Polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) devices have been suggested for measuring time-weighted averages (TWA) of contaminant concentrations in aquatic environments, resulting from chemical leak accidents. However, the response of the POCIS device in the emergency condition in natural water remains unclear. The response of the POCIS device to contaminant fluctuation was investigated using

Information on the effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in fish have mostly been generated from standard laboratory species and short-term toxicity tests. However, there is significant uncertainty regarding AgNP toxicity to native species of concern in North America, particularly in northern freshwater ecosystems. Here, we assessed the chronic toxicity of AgNPs in early life stages of three North

Depression of growth rate due to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) has been documented in birds, mammals, amphibians, and fish at single temperatures. However, the underlying energetic mechanism for this effect and how it might change in relation to changing environmental temperature remains unstudied. Here, we used a simple energy budget to address hypotheses regarding PBDEs on tadpole (Lithobates

Many of the newly produced and registered substances are complex mixtures or UVCBs (substances of unknown or variable composition, complex reaction products and biological materials). The latter often consist of a large number of constituents and/or difficult to identify constituents, which makes their (eco)toxicological assessment difficult. In the current paper, through a series of examples, different

Around the globe, on-site wastewater treatment systems (OWTSs) are critical for rural communities without access to a municipal sewer system. However, their treatment efficiency does not match that of modern wastewater treatment plants. The impact of OWTS discharge on nearby aquatic ecosystems and their resident fish species is poorly understood. In the present study, larval and adult fathead minnows

Wild birds and mammals that feed in agricultural habitats are potentially exposed to pesticides through various routes. Until recently, it has been implicitly assumed that the existing EU risk assessment scheme for birds and mammals also covered bats (Chiroptera). However, recent publications raised concerns and, in 2019, a scientific statement was published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)

Current methodologies for microplastic polymer identification such as Fourier-transform infrared and differential scanning calorimetry are neither cost-efficient nor practical in fieldwork. Density analysis is an inexpensive and readily transportable alternative method. However, current density analysis methods use many different hazardous solutions to carry out separation and identification of plastics

The uptake potential of Fragrance Encapsulates (FEs) by aquatic or terrestrial organisms was investigated. Due to their size of below 5 mm and their polymeric nature, FEs fall under the Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP) definition of microplastics (MPs). After use, FEs enter the sewer system and reach the sewage treatment plant (STP) where

The octanol-air equilibrium partition ratio, K OA, is frequently used to describe the volatility of organic chemicals, whereby n-octanol serves as a substitute for a variety of organic phases ranging from organic matter in atmospheric particles and soils, to biological tissues such as plant foliage, fat, blood and milk, and to polymeric sorbents. Because measured K OA values exist for just over 500

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are environmental contaminants linked to adverse health effects in humans and wildlife. Marine mammals, particularly manatees, have shown potential as sentinels for evaluating the presence and effects of anthropogenic chemicals. However, traditional blood collection techniques with marine mammals can be challenging, highlighting the need for improved strategies

Anthropogenic microfibers, a ubiquitous environmental contaminant, can be categorized as synthetic, semisynthetic, or natural according to material of origin and production process. Although natural fibers, such as cotton and wool, originated from natural sources, they often contain chemical additives, including colorants (e.g., dyes, pigments) and finishes (e.g., flame retardants, antimicrobial agents

For the soluble metallic nanoparticles (NPs), which forms (particles [NP(particle)] vs. dissolved ions [NP(ion)]) are the main cause of toxicity of the NP suspension (NP(total)) remains uncertain. In the present study, soybean was exposed to Cu NPs in a hydroponic system to determine how natural organic matter (NOM; 10 mg/l) and concentration of Cu NP(total) (2–50 mg/l) affect the relative contributions

Mercury (Hg) is a toxic trace metal ubiquitously distributed in the environment. Inorganic mercury (as HgCl2) can cause immunotoxicity in birds, but the mechanisms of action are still not fully resolved, especially with respect to responses to viral infections. To investigate the potential immunomodulatory effects of Hg2+ on specific cell types of the avian immune system, chicken macrophage (HD-11)

Fragrance encapsulates (FEs) are designed to deliver fragrance components, notably in laundry care products. They are made of thermoset polymeric shells surrounding the fragrance content. These materials enter the environment mainly during laundry washing, but little is known about their distribution in and impact on the environment. The aim of the present study was to estimate the environmental concentrations

