Assessment of three plant-based biodiesels using a Daphnia magna bioassay

A multi-biomarker approach for the early assessment of the toxicity of hospital wastewater using the freshwater organism Daphnia magna

Hospital wastewater (HWW) contains different hazardous substances resulting from a combination of medical and non-medical activities of hospitals, including pharmaceutical residues. These substances may represent a threat to the aquatic environment if they do not follow specific treatment processes. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effects of the untreated effluent collected from a general hospital in Mahdia City (Tunisia) on neonatal stages of the freshwater crustacean Daphnia magna. Test organisms were exposed to three proportions (3.12%, 6.25%, and 12.5% v/v) of HWW. After 48 h of exposure, a battery of biomarkers was measured, including the quantification of antioxidant enzymes [catalase (CAT) and total and selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (total GPx; Se-GPx)], phase II biotransformation isoenzymes glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs), cyclooxygenases (COX) involved in the regulation of the inflammatory process, and total cholinesterases (ChEs) activities. Lipid peroxidation (LPO) was measured to estimate oxidative damage. The here-obtained results showed significant decreases of CAT and GSTs activities and also on LPO content in daphnids, whereas Se-GPx activity was significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner. Impairment of cholinesterasic and COX activities were also observed, with a significant decrease of ChEs and an increase of COX enzymatic activities. Considering these findings, HWW was capable of inducing an imbalance of the antioxidant defense system, but without resulting in oxidative damage in test organisms, suggesting that peroxidases and alternative detoxifying pathways were able to prevent the oxidant potential of several drugs, which were found in the tested effluents. In general, this study demonstrated the toxicity of hospital effluents, measured in terms of the potential impairment of key pathways, namely neurotransmission, antioxidant defense, and inflammatory homeostasis of crustaceans.

Ketoprofen affects swimming behavior and impairs physiological endpoints of Daphnia magna

Ketoprofen (KET) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drug commonly used in human and veterinary medicine. This compound is detected in aquatic reservoirs however, little is known about its influence on cladocerans. Therefore, the aim of our study was to determine the influence of KET at concentrations of 0.005 mg/L, 0.05 mg/L, 0.5 mg/L, 5 mg/L and 50 mg/L on behavioral (swimming speed, hopping frequency) and physiological endpoints (heart rate, thoracic limb activity, mandible movements) of Daphnia magna after 24 h and 48 h exposure. The study showed that swimming speed frequency was decreased after 24 h and 48 h at all the concentrations used in the experiment. Hopping frequency was also inhibited, however the lowest amount of the drug induced transient increase of the parameter after 24 h and its subsequent decrease to the control level after 48 h. Although after 24 h of the exposure physiological parameters: heart rate, thoracic limb activity and mandible movements showed slightly lower sensitivity to KET than the behavioral endpoints: were found to be inhibited after 48 h. The results revealed that both behavioral and physiological endpoints of daphnids responded to KET also at the environmental level, therefore in natural conditions this drug should be considered as a hazardous toxicant to crustaceans.

Ecotoxicity of three plant-based biodiesels and diesel using, Eisenia fetida

Soil pollution is growing at an alarming rate in today's industrialized world as a result of increasing anthropogenic activities, either intentional (e.g., use of fertilizers and pesticides, irrigation with untreated wastewater, or land application of sewage sludge) or accidental (e.g., oil spills or leaching from landfills). Terrestrial soil pollution from transportation fuels such as Diesel or Biodiesel is inevitable as they are part of life's necessities. Biodiesel is considered an environmental friendly fuel due to its non-hydrocarbon composition and low particulate matter emission. However, there are still some controversies regarding biodiesel environmental toxicity to terrestrial life. Little is known about the ecotoxicity of plant-based biodiesels to soil organisms. In the present study, three ecotoxicological tests including an earthworm (Eisenia fetida) 14-day soil toxicity test, a filter paper contact toxicity test, and a cocoon hatchability test were performed to examine the toxic effects of three plant-based biodiesels - safflower methyl ester (SaME), castor methyl ester (CME), and castor ethyl ester (CEE), with Diesel fuel. Unlike Diesel, the biodiesels were less toxic based on low earthworm mortality in the soil toxicity test. However significant morbidity responses (e.g., weight loss, coiling, posterior and anterior fragmentation, and excessive discharge of coelomic fluid) were observed in earthworms exposed to biodiesel. Further, in the cocoon hatchability test, biodiesels were equally toxic to Diesel at 2% and 5% soil concentrations, with no hatching success.

