Bulk sediment bioassays with five species of fresh-water oligochaetes

The fluxes of metals (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Al, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cr, and Ni) in two spruce forest soils in S. Sweden were quantified using the lysimeter technique. Amounts in precipitation (dry and wet), throughfall, litterfall and annual accumulation in biomass were also quantified, as well as stores in soil and biomass. The metal concentrations of the soil solutions varied greatly according to season. The leaching of some metals (Fe, Cu, Pb, Cr, and organic forms of Al) was associated with the leaching of organic matter. These complexes were leached from the A horizon in considerable amounts. They were precipitated in the upper B horizon and only small amounts were transported further downward. By contrast, the leaching of Na, Mg, Ca, Mn, Cd, Zn, Ni, and inorganic forms of Al increased with increasing soil depth. The concentrations of these metals also increased with increasing soil solution acidity. The highest concentrations were often found at the transition to the C horizon. The amounts of Na, K, Mg, Ca, Mn, Al, Zn, Cd, Cr, and Ni leached from the rooting zone were found to be larger than the amounts deposited from the atmosphere, the main source of these metals being the mineral soil. The reverse was true of Ph, Cu, and Fe, the sink being the upper part of the B horizon.     

Inferring ecological risk from toxicity bioassays

Results from toxicological bioassays can express the likely impact of environmental contamination on biochemical function, histopathology, development, reproduction and survivorship. However, justifying environmental regulatory decisions and management plans requires predictions of the consequent effects on ecological populations and communities. Although extrapolating the results of toxicity bioassays to potential effects on the ecosystem may be beyond the current scientific capacity of ecology, it is possible to make detailed forecasts at the level of a population. We give examples in which toxicological impacts are either magnified or diminished by population-dynamic phenomena and argue that ecological risk assessments should be conducted at a level no lower than the population. Although methods recently proposed by EPA acknowledge that ecological risk evaluations should reflect population-level effects, they adopt approaches from human health risk analysis that focus on individuals.     

The analysis and control of volatile hydrocarbon concentrations (e. g. benzene) during oil bioassays

It is well known that volatile hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, and xylene, which are abundant in many refined oils, affect phytoplankton growth. However, experiments to determine these effects in many cases have been improperly designed resulting in questionable conclusions. Experiments presented in this paper indicate that ambient benzene concentrations reported in the published literature may be lower than stated by an order of 10 to 100. By continuous monitoring the benzene concentration decrease was observed and it was possible to determine whether the loss was due to degassing because of loose closures or biological uptake. Unless tight closures are used benzene is quickly lost to the atmosphere (exponential decay rate ≌ 1.2d ^-1). Experiments demonstrated that benzene is quickly lost from cotton stoppered bioassay flasks that are typically used. Rubber stoppered flasks with little gaseous headspace showed minimum benzene loss. Biological uptake of benzene can be demonstrated when closures are secure and the effect of certain concentrations on growth can be correctly interpreted. Benzene concentrations above 10 to 20 ppm significantly reduce the growth rate of Skeletonema sp. The benzene concentration decreased quickly in 10 to 20 ppm benzene solutions implying metabolic uptake. These experiments indicate that proper closures and analysis of the volatile pollutant concentration during bioassay experiments increase the likelihood of correct interpretation and may yield additional insights into the causation factors.     

Standard plant bioassays for toxicity assessment of urban soils with complex xenobiotic profile

We have assessed the toxicity of urban soil with a complex xenobiotics profile incorporating persistent organic pollutants using standard plant biotesting with Latuca sativa (L.) lattice and Triticum aestivum (L.) wheat. Analysis of adjoint variations of the certain endpoints that characterize the growth parameters allowed one to reveal and qualitatively define the tested activity as being similar to the functional effects of some phytoregulators. No correlation was revealed between the level of the tested activity expressed with the indicated endpoints and the concentrations/sum of concentrations of xenobiotics profile components.     

