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Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (v.59, #1)

Biological Analysis of Endocrine-Disrupting Compounds in Tunisian Sewage Treatment Plants by Wissem Mnif; Sonia Dagnino; Aurélie Escande; Arnaud Pillon; Hélène Fenet; Elena Gomez; Claude Casellas; Marie-Josèphe Duchesne; Guillermina Hernandez-Raquet; Vincent Cavaillès; Patrick Balaguer; Aghleb Bartegi (pp. 1-12).

Endocrin-disrupting compounds (EDCs) are frequently found in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). So far, research has been mainly focused on the detection of estrogenic compounds and very little work has been carried out on other receptors activators. In this study, we used reporter cell lines, which allow detecting the activity of estrogen (ERα), androgen (AR), pregnane X (PXR), glucocorticoid (GR), progesterone (PR), mineralocorticoid (MR), and aryl hydrocarbon (AhR) receptors, to characterise the endocrine-disrupting profile of the aqueous, suspended particulate matter, and sludge fractions from three Tunisian WWTPs. The aqueous fraction exhibited estrogenic and androgenic activities. Suspended particulate matter and sludge extracts showed estrogenic, aryl hydrocarbon and pregnane X receptor activities. No GR, MR, or PR (ant) agonistic activity was detected in the samples, suggesting that environmental compounds present in sewage might have a limited spectrum of activity. By performing competition experiments with recombinant ERα, we demonstrated that the estrogenic activity detected in the aqueous fraction was due to EDCs with a strong affinity for ERα. Conversely, in the sludge fraction, it was linked to the presence of EDCs with weak affinity. Moreover, by using different incubation times, we determined that the EDCs present in suspended particulate matter and sludge, which can activate AhR, are metabolically labile compounds. Finally, we showed in this study that environmental compounds are mainly ER, AR, PXR, and AhR activators. Concerning AR and PXR ligands, we do not to know the nature of the molecules. Concerning ER and AhR compounds, competition experiments with recombinant receptor and analysis at different times of exposure of the AhR activation gave some indications of the compound’s nature that need to be confirmed by chemical analysis.

Transformation of 17ß-Estradiol Mediated by Lignin Peroxidase: The Role of Veratryl Alcohol by Liang Mao; Junhe Lu; Shixiang Gao; Qingguo Huang (pp. 13-19).

Lignin peroxidases (LiPs) are a group of extracellular enzymes excreted by certain fungi, e.g., Phanerochaete chrysosporium. These fungi also produce veratryl alcohol (VA) as a secondary metabolite to regulate the performance of LiP. 17ß-Estradiol (E2) is a natural female hormone that is strongly endocrine disruptive when released to the natural environment. The widespread occurrence of E2 and related hormonal chemicals in soil and water environments has been identified, representing an emerging contamination of concern. We report in this study that E2 can be effectively transformed and removed through reactions mediated by LiP and such reactions are significantly enhanced in the presence of VA. We systematically investigated LiP activity and enzymatic reaction kinetics in systems having VA absent or present. The results suggest that VA enhanced the transformation and removal of E2 by the combination of two effects: (i) mitigating LiP inactivation and (ii) modifying the enzyme catalytic kinetics. These findings provide insights into an important pathway that may govern the environmental transformation of E2 and other emerging endocrine-disrupting contaminants of similar nature in the environment, and provide a basis for potential development and optimization of enzyme-based processes for remediation and removal of these contaminants.

Degradation Studies of New Substitutes for Perfluorinated Surfactants by Natalia Quinete; Francis Orata; Anke Maes; Markus Gehron; Karl-Heinz Bauer; Isabel Moreira; Rolf-Dieter Wilken (pp. 20-30).

