A metabolomic analysis on the toxicological effects of the universal solvent, dimethyl sulfoxide.

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a solvent used to dissolve a variety of organic compounds. It is presumed to be non-toxic at concentrations below 1 % v/v, although several studies have demonstrated that low dose DMSO exposure can alter cellular biochemistry. This study evaluated the toxicity of DMSO at 0.

Transport and Accumulation of Microplastics from Biosolids to Australian Agricultural Soils: Detection of Microplastics Down to 1 μm.

The shift toward sustainable agriculture involves replacing inorganic fertilizers with organic alternatives like biosolids. However, concerns arise over emerging contaminants, such as microplastics (MPs), which remain largely unregulated. Despite their common use in Australia, the transfer of MPs from biosolids to agricultural soils remains largely unknown.

Bioenergetic Shifts in Humpback Whale Fibroblasts Upon Chemical Exposure.

Southern Hemisphere humpback whales accumulate persistent and toxic chemicals, which are transported to Antarctica through distant sources and usage. The extreme seasonal migration-associated fast of humpback whales results in the remobilization of persistent and lipophilic environmental contaminants from liberated fat stores. Mitochondria play a key role in lipid metabolism, and any disruption to mitochondrial function is expected to influence whole-organism bioenergetics.

Intergenerational toxicity of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2): Effects of parental exposure on early larval development and transcriptomic profiles in the Sydney rock oyster, Saccostrea glomerata.

This study exposed adult Sydney rock oysters, of either sex or both, to the synthetic estrogen 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) at 50 ng/L for 21 days, followed by an examination of developmental endpoints and transcriptomic responses in unexposed larvae. Reduced survival was observed at 1 day post-fertilisation (dpf) in larvae from bi-parental exposure (FM). Motile larvae at 2 dpf were fewer from maternal (FM), paternal (FM), and FM exposures.

Adaption and application of cell-based bioassays to whole-water samples.

The increasing presence of contaminants of emerging concern in wastewater and their potential environmental risks require improved monitoring and analysis methods. Direct toxicity assessment (DTA) using bioassays can complement chemical analysis of wastewater discharge, but traditional in vivo tests have ethical considerations and are expensive, low-throughput, and limited to apical endpoints (mortality, reproduction, development, and growth). In vitro bioassays offer an alternative approach that is cheaper, faster, and more ethical, and can provide higher sensitivity for some environmentally relevant endpoints.