ORCID Profile
0000-0002-6934-4587
Current Organisation
Griffith University
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Environmental Science and Management | Environmental Chemistry (incl. Atmospheric Chemistry) | Environmental Management | Environmental Monitoring | Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology) | Water Quality Engineering | Animal Cell and Molecular Biology | Environmental Impact Assessment | Soil Chemistry (excl. Carbon Sequestration Science) | Fisheries Sciences not elsewhere classified | Civil Engineering | Freshwater Ecology
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Industrial chemicals and related products | Ecosystem Assessment and Management of Fresh, Ground and Surface Water Environments | Land and water management | Agricultural chemicals | Physical and Chemical Conditions of Water for Urban and Industrial Use | Aquaculture Oysters | Physical and Chemical Conditions of Water in Coastal and Estuarine Environments | Water Recycling Services (incl. Sewage and Greywater) | Coastal and Estuarine Water Management |
Related Links
Publications
Hypothetical scenario exercises to improve planning and readiness for drinking water quality management during extreme weather events
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2016.12.028
Abstract: Two hypothetical scenario exercises were designed and conducted to reflect the increasingly extreme weather-related challenges faced by water utilities as the global climate changes. The first event was based on an extreme flood scenario. The second scenario involved a combination of weather events, including a wild forest fire ('bushfire') followed by runoff due to significant rainfall. For each scenario, a panel of erse personnel from water utilities and relevant agencies (e.g. health departments) formed a hypothetical water utility and associated regulatory body to manage water quality following the simulated extreme weather event. A larger audience participated by asking questions and contributing key insights. Participants were confronted with unanticipated developments as the simulated scenarios unfolded, introduced by a facilitator. Participants were presented with information that may have challenged their conventional experiences regarding operational procedures in order to identify limitations in current procedures, assumptions, and readily available information. The process worked toward the identification of a list of specific key lessons for each event. At the conclusion of each simulation a facilitated discussion was used to establish key lessons of value to water utilities in preparing them for similar future extreme events.
Bioanalytical Approaches in Assessing Transformation Products
Publisher: American Chemical Society
Date: 2016
Assessing species-specific differences for nuclear receptor activation for environmental water extracts
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2020
Effects of polyethylene microplastics on the acute toxicity of a synthetic pyrethroid to midge larvae (Chironomus tepperi) in synthetic and river water
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2019
Effects of a phytosterol mixture on male fish plasma lipoprotein fractions and testis P450scc activity
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2003
DOI: 10.1016/S0016-6480(02)00590-7
Abstract: Plant sterols (phytosterols) have been identified as one potential source of reproductive effects in fish living downstream of pulp mills. beta-Sitosterol, the predominant plant sterol in pulp mill effluent, has previously been shown to decrease plasma sex steroid and cholesterol levels and in vitro gonadal steroid production in fish. In this study, male brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and goldfish (Carassius auratus) were exposed to a phytosterol mixture (72% beta-sitosterol) via Silastic intraperitoneal implants to help elucidate the mechanisms of action of phytosterols on steroid depression. As cholesterol is exogenously supplied for gonadal steroidogenesis, changes in plasma cholesterol fractions were examined. In male brook trout, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels decreased significantly, 43 and 50%, respectively, in phytosterol-treated fish. It is improbable, however, that these decreases are linked to depressed gonadal steroidogenesis in fish. The activity of P450scc, which converts cholesterol to pregnenolone (the first step in the steroidogenic pathway), was not affected in testis mitochondria isolated from brook trout or goldfish. Further investigation of the mechanisms of action of phytosterols is required.
Removal of trace organic contaminants from domestic wastewater: A meta-analysis comparison of sewage treatment technologies
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVINT.2016.03.031
Abstract: Trace organic contaminants (TrOCs), such as endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), represent global threats to aquatic animals and ecosystems. A major source of TrOCs in the aquatic environment is via the discharge of treated sewage, so there is an urgent need to evaluate the comparative efficiencies of the most widely used sewage treatment technologies as regards elimination of these compounds from wastewater. To address this need, 976 published articles were compiled focusing on estimates of removal (%) for 20 common environmental TrOCs, from five major sewage treatment technologies: conventional activated sludge (CAS), oxidation ditch (OD), membrane bioreactor (MBR), ponds and constructed wetlands (PCW), and trickling biological filters (TBF). A quantitative meta-analysis was performed to compare standardized relative removal efficiencies (SREs) of the compounds amongst these technologies, and where possible potential sources of heterogeneity were considered (e.g., flow rates and chemical sorption potential). The results indicate that the most widely used CAS treatment and the less common TBF provide comparatively poor overall removal of common organic micropollutants. Membrane bioreactors appear to be capable of achieving the greatest overall removal efficiencies, but the sustainability and economic viability of this option has been questioned. Treatment with OD systems may be more economical while still achieving comparatively high removal efficiencies, and the analysis revealed OD to be the best option for targeting highly potent estrogenic EDCs. This study offers a unique global assessment of TrOC removal via leading sewage treatment technologies, and is an important step in the identification of effective options for treating municipal sewage.
Analysis of the literature shows a remarkably consistent relationship between size and abundance of microplastics across different environmental matrices
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2023
Comprehensive study of endocrine disrupting compounds using grab and passive sampling at selected wastewater treatment plants in South East Queensland, Australia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2007
DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVINT.2007.01.008
Abstract: Chemical (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, GC-MS) and biological (E-Screen assay) analyses were used to determine the concentrations of 15 endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and estrogen equivalent (EEq) in grab and passive s les from five municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in South East Queensland, Australia. EEq concentrations derived by E-Screen assays for the grab s les were between 108-356 ng/L for the influents and 99%. The efficiency of the WWTPs in removing estrogenic activity was > 95%. The EEqs of the E-Screen and those calculated from the results of extensive chemical analyses using the estradiol equivalency factors were comparable for most of the WWTPs s les.
Assessing indoor air exposures using passive sampling with bioanalytical methods for estrogenicity and aryl hydrocarbon receptor activity
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-05-2009
Deriving safe short-term chemical exposure values (STEV) for drinking water
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2020
DOI: 10.1016/J.YRTPH.2019.104545
Abstract: Small and brief exceedances of chemicals above their guideline values in drinking water are unlikely to cause an appreciable increased risk to human health. As a result, short-term exposure values (STEV) can be derived to help decide whether drinking water can still be supplied to consumers without adverse health risks. In this study, three approaches were applied to calculate and compare STEV for pesticides. The three approaches included basing a STEV on the acute reference dose (ARfD) (Approach 1), removing conventional attribution rates and uncertainty factors from current guideline values (Approach 2) and extrapolating 1 d and 7 d no observed adverse effect levels (NOAEL) from existing toxicity data using a log-linear regression (Approach 3). Despite being very different methods, the three approaches produced comparable STEV generally within an order of magnitude, which often overlapped with other existing short-term exposure values such as short-term no adverse response levels (SNARL) and health advisories (HA). The results show that adjusting the current guideline value using standard extrapolation factors (Approach 2) often produced the most conservative values. Approach 2 was then applied to two other chemical classes, disinfection by-products (DBPs) and cyanotoxins, demonstrating the wider applicability of the approach.
Quantification of vitellogenin mRNA induction in mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) by reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2005
DOI: 10.1080/13547500500343381
Abstract: A method to quantify induction of vitellogenin (Vtg) mRNA in adult male mosquitofish was developed. Male mosquitofish were exposed to 0, 1, 20 and 250 ng l(-1) 17beta-oestradiol (E(2)) for 4 and 8 days in static exposures, and liver Vtg mRNA and 18S rRNA expression were quantified in duplex RT-PCR. Liver 18S rRNA expression was very consistent among in iduals, and there was a highly significant increase in Vtg mRNA expression after exposure of mosquitofish for just 4 days at 250 ng l(-1) E(2). Lower doses did not induce Vtg mRNA expression even at 4 or 8 days. This method could be used as a rapid test to detect exposure of mosquitofish to oestrogenic chemicals. Further work is needed to determine if increased Vtg mRNA levels in male mosquitofish induce Vtg synthesis, and to determine the usefulness of the method in field s ling.
Bioanalytical tools: half a century of application for potable reuse
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1039/C5EW00115C
Abstract: In vitro bioassays are often thought as novel tools by water stakeholders. They have, however, been used for over half a century in assessment of recycled water quality.
Converting mg/L to Particles/L: Reconciling the Occurrence and Toxicity Literature on Microplastics
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 09-08-2021
Applying mixture toxicity modelling to predict bacterial bioluminescence inhibition by non-specifically acting pharmaceuticals and specifically acting antibiotics
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2017.01.018
Abstract: Pharmaceuticals and antibiotics co-occur in the aquatic environment but mixture studies to date have mainly focused on pharmaceuticals alone or antibiotics alone, although differences in mode of action may lead to different effects in mixtures. In this study we used the Bacterial Luminescence Toxicity Screen (BLT-Screen) after acute (0.5 h) and chronic (16 h) exposure to evaluate how non-specifically acting pharmaceuticals and specifically acting antibiotics act together in mixtures. Three models were applied to predict mixture toxicity including concentration addition, independent action and the two-step prediction (TSP) model, which groups similarly acting chemicals together using concentration addition, followed by independent action to combine the two groups. All non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals had similar EC
Anal Fin Morphology and Gonadal Histopathology in Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) Exposed to Treated Municipal Sewage Effluent
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 30-01-2006
DOI: 10.1007/S00244-005-1040-5
Abstract: Feral mosquitofish living in undiluted treated municipal sewage in Queensland, Australia, were examined for morphologic abnormalities indicative of reproductive dysfunction. Male and female mosquitofish were captured at two sites receiving undiluted treated sewage and compared with those captured at a reference site. Several morphologic end points were examined, including length of the fourth and sixth anal fin rays and gonadal histology. Both male and female mosquitofish at one site exhibited minor elongation of the fourth anal fin ray consistent with exposure to androgenic stimulation, although the spatial extent of the effect was limited and not significant at other sites further downstream. No incidences of intersex were found. These findings suggest that the level of treatment of domestic sewage at the two sewage treatment plants assessed is adequate to prevent reproductive abnormalities in exposed mosquitofish populations.
Wastewater treatment plants as a pathway for microplastics: Development of a new approach to sample wastewater-based microplastics
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2017.01.042
Abstract: Wastewater effluent is expected to be a pathway for microplastics to enter the aquatic environment, with microbeads from cosmetic products and polymer fibres from clothes likely to enter wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). To date, few studies have quantified microplastics in wastewater. Moreover, the lack of a standardized and applicable method to identify microplastics in complex s les, such as wastewater, has limited the accurate assessment of microplastics and may lead to an incorrect estimation. This study aimed to develop a validated method to s le and process microplastics from wastewater effluent and to apply the developed method to quantify and characterise wastewater-based microplastics in effluent from three WWTPs that use primary, secondary and tertiary treatment processes. We applied a high-volume s ling device that fractionated microplastics in situ and an efficient s le processing procedure to improve the s ling of microplastics in wastewater and to minimize the false detection of non-plastic particles. The s ling device captured between 92% and 99% of polystyrene microplastics using 25 μm-500 μm mesh screens in laboratory tests. Microplastic type, size and suspected origin in all studied WWTPs, along with the removal efficiency during the secondary and tertiary treatment stages, was investigated. Suspected microplastics were characterised using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, with between 22 and 90% of the suspected microplastics found to be non-plastic particles. An average of 0.28, 0.48 and 1.54 microplastics per litre of final effluent was found in tertiary, secondary and primary treated effluent, respectively. This study suggests that although low concentrations of microplastics are detected in wastewater effluent, WWTPs still have the potential to act as a pathway to release microplastics given the large volumes of effluent discharged to the aquatic environment. This study focused on a single s ling c aign, with long-term monitoring recommended to further characterise microplastics in wastewater.
1H NMR-based metabolomics reveals interactive effects between the carrier solvent methanol and a pharmaceutical mixture in an amphibian developmental bioassay with Limnodynastes peronii
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2018.02.063
Abstract: Organic carrier solvents are used in aquatic toxicity testing to improve chemical solubility and facilitate the exploration of dose-response relationships. Both water- and solvent-control groups are normally included in these scenarios to ensure that the solvent itself has no effect on the test organism, but this fails to consider possible interactive effects between carrier solvents and contaminants of interest. We explored this topic by exposing Limnodynastes peronii tadpoles to a mixture of common water-soluble pharmaceuticals (diclofenac, metformin and valproic acid) in the presence and absence of the carrier solvent methanol, according to standard developmental bioassay methodology. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was applied as a platform for untargeted metabolomics, to compare broad sub-lethal hepatotoxicity in solvent- and solvent-free exposure scenarios. Considerable interactive effects were identified between the pharmaceutical mixture and a typical dose of methanol (0.003%). Specifically, pronounced differences were observed between the solvent- and solvent-free exposure groups for leucine, acetate, glutamine, citrate, glycogen, tyrosine, arginine, purine nucleotides and an unidentified metabolite at 6.53 ppm. Various other metabolites exhibited similar disparity related to the use of carrier solvent, but the interactions were non-significant. These results raise important questions about the use of carrier solvents for chemical exposures in aquatic ecotoxicology, and particularly for studies interested in sub-lethal mechanistic information and/or biomarker discovery.
