We review the literature on toxicity of nanoparticulate nickel (nano‐Ni) to aquatic organisms, from the perspective of relevance and reliability in a regulatory framework. Our main findings are (1) much of the published nano‐Ni toxicity data is of low or medium quality in terms of reporting key physical‐chemical properties, methodologies, and results, compared to published dissolved nickel studies

Egyptian honeys are distinguished with good aspects of varieties, properties and therapeutic applications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality, functional and safety characteristics of Egyptian honey, as sensitive environmental bioindicator, collected from nine different locations in Egypt that were exposed to various air pollution sources either stationary, mobile or area sources and

Which biological groups (in the present study, periphyton, macroinvertebrates, fishes) are surveyed is a fundamental question in environmental impact assessment programs in metal‐contaminated rivers. Here, we performed a systematic review of 202 studies that investigated ecological impacts of metal contamination on aquatic populations and communities in streams and rivers to examine (1) which biological

The goal of phytoextraction is to remove contaminants—for example, metal(loid)s—from polluted soils through root uptake and accumulation in the harvested plant parts. Many articles propound phytoextraction as a low‐cost means of cleaning up such polluted soils. However, if legislation is based on total soil metal(loid) concentrations, phytoextraction is generally infeasible because of unrealistically

Per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of highly fluorinated synthetic chemicals that were originally developed for uses as surfactants and surface protectors. Increasingly, specific substances of this class are being found in environmental media (e.g., surface water, soils, sediments, food sources), and concerns regarding exposure to humans and environmental receptors have been described

The tropical estuarine guppy Poecilia vivipara was used to address fish early life stage toxicity caused by the antifouling contaminant tributyltin (TBT). Six‐day‐old Poecilia vivipara were exposed for 7 days to control water and waterborne TBT at 15.8, 83.8, 716 and 818 ng Sn L‐1. After exposure, swimming, feeding, growth and eye histological endpoints were evaluated. Histopathological analysis of

Several studies reported the presence of smithsonite (ZnCO3) in soils polluted by zinc mining. This study aimed to determine upper critical threshold values of Zn phytotoxicity in a substrate spiked with ZnCO3 and to compare them with those obtained in field‐collected soils. We studied Zn toxicity to perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) grown in pots with unpolluted peat treated with increasing concentrations

A linear free energy model is presented that predicts the second order rate constant for the abiotic reduction of nitroaromatic compounds (NACs). Previously presented models use the one electron reduction potential (ArNO 2 ) of the NAC reaction . If (ArNO 2 ) is not available, it has been proposed that (ArNO 2 ) be computed directly or estimated from the gas phase electron affinity (EA). The model

Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha ) have exacerbated the decline of native freshwater mussels (order Unionida) in North America since their arrival in the 1980s. Options for controlling invasive mussels, particularly in unionid mussel habitats, are limited. Previously, carbon dioxide (CO2) showed selective toxicity for zebra mussels, relative to unionids, when applied in cool water (12 °C). We first

WINNER OF THE 2019 BEST PAPER AWARD: Detecting amphibians in agricultural landscapes using environmental DNA reveals the importance of wetland condition Gabrielle E. Ruso, Christy A. Morrissey, Natacha S. Hogan, Claudia Sheedy, Melanie J. Gallant, and Timothy D. Jardine https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.4598 The greatest challenge facing contemporary ecotoxicology is how to reliably assess ecosystem impacts

After a cluster of human pneumonia cases in Wuhan City (China) on 7 January 2020, a novel coronavirus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), was identified as the causative agent of the disease COVID‐19 (World Health Organization 2020). It quickly became a global pandemic and continues to rapidly spread across the world, having infected almost 4 million confirmed cases and

Most ecotoxicological research of the effect of metals on soil organisms focuses on the toxicokinetics of these elements to predict their toxicity to soil invertebrates or microorganisms. Typically, it is thought that free ions cross the cell membrane, are distributed to the site of toxic action, and cause deleterious effects (Peijnenburg and Jager 2003). In this paradigm, metal toxicity is dependent

