs. In estuaries, salinity can alter insecticide responses of exposed crustaceans. The acute toxicity of environmentally relevant doses of chlorpyrifos and imidacloprid were examined using the euryhaline amphipod Gammarus lawrencianus at 20 and 30 Practical Salinity Units (PSU). Responses were recorded every 24 h until an incipient (threshold) L(E)C₅₀ was reached. For chlorpyrifos, LC₅₀ ranged from 0.1 to 0.5 µg/L and was two-fold higher at 30 vs. 20 PSU at all time-points over the 96 h exposure. Imidacloprid immobility EC₅₀ ranged from 4 to 40 µg/L over the 144 h exposure. An effect of salinity was only observed at 48 h and the EC₅₀ values showed 1.4 times more potency at 20 PSU compared to 30 PSU. Measured concentrations of both compounds did not differ between salinities. Acetylcholinesterase activity in chlorpyrifos exposed amphipods showed no salinity effect at 96 h. We conclude that salinity level alters G. lawrencianus susceptibility to chlorpyrifos exposure, but not imidacloprid.

Comparative toxicity assessment of in situ burn residues to initial and dispersed heavy fuel oil using zebrafish embryos as test organisms

In situ burning (ISB) is discussed to be one of the most suitable response strategies to combat oil spills in extreme conditions. After burning, a highly viscous and sticky residue is left and may over time pose a risk of exposing aquatic biota to toxic oil compounds. Scientific information about the impact of burn residues on the environment is scarce. In this context, a comprehensive ISB field experiment with approx. 1000L IFO 180 was conducted in a fjord in Greenland. The present study investigated the toxicity of collected ISB residues to early life stages of zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model for potentially exposed pelagic organisms. The toxicity of ISB residues on zebrafish embryos was compared with the toxicity of the initial (unweathered) IFO 180 and chemically dispersed IFO 180. Morphological malformations, hatching success, swimming behavior, and biomarkers for exposure (CYP1A activity, AChE inhibition) were evaluated in order to cover the toxic response on different biological organization levels. Across all endpoints, ISB residues did not induce greater toxicity in zebrafish embryos compared with the initial oil. The application of a chemical dispersant increased the acute toxicity most likely due to a higher bioavailability of dissolved and particulate oil components. The results provide insight into the adverse effects of ISB residues on sensitive life stages of fish in comparison with chemical dispersant application.

Salinity Changes the Dynamics of Pyrethroid Toxicity in Terms of Behavioral Effects on Newly Hatched Delta Smelt Larvae

Salinity can interact with organic compounds and modulate their toxicity. Studies have shown that the fraction of pyrethroid insecticides in the aqueous phase increases with increasing salinity, potentially increasing the risk of exposure for aquatic organisms at higher salinities. In the San Francisco Bay Delta (SFBD) estuary, pyrethroid concentrations increase during the rainy season, coinciding with the spawning season of Delta Smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus), an endangered, endemic fish. Furthermore, salinity intrusion in the SFBD is exacerbated by global climate change, which may change the dynamics of pyrethroid toxicity on aquatic animals. Therefore, examining the effect of salinity on the sublethal toxicity of pyrethroids is essential for risk assessments, especially during the early life stages of estuarine fishes. To address this, we investigated behavioral effects of permethrin and bifenthrin at three environmentally relevant concentrations across a salinity gradient (0.5, 2 and 6 PSU) on Delta Smelt yolk-sac larvae. Our results suggest that environmentally relevant concentrations of pyrethroids can perturb Delta Smelt larvae behavior even at the lowest concentrations (<1 ng/L) and that salinity can change the dynamic of pyrethroid toxicity in terms of behavioral effects, especially for bifenthrin, where salinity was positively correlated with anti-thigmotaxis at each concentration.