Hearing All Voices to Address Environmental Challenges at a Global Scale
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 21-06-2022
Development of methods for extraction and in vitro quantification of estrogenic and androgenic activity of wastewater samples
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2006
DOI: 10.1016/J.CBPC.2005.12.010
Abstract: Chemicals released into the environment by anthropogenic activities have been linked to estrogenic or androgenic effects in exposed wildlife, and there is a need to develop and validate rapid and cost-effective methods to quantify the total estrogenic and androgenic activity of environmental water s les. In this study, estrogen receptors (ER) were isolated from sheep (Ovis aries) uteri and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) livers and androgen receptors (AR) were isolated from rainbow trout brains. The isolated receptors were used in competitive receptor binding assays to test the affinity of known estrogenic and androgenic chemicals for the receptor binding site, and results were compared with literature values for the rat uterine ER binding assay and the E-Screen. The relative binding affinities of the tested compounds to ER from different species were similar, and binding to the ER was a more responsive endpoint than the cellular effect measured in the E-Screen. Using the sheep ER binding assay in combination with solid-phase extraction, the estrogenic activity in a raw sewage s le from a municipal treatment plant in Brisbane (Queensland, Australia) was measured at 51-73 ng/L estradiol equivalents (EEq).
Editorial – Virtual special issue (VSI) green turtles as silent sentinels of pollution in the Great Barrier Reef – Rivers to Reef to Turtles project
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2021
Analysis of endocrine activity in drinking water, surface water and treated wastewater from six countries
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2018.03.056
Abstract: The aquatic environment can contain numerous micropollutants and there are concerns about endocrine activity in environmental waters and the potential impacts on human and ecosystem health. In this study a complementary chemical analysis and in vitro bioassay approach was applied to evaluate endocrine activity in treated wastewater, surface water and drinking water s les from six countries (Germany, Australia, France, South Africa, the Netherlands and Spain). The bioassay test battery included assays indicative of seven endocrine pathways, while 58 different chemicals, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals and industrial compounds, were analysed by targeted chemical analysis. Endocrine activity was below the limit of quantification for most water s les, with only two of six treated wastewater s les and two of six surface water s les exhibiting estrogenic, glucocorticoid, progestagenic and/or anti-mineralocorticoid activity above the limit of quantification. Based on available effect-based trigger values (EBT) for estrogenic and glucocorticoid activity, some of the wastewater and surface water s les were found to exceed the EBT, suggesting these environmental waters may pose a potential risk to ecosystem health. In contrast, the lack of bioassay activity and low detected chemical concentrations in the drinking water s les do not suggest a risk to human endocrine health, with all s les below the relevant EBTs.
Concentrations of some legacy pollutants have increased in South Australian bottlenose dolphins from 1989 to 2014
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2020
Transformation of endocrine disrupting chemicals, pharmaceutical and personal care products during drinking water disinfection
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2018.12.106
Abstract: Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are frequently detected in drinking water sources. This raises concerns about the formation of potentially more toxic transformation products (TPs) after drinking water disinfection. This study applied a combination of computational and experimental methods to investigate the biological activity of eight EDCs and PPCPs commonly detected in source waters (acetaminophen, bisphenol A, carbamazepine, estrone, 17α-ethinylestradiol, gemfibrozil, naproxen and triclosan) before and after disinfection. Using a Stepped Forced Molecular Dynamics (SFMD) method, we detected 911 unique TPs, 36% of which have been previously reported in the scientific literature. We calculated the likelihood that TPs would cause damage to biomolecules or DNA relative to the parent compound based on lipophilicity and the occurrence of structural alerts, and applied two Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) tools to predict toxicity via receptor-mediated effects. In parallel, batch experiments were performed with three disinfectants, chlorine, chlorine dioxide and chloramine. After solid-phase extraction, the resulting TP mixtures were analyzed by chemical analysis and a battery of eleven in vitro bioassays covering a variety of endpoints. The laboratory results were in good agreement with the predictions. Overall, the combination of computational and experimental chemistry and toxicity methods used in this study suggest that disinfection of the studied EDCs and PPCPs will produce a large number of TPs, which are unlikely to increase specific toxicity (e.g., endocrine activity), but may result in increased reactive and non-specific toxicity.
Using fluorescence-parallel factor analysis for assessing disinfection by-product formation and natural organic matter removal efficiency in secondary treated synthetic drinking waters
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2018.05.280
Abstract: Parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis of fluorescence excitation-emission matrices (EEMs) was used to investigate the organic matter and DBP formation characteristics of untreated, primary treated (enhanced coagulation EC) and secondary treated synthetic waters prepared using a Suwannee River natural organic matter (SR-NOM) isolate. The organic matter was characterised by four different fluorescence components two humic acid-like (C1 and C2) and two protein-like (C3 and C4). Secondary treatment methods tested, following EC treatment, were powdered activated carbon (PAC), granular activated carbon (GAC), 0.1% silver-impregnated activated carbon (SIAC), and MIEX® resin. Secondary treatments were more effective at removing natural organic matter (NOM) and fluorescent DBP-precursor components than EC alone. The formation of a suite of 17 DBPs including chlorinated, brominated and iodinated trihalomethanes (THMs), dihaloacetonitriles (DHANs), chloropropanones (CPs), chloral hydrate (CH) and trichloronitromethane (TCNM) was determined after chlorinating water s led before and after each treatment step. Regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between peak component fluorescence intensity (F
Comparison of Five in Vitro Bioassays to Measure Estrogenic Activity in Environmental Waters
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 15-05-2010
DOI: 10.1021/ES903899D
Abstract: Bioassays are well established in the pharmaceutical industry and single compound analysis, but there is still uncertainty about their usefulness in environmental monitoring. We compared the responses of five bioassays designed to measure estrogenic activity (the yeast estrogen screen, ER-CALUX, MELN, T47D-KBluc, and E-SCREEN assays) and chemical analysis on extracts from four different water sources (groundwater, raw sewage, treated sewage, and river water). All five bioassays displayed similar trends and there was good agreement with analytical chemistry results. The data from the ER-CALUX and E-SCREEN bioassays were robust and predictable, and well-correlated with predictions from chemical analysis. The T47D-KBluc appeared likewise promising, but with a more limited s le size it was less compelling. The YES assay was less sensitive than the other assays by an order of magnitude, which resulted in a larger number of nondetects. The MELN assay was less predictable, although the possibility that this was due to laboratory-specific difficulties cannot be discounted. With standardized bioassay data analysis and consistency of operating protocols, bioanalytical tools are a promising advance in the development of a tiered approach to environmental water quality monitoring.
Interlaboratory comparison of in vitro bioassays for screening of endocrine active chemicals in recycled water
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2015.06.050
Abstract: In vitro bioassays have shown promise as water quality monitoring tools. In this study, four commercially available in vitro bioassays (GeneBLAzer(®) androgen receptor (AR), estrogen receptor-alpha (ER), glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and progesterone receptor (PR) assays) were adapted to screen for endocrine active chemicals in s les from two recycled water plants. The standardized protocols were used in an interlaboratory comparison exercise to evaluate the reproducibility of in vitro bioassay results. Key performance criteria were successfully achieved, including low background response, standardized calibration parameters and high intra-laboratory precision. Only two datasets were excluded due to poor calibration performance. Good interlaboratory reproducibility was observed for GR bioassay, with 16-26% variability among the laboratories. ER and PR bioactivity was measured near the bioassay limit of detection and showed more variability (21-54%), although interlaboratory agreement remained comparable to that of conventional analytical methods. AR bioassay showed no activity for any of the s les analyzed. Our results indicate that ER, GR and PR, were capable of screening for different water quality, i.e., the highest bioactivity was observed in the plant influent, which also contained the highest concentrations of endocrine active chemicals measured by LC-MS/MS. After advanced treatment (e.g., reverse osmosis), bioactivity and target chemical concentrations were both below limits of detection. Comparison of bioassay and chemical equivalent concentrations revealed that targeted chemicals accounted for ≤5% of bioassay activity, suggesting that detection limits by LC-MS/MS for some chemicals were insufficient and/or other bioactive compounds were present in these s les. Our study demonstrated that in vitro bioassays responses were reproducible, and can provide information to complement conventional analytical methods for a more comprehensive water quality assessment.
A national survey of trace organic contaminants in Australian rivers
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-2014
Abstract: Trace organic contaminant (TrOC) studies in Australia have, to date, focused on wastewater effluents, leaving a knowledge gap of their occurrence and risk in freshwater environments. This study measured 42 TrOCs including industrial compounds, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals and personal care products by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry at 73 river sites across Australia quarterly for 1 yr. Trace organic contaminants were found in 92% of s les, with a median of three compounds detected per s le (maximum 18). The five most commonly detected TrOCs were the pharmaceuticals salicylic acid (82%, maximum = 1530 ng/L), paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen 45%, maximum = 7150 ng/L), and carbamazepine (27%, maximum = 682 ng/L), caffeine (65%, maximum = 3770 ng/L), and the flame retardant (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (44%, maximum = 184 ng/L). Pesticides were detected in 28% of the s les. To determine the risk posed by the detected TrOCs to the aquatic environment, hazard quotients were calculated by iding the maximum concentration detected for each compound by the predicted no-effect concentrations. Three of the 42 compounds monitored (the pharmaceuticals carbamazepine and sulfamethoxazole and the herbicide simazine) had a hazard quotient >1, suggesting that they may be causing adverse effects at the most polluted sites. A further 10 compounds had hazard quotients >0.1, indicating a potential risk these included four pharmaceuticals, three personal care products, and three pesticides. Most compounds had hazard quotients significantly <0.1. The number of TrOCs measured in this study was limited and further investigations are required to fully assess the risk posed by complex mixtures of TrOCs on exposed biota.
Combining analytical and in vitro techniques for comprehensive assessments of chemical exposure and effect in green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas)
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2021
Removal of trace organic contaminants by an MBR comprising a mixed culture of bacteria and white-rot fungi
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2013
DOI: 10.1016/J.BIORTECH.2013.08.142
Abstract: The degradation of 30 trace organic contaminants (TrOC) by a white-rot fungus-augmented membrane bioreactor (MBR) was investigated. The results show that white-rot fungal enzyme (laccase), coupled with a redox mediator (1-hydroxy benzotriazole, HBT), could degrade TrOC that are resistant to bacterial degradation (e.g. diclofenac, triclosan, naproxen and atrazine) but achieved low removal of compounds (e.g. ibuprofen, gemfibrozil and amitriptyline) that are well removed by conventional activated sludge treatment. Overall, the fungus-augmented MBR showed better TrOC removal compared to a system containing conventional activated sludge. The major role of biodegradation in removal by the MBR was noted. Continuous mediator dosing to MBR may potentially enhance its performance, although not as effectively as for mediator-enhanced batch laccase systems. A ToxScreen3 assay revealed no significant increase in the toxicity of the effluent during MBR treatment of the synthetic wastewater comprising TrOC, confirming that no toxic by-products were produced.
Chlorine disinfection by-products in wastewater effluent: Bioassay-based assessment of toxicological impact
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2012
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2012.08.026
Abstract: The potential ecological impact of disinfection by-products (DBPs) present in chlorinated wastewater effluents is not well understood. In this study, the chlorinated effluent of traditional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and advanced water reclamation plants (AWRPs) supplying highly-treated recycled water were analyzed for nitrosamines and trihalomethanes (THMs), and a battery of bioassays conducted to assess effluent toxicity. An increase in general toxicity from DBPs was revealed for all wastewaters studied using an in vitro bioluminescence assay. Ex les of androgenic activity and estrogenic activity arising from DBPs at specific s ling sites were also observed. The in vivo model (Artemia franciscana) was generally not adversely affected by exposure to DBPs from any of the chlorinated wastewaters studied. The observed toxicity could not be related to the concentrations of THMs and nitrosamines present, indicating that DBPs not monitored in this study were responsible for this. This work highlights the complexity of DBPs mixtures formed in chlorinated wastewaters, illustrating that toxicity of wastewater DBPs cannot be predicted by chemical monitoring of THMs and nitrosamines. The results suggest bioassays may be particularly useful monitoring tools in assessing toxicity arising from DBPs of these complex waters. The research concludes that DBPs formed in the chlorinated wastewaters studied can be toxic and may have a deleterious impact on aquatic organisms that are exposed to them, and therefore, that chlorination or chlorination/dechlorination may not be adequate treatment strategies for the protection of receiving waters. Chlorinated wastewater toxicity (from DBPs) is not well-understood in the Australian context, and this study serves to advise regulators on this issue.
Analysis of sugarcane herbicides in marine turtle nesting areas and assessment of risk using in vitro toxicity assays
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2017.07.029
Abstract: Agricultural processes are associated with many different herbicides that can contaminate surrounding environments. In Queensland, Australia, herbicides applied to agricultural crops may pose a threat to valuable coastal habitats including nesting beaches for threatened loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta). This study 1) measured concentrations of herbicides in the beach sand of Mon Repos, an important marine turtle nesting beach in Australia that is adjacent to significant sugarcane crops, and 2) investigated the toxicity of these herbicides to marine turtles using a cell-based assay. S les of sand from turtle nest depth and water from surrounding agricultural drains and wetlands were collected during the wet season when herbicide runoff was expected to be the greatest and turtles were nesting. S les were extracted using solid phase extraction and extracts were analysed using chemical analysis targeting herbicides, as well as bioanalytical techniques (IPAM-assay and loggerhead turtle skin cell cytotoxicity assay). Twenty herbicides were detected in areas between sugarcane crops and the nesting beach, seven of which were also detected in the sand extracts. Herbicides present in the nearby wetland were also detected in the beach sand, indicating potential contamination of the nesting beach via the river outlet as well as ground water. Although herbicides were detected in nesting sand, bioassays using loggerhead turtle skin cells indicated a low risk of acute toxicity at measured environmental concentrations. Further research should investigate potentially more subtle effects, such as endocrine disruption and mixture effects, to better assess the threat that herbicides pose to this population of marine turtles.