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are manmade, stable perfluorosurfactants. The properties of perfluoroalkylated compounds that cause them to persist in the environment are also the properties that made them attractive compounds for industrial usage for over 50 years. Due to the unique properties of the carbon–fluorine bond and the polarity of perfluoroalkyl groups, potential substitutes to replace perfluorinated surfactants in most cases continue to be perfluoroalkyl based. Thus, issues of persistence in the environment remain. There is a need to test emerging new substitute surfactants for biodegradability. This study involved degradability measurements of emerging perfluorinated surfactant substitutes. The stability of the substitutes of perfluorinated surfactants was tested by employing advanced oxidation processes, which were based on degradation by ultraviolet lamp, hydrogen peroxide, or both, followed by conventional tests, among them an automated method based on the manometric respirometry test (OECD 301 F; OxiTop), closed-bottle test (OECD 301 D), and standardized fixed-bed bioreactor on perfluorobutane sulfonate, fluorosurfactant Zonyl, two fluoraliphatic esters (NOVEC FC-4430 and NOVEC FC-4432), and 10-(trifluoromethoxy) decane 1 sulfonate. Most of these new surfactants are well established in the marketplace and have been used in several applications as alternatives to PFOS- and PFOA-based surfactants. Ready biodegradation tests for fluoroaliphatic esters, the fluorosurfactant Zonyl, perfluorobutane sulfonate, and 10-(trifluoromethoxy) decane-1-sulfonate using the manometric respirometry test (OxiTop) did not meet the ready biodegradability test criteria. However, 10-(trifluoromethoxy) decane-1-sulfonate was observed to be degradable when a standardized fixed-bed bioreactor test was applied.

Detection of Genotoxicity of Water from an Urbanized Stream, in Corbicula fluminea (Mollusca) (In Vivo) and CHO-K1 Cells (In Vitro) Using Comet Assay by Janaina Rigonato; Mário Sérgio Mantovani; Berenice Quinzani Jordão (pp. 31-38).

The comet assay was utilized to investigate the quality of water from seven locations along the Cambé Stream, in vivo (Corbicula fluminea hemolymph), in vitro (CHO-K1 cells), in situ, and in laboratory studies. The Cambé Stream basin (Londrina, PR, Brazil) is almost completely urbanized and receives different forms of industrial and domestic runoff. The data indicated the occurrence of DNA damage in cells examined in vivo and in vitro, shown by the significant increase in frequencies of cells with DNA damage after exposure to water from all seven locations used in the study. Our results strongly suggest the presence of genotoxic agent(s) in water at all of the sampled locations, demonstrated by elevated numbers of cells with DNA damaged in field and laboratory tests. In all of the places sampled, domestic sewage influence appeared to be one important cause for the introduction of xenobiotics, environmental genotoxins, and pollutants into the water. Thus, the comet assay applied in these cell systems was able to detect adverse environmental conditions, proving to be a very adequate short-term test and should be included in batteries of tests utilized in the monitoring of aquatic environments.

Measurement and Computation of Movement of Bromide Ions and Carbofuran in Ridged Humic-Sandy Soil by Minze Leistra; Jos J. T. I. Boesten (pp. 39-48).

Water flow and pesticide transport in the soil of fields with ridges and furrows may be more complex than in the soil of more level fields. Prior to crop emergence, the tracer bromide ion and the insecticide carbofuran were sprayed on the humic-sandy soil of a potato field with ridges and furrows. Rainfall was supplemented by sprinkler irrigation. The distribution of the substances in the soil profile of the ridges and furrows was measured on three dates in the potato growing season. Separate ridge and furrow systems were simulated by using the pesticide emission assessment at regional and local scales (PEARL) model for pesticide behavior in soil–plant systems. The substances travelled deeper in the furrow soil than in the ridge soil, because of runoff from the ridges to the furrows. At 19 days after application, the peak of the bromide distribution was measured to be in the 0.1–0.2 m layer of the ridges, while it was in the 0.3–0.5 m layer of the furrows. After 65 days, the peak of the carbofuran distribution in the ridge soil was still in the 0.1 m top layer, while the pesticide was rather evenly distributed in the top 0.6 m of the furrow soil. The wide ranges in concentration measured with depth showed that preferential water flow and substance transport occurred in the sandy soil. Part of the bromide ion distribution was measured to move faster in soil than the computed wave. The runoff of water and pesticide from the ridges to the furrows, and the thinner root zone in the furrows, are expected to increase the risk of leaching to groundwater in ridged fields, in comparison with more level fields.

