Assessing the ecological risk of active principles used currently by freshwater fish farms

Worst case scenario for chronic mixed ecotoxicity, assessment of ecological and human health risks from contaminants in an important economic harbor connected to the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt

This study is a preliminary assessment of the worst-case scenario of chronic cumulative toxicity of pollutants to marine life in Abu-Qir Bay, Egypt. In addition, human health risks from ingestion, ingestion during swimming, and dermal contact with contaminants were evaluated for children, females and males. Five heavy metals, thirteen polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), twenty pesticides (OCPs) and five polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in the seawater column and sediments. The average cumulative pollution indices, including the Heavy Metal Pollution Index (HPI: 3.44 ± 0.24) and the Heavy Metal Evaluation Index (HEI: 0.46 ± 0.04), reflected low impacts of heavy metal pollution in seawater, while the Mean Effect Range Medium Quotient (mERMQ: 0.123 ± 0.024) demonstrated low-moderate potential adverse biological effects in sediments. Among PAHs, Benzo[a]pyrene was the most abundant in the seawater (56.0 ng/L). Individual chronic RQSpecies(MEC/PNEC) (>1) values revealed high ecotoxicological sensitivity of invertebrates to Hg, Pb, and PAHs (Pyrene and Anthracene), fish to Pb, Cr, Hg, Cd, and PAHs (Benzo[k]fluoranthene, Fluoranthene, and Benzo[a]pyrene), and algae to Benzo[a]pyrene in sediments. The worst-case scenario of chronic ecotoxicity of a mixture of pollutants was evaluated by using Risk Quotients based on Predicted no Effect Concentration (RQMixture (MEC/PNEC)), Sum of Toxic Units (RQMixture(STU)), Relative Contribution (mixture RC) and %STU to algae, invertebrates and fish along the seawater and sediments in the study area. RQMixture (MEC/PNEC) and (mixture RC) values reflected that invertebrates were the most sensitive species to the pollutant mixture in seawater, while algae were the most sensitive species in sediments. In general, non-cancer and carcinogenic health risks to humans from exposure to a mixture of pollutants have not been shown to have any harmful effects, with the exception of chromium in seawater for children. Hazard Ratio (HR) values for children, females and males also demonstrated the potential carcinogenic effects of OCPs in seawater.

Historical trend of ecological risk caused by copper sediment in Quintero Bay, Chile, associated with a copper smelter and refinery

The Ventanas copper smelter began its activities in Quintero Bay in 1960, and it is estimated that it has released around 152 tons of copper per year into the waters of the bay since then. The increasing copper concentrations in the sediments exceed international standards and pose a potential danger for marine fauna. The object of this work carries out a present and historical ecological risk assessment of copper concentrations in the marine sediment of Quintero Bay. Copper concentration profiles in sediments from the bay were studied to compare present concentration data with a chronological estimate obtained using the 210Pb excess activity age model. A protective value of HC5 of 338 mg kg-1 and a PNEC of 33.8 mg kg-1 were estimated. The results showed a background concentration before 1964 with no ecological risk (30.3 mg kg-1; RQ < 1); subsequently, the concentration was found to increase from 45.2 mg kg-1 in 1964 to a maximum of 85.4 mg kg-1 in 1990, with RQ values between 1.3 and 2.5. Concentrations in sediments over the period 1997-2022 presented maximum values between 70 and 283.6 mg kg-1. The ecological risk characterization showed that all sites presented a risk to biodiversity (RQ > 1), with a probability of occurrence of 0.44-77.56 %. This research highlights the need to develop quality standards that consider the sensitivity of local species, and to use the ecological risk assessment methodology to support business management and reduce the environmental impact in industrial areas such as Quintero.

Quantification and risk assessment of polar organic contaminants in two chalk streams in Hampshire, UK using the Chemcatcher passive sampler