Concentrations of legacy persistent organic pollutants and naturally produced MeO-PBDEs in dugongs (Dugong dugon) from Moreton Bay, Australia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2019.05.033
Abstract: Dugongs (Dugong dugon) are an iconic and strictly herbivorous species. They inhabit coastal areas, which brings them in contact with urban and agricultural pollutant sources, yet their exposure and susceptibility to environmental pollutants is still largely unknown. The goal of this study was to investigate the presence of several legacy compounds such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and pesticides as well as naturally produced MeO-PBDEs in male and female dugongs from Moreton Bay (n = 24), a semi-enclosed embayment close to Australia's third largest city, Brisbane. Results show that concentrations of all investigated compounds are low in general (<120 ng/g lipid weight) and below known toxicity thresholds established for marine mammals. However, concentrations found in this study are higher or comparable to concentrations in dugongs outside Moreton Bay or in sirenians worldwide. No temporal trends for POPs from 2001 until 2012 were found for adult animals suggesting that environmental changes are only slowly reflected in dugongs. Finally, pollutant profiles in dugongs are limited to the most persistent PCBs, pesticides and PBDEs that also dominate POP profiles in other marine mammal species in general.
Impact of Microplastic Beads and Fibers on Waterflea (Ceriodaphnia dubia) Survival, Growth, and Reproduction: Implications of Single and Mixture Exposures
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 03-11-2017
Abstract: There is limited knowledge regarding the adverse effects of wastewater-derived microplastics, particularly fibers, on aquatic biota. In this study, we examined the acute (48 h) and chronic (8 d) effects of microplastic polyester fibers and polyethylene (PE) beads on freshwater zooplankton Ceriodaphnia dubia. We also assessed the acute response of C. dubia to a binary mixture of microplastic beads and fibers for the first time. Acute exposure to fibers and PE beads both showed a dose-dependent effect on survival. An equitoxic binary mixture of beads and fibers resulted in a toxic unit of 1.85 indicating less than additive effects. Chronic exposure to lower concentrations did not significantly affect survival of C. dubia, but a dose-dependent effect on growth and reproduction was observed. Fibers showed greater adverse effects than PE beads. While ingestion of fibers was not observed, scanning electron microscopy showed carapace and antenna deformities after exposure to fibers, with no deformities observed after exposure to PE beads. While much of the current research has focused on microplastic beads, our study shows that microplastic fibers pose a greater risk to C. dubia, with reduced reproductive output observed at concentrations within an order of magnitude of reported environmental levels.
Biocatalytic degradation of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, industrial chemicals, steroid hormones and pesticides in a membrane distillation-enzymatic bioreactor
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.BIORTECH.2017.09.129
Abstract: Laccase-catalyzed degradation of a broad spectrum of trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) by a membrane distillation (MD)-enzymatic membrane bioreactor (EMBR) was investigated. The MD component effectively retained TrOCs (94-99%) in the EMBR, facilitating their continuous biocatalytic degradation. Notably, the extent of TrOC degradation was strongly influenced by their molecular properties. A significant degradation (above 90%) of TrOCs containing strong electron donating functional groups (e.g., hydroxyl and amine groups) was achieved, while a moderate removal was observed for TrOCs containing electron withdrawing functional groups (e.g., amide and halogen groups). Separate addition of two redox-mediators, namely syringaldehyde and violuric acid, further improved TrOC degradation by laccase. However, a mixture of both showed a reduced performance for a few pharmaceuticals such as primidone, carbamazepine and ibuprofen. Mediator addition increased the toxicity of the media in the enzymatic bioreactor, but the membrane permeate (i.e., final effluent) was non-toxic, suggesting an added advantage of coupling MD with EMBR.
How effective are water treatment processes in removing toxic effects of micropollutants? A literature review of effect-based monitoring data
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 24-01-2023
DOI: 10.2166/WH.2023.235
Abstract: Over the past decade, effect-based monitoring (EBM) has been increasingly applied for water quality monitoring. Despite being recommended as a monitoring tool in several guideline documents, the use of EBM remains limited to research projects. This study aimed to review the bioanalytical data published from studies conducted on wastewater, drinking water or reuse and to identify knowledge gaps and priorities for action. The results provide an overview of the biological effects associated with raw and treated waters, the reduction of these effects by treatment and a comparison of the detected response with effect-based trigger values. This review highlights a lack of data for many biological effects and the need to more thoroughly investigate effects such as aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonism, genotoxicity and oxidative stress. The results show that most drinking water schemes effectively eliminate the biological effects associated with environmental micropollutants. However, the oxidative stress response and genotoxicity, likely related to formed disinfection by-products, deserve closer attention since they seem to represent a higher concern in drinking water than any other effect. Overall, existing wastewater treatment schemes are less effective in removing biological effects, and consequently, priority should be given to the improvement of wastewater treatment for the better protection of the environment.
Degradation of Trace Organic Contaminants by a Membrane Distillation—Enzymatic Bioreactor
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 28-08-2017
DOI: 10.3390/APP7090879
Hazard identification, qualitative risk assessment and monitoring on the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 03-2010
DOI: 10.2166/WPT.2010.005
Abstract: This paper explains how the results of the source water characterisation for the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project in South East Queensland was used to augment the qualitative water quality risk assessment process and design of the monitoring programs. Results were evaluated against health standards published in 2008 by Queensland Health and also against level of reporting. This determined the relative risk of exceeding the health standard for parameters detected in the source. The relative risk was used to inform the qualitative risk assessment as well as the frequency of monitoring in both the source and purified water. Categorising hazards using their ionic charge and hydrophobicity enabled the selection of indicators for both source and purified water compliance monitoring programs.
In vivo implants of β-sitosterol cause reductions of reactive cholesterol pools in mitochondria isolated from gonads of male goldfish (Carassius auratus)
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2003
DOI: 10.1016/S0016-6480(03)00265-X
Abstract: beta-Sitosterol, a phytosterol found in high concentrations in pulp mill effluents, has been proposed as one of the causative agents for steroid depressions observed in fish exposed to pulp mill effluents. Previous studies have suggested a cholesterol-mediated mechanism however, it is unknown how beta-sitosterol depresses gonadal steroidogenesis. In this study, adult male goldfish (Carassius auratus) were exposed for 24-31 days to beta-sitosterol (55% of a phytosterol mixture or 96% pure 150 microg/g Silastic implant) after which gonadal mitochondria were isolated. Pregnenolone production, an indicator of the size of the pool of reactive cholesterol, was then measured in the isolated mitochondria. Sterol exposure did not affect P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme (converts cholesterol to pregnenolone) activity but did decrease the size of the mitochondrial pool of reactive cholesterol, suggesting beta-sitosterol is impeding cholesterol transfer across the mitochondrial membrane. This finding is supported by the observation that 25-hydroxycholesterol, which passes through mitochondrial membranes without need for a membrane transporter, restores beta-sitosterol-induced reductions in pregnenolone production.
Efficacy of an Advanced Sewage Treatment Plant in Southeast Queensland, Australia, to Remove Estrogenic Chemicals
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 21-06-2005
DOI: 10.1021/ES0484303
Abstract: The estrogenicity profile of domestic sewage during treatment at a medium-sized (3800 EP) advanced biological nutrient removal plant in Queensland, Australia, was characterized using a sheep estrogen receptor binding assay (ERBA) and the MCF-7 breast cancer cell proliferation assay (E-Screen). The raw influent was highly estrogenic (20-54 ng/L EEq), and primary treatment resulted in a slight increase in estrogenicity that was detected in one of the assays (6-80 ng/L). Concurrent chemical analysis suggested that most of the estrogenicity in the influent was due to natural hormones (>48%). Secondary activated sludge treatment followed by nitrification/denitrification effectively removed > 95% of the estrogenic activity (to <0.75-2.6 ng/L), and estrogenicity of the final tertiary-treated effluent was below the detection limit of both assays (<0.75 ng/L).
Global Transcriptional Analysis of Nontransformed Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells (FHs 74 Int) after Exposure to Selected Drinking Water Disinfection By-Products.
Publisher: Environmental Health Perspectives
Date: 11-2019
DOI: 10.1289/EHP4945
Effect-based trigger values for invitro bioassays: Reading across from existing water quality guideline values
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2015.05.049
Abstract: Cell-based bioassays are becoming increasingly popular in water quality assessment. The new generations of reporter-gene assays are very sensitive and effects are often detected in very clean water types such as drinking water and recycled water. For monitoring applications it is therefore imperative to derive trigger values that differentiate between acceptable and unacceptable effect levels. In this proof-of-concept paper, we propose a statistical method to read directly across from chemical guideline values to trigger values without the need to perform in vitro to in vivo extrapolations. The derivation is based on matching effect concentrations with existing chemical guideline values and filtering out appropriate chemicals that are responsive in the given bioassays at concentrations in the range of the guideline values. To account for the mixture effects of many chemicals acting together in a complex water s le, we propose bioanalytical equivalents that integrate the effects of groups of chemicals with the same mode of action that act in a concentration-additive manner. Statistical distribution methods are proposed to derive a specific effect-based trigger bioanalytical equivalent concentration (EBT-BEQ) for each bioassay of environmental interest that targets receptor-mediated toxicity. Even bioassays that are indicative of the same mode of action have slightly different numeric trigger values due to differences in their inherent sensitivity. The algorithm was applied to 18 cell-based bioassays and 11 provisional effect-based trigger bioanalytical equivalents were derived as an illustrative ex le using the 349 chemical guideline values protective for human health of the Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling. We illustrate the applicability using the ex le of a erse set of water s les including recycled water. Most recycled water s les were compliant with the proposed triggers while wastewater effluent would not have been compliant with a few. The approach is readily adaptable to any water type and guideline or regulatory framework and can be expanded from the protection goal of human health to environmental protection targets. While this work constitutes a proof of principle, the applicability remains limited at present due to insufficient experimental bioassay data on in idual regulated chemicals and the derived effect-based trigger values are of course only provisional. Once the experimental database is expanded and made more robust, the proposed effect-based trigger values may provide guidance in a regulatory context.
Persulfate oxidation-assisted membrane distillation process for micropollutant degradation and membrane fouling control
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2019
The utility of vitellogenin as a biomarker of estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals in molluscs
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVPOL.2019.02.056
Abstract: Estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are natural hormones, synthetic compounds or industrial chemicals that mimic estrogens due to their structural similarity with estrogen's functional moieties. They typically enter aquatic environments through wastewater treatment plant effluents or runoff from intensive livestock operations. Globally, most natural and synthetic estrogens in receiving aquatic environments are in the low ng/L range, while industrial chemicals (such as bisphenol A, nonylphenol and octylphenol) are present in the μg to low mg/L range. These environmental concentrations often exceed laboratory-based predicted no effect concentrations (PNECs) and have been evidenced to cause negative reproductive impacts on resident aquatic biota. In vertebrates, such as fish, a well-established indicator of estrogen-mediated endocrine disruption is overexpression of the egg yolk protein precursor vitellogenin (Vtg) in males. Although the vertebrate Vtg has high sensitivity and specificity to estrogens, and the molecular basis of its estrogen inducibility has been well studied, there is growing ethical concern over the use of vertebrate animals for contaminant monitoring. The potential utility of the invertebrate Vtg as a biomonitor for environmental estrogens has therefore gained increasing attention. Here we review evidence providing support that the molluscan Vtg holds promise as an invertebrate biomarker for exposure to estrogens. Unlike vertebrates, estrogen signalling in invertebrates remains largely unclarified and the classical genomic pathway only partially explains estrogen-mediated activation of Vtg. In light of this, in the latter part of this review, we summarise recent progress towards understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the activation of the molluscan Vtg gene by estrogens and present a hypothetical model of the interplay between genomic and non-genomic pathways in the transcriptional regulation of the gene.
A survey of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in municipal sewage and animal waste effluents in the Waikato region of New Zealand
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 15-02-2006
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2005.02.027
Abstract: We report the results of a recent survey of the concentration of natural estrogens (17beta-estradiol, 17alpha-estradiol, estrone, estriol) and the synthetic estrogen, 17alpha-ethynylestradiol in representative animal wastes and sewage treatment plant (STP) effluents in the Waikato region of New Zealand. Dairy farm effluent s les showed high levels of estradiol (19-1360 ng/L) and its breakdown product estrone (41-3123 ng/L) compared with piggery or goat farm effluents. The combined load for these estrogens (excluding beta epimer) varied from 60 to >4000 ng/L. The piggery effluent provided the lowest total estrogen load (46 ng/L), with estrone accounting for nearly 60% of the measured estrogens in this s le. The synthetic analogue, 17alpha-ethynylestradiol was detected only in one wastewater treatment plant s le, albeit at trace level. An estrogen receptor competitive binding assay was used to test the biological activity of the s les and confirmed that most agricultural waste s les contain high levels of estrogenic compounds. The potential of these wastes to cause endocrine disruption in the receiving ecosystem is unknown at present.
An assessment of endocrine activity in Australian rivers using chemical and in vitro analyses
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-07-2014
DOI: 10.1007/S11356-014-3235-7
Abstract: Studies on endocrine disruption in Australia have mainly focused on wastewater effluents. Limited knowledge exists regarding the relative contribution of different potential sources of endocrine active compounds (EACs) to the aquatic environment (e.g., pesticide run-off, animal farming operations, urban stormwater, industrial inputs). In this study, 73 river sites across mainland Australia were s led quarterly for 1 year. Concentrations of 14 known EACs including natural and synthetic hormones and industrial compounds were quantified by chemical analysis. EACs were detected in 88 % of s les (250 of 285) with limits of quantification (LOQ) ranging from 0.05 to 20 ng/l. Bisphenol A (BPA LOQ = 20 ng/l) was the most frequently detected EAC (66 %) and its predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) was exceeded 24 times. The most common hormone was estrone, detected in 28 % of s les (LOQ = 1 ng/l), and the PNEC was also exceeded 24 times. 17α-Ethinylestradiol (LOQ = 0.05 ng/l) was detected in 10 % of s les at concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 0.17 ng/l. It was detected in many s les with no wastewater influence, and the PNEC was exceeded 13 times. In parallel to the chemical analysis, endocrine activity was assessed using a battery of CALUX bioassays. Estrogenic activity was detected in 19 % (53 of 285) of s les (LOQ = 0.1 ng/l 17β-estradiol equivalent EEQ). Seven s les exhibited estrogenic activity (1-6.5 ng/l EEQ) greater than the PNEC for 17β-estradiol. Anti-progestagenic activity was detected in 16 % of s les (LOQ = 8 ng/l mifepristone equivalents MifEQ), but the causative compounds are unknown. With several compounds and endocrine activity exceeding PNEC values, there is potential risk to the Australian freshwater ecosystems.
