Individual and combined effects of copper and parasitism on osmoregulation in the European eel Anguilla anguilla.

The European eel (Anguilla anguilla), a catadromous species, breeds in the sea and migrates to estuarine, lagoon or freshwater habitats for growth and development. Yellow eels, exposed to low or fluctuating salinities, are also exposed to multiple other stressors as pollution, over-fishing and parasitism, which contribute to the dramatic decrease of eel populations in several European countries. The objective of this study was to evaluate the single and combined effects of waterborne copper and experimental infestation of eels with the nematode Anguillicoloides crassus after a salinity challenge from nearly isotonic (18ppt) to hypo- (5ppt) and hypertonic (29ppt) conditions, in order to investigate the osmoregulatory capacity of eels exposed to these stressors.

Ovarian cycle and embryonic development in Gammarus fossarum: application for reproductive toxicity assessment.

Among freshwater invertebrates, Gammarus fossarum is an important test organism and is currently used in ecotoxicology for acute and chronic assays; nevertheless, reproductive toxicity test methods are not yet available for these species. In the present study, the reproductive cycle in Gammarus fossarum was characterized in order to propose a reproductive toxicity test encompassing molting, follicle growth, and embryonic development that will provide a better understanding of the mode of action of chemicals disrupting these hormone-regulated processes. A detailed description of the reproductive cycle in Gammarus fossarum was obtained.

Toxicity and removal of pesticides by selected aquatic plants.

Pesticides are being detected in water bodies on an increasingly frequent basis. The present study focused on the phytoremediation potential of selected aquatic plants to remove phytosanitary products from contaminated water. We investigated the uptake capacity of Lemna minor (L.