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Toxics
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Toxicity Assessment of Environmental Pollutants towards Aquatic Organisms
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Toxicity Assessment of Environmental Pollutants towards Aquatic Organisms

A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Ecotoxicology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 January 2024) | Viewed by 18776

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Laetitia Minguez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Environnements Continentaux (LIEC), Université de Lorraine, CNRS, F-57000 Metz, France
Interests: ecotoxicological and ecological effects; biomarkers; metals; pharmaceuticals; aquatic invertebrates
Dr. Fanny Louis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Environnements Continentaux (LIEC), Université de Lorraine, CNRS, F-57000 Metz, France
Interests: alterations from global changes; metals; energy metabolism; aquatic invertebrates

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Water bodies have been drowning in chemicals from anthropogenic activities, remaining one of the main environmental issues worldwide for decades. Now, it is no longer surprising to find emerging contaminants (pharmaceuticals, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, microplastics, pathogens, and so on) alongside “traditional” pollutants (e.g., metals, pesticides, PAH) in waters when they are looked for. Despite this global observation, each country has its own rules concerning the management and control of risks of pollutants. A limiting factor for an effective ecological risk assessment, and thus, management is, especially, the lack of knowledge around their bioaccumulation and ecotoxicity to nonmodel aquatic organisms in a changing environment. The understanding of contaminant effects becomes even more complex due to a multistress context.

Keeping these aspects in mind, in this Special Issue, we would like to inform readers of the updated insights about the toxicity mechanisms and ecological risk assessment of pollutants in environmentally relevant conditions. It will primarily address bioaccumulation, toxic effects (positive, negative or the absence of effect), and the ecological risk assessment of traditional and emerging pollutants, with a particular focus on aquatic organisms. Submissions of original research articles and case studies on these topics, showing advances with respect to the mechanisms of action and risk assessment, are welcome. This Special Issue also encourages the submission of up-to-date review papers describing the current state of knowledge and future directions of research in this field.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Laetitia Minguez
Dr. Fanny Louis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Toxics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • aquatic environment
  • ecotoxicology
  • biological effects
  • pollutants
  • mechanism of action
  • ecological risk assessment
  • global change

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 1809 KiB  
Article
Exploration of the Effects of Cadmium Stress on Photosynthesis in Oenanthe javanica (Blume) DC.
by Ronghua Zhou, Jun Xu, Liangjun Li, Yulai Yin, Bowen Xue, Jingjing Li and Fangfang Sun
Toxics 2024, 12(5), 307; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12050307 - 23 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1523
Abstract
Cadmium ion (Cd2+) stress is a major abiotic stressor affecting plant photosynthesis. However, the impact of sustained high-concentration Cd stress on the photosynthetic electron transport chain of aquatic plants is currently unclear. Here, prompt fluorescence (PF), delayed fluorescence (DF), and P700 [...] Read more.
Cadmium ion (Cd2+) stress is a major abiotic stressor affecting plant photosynthesis. However, the impact of sustained high-concentration Cd stress on the photosynthetic electron transport chain of aquatic plants is currently unclear. Here, prompt fluorescence (PF), delayed fluorescence (DF), and P700 signals were simultaneously measured to investigate the effect of Cd stress on photosynthesis in water dropwort [Oenanthe javanica (Blume) DC.]. We aimed to elucidate how Cd stress continuously affects the electron transport chain in this species. The PF analysis showed that with prolonged Cd stress, the FJ, FI and FP steadily decreased, accompanied by a positive shift in the K-band and L-band. Moreover, JIP-test parameters, including TRO/ABS, ABS/CSO, TRO/CSO and PIABS, were significantly reduced. The P700 signals showed that exposure to Cd stress hindered both the fast decrease and slow increase phases of the MR transient, ultimately resulting in a gradual reduction in both VPSI and VPSII−PSI. The DF analysis showed a gradual decrease in the I1 and I2 values as the duration of stress from Cd increased. The above results suggested that Cd stress affected the photosynthetic electron transport in water dropwort by influencing the amount of active PSII and PSI, primarily affecting PSII RCs in the early to mid-stages and PSI reductive activity in the later stage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity Assessment of Environmental Pollutants towards Aquatic Organisms)
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19 pages, 3380 KiB  
Article
Exposure to Plasticiser DEHP Affects Eggs Spawned by Blue Mussels: A Possible Risk to Fertilisation?