Comparisons of terrestrial and aquatic bioassays for oil-contaminated soil toxicity

Background  Petroleum products are widely used in various sections of industry and they are one of the most abundant sources of environmental contamination. These products are classified by their physico-chemical properties such as boiling point, density and viscosity. Oil contamination in the environment is primarily evaluated by measuring the chemical concentrations of petroleum products in the solid or water phase. The results of chemical analyses do not correspond directly with the harmful environmental effects of petroleum products on the soil flora and fauna, because the interactions between oil compounds and the production of their methabolites in soil are not measured in chemical assessments. These kinds of effects of complex chemical mixtures in soil can be estimated by bioassays. Therefore, ecotoxicological tests are important for estimating soil quality in the risk assessment of oil-contaminated soil sites. Objectives  The objective of this study was to examine the oil-contaminated soil site of a closed petrol station with both chemical and ecotoxicological methods. The goals of this study were to compare the sensitivity of the terrestrial and aquatic bioassays and to compare the toxicity responses of aquatic bioassays determined from three different extraction procedures. In addition, our aim was to characterise a cost-effective battery of bioassays that could be applied to a comparison of oil-contaminated soils. It was in our interest to investigate oil-contaminated soil with oil concentrations of 2500–12000 mg/kg and to find out the possible differences between terrestrial and aquatic toxicity tests. Methods  Six soil samples from a closed petrol station were examined for toxicity with terrestrial and aquatic tests. Terrestrial tests includedEnchytraeus albidus survival and reproduction assays and seed germination assays using wheat, cress, lettuce, and red clover seeds and growth inhibition assays of onions. The toxicities of the water-extractable fractions of the soil samples obtained from three different extractions were tested with aquatic bioassays based on plants (onion and duckweed growth inhibition tests), microbes (luminescent bacteria test), and enzyme inhibition (reverse electron transport test, RET). Chemical analyses of the solid samples were carried out simultaneously. Results. Oil concentrations ranged from 2500 to 12000 mg/kg, BTEX varied from 300 to 2800 mg/kg, and fuel additives: MTBE and TAME from 0.0 1 to 260 mg/kg. Only the sample contain-ing 12000 mg/kg oil had a significant toxic impact on all test organisms. Soil samples with oil concentrations 2500–6200 mg/ kg had no or only slight adverse effects on the test organisms with one exception, theE. albidus reproduction test. TheE. albidus survival and reproduction tests were the most sensitive bioassays of the terrestrial tests, and the luminescent bacteria test of the aquatic tests.     

Zooplankton responses to acidification: A review of laboratory bioassays

This literature review summarizes laboratory bioassays of the effects of acidification on 32 zooplankton taxa. Low pH adversely affected survival, longevity, reproduction, Na flux, heart rate, growth rate, feeding or filtering rate, and respiration rate. The organisms most studied have been daphnids, specifically Daphnia magna and D. pulex. Recommendations for further research include analyses of sublethal effects on zooplankters other than daphnids, comparative studies of different taxa acclimated and tested under similar conditions, studies of the effects of acclimation conditions and genetic differences between zooplankton populations on acid sensitivity, and laboratory bioassays conducted under realistic conditions and supplemented with field data.     

Differentiation of physical from chemical toxicity in solid waste fish bioassays

This study showed that particulate (i.e., physical) toxicity was responsible for rainbow trout deaths in bioassays with two separate solid wastes. This conclusion was based on: (1) fish necropsies which indicated physical damage to gills but no evidence of chemical damage to liver or kidney, (2) chemical analyses which indicated that levels of Priority Pollutants and other target compounds were too low to cause the observed toxicity, (3) structural and chemical analyses of the waste particles which showed that these consisted of inert materials, and (4) the use of centrifugation techniques to remove most of the suspended particulate material in bioassay tanks resulting in an elimination of most of the toxicity. The particles associated with the lethal effects were approximately 5 to 10 μm in size. Regulatory testing of solid wastes must distinguish physical and chemical toxicity since disposal options can vary depending on the mode of toxicity. For instance, chemical toxicity raises concern regarding leaching through soils into groundwater, whereas if physical particles are responsible for toxicity, such leaching is not of concern.     

Protozoan bioassays of soil amended with sewage sludge and heavy metals,using the common soil ciliate Colpoda steinii

The common soil protozoan Colpoda steinii was used to study the toxicity of sulphate solutions of Ni, Cd, Cu, and Zn. The growth of C. steinii was reduced by 50% in the presence of 0.10, 0.22, 0.25, and 0.85 mg litre^-1 of Ni, Cd, Cu and Zn, respectively, during 24 h of incubation at 25°C, as calculated from a regression analysis of probit-transformed data. The same growth assay was used to assess the toxicity of soil solution extracted by centrifugation from soil samples of field plots of a grass/clover ley on a sandy loam treated with sewage sludge spiked with additional Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, Pb, or Zn at concentrations either equivalent to or twice the limits for heavy metals recommended in recent EC guidelines (Commission of European Communities directive 86/278/EEC). The toxicity of these soil solutions varied with the season of the year. None of the soil solutions extracted in winter (February 1991) inhibited the growth of C. steinii. In summer (July 1991), the growth was reduced in solutions extracted from plots that were amended with sludge plus additional Zn or Ni at twice the maxima recommended by the EC. The changes in toxicity to C. steinii of the soil solutions between February and July were positively correlated with increases in heavy metal concentrations of Zn and Ni between winter and summer. These preliminary results suggest that regular protozoan bioassays may be used to monitor the biological availability of heavy metals in soils, especially when combined with other microbial assays and with chemical analyses of soil solutions.     

