Development of a probabilistic risk model for pharmaceuticals in the environment under population and wastewater treatment scenarios.

Preparing for future environmental pressures requires projections of how relevant risks will change over time. Current regulatory models of environmental risk assessment (ERA) of pollutants such as pharmaceuticals could be improved by considering the influence of global change factors (e.g., population growth) and by presenting uncertainty more transparently. In this article, we present the development of a prototype object-oriented Bayesian network (BN) for the prediction of environmental risk for six high-priority pharmaceuticals across 36 scenarios: current and three future population scenarios, combined with infrastructure scenarios, in three Norwegian counties. We compare the risk, characterized by probability distributions of risk quotients (RQs), across scenarios and pharmaceuticals. Our results suggest that RQs would be greatest in rural counties, due to the lower development of current wastewater treatment facilities, but that these areas consequently have the most potential for risk mitigation. This pattern intensifies under higher population growth scenarios. With this prototype, we developed a hierarchical probabilistic model and demonstrated its potential in forecasting the environmental risk of chemical stressors under plausible demographic and management scenarios, contributing to the further development of BNs for ERA. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;00:1-21. © 2024 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Using a Bayesian Network Model to Predict Risk of Pesticides on Aquatic Community Endpoints in a Rice Field-A Southern European Case Study.

Bayesian network (BN) models are increasingly used as tools to support probabilistic environmental risk assessments (ERAs), because they can better account for uncertainty compared with the simpler approaches commonly used in traditional ERA. We used BNs as metamodels to link various sources of information in a probabilistic framework, to predict the risk of pesticides to aquatic communities under given scenarios. The research focused on rice fields surrounding the Albufera Natural Park (Valencia, Spain), and considered three selected pesticides: acetamiprid (an insecticide), 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA; a herbicide), and azoxystrobin (a fungicide). The developed BN linked the inputs and outputs of two pesticide models: a process-based exposure model (Rice Water Quality [RICEWQ]), and a probabilistic effects model (Predicts the Ecological Risk of Pesticides [PERPEST]) using case-based reasoning with data from microcosm and mesocosm experiments. The model characterized risk at three levels in a hierarchy: biological endpoints (e.g., molluscs, zooplankton, insects, etc.), endpoint groups (plants, invertebrates, vertebrates, and community processes), and community. The pesticide risk to a biological endpoint was characterized as the probability of an effect for a given pesticide concentration interval. The risk to an endpoint group was calculated as the joint probability of effect on any of the endpoints in the group. Likewise, community-level risk was calculated as the joint probability of any of the endpoint groups being affected. This approach enabled comparison of risk to endpoint groups across different pesticide types. For example, in a scenario for the year 2050, the predicted risk of the insecticide to the community (40% probability of effect) was dominated by the risk to invertebrates (36% risk). In contrast, herbicide-related risk to the community (63%) resulted from risk to both plants (35%) and invertebrates (38%); the latter might represent (in the present study) indirect effects of toxicity through the food chain. This novel approach combines the quantification of spatial variability of exposure with probabilistic risk prediction for different components of aquatic ecosystems. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:182-196. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

Predicting Environmental Risks of Pharmaceuticals from Wholesale Data: An Example from Norway.

Environmental risk assessment (ERA) of pharmaceuticals relies on available measured environmental concentrations, but often such data are sparse. Predicted environmental concentrations (PECs), calculated from sales weights, are an attractive alternative but often cover only prescription sales. We aimed to rank, by environmental risk in Norway, approximately 200 active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) over 2016-2019, based on sales PECs. To assess the added value of wholesale and veterinary data, we compared exposure and risk predictions with and without these additional sources. Finally, we aimed to characterize the persistence, mobility, and bioaccumulation of these APIs. We compared our PECs to available Norwegian measurements, then, using public predicted-no-effect concentrations, we calculated risk quotients (RQs) and appended experimental and predicted persistence and bioaccumulation. Our approach overestimated environmental concentrations compared with measurements for 18 of 20 APIs with comparable predictions and measurements. Seventeen APIs had mean RQs >1, indicating potential risk, while the mean RQ was 2.05 and the median 0.001, driven by sex hormones, antibiotics, the antineoplastic abiraterone, and common painkillers. Some high-risk APIs were also potentially persistent or bioaccumulative (e.g., levonorgestrel [RQ = 220] and ciprofloxacin [RQ = 56]), raising the possibility of impacts beyond their RQs. Exposure and risk were also calculated with and without over-the-counter sales, showing that prescriptions explained 70% of PEC magnitude. Likewise, human sales, compared with veterinary, explained 85%. Sales PECs provide an efficient option for ERA, designed to overestimate compared with analytical techniques and potentially held back by limited data availability and an inability to quantify uncertainty but, nevertheless, an ideal initial approach for identification and ranking of risks. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:2253-2270. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