Nonpolar narcosis, also known as baseline toxicity, has been described as the minimal toxicity that an organic chemical may elicit based on its lipophilicity. Although lethal effects of narcosis-inducing chemicals (NICs) have been thoroughly investigated, knowledge of sublethal effects is still very limited. We investigated the effects of 3 well-known NICs (phenanthrene, 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene, and

Despite the co-occurrence of metals in aquatic environments, their joint effects are generally not considered during risk assessments. Data on the combined effects of zinc (Zn) and aluminum (Al) on aquatic animals are extremely scarce in the literature, although these metals are commonly used in domestic and industrial activities. In the present study, we investigated the effects of mixtures of Zn

Aqueous Film Forming Foams (AFFFs) are used in firefighting and are sources of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the environment through surface runoff and groundwater contamination at defense and transportation sites. Little is known regarding the toxicity and bioaccumulation of newer AFFF formulations containing novel PFAS. To mimic maternal transfer of PFAS, pre-fertilization rainbow

Deriving water quality criteria (WQC) for aquatic risk assessment requires sufficient toxicity data, which can determine the accuracy of WQC. Given that toxicity data vary between test species and endpoints, there is a great need to compare such data to generate the most suitable data set for WQC derivation. In the present study, a series of 11 ammonia exposure bioassays were conducted on Chironomidae

Population models are increasingly being used to extrapolate individual-level effects of chemicals, including metals, to population-level effects. For metals, it is also important to take into account their bioavailability to correctly predict metal toxicity in natural waters. However, to our knowledge, no models exist that integrate metal bioavailability into population modeling. Therefore, our main

Why the dramatic title? It could be the dozens of headlines each day in the news and scientific journals on climate change–driven disasters. Finally, it appears that reticent deniers are becoming fewer and fewer as ever-growing portions of the world are burning, drowning, or dying of thirst and starvation. These increasingly widespread emergencies will continue to dominate headlines, so much so that

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is one of the dominant perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) detected in aquatic ecosystems. It has been used in a wide range of industrial and consumer products for decades. The unique properties of PFOS, including its stability and resistance to degradation, have made it highly persistent in the aquatic environment. Because of its persistence, potential toxicity, and occurrence

Effects of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and a legacy aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) containing 91% PFOS (AFFF PFOS) on reproduction, chick survivability, and growth of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) were determined. Day-old Japanese quail were administered PFOS or AFFF PFOS at 6 dietary concentrations ranging from 0 to 21 mg kg–1 feed for a total of 20 wk. At the age of 4 wk, 16 male/female

Multiple factors including habitat loss, pollutants, invasive species, and disease have contributed to the global decline of amphibians, and further declines can be expected as a result of climate change. Warming temperatures may allow for range expansion of invasive plants, and because herbicides are the primary method to control invasive plants, chemical use may increase. A laboratory experiment

Contamination of the marine environment by antidepressants may affect neurophysiological processes in nontarget organisms, such as the common cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis. The present study tested whether environmentally realistic concentrations of antidepressants, that is, fluoxetine alone (5 ng L–1) or cumulated with venlafaxine (2.5 or 5 ng L–1), affect camouflage in newly hatched cuttlefish. The

Monterey formation crude oil spilled from an onshore pipeline and entered the surf zone near Refugio State Beach, Santa Barbara County, California (USA) on 19 May 2015. During this season, early life stages of many marine fish and invertebrates were present. Surf zone water and beach porewater samples were collected during the 4 mo after the spill and 2 yr later for chemical analyses. Elevated polycyclic

The occurrence of some species listed under the United States' Endangered Species Act in agricultural landscapes suggests that their habitats could potentially be exposed to pesticides. However, the potential effects from such exposures on populations are difficult to estimate. Mechanistic models can provide an avenue to estimating the potential impacts on populations, considering realistic assumptions

The release of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) to the environment necessitates an assessment of their environmental risks. The currently available environmental risk assessments (ERA) for ENMs are based on an analysis of the total flows of a specific ENM to the environment and on ecotoxicity studies performed with pristine ENMs. It is known that ENMs undergo transformation during product use and release

In many countries, the western honey bee is used as surrogate in pesticide risk assessments for bees. However, uncertainty remains in the estimation of pesticide risk to non-Apis bees because their potential routes of exposure to pesticides, life histories, and ecologies differ from those of honey bees. We applied the vulnerability concept in pesticide risk assessment to 10 bee species including the