Quantification and Source Identification of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Core Sediments from Sundarban Mangrove Wetland, India by C. Domínguez; S. K. Sarkar; A. Bhattacharya; M. Chatterjee; B. D. Bhattacharya; E. Jover; J. Albaigés; J. M. Bayona; Md. A. Alam; K. K. Satpathy (pp. 49-61).

The distribution and potential sources of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediment cores (<63 μm particle size) of the Sundarban mangrove wetland, northeastern coast of Bay of Bengal (India), were investigated by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The total concentrations of 16 PAHs (∑₁₆PAHs) ranged from 132 to 2938 ng/g, with a mean of 634 ng/g, and the sum of 10 out of 16 priority PAHs (∑₁₀PAH) varied from 123 to 2441 ng/g, with a mean of 555 ng/g, and the 5 carcinogenic PAHs (benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, and dibenz[a,h]anthracene) accounted for 68–73% of the priority PAHs. Maximum concentrations of the sediment core were obtained at subsoil depth of 12–16 cm. The prevalence of four to six aromatic ring PAHs and cross-plots of specific isomer ratios such as phenanthrene/anthracene, fluoranthene/pyrene, and methylphenanthrenes/phenanthrene suggested the predominance of wood and coal combustion sources, the atmospheric deposition, and surface runoff to be the major transport pathways. A good correlation existed between the benzo[a]pyrene level and the total PAH concentrations, making this compound a potential molecular marker for PAH pollution. Total TEQ _S ^carc values calculated for samples varied from 6.95 ng/g TEQ _S ^carc to 119 ng/g TEQ _S ^carc , with an average of 59 ng/g dry weight TEQ _S ^carc . The baseline data can be used for regular monitoring, considering the industrial and agricultural growth around this coastal environment.

Environmental Assessment of PAHs in Soils Around the Anhui Coal District, China by Ruwei Wang; Guijian Liu; Chen-Lin Chou; Jingjing Liu; Jiamei Zhang (pp. 62-70).

Thirty-three soil samples were collected from the Luling, Liuer, and Zhangji coal mines, in the Huaibei and Huainan areas, Anhui Province, China, in 2007. The concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), identified as priority pollutants by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), were determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The sum of 16 US EPA PAHs ranged from 0.13 to 3.54 μg/g (dry weight basis) with a mean concentration of 0.84 μg/g. Among the three sampling sites selected around the coal mines, the site at the Luling coal mine revealed maximum concentration of PAHs, whereas minimum concentration was observed at the site at the Zhangji coal mine. In general, low-molecular-weight PAHs were predominant. The gob pile and coal preparation plant are the sources of PAHs pollution in surface soils in the vicinity of coal mines. The crops in rice paddies might adsorb some PAHs and reduce the PAHs content in soils from paddy fields. The vertical distribution of PAHs in two soil profiles indicates that PAHs contamination in soil profiles tends to occur high in the surface soils and markedly decreases with soil depth. For all depths, PAHs showed a similar distribution pattern, which is an indicator of a similar origin. The total B[a]P equivalent concentration (B[a]Peq) was found to be maximum at the Luling area, whereas it was minimum at Liuer zones.

HCH and DDT in Sediments from Marine and Adjacent Riverine Areas of North Bohai Sea, China by Wenyou Hu; Tieyu Wang; Jong Seong Khim; Wei Luo; Wentao Jiao; Yonglong Lu; Jonathan E. Naile; Chunli Chen; Xiang Zhang; John P. Giesy (pp. 71-79).