The Neonicotinoid Imidacloprid Impairs Learning, Locomotor Activity Levels, and Sucrose Solution Consumption in Bumblebees (Bombus terrestris).

Bumblebees carry out the complex task of foraging to provide for their colonies. They also conduct pollination, an ecosystem service of high importance to both wild plants and entomophilous crops. Insecticides can alter different aspects of bumblebee foraging behavior, including the motivation to leave the hive, finding the right flowers, handling flowers, and the ability to return to the colony. In the present study, we assessed how the neonicotinoid imidacloprid affects bumblebees' foraging behavior after exposure to four different treatment levels, including field-realistic concentrations (0 [control], 1, 10, and 100 µg/L), through sucrose solution over 9 days. We observed the behavior of several free-flying bumblebees simultaneously foraging on artificial flowers in a flight arena to register the bees' complex behavior postexposure. To conduct a detailed assessment of how insecticides affect bumblebee locomotor behavior, we used video cameras and analyzed the recordings using computer vision. We found that imidacloprid impaired learning and locomotor activity level when the bumblebees foraged on artificial flowers. We also found that imidacloprid exposure reduced sucrose solution intake and storage. By using automated analyses of video recordings of bumblebee behavior, we identified sublethal effects of imidacloprid exposure at field-realistic doses. Specifically, we observed negative impacts on consumption of sucrose solution as well as on learning and locomotor activity level. Our results highlight the need for more multimodal approaches when assessing the sublethal effects of insecticides and plant protection products in general. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:1337-1345. © 2023 SETAC.

Alkylated Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds in Road Runoff Are an Environmental Risk and Should Be Included in Future Investigations.

Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) and metals are important contaminants in road runoff. Vital mitigation measures against aquatic contamination from road runoff include the use of sedimentation ponds. However, it has been demonstrated that ecosystems in sedimentation ponds might be affected by road runoff. Sediments from six natural ponds and 27 sedimentation ponds were investigated to determine the environmental risk of contaminants. The amount of traffic on the respective roads associated with the sedimentation ponds was correlated with the environmental concentrations. Quantification included seven metals, the 16 US Environmental Protection Agency polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, alkylated PACs, dibenzothiophene, benzo[e]pyrene, and perylene. The environmental risk was assessed according to the European Union Water Framework Directive guidelines. Sedimentation ponds had a higher level of contaminants than natural ponds, and environmental risks were dominated by the concentration of PACs. Alkylated PACs contributed to the environmental risk posed by PACs and should be included in future monitoring. Only Cu and Zn were measured at concentrations above the environmental quality standards (EQSs), while 13 PACs exceeded the EQS. Sediment concentrations of Cu, Zn, and most PACs correlated significantly with the amount of traffic. The sources of PACs were determined by source apportionment ratios between PACs. Alkylation and pyrogenic indices showed that sources in natural ponds were of mostly pyrogenic origin, whereas in sedimentation ponds they were predominantly petrogenic. Asphalt was the probable main source of PACs. A hierarchical clustering technique was used to investigate both the environmental risks and the pattern of PACs in the ponds and revealed that a few sedimentation ponds were not protecting the environment as intended because the upper sediment layers had not been regularly dredged. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:1838-1850. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

Unravelling reasons for variability in the OECD 306 marine biodegradation test.

