Investigating the significance of dissolved organic contaminants in aquatic environments: coupling passive sampling with in vitro bioassays

Point or non-point source: Toxicity evaluation using m-POCIS and zebrafish embryos in municipal sewage treatment plants and urban waterways

Municipal sewage treatment plants (STPs) have been regarded as an important source of organic contaminants in aquatic environment. To assess the impact of STPs on occurrence and toxicity of STP-associated contaminants in receiving waterways, a novel passive sampler modified from polar organic chemical integrative sampler (m-POCIS) was deployed at the inlet and outlet of a STP and several upstream and downstream sites along a river receiving STP effluent in Guangzhou, China. Eighty-seven contaminants were analyzed in m-POCIS extracts, along with toxicity evaluation using zebrafish embryos. Polycyclic musks were the predominant contaminants in both STP and urban waterways, and antibiotics and current-use pesticides (e.g., neonicotinoids, fiproles) were also ubiquitous. The m-POCIS extracts from downstream sites caused significant deformity in embryos, yet the toxicity could not be explained by the measured contaminants, implying the presence of nontarget stressors. Sewage treatment process substantially reduced embryo deformity, chemical oxygen demand, and contamination levels of some contaminants; however, concentrations of neonicotinoids and fiproles increased after STP treatment, possibly due to the release of chemicals from perturbed sludge. Source identification showed that most of the contaminants found in urban waterways were originated from nonpoint runoff, while cosmetics factories and hospitals were likely point sources for musks and antibiotics, respectively. Although the observed embryo toxicity could not be well explained by target contaminants, the present study showed a promising future of using passive samplers to evaluate chemical occurrence and aquatic toxicity concurrently. Zebrafish embryo toxicity significantly decreased after sewage treatment, but higher toxicity was observed for downstream samples, demonstrating that urban runoff may produce detrimental effects to aquatic life, particularly in rainy season. These results highlight the relevance of monitoring nonpoint source pollution along with boosting municipal sewage treatment infrastructure.

Passive Sampling and Dosing of Aquatic Organic Contaminant Mixtures for Ecotoxicological Analyses

Toxicity results from exposure to mixtures of organic contaminants. Assessing this using ecotoxicity bioassays involves sampling of the environmental mixture and then introducing this into the test. The first step is accounting for the bioavailable levels of all mixture constituents. Passive sampling specifically targets these bioavailable fractions but the sampler-accumulated mixture varies with the compound and sampler properties as well as time. The second step involves reproducing and maintaining the sampled mixture constituents in the bioassay. Passive sampler extraction and spiking always leads to a skewed mixture profile in the test. Alternatively, the recovered passive samplers might be directly used in passive dosing mode. Here, the reproduced contaminant mixture depends on whether kinetic or equilibrium sampling applies. These concepts were tested for determining the combined toxicity of laboratory and field mixtures of aquatic contaminants in the Microtox and ER-Calux bioassays. Aqueous sample extraction and spiking, passive sampler extraction and spiking, and passive sampling and dosing were compared for first sampling and then introducing mixtures in toxicity bioassays. The analytical and toxicity results show that the correct way to first sample the bioavailable mixture profile, and then to reproduce and maintain this in the toxicity test, is by combining equilibrium passive sampling and dosing.

Biocide emissions from building materials during wet weather: identification of substances, mechanism of release and transfer to the aquatic environment

Biocides are added to or applied on building materials to prevent microorganisms from growing on their surface or to treat them. They are leached into building runoff and contribute to diffuse contamination of receiving waters. This review aimed at summarizing the current state of knowledge concerning the impact of biocides from buildings on the aquatic environment. The objectives were (i) to assess the key parameters influencing the leaching of biocides and to quantify their emission from buildings, (ii) to determine the different pathways from urban sources into receiving waters and (iii) to assess the associated environmental risk. Based on consumption data and leaching studies, a list of substances to monitor in receiving water was established. Literature review of their concentrations in the urban water cycle showed evidences of contamination and risk for aquatic life, which should put them into consideration for inclusion to European or international monitoring programs. However, some biocide concentration data in urban and receiving waters is still missing to fully assess their environmental risk, especially for isothiazolinones, iodopropynyl carbamate, zinc pyrithione and quaternary ammonium compounds, and little is known about their transformation products. Although some models supported by actual data were developed to extrapolate emissions on larger scales (watershed or city scales), they are not sufficient to prioritize the pathways of biocides from urban sources into receiving waters during both dry and wet weathers. Our review highlights the need to reduce emissions and limit their transfer into rivers and reports several solutions to address these issues.