Residues of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) and their environmental risks in surface sediments collected from marine and adjacent riverine/estuarine areas in the northern Bohai Sea, China, were investigated. Concentrations of ΣHCH and ΣDDT in sediments ranged from below detection (−1 dry wt (dw; mean, 92.51 ng g⁻¹ dw) and −1 dw (mean, 9.23 ng g⁻¹ dw), respectively. Concentrations of HCH and DDT were generally higher in marine than riverine sediments. Concentrations of HCH and DDT residues found in the present study were higher than those reported in marine and river/estuary sediments from other areas of the world. The source of HCH in sediments could be explained by the large amount of historical use, while DDT seemed to be a combination of erosion of the weathered soils and long-range atmospheric transport. Concentrations of HCH in sediments from the study areas did not exceed sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), with the exception of γ-HCH. However, risks posed by concentrations of DDT observed in sediments were found to be moderate to high compared with those posed by consensus-based SQGs. Although the mean sedimentary concentrations of HCH and DDT found in the area of the northern Bohai Sea, China were lower than suggested SQGs in general, their concentrations in some locations were close to or above the SQGs for adverse effects in benthic organisms and, thus, remain a cause for concern.

Predicting the Bioavailability of Sediment-Associated Spiked Compounds by Using the Polyoxymethylene Passive Sampling and Tenax^® Extraction Methods in Sediments from Three River Basins in Europe by Arto J. Sormunen; Anita I. Tuikka; Jarkko Akkanen; Matti T. Leppänen; Jussi V. K. Kukkonen (pp. 80-90).

This study presents the bioavailability of four spiked compounds to Lumbriculus variegatus, in sediment samples from three river basins in Europe: the Elbe, the Llobregat, and the Scheldt. Twenty sediment samples differing in physical and chemical properties were spiked with chlorpyrifos, pyrene, tetrachloribiphenyl, and tetrabromo diphenyl ether. The main focus of this study was to compare the suitability of two chemical approaches—the rapidly desorbing fraction method based on the Tenax^® extraction and the freely dissolved chemical concentration method based on polyoxymethylene passive sampling—for predicting the bioavailability of sediment-associated hydrophobic compounds. It appears that accessible concentration estimated by Tenax extraction does not result in equal freely dissolved concentrations based on polyoxymethylene passive sampling results. The present data show that freely dissolved concentration in pore water mainly determines the uptake by organisms and, therefore, the polyoxymethylene passive sampling method was a successful approach to estimating the bioavailability of sediment-associated lipophilic contaminants (log octanol–water partitioning coefficient >6). The sediment characteristics or river basin differences had only a minor effect on the bioavailability estimates. Overall, passive samplers have not been tested to a sufficient extent in various chemicals or exposure matrixes. For this reason, bioassays are still needed in the risk assessment process in order to verify results based on passive sampling methods.

Weathering and Dissolution Rates Among Pb Shot Pellets of Differing Elemental Compositions Exposed to Various Aqueous and Soil Conditions by Takejiro Takamatsu; Tomoyoshi Murata; Masami K. Koshikawa; Mirai Watanabe (pp. 91-99).