Exposure to estrogenic mixtures results in tissue-specific alterations to the metabolome of oysters
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2021
What is driving the NF-κB response in environmental water extracts?
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2018.07.052
Abstract: In vitro bioassays are increasingly applied for water quality monitoring, with assays indicative of adaptive stress responses commonly included in test batteries. The NF-κB assay is responsive to surface water and wastewater extracts, but the causative compounds are unknown and micropollutants typically found in water do not activate the NF-κB assay. The current study aimed to investigate if co-extracted organic matter and/or endotoxins could cause the NF-κB response in surface water extracts. The effect of model bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was evaluated in the NF-κB assay both before and after solid-phase extraction (SPE), with 7% effect recovery for LPS and between 7 and 52% effect recovery for DOC observed. The NF-κB response, endotoxin activity, micropollutant concentration and total organic carbon concentration was measured in four surface water extracts. All water extracts showed a response in the NF-κB assay, but the detected micropollutants could not explain the effect. Comparison of predicted bioanalytical equivalent concentrations based on micropollutant, DOC and endotoxin concentrations in surface water with experimental bioanalytical equivalent concentrations suggest that co-extracted endotoxins are the most important drivers of the observed effect, with DOC only having a minor contribution. While in vitro bioassays typically detect mixtures of organic micropollutants, the current study shows that the NF-κB assay can integrate the effects of co-extracted endotoxins. Given that endotoxins can pose a risk for human health, the NF-κB assay is a valuable inclusion in bioanalytical test batteries used for water quality monitoring.
Removal of pharmaceuticals, steroid hormones, phytoestrogens, UV-filters, industrial chemicals and pesticides by Trametes versicolor: Role of biosorption and biodegradation
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2014
Effects of coal mine wastewater on locomotor and non-locomotor activities of empire gudgeons (Hypseleotris compressa)
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.ECOENV.2016.01.010
Abstract: Coal mining represents an important industry in many countries, but concerns exist about the possible adverse effects of minewater releases on aquatic animals and ecosystems. Coal mining generates large volumes of complex wastewater, which often contains high concentrations of dissolved solids, suspended solids, metals, hydrocarbons, salts and other compounds. Traditional toxicological testing has generally involved the assessment of acute toxicity or chronic toxicity with longer-term tests, and while such tests provide useful information, they are poorly suited to ongoing monitoring or rapid assessment following accidental discharge events. As such, there is considerable interest in developing rapid and sensitive approaches to environmental monitoring, and particularly involving the assessment of sub-lethal behavioural responses in locally relevant aquatic species. We therefore investigated behavioural responses of a native Australian fish to coal mine wastewater, to evaluate its potential use for evaluating sub-lethal effects associated with wastewater releases on freshwater ecosystems. Empire gudgeons (Hypseleotris compressa) were exposed to wastewater from two dams located at an open cut coal mine in Central Queensland, Australia and activity levels were monitored using the Multispecies Freshwater Biomonitor® (LimCo International GmbH). A general decrease in locomotor activity (i.e., low frequency movement) and increase in non-locomotor activity (i.e., high frequency movement including ventilation and small fin movement) was observed in exposed fish compared to those in control water. Altered activity levels were observable within the first hour of exposure and persisted throughout the 15-d experiment. Results demonstrate the potential for using behavioural endpoints as tools for monitoring wastewater discharges using native fish species, but more research is necessary to identify responsible compounds and response thresholds, and to understand the relevance of the observed effects for populations in natural receiving environments.
Determination of the androgenic potency of whole effluents using mosquitofish and trout bioassays
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2006
DOI: 10.1016/J.AQUATOX.2006.08.011
Abstract: This study combined bioassay-derived and direct chemical analysis of steroidal compounds in pulp and paper and municipal sewage effluent in order to determine the cause of masculinization of female mosquitofish. The bioassays used in this study consisted of androgen and estrogen receptor binding, and aromatase inhibition using tissues from rainbow trout. This study observed no masculinization of female mosquitofish from a pulp and paper mill effluent that was previously observed to cause this effect. Mosquitofish s led from the receiving environment of the same mill verified that masculinization was not occurring in the wild. The municipal sewage effluent also had no masculinizing effect. In vitro bioassays indicated significant sources of both androgens and estrogens in the effluents tested with sewage effluent having both the highest estradiol (41 ng/L) and testosterone (182 ng/L) equivalent concentration. These results could not be attributed to any particular compounds measured in the effluents. Two compounds implicated in the masculinization of mosquitofish by pulp and paper effluent, androstenedione and androstadienedione required relatively large (10-100 microg/L) waterborne concentrations to elicit a masculinizing effect and neither of these compounds are likely to occur at levels this high in the natural environment. The potent aromatase inhibitor, 4-hydroxyandrostenedione also did not cause masculinization at 100 microg/L indicating that masculinization did not occur through this mechanism. The mammalian anti-androgen, cyproterone acetate was only partially effective in mosquitofish and reduced the severity of masculinization in the presence of methyl testosterone. While neither effluent masculinized mosquitofish, there was a significant reduction of in vitro ovarian steroid production with the most severe effects observed with the sewage effluent. Overall, this study found the disappearance of a masculinizing effect that had been previously observed concluded that based on 21 days aqueous exposures androstenedione and androstadienedione are not likely candidates for mosquitofish masculinization, and showed that masculinization and in vitro steroid production are unrelated biological endpoints.
Application of Effect-Based Methods to Water Quality Monitoring: Answering Frequently Asked Questions by Water Quality Managers, Regulators, and Policy Makers
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 07-04-2023
Comparative sensitivity of aquatic invertebrate and vertebrate species to wastewater from an operational coal mine in central Queensland, Australia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.ECOENV.2016.03.003
Abstract: Coal excavation and refinement processes generate substantial volumes of contaminated effluent that may be detrimental to aquatic ecosystems. As such, understanding the impacts of coal mine water releases on aquatic animals and ecosystems is essential for effectively managing and protecting neighboring environments. Such information will ultimately be applied towards developing ongoing monitoring strategies that are protective of native wildlife. Despite intensive mining operations in Australia, few studies have documented toxicity associated with coal mine wastewater (CMW) on native species. To address existing knowledge gaps, we investigated acute toxicity (48-96h) using eight native invertebrate species and sub-chronic effects (2 week) using three vertebrate species following exposure to wastewater from two dams (CMW1 and CMW2) located at an open-cut coal mine licensed to discharge into the Fitzroy catchment (Queensland, Australia). Wastewater from these sites is characterized by elevated conductivity, pH, sulfates as well as relatively high total and dissolved metal(loid)s (including As, Al, B, Cu, Mn, Ni, Se and Zn). Acute exposures revealed cladocerans (Daphnia carinata) and planarians (Dugesia sp.) to be the most sensitive species, exhibiting significant mortality after 48 and 96h exposure to CMW2, respectively. Neither wastewater was found to elicit acute toxicity in vertebrates, but a range of sub-lethal morphological effects were observed following the sub-chronic exposures. The overall response pattern was characterized by decreased condition factor and hepatosomatic index in the fish Hypseleotris compressa and Pseudomugil signifier, and in Limnodynastes peronii tadpoles. Tadpoles were generally more sensitive compared to the two fish species. Differences in responses were observed amongst CMW1 and CMW2, which likely relates to differences in physico-chemical properties between sites. Our results have identified several candidate vertebrate and invertebrate species that show promise for ongoing monitoring of water quality and toxicity risk in Central Queensland, Australia.
Impact of hazardous events on the removal of nutrients and trace organic contaminants by an anoxic-aerobic membrane bioreactor receiving real wastewater
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2015
The current state and future directions of marine turtle toxicology research
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVINT.2016.05.013
Abstract: Chemical contamination of marine turtles has been well documented in the literature, although information on the toxicological effects of these contaminants is poorly understood. This paper systematically and quantitatively presents the available marine turtle toxicological research (excluding oil chemicals and natural toxins) and the related fields of cell line establishment and biomarkers as indicators of exposure. Examination of the published literature identified a total of 49 papers on marine turtle toxicology, which were split into three categories: toxicity studies (n=33, 67%), cell line establishment (n=7, 14%), and publications using biomarkers (n=13, 27%). Toxicity studies were further broken down into four subcategories: those correlating contaminants with toxicological endpoints (n=16, 48%) in vitro exposure experiments (n=11, 33%) in vivo exposure experiments (n=5, 15%) and screening risk assessments using hazard quotients (n=3, 9%). In quantitatively assessing the literature, trends and gaps in this field of research were identified. This paper highlights the need for more marine turtle toxicology research on all species, particularly using high throughput and non-invasive in vitro assays developed for marine turtle cells, including investigations into further toxicological endpoints and mixture effects. This will provide more comprehensive species-specific assessment of the impacts of chemical contaminants on these threatened animals, and improve conservation and management strategies globally.
Impact Beyond Impact Factor
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 19-08-2022
Towards the development of standardised sea turtle primary cell cultures for toxicity testing
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.ECOENV.2019.01.117
Abstract: Chemical contaminants are known to accumulate in marine megafauna globally, but little is known about how this impacts animal health. In vitro assays offer an ethical, reproducible and cost-effective alternative to live animal toxicity testing on large, long-lived or threatened species, such as sea turtles. However, using a cell culture from a single animal raise the question of whether the toxicity observed adequately represents the toxicity in that species. This study examined variation in the cytotoxic response of primary skin fibroblasts established from seven green (Chelonia mydas) and five loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtles. Cell viability using resazurin dye was examined in response to exposure to five contaminants. The variation in cytotoxicity was generally low (within a factor of five) for both independent analyses of the same cell culture, and cell cultures from different in iduals. This low within and between cell culture variation indicates that primary sea turtle cell cultures can provide a suitable approach to understanding toxicity in sea turtles. In addition, green and loggerhead turtle cells showed similar toxicity to the compounds tested, indicating that only subtle differences in chemical sensitivity may exist between sea turtle species. This study provides a framework for using species-specific cell cultures in future toxicological studies on sea turtles. Although in vivo studies are the gold standard for toxicological studies and species-specific risk assessments, the development of in vitro tools can provide important information when in vivo studies are not possible or practical. For large, endangered species such as sea turtles that are exposed to, and accumulate, a large number of contaminants, using validated cell cultures may facilitate the rapid assessment of chemical risk to these animals.
In Vitro Cytotoxicity and Adaptive Stress Responses to Selected Haloacetic Acid and Halobenzoquinone Water Disinfection Byproducts
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 18-09-2015
DOI: 10.1021/ACS.CHEMRESTOX.5B00283
Abstract: The process of disinfecting drinking water inadvertently leads to the formation of numerous disinfection byproducts (DBPs). Some of these are mutagenic, genotoxic, teratogenic, and cytotoxic, as well as potentially carcinogenic both in vivo and in vitro. We investigated the in vitro biological activity of five DBPs: three monohaloacetic acids (monoHAAs) [chloroacetic acid (CAA), bromoacetic acid (BAA), and iodoacetic acid (IAA)] and two novel halobenzoquinones (HBQs) [2,6-dichloro-p-benzoquinone (DCBQ) and 2,6-dibromo-p-benzoquinone]. We focused particularly on cytotoxicity and induction of two adaptive stress response pathways: the oxidative stress responsive Nrf2/ARE and DNA-damage responsive p53 pathways. All five DBPs were cytotoxic to the Caco-2 cell line after a 4 h exposure, and all DBPs induced both of the adaptive stress response pathways, Nrf2/ARE and p53, in the micromolar range, as measured by two β-lactamase-based reporter gene assays. The decreasing order of potency for all three endpoints for the five DBPs was IAA ∼ BAA > DCBQ ∼ DBBQ > CAA. Induction of oxidative stress was previously proposed to be the molecular initiating event (MIE) for both classes of DBPs. However, comparing the levels of activation of the two pathways uncovered that the Nrf2/ARE pathway was the more sensitive endpoint for HAAs, whereas the p53 pathway was more sensitive in the case of HBQs. Therefore, the DNA damage-responsive p53 pathway may be an important piece of information to fill in a gap in the adverse outcome pathway framework for the assessment of HBQs. Finally, we cautiously compared the potential risk of the two novel HBQs using a benchmarking approach to that of the well-studied CAA, which suggested that their relative risk may be lower than that of BAA and IAA.
Parental exposure to the synthetic estrogen 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) affects offspring development in the Sydney rock oyster, Saccostrea glomerata
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2020
Carbon dots derived from human hair for ppb level chloroform sensing in water
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2020
Modelling of the fate of selected endocrine disruptors in a municipal wastewater treatment plant in South East Queensland, Australia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2007
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2007.02.057
Abstract: The aim of this study was to develop a fugacity-based analysis of the fate of selected industrial compounds (alkylphenols and phthalates) with endocrine disrupting properties in a conventional activated sludge wastewater treatment plant (WWTP A) in South East Queensland, Australia. Using mass balance principles, a fugacity model was developed for correlating and predicting the steady-state-phase concentrations, the process stream fluxes, and the fate of four phthalates and four alkylphenols in WWTP A. Input data are the compound's physicochemical properties, measured concentrations and the plant's operating design and parameters. The relative amounts of chemicals that are likely to be volatilized, sorbed to sludge, biotransformed, and discharge in the effluent water was determined. Since it was difficult to predict biotransformation, measured concentrations were used to calibrate the model in terms of biotransformation rate constant. Results obtained by applying the model for the eight compounds showed <40% differences between most of the estimated and measured data from WWTP A. All eight compounds that were modelled in this study had high removal efficacy from WWTP A. Apart from benzyl butyl phthalate and bisphenol A, the majority is removed via biotransformation followed by a lesser proportion removed with the primary sludge. Fugacity analysis provides useful insight into compound fate in a WWTP and with further calibration and validation the model should be useful for correlative and predictive purposes.
