Characterization and development of microsatellite markers for Echinomastus johnsonii and congeneric taxa.

PREMISE: Microsatellite markers were developed in Echinomastus johnsonii (Cactaceae) for use in several morphologically similar, closely related taxa within the genus to study genetic structure and diversity within and among individuals and populations. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using reads from shallow, whole genome Illumina HiSeq high-throughput sequencing, we developed and characterized 15 microsatellite primer pairs for E. johnsonii, E. erectocentrus var. erectocentrus, E. erectocentrus var. acunensis, and E. intertextus. Of the 15 microsatellite markers, 14 amplified successfully and were polymorphic in three of the four taxa tested, with the exception of three markers in E. intertextus. In E. johnsonii, the number of alleles ranged from one to 15 and levels of observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.000 to 1.000 and 0.000 to 0.917, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These markers will be useful for investigating population genetics and clarifying taxonomic relationships of E. johnsonii and congeneric species.

Biotransformation of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) in anaerobic digester sludge, soils, and freshwater sediments.

The biotransformation of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) was evaluated in anaerobic digester sludge, soils, and freshwater sediments. In anaerobic digester sludge, TBBPA biotransformed rapidly with a 50% disappearance time (DT50) of 19 days, though little mineralization (1.1%) was observed. In aerobic soils, mineralization of TBBPA ranged from 17.5% to 21.6% with 55.3-83.6% of the TBBPA incorporated into the soils as a non-extractable bound residue. The DT50 for TBBPA in aerobic soils ranged from 5.3 to 7.7 days. In anaerobic soils, 48.3-100% of the TBBPA was incorporated into the soils as non-extractable bound residue with <4% mineralized. The soil fate studies demonstrated extensive incorporation of TBBPA into the solid matrix and this association was related to the amount of organic carbon in the soils (i.e., greater association of TBBPA with soil at higher organic carbon content). In anaerobic sediments the DT50 for TBBPA ranged from 28 to 42 days, whereas in aerobic sediments the DT50 for TBBPA ranged from 48 to 84 days and depended on the initial dose concentration. Most of the TBBPA in the sediment studies was incorporated as a non-extractable bound residue with little mineralization observed. Sediment extracts revealed three unknown biotransformation products and bisphenol A (BPA). These results were consistent with previously published studies where TBBPA biotransformed in anaerobic environments (digester sludge and sediments) by debromination and slowly mineralized in the test environments (anaerobic digester sludge, soils, and freshwater sediments).

Acute photo-induced toxicity and toxicokinetics of single compounds and mixtures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in zebrafish.

The present study examined photo-induced toxicity and toxicokinetics for acute exposure to selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in zebrafish. Photo-enhanced toxicity from co-exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and PAHs enhanced the toxicity and exhibited toxic effects at PAH concentrations orders of magnitude below effects observed in the absence of UV. Because environmental exposure to PAHs is usually in the form of complex mixtures, the present study examined the photo-induced toxicity of both single compounds and mixtures of PAHs. In a sensitive larval life stage of zebrafish, acute photo-induced median lethal concentrations (LC50s) were derived for 4 PAHs (anthracene, pyrene, carbazole, and phenanthrene) to examine the hypothesis that phototoxic (anthracene and pyrene) and nonphototoxic (carbazole and phenanthrene) pathways of mixtures could be predicted from single exposures. Anthracene and pyrene were phototoxic as predicted; however, carbazole exhibited moderate photo-induced toxicity and phenanthrene exhibited weak photo-induced toxicity. The toxicity of each chemical alone was used to compare the toxicity of mixtures in binary, tertiary, and quaternary combinations of these PAHs, and a predictive model for environmental mixtures was generated. The results indicated that the acute toxicity of PAH mixtures was additive in phototoxic scenarios, regardless of the magnitude of photo-enhancement. Based on PAH concentrations found in water and circumstances of high UV dose to aquatic systems, there exists potential risk of photo-induced toxicity to aquatic organisms.

Dose-response approaches for nuclear receptor-mediated modes of action for liver carcinogenicity: Results of a workshop.