Effects‐directed analysis (EDA) is an important tool for identifying unknown bioactive components in a complex mixture. Such an analysis of endocrine‐active chemicals (EACs) from water sources has promising regulatory implications but also unique logistical challenges. We propose a conceptual EDA (framework) based on a critical review of EDA literature and concentrations of common EACs in waste and

Neonicotinoid pesticides are highly hydrophilic systemic insecticides that have been extensively used worldwide. To evaluate their environmental risks, the concentrations of these pesticides in the aquatic environment must be monitored. Although the polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) has proved to be a suitable passive sampler for many highly hydrophilic compounds, Oasis HLB (Waters)

Organic micropollutants of anthropogenic origin in river waters may impair aquatic ecosystem health and drinking water quality. To evaluate micropollutant fate and turnover on a catchment scale, information on input source characteristics as well as spatial and temporal variability is required. The influence of tributaries from agricultural and urban areas and the input of wastewater were investigated

Blooms of toxin‐producing cyanobacteria have been more frequent and lasting because of the eutrophication of freshwater ecosystems, including those used for aquaculture. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of chronic exposure to a saxitoxin‐producing strain of Raphidiopsis (Cylindrospermopsis ) raciborskii on the performance of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus ) fingerlings

The process of molting, known alternatively as ecdysis, is a feature integral in the life cycles of species across the arthropod phylum. Regulation occurs as a function of the interaction of ecdysteroid hormones with the arthropod nuclear ecdysone receptor—a process preceding the triggering of a series of downstream events constituting an endocrine signaling pathway highly conserved throughout environmentally

Neaman A, Selles I, Martínez CE, Dovletyarova EA. 2020. Analyzing soil metal toxicity: Spiked or field‐contaminated soils? Environ Tox Chem 39:513–514. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.4654 The authors of the above‐noted paper hereby submit the following addition to the Acknowledgement section. This article was written with the support of the FONDEF project ID17AL0056 and the “5‐100” project of RUDN University

The generalized bioavailability model (gBAM) has been proposed as an alternative to the biotic ligand model (BLM) for modeling bioavailability and chronic toxicity of copper. The gBAM combines a log‐linear effect of pH on free Cu2+ ion toxicity with BLM‐type parameters for describing the protective effects of major cations (Ca2+, Mg2+ , and Na+). In the present study, a WHAM VII‐based gBAM for fish

An important topic that has received very little attention is the impact of climate change, in particular global warming, and associated extreme events, on soil pollution and metal mobility in soils. The Commission on Pollution and Health found that all forms of pollution were responsible for approximately 9 million premature deaths, or 16% of all deaths globally in 2015. Thus, pollution is becoming

As contaminant exposures in aquatic ecosystems continue to increase, the need for streamlining research efforts in environmental toxicology using predictive frameworks also grows. One such framework is the adverse outcome pathway (AOP). An AOP framework organizes and utilizes toxicological information to connect measurable molecular endpoints to an adverse outcome of regulatory relevance via a series

Wastewater treatment plants are regarded as one of the main sources of antibiotics in the environment. In the present study, the concentrations of multiple antibiotics and their metabolites belonging to five antibiotic classes were determined in three major Finnish wastewater treatment plants. An on‐line solid phase extraction–liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method was used for the extraction

Natural biotic and anthropogenic stressors can interact to alter contaminant toxicity. Energetic restrictions are potential mechanisms causing this pattern. To identify processes underlying observed effects of predation risk and copper (Cu) on delayed copepod age at maturity, we examined how these two stressors affect respiration rates. We tested two very different copepod species: the large, pelagic

Infochemicals act as inter‐ or intraspecific messengers. Literature suggests complex interactions between infochemicals (mainly predator cues) and chemical (e.g., pesticide) effects, with their direction and magnitude depending on the cues’ origin, pesticide identity and test species. With the present study we assessed the impact of alarm cues alone and in combination with the neonicotinoid insecticide