Time-Integrative Passive sampling combined with TOxicity Profiling (TIPTOP): an effect-based strategy for cost-effective chemical water quality assessment

This study aimed at demonstrating that effect-based monitoring with passive sampling followed by toxicity profiling is more protective and cost-effective than the current chemical water quality assessment strategy consisting of compound-by-compound chemical analysis of selected substances in grab samples. Passive samplers were deployed in the Dutch river delta and in WWTP effluents. Their extracts were tested in a battery of bioassays and chemically analyzed to obtain toxicity and chemical profiles, respectively. Chemical concentrations in water were retrieved from publicly available databases. Seven different strategies were used to interpret the chemical and toxicity profiles in terms of ecological risk. They all indicated that the river sampling locations were relatively clean. Chemical-based monitoring resulted for many substances in measurements below detection limit and could only explain <20% of the observed in vitro toxicity. Effect-based monitoring yielded more informative conclusions as it allowed for ranking the sampling sites and for estimating a margin-of-exposure towards chronic effect ranges. Effect-based monitoring was also cheaper and more cost-effective (i.e. yielding more information per euro spent). Based on its identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT), a future strategy for effect-based monitoring has been proposed.

Effect-based assessment of recipient waters impacted by on-site, small scale, and large scale waste water treatment facilities - combining passive sampling with in vitro bioassays and chemical analysis

Waste water treatment facilities are a major sources of organic micropollutants (MPs) in surface water. In this study, surface water samples were collected from seven sites along a river system in Uppsala, Sweden, during four seasons and evaluated based on the occurrence of MPs in the samples and bioactivity using in vitro bioassays. The sampling sites were differentially impacted by on-site sewage treatment facilities (OSSFs), small scale, and large scale waste water treatment plants (WWTPs). The bioassays used included activation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), estrogen receptor (ER), nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NFkB), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and androgen receptor (AR). Occurrence of 80 MPs, were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Most water samples induced AhR activity, and all sampling sites showed a similar profile regarding this activity. With the exception of one water sample, we did not detect any NFkB, Nrf2 or AR activity of the water samples. The exception was a sample impacted by OSSFs, which showed an activity in multiple bioassays, but the activity could not be explained by the occurrence of target MPs. The occurrence of MPs showed a spatial trend, with the highest number and amount of MPs detected in the samples collected downstream of the WWTPs, where up to 47 MPs were detected in one single sample. A seasonal variation was observed with highest levels of MPs and highest AhR activities in samples collected in June and September 2015. However, neither the seasonal activity nor the on-site activity could be explained by the measured MPs, suggesting unknown contributory agents in the water.

A comparison of equilibrium and kinetic passive sampling for the monitoring of aquatic organic contaminants in German rivers

The performances of an equilibrium and a kinetic passive sampler for monitoring a range of organic contaminants (Log K_OW from -0.03 to 6.26) were evaluated in the effluent of a wastewater treatment plant, the receiving river Saar as well as the river Mosel in Germany. The polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) and a new mixed polymer sampler (MPS) were selected as kinetic and equilibrium passive samplers, respectively. Concentrations were described in terms of a time-weighted average concentration (C_TWA) from the POCIS measurements and as an equilibrium concentration from the MPS (C_Equil-MPS) and POCIS membrane (C_Equil-PES) analyses. Twenty-seven compounds could be detected, including eight priority substances of the EU Water Framework Directive. Both sampler types detected a similar range of compounds in the low ng/L to μg/L range, with a high proportion of pharmaceuticals being detected at all sampling sites. To account for uncertainty in the POCIS sampling rates, a range in C_TWA was estimated by applying low and high sampling rates. For the compounds that were detected in the POCIS this range was within a factor of 3.5. Interestingly, the MPS extracts showed lower ionisation artefacts than the POCIS extracts during the LC-MS/MS analysis. Finally, total water concentrations (C_Total) were estimated from the dissolved concentrations, literature organic carbon partition coefficients (K_OC) and the total organic carbon levels measured in the rivers. For the compounds in this study, negligible differences between C_Total and the passive sampler-derived dissolved concentrations were found with a maximum difference of 15% for diclofenac. Overall, this study demonstrated that the parallel application of kinetic and equilibrium passive samplers can improve the description of water quality.

