The isothermal Boltzmann-Gibbs entropy reduction affects survival of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first experimental evidence of the effect of isothermal changes in entropy on a living organism. In greater detail, the effect of the reduction of the total Boltzmann-Gibbs entropy (S) of the aquatic environment on the survival rate and body mass of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster was investigated. The tests were carried out in standard thermodynamic states at room temperature of 296.15 K and ambient atmospheric pressure of 1 bar. Two variants of entropy reduction (ΔS) were tested for ΔS = 28.49 and 51.14 J K-1 mol-1 compared to the blind and control samples. The entropy level was experimentally changed, using the quantum system for isothermal entropy reduction. This system is based on quantum bound entanglement of phonons and the phenomenon of phonon resonance (interference of phonon modes) in condensed matter (Silicon dioxide (SiO2) and single crystals of Silicon (Si0), Aluminum (Al0) plates ("chips"), glass, and water). All studied organisms were of the same age (1 day). Mortality was observed daily until the natural death of the organisms. The investigations showed that changes in the Boltzmann-Gibbs entropy affected the survival and body mass of the fruit flies. On the one hand, the reduction in entropy under isothermal conditions in the aquatic environment for ΔS = 28.49 J K-1 mol-1 resulted in an extension of the lifespan and an increase in the body mass of female fruit flies. On the other hand, the almost twofold reduction in this entropy for ΔS = 51.14 J K-1 mol-1 shortened the lives of the males. Thus, the lifespan and body mass of flies turned out to be a specific reaction of metabolism related to changes in the entropy of the aquatic environment.

Arsenic toxicity to earthworms in soils of historical As mining sites: an assessment based on various endpoints and chemical extractions.

Eisenia fetida is an earthworm species often used to assess the toxicity of contaminants in soils. Several studies indicated that its response can be unpredictable because it depends both on total concentrations of contaminants and also on their forms that differ in susceptibility to be released from soil solid phase. The issue is complex because two various uptake routes are concurrently involved, dermal and ingestion in guts, where the bioavailability of contaminants can considerably change. The aim of this study was to analyze the toxicity of arsenic (As) in various strongly contaminated meadow and forest soils, representative for former As mining and processing area, to earthworms E. fetida and its accumulation in their bodies. An attempt was made to find relationships between the response of earthworms and chemical extractability of As. In the bioassay, carried out according to the standard ISO protocol, different endpoints were applied: earthworm survival, fecundity measured by the numbers of juveniles and cocoons, earthworm weight and As accumulation in the bodies. The results proved that E. fetida can tolerate extremely high total As concentrations in soils, such as 8000 mg/kg, however, the individual endpoints were not correlated and showed different patterns. The most sensitive one was the number of juveniles. No particular soil factor was identified that would indicate an exceptionally high As susceptibility to the release from one of soils, however, we have demonstrated that the sum of non-specifically and specifically bound As (i.e. fractions F1 + F2 in sequential extraction according to Wenzel) could be a good chemical indicator of arsenic toxicity to soil invertebrates.

Effect of Ingestion Exposure of Selected Insecticides on Coccinella septempunctata and Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).

The sensitivity to thiacloprid and lambda-cyhalothrin ingested from prey organisms was studied in Coccinella septempunctata and Harmonia axyridis, since the effect of ingestion exposure to these insecticides is unknown in these species. All developmental stages of the ladybirds were fed on Acyrthosiphon pisum treated with half or full field rate of the insecticides. Almost all instars were killed within 3 h of the start of ingestion of lambda-cyhalotrin-treated prey. The action of thiacloprid was more extended in time in both coccinellids and more variable between their instars. Reducing the field rate of lambda-cyhalothrin seems to have no practical value for the survival of either of the coccinellid species. Contrastingly, using half instead of the full field rate of thiacloprid may enhance the chances of survival in L1, L2, and L4 larvae of both species. Of all developmental stages tested, the survival dynamics of the adults of either species are closest to one another, whereas the apparent difference in the species response to the dose rate of thiacloprid was found in the L4 stage.