The use of Folsomia candida (Collembola,Isotomidae) in bioassays of waste

There is a high probability that urban compost, sewage sludge and ash will come in contact with natural terrestrial ecosystems. The present paper investigates the extent to which the Folsomia candida population development test (now a standardised ecotoxicological test, ISO 11267, for testing the impact of pure chemicals on soil fauna) can be applied to the detection of the toxicity of these wastes, the goal being to evaluate ecotoxicity of wastes before they are spread on land. We show that some potentially useful information on waste toxicity can be obtained with this test, but the results must be interpreting with caution, indeed, problems can arise from differences in pH, humidity and organic matter content of the waste relative to the characteristics of the dilution soil. On the basis of the results of these assays, we propose a classification of the toxicity of seven wastes.     

Evaluation of calcium-alginate gel as an artificial diet medium for bioassays on common cutworms

A calcium-alginate gel diet was developed for Spodoptera litura larvae, and its reliability as a carrier for incorporating antifeedants as well as insecticides was investigated. The alginate gel diet was prepared with a simple protocol, which does not involve any heating process. When tested using this diet, acephate, a Bacillus thuringiensis endotoxin formulation and rotenone reproducibly showed insecticidal activity against the larvae, while neem oil and scabequinone deterred the larval feeding effectively. However, not only the insecticidal activity of acephate but also the antifeedant activity of neem oil was reduced by replacing the alginate component by agar in the diet, suggesting the usefulness of the alginate gel diet as an assay tool for testing a broad range of samples against the larvae.     

Complementarity of bioassays and microbial activity measurements for the evaluation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils quality

In order to describe a soil polluted with hydrocarbons, the complementarity of bioassays and microbial activities measurements was studied. The samples of soil were taken from a site which had received oil tank residues over 50 years. Five zones were sampled. Each sample was characterized by chemical analyses, the measurement of dehydrogenase, phosphatase, hydrolysis of FDA and urease activities, soil respiration, and Microtox and Metplate bioassays. The chemical analyses revealed different levels of total hydrocarbon concentrations (from 1.5 to 78.8 mg/kg of dry soil) but also relatively high quantities of nickel (from 14.5 to 841.6 mg/kg of dry soil) and lead (30.9–355.4 mg/kg of dry soil) or cadmium (0–1.2 mg/kg of dry soil) in the different zones. Urease and dehydrogenase were sensitive to the presence of metals (31% inhibition of urease and 50% inhibition of dehydrogenase in the most contaminated soil). Measurements of Substrate Induced Respiration showed that the soil microflora were stressed in the presence of the pollutants. In the zone containing the highest concentration of metals, the microbial activities were low and the bioassays revealed a high potential toxicity (e.g. IC50 for Microtox obtained with a 15% dilution of soil, 90% inhibition of β-galactosidase activity). In the other zones, the soil microbial activities were not depressed in comparison to the reference zone whereas the bioassays revealed the presence of toxic compounds extracted with the solvent used.     

Experimental complexities in evaluating the allelopathic activities in laboratory bioassays: A case study

Soil is the major player in deciding allelopathic activities. A study was designed to examine experimental complexities in determining the allelopathic behavior of soil amended with water-soluble leachates from Chenopodium murale. Chenopodium murale interferes with the growth and establishment of crop seedlings. The present study examined the role of water-soluble organic substances, if any, in the shoot growth suppression of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Rice seeds were grown on C. murale leaf leachate-amended soil to investigate the phytotoxic effects of C. murale leachates. Any modification of C. murale phytotoxic activities was studied through using abiotic soil, activated charcoal and nitrogen (N) fertilization. Chemical and microbiological analysis of C. murale-amended soil was made to evaluate the role of soil components in C. murale phytotoxicity. Significant inhibition in the shoot growth of rice was observed when abiotic or biotic soil was amended with full-strength leaf leachate (T1) of C. murale compared to unamended soils. The inhibitory effect of T1 is maintained when rice seeds were placed on T1-amended soil after 0, 24 or 48 h; however, the inhibitory effects were eliminated when seeds were placed on amended soil after 72, 96 h or 1 wk of incubating soil with T1. Activated charcoal (1, 2 or 4 g) could not eliminate the inhibitory effects of T1-amended soil to the shoot length of rice. The phytotoxic effects of T1-amended soil to the shoot length of rice, however, were largely eliminated after the addition of N fertilization. Interference of C. murale leaf leachate to rice shoot growth could be due to number of effects that could be misconstrued as allelopathy effects.     