Dissolved organic matter affects both bioconcentration kinetics and steady-state concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is ubiquitous in natural aquatic ecosystems. The association of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs), such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), with DOM may have a large impact on HOC fractions in water and their bioconcentration in fish. However, the effects of DOM on HOC bioconcentration in fish are not well understood, especially whether DOM will affect the bioconcentration steady-state concentrations of HOCs in fish is still confusing. Thus, this study investigated the effects of three DOM including gallic acid (GA), tannic acid (TA), and humic acid (HA) with molecular weights ranging from 170 Da to about 10 kDa at different concentrations (1, 5, and 15 mgOC L^-1) on the bioconcentration of PAHs including phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, and pyrene in zebrafish (Danio rerio), with the PAH freely dissolved concentrations maintained constant by passive dosing systems. The results revealed that the presence of DOM generally increased the bioconcentration steady-state concentrations of the PAHs in zebrafish (C_b-ss), with the increase ranging from 28.1% to 204.0%, and the increase of C_b-ss promoted by TA with middle molecular weight (1700 Da) was the highest among the studied DOM. Moreover, the C_b-ss increased with the concentrations of GA with low molecular weight and TA with middle molecular weight in water, whereas decreased with increasing concentrations of HA with high molecular weight. The uptake rate constants of the PAHs in zebrafish with DOM were higher than that without DOM. Ingestion of DOM and direct accumulation of PAHs associated with DOM might be primary influencing mechanisms of DOM on the C_b-ss, and whether the facilitated diffusive mass transfer by DOM will affect the C_b-ss needs to be further studied. This study suggested that DOM-associated HOCs should be considered in future HOC risk assessment in addition to the freely dissolved HOCs.

SIMONI (Smart Integrated Monitoring) as a novel bioanalytical strategy for water quality assessment: Part II-field feasibility survey

Because it is impossible to chemically analyze all relevant micropollutants, the implementation of bioanalytical tools is essential to estimate ecological risks of chemical mixtures in regular water-monitoring programs. The first tier of the Smart Integrated Monitoring (SIMONI) strategy, which was described in part I, is based on the combination of passive sampling and bioanalytical measurements. Bioassay responses are compared with effect-based trigger values (EBT), and an overall SIMONI score on all bioassay data was designed to indicate environmental risks. The present study is focused on analyzing the feasibility of the hazard identification tier by evaluating results of 45 field campaigns at sites with different pollution profiles near the city of Amsterdam. A Daphnia assay was performed in situ, while silicon rubber or polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) extracts were tested with 4 nonspecific (daphnids, algae, bacteria, and cell culture) and 10 specific (9 Chemical Activated Luciferase Gene Expression [CALUX] assays and antibiotics scan) bioassays. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated the relevance of 2 classification variables in the SIMONI score formula on all bioanalytical data. The model indicated increased risks for the ecosystem at surface waters in greenhouse areas and undiluted wastewater-treatment plant (WWTP) effluents. The choice of testing specific bioassays on either polar or nonpolar passive sampling extracts is cost-effective and still provided meaningful insights on micropollutant risks. Statistical analyses revealed that the model provides a relevant overall impact assessment based on bioassay responses. Data analyses on the chemically determined mixture toxic pressure and bioanalytical methods provided similar insights in relative risk ranking of water bodies. The SIMONI combination of passive sampling and bioanalytical testing appears to be a feasible strategy to identify chemical hazards. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:2400-2416. © 2017 SETAC.

Toxicity profiling of marine surface sediments: A case study using rapid screening bioassays of exhaustive total extracts, elutriates and passive sampler extracts

This study was carried out in the framework of the ICON project (Integrated Assessment of Contaminant Impacts on the North Sea) (Hylland et al., 2015) and aimed (1) to evaluate the toxicity of marine sediments using a battery of rapid toxicity bioassays, and; (2) to explore the applicability and data interpretation of in vitro toxicity profiling of sediment extracts obtained from ex situ passive sampling. Sediment samples were collected at 12 selected (estuarine, coastal, offshore) sites in the North Sea, Icelandic waters (as reference sites), south-western Baltic Sea and western Mediterranean during autumn 2008. Organic extracts using a mild non-destructive clean-up procedure were prepared from total sediment and silicone passive samplers and tested with five in vitro bioassays: DR-Luc bioassay, ER-Luc bioassay, AR-EcoScreen bioassay, transthyretin (TTR) binding assay, and Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence bioassay. In vitro toxicity profiling of total sediment and silicone passive sampler extracts showed the presence of multiple organic contaminations by arylhydrocarbon receptor agonists (e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and endocrine-active compounds, as well as non-specific toxicity caused by organic contaminants, at virtually all sampling sites. In vitro responses to total sediment extracts from coastal/estuarine sites were significantly different from those in offshore sites (p < 0.05). Several bioassays of passive sampler extracts showed highest activity in some offshore sediment samples. Impact on embryogenesis success and larval growth in undiluted sediment elutriates was shown at some sites using the in vivo sea urchin embryo test. The observed toxicity profiles could only partially be explained by the chemical target analysis, indicating the presence of unknown or unanalysed biologically-active compounds in the sediments. In vitro bioassay testing with silicone passive sampler extracts of sediments is a promising tool to assess the toxic potency of the bioavailable fraction of hydrophobic sediment contaminants, but further work will be needed before it can be routinely applied for sediment quality assessment.