Environmental risk dynamics of pesticides toxicity in a Mediterranean micro-estuary

Pesticides are potentially toxic to aquatic systems, even at low concentration, depending on their individual ecotoxicological properties and their mixture composition. Thus, to evaluate possible ecological stress due to pesticide load, a thorough assessment of the potential toxicity of pesticide mixtures is required. Here we report water discharge and quality data of an eastern Mediterranean micro-estuary (Alexander stream), targeting the temporal distribution of a pesticide mixture. Over 150 water samples were collected during 2 hydrological years representing base-flow and flood conditions. On average, each water sample contained 34 and 45 different pesticides with peak concentrations of 1.4 μg L^-1 of Imidacloprid and 55 μg L^-1 of Diuron during base-flow and flood events, respectively. Pesticide mixtures were potentially toxic to benthic invertebrates and algae during flood events, surpassing the toxicity benchmark with medians of 110% and 155%, respectively. The herbicide Diuron and the insecticide Imidacloprid were the main pesticides responsible for the high potential toxicity during flood events. The falling limb of the flood hydrographs was found to inflict the highest stress on the estuarine environment due to elevated toxicity combined with prolonged residence time of the water. Examination of the potential chronic toxicity of single compounds showed continuous stress for plants, algae, amphibians, crustaceans, insects and fish from nine pesticides. Our data show that the ecosystem of the Alexander micro-estuary is under a continuous chronic stress with acute peaks in potential toxicity during flood events and the period that follows them. We propose that analyzing a small set of flood-tail samples is needed for the evaluation of small estuarine ecosystems risk during the rainy season. From a management perspective, we suggest better control of application practices for Diuron in the watershed to minimize the stress to the estuarine ecosystem.

Norm index-based QSPR model for describing the n-octanol/water partition coefficients of organics

The n-octanol/water partition coefficient (logK_ow) is widely used in the environmental, agricultural and pharmaceutical fields for the risk evaluation and application of organic chemicals. In this work, grounded on atomic distribution matrices, a norm index-based QSPR model was built for organic chemicals with 18 kinds of diverse structures. The statistical results (R² = 0.9037, RMSE = 0.4515) showed that the QSPR model for describing the logK_ow of organics was fitted well. Various validation results showed that the model had good robustness, good predictability and wide applicability. These satisfactory results indicated that the model was applicable for the logK_ow description of organic chemicals and that norm descriptors were reliable and general for the description of organic structures. The model was relatively better at describing logK_ow for aromatics, alcohols, nitriles, esters, amides, halogenated compounds, acids and amine compounds. The intensity of spatial branching and the space charge distribution intensity descriptors could have a greater impact on the logK_ow value of a compound.

The occurrence and distribution of nonylphenols and nonylphenol ethoxylates in different species of fish

The aim of this study was to analyze the accumulation of nonylphenols (NPs) and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs) in the muscles, liver, and bile of flounder (Platichthys flesus), cod (Gadus morhua), and eels (Anguilla anguilla). The flounder and cod were caught in the Gulf of Gdańsk (the Baltic Sea), while the eels were sampled in the Vistula and Szczecin lagoons (the Baltic Sea) and in the inland waters of the Masurian Lake District. NP concentrations in muscles were low in all the samples analyzed and ranged from 14.2 to 28.2 μg-1 kg ww. In contrast, a wide range of NP concentrations were observed in livers, which seemed to depend on both the species and the feeding status of the fishes. NP levels in flounder and eel livers were from three to twenty times higher than those in the muscles, but they were below the limit of quantitation (LOQ) in all the cod liver samples. The mean concentration of NPs in the liver of flounder caught in the Gulf of Gdańsk was 222 μg kg-1 ww, while in that of the eel ranged from 57 μg kg-1 ww in fish caught in the Masurian Lake District to 519 μg kg-1 ww in eels caught in the Vistula Lagoon. NPs were detected in bile in only a few eel samples, which indicated that bile analysis has limited applications for estimating NP contamination in marine fish. The NPEOs in all the samples analyzed were below the LOQ.