A public workshop, organized by a Steering Committee of scientists from government, industry, universities and research organizations, was held at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in September, 2010. The workshop explored the dose-response implications of toxicant modes of action (MOA) mediated by nuclear receptors. The dominant paradigm in human health risk assessment has been linear extrapolation without a threshold for cancer, and estimation of sub-threshold doses for non-cancer and (in appropriate cases) cancer endpoints. However, recent publications question the application of dose-response modeling approaches with a threshold. The growing body of molecular toxicology information and computational toxicology tools has allowed for exploration of the presence or absence of sub-threshold doses for a number of receptor-mediated MOAs. The workshop explored the development of dose-response approaches for nuclear receptor-mediated liver cancer, within a MOA Human Relevance Framework (HRF). Case studies addressed activation of the AHR, the CAR and the PPARα. This article describes the workshop process, key issues discussed and conclusions. The value of an interactive workshop approach to apply current MOA/HRF frameworks was demonstrated. The results may help direct research on the MOA and dose-response of receptor-based toxicity, since there are commonalities for many receptors in the basic pathways involved for late steps in the MOA, and similar data gaps in early steps. Three additional papers in this series describe the results and conclusions for each case-study receptor regarding its MOA, relevance of the MOA to humans and the resulting dose-response implications.

A look at state-level risk assessment in the United States: making decisions in the absence of federal risk values.

State environmental agencies in the United States are charged with making risk management decisions that protect public health and the environment while managing limited technical, financial, and human resources. Meanwhile, the federal risk assessment community that provides risk assessment guidance to state agencies is challenged by the rapid growth of the global chemical inventory. When chemical toxicity profiles are unavailable on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Integrated Risk Information System or other federal resources, each state agency must act independently to identify and select appropriate chemical risk values for application in human health risk assessment. This practice can lead to broad interstate variation in the toxicity values selected for any one chemical. Within this context, this article describes the decision-making process and resources used by the federal government and individual U.S. states. The risk management of trichloroethylene (TCE) in the United States is presented as a case study to demonstrate the need for a collaborative approach among U.S. states toward identification and selection of chemical risk values while awaiting federal risk values to be set. The regulatory experience with TCE is contrasted with collaborative risk science models, such as the European Union's efforts in risk assessment harmonization. Finally, we introduce State Environmental Agency Risk Collaboration for Harmonization, a free online interactive tool designed to help to create a collaborative network among state agencies to provide a vehicle for efficiently sharing information and resources, and for the advancement of harmonization in risk values used among U.S. states when federal guidance is unavailable.

Correlation of chemical structure with reproductive and developmental toxicity as it relates to the use of the threshold of toxicological concern.

In the absence of toxicological data on a chemical, the threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) approach provides a system to estimate a conservative exposure below which there is a low probability of risk for adverse health effects. The original toxicology dataset underlying the TTC was based on NOELs from repeat dose studies. Subsequently there have been several efforts to assess whether or not these limits are also protective for reproductive/developmental effects. This work expands the database of chemicals with reproductive and developmental data, presents these data in a comprehensive and transparent format and groups the chemicals according to the TTC "Cramer Class" rules. Distributions of NOAELs from each of these classes were used to assess whether the previously proposed TTC values based on repeat dose data are protective for reproductive/developmental toxicity endpoints as well. The present analysis indicates that, for each Cramer Class, the reproductive and developmental endpoints would be protected at the corresponding general TTC tiers derived by Munro et al. (1996).

Derived Reference Doses (RfDs) for the environmental degradates of the herbicides alachlor and acetochlor: results of an independent expert panel deliberation.

An independent peer expert panel was convened under the auspices of the Alliance for Risk Assessment (ARA) to review toxicology data and derive oral Reference Doses (RfDs) for four environmental degradates of the acetanilide herbicides, alachlor and acetochlor. The degradates included in this evaluation were (1) alachlor tertiary-ethanesulfonic acid (ESA), (2) alachlor tertiary-oxanilic acid (OXA), (3) acetochlor ESA, and (4) acetochlor OXA. Each degradate was judged to have sufficient data for developing low to medium confidence RfD, with use of an additional uncertainty factor (UF) to cover data gaps. Body weight decreases were identified as the most sensitive treatment-related adverse effect for RfD development. A composite UF of 1000 (10 for human variability in sensitivity, 10 for interspecies differences in sensitivity, and 10 for subchronic to chronic and database deficiency combined; i.e., 10(A)x10(H)x10(S&D)) for each degradate was considered reasonable, while noting that an argument could be made for an UF of 3000 (10(A)x10(H)x30(S&D)). Based on the available data, an oral RfD of 0.2 mg/kg-day is recommended for both acetochlor ESA and acetochlor OXA and an oral RfD of 0.8 mg/kg-day is recommended for both alachlor ESA and alachlor OXA.