Balancing the budget of environmental estrogen exposure: the contribution of recycled water
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 04-2009
DOI: 10.2166/WST.2009.398
Abstract: Estrogenic endocrine disrupting compounds (e-EDCs) are present in treated sewage and there is concern about estrogenicity of potable recycled water. However e-EDCs are also present in other environmental media and intake from water needs to be considered in relation to these other sources. The concentrations of 13 e-EDCs in foodstuffs and drinking water are reviewed, their predicted concentrations in recycled water are estimated, and the daily estrogenic intake as 17β-estradiol equivalent (EEq) based on both in vitro and in vivo potencies is calculated as 1.39 and 9.65 μg EEq/d, respectively. Dietary intake accounts for more than 99.8% of that total, and more than 84.2% is due to phytosterols. Drinking 2 L of recycled water per day is expected to add 0.001 to 0.016 μg EEq/d based on in vitro and in vivo potencies, respectively. Exposure to e-EDCs in recycled water is therefore likely to be insignificant compared to current dietary intakes.
Chemical and bioanalytical assessment of coal seam gas associated water
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1071/EN14054
Abstract: Environmental context Water associated with coal seam gas is generally of poor quality and thus its management and potential further usage is a subject of concern. In a comprehensive study involving chemical and bioanalytical assessments of coal seam gas associated water, we found that less than 5% of the biological effects could be explained by chemical analysis. The use of bioanalytical tools to complement chemical analysis is recommended for monitoring the quality of water associated with coal seam gas. Abstract A comprehensive study was undertaken involving chemical (inorganic and organic) and bioanalytical assessments of coal seam gas associated water (CSGW) in Queensland, Australia. CSGW is a by-product of the gas extraction process and is generally considered as water of poor quality. CSGW is disposed of by release to surface water, reinjected to groundwater or beneficially reused. In this study, groundwater s les were collected from private wells tapping into the Walloon Coal Measures, the same coal aquifer exploited for coal seam gas production in the Surat Basin. The inorganic characteristics of these water s les were almost identical to the CSGW from the nearby gas field, with high sodium, bicarbonate and chloride concentrations but low calcium, magnesium and negligible sulfate concentrations. As for organic compounds, low levels of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were detected in the water s les, and neither phenols nor volatile organic compounds were found. Five of the fourteen bioassays tested gave positive responses (arylhydrocarbon-receptor gene activation, estrogenic endocrine activity, oxidative stress response, interference with cytokine production and non-specific toxicity), whereas the other nine assays showed no genotoxicity, protein damage or activation of hormone receptors other than the estrogen receptor. The observed effects were benchmarked against known water sources and were similar to secondary treated wastewater effluent, stormwater and surface water. As mixture toxicity modelling demonstrated, the detected PAHs explained less than 5% of the observed biological effects. These results showed that bioanalytical assessment can open new avenues for research into the potential environmental and health risk from CSGW.
Impacts of redox-mediator type on trace organic contaminants degradation by laccase: Degradation efficiency, laccase stability and effluent toxicity
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2016
Development and application of a simple method to detect toxic chemicals in fruits and vegetables that can be implemented in a rudimentary laboratory setting: A proof of concept study
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2017
Ligand Mediated, Spatially Confined Carbonization of Biomass Forming High-Performance Colloidal Carbon Dots
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 14-07-2023
Photolysis and UV/H2 O2 of diclofenac, sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, and trimethoprim: Identification of their major degradation products by ESI–LC–MS and assessment of the toxicity of reaction mixtures
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2017
Continuous biotransformation of bisphenol A and diclofenac by laccase in an enzymatic membrane reactor
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2014
Assessing granular media filtration for the removal of chemical contaminants from wastewater
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2011
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2011.04.005
Abstract: Granular media filtration was evaluated for the removal of a suite of chemical contaminants that can be found in wastewater. Laboratory- and pilot-scale sand and granular activated carbon (GAC) filters were trialled for their ability to remove atrazine, estrone (E1), 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2), N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), N-nitrosomorpholine (NMOR) and N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA). In general, sand filtration was ineffective in removing the contaminants from a tertiary treated wastewater, with the exception of E1 and EE2, where efficient removals were observed after approximately 150 d. Batch degradation experiments confirmed that the removal of E1 was through biological activity, with a pseudo-first-order degradation rate constant of 7.4 × 10(-3) h(-1). GAC filtration was initially able to effectively remove all contaminants although removals decreased over time due to competition with other organics present in the water. The only exception was atrazine where removal remained consistently high throughout the experiment. Previously unreported differences were observed in the adsorption of the three nitrosamines, with the ease of removal following the trend, NDEA > NMOR > NDMA, consistent with their hydrophobic character. In most instances the removals from the pilot-scale filters were generally in agreement with the laboratory-scale filter, suggesting that there is potential in using laboratory-scale filters as monitoring tools to evaluate the performance of pilot- and possibly full-scale sand and GAC filters at wastewater treatment plants.
Downstream trends of in vitro bioassay responses in a wastewater effluent-dominated river
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2018.07.190
Abstract: Surface waters are becoming increasingly influenced by wastewater effluents due to drought conditions, growing populations, and urbanization. These effluents contain mixtures of trace organic compounds (TOrCs), including bioactive constituents, which are not fully attenuated by conventional wastewater treatment systems. This study investigated the occurrence of glucocorticoid receptor (GR), aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), and estrogen receptor (ER) activity, as well as the overall toxicity to bacteria (BLT-Screen), in the effluent of two wastewater reclamation facilities (WRF) and downstream of the Lower Santa Cruz River, Pima County, Arizona USA, which is dominated by the WRF effluents. The GR, AhR, and ER activities and toxicity to bacteria were determined by in vitro bioassays during four seasons. Bioassay results showed the highest activities at the wastewater outfalls, with activities decreasing downstream of the river. Biological equivalent concentrations ranged from 9 to 170 ng/L dexamethasone-equivalents (DexEQ), 0.1-0.8 ng/L 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin-equivalents (TCDDEQ), and <0.005-0.8 ng/L estradiol equivalents (EEQ) for GR-, AhR- and ER-mediated activity, respectively. This level of biological activity at times exceeded the relevant effects-based trigger value for environmental effects, indicating a potential risk to the receiving environment. Toxicity to bacteria was low at all sites, well below the trigger value of 1.0 TU
The effects of mediator and granular activated carbon addition on degradation of trace organic contaminants by an enzymatic membrane reactor
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.BIORTECH.2014.05.125
Abstract: The removal of four recalcitrant trace organic contaminants (TrOCs), namely carbamazepine, diclofenac, sulfamethoxazole and atrazine by laccase in an enzymatic membrane reactor (EMR) was studied. Laccases are not effective for degrading non-phenolic compounds nevertheless, 22-55% removal of these four TrOCs was achieved by the laccase EMR. Addition of the redox-mediator syringaldehyde (SA) to the EMR resulted in a notable dose-dependent improvement (15-45%) of TrOC removal affected by inherent TrOC properties and loading rates. However, SA addition resulted in a concomitant increase in the toxicity of the treated effluent. A further 14-25% improvement in aqueous phase removal of the TrOCs was consistently observed following a one-off dosing of 3g/L granular activated carbon (GAC). Mass balance analysis reveals that this improvement was not due solely to adsorption but also enhanced biodegradation. GAC addition also reduced membrane fouling and the SA-induced toxicity of the effluent.
Assessment of wastewater and recycled water quality: A comparison of lines of evidence from invitro, invivo and chemical analyses
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2013.10.056
Abstract: We investigated water quality at an advanced water reclamation plant and three conventional wastewater treatment plants using an "ecotoxicity toolbox" consisting of three complementary analyses (chemical analysis, in vitro bioanalysis and in situ biological monitoring), with a focus on endocrine disruption. The in vitro bioassays were chosen to provide an appropriately wide coverage of biological effects relevant to managed aquifer recharge and environmental discharge of treated wastewater, and included bioassays for bacterial toxicity (Microtox), genotoxicity (umuC), photosynthesis inhibition (Max-I-PAM) and endocrine effects (E-SCREEN and AR-CALUX). Chemical analysis of hormones and pesticides using LCMSMS was performed in parallel to correlate standard analytical methods with the in vitro assessment. For two plants with surface water discharge into open drains, further field work was carried out to examine in situ effects using mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) as a bioindicator species for possible endocrine effects. The results show considerable cytotoxicity, phytotoxicity, estrogenicity and androgenicity in raw sewage, all of which were significantly reduced by conventional wastewater treatment. No biological response was detected to RO water, suggesting that reverse osmosis is a significant barrier to biologically active compounds. Chemical analysis and in situ monitoring revealed trends consistent with the in vitro results: chemical analysis confirmed the removal trends observed by the bioanalytical tools, and in situ s ling did not reveal any evidence of endocrine disruption specifically due to discharge of treated wastewater (although other sources may be present). Biomarkers of exposure (in vitro) and effect (in vivo or in situ) are complementary and together provide information with a high level of ecological relevance. This study illustrates the utility of combining multiple lines of evidence in the assessment of water quality.
Transcriptomic and physiological changes in Eastern Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) after exposure to progestins and anti-progestagens
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.AQUATOX.2016.08.002
Abstract: Endocrine active compounds (EACs) remain an important group of chemicals that require additional evaluation to determine their environmental impacts. While estrogens and androgens were previously demonstrated to impact organisms during environmental exposures, progestagens have recently been shown to have strong impacts on aquatic organisms. To gain an understanding of the impacts of these types of chemicals on aquatic species, experiments evaluating the mechanisms of action of progestagen exposure were conducted with the Eastern Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki). The objective of this study was to conduct hepatic microarray analysis of male and female G. holbrooki exposed to progestins and anti-progestagens. In addition, we evaluated the ability of levonorgestrel, a synthetic progesterone (progestin), to induce anal fin elongation and to determine how anal fin growth is modulated during co-exposures with progesterone and androgen receptor antagonists. Gene expression analyses were conducted on male and female G. holbrooki exposed for 48h to the agonist levonorgestrel, the antagonist mifepristone, or a mixture of the two chemicals. Microarray analysis revealed that mifepristone does not act as an anti-progestagen in G. holbrooki in liver tissues, and that levonorgestrel elicits strong effects on the processes of embryo development and lipid transport. Levonorgestrel was also demonstrated to induce male secondary sexual characteristic formation in females, and co-exposure of either an androgen or levonorgestrel in the presence of the anti-androgen flutamide prevented anal fin elongation. These results provide indications as to the potential impacts of progestins, including non-target effects such as secondary sexual characteristic formation, and demonstrate the importance of this class of chemicals on aquatic organisms.
Changes in global protein expression in sea turtle cells exposed to common contaminants indicates new biomarkers of chemical exposure
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2021
Histopathology, vitellogenin and chemical body burden in mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) sampled from six river sites receiving a gradient of stressors
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2017.10.148
Abstract: There are over 40,000 chemical compounds registered for use in Australia, and only a handful are monitored in the aquatic receiving environments. Their effects on fish species in Australia are largely unknown. Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) were s led from six river sites in Southeast Queensland identified as at risk from a range of pollutants. The sites selected were downstream of a wastewater treatment plant discharge, a landfill, two agricultural areas, and two sites in undeveloped reaches within or downstream of protected lands (national parks). Vitellogenin analysis, histopathology of liver, kidney and gonads, morphology of the gonopodium, and chemical body burden were measured to characterize fish health. Concentrations of trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) in water were analyzed by in vitro bioassays and chemical analysis. Estrogenic, anti-estrogenic, anti-androgenic, progestagenic and anti-progestagenic activities and TrOCs were detected in multiple water s les. Several active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), industrial compounds, pesticides and other endocrine active compounds were detected in fish carcasses at all sites, ranging from <4-4700ng/g wet weight, including the two undeveloped sites. While vitellogenin protein was slightly increased in fish from two of the six sites, the presence of micropollutants did not cause overt sexual endocrine disruption in mosquitofish (i.e., no abnormal gonads or gonopodia). A correlation between lipid accumulation in the liver with total body burden warrants further investigation to determine if exposure to low concentrations of TrOCs can affect fish health and increase stress on organs such as the liver and kidneys via other mechanisms, including disruption of non-sexual endocrine axes involved in lipid regulation and metabolism.
