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Kovačević M, Stjepanović N, Zelić L, Lončarić Ž. Multigenerational and transgenerational effects of azoxystrobin on Folsomia candida. Environ Pollut 2023; 336:122398. [PMID: 37595731 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
Soil organisms are exposed to various pollutants during several generations. However standard toxicity tests are often based on exposure in only one generation. Research of multigenerational (MG) and transgenerational (TG) effects are still quite scarce, however evidence accumulates that effects observed in one generation can be significantly different in some of the following generations, with different effects observed. Some studies suggest adaptation to pollutants, while others report severe effects in following generations. Azoxystrobin is commonly used in the prevention and treatment of fungal diseases in a wide range of economically important crops. The main aim of this study was to assess the toxic effects of azoxystrobin (AZO) on F. candida over 3 generations through the application of biochemical and population level biomarkers. Results of reproduction tests showed a significant decrease in estimated EC50 values, with EC50 for F0 being estimated at 104.44 mga.i./kgD.W.soil and only 15.4 mga.i./kgD.W.soil for F1. In F1 a significant reduction in the number of juveniles was observed, and at AZO concentration of 50 mga.i./kgD.W and higher, F1 did not reproduce. Significant oxidative stress was observed in all generations, with increased SOD and lipid damage that slowly decreased in subsequent generations. Transgenerational effects were also observed, with a significantly reduced number of juveniles in F1 and significant oxidative stress and lipid damage in all generations. IBRv2 showed that F1 was most affected, followed by F0, and least affected was F3. When considering the whole body energy budget, F1 to F3 had significantly higher WBEB compared to F0, and a shift in proportion of energy reserves occurred in F1, where the proportion of lipids increased while protein decreased. Results of this research show that considering standard toxicity tests, risks for populations of soil organisms are possibly severely underestimated. Therefore, standard toxicity guidelines should be supplemented by multigenerational tests, when possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Kovačević
- University of Osijek, Department of Biology, Cara Hadrijana 8/A, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Nikolina Stjepanović
- University of Osijek, Department of Biology, Cara Hadrijana 8/A, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Luca Zelić
- University of Osijek, Department of Biology, Cara Hadrijana 8/A, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Željka Lončarić
- University of Osijek, Department of Biology, Cara Hadrijana 8/A, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia.
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Vidane Arachchige Chamila Samarasinghe S, Krishnan K, John Aitken R, Naidu R, Megharaj M. Multigenerational effects of TiO 2 rutile nanoparticles on earthworms. Environ Pollut 2023; 336:122376. [PMID: 37586686 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Nanoparticles have gained considerable attention as one of the pollutants released into the environment through consumer products. This study describes the sub-chronic and generational effects of TiO2 (rutile) nanoparticles on earthworms over a 252-day duration, with exposure ranging from 0.1 to 1000 mg kg-1. Results indicate that sub-chronic exposure (28 days) of TiO2 nanoparticles did not cause notable adverse effects on the weight, reproduction, and tissue accumulation in parent earthworms. However, the F1 generation displayed remarkable growth and maturity retardation during their early developmental stages, even at lower nano-TiO2 (rutile). Significant impacts on the reproduction of the F1 generation were observed solely at the highest concentration (1000 mg kg-1), which is predicted to be below the highest exposure scenario. Moreover, long-term (252 days) exposure resulted in considerable bioaccumulation of Ti metal in the F1 generation of E. fetida. This study uncovers the negative effects of TiO2 rutile nanoparticles on earthworms across two generations, with pronounced effects on the growth, maturity, and bioaccumulation in the F1 generation compared to the parent generation. These findings suggest the potential induction of toxic effects by TiO2 rutile nanoparticles, emphasizing the sensitivity of juvenile parameters over adult parameters in toxicity assessments. Furthermore, the study highlights the urgent need for comprehensive evaluations of the longer-term toxicity of nanoparticles on terrestrial organisms. Implementing multigenerational studies will contribute significantly to a better understanding of nanoparticle ecotoxicity on environmental organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samarasinghe Vidane Arachchige Chamila Samarasinghe
- Global Centre for Environmental Remediation, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE), University of Newcastle, NSW, 2308, Australia; Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, College of Engineering Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Kannan Krishnan
- Global Centre for Environmental Remediation, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Robert John Aitken
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, College of Engineering Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Ravi Naidu
- Global Centre for Environmental Remediation, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE), University of Newcastle, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - Mallavarapu Megharaj
- Global Centre for Environmental Remediation, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE), University of Newcastle, NSW, 2308, Australia.
