Feeding regimes modulate biomarkers responsiveness in mussels treated with diclofenac

Flame-retardant Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate: Assessing the effects on microalgae, mussel hemocytes and human peripheral blood cells

Tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) is a widely used flame retardant in numerous commercial and industrial products. Due to its widespread release and detection in various environmental matrices, TCEP has raised great concerns about its risk to aquatic biota and human health. To this end, the present study investigates the TCEP environmental and human health mediated effects on aquatic biological species/models belonging to different trophic levels, as well as on human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Specifically, TCEP ability to promote (a) growth inhibition in algae, like the freshwater species Chlorococcum sp. and the saltwater species Tisochrysis lutea, (b) cytotoxic and oxidative stress-like events, such as Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) formation and lipid peroxidation, in challenged mussel hemocytes, as well as (c) cytogenotoxicity in human lymphocytes, was investigated. Based on the results, environmentally relevant concentrations of TCEP could differentially affect the growth of both algal species, with the freshwater one (Chlorococcum sp.) to be more vulnerable compared to saltwater species Tisochrysis lutea. Accordingly, TCEP-treated mussel hemocytes showed increased levels of cell death and a concomitant enhancement of ROS generation and lipid peroxidation at most concentrations tested. Lastly, TCEP at concentrations tested showed significant cytogenotoxic effects on human lymphocytes, as revealed by the low Cytokinesis Block Proliferation Index (CBPI) values and the high micronuclei (MN) frequencies in challenged cells. These findings are of great interest, thus highlighting the risk posed by the TCEP environmental release and the need for further protection of aquatic basins, in favor of aquatic biota and human health.

Different isoforms of parabens into marine environment: Biological effects on the bacterium Aliivibrio fischeri and the marine mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Different isoforms of alkyl esters of p-Hydroxybenzoic acid, also known as parabens, are of great concern due to their widespread presence into the aquatic environment, their high concentrations in wastewater discharges, as well as their ability to induce adverse effects on aquatic organisms. Considering the imperative need for assessing their fate and risk to aquatic environment, the present study investigated the biological effects of two isoforms of parabens, methyl- (MeP) and propyl- (PrP), on the bacterium Aliivibrio fischeri (using the Bioluminescence Inhibition/Microtox® bioassay) and the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis (in terms of mussel mortality, cellular, oxidative and genotoxic stress indices). The assessment of MeP and PrP behavior into aquatic media (artificial sea water/ASW and 2 % NaCl), primarily performed by UHPLC-UV-MS analysis, showed only a slight hydrolysis of PrP to 4-Hydrobenzoic acid (4-HBA). Furthermore, exposure of both species to different concentrations of each paraben revealed differences among their toxic potential, as well as their ability to cause cellular, oxidative and genotoxic effects on hemocytes of challenged mussels. Interestingly, the Microtox® bioassay showed that PrP mediated toxicity in A. fischeri were more pronounced than MeP, as revealed by the estimated toxic endpoints (in terms of concentration that promote 50 % of bioluminescence inhibition, EC50). Similarly, in challenged mussels, a significant disturbance of mussel hemocytes' lysosomal membrane integrity, as well as enhanced levels of superoxides, nitric oxides, lipid peroxidation byproducts, and micronuclei formation were observed. These findings are of great interest, since MeP and PrP differential toxic potential, as well their ability to induce pre-pathological alterations in marine species, like mussels, give new evidence for their risk to aquatic biota.

An overall assessment of the effects of antidepressant paroxetine on aquatic organisms and human cells

Paroxetine (PRX) is one of the most used antidepressants and an emerging contaminant with potential harmful effects to the environment and human health. The present study investigates in detail the toxic potential of PRX using a battery of bioassays on fresh- and marine species, marine bacteria, and human lymphocytes. All the tested organisms and human lymphocytes were exposed at concentrations ranging from μg L^-1 to mg L^-1. It was found that PRX can cause toxic effects to aquatic organisms at environmental relevant concentrations (μg L^-1 level). A significant effect of PRX was observed in all tested algal species especially at the first 24 h. However, differences in responses and sensitivities among the tested algal species were observed. The most sensitive organism was found to be Dunaliella tertiolecta with IC₅₀ = 0.092 mg L^-1 (72 h). In the case of Aliivibrio fischeri, EC₅₀ values were determined to be 16.65, 14.31 and 14.41 mg L^-1 for 5, 15 and 30 min of exposure, respectively. PRX also induced cytotoxic and genotoxic effects in human lymphocytes. A dose-dependent increase in micronucleus frequencies was occurred at all tested concentrations with a statistically significant increase in micronucleus frequencies at the medium to high PRX tested concentrations. The findings of the present study expand the available toxicity profile of PRX on aquatic organisms and the knowledge about the potential risk of PRX to induce genotoxic effects in cultured human lymphocytes.

