Genotoxic effects of sub-lethal doses of nicotine and acetamiprid in neuroblasts of Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila suzukii.

Neonicotinoids form a class of insecticides that are chemically related to nicotine and are widely used in crop protection. They have adverse effects on the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). One of the neonicotinoids approved for control of the invasive pest Drosophila suzukii is acetamiprid. Despite concerns regarding its genotoxicity and data indicating the presence of small amounts of this substance in fruits intended for consumption, effects of its low doses on nerve cells are yet to be investigated. To determine whether the neurotoxic effects are species-specific and vary depending on the insecticide present in diet, multigenerational cultures of Drosophila melanogaster and D. suzukii were prepared, in this study, in media supplemented with different concentrations (below the LC50) of acetamiprid and nicotine. Acetamiprid, analogous to nicotine, caused damage to the DNA of neuroblasts in both species, at sublethal concentrations, along with a decrease in mobility, which remained at a similar level over subsequent generations. D. suzukii was found to be more sensitive to nicotine and acetamiprid, due to which the genotoxic effects were stronger even at lower doses of toxins. The results collectively indicated that even low concentrations of acetamiprid affect the stem cells of developing fly brain, and that long-term response to the tested insecticides is species-specific.

Risk assessment and environmental consequences of the use of the Allium-derived compound propyl-propane thiosulfonate (PTSO) in agrifood applications.

The organosulfur compound propyl-propane thiosulfonate (PTSO), mainly found in Allium cepa, has a promising use in the agrifood industry. To confirm its safety for livestock, consumers, and environment, toxicological assessment is needed. In this regard, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are in the spotlight of research. Therefore, as part of the risk assessment of PTSO, in the present work, an in vivo study was performed in mice exposed to PTSO to investigate its potential reproductive toxicity considering fertility, genetic and endocrine endpoints. Five-weeks-old CD1 mice (80 males, 80 females) were exposed for 11 or 16 weeks (males or females, respectively) to different doses of PTSO (0, 14, 28 and 55 mg PTSO/kg b.w./day; 20 animals per group and sex) through the food pellets. No clinical observations or mortality and no changes in absolute organ weights and relative organ weights/body weight or brain ratios occurred during the study. The estrous cycle did not undergo any significant toxicologically relevant change. Most of the sex hormones displayed normal values. Some alterations in the expression of some genes related to reproduction is only observed in females, but they do not appear to have consequences in the development of sex organs. Docking results showed the impossibility of stable binding to estrogen and androgen receptors. Considering all the results obtained, the safe profile of PTSO can be confirmed for different agrifood applications at the conditions assayed.

Multigenerational Effects of Graphene Oxide Nanoparticles on Acheta domesticus DNA Stability.

The use of nanoparticles like graphene oxide (GO) in nanocomposite industries is growing very fast. There is a strong concern that GO can enter the environment and become nanopollutatnt. Environmental pollutants' exposure usually relates to low concentrations but may last for a long time and impact following generations. Attention should be paid to the effects of nanoparticles, especially on the DNA stability passed on to the offspring. We investigated the multigenerational effects on two strains (wild and long-lived) of house cricket intoxicated with low GO concentrations over five generations, followed by one recovery generation. Our investigation focused on oxidative stress parameters, specifically AP sites (apurinic/apyrimidinic sites) and 8-OHdG (8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine), and examined the global DNA methylation pattern. Five intoxicated generations were able to overcome the oxidative stress, showing that relatively low doses of GO have a moderate effect on the house cricket (8-OHdG and AP sites). The last recovery generation that experienced a transition from contaminated to uncontaminated food presented greater DNA damage. The pattern of DNA methylation was comparable in every generation, suggesting that other epigenetic mechanisms might be involved.

A systems biology analysis of reproductive toxicity effects induced by multigenerational exposure to ionizing radiation in C. elegans.