Informal recycling of electronic waste (e-waste) contaminates local environments with metals and other organic compounds, though adverse effects on native earthworm populations are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to determine metal concentrations in soils from e-waste activity sites in Douala (Cameroon), and assess effects of these soils on the growth and reproduction of the local

The sediment-water interface of spiked-sediment toxicity tests is a complex exposure system, where multiple uptake pathways exist for benthic organisms. The freely dissolved concentration (C free) in sediment pore water has been proposed as a relevant exposure metric to hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) in this system. C free, however, has rarely been measured in spiked-sediment toxicity tests

The use of pesticides for plague control in agroecosystems generates a threat to wildlife and a major problem for human health. Pesticide compounds are also an important source of water and atmosphere contamination. Although insecticides are effective on their target organisms, they often affect organisms that are not their target. The aim of the present study was to research the effects of 3 types

After the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, toxicity tests were conducted using 4 microalgae (Dunaliella tertiolecta, Skeletonema costatum, Isochrysis galbana, and Thalassiosira pseudonana) and one macroalga (Ectocarpus siliculosus) to study potential impacts on phytoplankton and other primary producers in the Gulf of Mexico and characterize species sensitivity. Tests were performed with Corexit

Unknown chemical releases constitute a large portion of the rapid response situations to which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is called upon to respond. Workflows used to address unknown chemical releases currently involve screening for a large array of known compounds using many different targeted methods. When matches are not found, expert analytical chemistry knowledge is used

The scientific understanding regarding sources, occurrence, and effects of microplastics in the aquatic environment has advanced rapidly, leaving some meaningful knowledge gaps virtually untouched. One of them is the interactions of microplastics and biofilms, microbial communities ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems and fundamental for a range of ecosystem level processes. It is evident that biofilms

Understanding the environmental fate, transport, and occurrence of pesticides and pharmaceuticals in aquatic environments is of utmost concern to regulators. Traditionally, monitoring of environmental contaminants has consisted of LC-MS/MS analyses for a set of targeted compounds in discrete surface water samples. These targeted approaches are limited by the fact that they only provide information

Heterocyclic aromatic compounds can be found in crude oil and coal and often co-exist in environmental samples with their homocyclic aromatic counterparts. The Target Lipid Model (TLM) is a modeling framework that relates aquatic toxicity to the octanol-water partition coefficient (Kow) that has been calibrated and validated for hydrocarbons. A systematic analysis of the applicability of the TLM to

Increased salinity (sodium chloride; NaCl) is a prevalent and persistent contaminant that negatively affects freshwater ecosystems. Although most studies focus on effects of salinity from roads salts (primarily NaCl), high-salinity wastewaters from energy extraction (wastewaters) could be more harmful because they contain NaCl and other toxic components. Many amphibians are sensitive to salinity and

The peer-reviewed toxicological literature contains twice as many studies pertaining to the River Thames (United Kingdom) than to the Congo River (Central Africa), despite the latter's watershed being roughly 250 times larger and sustaining a 5-fold greater human population (Web of Science database). Protecting such underresearched natural resources from chemical contamination requires local research

Biotransformation may substantially reduce the extent to which organic environmental contaminants accumulate in fish. Presently, however, relatively little is known regarding the biotransformation of ionized chemicals, including cationic surfactants, in aquatic organisms. To address this deficiency, a rainbow trout liver S9 substrate depletion assay (RT-S9) was used to measure in vitro intrinsic clearance

Anthropogenic debris including microparticles (MP; <5mm) are ubiquitous in marine environments. The Salish Sea experiences seasonal fluctuations in precipitation, river discharge, sewage overflow events, and tourism– all variables previously thought to have an impact on MP transport and concentrations. Our goals are two-fold: 1) Describe long-term MP contamination data including concentration, type

Antibiotics (ABs) in the aquatic environment is a major problem due to the emergence of antibiotic resistance. The long-term ecological impact on the aquatic environment is unknown. Many sources allow entry of ABs into the environment, including Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs), agricultural run-off, hospital effluent and landfill leachate. Concentrations of ABs in the aquatic environment vary significantly

Contaminant analysis in biota extracts can be hampered by matrix interferences caused by, for example, co-extracted lipids that compromise the quality of the analytical data and require frequent maintenance of the analytical instruments. In the present study, using gas chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS), we aimed to develop and validate a straightforward, robust,