The recommended test for assessing if a chemical can be biodegraded in the marine environment is performed according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Marine biodegradation test guideline (OECD 306). However, this test is known to generate highly variable test results when comparing interlaboratory test results for the same compound. One reason can be the relatively low bacterial content compared to the inoculum used for OECD readily biodegradation tests (OECD 301). Some of the variability in data obtained from OECD 306 tests can also be due to the flexibility on how to store the seawater inoculum before starting a test. Another variable in the seawater inoculum is the source of seawater used by different laboratories, i.e., geographical location and anthropogenic activities at the source. In this study, the effect of aging seawater and the source of seawater (sample time and depth) were investigated to determine differences in the biodegradation of the reference compound aniline. Aging the seawater before starting the test is recommended in OECD 306 to reduce the background levels of organic carbon in the water. However, it also functions to acclimatize the bacterial community from the environmental source temperature to the test temperature (normally 20 °C). Herein, the microbial community was monitored using flowcytometer during the aging process. As expected, the microbial community changed over time. In one experiment, aging significantly improved the biodegradation of aniline, while in two experiments, there was no significant difference in biodegradation. Interestingly however, there was significant variability in the biodegradation of aniline between sampling seasons and depths, even when all experiments were performed in the same lab, by the same operator and seawater obtained from the same source. This highlights the need for a more robust and consistent microbial inoculum source to reduce variability in seawater biodegradation tests.

Pharmaceutical pollution: Prediction of environmental concentrations from national wholesales data.

The regulation and monitoring of pharmaceutical pollution in Europe lag behind that of more prominent groups. However, the repurposing of sales data to predict surface water environmental concentrations is a promising supplement to more commonly used market-based risk assessment and measurement approaches. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) has since the 1980s compiled the Drug Wholesale Statistics database - covering all sales of both human and veterinary pharmaceuticals to retailers, pharmacies, and healthcare providers. To date, most similar works have focused either on a small subset of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) or used only prescription data, often more readily available than wholesale data, but necessarily more limited. By using the NIPH's product wholesale records, with additional information on API concentrations per product from, we have been able to calculate sales weights per year for almost 900 human and veterinary APIs for the period 2016-2019. In this paper, we present our methodology for converting the provided NIPH data from a public health to an ecotoxicological resource. From our derived dataset, we have used an equation to calculate Predicted Environmental Concentration per API for inland surface waters, a key component of environmental risk assessment. We further describe our filtering to remove ecotoxicological-exempt and data deficient APIs. Lastly, we provide a limited comparison between our dataset and similar publicly available datasets for a subset of APIs, as a validation of our approach and a demonstration of the added value of wholesale data. This dataset will provide the best coverage yet of pharmaceutical sales weights for an entire nation. Moreover, our developed routines for processing 2016-2019 data can be expanded to older Norwegian wholesales data (1974-present). Consequently, our work with this dataset can contribute to narrowing the gap between desk-based predictions of exposure from consumption, and empirical but expensive environmental measurement.

Development of a Bayesian network for probabilistic risk assessment of pesticides.

Conventional environmental risk assessment of chemicals is based on a calculated risk quotient, representing the ratio of exposure to effects of the chemical, in combination with assessment factors to account for uncertainty. Probabilistic risk assessment approaches can offer more transparency by using probability distributions for exposure and/or effects to account for variability and uncertainty. In this study, a probabilistic approach using Bayesian network modeling is explored as an alternative to traditional risk calculation. Bayesian networks can serve as meta-models that link information from several sources and offer a transparent way of incorporating the required characterization of uncertainty for environmental risk assessment. To this end, a Bayesian network has been developed and parameterized for the pesticides azoxystrobin, metribuzin, and imidacloprid. We illustrate the development from deterministic (traditional) risk calculation, via intermediate versions, to fully probabilistic risk characterization using azoxystrobin as an example. We also demonstrate the seasonal risk calculation for the three pesticides. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:1072-1087. © 2021 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

ECORISK2050: An Innovative Training Network for predicting the effects of global change on the emission, fate, effects, and risks of chemicals in aquatic ecosystems.

