Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry最新文献

{"title":"Evaluating the Effects of Diet on the Sensitivity of Hyalella azteca to an “Eco-friendly” Deicing Agent","authors":"Paige Kohler,&nbsp;Rebecca E. Yates,&nbsp;Greysen R. Tomlinson,&nbsp;Amanda D. Harwood","doi":"10.1002/etc.5988","DOIUrl":"10.1002/etc.5988","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Salting of roadways contaminates local waterways via snowmelt and precipitation runoff, eliciting various toxicological impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Recently, “eco-friendly” deicing alternatives have been introduced in hopes of mitigating environmental impacts of deicing agents, while maintaining human safety. These “eco-friendly” alternatives may pose their own set of environmental concerns that require further study. While the potential toxicity of road salts has been evaluated for various aquatic species, the environmental factors that may influence this toxicity are less understood; and for emerging deicing alternatives, there is a lack of literature documenting these potential implications. For aquatic organisms, the highest exposure to road salts may coincide with reduced food availability, namely during the winter months. The present study evaluates the effect of a conditioning diet on the sensitivity of adult <i>Hyalella azteca</i> to an “eco-friendly”-labeled beet deicer (Snow Joe MELT Beet-IT). Various conditioning diets were examined, including TetraMin^TM, TetraMin and diatom (<i>Thalassiosira weissflogii</i>) combinations, and TetraMin and conditioned <i>Acer sacharum</i> leaves. For each diet type, 48- and 96-h water-only toxicity bioassays were conducted with adult <i>H. azteca</i>. These results were compared to organisms which experienced a 96-h starvation period prior to exposure and culture organisms. Diet types representing excess quality and quantity of food significantly decreased the toxicity of beet deicer to the organisms. However, starvation likely increases the toxicity of road salts to <i>H. azteca</i>. Therefore, the quantity and quality of food available to <i>H. azteca</i> may influence their sensitivity to deicing agents. <i>Environ Toxicol Chem</i> 2024;43:2608–2615. © 2024 SETAC</p>","PeriodicalId":11793,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry","volume":"43 12","pages":"2608-2615"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142105589","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"AOP Report: An Upstream Network for Reduced Androgen Signaling Leading to Altered Gene Expression of Androgen Receptor–Responsive Genes in Target Tissues","authors":"Monica K. Draskau,&nbsp;Anna K. Rosenmai,&nbsp;Nora Bouftas,&nbsp;Hanna K. L. Johansson,&nbsp;Eleftheria M. Panagiotou,&nbsp;Marie L. Holmer,&nbsp;Emilie Elmelund,&nbsp;Johanna Zilliacus,&nbsp;Anna Beronius,&nbsp;Pauliina Damdimopoulou,&nbsp;Majorie van Duursen,&nbsp;Terje Svingen","doi":"10.1002/etc.5972","DOIUrl":"10.1002/etc.5972","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) can aid with chemical risk assessment by providing plausible links between chemical activity at the molecular level and effect outcomes in intact organisms. Because AOPs can be used to infer causality between upstream and downstream events in toxicological pathways, the AOP framework can also facilitate increased uptake of alternative methods and new approach methodologies to help inform hazard identification. However, a prevailing challenge is the limited number of fully developed and endorsed AOPs, primarily due to the substantial amount of work required by AOP developers and reviewers. Consequently, a more pragmatic approach to AOP development has been proposed where smaller units of knowledge are developed and reviewed independent of full AOPs. In this context, we have developed an upstream network comprising key events (KEs) and KE relationships related to decreased androgen signaling, converging at a nodal KE that can branch out to numerous adverse outcomes (AOs) relevant to androgen-sensitive toxicological pathways. Androgen signaling represents an extensively studied pathway for endocrine disruption. It is linked to numerous disease outcomes and can be affected by many different endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Still, pathways related to disrupted androgen signaling remain underrepresented in the AOP-wiki, and endorsed AOPs are lacking. Given the pivotal role of androgen signaling in development and function across vertebrate taxa and life stages of both sexes, this upstream AOP network serves as a foundational element for developing numerous AOPs. By connecting the upstream network with various downstream AOs, encompassing different species, it can also facilitate cross-species extrapolations for hazard and risk assessment of chemicals. <i>Environ Toxicol Chem</i> 2024;43:2329–2337. © 2024 The Author(s). <i>Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry</i> published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.