by Luana Fiorella Mincarelli, Alexander Turner, George Anderson and Katharina Wollenberg Valero
Toxics 2024, 12(3), 172; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12030172 - 24 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1420
Abstract
The endocrine disruptive chemical DEHP is a plasticiser often found in marine waters. Here, we assessed the effect of this additive on the number and size of eggs spawned by female mussels during a synchronised spawning event. After achieving the ripeness of the [...] Read more.
The endocrine disruptive chemical DEHP is a plasticiser often found in marine waters. Here, we assessed the effect of this additive on the number and size of eggs spawned by female mussels during a synchronised spawning event. After achieving the ripeness of the gonads, mussels of both sexes were exposed to two environmentally relevant concentrations of DEHP (nominal concentrations 0.5 and 50 µg/L) for one week. A spawning event was then induced and eggs were collected, counted, and their size measured (area and diameter). A slight but not significant effect was observed in lowering the number of eggs spawned when increasing the DEHP concentration. This effect was greater when adding spent gonads (possibly fully spawned females) to the total number of females. A significant effect of the lower dose on the average egg sizes was noticed, with a smaller area and diameter measured with respect to the control and the higher concentrated treatments. These results once again underline the importance for ecotoxicological studies to address the nonlinear dose-response effects of endocrine disruptive chemicals environmentally present at concentrations in the order of just a few µg/L that could not elicit a strong defence mechanism at low levels and be absorbed by filter feeder animals such as mussels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity Assessment of Environmental Pollutants towards Aquatic Organisms)
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25 pages, 2155 KiB  
Article
Developing a Novel Read-Across Concept for Ecotoxicological Risk Assessment of Phosphate Chemicals: A Case Study
by Seokwon Lee, Seung-Yeop Ok, Hyo-Bang Moon, Sung-Chul Seo and Jin-Sung Ra
Toxics 2024, 12(1), 96; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12010096 - 22 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1587
Abstract
This study introduces a novel concept approach for a read-across assessment, considering species sensitivity differences among phosphate chemicals within structurally similar compound groups. Twenty-five organic chemicals, with a log Kow of 5 or less, were categorized into three functional groups based on acetylcholinesterase [...] Read more.
This study introduces a novel concept approach for a read-across assessment, considering species sensitivity differences among phosphate chemicals within structurally similar compound groups. Twenty-five organic chemicals, with a log Kow of 5 or less, were categorized into three functional groups based on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition as a specific mode of action (MOA). The short-term aquatic toxicity data (LC50) for fish, crustaceans, and insects were collected from the U.S. EPA Ecotoxicology (ECOTOX) Knowledgebase. A geometric mean calculation method was applied for multiple toxic endpoints. Performance metrics for the new read-across concept, including correlation coefficient, bias, precision, and accuracy, were calculated. Overall, a slightly higher overestimation (49.2%) than underestimation (48.4%) in toxicity predictions was observed in two case studies. In Case study I, a strong positive correlation (r = 0.93) between the predicted and known toxicity values of target chemicals was observed, while in Case study II, with limited information on species and their ecotoxicity, showed a moderate correlation (r = 0.75). Overall, the bias and precision for Case study I were 0.32 ± 0.01, while Case study II showed 0.65 ± 0.06; however, the relative bias (%) increased from 37.65% (Case study I) to 91.94% (Case study II). Bland–Altman plots highlight the mean differences of 1.33 (Case study I) and 1.24 (Case study II), respectively. The new read-across concept, focusing on AChE inhibition and structural similarity, demonstrated good reliability, applicability, and accuracy with minimal bias. Future studies are needed to evaluate various types of chemical substances, diverse modes of action, functional groups, toxic endpoints, and test species to ensure overall comprehensiveness and robustness in toxicity predictions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity Assessment of Environmental Pollutants towards Aquatic Organisms)
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10 pages, 1393 KiB  
Article
Investigating the Impact of Humic Acid on Copper Accumulation in Sinonovacula constricta Using a Toxicokinetic–Toxicodynamic Model
by Mingyi Cai, Tian Ma, Huayong Que, Bo Shi, Xiande Liu and Yizhou Ke
Toxics 2024, 12(1), 74; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12010074 - 15 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1318
Abstract
In aquatic ecosystems, the interaction between heavy metals and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) plays a pivotal role in modifying the bioavailability of these metals. This study, employing a toxicokinetic–toxicodynamic model, delves into the interactive effects of humic acid (HA), a significant component of [...] Read more.