Understanding the effects of chronic exposure to pollutants over generations is of primary importance for the protection of humans and the environment; however, to date, knowledge on the molecular mechanisms underlying multigenerational adverse effects is scarce. We employed a systems biology approach to analyze effects of chronic exposure to gamma radiation at molecular, tissue and individual levels in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Our data show a decrease of 23% in the number of offspring on the first generation F0 and more than 40% in subsequent generations F1, F2 and F3. To unveil the impact on the germline, an in-depth analysis of reproductive processes involved in gametes formation was performed for all four generations. We measured a decrease in the number of mitotic germ cells accompanied by increased cell-cycle arrest in the distal part of the gonad. Further impact on the germline was manifested by decreased sperm quantity and quality. In order to obtain insight in the molecular mechanisms leading to decreased fecundity, gene expression was investigated via whole genome RNA sequencing. The transcriptomic analysis revealed modulation of transcription factors, as well as genes involved in stress response, unfolded protein response, lipid metabolism and reproduction. Furthermore, a drastic increase in the number of differentially expressed genes involved in defense response was measured in the last two generations, suggesting a cumulative stress effect of ionizing radiation exposure. Transcription factor binding site enrichment analysis and the use of transgenic strain identified daf-16/FOXO as a master regulator of genes differentially expressed in response to radiation. The presented data provide new knowledge with respect to the molecular mechanisms involved in reproductive toxic effects and accumulated stress resulting from multigenerational exposure to ionizing radiation.

Pre-pubertal exposure to ibuprofen impairs sperm parameters in male adult rats and compromises the next generation.

Ibuprofen is one of the most commonly prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs in pediatric practice. This drug inhibits the cyclooxygenase enzyme, reducing the production of prostaglandin, an important mediator on male reproductive function. We examined if pre-pubertal treatment with ibuprofen in male rats can affect the reproductive parameters of these animals in adult life and on their descendants. Male rats (23 days old) received ibuprofen (0; 2.4; 7.2 or 14.3 mg/kg/day), per gavage, from postnatal day (PND) 23 to 53. At sexual maturity, treated males were placed with untreated females for obtaining the next generation (F1). The highest dose of ibuprofen interfered in sexual behavior and reduced the fertility potential of these animals in adulthood. Additionally, the ibuprofen treatment altered the sperm quantity and quality, as evidenced by a decrease in sperm motility and in the daily sperm production in the testis. Testosterone levels were also reduced by pre-pubertal treatment. The paternal treatment with this drug also influenced the reproductive outcomes of progeny. The male offspring from males treated exhibited acceleration in sperm transit time in the epididymis and the number and volume of Leydig cell nuclei were decreased, while the estrous cyclicity was displayed and the fertility potential reduced in the female offspring. The pre-pubertal ibuprofen-treatment caused negative reproductive impacts in adulthood, compromising sperm quality and quantity, as well as interfered in the reproductive outcomes of the next generation.

Multigenerational Effects of Early-Life Health Shocks.

A large literature has documented links between harmful early-life exposures and later-life health and socioeconomic deficits. These studies, however, have typically been unable to examine the possibility that these shocks are transmitted to the next generation. Our study uses representative survey data from the United States to trace the impacts of in utero exposure to the 1918 influenza pandemic on the outcomes of the children and grandchildren of those affected. We find evidence of multigenerational effects on educational, economic, and health outcomes.

Microplastics may induce food dilution and endocrine disrupting effects in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas), and decrease offspring quality.

Microplastics are a complex environmental contaminant that have been reported to cause a variety of impacts, although the mechanism of these impacts remains unclear. Many studies have investigated either sub-organismal or apical endpoints, while very few have attempted to integrate and link endpoints seen at multiple levels of organization. Here, we exposed fathead minnows to microplastics for their entire lifecycle, from the egg stage through to reproduction, and raised a subset of the offspring in clean water. We show that both preconsumer and environmentally sourced microplastics impact adult growth, lipid storage, and external colouration, suggesting a potential food dilution effect. Environmentally sourced microplastics, but not preconsumer microplastics, had further endocrine disrupting impacts on the parental generation and their offspring in the low concentration treatments such that egg production began later, eggs were less viable, and the offspring had higher rates of malformation. Low dose effects are a typical dose-response for endocrine disrupting contaminants. These results suggest that microplastic exposure, at concentrations relevant to what is being found in the environment, has potential implications for forage fish populations. Our findings also highlight the importance of using an integrative approach to understanding the mechanisms behind how and why microplastics impact organisms.

