title: Multilevel ecotoxicity assessment of environmentally relevant bisphenol A concentrations using the soil invertebrate Eisenia fetida.
abstract: Bisphenol A (BPA) presents a serious threat to soil ecosystems, yet its effects on soil-inhabiting organisms are mostly unexplored. Therefore, the impact of environmentally relevant BPA concentrations on a terrestrial model organism, the earthworm Eisenia fetida, was assessed. Animals were cutaneously exposed to 100nM and 10μM BPA up to 10days (10-d). Next, a battery of biomarkers was used for ecotoxicological evaluation on a cellular, tissue and behavioural level. HPLC analysis showed that after a 10-d exposure, BPA accumulation reached a maximum of 2.50μg BPA per g of wet tissue weight. On the cellular level, up to 3-d BPA exposure caused increased lipid oxidation indicating oxidative stress. Histopathological assessment of cell wall and ovaries after 7- and 10-d BPA exposure showed multiple abnormalities, i.e. hyperplasia of epidermis, increased body wall thickness and ovarian atrophy. Detection of these changes was facilitated by a newly proposed semi-quantitative scoring system. Finally, behavioural changes were detected after only 3days of exposure to 100nM BPA. Altogether, the presented multilevel toxicity evaluation indicates high sensitivity of earthworms to low BPA doses.
authors.affiliation: Ruđer Bošković Institute, Division of Materials Chemistry, Laboratory for Biotechnology in Aquaculture, Bijenička cesta 54, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Sanja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Babić
authors.affiliation: Ruđer Bošković Institute, Division of Materials Chemistry, Laboratory for Biotechnology in Aquaculture, Bijenička cesta 54, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Josip
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barišić
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, Department of Biochemical Engineering, Laboratory for Biology and Microbial Genetics, Pierottijeva 6, Zagreb, Croatia. Electronic address: abielen@pbf.hr.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bielen
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, Zagreb, Croatia. Electronic address: ivana.bosnjak@biol.pmf.hr.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bošnjak
authors.affiliation: PathCon Laboratories EU, Prilaz I. Visina 1-3, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sauerborn Klobučar
authors.affiliation: Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Laboratory of Plankton and Shellfish toxicity, Šetalište I. Meštrovića 63, Split, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ujević
authors.affiliation: Ruđer Bošković Institute, Division of Materials Chemistry, Laboratory for Biotechnology in Aquaculture, Bijenička cesta 54, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ivančica
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Strunjak-Perović
authors.affiliation: Ruđer Bošković Institute, Division of Materials Chemistry, Laboratory for Biotechnology in Aquaculture, Bijenička cesta 54, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Natalija
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Topić Popović
authors.affiliation: Ruđer Bošković Institute, Division of Materials Chemistry, Laboratory for Biotechnology in Aquaculture, Bijenička cesta 54, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Rozelindra
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Čož-Rakovac
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001284:Atrophy; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D015415:Biomarkers; D054750:Ecotoxicology; D005260:Female; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000187:drug effects*; D010053:Ovary / Q000473:pathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
chemical_list: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D015415:Biomarkers; D010636:Phenols; D012989:Soil Pollutants; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
keywords: Bisphenol A; Eisenia fetida; Filter paper contact test; Histopathology; Oxidative stress