In aquatic ecosystems, the interaction between heavy metals and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) plays a pivotal role in modifying the bioavailability of these metals. This study, employing a toxicokinetic–toxicodynamic model, delves into the interactive effects of humic acid (HA), a significant component of DOC, on the bioaccumulation and toxicity of copper (Cu) in the estuarine economic bivalve Sinonovacula constricta. Utilizing the stable isotope 65Cu as a tracer, we evaluated Cu uptake in S. constricta under varied DOC concentrations in a controlled laboratory setting. Our findings reveal that at DOC concentrations below 3.05 mg L−1, the bioavailability of Cu is reduced due to shifts in the speciation distribution of Cu, resulting in decreased bioaccumulation within S. constricta. Conversely, at DOC levels exceeding 3.05 mg L−1, the formation of colloidal Cu–HA complexes allows its entry into the bivalves’ digestive system. Moreover, toxicity assays demonstrate an increase in S. constricta survival rates with higher DOC concentrations, suggesting a protective effect of DOC against Cu toxicity. The integration of accumulation and toxicity data infers that Cu–HA complexes, when ingested via the digestive tract, exhibit lower toxicity compared to Cu directly assimilated from the water phase. These findings emphasize the need to consider environmental DOC levels in assessing Cu pollution risks and provide insights for managing heavy metal toxicity in estuarine aquaculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity Assessment of Environmental Pollutants towards Aquatic Organisms)
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20 pages, 2198 KiB  
Article
Transcriptomic Changes Induced by Low and High Concentrations of Heavy Metal Exposure in Ulva pertusa
by Do Yeon Seo, Mira Park, Jeong-In Park, Jang K. Kim, Seungshic Yum and Youn-Jung Kim
Toxics 2023, 11(7), 549; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11070549 - 22 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1637
Abstract
The impact of sewage and wastewater pollution on marine ecosystems is of increasing concern due to the rapid accumulation of heavy metals in seaweeds inhabiting near-shore environments. Seaweeds can be severely damaged by heavy metals throughout their life cycles. Although the physiological and [...] Read more.