The present study was performed to investigate the weathering and dissolution rates of Pb shot pellets differing in elemental composition (Pb, Sb, and As) exposed under various aqueous and soil conditions using five commercial shot pellet preparations. Upon immersion in distilled water, the dissolution rates of shot pellets, calculated from the difference in weight before versus after immersion, decreased with increasing Sb + As contents and the dominant precipitate was hydrocerussite. These subsidiary ingredients may be related to the difficulty of metallic Pb oxidation (transformation to PbO). Weight losses standardized by the amount of rainfall upon exposure to rainfall on open grassland and under canopies of Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) and bamboo-leafed oak (Quercus myrsinaefolia) were 1.11, 1.07, and 7.35 mg g pellets⁻¹ year⁻¹ L⁻¹, respectively, and was also related to Sb + As contents in shot pellets. However, annual dissolution rates of Pb standardized by the amount of rainfall as the soluble fraction at the same sites were 0.72, 0.33, and 0.40 mg Pb g pellets⁻¹ year⁻¹ L⁻¹ in the same order. These trends seemed to be related to the rainfall pH, which induces precipitation of Pb dissolved as PbCO₃ under conditions of higher pH at the Q. myrsinaefolia site or organic matter released from leaves, etc., which can form metal complexes. Dissolution rates of shot pellets buried in soils (Cambisol, Fluvisol, Regosol, Andosol) also seemed to be related to the soil pH and dissolved organic matter contents but were about sixfold faster than those with exposure to rainfall.

Salicylic Acid Reduces Napropamide Toxicity by Preventing Its Accumulation in Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) by Jing Cui; Rui Zhang; Guo Lin Wu; Hong Mei Zhu; Hong Yang (pp. 100-108).

Napropamide is a widely used herbicide for controlling weeds in crop production. However, extensive use of the herbicide has led to its accumulation in ecosystems, thus causing toxicity to crops and reducing crop production and quality. Salicylic acid (SA) plays multiple roles in regulating plant adaptive responses to biotic and environmental stresses. However, whether SA regulates plant response to herbicides (or pesticides) was unknown. In this study, we investigated the effect of SA on herbicide napropamide accumulation and biological processes in rapeseed (Brassica napus). Plants exposed to 8 mg kg⁻¹ napropamide showed growth stunt and oxidative damage. Treatment with 0.1 mM SA improved growth and reduced napropamide levels in plants. Treatment with SA also decreased the abundance of O ₂ ^–. and H₂O₂ as well as activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and increased activities of guaiacol peroxidase (POD) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in napropamide-exposed plants. Analysis of SOD, CAT, and POD activities using nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) confirmed the results. These results may help to understand how SA regulates plant response to organic contaminants and provide a basis to control herbicide/pesticide contamination in crop production.

Effect of Calcium and pH on Copper Binding and Rhizotoxicity to Pea (Pisum sativum L.) Root: Empirical Relationships and Modeling by Yonghong Wu; William H. Hendershot (pp. 109-119).

The accumulation and toxicity of Cu to pea (Pisum sativum L.) roots were investigated. The root uptake of Cu and Ca varied with Ca and H activities. Calcium, H, and Cu competed for root binding with high pH and low Ca favoring more Cu uptake. Root elongation was highly sensitive to root Ca content and correlated better with root-bound Ca and Cu content than with merely dissolved Cu concentrations. The prediction of root elongation needs to include both the root-bond Cu and Ca as predictor variables whenever environmental conditions (low pH and low Ca) decrease Ca accumulation. A multielement uptake model was developed to describe Cu and Ca accumulation by treating the pea roots as a collection of three biotic ligands with known site densities ( $$ Q_{{{ ext{L}}_{j} }} $$ ) and proton-binding constants ( $$ K_{{{ ext{HL}}_{j} }} $$ ). A series of binding constants were derived. The log $$ K_{{{ ext{CuL}}_{j} }} $$ (j = 1, 2, 3) values were estimated at pH 6 and 0.2 mM CaCl₂ as 2.36, 4.36, and 0.32, respectively. The derived formation constants can be incorporated into standard solution speciation models to estimate the bioaccumulation of Cu in plant roots under multielement conditions.

Concentrations of Cadmium and Zinc in Seawater of Bohai Bay and Their Effects on Biomarker Responses in the Bivalve Chlamys farreri by Ying Zhang; Jinming Song; Huamao Yuan; Yayan Xu; Zhipeng He (pp. 120-128).

