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Richtmann L, Opel T, Maier M, Langhof N, Clemens S. Establishment of a system to analyze effects of airborne ultra-fine particulate matter from brake wear on plants under realistic exposure conditions. J Hazard Mater 2024; 469:134084. [PMID: 38518700 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134084] [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: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
Research on airborne ultrafine particles (UFP) is driven by an increasing awareness of their potential effects on human health and on ecosystems. Brake wear is an important UFP source releasing largely metallic and potentially hazardous emissions. UFP uptake into plant tissues could mediate entry into food webs. Still, the effects of these particles on plants have barely been studied, especially in a realistic setting with aerial exposure. In this study, we established a system designed to mimic airborne exposure to ultrafine brake dust particles and performed experiments with the model species Arabidopsis thaliana. Using advanced analytical methods, we characterized the conditions in our exposure experiments. A comparison with data we obtained on UFP release at different outdoor stations showed that our controlled exposures are within the same order of magnitude regarding UFP deposition on plants at a traffic-heavy site. In order to assess the physiological implications of exposure to brake derived-particles we generated transcriptomic data with RNA sequencing. The UFP treatment led to diverse changes in gene expression, including the deregulation of genes involved in Fe and Cu homeostasis. This suggests a major contribution of metallic UFPs to the elicitation of physiological responses by brake wear derived emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludwig Richtmann
- Plant Physiology, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Thorsten Opel
- Ceramic Materials Engineering, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Marina Maier
- Bavarian State Office for the Environment, 86179 Augsburg
| | - Nico Langhof
- Ceramic Materials Engineering, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Stephan Clemens
- Plant Physiology, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany.
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Seidenath D, Weig AR, Mittereder A, Hillenbrand T, Brüggemann D, Opel T, Langhof N, Riedl M, Feldhaar H, Otti O. Diesel exhaust particles alter gut microbiome and gene expression in the bumblebee Bombus terrestris. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10180. [PMID: 37351478 PMCID: PMC10283033 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10180] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Insect decline is a major threat to ecosystems around the world as they provide many important functions, such as pollination or pest control. Pollution is one of the main reasons for the decline, alongside changes in land use, global warming, and invasive species. While negative impacts of pesticides are well-studied, there is still a lack of knowledge about the effects of other anthropogenic pollutants, such as airborne particulate matter, on insects. To address this, we exposed workers of the bumblebee Bombus terrestris to sublethal doses of diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) and brake dust, orally or via air. After 7 days, we looked at the composition of the gut microbiome and tracked changes in gene expression. While there were no changes in the other treatments, oral DEP exposure significantly altered the structure of the gut microbiome. In particular, the core bacterium Snodgrassella had a decreased abundance in the DEP treatment. Similarly, transcriptome analysis revealed changes in gene expression after oral DEP exposure, but not in the other treatments. The changes are related to metabolism and signal transduction, which indicates a general stress response. Taken together, our results suggest potential health effects of DEP exposure on insects, here shown in bumblebees, as gut dysbiosis may increase the susceptibility of bumblebees to pathogens, while a general stress response may lower available energy resources. Those effects may exacerbate under natural conditions where insects face a multiple-stressor environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitri Seidenath
- Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER)University of BayreuthBayreuthGermany
| | - Alfons R. Weig
- Keylab Genomics and Bioinformatics, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER)University of BayreuthBayreuthGermany
| | - Andreas Mittereder
- Department of Engineering Thermodynamics and Transport ProcessesUniversity of BayreuthBayreuthGermany
| | - Thomas Hillenbrand
- Department of Engineering Thermodynamics and Transport ProcessesUniversity of BayreuthBayreuthGermany
| | - Dieter Brüggemann
- Department of Engineering Thermodynamics and Transport ProcessesUniversity of BayreuthBayreuthGermany
| | - Thorsten Opel
- Department of Ceramic Materials EngineeringUniversity of BayreuthBayreuthGermany
| | - Nico Langhof
- Department of Ceramic Materials EngineeringUniversity of BayreuthBayreuthGermany
| | - Marcel Riedl
- Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER)University of BayreuthBayreuthGermany
| | - Heike Feldhaar
- Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER)University of BayreuthBayreuthGermany
| | - Oliver Otti
- Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER)University of BayreuthBayreuthGermany
- Applied ZoologyTU DresdenDresdenGermany
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Holzinger A, Mair MM, Lücker D, Seidenath D, Opel T, Langhof N, Otti O, Feldhaar H. Comparison of fitness effects in the earthworm Eisenia fetida after exposure to single or multiple anthropogenic pollutants. Sci Total Environ 2022; 838:156387. [PMID: 35660620 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156387] [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: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Terrestrial ecosystems are exposed to many anthropogenic pollutants. Non-target effects of pesticides and fertilizers have put agricultural intensification in the focus as a driver for biodiversity loss. However, other pollutants, such as heavy metals, particulate matter, or microplastic also enter the environment, e.g. via traffic and industrial activities in urban areas. As soil acts as a potential sink for such pollutants, soil invertebrates like earthworms may be particularly affected by them. Under natural conditions soil invertebrates will likely be exposed to combinations of pollutants simultaneously, which may result in stronger negative effects if pollutants act synergistically. Within this work we study how multiple pollutants affect the soil-dwelling, substrate feeding earthworm Eisenia fetida. We compared the effects of the single stressors, polystyrene microplastic fragments, polystyrene fibers, brake dust and carbon black, with the combined effect of these pollutants when applied as a mixture. Endpoints measured were survival, increase in body weight, reproductive fitness, and changes in three oxidative stress markers (glutathione S-transferase, catalase and malondialdehyde). We found that among single pollutant treatments, brake dust imposed the strongest negative effects on earthworms in all measured endpoints including increased mortality rates. Sub-lethal effects were found for all pollutants. Exposing earthworms to all four pollutants simultaneously led to effects on mortality and oxidative stress markers that were smaller than expected by the respective null models. These antagonistic effects are likely a result of the adsorption of toxic substances found in brake dust to the other pollutants. With this study we show that effects of combinations of pollutants cannot necessarily be predicted from their individual effects and that combined effects will likely depend on identity and concentration of the pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Holzinger
- Animal Population Ecology, Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Magdalena M Mair
- Statistical Ecotoxicology, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany.
| | - Darleen Lücker
- Animal Population Ecology, Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Dimitri Seidenath
- Animal Population Ecology, Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Thorsten Opel
- Department of Ceramic Materials Engineering, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Nico Langhof
- Department of Ceramic Materials Engineering, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Oliver Otti
- Animal Population Ecology, Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Heike Feldhaar
- Animal Population Ecology, Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
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Seidenath D, Holzinger A, Kemnitz K, Langhof N, Lücker D, Opel T, Otti O, Feldhaar H. Individual vs. Combined Short-Term Effects of Soil Pollutants on Colony Founding in a Common Ant Species. Front Insect Sci 2021; 1:761881. [PMID: 38468894 PMCID: PMC10926528 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2021.761881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Insects are integral to terrestrial life and provide essential ecosystem functions such as pollination and nutrient cycling. Due to massive declines in insect biomass, abundance, or species richness in recent years, the focus has turned to find their causes. Anthropogenic pollution is among the main drivers of insect declines. Research addressing the effects of pollutants concentrates on aquatic insects and pollinators, despite the apparent risk of contaminated soils. Pollutants accumulating in the soil might pose a significant threat because concentrations tend to be high and different pollutants are present simultaneously. Here, we exposed queens of the black garden ant Lasius niger at the colony founding stage to different concentrations and combinations of pollutants (brake dust, soot, microplastic particles and fibers, manure) to determine dose-dependent effects and interactions between stressors. As proxies for colony founding success, we measured queen survival, the development time of the different life stages, the brood weight, and the number of offspring. Over the course of the experiment queen mortality was very low and similar across treatments. Only high manure concentrations affected the colony founding success. Eggs from queens exposed to high manure concentrations took longer to hatch, which resulted in a delayed emergence of workers. Also, fewer pupae and workers were raised by those queens. Brake dust, soot and plastic particles did not visibly affect colony founding success, neither as single nor as multiple stressors. The application of manure, however, affected colony founding in L. niger negatively underlining the issue of excessive manure application to our environment. Even though anthropogenic soil pollutants seem to have little short-term effects on ant colony founding, studies will have to elucidate potential long-term effects as a colony grows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitri Seidenath