Ecotoxicity of the fluoroquinolone antibiotic delafloxacin to the water flea Simocephalus vetulus and its offspring under the influence of calcium modulation.

Delafloxacin (DFX), one of the latest additions to the fluoroquinolone antibiotics, is gaining heightened recognition in human therapy due to its potential antibacterial efficacy in a wide range of applications. Concerns have arisen regarding its presence in the environment and its potential interactions with multivalent metals, such as calcium (Ca). The present study investigated the trans- and multigenerational effects of environmentally projected concentrations of DFX (100-400 µg DFX L-1) on individual- and population-level responses of parental S. vetulus (F0) and its descendants (F1) under normal (26 mg L-1) and high (78 mg L-1) Ca conditions. Exposure of the F0 generation to DFX under the normal Ca condition resulted in reduced juvenile body length (JBL), increased age-specific survival rate (lx), indicating prolonged developmental time, reduced age-specific fecundity rate (mx), and decreased population growth rate (rm). Under the high Ca condition, JBL, mx, and rm were adversely affected. Transgenerational effects of DFX existed, as F1 individuals exhibited persistent suppressions in at least one endpoint under both Ca conditions even after being transferred to a clear medium. Continuous exposure of the F1 generation to DFX had negative impacts on JBL, mx, and rm under the normal Ca condition, and on JBL and rm under the high Ca condition. However, cumulative effects were not observed, suggesting the potential development of tolerance to DFX in the F1 organisms. These findings suggest that DFX is a harmful compound for the non-target model organism S. vetulus and reveal a potential antagonism between DFX and Ca. Nevertheless, the interaction between other (fluoro)quinolones and Ca remains unclear, necessitating further research to establish this phenomenon more comprehensively, including understanding the interaction mechanism in ecotoxicological contexts.

Freshwater crustacean exposed to active pharmaceutical ingredients: ecotoxicological effects and mechanisms.

Concerns over the ecotoxicological effects of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) on aquatic invertebrates have been raised in the last decade. While numerous studies have reported the toxicity of APIs in invertebrates, no attempt has been made to synthesize and interpret this dataset in terms of different exposure scenarios (acute, chronic, multigenerational), multiple crustacean species, and the toxic mechanisms. In this study, a thorough literature review was performed to summarize the ecotoxicological data of APIs tested on a range of invertebrates. Therapeutic classes including antidepressants, anti-infectives, antineoplastic agents, hormonal contraceptives, immunosuppressants, and neuro-active drugs exhibited higher toxicity to crustaceans than other API groups. The species sensitivity towards APIs exposure is compared in D. magna and other crustacean species. In the case of acute and chronic bioassays, ecotoxicological studies mainly focus on the apical endpoints including growth and reproduction, whereas sex ratio and molting frequency are commonly used for evaluating the substances with endocrine-disrupting properties. The multigenerational and "Omics" studies, primarily transcriptomics and metabolomics, were confined to a few API groups including beta-blocking agents, blood lipid-lowing agents, neuroactive agents, anticancer drugs, and synthetic hormones. We emphasize that in-depth studies on the multigenerational effects and the toxic mechanisms of APIs on the endocrine systems of freshwater crustacean are warranted.