By 2050, the global population is predicted to reach nine billion, with almost three quarters living in cities. The road to 2050 will be marked by changes in land use, climate, and the management of water and food across the world. These global changes (GCs) will likely affect the emissions, transport, and fate of chemicals, and thus the exposure of the natural environment to chemicals. ECORISK2050 is a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network that brings together an interdisciplinary consortium of academic, industry and governmental partners to deliver a new generation of scientists, with the skills required to study and manage the effects of GCs on chemical risks to the aquatic environment. The research and training goals are to: (1) assess how inputs and behaviour of chemicals from agriculture and urban environments are affected by different environmental conditions, and how different GC scenarios will drive changes in chemical risks to human and ecosystem health; (2) identify short-to-medium term adaptation and mitigation strategies, to abate unacceptable increases to risks, and (3) develop tools for use by industry and policymakers for the assessment and management of the impacts of GC-related drivers on chemical risks. This project will deliver the next generation of scientists, consultants, and industry and governmental decision-makers who have the knowledge and skillsets required to address the changing pressures associated with chemicals emitted by agricultural and urban activities, on aquatic systems on the path to 2050 and beyond.

Occurrence and trophic transport of organic compounds in sedimentation ponds for road runoff.

Sedimentation ponds have been shown to accumulate several groups of contaminants, most importantly polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) and metals. But also, other urban organic pollutants have shown to be present, including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), organophosphate compounds (OPCs) and benzothiazoles (BTs). This investigation aimed at determining the occurrence of these four groups of contaminants in sedimentation ponds and determine their transport from water/sediment to organisms. PACs, including alkylated PACs, PBDEs; OPCs and BTs were determined in water, sediment, plants, dragonfly larvae and fish from two sedimentation ponds and one reference site. Fish were analysed for PAC metabolites. Overall, higher concentrations of all four pollutant groups were detected in water and sediment from sedimentation ponds compared to two natural lakes in rural environments (reference sites). The concentration difference was highest in sediments, and >20 higher concentration was measured in sedimentation ponds (3.6-4.4 ng/g ww) compared to reference (0.2 ng/g ww) for sum BDE6. For PACs and PBDEs a clear transport from water/sediment to organisms were observed. Fish were the highest trophic level organism (3.5-5) in our study, and all four pollutant groups were detected in fish. For PBDEs a trophic biomagnification (TMF) was found both in sedimentation ponds and reference, but higher concentrations in all matrices were measured in sedimentation ponds. TMF was not calculated for PACs since they are metabolised by vertebrates, but a transfer from water/sediment to organisms was seen. For BTs and OPCs, no consistent transfer to plants and dragonfly larvae could be seen. One OPC and two BTs were detected in fish, but only in fish from sedimentation ponds. It is therefore concluded that sedimentation ponds are hotspots for urban and traffic related contaminants, of which especially PACs and PBDEs are transferred to organisms living there.

Management of PFAS with the aid of chemical product registries-an indispensable tool for future control of hazardous substances.

The Nordic countries are in the forefront of international chemical regulation and management by actively developing the domestic policy framework, while simultaneously pushing for more stringent control internationally. Norway, Sweden, and Denmark have been particularly progressive in the regulation of the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Restriction proposals have been developed under the EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and PFAS have been nominated for global restriction under the Stockholm Convention. A key tool in their work has been the product registries (PRs), where all chemicals imported and produced over a certain reporting limit must be registered by the importers and/or producers. In recent years these PRs have been facing opposition, predominantly from the industry. Simultaneously, and in some contrast, several EU countries are mobilizing for measures to control PFAS as a group. We explored the role of PRs in national and international chemical management. By analyzing the Norwegian PFAS data (2009-2017) reported by industry to the government we observed changes in use and temporal trends. A diversification in use and substitutions to alternative PFAS emerged when new policies were developed, representing a challenge for future control and reduction efforts. Instead of loosening up on reporting obligations, as advocated by some industry representatives, our analysis of the PFAS group argues that governments would benefit from a tighter reporting scheme of problematic compound groups. A comprehensive overview of use, production, and import would contribute to more effective control, thereby saving society and the environment from serious damage and tremendous costs. The Nordic PRs will continue to be important supplements to REACH registration and an indispensable tool for future both national and international regulation on PFAS and other hazardous substances. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021;17:835-851. © 2020 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: bioaccumulation in dragonfly nymphs (Anisoptera), and determination of alkylated forms in sediment for an improved environmental assessment.