Both in-field chemical investigation and in the laboratory toxic tests were carried out to systematically understand the pollution status of cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) in Bohai Bay. Samples collected from surface seawater were determined to describe the distributions of Cd and Zn in Bohai Bay. The average values in our study of Cd and Zn were 0.15 μg/L and 19.68 μg/L, respectively. Both of them were lower than the first class limit of seawater quality standard in China. In the laboratory, antioxidant enzymes [SOD (Cu/Zn-SOD, Mn-SOD), CAT], lipid peroxidation (MDA), phase I and phase II enzymes (CYP4501A and GST) were investigated in the bivalves Chlamys farreri exposed to Cd and Zn at the concentration levels of Bohai Bay seawater, which were obtained from our in-field investigation. The reduced SOD, CAT, and EROD (7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase) activities (with the inhibitory rate of 16.8%, 31.5%, and 51.6%, respectively) in Cd treatment were observed and resulted in obvious lipid peroxidation damage. However, treatment of Zn showed elevations in SOD and GST by 13.3% and 29.9%, respectively, and with no influence on lipid peroxidation. In summary, seawater quality in Bohai Bay seawater was ranked as good in general, but it seemed that Cd might possess a potential environmental risk by effecting pro-oxidant/antioxidant balance and phase I detoxification in C. farreri.

Effects of Metal Exposure on Associative Learning Behavior in Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans by Yanfen Zhang; Boping Ye; Dayong Wang (pp. 129-136).

In the present study, the thermotaxis model was used to evaluate the effects of metal exposure at different concentrations on associative learning behavior in nematodes. The examined nematodes were cultured at 25 or 17°C, and then shifted to 20°C condition. Based on the ability of nematodes to trace the temperature of 20°C, exposure to 10 μM of all examined metals and 2.5 μM Pb and Hg caused significant decrease of associative learning behavior at time intervals of 5 and 18 h; however, exposure to 2.5 μM Cu, Zn, and Ag did not influence associative learning behavior. Moreover, exposure to 2.5 and 10 μM of examined metals did not influence body bend and thermotaxis to cultivation temperature, whereas exposure to 50 μM of examined metals caused significant reduction of body bend and thermotaxis to cultivation temperature. Furthermore, Pb and Hg were the more toxic among the examined metals, with severe toxicity on associative learning behavior, thermotaxis, and locomotion behavior in nematodes.

Bioaccumulation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Gilthead Sea Bream (Sparus aurata L.) Exposed to Long Term Feeding Trials with Different Experimental Diets by Jaime Nácher-Mestre; Roque Serrano; Laura Benedito-Palos; Juan C. Navarro; Francisco J. López; Sadasivam Kaushik; Jaume Pérez-Sánchez (pp. 137-146).

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (16 EPA list) were determined in oils, fish feed, and fillets from gilthead sea bream fed through a full production cycle (14 months) with feed containing different proportions of fish oil replaced by vegetable oils, followed by a finishing phase with fish oil. At the beginning of the study, fish presented 46.6 μg/kg fresh weight of the sum of PAHs in fillet and a benzo[a]pyrene equivalent value of 9.1 μg/kg fresh weight. These levels decreased after 330 days of rearing to values around 2 μg/kg. Although the concentration increased again during the finishing phase, they remained low. These low concentrations of PAHs could be the result of a dilution process associated with fish growth and with the detoxification pathways, both favored by the low levels of PAHs present in the feeds and the lack of any other potential source of contamination during the whole rearing period.

Sorption of Estrogens onto Different Fractions of Sediment and Its Effect on Vitellogenin Expression in Male Japanese Medaka by Cuong Ngoc Duong; Jin Sung Ra; Daniel Schlenk; Sang D. Kim; Hoon K. Choi; Sang Don Kim (pp. 147-156).