A scoping review of multigenerational impacts of grandparental exposures on mental health in grandchildren.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The multigenerational effects of grandparental exposures on their grandchildren's mental health and neurodevelopment are gaining research attention. We conducted a scoping review to summarize the current epidemiological studies investigating pregnancy-related and environmental factors that affected grandparental pregnancies and mental health outcomes in their grandchildren. We also identified methodological challenges that affect these multigenerational health studies and discuss opportunities for future research. RECENT FINDINGS: We performed a literature search using PubMed and Embase and included 18 articles for this review. The most investigated grandparental pregnancy-related factors were the grandparental age of pregnancy (N = 6), smoking during pregnancy (N = 4), and medication intake (N = 3). The most frequently examined grandchild outcomes were autism spectrum disorder (N = 6) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (N = 4). Among these studies, grandparental smoking and the use of diethylstilbestrol were more consistently reported to be associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, while the findings for grandparental age vary across the maternal or paternal line. Grandmaternal weight, adverse delivery outcomes, and other spatial-temporal markers of physical and social environmental stressors require further scrutiny. The current body of literature has suggested that mental and neurodevelopmental disorders may be outcomes of unfavorable exposures originating from the grandparental generation during their pregnancies. To advance the field, we recommend research efforts into setting up multigenerational studies with prospectively collected data that span through at least three generations, incorporating spatial, environmental, and biological markers for exposure assessment, expanding the outcome phenotypes evaluated, and developing a causal analytical framework including mediation analyses specific for multigenerational research.

Parental diuron exposure causes lower hatchability and abnormal ovarian development in offspring of medaka (Oryzias melastigma).

Diuron is one of the most widely used herbicides worldwide. It has been widely detected in various aquatic environments, especially in marine ecosystems. Although direct effects of diuron exposure on various organisms have been reported, little is known about its effects on marine fishes including multigenerational effects. Herein, the filial generation (F1) of diuron-exposed marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) (F0) was raised in clean seawater from fertilized eggs to adulthood and used as a marine fish model to study the potential multigenerational effects of diuron. We found that the successful hatching of F1 larvae was significantly reduced and that ovarian development in F1 females was retarded. A significant increase in the percentage of previtellogenic oocytes, along with a visual decrease in the percentage of vitellogenic and mature oocytes in the F1 ovary, were observed. The hormone levels of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad-liver axis and vitellogenin-related transcription were downregulated. In addition, the mRNA levels of DNA methyltransferase in the brain, ovary and liver of F1 adult fish exhibited significant upregulation, suggesting that the probable underlying multigenerational mechanism might be associated with epigenetic modifications. Taken together, these results demonstrated that chronic environmental diuron exposure in F0 marine medaka can inhibit F1 ovary development and suggested that diuron may affect marine fish thriving in the ocean.

Impacts of nanoplastics on life-history traits of marine rotifer (Brachionus plicatilis) are recovered after being transferred to clean seawater.

With the continuous accumulation of nanoplastics (NPs) in the ocean, it becomes urgent to explore their potential effects on filter-feeding zooplankton. This study exposed marine rotifer (Brachionus plicatilis) to 0, 20, 200, and 2000 µg/L of 70-nm polystyrene NPs (PS NPs) for two generations (F0 - F1), followed by two-generation (F2 - F3) culture in clean seawater, to investigate the impacts on life-history traits. The results showed that NPs were ingested by the rotifers within 10 min and reached a maximum level after 12 h of exposure. NPs were also observed in the feces of F0 and F1 generation rotifers and on the surface of F1 generation eggs. The intake of NPs inhibited microalgae ingestion, decreased body volume, delayed the first spawning time, reduced the total number of eggs and offspring of F0 and F1 generation. Moreover, 2000 µg/L NPs postponed the first hatching time of F0 generation eggs by 2.5 h, and the hatching time of F1 generation eggs was delayed by 7.3 h and 6.8 h under 200 and 2000 µg/L NPs exposure. The first spawning time and the first hatching time of rotifers were still significantly prolonged in the F2 generation, but other life-history traits returned to normal. After being cultured in clean seawater for two generations, all these indicators were recovered to the normal level. Overall, this study demonstrates that the life-history traits of marine rotifers could be flexibly changed with/without PS NPs exposure.

Multigenerational effects modify the tolerance of mosquito larvae to chlorpyrifos but not to a heat spike and do not change their synergism.