Road runoff carries a mixture of contaminants that threatens the quality of natural water bodies and the health of aquatic organisms. The use of sedimentation ponds is a nature-based solution for the treatment of road runoff. This study assessed the concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their alkylated homologues in sediment from seven highway sedimentation ponds and three natural urban ponds. In addition, the study explored the bioaccumulation of PAHs in dragonfly nymphs (Anisoptera). Finally, biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) were estimated. The results revealed a significant difference in the concentrations of 16 priority PAHs in sediment, with overall higher levels in sedimentation ponds (2,911 µg/kg on average) compared to natural urban ponds (606 µg/kg on average). PAH levels increased substantially once alkylated homologues were considered, with alkylated comprising between 42 and 87% of the total PAH in sediment samples. These results demonstrate the importance of alkylated forms in the environmental assessment of PAHs. The bioaccumulation assessment indicates that dragonfly nymphs bioaccumulate PAHs to a certain degree. It is not clear, however, whether they metabolize PAHs. BSAF results ranged from approx. 0.006 to 10 and indicate that BSAFs can be a powerful tool to determine the functionality of sedimentation ponds.

Road related pollutants induced DNA damage in dragonfly nymphs (Odonata, Anisoptera) living in highway sedimentation ponds.

Nowadays, stormwater sedimentation ponds are popular in stormwater management because of their ability to mitigate flooding and treat polluted runoff from e.g. roads. In addition, they may provide other ecosystem services such as biodiversity. These man-made habitats will inevitably be polluted and the organisms living therein may be negatively affected by the chemical cocktail present in both the water and sediment compartments. The present study explored DNA damage in dragonfly nymphs (Odonata, Anisoptera) living in highway sedimentation ponds in comparison with natural ponds. The concentrations of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), alkylated PAHs and metals were also determined in sediment samples from the different ponds. The results showed that DNA damage was significantly higher in dragonfly nymphs living in sedimentation ponds compared to nymphs living in natural ponds. DNA damage was also highly and significantly correlated with the pollution levels in the sediment, i.e., PAH and Zinc. Finally, we report the concentrations of various alkylated PAHs which appeared to be very dominant in the sedimentation ponds. Our results show that there may be a conflict between the sedimentation ponds' primary function of protecting natural water bodies from polluted runoff and their secondary function as habitats for organisms. Overall, we suggest that this must be considered when planning and designing stormwater measures.

Performance of Three-Dimensional Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Hepatocyte Spheroids for Evaluating Biotransformation of Pyrene.

The aquatic bioconcentration of a chemical is typically determined using conventional fish tests. To foster the approach of alternatives to animal testing, a combination of computational models and in vitro substrate depletion bioassays (e.g., primary hepatocytes) can be used. One recently developed in vitro assay is the three-dimensional (3D) hepatic spheroid model from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the metabolic competence of the 3D spheroids from rainbow trout when exposed to pyrene, using 2 different sampling procedures (SP1 and SP2). The results were compared with previously published intrinsic clearance (CL) results from S9 fractions and primary hepatocyte assays. Extraction of pyrene using SP1 suggested that the spheroids had depleted 33% of the pyrene within 4 h of exposure, reducing to 91% after 30 h. However, when applying SP2 a substantial amount (36%) of the pyrene was bound to the exposure vial within 2 h, decreasing after 6 h of exposure. Formation of hydroxypyrene-glucuronide (OH-PYR-Glu) was obtained throughout the study, displaying the metabolic competence of the 3D spheroids. The 2 sampling procedures yielded different CLin vitro , where pyrene depletion using SP2 was very similar to published studies using primary hepatocytes. The 3D spheroids demonstrated reproducibile, log-linear biotransformation of pyrene and displayed formation of OH-PYR-Glu, indicating their metabolic competence for 30 h or more. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:1738-1747. © 2019 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.

