Data For Ecological Risk Assessment Research Articles

Distribution and Ecological Risk of Ludwigia peploides in South Korea.

The number of alien species introduced into South Korea continues to increase over the years. In particular, several plants have been introduced as ornamentals. Ludwigia peploides, which is native to the Americas and Australia, is believed to have been planted as an ornamental aquatic plant called "water primrose" and "primrose". It spread to natural ecosystems through rivers, and its distribution is gradually expanding in Suwon, Hwaseong, Busan, and Jeju. However, there has been no specific study on the ecological risk of L. peploides introduced into South Korea. This study, therefore, investigates the distribution status and ecological risks of L. peploides in South Korea through field surveys and allelopathic material analysis, as well as assessing abiotic risk factors. The distribution was confirmed at a total of 19 sites, with high-density mats of a single species forming along the water's edge and on the water surface. The maximum distribution area was 13,922 m2 in Chilgok Reservoir in Anseong. Stems and plant fragments transported along waterways were continuously forming colonies through vegetative propagation. When evaluating the overall risk, it is determined that L. peploides has a high potential to cause significant damage to the ecosystem if not managed promptly. Therefore, continuous monitoring is necessary to effectively manage and prevent the habitat expansion of L. peploides. The results of this study are expected to aid in the identification of the current distribution and potential ecological risks of L. peploides in South Korea, providing essential data for ecological risk assessment and the development of effective management strategies.

Long-term exposure to climbazole may affect the health of stress-tolerant coral Galaxea fascicularis

The persistence of coral reefs globally is threatened by various forms of chemical pollution. Climbazole, an azole antibacterial agent extensively utilized in pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in everyday life, has been detected in various environment media and proved to have significant adverse effects on aquatic organism. However, the effects of climbazole on coral remain largely unknown. Therefore, in this study, we conducted a 42-day investigation to examine the effects of varying concentrations of climbazole on Galaxea fascicularis (G. fascicularis), a stress-tolerant coral species. Our investigations included coral color observations, physiological experiments, and assessments of microbial diversity. The results showed that, after 42 days of exposure, the coral color in the treatment group exposed to 100 μg/L climbazole significantly decreased by one color category on the reference chart (D6 shifted to D5), while there was no change in the control group. This was accompanied by an increase in oxidative stress and a decrease in photosynthetic capacity in coral specimens. Additionally, there was a notable alteration in microbial diversity, resulting in reduced community stability. Elevated levels of climbazole (100 μg/L) stress led to an increased abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria such as unclassified Erysipelotrichaceae. However, at an environmentally relevant concentration of 1 μg/L, climbazole decreased the photosynthetic efficiency and induced oxidative stress in the stress-tolerant coral G. fascicularis, while not significantly impacting the microbial community diversity of the coral. The findings of our study have important implications for the protection and management of nearshore coral reefs and offer essential data for ecological risk assessment of climbazole.

Occurrence and transport of novel and legacy poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in coastal rivers along the Laizhou Bay, northern China

The pollution profiles of 25 legacy and emerging poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the estuaries along the Laizhou Bay, northern China were investigated to better understand the new structure of PFASs under international regulations and to estimate the mass loadings of PFASs in coastal rivers. About 39.87 kg/d of PFASs were discharged into the Laizhou Bay by the Xiaoqing, Mi and Zhimai Rivers. Total PFAS concentrations in the Xiaoqing River decreased notably in recent years, but were still greater than the levels in 2011. Contribution of replacement substances exhibited an increasing trend in recent years. However, the long-chain chemicals were still the larger contributors of PFASs. Perfluoromethoxypropionic acid (PFMPA) was first detected with high concentrations ranging from 165.3 to 586.3 ng/L in the Xiaoqing River. The results of this study provided baseline data for ecological risk assessment, environmental management and corresponding development of pollution treatment technology.

Physiological analysis and transcriptome profiling reveals the impact of microplastic on melon (Cucumis melo L.) seed germination and seedling growth