1 H NMR-based metabolomics reveals sub-lethal toxicity of a mixture of diabetic and lipid-regulating pharmaceuticals on amphibian larvae
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.AQUATOX.2017.01.012
Abstract: Pharmaceuticals are widely used for the treatment of various physical and psychological ailments. Due to incomplete removal during sewage treatment many pharmaceuticals are frequently detected in aquatic waterways at trace concentrations. The ersity of pharmaceutical contaminants and potential for complex mixtures to occur makes it very difficult to predict the toxicity of these compounds on wildlife, and robust methods are therefore needed to explore sub-lethal effects. Metabolic syndrome is one of the most widespread health concerns currently facing the human population, and various drugs, including anti-diabetic medications and lipid- and cholesterol-lowering fibrates and statins, are widely prescribed as treatment. In this study, we exposed striped marsh frog (Limnodynastes peronii) tadpoles to a mixture of the drugs metformin, atorvastatin and bezafibrate at 0.5, 5, 50 and 500μg/L to explore possible effects on growth and development, energy reserves (triglycerides and cholesterol), and profiles of small polar metabolites extracted from hepatic tissues. It was hypothesised that exposure would result in a general reduction in energy reserves, and that this would subsequently correspond with reduced growth and development. Responses differed from expected outcomes based on the known mechanisms of these compounds in humans, with no changes to hepatic triglycerides or cholesterol and a general increase in mass and condition with increasing exposure concentration. Deviation from the expected response patterns may be explained by differences in the receptivity or uptake of the compounds in non-mammalian species. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (
Airborne Microplastics in Indoor and Outdoor Environments of a Developing Country in South Asia: Abundance, Distribution, Morphology, and Possible Sources
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 28-11-2022
Abstract: Airborne microplastics (AMPs) have been reported in indoor and outdoor air in high-income countries and are expected to be a significant contributor to daily microplastic (MP) exposure for human beings. To date, there are only a handful of studies in lower-middle-income countries. In this study, AMPs from 5000 to 50 μm were s led across selected areas of Sri Lanka using an active s ling technique. Suspected AMPs were further characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. MP concentrations were higher indoors compared to outdoor air (0.13-0.93, compared to 0.00-0.23 particles/m
Behaviour, development and metal accumulation in striped marsh frog tadpoles (Limnodynastes peronii) exposed to coal mine wastewater
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.AQUATOX.2016.01.014
Abstract: Coal mining generates large quantities of complex effluent, and this often contains high levels of dissolved solids, suspended solids, metals, hydrocarbons, salts and other compounds. Substantial volumes of mine wastewater are periodically discharged into the environment, through both planned and accidental releases, and this raises concerns about the potential for adverse impacts on aquatic wildlife. There have been few attempts to explore sub-lethal effects of coal mine wastewater on hibians compared to other organisms, and this is particularly true for Australian species. To address existing knowledge gaps, we exposed striped marsh frog (Limnodynastes peronii) tadpoles to 25, 50 and 100% coal mine wastewater collected from two holding dams (CMW1 and CMW2) located at an open cut mine in Central Queensland, Australia. The exposure lasted for four weeks, after which survival, growth and development, swimming behaviour, and concentrations of metals and metalloids in tail and liver tissues were assessed. Physico-chemical parameters varied considerably between sites, with higher turbidity, nutrients, total and dissolved organic carbon, alkalinity and arsenic (As) concentrations at CMW1, and higher conductivity, salinity, dissolved solids, hardness and sulfate levels at CMW2. There was no mortality in controls and less than 5% mortality in CMW1 treatments, whereas survival was significantly decreased in tadpoles exposed to CMW2 with 40 and 55% mortality in the 50 and 100% treatments, respectively. Development was significantly delayed in 100% CMW1 wastewater, but tadpole size (growth) was not influenced by the exposure. Hepatosomatic indices were significantly increased in tadpoles exposed to 25 and 50% CMW1 but not the 100% treatment group. Exposed tadpoles (predominantly those exposed to CMW1) exhibited increased activity after very short-term exposure (24h), but this did not persist as animals approached metamorphic climax. At the end of the experiment, tadpoles exposed to both wastewaters had elevated levels of selenium (Se), cobalt (Co) and As in tail and liver tissue compared to controls. Manganese (Mn) levels were also elevated in livers and tails of CMW2 exposed tadpoles. Hepatic tissue accumulated 8-9 times higher concentrations of Co, Mn and Se compared to tail tissue, irrespective of treatments. Future research is warranted to explore possible relationships between metal bioaccumulation, morpho-physiological effects during development, and subsequent higher-level outcomes related to in idual performance and population fitness.
Chiral Inversion of 2-Arylpropionic Acid Enantiomers under Anaerobic Conditions
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 08-06-2022
Abstract: This work examined the chiral inversion of 2-arylpropionic acids (2-APAs) under anaerobic conditions and the associated microbial community. The anaerobic condition was simulated by two identical anaerobic digesters. Each digester was fed with the substrate containing 11 either pure (
A systematic review of freshwater microplastics in water and sediments: Recommendations for harmonisation to enhance future study comparisons
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2021
Microplastic pollution in a stormwater floating treatment wetland: Detection of tyre particles in sediment
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2020
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2019.136356
Abstract: Synthetic rubber particles released from car tyres are expected to be an important type of microplastics in the environment, with road runoff and stormwater likely to transport tyre particles to the aquatic environment. Stormwater treatment wetlands are one of the key methods for treating road runoff and stormwater, but the presence and concentration of synthetic rubber microplastics from tyre particles in wetlands are largely unknown. In addition, constructed floating wetlands can be built using recycled PET plastic bottles, raising concerns about potential release of microplastics to the environment. In this study, we measured the concentrations of microplastics in water and sediment from the inlet and outlet of a stormwater floating treatment wetland on Queensland's Gold Coast. An average of 0.9 ± 0.3 and 4.0 ± 2.4 microplastic particles/L were detected in the water phase in the inlet and outlet s les, respectively. The sediment contained an average of 595 ± 120 and 320 ± 42 microplastic particles/kg dry sediment in inlet and outlet sediments, respectively. Between 15 and 38% of microplastics in the sediment were identified by FTIR as synthetic rubber-carbon filled particles, most likely derived from car tyres. The presence of synthetic rubber microplastics confirms that tyres can contribute to microplastic pollution in stormwater, with road runoff likely to be an important pathway. No microplastics with the same characteristics and polymer composition as the floating wetland construction material were detected in the water and sediment s les, indicating that the microplastics in the water and sediment detected here did not originate from the floating wetland's material. However, further investigation of older treatment wetlands is required to better understand the potential role of floating treatment wetlands as a source of microplastics.
Bioassay-derived androgenic and estrogenic activity in municipal sewage in Australia and New Zealand
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2006
DOI: 10.1016/J.ECOENV.2005.07.020
Abstract: Raw sewage and sewage at various stages of treatment were s led from 15 municipal sewage treatment plants in south Queensland (Australia) and Canterbury (New Zealand). Estrogenic and androgenic activities were determined with sheep estrogen receptor and rainbow trout androgen receptor binding assays, respectively. Selected estrogenic chemicals were also analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The raw sewage influents contained significant levels of both estrogenic (<4-185 ng/L estradiol equivalents) and androgenic (1920-9330 ng/L testosterone equivalents) activity. Subsequent treatment of raw sewage successfully removed most of the activity so that the estrogenicity and androgenicity associated with the final effluents were very low (<1-4.2 ng/L estradiol equivalents and 99% of the estrogenic activity and 82% to >99% of the androgenic activity in sewage.
Sources, presence and potential effects of contaminants of emerging concern in the marine environments of the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait, Australia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2019.135140
Abstract: Current policy and management for marine water quality in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) in north-eastern Australia primarily focusses on sediment, nutrients and pesticides derived from diffuse source pollution related to agricultural land uses. In addition, contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are known to be present in the marine environments of the GBR and the adjacent Torres Strait (TS). Current and projected agricultural, urban and industrial developments are likely to increase the sources and ersity of CECs being released into these marine ecosystems. In this review, we evaluate the sources, presence and potential effects of six different categories of CECs known to be present, or likely to be present, in the GBR and TS marine ecosystems. Specifically, we summarize available monitoring, source and effect information for antifouling paints coal dust and particles heavy/trace metals and metalloids marine debris and microplastics pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and petroleum hydrocarbons. Our study highlights the lack of (available) monitoring data for most of these CECs, and recommends: (i) the inclusion of all relevant environmental data into integrated databases for building marine baselines for the GBR and TS regions, and (ii) the implementation of local, targeted monitoring programs informed by predictive methods for risk prioritization. Further, our spatial representation of the known and likely sources of these CECs will contribute to future ecological risk assessments of CECs to the GBR and TS marine environments, including risks relative to those identified for sediment, nutrients and pesticides.
Considerations when assessing antagonism in vitro: Why standardizing the agonist concentration matters
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2015.03.054
Abstract: There is increasing recognition of the importance of assessing both agonism and antagonism in parallel for environmental s les. Cell-based in vitro assays have the advantage over receptor binding assays as they are able to differentiate between agonist and antagonist activity, but at present there is no standardized approach to assess antagonism in vitro, and in particular the competing agonist concentration can vary in the literature anywhere from half maximal to maximal effect concentrations. In this study, we investigated the influence of changing agonist concentrations in the estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), progesterone receptor (PR) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) assays run in antagonist mode. The antagonistic effect varied by over two orders of magnitude when using the range of agonist concentrations applied in the literature, clearly indicating the need for standardization. By comparing antagonist EC50 values with different background agonist concentrations, an EC80 background agonist concentration is recommended when assessing antagonism in vitro to optimise both assay sensitivity and reproducibility.
Microplastics and Tire Wear Particles in Urban Stormwater: Abundance, Characteristics, and Potential Mitigation Strategies
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 14-08-2023
An audit of microplastic abundance throughout three Australian wastewater treatment plants
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2021
ES&T’s Best Papers of 2020
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 07-09-2021
Effect-based monitoring to integrate the mixture hazards of chemicals into water safety plans
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 16-11-2022
DOI: 10.2166/WH.2022.165
Abstract: Water safety plans (WSPs) are intended to assure safe drinking water (DW). WSPs involve assessing and managing risks associated with microbial, chemical, physical and radiological hazards from the catchment to the consumer. Currently, chemical hazards in WSPs are assessed by targeted chemical analysis, but this approach fails to account for the mixture effects of the many chemicals potentially present in water supplies and omits the possible effects of non-targeted chemicals. Consequently, effect-based monitoring (EBM) using in vitro bioassays and well plate-based in vivo assays are proposed as a complementary tool to targeted chemical analysis to support risk analysis, risk management and water quality verification within the WSP framework. EBM is frequently applied to DW and surface water and can be utilised in all defined monitoring categories within the WSP framework (including ‘system assessment’, ‘validation’, ‘operational’ and ‘verification’). Ex les of how EBM can be applied within the different WSP modules are provided, along with guidance on where to apply EBM and how frequently. Since this is a new area, guidance documents, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and decision-making frameworks are required for both bioassay operators and WSP teams to facilitate the integration of EBM into WSPs, with these resources being developed currently.
Lessons and guidance for the management of safe drinking water during extreme weather events
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1039/C6EW00165C
Abstract: Extreme weather events have presented significant challenges to drinking water quality managers in Australia.
Novel Use of Cell Profiling Technology to Visualize Mitochondrial Responses of Humpback Whale Fibroblasts to Chemical Exposure
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 05-06-2023
Environmentally relevant concentrations of polyethylene microplastics negatively impact the survival, growth and emergence of sediment-dwelling invertebrates
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVPOL.2018.01.094
Abstract: Microplastics are a widespread environmental pollutant in aquatic ecosystems and have the potential to eventually sink to the sediment, where they may pose a risk to sediment-dwelling organisms. While the impacts of exposure to microplastics have been widely reported for marine biota, the effects of microplastics on freshwater organisms at environmentally realistic concentrations are largely unknown, especially for benthic organisms. Here we examined the effects of a realistic concentration of polyethylene microplastics in sediment on the growth and emergence of a freshwater organism Chironomus tepperi. We also assessed the influence of microplastic size by exposing C. tepperi larvae to four different size ranges of polyethylene microplastics (1-4, 10-27, 43-54 and 100-126 μm). Exposure to an environmentally relevant concentration of microplastics, 500 particles/kg
In vitro bioassays to evaluate complex chemical mixtures in recycled water
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2015
In vitro bioassays reveal that additives are significant contributors to the toxicity of commercial household pesticides
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.AQUATOX.2018.03.033
Abstract: Pesticides commonly used around households can contain additives of unknown concentrations and toxicity. Given the likelihood of these chemicals washing into urban waterways, it is important to understand the effects that these additives may have on aquatic organisms. The aim of this study was to compare the toxicity of commercially available household pesticides to that of the active ingredient(s) alone. The toxicity of five household pesticides (three herbicides and two insecticides) was investigated using a bacterial cytotoxicity bioassay and an algal photosynthesis bioassay. The commercial products were up to an order of magnitude more toxic than the active ingredient(s) alone. In addition, two commercial products with the same listed active ingredients in the same ratio had a 600× difference in potency. These results clearly demonstrate that additives in commercial formulations are significant contributors to the toxicity of household pesticides. The toxicity of pesticides in aquatic systems is therefore likely underestimated by conventional chemical monitoring and risk assessment when only the active ingredients are considered. Regulators and customers should require more clarity from pesticide manufacturers about the nature and concentrations of not only the active ingredients, but also additives used in commercial formulations. In addition, monitoring programmes and chemical risk assessments schemes should develop a structured approach to assessing the toxic effects of commercial formulations, including additives, rather than simply those of the listed active ingredients.
Charting a path towards non-destructive biomarkers in threatened wildlife: A systematic quantitative literature review
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVPOL.2017.11.044
Abstract: Threatened species are susceptible to irreversible population decline caused by adverse sub-lethal effects of chemical contaminant exposure. It is therefore vital to develop the necessary tools to predict and detect these effects as early as possible. Biomarkers of contaminant exposure and effect are widely applied to this end, and a significant amount of research has focused on development and validation of sensitive and diagnostic biomarkers. However, progress in the use biomarkers that can be measured using non-destructive techniques has been relatively slow and there are still many difficulties to overcome in the development of sound methods. This paper systematically quantifies and reviews studies that have aimed to develop or validate non-destructive biomarkers in wildlife, and provides an analysis of the successes of these methods based on the invasiveness of the methods, the potential for universal application, cost, and the potential for new biomarker discovery. These data are then used to infer what methods and approaches appear the most effective for successful development of non-destructive biomarkers of contaminant exposure in wildlife. This review highlights that research on non-destructive biomarkers in wildlife is severely lacking, and suggests further exploration of in vitro methods in future studies.
Exploring the oxidative stress response mechanism triggered by environmental water samples
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1039/C6EM00541A
Abstract: The oxidative stress response triggered by surface water s les was explored by measuring ROS formation and changes in glutathione concentration.