Freshwater systems are facing a number of pressures due to the inputs of polar organic contaminants from a range of sources including agriculture, domestic and industry. The River Itchen and River Test are two sensitive chalk streams in Southern England that are experiencing a decline in invertebrate communities. We used Chemcatcher passive samplers to measure time-weighted average concentrations (14 days) of polar pollutants at nine sites on the River Itchen and eight sites on the River Test over a 12-month period. Sampler extracts were analysed using a targeted LC/MS method. In total, 121 plant protection products and pharmaceutical and personal care products were quantified (range of log Kow from - 1.5 to 7). Concentrations (sub ng L-1 to >500 ng L-1) in both rivers showed spatial and temporal variations. A greater number of compounds and higher concentrations were found in the River Test. The chemical profile was dominated by inputs from wastewater treatment plants and legacy plant protection products. On the River Itchen, high concentrations (∼100 ng L-1) of caffeine were observed directly downstream of a fish farm. Using the NORMAN database, the predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) freshwater values were exceeded by only five contaminants (2-hydroxy-terbuthylazine, alprazolam, azithromycin, diclofenac and imidacloprid). In addition, venlafaxine was detected above its EU Watch List concentration. These exceedances were mainly downstream of direct inputs from treatment plants. These compounds are known to have ecotoxicological effects on a range of aquatic biota including macroinvertebrates. Of concern is the ubiquitous presence of the ectoparasiticide imidacloprid, highlighting the need to control its use. The impact of the cocktail of pollutants found in this study on the long-term effects on chalk stream ecosystems remains unknown and needs further investigation.

Inhibition of TNBS-induced intestinal inflammation in crucian carp (Carassius carassius) by oral administration of bioactive Bioactive food derived peptides

Intestinal enteritis is a main issue in crucian carp production which results in massive economic loss. Traditional antibiotics used for disease prevention of crucian carp (Carassius carassius) have been banned, thus an alternative approach needs to be identified. In this study, the bioactive peptide was evaluated as a diet supplement for preventing intestinal inflammation in crucian carp. Intestinal inflammation was induced by intrarectal administration of a 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) solution. The fish samples were fed with different diets for 14 days. The disease activity index (DAI), which included, fish swimming, food intake, anal inflammation, body surface, and ascites was determined daily. Intestine segments were stained with haematoxylin and eosin (H.E.) for histopathological analysis. The expression of cytokines, including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-8 (IL-8), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in crucian carp were determined. In TNBS-induced groups, the DAI scores were dramatically increased compared to the control group. The histopathological analysis showed that the damage of the fish intestine after the injection of TNBS. The relative expression levels of pro-inflammation cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8, MPO) were significantly increased compared to the control group on day 1. In the TNBS-induced group feed with a diet supplemented with bioactive peptide, the symptoms of intestinal inflammation were relieved on day 3 and the mRNA expression levels of pro-inflammation cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8, MPO) were reduced compared to day 1. On day 7, the fish samples enrofloxacin group and bioactive peptide group were recovered from TNBS-induced intestinal inflammation. This study showed that the fish diet supplemented with bioactive peptide could help to prevent and recover from intestinal inflammation. Thus, the bioactive peptide can be used as a replacement for antibiotics to prevent disease in aquaculture production.

Sediment Characteristics—A Key Factor for Fish Farm Site Selection: Examples from Croatia

The rapid development and intensive production of aquaculture have brought to light various environmental problems. In particular, fish farming adversely affects the benthic environments through the accumulation of organic matter (OM), which leads to the degradation of aquatic sediments and associated biotic communities. To prevent environmental degradation, proper site selection for fish farming is a prerequisite for sustainable aquaculture practices. An important physical factor in selecting a site for fish farming is sediment structure. Coarser sediments are preferred, while their mineral composition is rarely discussed. To investigate relationships between sediment characteristics and the content of OM, sediments were collected from three different sites with different aquaculture practices under different climatic and environmental conditions and analyzed during the one-year monitoring period. Grain size distribution, mineral composition, carbonate content, and organic matter content were determined for three fish farm sites (Ilova, River, Krka River, and Pelješac) and their reference sites. Preliminary results from all studied sites showed that sediment texture in combination with natural mineral composition is one of the key factors for the accumulation of OM in the sediment. In particular, the mineral composition of the fine-grained sediment should be known when conducting an environmental impact assessment of fish farms.

Swimming behaviour in two ecologically similar three-spined (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.) and nine-spined sticklebacks (Pungitius pungitius L.): a comparative approach for modelling the toxicity of metal mixtures