Early indicators of behavioral and physiological disturbances in Daphnia magna (Cladocera) induced by cyanobacterial neurotoxin anatoxin-a

The majority of reports on the toxic effect of cyanobacterial metabolites on the freshwater invertebrates is based on determination of two endpoints: mortality or immobilization. However, detection of sub-lethal effects requires more sensitive indicators The aim of the present study was to evaluate the applicability of digital-video analysis for determination of early behavioral and physiological responses in the assessment of effects caused by the cyanobacterial neurotoxin, anatoxin-a (ANTX) at a broad range of its concentration (0.5-50 μg/mL). Swimming speed (SS), heart rate (HR), oxygen consumption (OC), thoracic limb activity (TLA) and abdominal claw movement (ACM) of Daphnia magna were evaluated. Swimming speed and abdominal claw movements were determined by digital analysis of video clips by Tracker® software; OC by Oxygraph Plus System® while HR, TLA and ACM by digital frame-by-frame analysis of video clips of microscopic view with the use of a media player software. The experimental study showed a concentration- and time-dependent decrease of SS, HR, OC, TLA and ACM. SS was inhibited as early as after 10 s of the exposure of Daphnia magna to ANTX, and the other physiological responses after 2 h. Further inhibition of these parameters was also noted after 24 h of the exposure. On the other hand, stimulation of ACM was noted at the lower (0.5 and 2.5 μg/mL) ANTX concentrations after both 2 h and 24 h of exposure. The results indicated that some behavioral and physiological biomarkers measured by video analysis may be a valuable tool for an early determination of toxic effects induced by cyanobacterial metabolites in zooplankters.

Comparative study of phytotoxicity and genotoxicity of soil contaminated with biodiesel, diesel fuel and petroleum

The worldwide spillage of fossil fuels causes an ever-increasing environmental concern due to their resistance to biodegradation and toxicity. The diesel fuel is one of the derivative forms of petroleum that is widely used in the world. Its composition has many aromatic compounds and long hydrocarbons chains, both persistent and hazardous, thus requiring complex microbial dynamics to achieve full biodegradation. At this point, biodiesel has advantages because it is produced from renewable sources. It also has a relatively fast biodegradation. Biodiesel formulation chemically varies according to the raw material used for its production. While vegetable oils tend to have homogeneous proportions of linoleic and oleic fatty acids, animal fats have an heterogeneous distribution of stearic, palmitic and oleic fatty acids. As some studies have already detected the toxic potential of biodiesel from vegetable oil, this study sought information on the phytotoxic and genotoxic potential of animal fat-based biodiesel and compare it with fossil fuel as diesel fuel and crude petroleum. The impacts on the microbial activity of soils contaminated with biodiesel, diesel fuel and crude petroleum were performed by the dehydrogenase activity. Phytotoxicity tests were performed with Eruca sativa seeds and genotoxicity bioassays with Allium cepa seeds. The results showed a rapid assimilation of biodiesel by the autochthonous soil microorganisms. Soil contaminated with either diesel or crude petroleum inhibited the root and hypocotyl elongation of E. sativa. Overall, petroleum contaminated soils showed higher genotoxic potential. Biodiesel from animal fat was rapidly assimilated by soil microorganisms and did not present significant phytotoxic or genotoxic potential, but significantly reduced the mitotic index of A. cepa roots. Our results showed that biodiesel from animal fat have rapid biodegradability. Biodiesel also led to less impacts during seed development and lower genotoxic potential when compared to crude petroleum and diesel fuel. In addition, biodiesel from animal fat does not present the same toxicity demonstrated by biodiesel from soybean-based biodiesel described in current literature.