Exploiting lipid-free tubing passive samplers and embryonic zebrafish to link site specific contaminant mixtures to biological responses (original) (raw)
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Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 1990
Single-species laboratory tests were used to assess the acute toxicity of halogenated phenolic compounds. No single test system was most sensitive to all of the compounds examined, substantial variations in the sensitivity of the various organisms were noted, and there was no correlation between the toxicities assayed with different test systems. The zebra fish (Brachydanio rerio) embryo/larvae system was used to examine subacute effects using two of the compounds, and a protocol was developed with 6 weeks preexposure to the toxicant. Preexposure decreased the lowest observable effect concentration by a factor of about 4, and the effect was completely reversible during a 6-week postexposure period in the absence of the toxicant. An enclosed system for carrying out the zebra fish embryo/larvae test was developed and evaluated with three neutral volatile compounds: the median survival time and the frequency of occurrence of deformation were examined as end points. The effect of pH on toxicity was evaluated in buffered media for four of the test systems: toxicity increased markedly at the lower pH values, and it could be shown that the ionized forms of the phenols were not the only contributors to toxicity. It is proposed that the zebra fish system incorporating preexposure could be incorporated into a hierarchical system using a range of organisms for assessing acute toxicity in single species under laboratory conditions and multicomponent systems simulating natural ecosystems.
Microchemical Journal, 2019
The Water Framework Directive (WFD) addresses the European Union Member States to achieve a good status of all water bodies. The WFD measures have allowed to reduce and eliminate the discharges, releases, and emissions of several priority substances with the aim of limiting the risks for the ecosystems and public health. Additionally, a Watch List (WL) for the monitoring of emerging contaminants was adopted to assess the environmental risk of new chemicals potentially toxic for water bodies. However, the amount of toxicants widespread in the environment is incredibly high and only a tiny fraction of substances is regularly monitored as established by the European legislation. Furthermore, the WFD does not involve a monitoring plan for chemical mixtures. Chemical analysis of water samples is essential for the monitoring programmes. However, it does not give full answers about the adverse effects of contaminants present in water bodies. In this context, the effect-based methods (i.e. bioassays and biomarkers) are essential tools to implement the monitoring strategies and reach the ambitious goals included in the WFD. Zebrafish early stages, i.e. embryos and early larvae, represent a very successful vertebrate model to assess the toxic effects on aquatic organisms and to subsequently perform a valid ecosystem monitoring. Indeed, this animal model raises many advantages and allows the definition of many toxicant modes of action (MoA). In this review, we report a large number of literature studies that performed experimental analysis using zebrafish embryos and early larvae to investigate the effects of the compounds included into the WFD and the related WL. We show how the zebrafish embryo model is able to detect and identify different toxicity mechanisms and specific effects with a great level of accuracy. Our goal is to promote the use of this effect-based method in the water monitoring strategies and to improve its use for regulatory purposes.
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2008
Background, aim, and scope The use of fish embryos is not regulated by current legislations on animal welfare and is therefore considered as a refinement, if not replacement of animal experiments. Fish embryos represent an attractive model for environmental risk assessment of chemicals since they offer the possibility to perform small-scale, high-throughput analyses. Main features Beyond their application for determining the acute toxicity, fish embryos are also excellent models for studies aimed at the understanding of toxic mechanisms and the indication of possible adverse and long-term effects. Therefore, we have reviewed the scientific literature in order to indicate alternative applications of the fish embryo model with focus on embryos of the zebrafish. Results and discussions The analysis of the mode of action is important for the risk assessment of environmental chemicals and can assist in indicating adverse and long-term effects. Toxicogenomics present a promising approach to unravel the potential mechanisms. Therefore, we present examples of the use of zebrafish embryos to study the effect of chemicals on gene and protein patterns, and the potential implications of differential expression for toxicity. The possible application of other methods, such as kinase arrays or metabolomic profiling, is also highlighted. Furthermore, we show examples of toxicokinetic studies (bioconcentration, ABC transporters) and discuss limitations that might be caused by the potential barrier function of the chorion. Finally, we demonstrate that biomarkers of endocrine disruption, immune modulation, genotoxicity or chronic toxicity could be used as indicators or predictors of sub-acute and long-term effects. Conclusions The zebrafish embryo represents a model with an impressive range of possible applications in environmental sciences. Particularly, the adaptation of molecular, system-wide approaches from biomedical research is likely to extend its use in ecotoxicology. Recommendations and perspectives Challenges for future research are (1) the identification of further suitable molecular markers as indicators of the mode of action, (2) the establishment of strong links between (molecular) effects in short-term assays in embryos and long-term (toxic) effects on individuals, (3) the definition of limitations of the model and (4) the development of tests that can be used for regulatory purposes.