While interactions with global warming and multigenerational effects are considered crucial to improve risk assessment of pesticides, these have rarely been studied in an integrated way. While heat extremes can magnify pesticide toxicity, no studies tested how their combined effects may transmit to the next generation. We exposed mosquito larvae in a full factorial, two-generation experiment to a heat spike followed by chlorpyrifos exposure. As expected, the heat spike magnified the chlorpyrifos-induced lethal and sublethal effects within both generations. Only when preceded by the heat spike, chlorpyrifos increased mortality and reduced the population growth rate. Moreover, chlorpyrifos-induced reductions in heat tolerance (CTmax), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and development time were further magnified by the heat spike. Notably, when parents were exposed to chlorpyrifos, the chlorpyrifos-induced lethal and sublethal effects in the offspring were smaller, indicating increased tolerance to chlorpyrifos. In contrast, there was no such multigenerational effect for the heat spike. Despite the adaptive multigenerational effect to the pesticide, the synergism with the heat spike was still present in the offspring generation. Generally, our results provide important evidence that short exposure to pulse-like global change stressors can strongly affect organisms within and across generations, and highlight the importance of considering multigenerational effects in risk assessment.

Grandmothers' endocrine disruption during pregnancy, low birth weight, and preterm birth in third generation.

BACKGROUND: Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is an endocrine-disrupting pharmaceutical prescribed to pregnant women to prevent pregnancy complications between the 1940s and 1970s. Although DES has been shown in animal studies to have multigenerational effects, only two studies have investigated potential multigenerational effects in humans on preterm birth (PTB), and none on low birthweight (LBW)-major determinants of later life health. METHODS: Nurses' Health Study (NHS) II participants (G1; born 1946-64) reported their mothers' (G0) use of DES while pregnant with them. We used cluster-weighted generalized estimating equations to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for risk of LBW and PTB among the grandchildren by grandmother use of DES. G1 birthweight and gestational age were considered to explore confounding by indication. RESULTS: Among 54 334 G0-G1/grandmother-mother pairs, 973 (1.8%) G0 used DES during pregnancy with G1. Of the 128 275 G2 children, 4369 (3.4%) were LBW and 7976 (6.2%) premature. Grandmother (G0) use of DES during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of G2 LBW [adjusted OR (aOR) = 3.09; 95% CI: 2.57, 3.72], that was reduced when restricted to term births (aOR = 1.59; 95% CI: 1.08, 2.36). The aOR for PTB was 2.88 (95% CI: 2.46, 3.37). Results were essentially unchanged when G1 birthweight and gestational age were included in the model, as well as after adjusting for other potential intermediate variables, such as G2 pregnancy-related factors. CONCLUSIONS: Grandmother use of DES during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of LBW, predominantly through an increased risk of PTB. Results when considering G1 birth outcomes suggest this does not result from confounding by indication.

Exposure to sublethal concentrations of the glyphosate-based herbicide Faena® increases sensitivity in the progeny of the American cladoceran Daphnia exilis (Herrick, 1895).

The use of herbicides has increased over the last decades. Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide commercialized in more than 750 formulations. While information about glyphosate's toxicity on different non-target aquatic organisms has been vastly documented, we know little about the transgenerational effects in aquatic biota. This study determined the cross-generation effects produced by the glyphosate-based herbicide Faena® on the American cladoceran Daphnia exilis. Measured endpoints were survival, reproductive responses, metabolic biomarkers, and the size of neonates. D. exilis was exposed to glyphosate concentrations of 2.09, 2.49, and 3.15 (mg L-1) (as content in Faena®) during 21 days starting from neonates, at 25°C, 16:8 photoperiod, fed with 8 × 105 cells mL-1 of Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. The LC50 was 4.22 mg L-1. Survival, accumulated progeny, and the number of clutches in the parental generation (P1) were significantly higher than those observed in the first generation (F1). Exposure to the herbicide completely inhibited reproduction in the F1. The size of the neonates varied among treatments and broods in P1; nevertheless, neonate size (body and total lengths, as well as body width) was significantly affected in F1. Toxic effects on the survival and reproduction of D. exilis were significantly increased in the F1 exposed to Faena®. Results warn about the augmented effect on progeny where parents were exposed to this herbicide. Multigenerational adverse effects could be expected in freshwater zooplankton exposed to Faena®. The frequently claimed low toxicity of glyphosate must be revised to control the indiscriminate use of this herbicide.