Effectiveness of amendments to restore metal-arsenic-polluted soil functions using Lactuca sativa L. bioassays

Purpose

Because the success of the stabilisation of contaminants from amendments depends on the pollutants involved and the amendments used, the goals of this study were to assess whether selected amendments are able to restore highly polluted soils and to advance the knowledge of both the most suitable amendments to restore polluted soils and the most appropriate bioassays to estimate soil toxicity.

Materials and methods

An acidic and polluted soil from mining waste was amended with marble sludge, compost and iron in nine different combinations. The soils were placed in plastic pots and bioassays, including the different stages in the development of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), were carried out. Pore water was analysed at the different stages of the development of lettuce. At the end of the experiment, pollutant concentrations in lettuce leaf were analysed and the sequential extraction of trace elements was performed.

Results and discussion

The effectiveness of the amendments in reducing the toxicity of contaminated soils varied depending on the bioassay used. Marble sludge was the most effective in increasing pH and in reducing pollutant concentrations in pore water, clearly encouraging germination, root elongation and emergence. Throughout the emergence phase, marble sludge decreased in its effectiveness, probably because the pollutants precipitated as hydroxides and carbonates were taken up by the lettuce. In contrast, the compost began to improve the elongation of the seedling and the growth of lettuce. Although the amendments were effective in reducing the negative impact of pollutants in soils, none of them was able to successfully restore the functions of highly polluted soil.

Conclusions

The development of the plant until the end of the establishment phase is the best index to estimate soil phytotoxicity, although the effect on the health of potential consumers can only be evaluated from the toxic element concentrations in the plant. The uptake of pollutants stabilised by the amendments would explain why the reduction of easily available pollutant concentrations does not necessarily imply the restoration of the normal functioning of the ecosystem.     

The use of bioassays for evaluating the toxicity of sewage sludge and sewage sludge-amended soil

Background and Aims  

In soils, the most commonly mentioned hazardous substances are metals. One of the sources of its accumulation is the application of sewage sludge. However, little information is available regarding the estimation of the toxicity of sewage sludge or soil treated with sewage sludge, even by means of a battery of bioassays. In this study an evaluation of a battery of bioassays was carried out for toxicity assessment of sewage sludge and sewage sludge-treated soil. The objectives of this study were a) to compare the sensitivity of the different bioassays for the toxicity determination of sewage sludge contaminated with metals and soil treated with this sewage sludge, b) to elaborate a procedure for the attribution of sewage sludge samples to hazard classes based on the ecotoxicological data, and c) to evaluate the suitability of elutriate bioassays and microbial toxicity tests for the assessment of sewage sludge-treated soil.     

Use of solid-phase extraction systems to improve the sensitivity of Artemia bioassays for trichothecene mycotoxins

Solid-phase extraction was used to preconcentrate trichothecene mycotoxins from rivers and streams in order to develop and improve a rapid and sensitive bioassay using the brine shrimp Artemia salina. For T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, and 4,15-diacetoxyscirpenol, LC50 values obtained were 172, 600, and 700 micrograms/L, respectively. The LC50 for 4-deoxynivalenol was 21 mg/L. A more than 5-fold increase in sensitivity was observed when solid-phase extraction (SPE) was used in conjunction with the Artemia bioassay. For T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, and 4,15-diacetoxyscirpenol, LC50/SPE values after solid-phase extraction were 21, 83, and 130 micrograms/L. The use of river and stream waters and chlorinated water did not seem to interfere with the bioassay.     