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2020
The increasing diversity and complexity of contaminants released in the environment continuously lead to new challenges when applying ecotoxicity assays. This paper comprises a review concerning exposure assessment and highlights important variables that should be taken into account when investigating aquatic media toxicity under both laboratory or field conditions. Thus, to reflect as much as possible what occurs in nature, ecotoxicity assays must carefully consider these variables in their experimental design. This includes contaminant properties, the selected bioindicators and biomarkers, the dose mode/regime, concentration vs. load, exposure to single vs. multiple contaminants and exposure of single vs. multiple species. Many of these, however, are not usually taken into account, leading to critical knowledge gaps in this area, discussed in detail herein.
Challenges, 2014
This study demonstrates a novel application of effect-based toxicity testing for streams that may provide indications of co-perturbation to ecological and human health. For this study, a sediment contact assay using zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos was adapted to serve as an indicator of teratogenic stress within river sediments. Sediment samples were collected from Lake Michigan tributary watersheds. Sediment contact assay responses were then compared to prevalence of congenital heart disease (CHD) and vital statistic birth indicators aggregated from civil divisions associated with the watersheds. Significant risk relationships were detected between variation in early life-stage (ELS) endpoints of zebrafish embryos 72 h post-fertilization and the birth prevalence of human congenital heart disease, low birthweight and infant mortality. Examination of principal components of ELS endpoints suggests that variance related to embryo heart and circulatory malformations is most closely associated with human CHD prevalence. Though toxicity assays are sometimes used prospectively, this form of investigation can only be conducted retrospectively. These results support the hypothesis that bioassays normally used for ecological screening can be useful as indicators of environmental stress to humans and expand our understanding of environmental-human health linkages.
Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology, 2015
Aquatic organisms are often exposed to mixtures of low levels of pollutants whose presence and effects can pass easily unnoticed if only traditional monitoring strategies are employed. The main aim of this work was to assess the presence and effects of trace levels of pollutants in a scarcely affected area through the combination of chemical and biological approaches. Sediments were collected along a river with little anthropogenic pressure and assayed for cytochrome P450 (Cyp1a)-dependent ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity with the rainbow trout gonadal cell line RTG-2. Chemical analyses were performed in these sediments using two-dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Sediment samples induced EROD activity, and chemical analyses evidenced the presence of a wide variety of contaminants in the range of nanograms per gram of dry weight. Correlation analysis between EROD induction and chemical analyses data showed an r value of 0.840 (p < 0.05). ...
2014
This study demonstrates a novel application of effect-based toxicity testing for streams that may provide indications of co-perturbation to ecological and human health. For this study, a sediment contact assay using zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos was adapted to serve as an indicator of teratogenic stress within river sediments. Sediment samples were collected from Lake Michigan tributary watersheds. Sediment contact assay responses were then compared to prevalence of congenital heart disease (CHD) and vital statistic birth indicators aggregated from civil divisions associated with the watersheds. Significant risk relationships were detected between variation in early life-stage (ELS) endpoints of zebrafish embryos 72 h post-fertilization and the birth prevalence of human congenital heart disease, low birthweight and infant mortality. Examination of principal components of ELS endpoints suggests that variance related to embryo heart and circulatory malformations is most closely associated with human CHD prevalence. Though toxicity assays are sometimes used prospectively, this form of investigation can only be conducted retrospectively. These results support the hypothesis that bioassays normally used for ecological screening can be useful as indicators of environmental stress to humans and expand our understanding of environmental-human health linkages.
Journal of Soils and Sediments, 2010
Introduction The European Water Framework Directive aims to achieve a good ecological and chemical status in surface water of European rivers by the year 2015. Since sediments and particulate matter act as secondary sources for pollutants, applied sediment toxicology is perceived to play a major role for obtaining new knowledge that can contribute to successful attainment of the goal. However, the existing bioassays for sediment toxicity analyses do not provide sufficient data concerning bioavailability of environmental pollutants. In this regard, there is an urgent need to combine sediment contact assays with gene expression analysis to investigate mechanism-specific sediment toxicity. Purpose The aim of the novel joint research project is to develop a eukaryotic test system, which can be used to investigate the ecotoxicological effects of contaminated sediments on gene expression level (DNA-array and RT-PCR). Current ecotoxicological research customarily involves a battery of bioassays to cover different toxicological endpoints (e.g., teratogenicity, genotoxicity, mutagenicity, Ah-receptormediated toxicity, neurotoxicity). In contrast, methods that detect alterations in gene expression offer deeper insight by elucidating how chemical exposure and/or environmental challenge affect multiple metabolic pathways leading to these particular kinds of toxic response. Gene expression profiles reflect the way cells and organisms adapt or respond to a changing environment. Conclusion The present project aspires to increase the fundamental molecular and physiological knowledge concerning the mode of action of environmental toxicants in zebrafish (Danio rerio). By working with partners from the academic and research institutions as well as from industry and waterway regulations, the success of this basic research-driven joint project in terms of development and implementation of novel sediment toxicity methods will be realized.