The Potential Risk of Electronic Waste Disposal into Aquatic Media: The Case of Personal Computer Motherboards

Considering that electronic wastes (e-wastes) have been recently recognized as a potent environmental and human threat, the present study aimed to assess the potential risk of personal computer motherboards (PCMBs) leaching into aquatic media, following a real-life scenario. Specifically, PCMBs were submerged for 30 days in both distilled water (DW) and artificial seawater (ASW). Afterwards, PCMBs leachates were chemically characterized (i.e., total organic carbon, ions, and trace elements) and finally used (a) for culturing freshwater (Chlorococcum sp. and Scenedesmus rubescens) and saltwater (Dunaliella tertiolecta and Tisochrysis lutea) microalgae for 10 days (240 h), (b) as the exposure medium for mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis (96 h exposure), and (c) for performing the Cytokinesis Block Micronucleus (CBMN) assay in human lymphocytes cultures. According to the results, PCMBs could mediate both fresh- and marine algae growth rates over time, thus enhancing the cytotoxic, oxidative, and genotoxic effects in the hemocytes of mussels (in terms of lysosomal membrane impairment, lipid peroxidation, and NO content and micronuclei formation, respectively), as well as human lymphocytes (in terms of MN formation and CBPI values, respectively). The current findings clearly revealed that PCMBs leaching into the aquatic media could pose detrimental effects on both aquatic organisms and human cells.

Acute toxicity and biomarker responses in Gammarus locusta amphipods exposed to copper, cadmium, and the organochlorine insecticide dieldrin

The toxicity of copper, cadmium, and dieldrin in adult Gammarus locusta (a marine amphipod) is currently unclear. Thus, G. locusta from the North Lake of Tunis were subjected to acute toxicity tests to assess LC50s at 48-96 h and to biomarker response tests through the assessment of catalase and acetylcholinesterase activities and malondialdehyde levels. The present study demonstrated the abilities of a chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticide (dieldrin) induce to oxidative stress and neurotoxicity. The comparison of metal toxicity showed that G. locusta was more sensitive to cadmium than copper. The three stressors caused significant inductions of all three biomarkers in a concentration-dependent manner. Catalase induction was dependent on exposure duration for all pollutants, while only copper led to increased malondialdehyde with longer exposure times. Catalase induction and malondialdehyde increase appeared to be sex dependent for all three pollutants. The neurotoxic effects of the pollutants were concentration dependent according to inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity. In conclusion, catalase, malondialdehyde, and acetylcholinesterase are efficient biomarkers of copper, cadmium, and dieldrin in G. locusta.

Effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of diclofenac in Mytilus trossulus

The presence of pharmaceuticals in the marine environment is a growing problem of global importance. Although awareness of the significance of this issue is increasing, many questions related to the ecotoxicology of pharmaceuticals remain unclear. Diclofenac is one of the drugs most commonly detected in the marine environment and its potential toxicity has been previously highlighted, thus its impact on organisms deserves a special attention. Therefore, in this study, a thorough analysis of the effects of diclofenac on a condition and tissue level of a model representative of marine invertebrates - Mytilus trossulus - was performed. During the 25-day experiment, divided into exposure and depuration phases, bivalves were exposed to two environmentally relevant drug concentrations of 4 and 40 μg/L. The study showed that mussels absorb diclofenac in their tissues and the highest recorded concentration was 1.692 μg/g dw on day 8. Moreover, the content of diclofenac metabolites (4-OH and 5-OH diclofenac) was also examined, but they were not detected either in water or in tissues. Although exposure to low diclofenac concentrations did not significantly affect the condition index of organisms, changes in numerous histopathological parameters were noted. Performed histological examination provided additional valuable information on the influence of drugs on the functioning of invertebrates. Nevertheless, applicability of histopathological techniques in ecotoxicology of drugs requires additional evaluation in future studies.