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3
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Li Y, Li H, Zan K, Wang Y, Zuo T, Jin H, Zhang B, Ma S. Medicinal Earthworm: Speciation and Bioaccessibility of Arsenic and Its Potential Health Risks. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:795530. [PMID: 35431923 PMCID: PMC9008300 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.795530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Arsenic in environmental health has caused public concerns all over the world. However, high levels of arsenic residues in medicinal animals have not received enough attention. Medicinal earthworms are consumed widely in China, but its arsenic potential health risks to humans are unknown. This work investigated the total concentration, bioaccessibility, and speciation of arsenic in earthworms by ICP-MS and HPLC-ICP-MS to evaluate its potential health risks to humans. Arsenic was found in all earthworms at concentrations ranging from 0.4 to 53.6 mg kg−1. The bioaccessibility of arsenic (bAs) varied significantly and ranged from 12.1 to 69.1%, with inorganic arsenic (iAs, including As(III) and As(V)) as the predominant species. Furthermore, a small amount of arsenobetaine (AB) was found. The estimated daily intake dose (EDI), hazard quotient (HQ), and carcinogenic risk (CR) of arsenic in most of the samples exceeded the safe threshold level. Results from this study indicated that the potential health risks by the consumption of earthworms may not be negligible. Herein, recommendations for the use of earthworms and regulatory recommendations for arsenic limit standards were proposed. This study reminds us that more control and monitoring of arsenic in medicinal animals should be carried out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaolei Li
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Hailiang Li
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Ke Zan
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Wang
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Tiantian Zuo
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Hongyu Jin
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Bing Zhang
- School of Chinese Pharmacy, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Bing Zhang, ; Shuangcheng Ma,
| | - Shuangcheng Ma
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Bing Zhang, ; Shuangcheng Ma,
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Huang C, Zhang X, Wang K, Yue S, Qiao Y. Evidence for the metal resistance of earthworm Eisenia fetida across generations (F1 and F2) under laboratory metal exposure. J Hazard Mater 2022; 425:128006. [PMID: 34896725 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.128006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Environmental stressors are persistent but most toxicological studies always evaluate the risk via short-term acute toxicity, while continuous toxicity and biological resistance across generations are relatively unknown. Here, earthworm Eisenia fetida was laboratory-reared and exposed to historically contaminated soils with an increasing metal gradient (CK, LM and HM), to investigate cross-generation toxicity and resistance of F1 and F2 worms. The results elucidated that biomass and juvenile hatching rate of F2 E. fetida showed maximum decreases of 20.8% and 38.5% than those of F1, which indicated severer toxicity of earthworm offspring. However, metal bioaccumulation in F2 E. fetida showed maximum increases of 150%, 49.2%, 19.7% and 25.5% than F1 for Cd, Cu, Zn and Pb, respectively. F2 E. fetida suffered less oxidative stress because the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were basically lower than that of F1. Meanwhile, the detoxification genes of metallothionein and heat shock protein 70 in F2 E. fetida showed maximum of 296% and 78.9% up-regulations, respectively, which suggested greater metal resistance of F2 E. fetida. This study confirmed the cross-generation toxicity and resistance of earthworms, which provides novel insights to reveal specific contaminant risks from longer lifecycles. CAPSULE: Earthworms under cross-generation exposure can develop metal resistance despite suffering worse toxicity effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caide Huang
- College of Resources and Environmental Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xiaoling Zhang
- College of Resources and Environmental Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Kun Wang
- College of Resources and Environmental Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation, College of Resources and Environmental Science, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China
| | - Shizhong Yue
- College of Resources and Environmental Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China
| | - Yuhui Qiao
- College of Resources and Environmental Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Organic Farming, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
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Lončarić Ž, Hackenberger DK, Jug I, Hackenberger BK. Is nano ZnO/chlorpyrifos mixture more harmful to earthworms than bulk ZnO? A multigeneration approach. Chemosphere 2020; 247:125885. [PMID: 31951956 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.125885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
