Transcriptomic and developmental effects of persistent organic pollutants in sentinel fishes collected near an arctic formerly used defense site.

Alaska contains over 600 formerly used defense (FUD) sites, many of which serve as point sources of pollution. These sites are often co-located with rural communities that depend upon traditional subsistence foods, especially lipid-rich animals that bioaccumulate and biomagnify persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Many POPs are carcinogenic and endocrine-disrupting compounds that are associated with adverse health outcomes.

Comment on "Diluted concentrations of methamphetamine in surface water induce behavior disorder, transgenerational toxicity, and ecosystem-level consequences of fish" by Wang et al. [Water Research 184 (2020) 116-164].

The article presented by Wang et al. (2020) intends to elucidate the possible ecological effects of low (0.05-25 μg L) and higher (100 μg L) concentrations of methamphetamine on adult Oryzias latipes through a battery of assays, including histopathology.

Traces of tramadol in water impact behaviour in a native European fish.

Tramadol is a widely used analgesic with additional antidepressant and anxiolytic effects. This compound has been reported in continental waters reaching concentrations of µg/L as a consequence of its inefficient removal in sewage treatment plants and increasing use over time. In this study, European chubs (Squalius cephalus) were exposed to 1 µg/L of tramadol in water for 42 days with a subsequent 14 days of depuration.

Environmental concentration of methamphetamine induces pathological changes in brown trout (Salmo trutta fario).

Methamphetamine, mainly consumed as an illicit drug, is a potent addictive psychostimulant that has been detected in surface water at concentrations ranging from nanograms to micrograms per litre, especially in Middle and East Europe. The aim of this study was to expose brown trout (Salmo trutta fario) to environmental (1 μg L) and higher (50 μg L) concentrations of methamphetamine for 35 days with a four-day depuration phase to assess the possible negative effects on fish health. Degenerative liver and heart alterations, similar to those described in mammals, were observed at both concentrations, although at different intensities.