The wide application of agricultural plastics leads to microplastic (MP) accumulation in the soil and inevitably result in MP pollution. Melon is an economically important horticultural crop that is widely cultivated with plastic film mulching. However, the impact of MP pollution on plant growth remains largely unclear. Here we reported the morphological, physiological, biochemical responses and transcriptome re-programing of melon responses to MP on seed germination and seedling growth. Polyvinyl chloride particles were added to potting mix to simulate MP exposure environment (MEE). The results showed that low and medium concentrations (1–4 g kg−1) of MEE had a significant adverse effect on seed germination and seedling growth. In both cases, the germination potential was decreased, young root forks increased, and tips decreased; and the dry weight of seedlings, the total length, surface area, forks and tips of root were also decreased. However, the root activity was increased. The concentration of MEE to give the best parameters was at 2 g kg−1. Catalase enzymatic activity and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in roots were decreased continuously with increased MEE concentrations. The peak values of peroxidase activity, O2.- content and generation rate, ROS enrichment and malondialdehyde content all reached the highest at 2 g kg−1. MEE also increased the proline content and decreased the contents of ascorbic acid, soluble sugar and soluble protein in these seedlings. Medium and high concentrations of MEE (4–8 g kg−1) also increased the chlorophyll b content. Low concentrations MEE (1–2 g kg−1) inhibited actual photochemical efficiency of photosystem II and photochemical quenching, two key chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. Transcriptome analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes caused by the MEE were mainly belonged to defense response, signal transduction, hormone metabolism, plant-pathogen interaction, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. The results of this study will help to understand the ecotoxicological effects of MEE on melons and provide data for ecological risk assessment of Cucurbitaceae vegetable cultivation.

Deriving Candidate List of Korean Native Organisms for Ecotoxicity Testing: (1) Aquatic Test Species

Ecotoxicity data for ecological risk assessment were obtained according to test conditions presented in international standard test methods. However, only 25.8% of native organisms in Korea were included in international standard test methods. It is needed to consider native organisms in Korea as test species, in terms of toxicity sensitivity, domestic environment media, and economic costs. In this study, we collected taxonomic classification system (Kingdom animalia, plantae, protista), based on Phylum or Division and Class. We investigated the habitat and analyzed the presence or absence of international standard test methods and Korean native organisms. As for animalia, 26 of Class was derived from the fresh water as habitat. Eight and three of Class were derived from the each criteria ’not included in standard test methods and identifiable Korean native organisms’ and ’not included in Korean native organisms in standard test methods and identifiable Korean native organisms’. With Korean native species list, taxonomic and ecological status, distribution, toxicity data, we verified the possibility of list for potential Korean native organisms (eleven of Class). This study proposes the candidate list of Korean native organisms to further develope ecotoxicity testing. Key words: Domestic Species, Ecotoxicity, Aquatic Toxicity, Native Organisms

The Effect of the Wastewater of Penicillin and Amoxicillin on the Antioxidant Indexes of Limnodrilus Hoffmeisteri

In order to obtain some basic data for ecological risk assessment, an exposure experiment was carried out to study the effect of different volume of mixed penicillin and amoxicillin wastewater on Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Malondialdehyde (MDA) in Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri. Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri was exposed to different volume (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%) of mixed wastewater for 15 days. According to the experimental data, the MDA contents and SOD activities in Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri muscle tissue had seen significant change significantly during the period of exposure. The results showed that the trend of SOD activities in low concentration groups (10% and 20%) increased at first, then decreased and increased at last. As exposure concentration increased (40% and 50%), SOD activities were inhibited in the early days (3 d), and was gradually induced in the later phase. The change of MDA content in muscle tissue of Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri was further investigated. It was found to be negatively correlated with the activity of SOD, and the high concentration group (50%) was in a remarkable induction state and reached the maximum at 6 d. According to the experimental data, the MDA contents and SOD activities in Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri muscle tissue had changed significantly and caused the oxidative damage.

토양생태계 위해성평가기법 비교연구: 토양생태준거치 산정을 중심으로

The purpose of ecological risk assessment in soil ecosystem is to protect ecological receptors and to provide a scheme of efficient management for soil contaminants. Developed countries have already prepared the methodologies of ecological risk assessment by considering their soil properties, land use, and ecological receptors. In this study, we compared the soil ecological risk assessment processes in the similarity and differences in methodology. Four countries, except for USA, adjusted the toxicological data for ecological risk assessment, based on their representative soil properties because the soil properties affect toxic effects to ecological receptors. The soil ecological risk assessment methodology of Netherlands and UK was based on 'Technical guidance document on risk assessment (TGD)' of European Chemical Bureau (ECB). Australia, USA, and Canada developed their autonomous methodology. In the Netherlands, UK, Australia, and Canada, they employed the species sensitivity distribution (SSD) approach if sufficient toxicity data are available. The USA determined the ecological soil screening level by obtaining the geometric mean of toxicological data for three species. Furthermore, all countries consider secondary poisoning in their soil ecological risk assessment. The latest risk assessment methodology of soil ecosystem that this study investigated can be used to explore what Korea needs to develop the Korean ecological risk assessment methodology of soil ecosystem in the future.