As chlorpyrifos is one of the most widely used organophosphorus insecticides and ZnO-NPs are identified as NPs of the highest concern due to their negative effects on aquatic and soil organisms the objective of this study was to evaluate mixture toxicity of CHP and ZnO (bulk and nanoparticles (20 nm)) on two types of soil, artificial (AS) and natural (NS), and over two generations of earthworms. Primary endpoint measured was reproduction inhibition and biochemical biomarkers (acetylcholinesterase, catalase, glutathione-S transferase and malondialdehyde content). Results showed that mixture toxicity differs in respects to all tested factors: soil type, ZnO particle size and earthworm generation. CHP/ZnO mixtures had synergistic effects and significantly reduced a number of juveniles in both generations in AS, while the effects were additive or even antagonistic in NS. There was no difference in reproduction inhibition in respect to particle size of ZnO used in the mixtures. Negative effects could also be detected on growth dynamics of juvenile earthworms (2nd generation) as they had lower initial body mas, reduced growth rate and lower body mass as adults. Measured enzymes responded differently in respect to ZnO particle size used in the mixtures, with CHP/bZnO producing stronger effects. Measured concentrations of the bioavailable Zn in the soils showed no difference in the concentration of bioavailable Zn2+ between mixtures, but significantly more Zn2+ was retrieved from AS. General biomarker response indicated that 2nd generation of earthworms had lower capability to cope with oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ž Lončarić
- Department of Biology, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek Cara Hadrijana 8A, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia
| | - D K Hackenberger
- Department of Biology, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek Cara Hadrijana 8A, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia.
| | - I Jug
- Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Vladimira Preloga 1, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia
| | - B K Hackenberger
- Department of Biology, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek Cara Hadrijana 8A, HR-31000, Osijek, Croatia
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Newbold LK, Robinson A, Rasnaca I, Lahive E, Soon GH, Lapied E, Oughton D, Gashchak S, Beresford NA, Spurgeon DJ. Genetic, epigenetic and microbiome characterisation of an earthworm species (Octolasion lacteum) along a radiation exposure gradient at Chernobyl. Environ Pollut 2019; 255:113238. [PMID: 31655460 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The effects of exposure to different levels of ionising radiation were assessed on the genetic, epigenetic and microbiome characteristics of the "hologenome" of earthworms collected at sites within the Chernobyl exclusion zone (CEZ). The earthworms Aporrectodea caliginosa (Savigny, 1826) and Octolasion lacteum (Örley, 1881) were the two species that were most frequently found at visited sites, however, only O. lacteum was present at sufficient number across different exposure levels to enable comparative hologenome analysis. The identification of morphotype O. lacteum as a probable single clade was established using a combination of mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase I) and nuclear genome (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) using MspI loci). No clear site associated differences in population genetic structure was found between populations using the AFLP marker loci. Further, no relationship between ionising radiation exposure levels and the percentage of methylated loci or pattern of distribution of DNA methylation marks was found. Microbiome structure was clearly site dependent, with gut microbiome community structure and diversity being systematically associated with calculated site-specific earthworm dose rates. There was, however, also co-correlation between earthworm dose rates and other soil properties, notably soil pH; a property known to affect soil bacterial community structure. Such co-correlation means that it is not possible to attribute microbiome changes unequivocally to radionuclide exposure. A better understanding of the relationship between radionuclide exposure soil properties and their interactions on bacterial microbiome community response is, therefore, needed to establish whether these the observed microbiome changes are attributed directly to radiation exposure, other soil properties or to an interaction between multiple variables at sites within the CEZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay K Newbold
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, MacLean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxon, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Alex Robinson
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, MacLean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxon, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - I Rasnaca
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, MacLean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxon, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Elma Lahive
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, MacLean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxon, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Gweon H Soon
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, MacLean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxon, OX10 8BB, UK; School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6AH, UK
| | - Emmanuel Lapied
- Centre for Environmental Radioactivity, Norwegian University of Life Science, 1430 As, Norway
| | - Deborah Oughton
- Centre for Environmental Radioactivity, Norwegian University of Life Science, 1430 As, Norway
| | - Sergey Gashchak
- Chornobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste and Radioecology, Slavutych, Kiev Region, Ukraine
| | - Nicholas A Beresford
- NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Center, Library Av., Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA14AP, UK
| | - David J Spurgeon
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, MacLean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxon, OX10 8BB, UK.