</p>","PeriodicalId":11793,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry","volume":"43 11","pages":"2329-2337"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/etc.5972","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142105587","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Simulated Herbicide Drift Effects on Seed Germination, Seedling Emergence, and Seedling Growth of Native Plants of the Northern Great Plains","authors":"Gabrielle A. Bolwerk,&nbsp;Gregory A. Cooper,&nbsp;A. Joshua Leffler,&nbsp;Lora B. Perkins","doi":"10.1002/etc.5982","DOIUrl":"10.1002/etc.5982","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Small concentrations of herbicide, such as those found in drift, can affect nontarget plants at different life-history stages including seed germination and seedling emergence as well as seedling growth. Fragmented landscapes, such as those in the northern Great Plains, lead to increased proximity of ecological restoration sites to agricultural lands using herbicides. Germination, emergence, and growth are crucial life-history stages leading to ecological restoration success, but these stages are sensitive to impacts from external factors such as herbicide exposure. A lab germination experiment and a greenhouse emergence experiment were performed to examine the effect of herbicides (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid [2,4-<span>D]</span>, atrazine, and trifluralin) on species used in ecological restorations in the northern Great Plains. Seed germination, seedling emergence, and seedling growth of many study species decreased with exposure to herbicides at different concentrations representative of herbicide drift. At concentrations as low as 0.1% recommended application rate 2,4-D elicited broad effects on final seed germination percentage and germination rate. Atrazine affected seedling emergence and growth for a number of study species at concentrations as low as 10% recommended application rate. Trifluralin affected germination, emergence, and growth of the fewest number of study species. The information gained from these experiments can be used to inform restoration practitioners of best practices and recommended species to use when implementing ecological restoration adjacent to agricultural lands. <i>Environ Toxicol Chem</i> 2024;43:2387–2397. © 2024 The Author(s). <i>Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry</i> published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.</p>","PeriodicalId":11793,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry","volume":"43 11","pages":"2387-2397"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/etc.5982","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142105592","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Metal Mixture Effects of Ni, Cu, and Zn in a Multispecies, Two-Trophic–Level Algal–Daphnid Microcosm Can Be Predicted From Single-Trophic–Level Effects: The Role of Indirect Toxicity","authors":"Andreas Fettweis,&nbsp;Simon Hansul,&nbsp;Erik Smolders,&nbsp;Karel De Schamphelaere","doi":"10.1002/etc.5970","DOIUrl":"10.1002/etc.5970","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Effect assessments of metals are mostly based on single-metal, single-species tests, thereby ignoring metal-mixture effects and indirect effects through species interactions. We tested the combined effects of metal and species interactions in two-trophic algal–daphnid microcosms. Metal-mixture effects on daphnid communities may propagate from effects on the generally more sensitive algal communities. Four different algal communities (three species each), with and without addition of the same daphnid community (three species) were exposed to single metals and one metal mixture (17:17:51 µg/L Ni:Cu:Zn). Daphnid densities were negatively affected by metals in the two-trophic test, the magnitude of which depended on the algal community composition. Algal densities were overall positively affected by the metals in the two-trophic test but negatively in the single-trophic test, illustrating an indirect positive effect in the two-trophic system due to a reduced grazing pressure. Metal effects on daphnid communities in the two-trophic test (day 21) were correlated with metal effects on the single-trophic–level algal communities during exponential growth (<i>R</i>² = 0.55, <i>p</i> = 0.0011). This finding suggests that metal effects propagate across trophic levels due to a reduced food quantity. However, the indirect positive effects on algal densities, resulting in abundant food quantity, suggests that metal effects can also propagate to daphnids due to a reduced food quality (not measured directly). Metal-mixture interactions on daphnid densities varied during exposure, but were additive or antagonistic relative to independent action when final daphnid densities were considered (day 56). This suggests stronger indirect effects of the mixture compared with the single metals. Overall, our study highlights the dynamic aspect of community-level effects, which empirical reference models such as independent action or concentration addition cannot predict. <i>Environ Toxicol Chem</i> 2024;43:2350–2364. © 2024 SETAC</p>","PeriodicalId":11793,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry","volume":"43 11","pages":"2350-2364"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142072304","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Establishment of a Flow-Through System for the Macrophyte Growth Inhibition Test (OECD 239) Including