Bioturbation Affects Bioaccumulation: PFAS Uptake from Sediments by a Rooting Macrophyte and a Benthic Invertebrate.

Despite the widespread presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in freshwater environments, only a few studies have addressed their bioaccumulation in macrophytes and benthic invertebrates. This study therefore aimed at investigating the presence of 40 PFAS in sediments, assessing their bioaccumulation in a rooting macrophyte () and a benthic invertebrate () and examining the effects of the presence and bioturbation activity of the invertebrate on PFAS bioaccumulation in the plants. The macrophytes were exposed to sediments originating from a reference and a PFAS-contaminated site.

Passive sampler housing and sorbent type determine aquatic micropollutant adsorption and subsequent bioassay responses.

The combination of integrative passive sampling and bioassays is a promising approach for monitoring the toxicity of polar organic contaminants in aquatic environments. However, the design of integrative passive samplers can affect the accumulation of compounds and therewith the bioassay responses. The present study aimed to determine the effects of sampler housing and sorbent type on the number of chemical features accumulated in polar passive samplers and the subsequent bioassay responses to extracts of these samplers.

Species specific responses to stressors hamper Trichoptera recovery.

Worldwide, aquatic biodiversity is severely threatened as a result of anthropogenic pressures such as pollution, habitat destruction and climate change. Widescale legislation resulted in reduced nutrient- and pesticide loads, and restoration measures allowed modest recovery of freshwater biodiversity. However, from 2010 onwards, recovery in the otherwise unrestored aquatic habitats stagnated.

Sludge degradation, nutrient removal and reduction of greenhouse gas emission by a Chironomus-Azolla wastewater treatment cascade.

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are a point source of nutrients, emit greenhouse gases (GHGs), and produce large volumes of excess sludge. The use of aquatic organisms may be an alternative to the technical post-treatment of WWTP effluent, as they play an important role in nutrient dynamics and carbon balance in natural ecosystems. The aim of this study was therefore to assess the performance of an experimental wastewater-treatment cascade of bioturbating macroinvertebrates and floating plants in terms of sludge degradation, nutrient removal and lowering GHG emission.

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Cognitive dysfunction is a well-known consequence of epilepsy in children. This review summarizes cognitive difficulties presenting in different types of childhood epilepsy. The possibility of screening and monitoring cognitive dysfunction is desirable to provide optimal support and treatment.

Four decades of region- and species-specific trends in lowland stream Ephemeroptera abundance.

Lowland stream ecosystems are under threat from climate change, industrialization, urbanization, and intensive agriculture. Since the 1980s, improvements in water quality have led to an increase in lowland stream biodiversity. Despite restoration efforts, however, further recovery is often hampered by the presence of region-specific (combinations of) stressors, and species-specific stressor responses.

Combining Passive Sampling and Dosing to Unravel the Contribution of Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants to Sediment Ecotoxicity.

Contaminated sediments are ubiquitous repositories of pollutants and cause substantial environmental risks. Results of sediment bioassays remain difficult to interpret, however, as observed effects may be caused by a variety of (un)known stressors. This study aimed therefore to isolate the effects of hydrophobic organic contaminants from other (non)chemical stressors present in contaminated sediments, by employing a newly developed passive sampling-passive dosing (PSPD) test.

Research Priorities for the Environmental Risk Assessment of Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances.

Per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) are a group of thousands of ubiquitously applied persistent industrial chemicals. The field of PFAS environmental research is developing rapidly, but suffers from substantial biases toward specific compounds, environmental compartments, and organisms. The aim of our study was therefore to highlight current developments and to identify knowledge gaps and subsequent research needs that would contribute to a comprehensive environmental risk assessment for PFAS.

Enlarging the Arsenal of Test Species for Sediment Quality Assessment.

Since only a few standard benthic test species are available for sediment quality, our study aimed to employ multiple test species representing different sensitivity categories in the quality assessment of contaminated sediments. To this end three macroinvertebrate species, Sericostoma personatum (caddisfly, sensitivity category 10), Asellus aquaticus (isopod, category 3) and Chironomus riparius (chironomid, category 2), were exposed to sediments originating from various contamination sources in whole sediment bioassays using intact sediment cores. The agricultural sediment caused insect mortality, the agricultural and urban sediment caused isopod growth reduction and the urban and Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) sediment affected chironomid emergence time.

Sensitivity of phytoplankton, zooplankton and macroinvertebrates to hydrogen peroxide treatments of cyanobacterial blooms.

Addition of hydrogen peroxide (HO) is a promising method to acutely suppress cyanobacterial blooms in lakes. However, a reliable HO risk assessment to identify potential effects on non-target species is currently hampered by a lack of appropriate ecotoxicity data. The aim of the present study was therefore to quantify the responses of a wide diversity of freshwater phytoplankton, zooplankton and macroinvertebrates to HO treatments of cyanobacterial blooms.

Occurrence, hazard, and risk of psychopharmaceuticals and illicit drugs in European surface waters.

This study aimed to provide insights into the risk posed by psychopharmaceuticals and illicit drugs in European surface waters, and to identify current knowledge gaps hampering this risk assessment. First, the availability and quality of data on the concentrations of psychopharmaceuticals and illicit drugs in surface waters (occurrence) and on the toxicity to aquatic organisms (hazard) were reviewed. If both occurrence and ecotoxicity data were available, risk quotients (risk) were calculated.