Strategies for Transferring Mixtures of Organic Contaminants from Aquatic Environments into Bioassays

Mixtures of organic contaminants are ubiquitous in the environment. Depending on their persistence and physicochemical properties, individual chemicals that make up the mixture partition and distribute within the environment and might then jointly elicit toxicological effects. For the assessment and monitoring of such mixtures, a variety of cell-based in vitro and low-complexity in vivo bioassays based on algae, daphnids or fish embryos are available. A very important and sometimes unrecognized challenge is how to combine sampling, extraction and dosing to transfer the mixtures from the environment into bioassays, while conserving (or re-establishing) their chemical composition at adjustable levels for concentration-effect assessment. This article outlines various strategies for quantifiable transfer from environmental samples including water, sediment, and biota into bioassays using total extraction or polymer-based passive sampling combined with either solvent spiking or passive dosing.

Passive sampling reversed: coupling passive field sampling with passive lab dosing to assess the ecotoxicity of mixtures present in the marine environment

This study presents a new approach in aquatic toxicity testing combining passive sampling and passive dosing. Polydimethylsiloxane sheets were used to sample contaminant mixtures in the marine environment. These sheets were subsequently transferred to ecotoxicological test medium in which the sampled contaminant mixtures were released through passive dosing. 4 out of 17 of these mixtures caused severe effects in a growth inhibition assay with a marine diatom. These effects could not be explained by the presence of compounds detected in the sampling area and were most likely attributable to unmeasured compounds absorbed to the passive samplers during field deployment. The findings of this study indicate that linking passive sampling in the field to passive dosing in laboratory ecotoxicity tests provides a practical and complimentary approach for assessing the toxicity of hydrophobic contaminant mixtures that mimics realistic environmental exposures. Limitations and opportunities for future improvements are presented.

Evaluations of combined zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo and marine phytoplankton (Diacronema lutheri) toxicity of dissolved organic contaminants in the Ythan catchment, Scotland, UK

A wide variety of organic contaminants including pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have previously been detected in surface waters in the river Ythan catchment, North East Scotland UK. While the concentrations detected were below Water Framework Directive Environmental Quality Standards (WFD-EQSs) environmental exposures to the diverse mixtures of contaminants, known and unknown, may pose chronic and/or sublethal effects to non target organisms. The present study assessed the embryo and algal toxicity potential of freely dissolved organic contaminants from the Ythan catchment using silicone rubber passive sampling devices (SR-PSDs) and miniaturised bioassay techniques. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos and marine phytoplankton species (Diacronema lutheri) were exposed to extracts from SR-PSDs deployed at different locations along the river Ythan and an undeployed procedural blank. Statistically significant developmental and algal toxicities were measured in all tests of extracts from deployed samples compared with the procedural blanks. This indicates environmental exposure to, and the combined toxicity potential of, freely dissolved organic contaminants in the catchment. The present and previous studies in the Ythan catchment, coupling SR-PSDs and bioassay techniques, have both helped to understand the interactions and combined effects of dissolved organic contaminants in the catchment. They have further revealed the need for improvement in the techniques currently used to assess environmental impact.

Application of congener based multi-matrix profiling techniques to identify potential PCDD/F sources in environmental samples from the Burrishoole Catchment in the West of Ireland

Homologue and congener profiles of PCDD/Fs in eels, passive sampler and sediment extracts from the Burrishoole, a rural upland catchment on the western Irish seaboard were compared with potential PCDD sources. ΣPCDD/F levels in eels ranged from 2.9 to 25.9 pg g(-1) wet weight, which are elevated compared to other Irish locations. The OCDD congener dominated the pattern of ΣPCDD/Fs in all matrices from Burrishoole. Passive samplers were successfully deployed to identify for the first time the presence in the water column of PCDD/Fs and dimethoxylated octachlorodiphenyl ether (diMeOoctaCDE), impurities found in pentachlorophenol (PCP) production. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified similarities between PCDD/F profiles in technical PCP mixtures and environmental samples from the Burrishoole region. Results strongly suggest residual PCDD contamination associated with historic local use of a dioxin contaminated product in the catchment area, with pentachlorophenol a strong candidate.