Impact of salinity on colloidal ozone aphrons in removing phenanthrene from sediments

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) tend to adsorb and accumulate on sediments owing to their hydrophobicity and persistence. Salinity is the predominant factor determining the PAH partition between aqueous and solid phases in freshwater, estuaries and seawater. This study focuses on the impact of salinity on the phenanthrene (PHE) removal from sediments using an in situ and targeted remediation technology - colloidal ozone aphrons (COAs). The ozone-encapsulated colloidal aphrons exhibited increasing air holdup but decreasing stability with the salinity increasing from 0.5‰ to 35‰. The hydrophobic attraction between Tween-20-coated bubbles and the hydrophobic solid surface weakened at high salinities. The presence of inorganic ions in the aqueous phase could lead to the salting-out of nonionic compounds (PHE, Tween-20 and even ozone), hindering detaching and degrading PHE from the solid phase. Anyhow, COAs achieved high efficiencies of washing (88.0-90.2%) and oxidative degradation (74.0-76.5%) particularly for the hydrophobic sediments with highly concentrated PHE (200.4 μg/kg) over the investigated salinities. The flushing effect imposed by the bubble flow played an important role, which was not greatly influenced by salinity. Although the dissolved natural organic matter competed with PHE for COAs and led to low PHE removal, the efficiency was improved by successive COA addition.

Receptor-mediated estrogenicity of native and chemically dispersed crude oil determined using adapted microscale reporter gene assays

Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) emerged as a major concern for water quality in the last decade and have been studied extensively since. Besides typical natural and synthetic estrogens also petroleum product compounds such as some PAHs have been identified as potential EDCs, revealing endocrine disruption to be a relevant mode of action for crude oil toxicity. Hence, in the context of a comprehensive retro- or prospective risk assessment of oil spills the implementation of mechanism-specific toxicity such as endocrine disruption is of high importance. To evaluate the exposure risk for the aquatic biota, research focuses on water-soluble fractions underlying an oil slick that could be simulated via water-accommodated fractions (WAF). Against this background human (ERα-CALUX®) and yeast based (A-YES®) reporter gene bioassays were successfully optimized for the application in estrogenicity evaluation of the water-accommodated fraction (WAF) from a crude oil. Combining different approaches, the estrogenicity of the WAFs from a naphthenic North Sea crude oil was tested with and without the addition of a chemical dispersant addressing specific aspects of estrogenicity including the influence of biotransformation capacities and different salinity conditions. Both the WAF free from droplets (LEWAF) as well as the chemically dispersed WAF (CEWAF) gave indications of an ER-mediated estrogenicity with much stronger ERα agonists in the CEWAF treatment. Resulting estradiol equivalents of the WAFs were above the established effect-based trigger values for both bioassays. Results indicate that the dispersant rather increased the fraction of ER-activating crude oil compounds instead of interacting with the receptor itself. Only slight changes in estrogenic responses were observed when cells capable of active metabolism (T47D) were used instead of cells without endogenous metabolism (U2-OS) in the recombinant ER transactivation CALUX assay. With the yeast cells a higher estrogenic activity was observed in the experiments under elevated salinity conditions (6‰), which was in contrast to previous expectations due to typical decrease in dissolved PAH fraction with increasing salinity (salting-out effect) but might be related to increased cell sensitivity.

Occurrence and Probable Sources of Urban-Use Insecticides in Marine Sediments off the Coast of Los Angeles

