Effect of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAH & Polar-PAC) availability on their ecotoxicity towards terrestrial organisms.

The exposure of terrestrial organisms to soils freshly contaminated by polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs, including PAHs and polar-PACs) is known to cause significant toxicity effects. However, historically contaminated soils, such as former coking plant soils, usually induce a limited toxic impact, due to the "aging" phenomenon which is the result of several processes causing a reduction of PAC availability over time. For a better understanding of these behaviors, this study aimed to compare the toxic responses of terrestrial organisms exposed to aged contaminated soils and their counterparts submitted to a moderate heating process applied to increase PAC availability.

Ecotoxicology, revisiting its pioneers.

Ecotoxicology is a discipline resulting from pollution events that harmed human and environmental health by the mid-twentieth century. Environmental considerations were simply inexistent at this time, and inevitably deleterious effects and environmental disasters followed. These historical events, like Clear Lake disaster in California, will be recalled, as well as new concepts developed, and scientists involved in these findings.

Microplastics enhance Daphnia magna sensitivity to the pyrethroid insecticide deltamethrin: Effects on life history traits.

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of microplastics (MPs) on the ecotoxicity of common contaminants of aquatic ecosystems. As a model contaminant, the hydrophobic pesticide deltamethrin (DM) was chosen, and its effects on life history traits of Daphnia magna were studied in the presence or absence of polyethylene MPs. Commercialized DM and MPs obtained as dry powder were used in the experiment.

A multi-site approach to investigate the role of toxicity and confounding factors on plant bioassay results.

Development of organisms that live on contaminated soils depends on toxicity as well as several physical and chemical soil properties. We aimed to identify plant bioassays most responsive to contaminants and not to confounding factors due to soil type differences. We implemented a multi-site approach in seven contaminated sites and used different ordinary plant bioassays (fourteen-day-shoot biomass and five-day-root and shoot elongation).

Combined acute ecotoxicity of malathion and deltamethrin to Daphnia magna (Crustacea, Cladocera): comparison of different data analysis approaches.

We studied the combined acute effect (i.e., after 48 h) of deltamethrin (a pyrethroid insecticide) and malathion (an organophosphate insecticide) on Daphnia magna.

Use of agro-industrial organic sludge amendment to remediate degraded soil: chemical and eco(geno)toxicological differences between fresh and stabilized sludge and establishment of application rates.

Soil degraded by coal mining activities can be remediated by amendment with agro-industrial organic sludge. However, the environmental impacts associated with this management practice must be properly addressed. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate the eco(geno)toxicity of a fresh and a stabilized sludge before use in a laboratory soil remediation test.

Arsenate (As V) in water: quantitative sensitivity relationships among biomarker, ecotoxicity and genotoxicity endpoints.

It is useful to test ecotoxicity and genotoxicity endpoints in the environmental impact assessment. Here, we compare and discuss ecotoxicity and genotoxicity effects in organisms in response to exposure to arsenate (As V) in solution. Eco(geno)toxicity responses in Aliivibrio fischeri, Lytechinus variegatus, Daphnia magna, Skeletonema costatum and Vicia faba were analyzed by assessing different endpoints: biomass growth, peroxidase activity, mitotic index, micronucleus frequency, and lethality in accordance with the international protocols.

Speciation and bioavailability of dissolved copper in different freshwaters: comparison of modelling, biological and chemical responses in aquatic mosses and gammarids.

Biological and chemical measurements were performed in mesocosms to investigate the bioavailability of copper, with a greater emphasis on the effects of competing ions and copper speciation. Measurements were achieved in three different natural waters for two aquatic species (Gammarus pulex and Fontinalis antipyretica) along a copper gradient concentration: natural concentration, spiked at 5 and 15 μg L(-1). Aquatic mosses exhibited high enrichment rates that were above the background levels compared to gammarids.

Long-term assessment of natural attenuation: statistical approach on soils with aged PAH contamination.

Natural attenuation processes valorization for PAH-contaminated soil remediation has gained increasing interest from site owners. A misunderstanding of this method and a small amount of data available does not encourage its development. However, monitored natural attenuation (MNA) offers a valuable, cheaper and environmentally friendly alternative to more classical options such as physico-chemical treatments (e.

Metal immobilization and soil amendment efficiency at a contaminated sediment landfill site: a field study focusing on plants, springtails, and bacteria.

Metal immobilization may contribute to the environmental management strategy of dredged sediment landfill sites contaminated by metals. In a field experiment, amendment effects and efficiency were investigated, focusing on plants, springtails and bacteria colonisation, metal extractability and sediment ecotoxicity. Conversely to hydroxylapatite (HA, 3% DW), the addition of Thomas Basic Slag (TBS, 5% DW) to a 5-yr deposited sediment contaminated with Zn, Cd, Cu, Pb and As resulted in a decrease in the 0.