This study investigated the sorption capacity of estrogenic compounds—such as estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), and 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2)—of different sediment particle fractions. Two-sized fractions of sediment were used in the experiments, with a particle size <1 μm (mostly from 450 to 800 nm) and >1 μm up to 50 μm. Sorption kinetics were followed using a two-step reaction in which the major amount of chemicals was sorbed rapidly within minutes and then gradually increased until equilibrium was reached after 48 h. The sorption capacity of the fine particle fraction (particle size <1 μm) was shown to be significantly higher than that of the large fraction (1 μm < particle size < 50 μm). The sorption kinetics and isotherm were adequately predicted by using a pseudo second-order model and the Freundlich equation, respectively. Total organic carbon (TOC) content and surface area of particle fractions were also measured. Although the effects of TOC on the sorption of estrogens could not be verified, a higher surface area of fine particle fractions may significantly increase sorption capacity to target compounds. Sorption of estrogens onto sediment particles could be used to explain the differences of estrogenic activity of E2 spiked into different size fractions of particle suspensions.

Metals in Feathers of Black-Crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) Chicks from the New York Harbor Estuary by V. Padula; J. Burger; S. H. Newman; S. Elbin; C. Jeitner (pp. 157-165).

In heavily urbanized landscapes such as the New York Harbor Estuary, the local environment is subject to a variety of contamination sources. Environmental contaminants such as heavy metals and metalloids pose a risk to wildlife inhabiting the harbor. Metal concentrations in feathers indicate exposure and provide insight into the potential adverse effects on birds. In 2004 and 2005 down feathers were collected from 147 black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) chicks living on four island colonies in the New York Harbor Estuary, USA: Goose Island, Hoffman Island, North Brother Island, and Canarsie Pol. We examined geographical and interannual differences in concentrations of the metalloid arsenic (As) and the heavy metals cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg). Significant differences in metal concentrations were a function of location, with North Brother Island having the highest As concentrations and Goose Island having the highest Cr and Pb concentrations in feathers collected in 2004. In 2005, feather samples indicated Hoffman Island had the highest Cr concentrations and North Brother Island had the highest Pb and Hg concentrations. Concentrations of As, Cd, and Hg decreased significantly from 2004 to 2005 on North Brother Island, Hg on Hoffman Island decreased from 2004 to 2005, while Cr on Hoffman Island increased from 2004 to 2005. Cd and Pb concentrations were higher and As and Cr concentrations were generally lower than concentrations reported in previous studies. Further investigation is necessary on the declining population of herons in the New York Harbor Estuary to determine specifically if birds are experiencing adverse effects from metal contaminants, or if organic contaminants, such as organic Hg or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), are playing a role in this population’s decline.

Nigerian Bonny Light Crude Oil Disrupts Antioxidant Systems in Testes and Sperm of Rats by Ebenezer O. Farombi; Isaac A. Adedara; Azubike P. Ebokaiwe; Roy Teberen; Theresa Ehwerhemuepha (pp. 166-174).

Nigerian Bonny light crude oil (BLCO) is commonly used by the local population in folklore medicine for the management of various forms of gastrointestinal problems and male reproductive capacity. The study investigated the effects of BLCO on the antioxidant systems of the testes and epidydimal sperm in rats by oral exposure to 0, 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg BLCO for 7 days. In testes and sperm, BLCO treatment at all doses significantly (p < 0.05) decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities, whereas it markedly increased glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) activities as well as increased glutathione (GSH), hydrogen peroxide, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in all treatment groups. Although epididymal sperm number (ESN), daily spermatozoa production (DSP), and sperm motility were significantly decreased, total sperm abnormalities were significantly increased without affecting sperm viability at all dose levels compared with controls. The adverse effect of BLCO on TSN was noted at the 800 mg/kg dose only. Histopathology results showed treatment-related lesions of the testes characterized by severe congestion of interstitial vessels, decreased germinal epithelium, and increased number of vacuolization. These results suggest that exposure to BLCO, such as its use in ailment management, may promote infertility by altering the function of the testes and sperm, particularly by way of induction of oxidative stress.

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Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (v.59, #1)