Glyphosate Herbicide: Reproductive Outcomes and Multigenerational Effects.

Glyphosate base herbicides (GBHs) are the most widely applied pesticides in the world and are mainly used in association with GBH-tolerant crop varieties. Indiscriminate and negligent use of GBHs has promoted the emergence of glyphosate resistant weeds, and consequently the rise in the use of these herbicides. Glyphosate, the active ingredient of all GBHs, is combined with other chemicals known as co-formulants that enhance the herbicide action. Nowadays, the safety of glyphosate and its formulations remain to be a controversial issue, as evidence is not conclusive whether the adverse effects are caused by GBH or glyphosate, and little is known about the contribution of co-formulants to the toxicity of herbicides. Currently, alarmingly increased levels of glyphosate have been detected in different environmental matrixes and in foodstuff, becoming an issue of social concern. Some in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that glyphosate and its formulations exhibit estrogen-like properties, and growing evidence has indicated they may disrupt normal endocrine function, with adverse consequences for reproductive health. Moreover, multigenerational effects have been reported and epigenetic mechanisms have been proved to be involved in the alterations induced by the herbicide. In this review, we provide an overview of: i) the routes and levels of human exposure to GBHs, ii) the potential estrogenic effects of glyphosate and GBHs in cell culture and animal models, iii) their long-term effects on female fertility and mechanisms of action, and iv) the consequences on health of successive generations.

Is nano ZnO/chlorpyrifos mixture more harmful to earthworms than bulk ZnO? A multigeneration approach.

As chlorpyrifos is one of the most widely used organophosphorus insecticides and ZnO-NPs are identified as NPs of the highest concern due to their negative effects on aquatic and soil organisms the objective of this study was to evaluate mixture toxicity of CHP and ZnO (bulk and nanoparticles (20 nm)) on two types of soil, artificial (AS) and natural (NS), and over two generations of earthworms. Primary endpoint measured was reproduction inhibition and biochemical biomarkers (acetylcholinesterase, catalase, glutathione-S transferase and malondialdehyde content). Results showed that mixture toxicity differs in respects to all tested factors: soil type, ZnO particle size and earthworm generation. CHP/ZnO mixtures had synergistic effects and significantly reduced a number of juveniles in both generations in AS, while the effects were additive or even antagonistic in NS. There was no difference in reproduction inhibition in respect to particle size of ZnO used in the mixtures. Negative effects could also be detected on growth dynamics of juvenile earthworms (2nd generation) as they had lower initial body mas, reduced growth rate and lower body mass as adults. Measured enzymes responded differently in respect to ZnO particle size used in the mixtures, with CHP/bZnO producing stronger effects. Measured concentrations of the bioavailable Zn in the soils showed no difference in the concentration of bioavailable Zn2+ between mixtures, but significantly more Zn2+ was retrieved from AS. General biomarker response indicated that 2nd generation of earthworms had lower capability to cope with oxidative stress.

Can parasites adapt to pollutants? A multigenerational experiment with a Daphnia × Metschnikowia model system exposed to the fungicide tebuconazole.