Photosynthetic Activity Measurement to Determine Early Effects","authors":"Joëlle Lousberg,&nbsp;Jost Hanfland,&nbsp;Lena Alix Kosak,&nbsp;Sebastian Eilebrecht,&nbsp;Benedikt Ringbeck,&nbsp;Karsten Schlich","doi":"10.1002/etc.5983","DOIUrl":"10.1002/etc.5983","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Maintaining constant exposure concentrations during ecotoxicological studies while testing rapidly degradable substances is a challenge. To achieve stable concentrations during exposure, flow-through systems are used. To assess the impact of substances on higher aquatic plants, the 14-day macrophyte water–sediment <i>Myriophyllum spicatum</i> growth inhibition test (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD, 2014a] test guideline 239) only includes a static or a semistatic test design. The main aim of our study was to investigate the applicability of a flow-through system for <i>M. spicatum</i>. The standard OECD test design was miniaturized, and a flow-through system with spill-over was developed to achieve stable exposure concentrations of a rapidly degrading substance. The main endpoints were total shoot length and fresh and dry weight. Photosynthetic activity was used as an endpoint for the identification of early effects using the noninvasive Image-Producing Pulse Amplitude Modulation (IMAGING-PAM) procedure. Atorvastatin (AV; fast degrading) and bentazone (BT; photosynthesis inhibitor) were used as model substances to observe differences of the effect concentration depending on the test design. At higher exposure levels of AV, stronger necrosis combined with lower effect concentrations was observed in the flow-through test compared with the semistatic test, indicating the applicability of the flow-through test for evaluating degradable substances. The test with BT demonstrated a concentration-dependent decrease in the photosynthetic yield (Y(II)) from day 3 onward even before macroscopically visible changes occurred. Our results show that the flow-through system in the macrophyte growth inhibition test (OECD test guideline 239; 2014a) is a suitable alternative when one is testing rapidly degradable substances such as AV. In addition, we showed that photosynthetic yield can serve as a supplementary endpoint, when one is testing substances with photosynthesis inhibition as a mode of action. <i>Environ Toxicol Chem</i> 2024;43:2589–2600. © 2024 The Author(s). <i>Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry</i> published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.</p>","PeriodicalId":11793,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry","volume":"43 12","pages":"2589-2600"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11619743/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142072303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chronic Toxicity of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance–Free Firefighting Foams to Aquatic Organisms","authors":"Neil Fuller,&nbsp;Jamie G. Suski,&nbsp;Sarah Lanasa,&nbsp;Michael K. Chanov,&nbsp;Devin K. Jones,&nbsp;David L. Haskins,&nbsp;Kathryn A. Quinlin,&nbsp;Maggie A. Wigren,&nbsp;Jason T. Hoverman,&nbsp;Youn J. Choi,&nbsp;Maria S. Sepulveda,&nbsp;Linda S. Lee,&nbsp;Guilherme R. Lotufo,&nbsp;Alan Kennedy,&nbsp;Lauren May,&nbsp;Ashley Harmon,&nbsp;Thomas Biber,&nbsp;Nicolas Melby,&nbsp;David W. Moore,&nbsp;Peter B. Key,&nbsp;Katy W. Chung,&nbsp;Edward F. Wirth,&nbsp;Todd A. Anderson","doi":"10.1002/etc.5979","DOIUrl":"10.1002/etc.5979","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Amid global concern regarding the health and environmental impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), there is an urgent need to develop and implement alternative products without PFAS. Consequently, PFAS-free firefighting foams used for fire suppression have been developed for use in military and residential settings. To facilitate the selection of lower-risk PFAS-free foams, the present study focused on the chronic toxicity of seven PFAS-free and one PFAS-containing foam to six aquatic species. Target species included two cladocerans, <i>Daphnia magna</i> and <i>Ceriodaphnia dubia</i>; the chironomid <i>Chironomus dilutus</i>; the mysid <i>Americamysis bahia</i>; and two fish species, <i>Pimephales promelas</i> and <i>Cyprinodon variegatus</i>, with endpoints including growth, development, reproduction, and survival. To facilitate comparison and product toxicity rankings, effective concentrations (20%, 50%) and no- and lowest-observed-effect concentrations (NOECs and LOECs, respectively) were calculated. Effective concentrations, NOECs, and LOECs varied by over an order of magnitude among foams and species, with several of the PFAS-free formulations ranked as highly toxic based on US Environmental Protection Agency alternatives assessment hazard criteria. Overall, the PFAS-free foams were found to exhibit either similar or greater toxicity compared to the PFAS-containing reference foam across several species and endpoints. Nonmonotonic and hormetic dose responses were observed in <i>D. magna</i> for several of the tested foams, with increased reproduction and growth at intermediate exposures. Generally, tested foam toxicity rankings were consistent with a related acute toxicity study using