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Chan WK, Wildeboer D, Garelick H, Purchase D. Competition of As and other Group 15 elements for surface binding sites of an extremophilic Acidomyces acidophilus isolated from a historical tin mining site. Extremophiles 2018; 22:795-809. [PMID: 30039469 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-018-1039-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
An arsenic-resistant fungal strain, designated WKC-1, was isolated from a waste roaster pile in a historical tin mine in Cornwall, UK and successfully identified to be Acidomyces acidophilus using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight/time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF MS) proteomic-based biotyping approach. WKC-1 showed considerable resistance to As5+ and Sb5+ where the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) were 22500 and 100 mg L-1, respectively, on Czapex-Dox Agar (CDA) medium; it was substantially more resistant to As5+ than the reference strains CBS 335.97 and CCF 4251. In a modified CDA medium containing 0.02 mg L-1 phosphate, WKC-1 was able to remove 70.30% of As5+ (100 mg L-1). Sorption experiment showed that the maximum capacity of As5+ uptake was 170.82 mg g-1 dry biomass as predicted by the Langmuir model. The presence of Sb5+ reduced the As5+ uptake by nearly 40%. Based on the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis, we propose that Sb is competing with As for these sorption sites: OH, NH, CH, SO3 and PO4 on the fungal cell surface. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the impact of other Group 15 elements on the biosorption of As5+ in Acidomyces acidophilus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wai Kit Chan
- Department of Natural Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London, NW4 4BT, UK
| | - Dirk Wildeboer
- Department of Natural Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London, NW4 4BT, UK
| | - Hemda Garelick
- Department of Natural Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London, NW4 4BT, UK
| | - Diane Purchase
- Department of Natural Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London, NW4 4BT, UK.
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Amorim MJB, Pereira C, Soares AMVM, Scott-Fordsmand JJ. Does long term low impact stress cause population extinction? Environ Pollut 2017; 220:1014-1023. [PMID: 27876417 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.11.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2016] [Revised: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This study assessed and monitored 40 consecutive reproduction tests - multigenerational (MG) - of continuous exposure to Cd (at 2 reproduction Effect Concentrations (EC): EC10 and EC50) using the standard soil invertebrate Folsomia candida, in total 3.5 years of data were collected. Endpoints included survival, reproduction, size and metallothionein (MTc) gene expression. Further, to investigate adaptation to the toxicant, additional standard toxicity experiments were performed with the MG organisms of F6, F10, F26, F34 and F40 generations of exposure. Exposure to Cd EC10 caused population extinction after one year, whereas populations survived exposure to Cd EC50. Cd induced the up-regulation of the MTc gene, this being higher for the higher Cd concentration, which may have promoted the increased tolerance at the EC50. Moreover, EC10 induced a shift towards organisms of smaller size (positive skew), whereas EC50 induced a shift towards larger size (negative skew). Size distribution shifts could be an effect predictor. Sensitivity increased up to F10, but this was reverted to values similar to F0 in the next generations. The maximum Cd tolerance limits of F. candida increased for Cd EC50 MG. The consequences for risk assessment are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J B Amorim
- Department of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - C Pereira
- Department of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - A M V M Soares
- Department of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - J J Scott-Fordsmand
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Vejlsøvej 25, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark.
