Microplastic (MP) represent a pervasive and escalating threat to aquatic ecosystems, impacting organisms from cellular to population levels. To investigate the immediate molecular impacts of MP exposure, we exposed Daphnia magna, a keystone species in freshwater ecosystems, to polystyrene microplastic particles (5 μm, 5 μg/L) for 48 h. Through proteomic and biochemical analyses, we identified extensive disruptions in key physiological pathways.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere is growing concern that sprayed neonicotinoid pesticides () persist in mixed forms in the environmental soil and water systems, and these concerns stem from reports of increase in both the detection frequency and concentration of these pollutants. To confirm the toxic effects of , we conducted toxicity tests on two , clothianidin (CLO) and imidacloprid (IMD), in embryos of zebrafish. Toxicity tests were performed with two different types of mixtures: potential mixture compounds and realistic mixture compounds.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNew approaches for elucidating mechanisms of diseases including environmental diseases, cancer, metabolic diseases, infectious diseases are challenging. After the presentation on elucidating the mechanism of cancer and infectious diseases, lectures by Dr. Tae-Young Kim (Korea) on metabolic deuterium oxide labeling in environmental diseases, Dr.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSince the run off of microplastic and plastic additives into the aquatic environment through the disposal of plastic products, we investigated the adverse effects of co-exposure to microplastics and plastic additives on zebrafish embryonic development. To elucidate the combined effects between microplastic mixtures composed of microplastics and plastic additives in zebrafish embryonic development, polystyrene (PS), bisphenol S (BPS), and mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) were chosen as a target contaminant. Based on non-toxic concentration of each contaminant in zebrafish embryos, microplastic mixtures which is consisted of binary and ternary mixed forms were prepared.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlkylphenols, such as nonylphenol and 4-tert-octylphenol (OP), are byproducts of the biodegradation of alkylphenol ethoxylates and present substantial ecological and health risks in aquatic environments and higher life forms. In this context, our study aimed to explore the effect of OP on reproductive endocrine function in both female and male zebrafish. Over a period of 21 days, the zebrafish were subjected to varying concentrations of OP (0, 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEffect-directed analysis (EDA) is a crucial tool in environmental toxicology, effectively integrating toxicity testing with chemical analysis. The conventional EDA approach, however, presents challenges such as significant solvent consumption, extended analysis time, labor intensity, and potential contamination risks. In response, we introduce an innovative alternative to the conventional EDA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWith rapid industrialization, urbanization, and climate change, the impact of environmental factors on human health is becoming increasingly evident and understanding the complex mechanisms involved is vital from a healthcare perspective. Nevertheless, the relationship between physiological stress resulting from environmental stressors and environmental disease is complex and not well understood. Chronic exposure to environmental stressors, such as air and water contaminants, pesticides, and toxic metals, has been recognized as a potent elicitor of physiological responses ranging from systemic inflammation to immune system dysregulation causing or progressing environmental diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPerchlorate, a widespread environmental contaminant originating from various industrial applications, agricultural practices, and natural sources, poses potential risks to ecosystems and human health. While previous studies have highlighted its influence on the thyroid endocrine system and its impact on gonadal maturation, reproduction, and sex hormone synthesis, the specific interplay between thyroid and steroid hormones, in this context, remains largely unexplored. Therefore, this study was undertaken to investigate the adverse effects and underlying mechanisms triggered by exposure to sodium perchlorate (SP) on reproductive endocrine activity in zebrafish.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe objective of this study was to assess the thyroid hormone disruption and reproductive dysfunction effects of the bioaccumulation and rate of mechanism in zebrafish exposed to tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP), with stress responsiveness. The fish were exposed to test concentrations of TDCPP (0, 0.06, 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBisphenol S (BPS), an organic compound and bisphenol analog, is commonly used as a substitute for bisphenol A. BPS is widely used in epoxy glues, can coatings, and thermal receipt papers; however, its risks have not been fully determined and the probability of its toxicity has been continuously suggested. In this study, we conducted BPS toxicity tests on aquatic plants (acute), cladocerans (acute and chronic), and fish (chronic) to determine its adverse effects, and calculated the toxicity values.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTitanium dioxide, frequently used in commonplace products, is now regularly detected in aquatic environments. Understanding its toxic effects on native biota is essential. However, combined toxicity with commonly occurring pollutants, such as the pharmaceutical diclofenac, may provide more insight into environmental situations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnviron Sci Pollut Res Int
February 2023