the same species and formulations, and other research using soil invertebrates. Combined with related efforts for other taxa including mammals, birds, and plants, the present research will facilitate the selection of appropriate PFAS-free firefighting foams that minimize harm to the environment. <i>Environ Toxicol Chem</i> 2024;43:2436–2454. © 2024 SETAC</p>","PeriodicalId":11793,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry","volume":"43 11","pages":"2436-2454"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142072302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sensitivity Variations in Developmental Toxicity of Imidacloprid to Zebrafish Embryos at Different Neurodevelopmental Stages","authors":"Zewei Xu,&nbsp;Lingzhi Xie,&nbsp;Huizhen Li,&nbsp;Jing You","doi":"10.1002/etc.5986","DOIUrl":"10.1002/etc.5986","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Neonicotinoids are ubiquitous in global surface waters and pose a significant risk to aquatic organisms. However, information is lacking on the variations in sensitivity of organisms at different developmental stages to the neurotoxic neonicotinoids. We established a spectrum of toxicity to zebrafish embryos at four neurodevelopmental stages (1, 3, 6, and 8 h post fertilization [hpf]) and dechorionated embryos at 6 hpf based on external and internal exposure to imidacloprid as a representative neonicotinoid. Embryos at the gastrula stage (6 and 8 hpf) were more sensitive to imidacloprid than embryos at earlier developmental stages. Dechorionated embryos were more sensitive to imidacloprid than embryos with a chorion, suggesting that the chorion offers protection against pollutants. Nine sublethal effects were induced by imidacloprid exposure, among which uninflated swim bladder (USB) was the most sensitive. Water depth and air availability in the exposure chambers were critical factors influencing the occurrence of USB in zebrafish larvae. Internal residues of metabolites accounted for &lt;10% of imidacloprid, indicating that imidacloprid was metabolized in a limited fashion in the embryos. In addition, acute toxicity of the main metabolite 5-hydroxy-imidacloprid was significantly lower than that of imidacloprid, indicating that the observed toxicity in embryos exposed to imidacloprid was mainly induced by the parent compound. Our research offers a fresh perspective on choosing the initial exposure time in zebrafish embryo toxicity tests, particularly for neurotoxicants. <i>Environ Toxicol Chem</i> 2024;43:2398–2408. © 2024 SETAC</p>","PeriodicalId":11793,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry","volume":"43 11","pages":"2398-2408"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142055252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Subchronic Effects of Tetrachloroethylene on Two Freshwater Copepod Species: Implications for Groundwater Risk Assessment","authors":"Mattia Di Cicco,&nbsp;Agostina Tabilio Di Camillo,&nbsp;Walter Di Marzio,&nbsp;Maria Elena Sáenz,&nbsp;Diana Maria Paola Galassi,&nbsp;Giuseppe Pieraccini,&nbsp;Angelo Galante,&nbsp;Davide Di Censo,&nbsp;Tiziana Di Lorenzo","doi":"10.1002/etc.5977","DOIUrl":"10.1002/etc.5977","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons, notably tetrachloroethylene (also known as perchloroethylene [PCE]), are persistent, mobile, and toxic (PMT) and/or very persistent, mobile, and toxic (vPMT) groundwater pollutants, often exceeding safe drinking water thresholds. The present study delves into the groundwater risk assessment of PCE with a novel focus on the sensitivity of stygobitic species—organisms uniquely adapted to groundwater environments. Through a comparative analysis of the subchronic effects of PCE on the locomotion behavior of two copepod species, the stygobitic <i>Moraria</i> sp. and the nonstygobitic <i>Bryocamptus zschokkei</i>, we highlighted the inadequacy of the current European predicted-no-effect concentration of PCE for groundwater ecosystems. Our findings indicate significant behavioral impairments in both species at a concentration (32 ng/L PCE) well below the threshold deemed safe, suggesting that the current European guidelines for groundwater risk assessment may not adequately protect the unique biodiversity of groundwater habitats. Importantly, <i>B. zschokkei</i> demonstrated sensitivity to PCE comparable to or greater than that of the target stygobitic species, suggesting its utility as a substitute species in groundwater risk assessment. The present study adds to the limited research on the ecotoxicological sensitivity of groundwater species to PMT/vPMT chemicals and highlights the need for refined groundwater risk-assessment methodologies that consider the susceptibilities of stygobitic species. <i>Environ Toxicol Chem</i> 2024;43:2515–2527. © 2024 The Author(s). <i>Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry</i> published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.