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Abstract
Earthworms are abundant and ecologically very important organisms in the soil ecosystem. Impacts by pollutants on earthworm communities greatly influence the fertility of the terrestrial environment. In ecotoxicology, earthworms are good indicators of metal pollution. The observed median lethal concentrations (LC50) and the effective concentrations that cause 50% reduction of earthworm growth and reproduction (EC50) are referred to as toxicity concentrations or endpoints. In addition, the 'no observed effective concentration' (NOEC) is the estimation of the toxicity of metals on earthworms expressed as the highest concentration tested that does not show effects on growth and reproduction compared to controls. This article reviews the ecotoxicological parameters of LC50, EC50 and NOEC of a set of worms exposed to a number of metals in various tested media. In addition, this article reviews metal accumulation and the influences of soil characteristics on metal accumulation in earthworms. Morphological and behavioural responses are often used in earthworm toxicity studies. Therefore, earthworm responses due to metal toxicity are also discussed in this article.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Sivakumar
- Department of Bioenvironmental Energy, College of Natural Resource and Life Science, Pusan National University, Miryang-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 627-706, South Korea,
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Pass DA, Morgan AJ, Read DS, Field D, Weightman AJ, Kille P. The effect of anthropogenic arsenic contamination on the earthworm microbiome. Environ Microbiol 2014; 17:1884-96. [PMID: 25404571 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2014] [Revised: 11/06/2014] [Accepted: 11/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Earthworms are globally distributed and perform essential roles for soil health and microbial structure. We have investigated the effect of an anthropogenic contamination gradient on the bacterial community of the keystone ecological species Lumbricus rubellus through utilizing 16S rRNA pyrosequencing for the first time to establish the microbiome of the host and surrounding soil. The earthworm-associated microbiome differs from the surrounding environment which appears to be a result of both filtering and stimulation likely linked to the altered environment associated with the gut micro-habitat (neutral pH, anoxia and increased carbon substrates). We identified a core earthworm community comprising Proteobacteria (∼50%) and Actinobacteria (∼30%), with lower abundances of Bacteroidetes (∼6%) and Acidobacteria (∼3%). In addition to the known earthworm symbiont (Verminephrobacter sp.), we identified a potential host-associated Gammaproteobacteria species (Serratia sp.) that was absent from soil yet observed in most earthworms. Although a distinct bacterial community defines these earthworms, clear family- and species-level modification were observed along an arsenic and iron contamination gradient. Several taxa observed in uncontaminated control microbiomes are suppressed by metal/metalloid field exposure, including eradication of the hereto ubiquitously associated Verminephrobacter symbiont, which raises implications to its functional role in the earthworm microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Antony Pass
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, BIOSI 1, University of Cardiff, P.O. Box 915, Cardiff, Wales, CF10 3TL, UK
| | - Andrew John Morgan
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, BIOSI 1, University of Cardiff, P.O. Box 915, Cardiff, Wales, CF10 3TL, UK
| | - Daniel S Read
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Dawn Field
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Andrew J Weightman
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, BIOSI 1, University of Cardiff, P.O. Box 915, Cardiff, Wales, CF10 3TL, UK
| | - Peter Kille
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, BIOSI 1, University of Cardiff, P.O. Box 915, Cardiff, Wales, CF10 3TL, UK
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Liebeke M, Garcia-Perez I, Anderson CJ, Lawlor AJ, Bennett MH, Morris CA, Kille P, Svendsen C, Spurgeon DJ, Bundy JG. Earthworms produce phytochelatins in response to arsenic. PLoS One 2013; 8:e81271. [PMID: 24278409 PMCID: PMC3838358 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0081271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2013] [Accepted: 10/10/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Phytochelatins are small cysteine-rich non-ribosomal peptides that chelate soft metal and metalloid ions, such as cadmium and arsenic. They are widely produced by plants and microbes; phytochelatin synthase genes are also present in animal species from several different phyla, but there is still little known about whether these genes are functional in animals, and if so, whether they are metal-responsive. We analysed phytochelatin production by direct chemical analysis in Lumbricus rubellus earthworms exposed to arsenic for a 28 day period, and found that arsenic clearly induced phytochelatin production in a dose-dependent manner. It was necessary to measure the phytochelatin metabolite concentrations directly, as there was no upregulation of phytochelatin synthase gene expression after 28 days: phytochelatin synthesis appears not to be transcriptionally regulated in animals. A further untargetted metabolomic analysis also found changes in metabolites associated with the transsulfuration pathway, which channels sulfur flux from methionine for phytochelatin synthesis. There was no evidence of biological transformation of arsenic (e.g. into methylated species) as a result of laboratory arsenic exposure. Finally, we compared wild populations of earthworms sampled from the field, and found that both arsenic-contaminated and cadmium-contaminated mine site worms had elevated phytochelatin concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Liebeke