Sticklebacks (Gasterosteiformes) are increasingly used in ecological and evolutionary research and have become well established as role model species for biologists. However, ecotoxicology studies concerning behavioural effects in sticklebacks regarding stress responses, mainly induced by chemical mixtures, have hardly been addressed. For this purpose, we investigated the swimming behaviour (including mortality rate based on 96-h LC₅₀ values) of two ecologically similar three-spined (Gasterosteus aculeatus) and nine-spined sticklebacks (Pungitius pungitius) to short-term (up to 24 h) metal mixture (MIX) exposure. We evaluated the relevance and efficacy of behavioural responses of test species in the early toxicity assessment of chemical mixtures. Fish exposed to six (Zn, Pb, Cd, Cu, Ni, and Cr) metals in the mixture were either singled out by the Water Framework Directive as priority or as relevant substances in surface water, which was prepared according to the environmental quality standards (EQSs) of these metals set for inland waters in the European Union (EU) (Directive 2013/39/EU). The performed behavioural analysis showed the main effect on the interaction between time, species, and treatment variables. Although both species exposed to MIX revealed a decreasing tendency in swimming activity, these species' responsiveness to MIX was somewhat different. Substantial changes in the activity of G. aculeatus were established after a 3-h exposure to MIX solutions, which was 1.43-fold lower, while in the case of P. pungitius, 1.96-fold higher than established 96-h LC₅₀ values for each species. This study demonstrated species-specific differences in response sensitivity to metal-based water pollution, indicating behavioural insensitivity of P. pungitius as model species for aquatic biomonitoring and environmental risk assessments.

Which Micropollutants in Water Environments Deserve More Attention Globally?

Increasing chemical pollution of aquatic environments is a growing concern with global relevance. A large number of organic chemicals are termed as "micropollutants" due to their low concentrations, and long-term exposure to micropollutants may pose considerable risks to aquatic organisms and human health. In recent decades, numerous treatment methods and technologies have been proposed to remove micropollutants in water, and typically several micropollutants were chosen as target pollutants to evaluate removal efficiencies. However, it is often unclear whether their toxicity and occurrence levels and frequencies enable them to contribute significantly to the overall chemical pollution in global aquatic environments. This review intends to answer an important lingering question: Which micropollutants or class of micropollutants deserve more attention globally and should be removed with higher priority? Different risk-based prioritization approaches were used to address this question. The risk quotient (RQ) method was found to be a feasible approach to prioritize micropollutants in a large scale due to its relatively simple assessment procedure and extensive use. A total of 83 prioritization case studies using the RQ method in the past decade were compiled, and 473 compounds that were selected by screening 3466 compounds of three broad classes (pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), pesticides, and industrial chemicals) were found to have risks (RQ > 0.01). To determine the micropollutants of global importance, we propose an overall risk surrogate, that is, the weighted average risk quotient (WARQ). The WARQ integrates the risk intensity and frequency of micropollutants in global aquatic environments to achieve a more comprehensive priority determination. Through metadata analysis, we recommend a ranked list of 53 micropollutants, including 36 PPCPs (e.g., sulfamethoxazole and ibuprofen), seven pesticides (e.g., heptachlor and diazinon), and 10 industrial chemicals (e.g., perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and 4-nonylphenol) for risk management and remediation efforts. One caveat is that the ranked list of global importance does not consider transformation products of micropollutants (including disinfection byproducts) and new forms of pollutants (including antibiotic resistance genes and microplastics), and this list of global importance may not be directly applicable to a specific region or country. Also, it needs mentioning that there might be no best answer toward this question, and hopefully this review can act as a small step toward a better answer.

The Environmental Impact Assessment in Aquaculture Projects in Chile: A Retrospective and Prospective Review Considering Cultural Aspects

In recent years, social and environmental conflicts concerning the aquaculture sector have increased. These conflicts arise from the different perception that individuals, collectives, private companies and the State have about the potential impacts of aquaculture on the environment and quality of life. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of aquaculture projects in Chile is the main administrative tool for decision-making, allowing identify, predict, and propose preventive measures to mitigate negative consequences of this growing sector. This article analyzes the performance of the EIA in Chile concerning aquaculture projects between 1994 and 2019. Of the 5323 projects entering the Chilean EIA during this period, the EIA system-performance analysis selected the 71 most representative. For a reliable comparative analysis, the selected projects were first classified in accordance with the active regulation within the period. Subsequently, 14 performance indicators were selected and similarities—by means of a principal coordinate analysis—were explored. Significant differences between the third (SD40) and the first two (SD30 and SD95) regulations were observed. Based on these results and considering demands of local communities and social leaders (who request continuous articulations among technical areas, administrative tools, and policies to increase the sustainability standards of aquaculture), four opportunities for improving the EIA in aquaculture projects are proposed: incorporation of synergistic and cumulative effects, adaptation to climate change, development of a general methodology, and incorporation of early citizen participation (in projects having environmental charge) increasing the performance and confidence of the EIA. The introduced methodology enables comparisons of the EIA process in different regulatory periods using indicators, serving as guidance to evaluate the performance of the EIA in aquaculture. This methodology can also be used by other aquaculture producing countries around the world.