This paper describes a procedure to quantify emissions of chemicals for environmental protection, assessment and management purposes. The procedure uses production and use volumes from registration dossiers and combines these with Specific Environmental Release Category (spERC) data. The procedure was applied in a case study. Emission estimations were made for chemicals registered under the EU chemicals

Human‐dominated waterways contain thousands of chemicals. Determining which chemical is the most important stressor is important, yet very challenging. The U.S. EPA's Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) procedure uses a series of chemical and physical manipulations to fractionate compounds within a matrix and systematically identify potential toxicants through laboratory bioassay testing. While

Statistical inferences play a critical role in ecotoxicology. Historically, Null Hypothesis Significance Testing (NHST) has been the dominant method for inference in ecotoxicology. As a brief and informal definition of NHST, researchers compare (or “test”) an experimental treatment or observation against a hypothesis of no relationship (the “null hypothesis”) using the collected data to see if the

Per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are now being detected to be far more prevalent in water bodies across the globe than previously reported. In particular, military bases, airports and industrial sites are prone to contamination caused by runoff discharges from fire‐extinguishing waters that contain PFAS such as Aqueous Film Forming Foams (AFFF). These substances as well as their metabolites

Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) modelling has been successfully used to predict how water chemistry variables influence cationic metals’ toxicity to aquatic organisms, but no MLR model exists for vanadium (V). Recent research has indicated that an increase in pH (from 6 to 9), or high concentrations of sodium (473 mg Na+/L), increase V toxicity to Daphnia pulex . In contrast, increases in alkalinity

Knowledge of the fractionation of mercury in soils in the vicinity of abandoned cinnabar mines is essential for assessing the usability of soils for the cultivation of agriculturally important crops. Two different sequential extraction methods and the technique of diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) were applied and compared for fractionation of mercury in soils from mercury‐contaminated sites

Multiple linear regression (MLR) models for predicting chronic aluminum toxicity to a cladoceran (Ceriodaphnia dubia ) and a fish (Pimephales promelas ) as a function of three toxicity modifying factors (TMFs) – dissolved organic carbon (DOC), pH, and hardness – were previously published. However, the range over which data for these TMFs were available was somewhat limited. To address this limitation

The Lake Huron ecosystem is unique among the Laurentian Great Lakes in that its surface area encompasses three distinct basins. This ecosystem recently experienced significant ecological restructuring characterized by changes in primary production, species dominance and abundances, and top predator energy dynamics. However, much of the evidence for this restructuring has been largely derived from biomonitoring

The validity of soil toxicity databases for predicting ecological impacts in the field is rarely explored. This work was set up to test if laboratory toxicity data and the combined concepts of metal availability and mixture toxicity can predict ecological impact in mining‐affected soils. Metal and arsenic (As) contamination gradients were sampled around five different mines in Mexico where plant cover

Recent studies investigating the influence of carbon nanotubes (CNT) on the bioavailability of organic contaminants have mostly focused on single‐solute systems; however, a more likely scenario in the natural environment is a multi‐solute system where chemical interactions at the surface of the CNT may alter the bioavailability of these chemicals. In this study bi‐solute adsorption isotherms of pairs

Exposure to multiple classes of contaminants, both legacy and those of emerging concern (CECs), were assessed in tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor ) tissue and diet samples from six sites along the Maumee River, Ohio to understand both exposure and possible effects of exposure to those CECs for which there are little avian data. The six sites represented a gradient from intensive agriculture upstream

Bioaccumulation assessment predominantly relies on the bioconcentration factor (BCF) as sole decisive metric. The OECD Test Guideline number 305 (TG 305) provides the standard procedure for deriving this in vivo fish BCF, which requires a lot of animals, is expensive, and labor intensive. Accordingly, there is a lot of need and interest for alternative methods that can help to reduce, replace, and

Environmental and human health challenges are pronounced in Asia, an exceptionally diverse and complex region where global megatrends are extensive and numerous stresses to environmental quality exist. Identifying priorities necessary to engage grand challenges can be facilitated through horizon scanning exercises, and to this end we identified and examined 23 priority research questions needed to

Perfluoro alkyl acids (PFAAs) are known to bioconcentrate in plants grown in contaminated soils; the potential risk from consuming these plants is currently less understood. We determined that the USEPA's current RfDs could be met by consuming a single radish grown in soils with a PFOA concentration of 9.7 ng/g or a PFOS concentration of 90.5 ng/g. Using a combination of our own research and literature

Many of us have watched scientists, health professionals, and policymakers debate and struggle over how to manage the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid‐19) pandemic. In that context, I have thought about what lessons I have learned from the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), my training as a scientist, and how they are relevant to this pandemic. Below are my 3 main points.