Wastewater treatment plant contaminant profiles affect macroinvertebrate sludge degradation.

Disposal of the overwhelming amounts of excess wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) sludge is an increasing financial and environmental problem, and new methods to reduce the amount of excess sludge are therefore required. In the natural environment, interactions between multiple macroinvertebrate detritivores mediate the degradation of organic matter. Macroinvertebrates may thus also be able to degrade WWTP sludge, but may meanwhile be impacted by the associated contaminants.

Contribution of sediment contamination to multi-stress in lowland waters.

Water bodies in densely populated lowland areas are often impacted by multiple stressors. At these multi-stressed sites, it remains challenging to quantify the contribution of contaminated sediments. This study, therefore, aimed to elucidate the contribution of sediment contamination in 16 multi-stressed drainage ditches throughout the Netherlands.

Organic matter degradation and redistribution of sediment associated contaminants by benthic invertebrate activities.

The fate of sediment associated compounds is the combined result of chemical properties and biological activities. Yet, studies simultaneously addressing the effects of biota on the redistribution and bioaccumulation of contaminants are scarce. Our aim was therefore to assess the effect of benthic invertebrate activities on organic matter degradation and the redistribution of metals and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in contaminated sediment.

A Bayesian network to simulate macroinvertebrate responses to multiple stressors in lowland streams.

Aquatic ecosystems are affected by multiple environmental stressors across spatial and temporal scales. Yet the nature of stressor interactions and stressor-response relationships is still poorly understood. This hampers the selection of appropriate restoration measures.

Eutrophication induces shifts in the trophic position of invertebrates in aquatic food webs.

Changes in the ecological stoichiometry of primary producers may have considerable implications for energy and matter transfer in food webs. We hypothesized that nutrient enrichment shifts the trophic position of omnivores towards herbivory, as the nutritional quality of primary producers increases. This hypothesis was tested by analyzing the ecological stoichiometry and stable isotope signature of primary producers and a wide range of aquatic macroinvertebrates, including primary consumers (herbivores) and secondary consumers (both potential omnivores and strict carnivores), along a eutrophication gradient in an agricultural landscape.

Herbicide Exposure and Toxicity to Aquatic Primary Producers.

The aim of the present review was to give an overview of the current state of science concerning herbicide exposure and toxicity to aquatic primary producers. To this end we assessed the open literature, revealing the widespread presence of (mixtures of) herbicides, inevitably leading to the exposure of non-target primary producers. Yet, herbicide concentrations show strong temporal and spatial variations.

Advancements in effect-based surface water quality assessment.

Legally-prescribed chemical monitoring is unfit for determining the pollution status of surface waters, and there is a need for improved assessment methods that consider the aggregated risk of all bioavailable micropollutants present in the aquatic environment. Therefore, the present study aimed to advance effect-based water quality assessment by implementing methodological improvements and to gain insight into contamination source-specific bioanalytical responses. Passive sampling of non-polar and polar organic compounds and metals was applied at 14 surface water locations that were characterized by two major anthropogenic contamination sources, agriculture and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, as well as reference locations with a low expected impact from micropollutants.

Over forty years of lowland stream restoration: Lessons learned?

Stream restoration efforts have increased, but the success rate is still rather low. The underlying reasons for these unsuccessful restoration efforts remain inconclusive and need urgent clarification. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate over 40 years of stream restoration to fuel future perspectives.

Land use affects lowland stream ecosystems through dissolved oxygen regimes.

The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of surrounding land use on the structure and functioning of lowland stream ecosystems. To this end, five different land use types were selected (forest, extensive grassland, intensive grassland, cropland and wastewater treatment plant) each represented by four replicate streams, in which diel dissolved oxygen concentrations were recorded, sediment and water quality parameters were measured and macroinvertebrate community composition was determined. Chironomus sp.

Responses of macroinvertebrate communities to land use specific sediment food and habitat characteristics in lowland streams.

The input of land use specific organic matter into lowland streams may impact sediment characteristics in terms of food resources and habitat structure, resulting in differences in macroinvertebrate community composition. Therefore, we investigated to what extent land use specific sediment food and habitat characteristics structure macroinvertebrate communities. To this purpose linear multiple regression models were constructed, in which macroinvertebrate biotic indices were considered as response variables and sediment characteristics as predictor variables, analysed in 20 stream stretches running through five different land use types.

Smarter Sediment Screening: Effect-Based Quality Assessment, Chemical Profiling, and Risk Identification.

Sediments play an essential role in the functioning of aquatic ecosystems but simultaneously retain harmful compounds. However, sediment quality assessment methods that consider the risks caused by the combined action of all sediment-associated contaminants to benthic biota are still underrepresented in water quality assessment strategies. Significant advancements have been made in the application of effect-based methods, but methodological improvements can still advance sediment risk assessment.

Quantifying cumulative stress acting on macroinvertebrate assemblages in lowland streams.

Macroinvertebrates in lowland streams are exposed to multiple stressors from the surrounding environment. Yet, quantifying how these multiple stressors impact macroinvertebrate assemblages is challenging. The aim of this study was to develop a novel method to quantify the cumulative stress acting on macroinvertebrate assemblages in lowland streams.