Contaminant accumulation and biological responses in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) caged at a capped waste disposal site in Kollevåg, Western Norway.

The aim of this study was to assess whether fish in Kollevåg, a sheltered bay on the western coast of Norway, previously utilized as a waste disposal site, could be affected by environmental contaminants leaking from the waste. Farmed, juvenile Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) were caged for six weeks at three different locations in Kollevåg bay and at one reference location. Sediments and cod samples (bile and liver) were analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), brominated flame retardants (BFRs), per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolites, revealing a contamination gradient at the four stations. Furthermore, hepatosomatic index (HSI) and Fulton's condition factor (CF) were significantly lower in cod caged closest to the disposal site. Levels and activities of biomarker proteins, such as vitellogenin (Vtg), metallothionein (Mt), and biotransformation and oxidative stress enzymes, including cytochrome P450 1a and 3a (Cyp1a, Cyp3a), glutathione s-transferase (Gst) and catalase (Cat), were quantified in blood plasma and liver tissue. Hepatic Cat and Gst activities were significantly reduced in cod caged at the innermost stations in Kollevåg, indicating modulation of oxidative stress responses. However, these results contrasted with reduced hepatic lipid peroxidation. Significant increases in transcript levels were observed for genes involved in lipid metabolism (fasn and acly) in cod liver, while transcript levels of ovarian steroidogenic enzyme genes such as p450scc, cyp19, 3ß-hsd and 20ß-hsd showed significant station-dependent increases. Cyp1a and Vtg protein levels were however not significantly altered in cod caged in Kollevåg. Plasma levels of estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) were determined by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and showed elevated E2 levels, but only at the innermost station. We conclude that the bay of Kollevåg did not fullfill adequate environmental condition based on environmental quality standards (EQSs) for chemicals in coastal waters. Following a six weeks caging period, environmental contaminants accumulated in cod tissues and effects were observed on biomarker responses, especially those involved in reproductive processes in cod ovary.

The organic pollutant status of rivers in Bosnia and Herzegovina as determined by a combination of active and passive sampling methods.

There is an overall lack of data concerning the pollution status of Bosnia Herzegovina, which is confounded by fragmented national environmental management. The present study aimed to provide some initial data for concentrations of priority substances in two major Bosnian Rivers, using two types of passive sampler (PS) as well as by using high volume water sampling (HVWS). Overall, concentrations of most persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and legacy pesticides, were shown to be low. However, around the town of Doboj on the Bosna River, concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) breached European standards for several compounds and reached 67 ng L-1 for freely dissolved concentrations and 250 ng L-1 for total concentrations. In general, contamination was lower in the Neretva River compared to the Bosna, although for brominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), results suggested an active source of PBDEs at one location based on the ratio of congeners 47 and 99. Direct comparisons between the different sampling techniques used are not straightforward, but similar patterns of PAH contamination were shown by HVWS and PS in the Bosna River. There are both scientific and practical considerations when choosing which type of sampling technique to apply, and this should be decided based on the goals of each individual study.

Roads and motorized transport as major sources of priority substances? A data register study.