Standard ecological risk assessment practices often rely on larval and juvenile fish toxicity data as representative of the amphibian aquatic phase. Empirical evidence suggests that endpoints measured in fish early life stage tests are often sufficient to protect larval amphibians. However, the process of amphibian metamorphosis relies on endocrine cues that affect development and morphological restructuring

The US EPA and several states are considering regulatory limits for hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) below 100 ng/L, increasing the importance of obtaining accurate and reliable data. This paper presents the results of two studies investigating the effectiveness of chemical preservation on ng/L concentrations of Cr(VI) in groundwater. Chemically preserved and unpreserved aliquots of a groundwater sample

The potential toxicity to human and aquatic receptors of petroleum fuel biodegradation metabolites (oxygen‐containing organic compounds [OCOCs]) in groundwater has been investigated as part of a multi‐year research program. Whole mixtures collected from locations upgradient and downgradient of multiple fuel release sites were tested using: 1) in vitro screening assays for human genotoxicity (the gamma‐H2AX

3‐Trifluoromethyl‐4‐nitrophenol (TFM) has been used for more than 60 yr to control the invasive parasitic sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus ) in the Great Lakes Basin (USA/Canada). In the early 1990s, researchers reported that TFM induced vitellogenin in fish and that TFM was an agonist for the rainbow trout estrogen receptor. To support continued registration of TFM for sea lamprey control, regulatory

There is global concern regarding the fate and effects of microplastics in the environment, particularly in aquatic systems. In the present study, ethylene acrylic acid copolymer particles were evaluated in a chronic toxicity study with the aquatic invertebrate Daphnia magna . The study design included a natural particle control treatment (silica) to differentiate any potential physical effects of

Human activities have increased nutrient loadings to aquatic ecosystems, especially during the past century. During low river flow in late summer and early fall, elevated concentrations of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen are present in the temperate Lower Great Miami River and contribute to its eutrophication. Although wastewater treatment plants are suspected of being major sources of P to the river,

Yolk is the most important temporary biological compartment of the early life stages of the fish embryos. The sorption strength of a chemical to yolk components may significantly influence the distribution of that chemical in the fish embryo. We determined yolk/water partition coefficients (Kyolk/water in Lwater /kgyolk , normalized to dry weight) for 70 neutral organic chemicals. The log Kyolk/water

A study was conducted to understand the potential for ibuprofen to impact the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) endocrine axis resulting in disruption of fish reproduction. The GLP study was conducted as per the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 229, Fish Short-Term Reproduction Assay (FSTRA), extended an additional 4 days to evaluate hatching success in the F1 generation

Basidiomycetes (phylum Basidiomycota) are filamentous fungi characterized by the exogenous formation of spores on a club‐shaped cell called a basidium that are often formed on complex fruiting bodies (mushrooms). Many basidiomycetes serve an important role in recycling lignocellulosic material to higher trophic levels, and some show symbiotic relationships with plants. All known bioluminescent fungi

In an effort to determine contaminant presence, concentrations, and movement from a low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) burial disposal site to ecosystems in the surrounding area, a study was developed to assess concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and tritium. To complete this assessment small mammals, vegetation, soil, and insect samples were

The management of pesticides to protect water quality remains a significant global challenge. Historically, despite regulatory frameworks intended to prevent, minimize, and manage off-site movement of pesticides, multiple generations of pesticide active ingredients have created a seemingly unending cycle of pesticide water pollution in both agricultural and urban watersheds. In California, the most