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Isabel Garcia-Perez
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Craig J. Anderson
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, United Kingdom
- School of Biosciences, University of Cardiff, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Alan J. Lawlor
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Mark H. Bennett
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ceri A. Morris
- School of Biosciences, University of Cardiff, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Kille
- School of Biosciences, University of Cardiff, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Claus Svendsen
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jacob G. Bundy
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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12
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Pauwels M, Frérot H, Souleman D, Vandenbulcke F. Using biomarkers in an evolutionary context: lessons from the analysis of biological responses of oligochaete annelids to metal exposure. Environ Pollut 2013; 179:343-350. [PMID: 23707006 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2013.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2013] [Revised: 04/27/2013] [Accepted: 05/01/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities may lead to the accumulation of inorganic and organic compounds in topsoils. Biota living in close contact with contaminated soils may experience stress at different levels of biological organization throughout the continuum from molecular to community level. Biological responses observed at the individual or infra-individual level of biological organization led to the development of biomarkers. The development of biomarkers consists often in evidencing biological modifications following a contaminant stress in laboratory conditions, using naïve organisms and it is sometime proposed to use the biological state of individuals from sentinel species collected in the field to evaluate the level of environmental exposure. However, considering the possibility of local adaptation following long-term exposure, organisms response sampled in the field may substantially differ from laboratory specimens. In this review, we discuss this point focusing on the definition and validity of molecular biomarkers of metal pollution using earthworms of the Lumbricidae family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Pauwels
- Laboratoire de Génétique et Evolution des Populations Végétales, UMR CNRS 8198, Université Lille Nord de France, Bâtiment SN2, F-59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex, France
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13
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Anderson CJ, Kille P, Lawlor AJ, Spurgeon DJ. Life-history effects of arsenic toxicity in clades of the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus. Environ Pollut 2013; 172:200-207. [PMID: 23063995 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2012.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2012] [Revised: 09/06/2012] [Accepted: 09/08/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Exposures of Lumbricus rubellus to a series of arsenic concentrations in soil were used to assess life-stage (juvenile, adult) and genotype specific sensitivities, to calculate population growth rate (λ) and to assess patterns of As accumulation. Significant mortality was seen in juveniles at 125 mg/kg As, while growth and maturation was affected from 36 mg/kg and above. In adults, cocoon production at the highest concentration (125 mg/kg) was significantly reduced. Phylogenetic analysis was performed by comparison of mitochondrial sequences to establish genotypic variation among juveniles. Three clades with more than 7.5% divergent were described, with 70% of earthworms belonging to a single clade. Date of and mass at maturation was significantly different between clades, but clades were not differentially As sensitive. Parameter λ was reduced at 36 mg/kg As and was negative at 125 mg/kg As, suggesting impacts and population stability and potential extinction at environmentally relevant concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- C J Anderson
- Centre of Ecology and Hydrology, MacLean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford OX10 8BB, United Kingdom
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14
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Button M, Koch I, Reimer KJ. Arsenic resistance and cycling in earthworms residing at a former gold mine in Canada. Environ Pollut 2012; 169:74-80. [PMID: 22683483 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2012.04.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2011] [Revised: 04/19/2012] [Accepted: 04/23/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Earthworms (Lumbricus castaneous and Dendrodrilus rubidus), their host soils and leaf litter were collected from a former gold mine with widespread arsenic (As) contamination in Nova Scotia, Canada and determined for total and speciated As. Resistance to As toxicity was investigated by measurement of DNA damage in exposed earthworm populations using the comet assay. Arsenobetaine (AB) was observed at low concentration in the earthworms but not in the host soil or leaf litter. Several different organoarsenic species were observed in the leaf litter and only inorganic As was found in the host soils. The results suggest that 1) adaptation to As toxicity in earthworms is widespread and not particular to a single species, 2) AB originates in the earthworm and not the consumed soil or leaf litter and 3) as previously hypothesised (Button et al., 2010), biotransformation of inorganic As to AB is not likely involved in the adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Button
- Royal Military College of Canada, Station Forces, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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15