A data register study was performed in order to identify the amounts of hazardous substances in products related to motorized transport in Norway during 2012. The hazardous substances were selected from legislative investigations performed by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), European Union (EU), and Norwegian Environment Agency (NEA). Information regarding hazardous substances in 52 selected product categories associated with traffic-related activities was obtained from the Norwegian Product Register administrated by the NEA. Substances present on ECHA list of substances of very high concern (SVHC), NEA national priority list, and priority substances under the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) were given most attention, with substances from ECHA community rolling action plan (CoRAP) also included. Results showed that selected products contained a diverse range of substances that were classified as hazardous to either human or environmental health. The quantities of hazardous substances in the selected products were 120 tons (SVHC), 280 tons (Norway priority list), and 2,400 tons (WFD). It proved difficult to pinpoint these quantities only to traffic-related operations since product categories included compounds used for other activities. However, data illustrate that large quantities of hazardous substances are employed concurrent with being prioritized for reduction/elimination by national and international authorities. A list of substances with annual use in 2012 >1 ton was prepared to aid a prioritization for further actions such as substitution, phasing out, or environmental monitoring. The list contains substances that are toxic to humans, especially as adverse reproductive/carcinogenic agents, and/or pose a threat to the environment.

Identification of non-regulated polycyclic aromatic compounds and other markers of urban pollution in road tunnel particulate matter.

A combination of silicone rubber extraction and non-target and suspect screening by gas chromatography coupled to high-resolution time-of flight mass spectrometry was used for the identification of compounds in particulate matter (PM). Tunnel PM is a proxy for local road pollution that constitutes a hazard to the urban environment and human health. The use of silicone rubber for the extraction of PM allowed the pre-concentration of a wide range of compounds for non-target analysis while minimising the effects of the sample matrix. As expected, polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) constituted the major group of compounds identified, but only 5 of 50 PACs identified were amongst those regularly monitored and many of them were alkylated or contained a heteroatom. Urban markers of contamination such as organophosphate flame-retardants, phthalates, benzothiazoles, musk compounds and a plasticiser were also identified. The level of confidence for the identifications was high based on accurate mass, the pattern of fragmentation and retention. The unequivocal identification of 16 compounds, from all groups, was confirmed by co-chromatography with standards and the compounds semi-quantified. Most of the PACs identified are not regularly monitored, and the hazards they pose are therefore unknown. Some of these PACs are known to be more persistent and mobile in the environment than the EPA PAH16.

In vivo and in vitro effects of tunnel wash water and traffic related contaminants on aquatic organisms.

In order to maintain the construction and safety of road tunnels, they are routinely washed. The wash water appears to be highly polluted with a plethora of contaminants in elevated concentrations. In addition, new and emerging compounds are likely to occur. The discharge water has shown acute toxic and sub-lethal effects in several organisms. In this study, ecotoxicity tests with algae (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata) and in vitro tests with primary rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) hepatocytes were used to characterize the effect of TWW from three different tunnels. In addition, selected N- and Cl-PAHs were tested for cytotoxicity, EROD activity and CYP1A protein production. TWW samples and/or extracts from two tunnels reduced the algal growth and induced cytotoxicity, EROD activity and CYP1A protein production in vitro. Four of the eight tested Cl- and N-substituted PAHs induced EROD activity and CYP1A protein production at micro-molar concentrations. N-PAHs were detected in samples from the tunnel wash, highlighting substituted PAHs as potentially important traffic-related contaminants.

Environmental fate and effects of novel quorum sensing inhibitors that can control biofilm formation.

The formation of bacterial biofilms can have negative impacts on industrial processes and are typically difficult to control. The increase of antibiotic resistance, in combination with the requirement for more environmentally focused approaches, has placed pressure on industry and the scientific community to reassess biofilm control strategies. The discovery of bacterial quorum sensing, as an important mechanism in biofilm formation, has led to the development of new substances (such as halogenated thiophenones) to inhibit the quorum sensing process. However, there are currently limited data regarding the biodegradability or ecotoxicity of these substances. To assess the environmental fate and effects of thiophenones capable of quorum sensing inhibition, candidate substances were first identified that have potentially high biodegradability and low ecotoxicity using quantitative structure activity relationships. Subsequent confirmatory hazard assessment of these substances, using a marine alga and a marine crustacean, indicated that these estimates were significantly under predicted with acute toxicity values more than three orders of magnitude lower than anticipated combined with limited biodegradability. Therefore, although these quorum sensing inhibitors appear a promising approach to control biofilms, they may also have environmental impacts on certain aquatic organisms.