title: Evaluations of combined zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo and marine phytoplankton (Diacronema lutheri) toxicity of dissolved organic contaminants in the Ythan catchment, Scotland, UK.
abstract: A wide variety of organic contaminants including pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have previously been detected in surface waters in the river Ythan catchment, North East Scotland UK. While the concentrations detected were below Water Framework Directive Environmental Quality Standards (WFD-EQSs) environmental exposures to the diverse mixtures of contaminants, known and unknown, may pose chronic and/or sublethal effects to non target organisms. The present study assessed the embryo and algal toxicity potential of freely dissolved organic contaminants from the Ythan catchment using silicone rubber passive sampling devices (SR-PSDs) and miniaturised bioassay techniques. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos and marine phytoplankton species (Diacronema lutheri) were exposed to extracts from SR-PSDs deployed at different locations along the river Ythan and an undeployed procedural blank. Statistically significant developmental and algal toxicities were measured in all tests of extracts from deployed samples compared with the procedural blanks. This indicates environmental exposure to, and the combined toxicity potential of, freely dissolved organic contaminants in the catchment. The present and previous studies in the Ythan catchment, coupling SR-PSDs and bioassay techniques, have both helped to understand the interactions and combined effects of dissolved organic contaminants in the catchment. They have further revealed the need for improvement in the techniques currently used to assess environmental impact.
authors.affiliation: Marine Scotland Science, Marine Laboratory, 375 Victoria Road, Aberdeen, AB11 9DB, UK, e.s.emelogu@rgu.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Emmanuel S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Emelogu
authors.forename: Thomas-Benjamin
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Seiler
authors.forename: Pat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pollard
authors.forename: Craig D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Lynda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McKenzie
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heger
authors.forename: Henner
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hollert
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bresnan
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Best
authors.forename: Colin F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Moffat
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000187:drug effects; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D010575:Pesticides / Q000633:toxicity; D010839:Phytoplankton / Q000187:drug effects; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000633:toxicity; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000633:toxicity; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D012606:Scotland; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*; D060753:Water Quality; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls