Short-Term Effects of Wildfire Ash on Water Quality Parameters: A Laboratory Approach.

Climate change coupled with inappropriate burning practices has increased large-scale wildfires in Brazilian tropical savannahs (Cerrado). Considering that the effects of ash from wildfires on water parameters are scarcely known in tropical savannahs, this study investigated the chemical changes caused by ash in the soft water, commonly used for bioassays. To this end, ash samples were collected immediately following a fire in a Cerrado area (Federal District, Brazil) and put into water (1:10 ash:soft-water m/v) to check physical parameters under laboratory conditions. Major water-extractable elements (K+, SO42-, Ca2+, PO43-, Na+, Mg2+) from ash strongly altered water quality parameters: elevated total dissolved solids and conductivity levels as well as an increase in pH and decrease in dissolved oxygen concentration were reported over the course of the experiment (15 days) compared to control conditions. Our results point out relevant solubilized compounds from ashes which may potentially impact water quality in post-fire scenarios.

Proposal of an irrigation water quality index (IWQI) for regional use in the Federal District, Brazil.

The present study aimed to propose a water quality index (WQI) for the Federal District, Brazil, as a management tool for water resources used in irrigation. Irrigated agriculture is a sector that has been growing in the region, with a consequent demand for quality water. One strategy for assessing water quality in rural areas is to adopt monitoring programs, which generate a large amount of data that often needs to be synthesized. The use of indexes is a way of organizing data in a synthetic and easy to understand format. Although initially formulated to assess the quality of drinking water, it is believed that a similar logic can easily be applied to assess the quality of irrigation water. Studies that evaluate the quality of water for irrigation are very common in arid or semi-arid regions, due to the problems of saline water in the soil and crops. On the other hand, the microbiological approach to water is poorly investigated, since contamination of crops can pose a risk to food security. In this work, three water bodies were selected in rural areas due to their preponderant use: irrigation. The monitoring occurred between May 2012 and April 2013 in 9 sampling points. For each sample collected, 22 physical, chemical, and biological parameters were established. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used in the evaluation and selection of water quality variables to compose the WQI. From PCA, it was possible to reduce the number of parameters from 16 to 6 main ones that reflect the water resources characteristics in the region, which were pH, electrical conductivity, total hardness, sodium absorption ratio, nitrate, and Escherichia coli. Of the five classes proposed for WQI, two points were classified as "very good." The other sample points were classified as "good" and "average" for the irrigation practice. The adapted WQI proved to be a good tool in the management of the water quality of the three rivers, and it can be easily used to assess the quality of water for irrigation in the region.

Evaluating the elimination of Brazilian entomopathogenic Bacillus by non-target aquatic species: an experimental study.

Ecotoxicity tests are key to predict environmental hazards resulting from chemical and biological pesticides in non-target species. In order to assess the effects of microbial pesticides it is important to determine if they cause infection in test organisms. At present the microbial elimination rate or clearance is not included in ecotoxicological regulatory protocols. This study evaluated the elimination of Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus sphaericus from fish and snails, after 30 days' exposure to commercial formulations of such entomopathogens. Data obtained showed that in clean water the tendency to eliminate microbial agents from the body of the exposed organisms is gradual over time but after 7 days the fish and snails were free of the two tested Bacillus spp.

The Ecotoxicology of Microbial Insecticides and Their Toxins in Genetically Modified Crops: An Overview.

The use of microbial insecticides and their toxins in biological control and transgenic plants has increased their presence in the environment. Although they are natural products, the main concerns are related to the potential impacts on the environment and human health. Several assays have been performed worldwide to investigate the toxicity or adverse effects of these microbial products or their individual toxins. This overview examines the published data concerning the knowledge obtained about the ecotoxicity and environmental risks of these natural pesticides. The data presented show that many results are difficult to compare due to the diversity of measurement units used in the different research data. Even so, the products and toxins tested present low toxicity and low risk when compared to the concentrations used for pesticide purposes. Complementary studies should be carried out to assess possible effects on human health.

Toxicity assessment and clearance of Brazilian microbial pest control agents in mice.

The environmental toxicology of chemical pesticides have increased interest in the development and use of microbial pest control agents. In the present study four new Brazilian strains of Bacillus and one fungus were tested to evaluate the acute oral toxicity and clearance of these microbials in C57BL6 mice. No mortality was observed after exposure for any of the microorganisms tested. Clearance was significant after 30 days but for one strain of B. thuringiensis and one of B. sphaericus this time was not enough to completely eliminate the spores.

Effects of ashes from a Brazilian savanna wildfire on water, soil and biota: An ecotoxicological approach.

Wildfire is very common in Brazilian savannas, and its effects on water, soil and aquatic/soil organisms are poorly understood. In this study, we observed the effects of fire, especially of ashes, on surface soil and subsurface water in a typical Brazilian savanna (Cerrado sensu strictu) for one year. Soil analyses (pH, organic matter content, potential acidity, K, Ca, Mg and P) and subsurface water analyses (NO3-, PO43- Mg2+, Ca2+ and K+) were assessed. We evaluated the ecotoxicological effects of ashes on three different endpoints and species, in fish Danio rerio (embryonic development), aquatic snail Biomphalaria glabrata (reproduction) and a soil species Enchytraeus sp. (reproduction). We found a higher amount of exchangeable cations and organic matter content in short-term fire effects on soil, but the higher availability of nutrients did not affect the soil pH in field plots. The effects of ashes on soil and subsurface water did not persist for one-year post-fire, except for organic matter content in burned areas. No toxic effects were observed on hatching success and incidences of developmental abnormalities in D. rerio embryos. However, ash input had adverse effects on reproduction in snails and enchytraeids. We reported a statistically significant decrease in snail eggs exposed to the 50g.L-1 and 100g.L-1 of ashes after four weeks (p<0.05, Dunnett's test and Tukey test). Enchytraeus sp. reproduction was negatively influenced by the natural soil, which presents high acidity, and also when exposed directly to the ashes from burned area, suggesting that pH and other ash compounds may limit the growth of enchytraeids. More studies in burned areas are strongly encouraged, addressing the potential important routes of exposure to ashes in order to understand the impact of intense fires on soil and aquatic biota in tropical savannas.

Aquatic ecotoxicity of ashes from Brazilian savanna wildfires.

In a global scenario of climate change, several studies have predicted an increase in fires in different parts of the world. With the occurrence of rains following the fires in the Brazilian savanna (Cerrado biome), the compounds present in ashes may enter aquatic environments and cause adverse effects to these ecosystems. In this context, this study evaluated the potential toxicity of ashes from two areas of Cerrado and an area of pasture, through ecotoxicological bioassays and using three aquatic species from distinct trophic levels, which were exposed to different dilutions of ashes: the microcrustacean Ceriodaphnia dubia, the fish Danio rerio and the mollusc Biomphalaria glabrata. The ashes from the three sampled areas showed higher concentrations of some elements in relation to the soil samples (B, Ca, K, Mg, Mn, P, S, Si, Sr, Zn), but only a small quantity of these compounds was solubilised. Our data showed that all ash samples caused acute toxicity to C. dubia (48hs-LC50 = 13.4 g L-1; 48hs-LC50 = 6.33 g L-1; 48hs-LC50 = 9.73 g L-1 respectively for transition area, pasture, typical cerrado areas), while in relation to D. rerio and B. glabrata, no acute toxicity was observed when they were exposed to ashes from native Cerrado vegetation and pasture areas. Ashes from a transition area showed toxicity for D. rerio (48hs-LC50 = 25.0 g L-1); possibly, this was due to the combination of multiple preponderant inorganic elements of ashes with other organic compounds not analysed, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In summary, these results suggest that wildfires may pose risks to zooplankton communities and emphasize the need for more studies to better understand the complexity of the ecological effects of fire on aquatic ecosystems.

Effects of γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles on the survival and reproduction of Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818) and their elimination from this benthic aquatic snail.

This study aims to evaluate the effects of maghemite nanoparticles (γ-Fe2O3) coated with meso-2, 3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) stabilizer on the survival and reproduction of the aquatic snail Biomphalaria glabrata. The cumulative means of egg masses and eggs per individual in the control group at the end of 4 weeks were 18.8 and 326.7, respectively. These values at the concentration of 1 mg/L were 17.2 and 291.6; at 10 mg/L, they were 19.6 and 334.4 ,and at 100 mg/L, they were 14.3 and 311.1. Results showed no significant differences between the tested and the control groups at the level of p < 0.05. Exposure of embryos for 10 days showed absence of mortality, malformation, or hatching delay. X-ray microtomography confirmed the presence of nanoparticles in exposed individuals and showed the complete elimination of the nanoparticles after 30 days in clean water. In the studied conditions, it is clear that γ-Fe2O3 coated with stabilizing DMSA did not alter the fecundity or the fertility of the snail B. glabrata after 4 weeks of exposure, and accumulation was not present after 30 days in clean water.

Cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins: from impacts on aquatic ecosystems and human health to anticarcinogenic effects.

Cyanobacteria or blue-green algae are among the pioneer organisms of planet Earth. They developed an efficient photosynthetic capacity and played a significant role in the evolution of the early atmosphere. Essential for the development and evolution of species, they proliferate easily in aquatic environments, primarily due to human activities. Eutrophic environments are conducive to the appearance of cyanobacterial blooms that not only affect water quality, but also produce highly toxic metabolites. Poisoning and serious chronic effects in humans, such as cancer, have been described. On the other hand, many cyanobacterial genera have been studied for their toxins with anticancer potential in human cell lines, generating promising results for future research toward controlling human adenocarcinomas. This review presents the knowledge that has evolved on the topic of toxins produced by cyanobacteria, ranging from their negative impacts to their benefits.

Comparative toxicity of Euphorbia milii latex and synthetic molluscicides to Biomphalaria glabrata embryos.

Plant molluscicides have been regarded as possible alternatives to the costly and environmentally hazardous molluscicides currently available. This study was undertaken to compare the developmental toxicity of a plant molluscicide (Euphorbia milii latex, LAT) with that of three synthetic molluscicidal compounds. Biomphalaria glabrata egg masses (0-15 h after spawning) were exposed to molluscicides for 96 h and thereafter examined up to the 14th day after spawning. Embryo deaths, abnormal embryo development (malformations) and the day of hatching were recorded. Although exhibiting a weak ovicidal effect, LAT markedly impaired the development of snail embryos at concentrations 1000 microg L(-1) and produced anomalies (EC(50)=2040 microg L(-1)) such as abnormal shells, hydropic embryos, cephalic and non-specific malformations. Embryolethal potencies of molluscicides were as follows: triphenyltin hydroxide (TPTH; LC(50)=0.30 microg L(-1))>niclosamide (NCL; LC(50)=70 microg L(-1))>copper sulphate (CuSO(4); LC(50)=2190 microg L(-1)) >>> LAT (LC(50)=34030 microg L(-1)). A few malformations were recorded in embryos exposed to concentrations of TPTH within the range of lethal concentrations, while almost no anomalies were noted among those treated with NCL or CuSO(4). A hatching delay (hatching on day 10 after spawning or later) was observed among LAT-exposed embryos. The effects of NCL, TPTH and CuSO4 on hatching were to some extent masked by their marked embryolethality. The no-observed effect concentrations (NOEC) for embryotoxicity were as follows: TPTH, 0.1 microg L(-1); NCL, 25.0 microg L(-1); CuSO(4), 500.0 microg L(-1) and LAT, 500.0 microg L(-1). Results from this study suggest that, although LAT was not acutely embryolethal after a short-term exposure, it markedly disrupted snail development. The marked embryotoxicity of E. milii possibly contributes to its effectiveness as a molluscicide.