Insecticides such as pyrethroids and fipronil are used in large amounts in both agricultural and urban settings and have the potential to elicit toxicity to nontarget aquatic organisms. In California, like in many other regions of the world, urban centers are located along the coast, and it is documented that urban-use insecticides enter the marine environment, where little is known about their occurrence and consequences. In this study, we measured the spatial distribution of pyrethroids and fipronil (and its metabolites) on the Palos Verdes Shelf off the coast of Los Angeles. Total pyrethroid levels ranged from nd to 170 μg/kg (dry weight), and fipronil sulfide levels ranged from 1.8 to 5.6 μg/kg. Two pyrethroids were traced to wastewater effluent discharge, while two others and fipronil sulfide were traced to to surface runoff. Toxicity units (TUs) were estimated for benthic invertebrates, which ranged from no toxicity (nt) to 146 for total pyrethroids, and 0.09 to 1.6 and 4.2 to 75 for fipronil sulfide, depending on the indicator species. Therefore, near-shore deposition of urban-use insecticides due to wastewater discharge and surface runoff poses a significant risk to marine benthic invertebrates and highlights the importance of monitoring near-shore ocean environments and developing mitigation strategies to reduce seaward movement.

Toward Sustainable Environmental Quality: Priority Research Questions for North America

Anticipating, identifying, and prioritizing strategic needs represent essential activities by research organizations. Decided benefits emerge when these pursuits engage globally important environment and health goals, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. To this end, horizon scanning efforts can facilitate identification of specific research needs to address grand challenges. We report and discuss 40 priority research questions following engagement of scientists and engineers in North America. These timely questions identify the importance of stimulating innovation and developing new methods, tools, and concepts in environmental chemistry and toxicology to improve assessment and management of chemical contaminants and other diverse environmental stressors. Grand challenges to achieving sustainable management of the environment are becoming increasingly complex and structured by global megatrends, which collectively challenge existing sustainable environmental quality efforts. Transdisciplinary, systems-based approaches will be required to define and avoid adverse biological effects across temporal and spatial gradients. Similarly, coordinated research activities among organizations within and among countries are necessary to address the priority research needs reported here. Acquiring answers to these 40 research questions will not be trivial, but doing so promises to advance sustainable environmental quality in the 21st century. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:1606-1624. © 2019 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.

Medium to highly polar pesticides in seawater: Analysis and fate in coastal areas of Catalonia (NE Spain)

Pollution has been less investigated in marine and coastal environments than in inland waters. The low levels at which pollutants are expected to be present in seawater calls for the use of reliable and high sensitivity analytical methodologies. In this context, this work presents the optimization and validation of an analytical method to determine 26 medium to highly polar pesticides in seawater based on solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry detection. The developed methodology was linear, accurate (relative recoveries within 80-120% for most analytes), repeatable (relative standard deviations <18% for most analytes), and sensitive (limits of determination <1 ng/L for 89% of the compounds). The use of isotopically labeled compounds as surrogate standards compensated for low analyte recoveries and matrix effects. The method was applied to the analysis of seawater samples collected along the coastline of Catalonia (NE Spain). Overall, total pesticide loads were higher inside the marinas than outside. The booster biocides diuron and irgarol used in antifouling paintings and different triazine pesticides were the most abundant compounds. Irgarol was present above the maximum allowable concentration set in European regulations in 70% of the samples collected inside the marinas. A different pesticide pollution pattern, with MCPA and bentazone presenting the highest concentrations, was observed at the Ebro Delta area due to the impact of the agricultural activities carried out there. To the authors' knowledge, 4 out of the 26 target pesticides, namely, chlorfenvinphos, fenthion oxon, fenthion sulfone, and fenthion sulfoxide, have not been previously investigated in seawater.

The impact of propranolol, 17α-ethinylestradiol, and gemfibrozil on early life stages of marine organisms: effects and risk assessment