Physiological response and differential leaf proteome pattern in the European invasive Asteraceae Solidago canadensis colonizing a former cokery soil.

Derelict contaminated sites are often colonized spontaneously by plant species leading to a vegetal cover thought to limit particle dispersal and polluted water infiltration. Those plants must cope with soil pollutants through tolerance mechanisms that are not yet fully understood. Here, we focused our attention on a particular Asteraceae plant, Solidago canadensis, considered as invasive in Europe.

Environmental impact of sunscreen nanomaterials: ecotoxicity and genotoxicity of altered TiO2 nanocomposites on Vicia faba.

Mineral sunscreen nanocomposites, based on a nano-TiO(2) core, coated with aluminium hydroxide and dimethicone films, were submitted to an artificial ageing process. The resulting Altered TiO(2) Nanocomposites (ATN) were then tested in the liquid phase on the plant model Vicia faba, which was exposed 48 h to three nominal concentrations: 5, 25 and 50 mg ATN/L. Plant growth, photosystem II maximum quantum yield, genotoxicity (micronucleus test) and phytochelatins levels showed no change compared to controls.

Is there a relationship between early genotoxicity and life-history traits in Vicia faba exposed to cadmium-spiked soils?

The Vicia faba-micronucleus test is usually performed to assess the genotoxic potential of pure substances, effluents or water extracts from soil. It is also a relevant, early biological tool to detect mutagenic substances in crude soils. Nevertheless, the physiological meaning of such DNA damage for the plant in the long term remains to be elucidated.

Changes in plant communities along soil pollution gradients: responses of leaf antioxidant enzyme activities and phytochelatin contents.

This work describes an ecological and ecotoxicological study of polluted wasteland plant communities in a former coke-factory located in Homécourt (France). Ecological analyses were performed along two transects to investigate changes in plant community structure through species richness (S), biological diversity (H') and evenness (J). Five species (Arrhenatherum elatius, Bromus tectorum, Euphorbia cyparissias, Hypericum perforatum and Tanacetum vulgare) were then selected to assess cellular responses through antioxidant enzyme activities and phytochelatins (PCs) contents.

Influence of vegetation on the in situ bacterial community and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) degraders in aged PAH-contaminated or thermal-desorption-treated soil.

The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination, bacterial community, and PAH-degrading bacteria were monitored in aged PAH-contaminated soil (Neuves-Maisons [NM] soil; with a mean of 1,915 mg of 16 PAHs.kg(-1) of soil dry weight) and in the same soil previously treated by thermal desorption (TD soil; with a mean of 106 mg of 16 PAHs.kg(-1) of soil dry weight).

Changes in the geochemistry and ecotoxicity of a Zn and Cd contaminated dredged sediment over time after land disposal.

The management of dredged sediments is of environmental concern worldwide since they may be overloaded with myriads of pollutants. For inland waters' sediments, disposal on land is a common practice. For the long-term risks assessment of such a management, a better understanding of the fate of pollutants over time and an assessment of possible associated biological consequences are needed.

Induction of oxidative stress biomarkers associated with heavy metal stress in Fontinalis antipyretica Hedw.

The aquatic bryophyte Fontinalis antipyretica Hedw. was exposed to different heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) at 0, 0.1, 1, 10, 100 and 1000muM concentrations.

Ecological recovery of vegetation on a coke-factory soil: role of plant antioxidant enzymes and possible implications in site restoration.

The present paper investigated the short-term colonization by plants of a highly degraded soil in field conditions. The objectives were to identify, through phytosociological analysis, the plant species able to grow on such polluted areas and to characterize pollutant effects at different biological levels through analyses of plant oxidative status, plant growth or community indexes of richness and biodiversity. Our results showed that among the plants present in the uncontaminated surrounding area, only few species were able to colonize the polluted soil.

Antioxidant enzyme activities as affected by trivalent and hexavalent chromium species in Fontinalis antipyretica Hedw.

The detoxification mechanisms of the aquatic moss, Fontinalis antipyretica Hedw., exposed to Cr was analyzed. In addition, the influence of Cr salts (as Cr nitrate, chloride and potassium bichromate) on these mechanisms has also been studied.

Predicting uncertainty in the ecotoxicological assessment of solid waste leachates.

Environmental managers need suitable technological methods to use in optimization studies to improve management of hazardous waste. One of the challenges to achieving a reliable hazardous waste classification is the improvement of procedures used forthe ecotoxicological characterization of solid waste leachates. Indeed, this step requires data that meet levels of acceptable quality if scientifically based decisions are to be made.