Ecotoxicological responses of the mayfly Baetis tricaudatus to dietary and waterborne cadmium: Implications for toxicity testing

Trace metals readily accumulated by stream periphyton may enter aquatic food chains through grazer ingestion. Hence, experiments were conducted to determine the ecotoxicological responses of the grazing mayfly Baetis tricaudatus to dietary cadmium. Short-term feeding experiments indicated that B. tricaudatus nymphs did not initially avoid grazing on cadmium-contaminated diatom mats. During a partial life-cycle experiment, 4 and 10 microg/g of dietary cadmium significantly inhibited grazing, whereas 10 microg/g significantly inhibited growth. Feeding inhibition was the likely mechanism that inhibited growth (i.e., through reduced energy intake). Conversely, when exposed to waterborne cadmium using lethal toxicity test procedures, B. tricaudatus nymphs were relatively tolerant (96-h median lethal concentration, 1,611 microg/L). Thus, sublethal responses to dietary exposure appeared to be more sensitive than lethal responses to waterborne exposure. Because adult mayfly fecundity is a function of nymph size at emergence, dietary cadmium exposure could increase the extinction probability within mayfly populations. The present study highlights the importance of dietary exposure routes in determining the ecotoxicological responses of an organism to a contaminant. Furthermore, the findings emphasize the advantage of evaluating a combination of ecologically relevant, lethal and sublethal endpoints in laboratory methods used to generate data for ecological risk assessment and regulation.

Exposure Factor and Toxicity Data for California Wildlife: Data Availability and Sources of Uncertainty for Ecological Risk Assessments

Data needs for terrestrial ecological risk assessments are generally diverse, consisting of a large array of chemicaland wildlife species-specific information for exposure and effects evaluation. Normalizing factors (e.g., body weight and metabolic rate), contact rates (e.g., ingestion rates, dietary composition and inhalation rates), population dynamics information (e.g., home range size) and seasonal activity descriptions (e.g., migration patterns) for mammalian, avian, amphibian and reptile species of concern are often required for exposure estimation (U.S. EPA, 1993). Toxicity data needs for these species vary with the assessment endpoints of the ecological risk assessment but may include individual-, populationor community level endpoints (U.S. EPA, 1998). While new site-specific data may be collected for an ecological risk assessment, initial phases of the assessment are likely to utilize existing data from the scientific literature. Databases of ecological exposure and effects information are available but they generally address a limited range of information or number of species. For example, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has compiled exposure factor data for thirty-four mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians (U.S. EPA, 1993). In order to address ecological risk assessment data needs in California, we developed Cal/Ecotox, a database of exposure factors and toxicity data for sixtytwo species of California mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians (see http://www.oehha.ca.gov). One of the key difficulties encountered in ecological risk assessments is the lack of exposure factor and toxicity data for many wildlife species (SETAC, 1987). Extrapolation of existing data provides an approach to overcome these data gaps but this method contributes uncertainty to the ecological risk assessment (Warren-Hicks and Moore, 1998). In this paper, we describe Cal/Ecotox and provide a survey of data currently in the database to assist in the identification of data gaps and potential sources of uncertainty for ecological risk assessment. Identification of these data gaps may contribute to prioritizing current research needs in ecological risk assessment.

Lizard contaminant data for ecological risk assessment.

This review is the most comprehensive currently available of the effects and accumulation of environmental contaminants on lizards. The importance of lizards was emphasized in hope that they be included in ecological risk assessments as well as any study on environmental contamination. Some studies presented here indicated that lizards are ideal bioindicators. They are important as a component of biodiversity, and many species are listed as threatened or endangered. In addition, lizards are a significant part of many ecosystems as well as an important link in many food chains. There are large gaps in data for many environmental contaminants, particularly data on lizards. Ecotoxicological studies on a wide variety of lizard species are needed; both laboratory and field studies would provide useful information. Because the majority of lizards are insectivores, studies of the effects and accumulation of pesticides are essential. A few current studies are available from Africa and Australia, but most, especially those conducted in the U.S., were not current. Studies are needed on the effects and accumulation of ubiquitous contaminants, such as heavy metals and PCBs. Because of the many contaminated sites and the significant waste disposal problem, studies are needed on the effects and accumulation of radionuclides on lizards. Furthermore, effects of multiple stressors must be studied. Last, studies are needed linking the effects of contaminants to tissue residues. It is hoped that the convenience of having the vast majority of lizard environmental contaminant data available in one document will encourage its use.