There is increasing evidence about negative effects of fungicides on non-target organisms, including parasitic species, which are key elements in food webs. Previous experiments showed that environmentally relevant concentrations of fungicide tebuconazole are toxic to the microparasite Metschnikowia bicuspidata, a yeast species that infects the planktonic crustacean Daphnia spp. However, due to their short-term nature, this and other experimental studies were not able to test if parasites could potentially adapt to these contaminants. Here, we tested if M. bicuspidata parasite can adapt to tebuconazole selective pressure. Infected D. magna lineages were reared under control conditions (no tebuconazole) and environmentally realistic tebuconazole concentrations, for four generations, and their performance was compared in a follow-up reciprocal assay. Additionally, we assessed whether the observed effects were transient (phenotypic) or permanent (genetic), by reassessing parasite fitness after the removal of selective pressure. Parasite fitness was negatively affected throughout the multigenerational exposure to the fungicide: prevalence of infection and spore load decreased, whereas host longevity increased, in comparison to control (naive) parasite lineages. In a follow-up reciprocal assay, tebuconazole-conditioned (TEB) lineages performed worse than naive parasite lineages, both in treatments without and with tebuconazole, confirming the cumulative negative effect of tebuconazole. The underperformance of TEB lineages was rapidly reversed after removing the influence of the selective pressure (tebuconazole), demonstrating that the costs of prolonged exposure to tebuconazole were phenotypic and transient. The microparasitic yeast M. bicuspidata did not reveal potential for rapid evolution to an anthropogenic selective pressure; instead, the long-term exposure to tebuconazole was hazardous to this non-target species. These findings highlight the potential environmental risks of azole fungicides on non-target parasitic fungi. The underperformance of these microbes and their inability to adapt to such stressors can interfere with the key processes where they intervene. Further research is needed to rank fungicides based on the hazard to non-target fungi (parasites, but also symbionts and decomposers), towards more effective management and protective legislation.

CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dots Impaired the First Two Generations of Placenta Growth in an Animal Model, Based on the Shh Signaling Pathway.

The toxicity, especially the transgenerational toxicity of quantum dots (QDs) in vivo, is still scarcely understood in spite of great promising applications of QDs in biomedicine. In this study, the maternal status, pregnancy outcome, and fetus development of parental generation (P0) to offspring in three generations (F3) were investigated after Kunming mice perinatal (GD 13-PND 5) exposure to Cd containing QDs (CdSe/ZnS QDs) and CdCl2. The results show CdSe/ZnS QDs induced placenta injuries in P0 and diminished placenta diameters in F1 and F2. Bodyweight growth decreased in the CdSe/ZnS QDs treatment group in the F1 and F2 generation. Additionally, CdSe/ZnS QDs significantly altered the expression of key genes in the Shh signal pathway. Overall, this study exhibited that the CdSe/ZnS QDs exposure during perinatal period impaired placenta growth in the first two generations, but not on the third generation. The toxicological actions of the CdSe/ZnS QDs might be through the effects on the Shh signal pathway.

Two-generational effects of Benzophenone-3 on the aquatic midge Chironomus riparius.

Organic UV-filters are emergent contaminants continuously released into the aquatic ecosystems. These compounds are persistent showing potential for bioaccumulation. Partial life-cycle tests may underestimate the toxicity of UV-filters especially since these compounds have shown to act as endocrine disruptors. In the present study, the benthic aquatic insect Chironomus riparius was exposed to a gradient of Benzophenone-3 (BP3) concentrations over two generations to assess effects over a full life cycle from the first-instar larvae in the parental (P) generation (emergence, fecundity and fertility) until emergence in the subsequent generation (filial - F1). Recovery from exposure was also assessed after one generational exposure. Our results showed that concentrations of up to 8mg BP3/kg, elicited no effects regarding emergence rate and development time of C. riparius in the P generation. Our results also showed that C. riparius fecundity was not affected by BP3 exposure, but a strong dose-response relationship was observed for fertility with none of the egg ropes hatching at 8mg BP3/kg. Regarding effects observed in the F1 generation, emergence and development time were impaired by continuous exposure to BP3. Moreover, reduced emergence and changes in development time were observed in the F1 generation maintained in control/clean conditions but whose parents were exposed to BP3. Results found in this two-generational study clearly show reproductive effects of BP3 on C. riparius that would not be detected using standard tests. Full life cycle and multigenerational assays are critical to properly evaluate the population level effects of endocrine disrupting compounds such as organic UV-filters.