Occurrence and potential combined toxicity of dissolved organic contaminants in the Forth estuary and Firth of Forth, Scotland assessed using passive samplers and an algal toxicity test

As an alternative procedure to conventional water quality assessment, the presence and combined toxicity of dissolved organic contaminants in water at five sites in the Forth estuary and the Firth of Forth, Scotland, United Kingdom was investigated using silicone rubber passive sampling devices (SR-PSDs) and an algal growth inhibition bioassay. SR-PSDs were deployed in water at the five sites for ~2 months. Following retrieval, extracts from the deployed SR-PSDs were assessed for both algal growth inhibition and the occurrence of a wide range of organic contaminants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and a variety of plant protection products (PPPs; commonly referred to collectively as 'pesticides'). The 72 h algal growth inhibition test was performed using a native marine phytoplankton (Diacronema lutheri) in 24 well microplates. Freely dissolved (e.g. bioavailable) concentrations of PAHs and PCBs were determined using performance reference compounds (PRCs). The algal toxicity tests exhibited varied effects at the five sites indicating the presence of, and exposure to, phytotoxic compounds and their potential toxicity in the Forth. The individual and total dissolved concentrations of 40 PAHs and 32 PCBs measured in the study were relatively low and showed input of petrogenic, atmospheric and sewage related sources. Several pesticides of diverse polarities were identified in the water suggesting sources from both riverine input and direct discharges. The study thus illustrates the value of combining bioassays and chemical analysis (with effective sampling technique) for a realistic and rapid assessment of organic contaminants in the aquatic environment.

Occurrence of PCDD/PCDFs and PCBs in soil and comparison with CYP1A response in PLHC-1 cell line

The responsiveness of CYP1A (gene transcription and EROD enzyme activity) in the cell line Poeciliopsis lucida hepatoma (PLHC-1) upon exposure to extracts of contaminated soil samples was investigated and compared to levels of PCDD/PCDFs and PCBs including non-ortho obtained by GC/MS analysis. Soil samples A and B were collected in sites A and B. Two fractions, not purified (np) and purified (p), were obtained from each sample and analyzed for PCDD/PCDF and PCB content by GC/MS; in parallel they were tested for 24 h with PLHC-1. CYP1A response was investigated at gene (RT-qPCR) level and as 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) enzyme activity. Chem-TEQs and Bio-TEQs were then calculated. ∑TEQ calculated for PCDD/Fs and PCBs was 0.081 pg/g and 20.32 pg/g for samples A and B, respectively. PLHC-1 showed less up-regulation of cyp1a gene on exposure to the two purified fractions (Ap 2.1-fold and Bp 1.8-fold) than to non-purified fractions (up to 15-fold for Anp and 13-fold for Bnp). EROD was also induced 2.38- and 9.44-fold in the two purified fractions (Ap and Bp) compared to model inducer 2,3,7,8-TCDD, and up to 16.03-fold for non-purified Anp and 33.79-fold for Bnp. The combination of CYP1A response, obtained in a PLHC-1 cell-based bioassay, with contaminant residue analysis provided a better description of the presence and toxicity of dioxin-like compounds in an environmental matrix.

Identification of selected organic contaminants in streams associated with agricultural activities and comparison between autosampling and silicone rubber passive sampling

This study evaluates the potential of silicone rubber passive sampling devices (SR-PSDs) as a suitable alternative to automatic water samplers (autosamplers) for the preliminary identification of a wide range of organic contaminants in freshwater systems. The field performance of SR-PSDs deployed at three sites on two streams of an agricultural catchment area in North East (NE) Scotland, United Kingdom (UK) was assessed concurrently with composite water samples collected from two of the sites using autosamplers. The analytical suite consisted of selected plant protection products (PPPs; commonly referred to collectively as 'pesticides'), including 47 pesticides and a separate sub-category of 22 acid/urea herbicides. Of these, a total of 54 substances, comprising 46 pesticides and 8 urea herbicides were detected in at least one of the SR samplers. All but 6 of these SR-PSD detected substances were quantifiable. By comparison, a total of 25 substances comprising 3 pesticides and 22 acid/urea herbicides were detected in the composite water samples, of which only 8 acid/urea herbicides were quantifiable. The larger number and chemical classes of compounds detected and quantified via passive sampling reflect the lower limits of detection achieved by this device when compared to autosamplers. The determination of dissolved concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) added to the information on contaminant pressures at each site, allowing assessment of the reliability of SR-PSDs in freshwater systems and the identification of possible contaminant sources. The study demonstrated the utility of SR-PSDs for detecting and semi-quantifying low concentrations of analytes, including those which hitherto have not been measured in the catchment area and also some pesticides that are no longer approved for agricultural use in the UK and EU. The SR-PSD approach can thus provide a better understanding and clearer picture of the use and presence of organic contaminants within catchments.