Benzyl benzoate (BB) is widely used in the food, cosmetics, agriculture, and pharmaceutical industries and is discharged into the aquatic environment via various water sources, including wastewater. Research on the bioaccumulation and possible toxicity of BB has been conducted, but the biochemical responses to BB toxicity are not fully understood, and the specific molecular pathways by which BB causes toxicity remain unknown. In this study, label-free quantitative proteomics based on mass spectrometry was applied to investigate protein profiles in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos exposed to BB (1 µg/mL) for 7 days.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe objective of this study was to biomonitor the effects of potential environmental pollutants in urban-stream waters, on fish health. Pale chub (Zacco platypus), a dominant species in the Korea urban stream waters, was chosen and biomonitoring indicators for the different spatial characteristics were tailored in an urban watershed. Biological responses including biotic-somatic index as well as gonadal development phase and plasma steroids levels, and the biochemical responses, ethoxyresorufin-o-deethylase (EROD) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities, were measured.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study aimed to investigate the effect of mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), one of the major phthalate metabolites that are widespread in aquatic environments, on reproductive dysfunction, particularly on endocrine activity in adult male and female zebrafish. For 21 days, the zebrafish were exposed to test concentrations of MEHP (0, 2, 10, and 50 μg/mL) that were determined based on the effective concentrations (ECx) for zebrafish embryos. Exposure to 50 μg/mL MEHP in female zebrafish significantly decreased the number of ovulated eggs as well as the hepatic VTG mRNA abundance when those of the control group.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng
January 2021
Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) is a cationic surfactant commonly used as a disinfectant, and is discharged into the aquatic environment by various water sources such as wastewater. BAC may also interact with potentially toxic substances such as persistent organic chemicals. Although studies of BAC contamination toxicity and bioaccumulation have been widely reported, the biochemical responses to BAC toxicity remain incompletely understood, and the detailed molecular mechanisms are largely unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCitrate (Cit) and polyethylenimine (BPEI)-coated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were used to understand how the type of capping agents and surface charge affect their colloidal stability, dissolution, and ecotoxicity in the absence/presence of Pony Lake Fulvic Acid (PLFA). In the presence of PLFA, Cit-AgNPs were stabilized, while BPEI-AgNPs were aggregated. The aggregation of BPEI-AgNPs decreased with the time, and their stabilizing effect increased at high PLFA concentration.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe objective of this work was to evaluate the biological effect of the secondary effluent (SE) of a wastewater treatment plant and reclaimed water treated via ultrafiltration (UF) followed by either reverse osmosis (RO) membrane filtration or nanofiltration (NF) to be used for environmental use by comparing the results of algal growth inhibition tests of concentrated samples of the SE and permeates of RO and NF with those of six rivers in southern Okinawa Island. Although the SE water had no adverse effects on the growth of the algae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, it could lead to water quality degradation of rivers in terms of its toxic unit value, whereas the use of RO and NF permeates would not lead to such degradation. The recharge of rivers, into which domestic wastewater and livestock effluents might be discharged in southern Okinawa Island, with reclaimed water subjected to advanced treatment could dilute the concentrations of chemicals that cause biological effects and improve the water quality of the rivers, based on the results of the bioassay using P.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe objective of this study was to investigate the aquatic-toxic effects of glyoxal-containing cellulose ether with four different glyoxal concentrations (0%, 1.4%, 2.3%, and 6.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn freshwater environments, aquatic organisms are generally exposed to mixtures of various chemical substances. In this study, we tested the toxicity of three organic UV-filters (ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, octocrylene, and avobenzone) to Daphnia magna in order to evaluate the combined toxicity of these substances when in they occur in a mixture. The values of effective concentrations (ECx) for each UV-filter were calculated by concentration-response curves; concentration-combinations of three different UV-filters in a mixture were determined by the fraction of components based on EC values predicted by concentration addition (CA) model.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn order to assess the effects of increasing temperature on the reproductive performance of fish, different thermal conditions (i.e., 25.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnvironment and organisms are persistently exposed by a mixture of various substances. However, the current evaluation method is mostly based on an individual substance's toxicity. A systematic toxicity evaluation of heterogeneous substances needs to be established.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFour different manufactured surface-coated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with coating of citrate, tannic acid, polyethylene glycol, and branched polyethylenimine were used in this study. The toxicity of surface-coated AgNPs was evaluated by a luminous microbial array for toxicity risk assessment (LumiMARA) using multi-species of luminescent bacteria. The salt stability of four different AgNPs was measured by UV absorbance at 400 nm wavelength, and different surface-charged AgNPs in combination with bacteria were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe in vitro estrogen receptor (ER) reporter gene assay has long been used to measure estrogenic activity in wastewater. In a previous study, we demonstrated that the assay represents net estrogenic activity in the balance between estrogenic and antiestrogenic activities in wastewater. However, it remained unclear whether the net estrogenic activity measured by the in vitro ERα reporter gene assay can predict the in vivo estrogenic effect of wastewater.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo elucidate the action mechanism of environmental androgenic chemicals on fish reproductive activity by transient stimulation in heavily polluted areas, individuals of the hermaphrodite fish Kryptolebias marmoratus were injected once with six concentrations of methyltestosterone (MT) (0.1, 1, 5, 10, 50, and 100 μg/g BW) intraperitoneally. The fish were sampled at intervals of 7, 15, and 30 days after a single injection.
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