4-Pyridyl carbonyl compounds as thrips lures: effectiveness for Western flower thrips in y-tube bioassays

In a search for chemical lures to manage the cosmopolitan crop pest western flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis, a Y-tube olfactometer was used to screen 20 compounds, including 18 4-pyridyl compounds. Comparison of Y-tube results for New Zealand flower thrips (NZFT), Thrips obscuratus, with field trapping data for ethyl nicotinate and ethyl isonicotinate, suggested that the minimum attractive dose (MAD) of an odor compound, where significantly ( p < 0.05) more than 50% of thrips walked up the odor-laden arm, provided a measure for selecting compounds to evaluate for potential lure efficacy in the field. Eighteen synthetic 4-pyridyl compounds were tested on female WFT in a Y-tube olfactometer and four 4-pyridyl carbonyl compounds had MADs lower than the known WFT attractants p-anisaldehyde (MAD 10 (-3) microL) and ethyl nicotinate (10 (-2) microL): methyl isonicotinate (10 (-6) microL), ethyl-2-chloropyridine-4-carboxylate (10 (-6) microL), ethyl isonicotinate (10 (-4) microL) and methyl 4-pyridyl ketone (10 (-5) microL). The suitability of MAD for selecting compounds for further evaluation of practical lure efficacy is discussed. Comparisons of activities within homologous series of esters and ketones showed that attractant activity decreased with chain length. 4-Formyl pyridine was an attractant at a dose of 10 (-5) microL, but was repellent at higher doses (10 (-2)-10 degrees microL).     

Reducing incidental mortality of seabirds with an underwater longline setting funnel

A demersal longline fishery for Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) that commenced off the Prince Edward Islands during 1996 has killed significant proportions of locally breeding albatrosses and petrels. As one of a suite of mitigation measures, we tested the efficacy of a Mustad underwater setting funnel to reduce incidental mortality of seabirds. The funnel, which deploys the longline 1-2 m beneath the sea surface, was used on 52% of 1714 sets (total effort 5.12 million hooks) over a 2-year period. Used in conjunction with a bird-scaring line, overall seabird bycatch rate was low (0.022 birds per 1000 hooks), and was dominated by white-chinned petrels (Procellaria aequinoctialis) (88% of the 114 birds killed). Bycatch rate was three times lower when the funnel was used both by day and at night. Daytime catch rates with the funnel were less than those attained during night sets without the funnel. In conjunction with other mitigation measures, underwater setting offers a significant reduction in seabird mortality in this fishery and could increase fishing efficiency by allowing daytime setting. However, small numbers of albatrosses were caught during daytime sets with the funnel, and its use for daytime sets should be closely monitored.     

Study on adverse impact of e-waste disassembly on surface sediment in East China by chemical analysis and bioassays

Purpose  

The primitive recycling of electronic waste (e-waste) in developing countries is causing serious environmental pollution. The objective of this study was to determine the contamination and toxicity of surface sediment of Nanguan River, which runs through the e-waste recycling area of Taizhou, East China.     

Toxicity of seawater and sand affected by the Prestige fuel-oil spill using bivalve and sea urchin embryogenesis bioassays

An evaluation of the toxicity of seawater and sand sampled from an area of the Galician coast (NW Iberian Peninsula), highly impacted by the Prestige fuel-oil spill, was attempted by using marine invertebrate embryogenesis bioassays with bivalves and sea urchins. Water samples were frozen and toxicity testing was delayed until the reproductive season of the sea urchins. Sand samples were elutriated and tested within 13 d from sampling, using bivalves from commercial stocks. Sand elutriates were non toxic for embryos despite visual presence of small tar balls. In contrast, seawater from the most impacted site was highly toxic during the first days after the spill, with complete inhibition of embryogenesis even after 4-fold dilution. In a lower degree toxicity persisted for two months in light-exposed coastal water. These findings stress the impact to water column organisms of the less conspicuous and frequently overlooked water-accommodated fraction, rather than the more visible oil slick.     

Age-dependent tag return models for estimating fishing mortality,natural mortality,and selectivity

Tag return studies play an important role in providing estimates of mortality rates needed for management of many fisheries, but current methods of estimation do not allow age dependence of instantaneous mortality rates. We present models that allow age-dependent fishing and natural mortality rates, an important advance, because there is often substantial variation in age (and size) of fish at tagging. Age dependence of fishing mortality is modeled by assuming that availability to the fishery, that is, selectivity, depends on age but is constant over years. We assume that all age classes are tagged each year, and allow for incomplete mixing of newly tagged fish and for fisheries that are year-long or limited to a fishing season. We investigate parameter redundancy and estimator performance using analytic and simulation methods, and show that estimator properties are poor if the tag reporting rate is estimated (without auxiliary data such as planted tags). We analyzed multiple age class tag return data from a 13-year study on striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and saw clear evidence that selectivity increases with age. Assuming that the tag reporting rate is constant and known, results also demonstrate age dependence of natural mortality rates, and an increase in natural mortality rates from about 1999 coinciding with observation of a bacterial disease in the fish.