Enhancement of trace organic contaminant degradation by crude enzyme extract from Trametes versicolor culture: Effect of mediator type and concentration
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2014
Understanding the implications of dissolved organic carbon when assessing antagonism in vitro: An example with an estrogen receptor assay
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2015.04.084
Abstract: Both estrogenic and anti-estrogenic activity has been observed in water s les. Some studies have suggested that dissolved organic carbon (DOC), which can be co-extracted during s le enrichment, contributes to the apparent antagonistic effect. DOC has a high sorption capacity for the estrogen receptor (ER) agonist 17β-estradiol, which may reduce the available 17β-estradiol concentration in the antagonist testing mode and potentially lead to apparent antagonism. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of DOC when assessing antagonism in an ER reporter gene assay. The presence of DOC shifted the 17β-estradiol concentration-effect curve to higher concentrations, increasing the nominal EC50 value by up to 0.3 log units. However, this shift was within the usual variability associated with repeated measurements of concentration-effect curves. This shift was not due to DOC being an antagonist itself or interfering with fluorescence measurements, but was due to DOC reducing the bioavailability of 17β-estradiol. This was demonstrated by modelling the DOC sorption corrected 17β-estradiol concentration using experimental DOC-water partition coefficients (KDOC). While the shift in the 17β-estradiol concentration-effect curve was minor, sorption of 17β-estradiol to DOC can have an impact when assessing antagonism. At the EC50 agonist concentration, both modelled and experimental results showed that DOC at concentrations similar to that co-extracted in water s les caused suppression of the agonist at levels that would be classified as antagonism. The suppression was less pronounced at the EC80 agonist concentration, hence this is recommended when assessing antagonism of DOC rich s les, such as surface water and wastewater.
Concentrations of levonorgestrel and ethinylestradiol in wastewater effluents: Is the progestin also cause for concern?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-03-2016
DOI: 10.1002/ETC.3304
Abstract: Synthetic hormones have been widely reported in treated sewage effluents, and consequently receiving aquatic environments. Ethinylestradiol (EE2) is a potent synthetic estrogen commonly used in conjunction with levonorgestrel in oral contraceptive pills. Both EE2 and levonorgestrel have been identified in the aquatic environment, but although there is a significant amount of literature on EE2, there is much less information on levonorgestrel. Using Australian prescription data as well as excretion and predicted wastewater removal rates, the concentrations of EE2 and levonorgestrel in Australian wastewater were calculated at 0.1 ng/L to 0.5 ng/L and 0.2 ng/L to 0.6 ng/L, respectively. Both compounds were analyzed in treated wastewater and surface water grab s les from 3 Southeast Queensland, Australia sites. The predicted no‐effect concentration (PNEC) for EE2 of 0.1 ng/L was exceeded at most sites, with EE2 concentrations up to 2 ng/L in treated effluent, albeit quickly diluted to 0.1 ng/L to 0.2 ng/L in the receiving environment. A provisional PNEC for levonorgestrel of 0.1 ng/L derived in the present study was slightly lower than predicted effluent concentrations of 0.2 ng/L to 0.6 ng/L, indicating a potential risk of endocrine‐related effects in exposed aquatic species. The detection limit for levonorgestrel in the present study was 2.5 ng/L, and all s les were below detection limit. The present study's results suggest that improvements in analytical capabilities for levonorgestrel are warranted to more accurately quantify the risk of this compound in the receiving environment. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016 :1378–1385. © 2015 SETAC
Primary green turtle (Chelonia mydas) skin fibroblasts as an in vitro model for assessing genotoxicity and oxidative stress
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.AQUATOX.2018.11.022
Abstract: Little is known about the effects of contaminants that accumulate in sea turtles. When in vivo exposure studies have ethical and logistical barriers, as is the case with sea turtles, in vitro tools can provide important information on the effects of contaminants. Several in vitro studies have assessed cytotoxicity of contaminants to sea turtles cells, however to gain a more refined mechanistic understanding of the effects of contaminants, sub-lethal effects also require investigation. Considering the complex mixture of contaminants that sea turtles are potentially exposed to, high throughput testing methods are necessary so that a large number of contaminants (and mixtures) can be rapidly tested. This study examined oxidative stress (reactive oxygen species production) and genotoxicity (micronucleus formation) in primary green turtle skin fibroblasts in response to 16 organic and inorganic contaminants found in coastal environments. Significant induction of oxidative stress was found with Cu, Co, Cr, and Hg. Significant effects on genotoxicity were found with Cu, Co, Cr, Hg, Pb and metolachlor. Effect concentrations from the bioassays were used in a simple risk assessment of turtles worldwide using accumulation values from the literature to identify populations at risk. Cu, Co, Cr and Hg were identified as posing the biggest threat to sea turtles. This study demonstrated the validity of using primary turtle cell cultures in the assessment of risk associated with a large number of contaminants using a high-throughput toxicity testing format.
Assessment of urban stream sediment pollutants entering estuaries using chemical analysis and multiple bioassays to characterise biological activities
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2017.03.209
Abstract: Stormwater contaminants are a major source of often neglected environmental stressors because of the emphasis placed on the management of municipal and industrial wastewaters. Stormwater-derived pollutants in sediments from two New Zealand estuaries was characterised by analytical chemistry and bioassays. Contaminants were extracted from sediment using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), recovered and concentrated by solid phase extraction (SPE), and analysed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), selected metals, and musk fragrances. The concentrations of PAHs were below the ANZECC Interim Sediment Quality Guideline values while those of lead and zinc exceeded them in some s les. The sediment extracts containing organic contaminants exhibited acute toxicity in the zebrafish fish embryo toxicity (FET) and teratogenicity, induction of biotransformation (EROD activity), and genotoxicity (comet assay) in zebrafish. The potential of the extracts to interact with endocrine signalling processes was assessed by GeneBLAzer reporter gene bioassays and they exhibited estrogenic, androgenic, and anti-progestagenic activities.
Assessing the role of different dissolved organic carbon and bromide concentrations for disinfection by-product formation using chemical analysis and bioanalysis
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 18-04-2019
DOI: 10.1007/S11356-019-05017-0
Abstract: Concerns regarding disinfection by-product (DBP) formation during drinking water treatment have led water utilities to apply treatment processes to reduce the concentration of DBP precursor natural organic matter (NOM). However, these processes often do not remove bromide, leading to high bromide to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) ratios after treatment, which can increase the formation of more toxic brominated DBPs. In the current study, we investigated the formation and effect of DBPs in a matrix of synthetic water s les containing different concentrations of bromide and DOC after disinfection with chlorine. Trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids were analysed by chemical analysis, while effect was evaluated using in vitro bioassays indicative of the oxidative stress response and bacterial toxicity. While the addition of increasing bromide concentrations did not alter the sum molar concentration of DBPs formed, the speciation changed, with greater bromine incorporation with an increasing Br:DOC ratio. However, the observed effect did not correlate with the Br:DOC ratio, but instead, effect increased with increasing DOC concentration. Water s les with low DOC and high bromide did not exceed the available oxidative stress response effect-based trigger value (EBT), while all s les with high DOC, irrespective of the bromide concentration, exceeded the EBT. This suggests that treatment processes that remove NOM can improve drinking water quality, even if they are unable to remove bromide. Further, iceberg modelling showed that detected DBPs only explained a small fraction of the oxidative stress response, supporting the application of both chemical analysis and bioanalysis for monitoring DBP formation.
Degradation of diclofenac, trimethoprim, carbamazepine, and sulfamethoxazole by laccase from Trametes versicolor: Transformation products and toxicity of treated effluent
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 11-04-2019
Locomotor and behavioural responses of empire gudgeons (Hypseleotris compressa) exposed to coal mine wastewater
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2015.10.026
Abstract: Coal mining generates large quantities of complex effluent and may pose a threat to aquatic wildlife. Despite this, few studies have explored the consequences of exposure to mine wastewater on aquatic organisms, and this is particularly true for the Australian environment. We investigated sub-lethal behavioural responses in a native Australian fish exposed to wastewater from two releasing dams (CMW1 and CMW2) located at an open cut coal mine in Central Queensland. Swimming activity and movement of empire gudgeons (Hypseleotris compressa) were assessed during a two-week exposure using video-tracking software. Increased activity was observed in exposed fish after 7 and 14 days. Specifically, we found a significant increase in the mean velocity and mobility of fish exposed to CMW1 treatments. Exposed fish also spent on average 23% more time in the peripheral zone compared to controls after 14-d exposures. A similar response pattern was observed in fish exposed to CMW2, but differences between treated and control fish did not generally reach statistical significance. Alterations to normal swimming activity and movement patterns can be indicative of a stress response in fish, and could subsequently lead to negative population-level impacts by increasing the conspicuousness of exposed in iduals to predators, or by altering foraging abilities. More research is warranted to explore relationships between behavioural and physiological outcomes, including endocrine disruption, and subsequent population-level outcomes in aquatic organisms at risk of exposure to coal process-affected water.
Laccase–syringaldehyde-mediated degradation of trace organic contaminants in an enzymatic membrane reactor: Removal efficiency and effluent toxicity
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.BIORTECH.2015.10.054
Abstract: Redox-mediators such as syringaldehyde (SA) can improve laccase-catalyzed degradation of trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) but may increase effluent toxicity. The degradation performance of 14 phenolic and 17 non-phenolic TrOCs by a continuous flow enzymatic membrane reactor (EMR) at different TrOC and SA loadings was assessed. A specific emphasis was placed on the investigation of the toxicity of the enzyme (laccase), SA, TrOCs and the treated effluent. Batch tests demonstrated significant in idual and interactive toxicity of the laccase and SA preparations. Reduced removal of resistant TrOCs by the EMR was observed for dosages over 50μg/L. SA addition at a concentration of 10μM significantly improved TrOC removal, but no removal improvement was observed at the elevated SA concentrations of 50 and 100μM. The treated effluent showed significant toxicity at SA concentrations beyond 10μM, providing further evidence that higher dosage of SA must be avoided.
Comparison of in vitro and in vivo bioassays to measure thyroid hormone disrupting activity in water extracts
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2017.10.109
Abstract: Environmental chemicals can induce thyroid disruption through a number of mechanisms including altered thyroid hormone biosynthesis and transport, as well as activation and inhibition of the thyroid receptor. In the current study six in vitro bioassays indicative of different mechanisms of thyroid disruption and one whole animal in vivo assay were applied to 9 model compounds and 4 different water s les (treated wastewater, surface water, drinking water and ultra-pure lab water both unspiked and spiked with model compounds) to determine their ability to detect thyroid active compounds. Most assays correctly identified and quantified the model compounds as agonists or antagonists, with the reporter gene assays being the most sensitive. However, the reporter gene assays did not detect significant thyroid activity in any of the water s les, suggesting that activation or inhibition of the thyroid hormone receptor is not a relevant mode of action for thyroid endocrine disruptors in water. The thyroperoxidase (TPO) inhibition assay and transthyretin (TTR) displacement assay (FITC) detected activity in the surface water and treated wastewater s les, but more work is required to assess if this activity is a true measure of thyroid activity or matrix interference. The whole animal Xenopus Embryonic Thyroid Assay (XETA) detected some activity in the unspiked surface water and treated wastewater extracts, but not in unspiked drinking water, and appears to be a suitable assay to detect thyroid activity in environmental waters.
Metabolite profiles of striped marsh frog (Limnodynastes peronii) larvae exposed to the anti-androgenic fungicides vinclozolin and propiconazole are consistent with altered steroidogenesis and oxidati
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.AQUATOX.2018.04.004
Abstract: Amphibians use wetlands in urban and agricultural landscapes for breeding, growth and development. Fungicides and other pesticides used in these areas have therefore been identified as potential threats that could contribute towards hibian population declines. However, relatively little is known about how such chemicals influence sensitive early life-stages or how short episodic exposures influence sub-lethal physiological and metabolic pathways. The present study applied untargeted metabolomics to evaluate effects in early post-hatch hibian larvae exposed to the anti-androgenic fungicides vinclozolin and propiconazole. Recently hatched (Gosner developmental stage 25) striped marsh frog (Limnodynastes peronii) larvae were exposed for 96 h to vinclozolin at 17.5, 174.8 and 1748.6 nM and propiconazole at 5.8, 58.4 and 584.4 nM. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was performed on polar metabolites obtained from whole-body extracts. Both fungicides altered metabolite profiles compared to control animals at all concentrations tested, and there were notable differences between the two chemicals. Overall responses were consistent with altered steroidogenesis and/or cholesterol metabolism, with inconsistent responses between the two fungicides likely reflecting minor differences in the mechanisms of action of these chemicals. Broad down-regulation of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle was also observed and is indicative of oxidative stress. Interestingly, formic acid was significantly increased in larvae exposed to vinclozolin but not propiconazole, suggesting this metabolite may serve as a useful biomarker of exposure to androgen-receptor binding anti-androgenic contaminants. This study demonstrates the power of untargeted metabolomics for distinguishing between similarly acting, but distinct, pollutants and for unraveling non-endocrine responses resulting from exposure to known endocrine active contaminants.
Elucidating the performance of an integrated laccase- and persulfate-assisted process for degradation of trace organic contaminants (TrOCs)
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2020
DOI: 10.1039/C9EW01022J
Abstract: This study presents the performance of an integrated laccase and persulfate oxidation process for trace organic contaminant degradation and elucidates the performance governing factors.
Extreme weather events: Should drinking water quality management systems adapt to changing risk profiles?
