Global warming and environmental contaminants in aquatic organisms: the need of the etho-toxicology approach.
Environmental contaminants are associated with a wide spectrum of pathological effects. Temperature increase affects ambient distribution and toxicity of these chemicals in the water environment, representing a potentially emerging problem for aquatic species with short-, medium- and long-term repercussions on human health through the food chain. We assessed peer-reviewed literature, including primary studies, review articles and organizational reports available. We focused on studies concerning toxicity of environmental pollutants within a global warming scenario. Existing knowledge on the effects that the increase of water temperature in a contaminated situation has on physiological mechanisms of aquatic organisms is presented. Altogether we consider the potential consequences for the human beings due to fish and shellfish consumption. Finally, we propose an etho-toxicological approach to study the effects of toxicants in conditions of thermal increase, using aquatic organisms as experimental models under laboratory controlled conditions.
Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Ulisse Aldrovandi 16/b, 00197 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: arianna.manciocco@cnr.it.
Arianna
A
Manciocco
Neurotoxicology and Neuroendocrinology Section, Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
Gemma
G
Calamandrei
Behavioural Neuroscience Section, Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
Enrico
E
Alleva
D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000187:drug effects*; D054750:Ecotoxicology / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D020387:Food Chain; D057232:Global Warming; D006801:Humans; D017747:Seafood; D013696:Temperature
D004785:Environmental Pollutants
Behaviour; Climate change; Contaminant; Global warming; Water temperature