The impact of sewage and wastewater pollution on marine ecosystems is of increasing concern due to the rapid accumulation of heavy metals in seaweeds inhabiting near-shore environments. Seaweeds can be severely damaged by heavy metals throughout their life cycles. Although the physiological and ecological effects of heavy metal exposure have been studied, there is limited research on their molecular responses. Ulva pertusa is a prevalent seaweed species in South Korea and is ecologically significant in coastal ecosystems. We utilized high-throughput RNA sequencing to analyze changes in the transcriptome profiles of U. pertusa under low concentrations of heavy metals (MPS) and high concentrations of copper (MPS-Cu) and cadmium (MPS-Cd). Differential gene expression analysis revealed that 53 (control vs. MPS), 27 (MPS vs. MPS-Cd), and 725 (MPS vs. MPS-Cu) genes were expressed differentially. Differentially expressed genes identified in our study included those with protective roles against oxidative stress and those involved in metal transport to the vacuole. Furthermore, exposure to heavy metal stress had a negative impact on the photosynthetic apparatus structural proteins of U. pertusa, resulting in photosynthetic inhibition. Moreover, exposure to high concentrations of copper resulted in the activation of carbon-related metabolism. These findings contribute to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying heavy metal toxicity in U. pertusa. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity Assessment of Environmental Pollutants towards Aquatic Organisms)
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18 pages, 6182 KiB  
Article
A Sensitive Response Index Selection for Rapid Assessment of Heavy Metals Toxicity to the Photosynthesis of Chlorella pyrenoidosa Based on Rapid Chlorophyll Fluorescence Induction Kinetics
by Tingting Gan, Gaofang Yin, Nanjing Zhao, Xiaoxuan Tan and Ying Wang
Toxics 2023, 11(5), 468; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11050468 - 19 May 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2216
Abstract
Heavy metals as toxic pollutants have important impacts on the photosynthesis of microalgae, thus seriously threatening the normal material circulation and energy flow of the aquatic ecosystem. In order to rapidly and sensitively detect the toxicity of heavy metals to microalgal photosynthesis, in [...] Read more.
Heavy metals as toxic pollutants have important impacts on the photosynthesis of microalgae, thus seriously threatening the normal material circulation and energy flow of the aquatic ecosystem. In order to rapidly and sensitively detect the toxicity of heavy metals to microalgal photosynthesis, in this study, the effects of four typical toxic heavy metals, chromium (Cr(VI)), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and copper (Cu), on nine photosynthetic fluorescence parameters (φPo, ΨEo, φEo, δRo, ΨRo, φRo, FV/FO, PIABS, and Sm) derived from the chlorophyll fluorescence rise kinetics (OJIP) curve of microalga Chlorella pyrenoidosa, were investigated based on the chlorophyll fluorescence induction kinetics technique. By analyzing the change trends of each parameter with the concentrations of the four heavy metals, we found that compared with other parameters, φPo (maximum photochemical quantum yield of photosystem II), FV/FO (photochemical parameter of photosystem II), PIABS (photosynthetic performance index), and Sm (normalized area of the OJIP curve) demonstrated the same monotonic change characteristics with an increase in concentration of each heavy metal, indicating that these four parameters could be used as response indexes to quantitatively detect the toxicity of heavy metals. By further comparing the response performances of φPo, FV/FO, PIABS, and Sm to Cr(VI), Cd, Hg, and Cu, the results indicated that whether it was analyzed from the lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC), the influence degree by equal concentration of heavy metal, the 10% effective concentration (EC10), or the median effective concentration (EC50), the response sensitivities of PIABS to each heavy metal were all significantly superior to those of φRo, FV/FO, and Sm. Thus, PIABS was the most suitable response index for sensitive detection of heavy metals toxicity. Using PIABS as a response index to compare the toxicity of Cr(VI), Cd, Hg, and Cu to C. pyrenoidosa photosynthesis within 4 h by EC50 values, the results indicated that Hg was the most toxic, while Cr(VI) toxicity was the lowest. This study provides a sensitive response index for rapidly detecting the toxicity of heavy metals to microalgae based on the chlorophyll fluorescence induction kinetics technique. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity Assessment of Environmental Pollutants towards Aquatic Organisms)
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18 pages, 1981 KiB  
Article
Using Blood Gas Analysis and Capnography to Determine Oxygenation Status in Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) Following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
by Sarah M. Sharp, Forrest M. Gomez, Jenny M. Meegan, Teresa K. Rowles, Forrest Townsend, Lori H. Schwacke and Cynthia R. Smith
Toxics 2023, 11(5), 423; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11050423 - 3 May 2023
Viewed by 2692
Abstract
Following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill in 2010, poor pulmonary health and reproductive failure in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the northern Gulf of Mexico were well-documented. One postulated etiology for the increased fetal distress syndrome and pneumonia found in [...] Read more.
Following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill in 2010, poor pulmonary health and reproductive failure in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the northern Gulf of Mexico were well-documented. One postulated etiology for the increased fetal distress syndrome and pneumonia found in affected perinatal dolphins was maternal hypoxia caused by lung disease. The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of blood gas analysis and capnography in determining oxygenation status in bottlenose dolphins with and without pulmonary disease. Blood and breath samples were collected from 59 free-ranging dolphins in Barataria Bay, Louisiana (BB), during a capture–release health assessment program, and from 30 managed dolphins from the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program in San Diego, CA. The former was the oil-exposed cohort and the latter served as a control cohort with known health histories. Capnography and select blood gas parameters were compared based on the following factors: cohort, sex, age/length class, reproductive status, and severity of pulmonary disease. Animals with moderate–severe lung disease had higher bicarbonate concentrations (p = 0.005), pH (p < 0.001), TCO2 (p = 0.012), and more positive base excess (p = 0.001) than animals with normal–mild disease. Capnography (ETCO2) was found to have a weak positive correlation with blood PCO2 (p = 0.020), with a mean difference of 5.02 mmHg (p < 0.001). Based on these findings, indirect oxygenation measures, including TCO2, bicarbonate, and pH, show promise in establishing the oxygenation status in dolphins with and without pulmonary disease. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity Assessment of Environmental Pollutants towards Aquatic Organisms)
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Review

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19 pages, 4284 KiB  
Review
Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): Do They Matter to Aquatic Ecosystems?
by Sipra Nayak, Gunanidhi Sahoo, Ipsita Iswari Das, Aman Kumar Mohanty, Rajesh Kumar, Lakshman Sahoo and Jitendra Kumar Sundaray
Toxics 2023, 11(6), 543; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11060543 - 19 Jun 2023
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5523
Abstract
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a group of anthropogenic chemicals with an aliphatic fluorinated carbon chain. Due to their durability, bioaccumulation potential, and negative impacts on living organisms, these compounds have drawn lots of attention across the world. The negative impacts of [...] Read more.
Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a group of anthropogenic chemicals with an aliphatic fluorinated carbon chain. Due to their durability, bioaccumulation potential, and negative impacts on living organisms, these compounds have drawn lots of attention across the world. The negative impacts of PFASs on aquatic ecosystems are becoming a major concern due to their widespread use in increasing concentrations and constant leakage into the aquatic environment. Furthermore, by acting as agonists or antagonists, PFASs may alter the bioaccumulation and toxicity of certain substances. In many species, particularly aquatic organisms, PFASs can stay in the body and induce a variety of negative consequences, such as reproductive toxicity, oxidative stress, metabolic disruption, immunological toxicity, developmental toxicity, cellular damage and necrosis. PFAS bioaccumulation plays a significant role and has an impact on the composition of the intestinal microbiota, which is influenced by the kind of diet and is directly related to the host’s well-being. PFASs also act as endocrine disruptor chemicals (EDCs) which can change the endocrine system and result in dysbiosis of gut microbes and other health repercussions. In silico investigation and analysis also shows that PFASs are incorporated into the maturing oocytes during vitellogenesis and are bound to vitellogenin and other yolk proteins. The present review reveals that aquatic species, especially fishes, are negatively affected by exposure to emerging PFASs. Additionally, the effects of PFAS pollution on aquatic ecosystems were investigated by evaluating a number of characteristics, including extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) and chlorophyll content as well as the diversity of the microorganisms in the biofilms. Therefore, this review will provide crucial information on the possible adverse effects of PFASs on fish growth, reproduction, gut microbial dysbiosis, and its potential endocrine disruption. This information aims to help the researchers and academicians work and come up with possible remedial measures to protect aquatic ecosystems as future works need to be focus on techno-economic assessment, life cycle assessment, and multi criteria decision analysis systems that screen PFAS-containing samples. New innovative methods requires further development to reach detection at the permissible regulatory limits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity Assessment of Environmental Pollutants towards Aquatic Organisms)
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