</p>","PeriodicalId":11793,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry","volume":"43 12","pages":"2515-2527"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11619749/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142055253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Heavy Metal Contamination in Birds from Protected Regions in the Amazon","authors":"Yeraldi Loera,&nbsp;Cristian Gruppi,&nbsp;Kelly Swing,&nbsp;Shane C. Campbell-Staton,&nbsp;Borja Milá,&nbsp;Thomas B. Smith","doi":"10.1002/etc.5984","DOIUrl":"10.1002/etc.5984","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The extraction of crude oil and gold has substantially increased heavy metal contamination in the environment, yet the study of wildlife exposure and biological response to this pollution remains nascent even in the most biodiverse places in the world. We present a survey of heavy metal exposure in the feathers of wedge-billed woodcreepers (<i>Glyphorynchus spirurus</i>), a resident neotropical bird found within protected regions of the Amazon near oil and gold extraction sites. Our results show elevated heavy metal contamination in samples collected from protected areas proximate to known oil and gold extraction. Surprisingly, several samples from remote reference sites also displayed elevated levels of various heavy metals, suggesting a background of natural deposition or complex heavy metal contamination in the environment from anthropogenic sources. These results highlight the need to understand the ecological and biological impacts of increased heavy metal exposure on wildlife across space and time, including remote regions of the world purportedly untouched by these human-mediated stressors. Toward this goal, historical and contemporary data from native bird populations may provide crucial indicators for heavy metal contamination and exposure in wildlife and human communities. <i>Environ Toxicol Chem</i> 2024;43:2601–2607. © 2024 The Author(s). <i>Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry</i> published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.</p>","PeriodicalId":11793,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry","volume":"43 12","pages":"2601-2607"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11619747/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142055251","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Taxon and Body Size on Mercury Concentrations in Spiders from Two Rivers with Different Levels of Mercury Contamination: Implications for the Use of Riparian Spiders as Sentinels","authors":"Andrew C. Todd,&nbsp;Matthew M. Chumchal,&nbsp;Ray W. Drenner,&nbsp;Chris W. Allender,&nbsp;Benjamin D. Barst,&nbsp;Morgan T. Capone,&nbsp;Andrew P. Degges,&nbsp;Madeline P. Hannappel,&nbsp;Cale R. Perry,&nbsp;Robert A. Peterson,&nbsp;Tori L. Martinez,&nbsp;Iris E. Schmeder,&nbsp;Tyler T. Williams,&nbsp;Macyn G. Willingham","doi":"10.1002/etc.5968","DOIUrl":"10.1002/etc.5968","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Due to widespread atmospheric deposition of mercury (Hg), all aquatic food webs are contaminated with toxic methyl mercury (MeHg). At high concentrations, MeHg poses a health hazard to wildlife and humans. Spiders feeding in riparian habitats (hereafter referred to as <i>riparian spiders</i>) have been proposed as sentinels of MeHg contamination of aquatic systems. Riparian spiders are exposed to MeHg through their diets, and the concentration of MeHg in spiders is positively related to the proportion of MeHg-contaminated emergent aquatic insects in their diets. The use of spiders as sentinels is complex because their MeHg concentrations can vary, not only among ecosystems but also between different spider taxa and as a function of spider body size. The objective of the present study was to examine how the level of ecosystem contamination, spider taxon, and spider body size interact to influence MeHg concentrations in four genera of riparian spiders from two rivers with different levels of Hg contamination. We collected four genera of riparian spiders (<i>Tetragnatha</i> sp., <i>Larinioides</i> sp., <i>Pardosa</i> sp., and <i>Rabidosa</i> sp.) from two sites along both the Clear Fork of the Trinity River and the West Fork of the Trinity River (Fort Worth, TX, USA). We analyzed concentrations of MeHg in different body sizes of spiders from each genus. We found that MeHg contamination of the river ecosystem, spider taxon, and spider body size were important determinants of MeHg concentration in riparian spiders. The results suggest that any of the four taxa of riparian spiders from the present study could be used as sentinels of aquatic MeHg contamination, but they should not be used interchangeably because of the interdependence between the effects of ecosystem contamination level, spider taxon, and body size. Future studies utilizing riparian spiders as sentinels of biomagnifying aquatic contaminants (e.g., MeHg, polychlorinated biphenyls) should consider the potentially complex interaction effects between ecosystem contamination level, spider taxon, and spider body size. <i>Environ Toxicol Chem</i> 2024;43:2169–2175. © 2024 The Author(s). <i>Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry</i> published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.</p>","PeriodicalId":11793,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry","volume":"43 10","pages":"2169-2175"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/etc.5968","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142035484","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}