title: Review of the photo-induced toxicity of environmental contaminants.
abstract: Solar radiation is a vital component of ecosystem function. However, sunlight can also interact with certain xenobiotic compounds in a phenomenon known as photo-induced, photo-enhanced, photo-activated, or photo-toxicity. This phenomenon broadly refers to an interaction between a chemical and sunlight resulting in increased toxicity. Because most aquatic ecosystems receive some amount of sunlight, co-exposure to xenobiotic chemicals and solar radiation is likely to occur in the environment, and photo-induced toxicity may be an important factor impacting aquatic ecosystems. However, photo-induced toxicity is not likely to be relevant in all aquatic systems or exposure scenarios due to variation in important ecological factors as well as physiological adaptations of the species that reside there. Here, we provide an updated review of the state of the science of photo-induced toxicity in aquatic ecosystems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences & Advanced Environmental Research Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA. Electronic address: aproberts@unt.edu.
authors.forename: Aaron P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec H9X3V9, Canada. Electronic address: matthew.alloy@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Matthew M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Alloy
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA. Electronic address: orisjt@muohio.edu.
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Oris
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013472:Sunlight / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Aquatic ecosystems; Natural organic matter; Photo-enhanced toxicity; Photo-induced toxicity; Photo-toxicity; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Ultraviolet radiation