Pharmaceuticals are ubiquitously detected in the marine environment at the ng-μg/L range. Given their biological activity, these compounds are known to induce detrimental effects on biota at relatively low exposure levels; however, whether they affect early life stages of marine species is still unclear. In this study, a set of bioassays was performed to assess the effects of propranolol (PROP), 17-α ethinylestradiol (EE2), and gemfibrozil (GEM) on gamete fertilization and embryonic development of mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and sea urchins (Paracentrotus lividus), and on the survival of seabream (Sparus aurata) larvae. Treatments of PROP (500, 5000, 50,000 ng/L), EE2 (5, 50, 500 ng/L), and GEM (50, 500, 5000 ng/L) were selected to encompass levels comparable or superior to environmental concentrations. Obtained data were tested for dose-response curve fitting and the lowest EC₁₀/LC₁₀ used to calculate risk quotients (RQs) based on the MEC/PNEC. No alteration was induced by PROP on the mussel gamete fertilization, while inhibitory effects were observed at environmental levels of EE2 (500 ng/L) and GEM (5000 ng/L). Fertilization was significantly reduced in sea urchin at all PROP and EE2 dosages. The 48-h exposure to all pharmaceuticals induced the onset of morphological abnormalities in either mussel or sea urchin embryos. Alterations were generally observed at environmentally relevant dosages, except for PROP in mussels, in which alterations occurred only at 50,000 ng/L. A decreased survival of seabream larvae was recorded after 96-h exposure to PROP (all treatments), EE2 (50-500 ng/L), and GEM (500 ng/L). A median RQ > 1 was obtained for all pharmaceuticals, assigning a high risk to their occurrence in marine environments. Overall, results showed that current levels of contamination by pharmaceuticals can impact early stages of marine species, which represent critical junctures in the resilience of coastal ecosystems.

Contaminant exposure effects in a changing climate: how multiple stressors can multiply exposure effects in the amphipod Hyalella azteca

Global climate change (GCC) is likely to intensify the synergistic effects between altered physicochemical parameters [of changing habitats] and other anthropogenic threats, such as water pollution, posing increased risks to aquatic biodiversity. As such, it is critical to understand how organisms will respond to changes in water temperature and salinity in the presence of contaminants. We exposed the epibenthic amphipod Hyalella azteca to a 3 × 3 factorial treatment design of three temperatures and three salinities ranging from 12 to 18 °C and 0 to 8 parts per thousand (ppt), respectively, in combination with a low-level environmentally relevant concentration of the pyrethroid insecticide bifenthrin (1 ng/L). Effects on survival and swimming behavior were evaluated after 96 h exposure. Transcription of a select suite of genes was monitored at 24, 48, and 96 h using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Our results not only demonstrate that the changes in salinity and temperature result in negative effects to invertebrate survival, behavior, and gene response, but that the effects were significantly more pronounced in the presence of bifenthrin. This is particularly important since greater thermal fluctuations, changes in timing and extent of glacial melt, and changes in precipitation, could result in H. azteca experiencing lower temperatures at times that coincide with increased spraying of pyrethroids. These environmentally relevant exposures using the standard test species H. azteca provide essential information for understanding effects caused by GCC in conjunction with increasing pesticide use, further highlighting the need to incorporate GCC impacts into risk assessments of contaminants of concern.

Repeatability of n-octanol/water partition coefficient values between liquid chromatography measurement methods

The n-octanol/water partition coefficient (K_OW) is a physical/chemical property that is extensively used for regulatory and environmental risk and exposure assessments. The K_OW value can estimate various chemical properties such as water solubility, bioavailability, and toxicity using quantitative structure-activity relationships which demands an accurate knowledge of this property. The present investigation aims to compare outcomes of three commonly cited methods of K_OW measurement in the literature for six hydrophobic chemicals with insecticidal functions as well as highly volatile petroleum constituents. This measurement has been difficult to obtain for the selected pyrethroid insecticides, cypermethrin, and bifenthrin and is a novel measurement for the latter: polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles, dibenzothiophene (DBT), and three of its alkyl derivatives except for DBT. The K_OW values were obtained using two liquid chromatographic methods with isocratic and gradient programming, and the slow-stirring method following OECD 117 and 123 guidelines, respectively. The mean log K_OW values of bifenthrin, cypermethrin, DBT, methyl-DBT, dimethyl-DBT, and diethyl-DBT were 8.4 ± 0.1, 6.0 ± 0.3, 4.8 ± 0.0, 5.4 ± 0.1, 6.0 ± 0.1, and 6.8 ± 0.0 using the HPLC method with gradient programing. The K_OW values were significantly reproducible within a method, however, not between the methods. Results suggest assessing a chemical's property and environmental risk and exposure solely based on the K_OW value should be practiced with caution.

Validation of Arxula Yeast Estrogen Screen assay for detection of estrogenic activity in water samples: Results of an international interlaboratory study

Endocrine-active substances can adversely impact the aquatic ecosystems. A special emphasis is laid, among others, on the effects of estrogens and estrogen mimicking compounds. Effect-based screening methods like in vitro bioassays are suitable tools to detect and quantify endocrine activities of known and unknown mixtures. This study describes the validation of the Arxula-Yeast Estrogen Screen (A-YES®) assay, an effect-based method for the detection of the estrogenic potential of water and waste water. This reporter gene assay, provided in ready to use format, is based on the activation of the human estrogen receptor alpha. The user-friendly A-YES® enables inexperienced operators to rapidly become competent with the assay. Fourteen laboratories from four countries with different training levels analyzed 17β-estradiol equivalent concentrations (EEQ) in spiked and unspiked waste water effluent and surface water samples, in waste water influent and spiked salt water samples and in a mixture of three bisphenols. The limit of detection (LOD) for untreated samples was 1.8ng/L 17β-estradiol (E2). Relative repeatability and reproducibility standard deviation for samples with EEQ above the LOD (mean EEQ values between 6.3 and 20.4ng/L) ranged from 7.5 to 21.4% and 16.6 to 28.0%, respectively. Precision results are comparable to other frequently used analytical methods for estrogens. The A-YES® has been demonstrated to be an accurate, precise and robust bioassay. The results have been included in the ISO draft standard. The assay was shown to be applicable for testing of typical waste water influent, effluent and saline water. Other studies have shown that the assay can be used with enriched samples, which lower the LOD to the pg/L range. The validation of the A-YES® and the development of a corresponding international standard constitute a step further towards harmonized and reliable bioassays for the effect-based analysis of estrogens and estrogen-like compounds in water samples.

The effects of fipronil and the photodegradation product fipronil desulfinyl on growth and gene expression in juvenile blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus, at different salinities

Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are now widely established to be present in the environment at concentrations capable of affecting wild organisms. Although many studies have been conducted in fish, less is known about effects in invertebrates such as decapod crustaceans. Decapods are exposed to low concentrations of EDCs that may cause infertility, decreased growth, and developmental abnormalities. The objective herein was to evaluate effects of fipronil and its photodegradation product fipronil desulfinyl. Fipronil desulfinyl was detected in the eggs of the decapod Callinectes sapidus sampled off the coast of South Carolina. As such, to examine specific effects on C. sapidus exposed in early life, we exposed laboratory-reared juveniles to fipronil and fipronil desulfinyl for 96h at three nominal concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 0.5μg/l) and two different salinities (10, 30ppt). The size of individual crabs (weight, carapace width) and the expression of several genes critical to growth and reproduction were evaluated. Exposure to fipronil and fipronil desulfinyl resulted in significant size increases in all treatments compared to controls. Levels of expression for vitellogenin (Vtg), an egg yolk precursor, and the ecdysone receptor (EcR), which binds to ecdysteroids that control molting, were inversely correlated with increasing fipronil and fipronil desulfinyl concentrations. Effects on overall growth and on the expression of EcR and Vtg differ depending on the exposure salinity. The solubility of fipronil is demonstrated to decrease considerably at higher salinities. This suggests that fipronil and its photodegradation products may be more bioavailable to benthic organisms as salinity increases, as more chemical would partition to tissues. Our findings suggest that endocrine disruption is occurring through alterations to gene expression in C. sapidus populations exposed to environmental levels of fipronil, and that effects may be dependent upon the salinity at which exposure occurs.