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2015.08.018
Abstract: Among the most widely predicted and accepted consequences of global climate change are increases in both the frequency and severity of a variety of extreme weather events. Such weather events include heavy rainfall and floods, cyclones, droughts, heatwaves, extreme cold, and wildfires, each of which can potentially impact drinking water quality by affecting water catchments, storage reservoirs, the performance of water treatment processes or the integrity of distribution systems. Drinking water guidelines, such as the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and the World Health Organization Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality, provide guidance for the safe management of drinking water. These documents present principles and strategies for managing risks that may be posed to drinking water quality. While these principles and strategies are applicable to all types of water quality risks, very little specific attention has been paid to the management of extreme weather events. We present a review of recent literature on water quality impacts of extreme weather events and consider practical opportunities for improved guidance for water managers. We conclude that there is a case for an enhanced focus on the management of water quality impacts from extreme weather events in future revisions of water quality guidance documents.
Analysis of the sensitivity of in vitro bioassays for androgenic, progestagenic, glucocorticoid, thyroid and estrogenic activity: Suitability for drinking and environmental waters
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.ENVINT.2016.12.014
Abstract: The presence of endocrine disrupting chemicals in the aquatic environment poses a risk for ecosystem health. Consequently there is a need for sensitive tools, such as in vitro bioassays, to monitor endocrine activity in environmental waters. The aim of the current study was to assess whether current in vitro bioassays are suitable to detect endocrine activity in a range of water types. The reviewed assays included androgenic (n=11), progestagenic (n=6), glucocorticoid (n=5), thyroid (n=5) and estrogenic (n=8) activity in both agonist and antagonist mode. Existing in vitro bioassay data were re-evaluated to determine assay sensitivity, with the calculated method detection limit compared with measured hormonal activity in treated wastewater, surface water and drinking water to quantify whether the studied assays were sufficiently sensitive for environmental s les. With typical s le enrichment, current in vitro bioassays are sufficiently sensitive to detect androgenic activity in treated wastewater and surface water, with anti-androgenic activity able to be detected in most environmental waters. Similarly, with sufficient enrichment, the studied mammalian assays are able to detect estrogenic activity even in drinking water s les. Fewer studies have focused on progestagenic and glucocorticoid activity, but some of the reviewed bioassays are suitable for detecting activity in treated wastewater and surface water. Even less is known about (anti)thyroid activity, but the available data suggests that the more sensitive reviewed bioassays are still unlikely to detect this type of activity in environmental waters. The findings of this review can help provide guidance on in vitro bioassay selection and required s le enrichment for optimised detection of endocrine activity in environmental waters.
Cytotoxicity of organic and inorganic compounds to primary cell cultures established from internal tissues of Chelonia mydas
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2019.02.052
Abstract: Chemical contaminants have been found in the tissues of sea turtles from all over the world however, very little is known about the effects. Recently, in vitro alternatives to live animal testing have been applied to sea turtles due to their ethical and practical benefits. While primary skin fibroblasts have been established for several species of sea turtle, cells from internal organs are lacking, though they may be more relevant due to the well documented accumulation of contaminants within internal tissues. This study established primary cell cultures from the small intestine, heart, liver, ovary and skin of green turtles (Chelonia mydas). Cells were exposed to ten contaminants typically found in sea turtles to examine potential variations in sensitivity among cells established from different organs. Differences between cells established from different animals were also examined, including a comparison of cells established from a turtle with fibropapillomatosis (FP) and healthy turtles. Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) primary skin cells were also included for species comparisons. Significant differences were found between the organ types, with liver and heart being the least sensitive, and skin being the most sensitive. Overall, variation between the organ types was low. Primary skin fibroblasts may be a suitable and representative cell type for in vitro turtle toxicology research, as it is relatively easy to obtain from healthy live animals. Skin cultures provide a more sensitive indication of effect, and could be used as an early warning of the potential effects of chemical contamination. Some species differences were found but no differences were found between cell cultures from an FP turtle and healthy turtles. When EC
Altered bioenergetics and developmental effects in striped marsh frog (Limnodynastes peronii) tadpoles exposed to UV treated sewage
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.AQUATOX.2016.03.010
Abstract: Effectively treating domestic wastewater so that it can be safely discharged or reused is critical for maintaining the integrity of freshwater resources, and for protecting the health of animals that rely on these systems. Amphibians are currently facing widespread population declines, so there is a particularly urgent need to investigate exposure scenarios that might result in weakened hibian populations. Domestic sewage has received little attention as a possible factor that could influence the survival, growth and development, or general health of hibians. However, wastewater reuse for crop irrigation and other purposes is increasing and holding ponds and constructed wetlands exist at many wastewater treatment facilities, introducing conceivable pathways that could result in the exposure of hibians to treated wastewater. We exposed developing striped marsh frog (Limnodynastes peronii) tadpoles, to control water and 12.5, 25, 50 and 100% UV treated domestic sewage, and quantified effects on growth and development, hepatic energy reserves, and enzymatic pathways associated with detoxification and oxidative stress. Growth and development were accelerated and relative liver size was increased in exposed animals. The exposure resulted in an apparently hormetic increase in hepatic triglycerides and dose-dependent reduction in glycogen stores, as well as increased lipase and NADPH activity, indicating a general disruption to energy metabolism and/or mobilization. Contrary to expectations based on published studies with fish, we found no evidence of lipid peroxidation or induction of the detoxification enzyme Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), however, this may reflect the use of UV treatment as opposed to chlorination for disinfection. Chemical analysis and risk-based prioritization consistently identified fluoxetine, triclosan and diazinon as high-risk contaminants in the wastewater, with nonylphenol and mestranol flagged as risks during one early collection. Research is needed to explore the potential for these specific contaminants to elicit the responses identified in the present study, and to perform similar assessments using wastewater from other locations with different treatment options.
Towards Sustainable Environmental Quality: Priority Research Questions for the Australasian Region of Oceania
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 13-09-2019
DOI: 10.1002/IEAM.4180
A sensitive and high throughput bacterial luminescence assay for assessing aquatic toxicity – the BLT-Screen
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1039/C5EM00012B
Abstract: The development of a cost effective, sensitive and high throughput aquatic toxicity assay with a wide range of research and monitoring applications.
Effect‐Based Trigger Values Are Essential for the Uptake of Effect‐Based Methods in Water Safety Planning
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-02-2023
DOI: 10.1002/ETC.5544
Abstract: Effect‐based methods (EBMs) using in vitro bioassays and well plate–based in vivo assays are recommended for water quality monitoring because they can capture the mixture effects of the many chemicals present in water. Many in vitro bioassays are highly sensitive, so an effect in a bioassay does not necessarily indicate poor chemical water quality. Consequently, effect‐based trigger values (EBTs) have been introduced to differentiate between acceptable and unacceptable chemical water quality and are required for the wider acceptance of EBMs by the water sector and regulatory bodies. These EBTs have been derived for both drinking water and surface water to protect human and ecological health, respectively, and are available for assays indicative of specific receptor‐mediated effects, as well as assays indicative of adaptive stress responses, apical effects, and receptor‐mediated effects triggered by many chemicals. An overview of currently available EBTs is provided, and a simple approach is proposed to predict interim EBTs for assays currently without an EBT based on the effect concentration of the assay reference compound. There was good agreement between EBTs predicted using this simplistic approach and EBTs from the literature derived using more robust methods. Finally, an interpretation framework that outlines the steps to take if the effect of a s le exceeds the EBT was developed to help facilitate the uptake of EBMs in routine water quality monitoring and water safety planning for drinking water production. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023 :714–726. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
In vitro cytotoxicity assessment of a hydraulic fracturing fluid
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1071/EN14010
Abstract: Environmental context Hydraulic fracturing fluids, used in large volumes by the coal seam gas mining industry, are potentially present in the environment either in underground formations or in mine wastewater (produced water). Previous studies of the human health and environmental effects of this practice have been limited because they use only desktop methods and have not considered combined mixture toxicity. We use a novel in vitro method for toxicity assessment, and describe the toxicity of a hydraulic fracturing fluid on a human gastrointestinal cell line. Abstract Hydraulic fracturing fluids are chemical mixtures used to enhance oil and gas extraction. There are concerns that fracturing fluids are hazardous and that their release into the environment – by direct injection to coal and shale formations or as residue in produced water – may have effects on ecosystems, water quality and public health. This study aimed to characterise the acute cytotoxicity of a hydraulic fracturing fluid using a human gastrointestinal cell line and, using this data, contribute to the understanding of potential human health risks posed by coal seam gas (CSG) extraction in Queensland, Australia. Previous published research on the health effects of hydraulic fracturing fluids has been limited to desktop studies of in idual chemicals. As such, this study is one of the first attempts to characterise the toxicity of a hydraulic fracturing mixture using laboratory methods. The fracturing fluid was determined to be cytotoxic, with half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) values across mixture variations ranging between 25 and 51mM. When used by industry, these fracturing fluids would be at concentrations of over 200mM before injection into the coal seam. A 5-fold dilution would be sufficient to reduce the toxicity of the fluids to below the detection limit of the assay. It is unlikely that human exposure would occur at these high (‘before use’) concentrations and likely that the fluids would be diluted during use. Thus, it can be inferred that the level of acute risk to human health associated with the use of these fracturing fluids is low. However, a thorough exposure assessment and additional chronic and targeted toxicity assessments are required to conclusively determine human health risks.
Assessing the potential for trace organic contaminants commonly found in Australian rivers to induce vitellogenin in the native rainbowfish (Melanotaenia fluviatilis) and the introduced mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki)
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.AQUATOX.2017.02.008
Abstract: In Australia, trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) and endocrine active compounds (EACs) have been detected in rivers impacted by sewage effluent, urban stormwater, agricultural and industrial inputs. It is unclear whether these chemicals are at concentrations that can elicit endocrine disruption in Australian fish species. In this study, native rainbowfish (Melanotaenia fluviatilis) and introduced invasive (but prevalent) mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) were exposed to the in idual compounds atrazine, estrone, bisphenol A, propylparaben and pyrimethanil, and mixtures of compounds including hormones and personal care products, industrial compounds, and pesticides at environmentally relevant concentrations. Vitellogenin (Vtg) protein and liver Vtg mRNA induction were used to assess the estrogenic potential of these compounds. Vtg expression was significantly affected in both species exposed to estrone at concentrations that leave little margin for safety (p<0.001). Propylparaben caused a small but statistically significant 3× increase in Vtg protein levels (p=0.035) in rainbowfish but at a concentration 40× higher than that measured in the environment, therefore propylparaben poses a low risk of inducing endocrine disruption in fish. Mixtures of pesticides and a mixture of hormones, pharmaceuticals, industrial compounds and pesticides induced a small but statistically significant increase in plasma Vtg in rainbowfish, but did not affect mosquitofish Vtg protein or mRNA expression. These results suggest that estrogenic activity represents a low risk to fish in most Australian rivers monitored to-date except for some species of fish at the most polluted sites.
Assessment of the application of bioanalytical tools as surrogate measure of chemical contaminants in recycled water
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2013.11.030
Abstract: The growing use of recycled water in large urban centres requires comprehensive public health risk assessment and management, an important aspect of which is the assessment and management of residual trace chemical substances. Bioanalytical methods such as in vitro bioassays may be ideal screening tools that can detect a wide range of contaminants based on their biological effect. In this study, we applied thirteen in vitro assays selected explicitly for their ability to detect molecular and cellular effects relevant to potential chemical exposure via drinking water as a means of screening for chemical contaminants from recycled water at 9 Australian water reclamation plants, in parallel to more targeted direct chemical analysis of 39 priority compounds. The selected assays provided measures of primary non-specific (cytotoxicity to various cell types), specific (inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and endocrine receptor-mediated effects) and reactive toxicity (mutagenicity and genotoxicity), as well as markers of adaptive stress response (modulation of cytokine production) and xenobiotic metabolism (liver enzyme induction). Chemical and bioassay analyses were in agreement and complementary to each other: the results show that source water (treated wastewater) contained high levels of biologically active compounds, with positive results in almost all bioassays. The quality of the product water (reclaimed water) was only marginally better after ultrafiltration or dissolved air floatation/filtration, but greatly improved after reverse osmosis often reducing biological activity to below detection limit. The bioassays were able to detect activity at concentrations below current chemical method detection limits and provided a sum measure of all biologically active compounds for that bioassay, thus providing an additional degree of confidence in water quality.
Assessment of the Reproductive-Endocrine Disrupting Potential of Chlorine Dioxide Oxidation Products of Plant Sterols
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 21-03-2006
DOI: 10.1021/ES060089U
Abstract: This study examined the hypothesis that chlorine dioxide bleaching used in pulp and paper production causes the formation of reproductive-endocrine disrupting compounds from plant sterols. This was tested by conducting a laboratory simulation of the chlorine dioxide oxidation of two plant sterols, beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol. Oxidation products of the plant sterol beta-sitosterol were purified and identified and found to be cholestan-24-ethyl-3-one, 4-cholestene-24-ethyl-3-one, and 4-cholestene-24-ethyl-3,6-dione. The first two compounds were found in a number of pulp and paper effluents and biosolids. The sterols and their oxidation products were tested in vitro using bioassays for androgenicity and estrogenicity. A 28 d in vivo bioassay was employed to examine masculinization in female mosquitofish. In vitro bioassays revealed little estrogenic activity in the parent sterols or in mixtures of their oxidation products. Androgenic activity as measured by the androgen receptor binding bioassay was in the order of 19-96 microg/g testosterone equivalents but with no increase or decrease with chlorine dioxide oxidation. The mosquitofish bioassay did not show significant masculinization for any of the preparations tested. A number of androstane steroids were identified in the sterols tested, however, those compounds could only account for a small fraction of the androgenic activity in the sterols. It was clear that the parent sterols were not themselves acting as androgens in the bioassays used. This study indicated that chlorine dioxide oxidation of sterols produced predominantly oxidized sterols that were not likely to act through androgenic or estrogenic mechanisms.
Degradation of a broad spectrum of trace organic contaminants by an enzymatic membrane reactor: Complementary role of membrane retention and enzymatic degradation
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2015
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