- Animal Population Ecology, Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Anja Holzinger
- Animal Population Ecology, Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Klara Kemnitz
- Animal Population Ecology, Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Nico Langhof
- Department of Ceramic Materials Engineering, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Darleen Lücker
- Animal Population Ecology, Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Thorsten Opel
- Department of Ceramic Materials Engineering, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Oliver Otti
- Animal Population Ecology, Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Heike Feldhaar
- Animal Population Ecology, Animal Ecology I, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
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Hagan CD, Hardwick BA, Opel T, Sweet CL, Terry PD, Chen J. Indoor tanning: bringing the sun inside? Public Health 2016; 140:261-264. [PMID: 27506640 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2016.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Revised: 06/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C D Hagan
- Department of Public Health, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - B A Hardwick
- Department of Public Health, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - T Opel
- College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - C L Sweet
- Department of Public Health, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - P D Terry
- Department of Medicine, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37920, USA
| | - J Chen
- Department of Public Health, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
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Arienzo MM, McConnell JR, Chellman N, Criscitiello AS, Curran M, Fritzsche D, Kipfstuhl S, Mulvaney R, Nolan M, Opel T, Sigl M, Steffensen JP. A Method for Continuous (239)Pu Determinations in Arctic and Antarctic Ice Cores. Environ Sci Technol 2016; 50:7066-7073. [PMID: 27244483 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b01108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Atmospheric nuclear weapons testing (NWT) resulted in the injection of plutonium (Pu) into the atmosphere and subsequent global deposition. We present a new method for continuous semiquantitative measurement of (239)Pu in ice cores, which was used to develop annual records of fallout from NWT in ten ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica. The (239)Pu was measured directly using an inductively coupled plasma-sector field mass spectrometer, thereby reducing analysis time and increasing depth-resolution with respect to previous methods. To validate this method, we compared our one year averaged results to published (239)Pu records and other records of NWT. The (239)Pu profiles from the Arctic ice cores reflected global trends in NWT and were in agreement with discrete Pu profiles from lower latitude ice cores. The (239)Pu measurements in the Antarctic ice cores tracked low latitude NWT, consistent with previously published discrete records from Antarctica. Advantages of the continuous (239)Pu measurement method are (1) reduced sample preparation and analysis time; (2) no requirement for additional ice samples for NWT fallout determinations; (3) measurements are exactly coregistered with all other chemical, elemental, isotopic, and gas measurements from the continuous analytical system; and (4) the long half-life means the (239)Pu record is stable through time.
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Affiliation(s)
- M M Arienzo
- Desert Research Institute , 2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, Nevada 89512, United States
| | - J R McConnell
- Desert Research Institute , 2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, Nevada 89512, United States
| | - N Chellman
- Desert Research Institute , 2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, Nevada 89512, United States
| | - A S Criscitiello
- University of Calgary , 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - M Curran
- Australian Antarctic Division, 203 Channel Highway, Kingston Tasmania 7050, Australia
- Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania , Hobart 7001, Australia
| | - D Fritzsche
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Potsdam/Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - S Kipfstuhl
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Potsdam/Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - R Mulvaney
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, United Kingdom
| | - M Nolan
- University of Alaska Fairbanks , 505 N Chandalar Dr, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775, United States
| | - T Opel
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Potsdam/Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - M Sigl
- Paul Scherrer Institute , 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
| | - J P Steffensen
- Centre for Ice and Climate, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen, Denmark
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