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Plytycz B, Cygal M, Lis-Molenda U, Klimek M, Mazur AI, Duchnowski M, Morgan AJ. Characteristics of immune-competent amoebocytes non-invasively retrieved from populations of the sentinel earthworm Lumbricus rubellus (Annelida; Oligochaeta; Lumbricidae) inhabiting metal polluted field soils. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2011; 74:719-726. [PMID: 21040972 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2010.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2010] [Revised: 10/13/2010] [Accepted: 10/19/2010] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Lumbricus rubellus is a cosmopolitan earthworm devoid of riboflavin-storing eleocytes; its immune competent coelomocytes are predominantly amoebocytes. Our aim was to determine whether amoebocyte cytometrics in L. rubellus are robust biomarkers for innate immunological responses to environmental pollutants. Investigations were conducted on populations inhabiting three unpolluted and five metalliferous (mainly Pb+Zn+Cd) habitats in the UK and Poland. Inter-population differences in worm mass and amoebocyte numbers did not consistently reflect soil or tissue metal concentrations. Flow cytometry indicated that autofluorescence of the amoebocytes differs between cells from the unpolluted and metal-polluted worms, and pinocytosis of neutral red by amoebocytes was lower (especially at 15 versus 60 min incubation) in worms from the polluted Poland site compared with the reference population. To conclude, amoebocyte cytometrics and functionality are potentially useful for environmental diagnostics; deployment is contingent on better understanding potential confounders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Plytycz
- Institute of Zoology, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 6, PL 30-060, Krakow, Poland.
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16
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Fisker KV, Sørensen JG, Damgaard C, Pedersen KL, Holmstrup M. Genetic adaptation of earthworms to copper pollution: is adaptation associated with fitness costs in Dendrobaena octaedra? Ecotoxicology 2011; 20:563-73. [PMID: 21336825 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-011-0610-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/07/2011] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to copper pollution affects reproduction, growth and survival of earthworms. It is known that earthworms can cope with high copper burdens, but the distinction between physiological acclimation and evolutionary heritable changes and associated fitness consequences of the adaption to long-term copper exposure has rarely been studied. To investigate adaptation of earthworm populations of Dendrobaena octaedra to copper contamination, three populations from polluted soil were studied and compared to three unpolluted reference sites. Adult worms were collected at all six sites and cultured in uncontaminated control soil in the laboratory, where life-history traits were studied and F1-generations were produced. The newly hatched F1-generation worms were placed in uncontaminated control or copper-spiked soil to study if the adaptation was due to acclimation or genetic inheritance. This experiment showed that populations from polluted areas generally had a higher individual growth rate, reduced time to maturity, increased reproduction, and also increased mortality compared to the reference populations in both control and copper-spiked soil. The differences in life-history traits indicate that natural selection has resulted in genetic adaptation to copper pollution in the exposed populations. The population growth rates suggest a weak detrimental effect on population growth rate of being exposed to copper for both type of populations, but no sign of cost. On the contrary, estimates of population growth rates integrating all life-history traits showed that copper adapted populations perform on average relatively better than reference populations in both uncontaminated and copper-spiked soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina V Fisker
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, National Environmental Research Institute, Aarhus University, Vejlsøvej 25, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark
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Brulle F, Morgan AJ, Cocquerelle C, Vandenbulcke F. Transcriptomic underpinning of toxicant-mediated physiological function alterations in three terrestrial invertebrate taxa: a review. Environ Pollut 2010; 158:2793-2808. [PMID: 20619942 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2010.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2010] [Revised: 06/09/2010] [Accepted: 06/12/2010] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Diverse anthropogenic activities often lead to the accumulation of inorganic and organic residues in topsoils. Biota living in close contact with contaminated soils may experience stress at different levels of biological organisation throughout the continuum from the molecular-genetic to ecological and community levels. To date, the relationship between changes at the molecular (mRNA expression) and biochemical/physiological levels evoked by exposures to chemical compounds has been partially established in a limited number of terrestrial invertebrate species. Recently, the advent of a family of transcriptomic tools (e.g. Real-time PCR, Subtractive Suppressive Hybridization, Expressed Sequence Tag sequencing, pyro-sequencing technologies, Microarray chips), together with supporting informatic and statistical procedures, have permitted the robust analyses of global gene expression changes within an ecotoxicological context. This review focuses on how transcriptomics is enlightening our understanding of the molecular-genetic responses of three contrasting terrestrial macroinvertebrate taxa (nematodes, earthworms, and springtails) to inorganics, organics, and agrochemicals.
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Bernard F, Brulle F, Douay F, Lemière S, Demuynck S, Vandenbulcke F. Metallic trace element body burdens and gene expression analysis of biomarker candidates in Eisenia fetida, using an "exposure/depuration" experimental scheme with field soils. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2010; 73:1034-1045. [PMID: 20149457 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2010.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2009] [Revised: 01/14/2010] [Accepted: 01/14/2010] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Smelting plant activities lead to the accumulation of Metal Trace Elements (MTEs) in soils. The presence of high concentrations of MTEs can generate an environmental stress likely to affect macroinvertebrates living in close soil contact such as the Annelida Oligochaeta. Eisenia fetida, an ecotoxicologically important test species, was successively exposed to two field soils: (1) a highly contaminated agricultural topsoil collected near the former smelter Metaleurop Nord (Noyelles-Godault, France) which contaminated surrounding soils by its atmospheric emissions [exposure phase], and then (2) a slightly contaminated topsoil from an urban garden located in the conurbation of Lille (Wambrechies) [depuration phase]. Two analyses were performed during each phase. Firstly, the gene expression levels of four biomarker candidates identified in previous studies were analyzed in E. fetida coelomocytes. These candidates are Cd-metallothionein, phytochelatin synthase, coactosin-like protein and lysenin. Secondly, the body burdens of the following elements Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Fe, Ca, and P were measured. Moreover, both analyses were also performed in Lumbricus rubellus, an Annelid species collected from the two tested soil-originating sites. Analysis of gene expression and MTE body burdens in both species are discussed to: (1) evaluate expression biomarkers; (2) gain insight the detoxification processes and the long-term response to a metallic stress and (3) compare the responses observed in a test species (E. fetida) with the responses of a field species (L. rubellus).
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Andre J, King RA, Stürzenbaum SR, Kille P, Hodson ME, Morgan AJ. Molecular genetic differentiation in earthworms inhabiting a heterogeneous Pb-polluted landscape. Environ Pollut 2010; 158:883-890. [PMID: 19818541 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2009.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2009] [Revised: 09/16/2009] [Accepted: 09/17/2009] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
A Pb-mine site situated on acidic soil, but comprising of Ca-enriched islands around derelict buildings was used to study the spatial pattern of genetic diversity in Lumbricus rubellus. Two distinct genetic lineages ('A' and 'B'), differentiated at both the mitochondrial (mtDNA COII) and nuclear level (AFLPs) were revealed with a mean inter-lineage mtDNA sequence divergence of approximately 13%, indicative of a cryptic species complex. AFLP analysis indicates that lineage A individuals within one central 'ecological island' site are uniquely clustered, with little genetic overlap with lineage A individuals at the two peripheral sites. FTIR microspectroscopy of Pb-sequestering chloragocytes revealed different phosphate profiles in residents of adjacent acidic and calcareous islands. Bioinformatics found over-representation of Ca pathway genes in EST(Pb) libraries. Subsequent sequencing of a Ca-transport gene, SERCA, revealed mutations in the protein's cytosolic domain. We recommend the mandatory genotyping of all individuals prior to field-based ecotoxicological assays, particularly those using discriminating genomic technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Andre
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, BIOSI 1, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3TL, UK.
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