Tonalide Research Articles

Group raises stink about a fragrance

An environmental group last week called on U.S. consumer product makers to halt use of a synthetic musk fragrance sold under the trade name Galaxolide. Women’s Voices for the Earth says published studies show 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta-γ-2-benzopyran (HHCB), which is used in laundry products, air fresheners, personal care products, and perfumes, is increasingly found in the Great Lakes. The group pointed to an assessment it commissioned of HHCB that concluded the chemical is persistent, accumulates in the environment, and is toxic to aquatic life. The assessment was done with GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals, a proprietary tool used to examine a compound’s hazards and compare it against alternative substances. SC Johnson, a company the activists are targeting for using HHCB, has cried foul. The company says the chemical “is present at very low concentrations that are hundreds to thousands of times lower than levels deemed safe by worldwide regulatory agencies.” EPA last year

Semi-volatile organic compounds in the particulate phase in dwellings: A nationwide survey in France

Sixty-six semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs)—phthalates, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), one pyrethroid, organochlorine and organophosphorous pesticides, alkylphenols, synthetic musks, tri-n-butylphosphate and triclosan—were measured on PM10 filters collected over 7 days during a nationwide survey of 285 French dwellings, representative of nearly 25 million housing units. Thirty-five compounds were detected in more than half of the dwellings. PAHs, phthalates and triclosan were the major particle-bound SVOCs, with a median concentration greater than 1 ng m−3 for butylbenzyl phthalate (BBP) (median: 1.6 ng m−3), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) (46 ng m−3) and di-iso-nonyl phthalate (DiNP) (7.9 ng m−3), and greater than 0.1 ng m−3 for triclosan (114 pg m−3), benzo(a)pyrene (138 pg m−3), benzo(b)fluoranthene (306 pg m−3), benzo(g,h,i)perylene (229 pg m−3), and indeno(1,2,3-c,d)pyrene (178 pg m−3). For most of the SVOCs, higher concentrations were found in the dwellings of smokers and during the heating season. The concentrations of banned SVOCs—namely, PCBs and organochlorine pesticides—were correlated. Permethrin, 4-tert-butylphenol and bisphenol-A showed no correlation with the other SVOCs and seemed to have their own specific sources. Most SVOCs were positively associated with PM10 concentration, suggesting that any factor that raises the mass of indoor airborne particles also increases the exposure to SVOCs through inhalation.

Distributions of the particle/gas and dust/gas partition coefficients for seventy-two semi-volatile organic compounds in indoor environment

Particle/gas and dust/gas partition coefficients (Kp and Kd) are two key parameters that address the partitioning of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) between gas-phase, airborne particles, and settled dust in indoor environment. A number of empirical equations to calculate the values of Kp and Kd have been reported in the literature. Therefore, the difficulty lies in the selection of a specific empirical equation in a given situation. In this study, we retrieved from the literature 38 empirical equations for calculating Kp and Kd values from the SVOC saturation vapor pressure and octanol/air partition coefficient. These values were calculated for 72 SVOCs: 9 phthalates, 9 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), 11 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 22 biocides, 14 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 3 alkylphenols, 2 synthetic musks, tributylphosphate, and bisphenol A. The mean and median values of log10Kp or log10Kd for most SVOCs were of the same order of magnitude. The distribution of log10Kp values was fitted to either a normal distribution (for 27 SVOCs) or a log-normal distribution (for 45 SVOCs). This work provides a reference distribution of the log10Kp for 72 SVOCs, and its use may reduce the bias associated with the selection of a specific value or equation.

Effects of dietary exposure of polycyclic musk HHCB on the metamorphosis of Xenopus laevis.

The compound 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta-[γ]-2-benzopyrane (HHCB; galaxolide, Chemical Abstracts Service number 1222-05-5) is a synthetic musk used extensively as a fragrance in many consumer products and classified as an emerging pollutant. The ecotoxicological information available for HHCB addresses exposure via water, but this compound is frequently adsorbed into particulate matter. The goal of the present study was to assess the effects of dietary exposure to several environmentally relevant HHCB concentrations adsorbed in food during Xenopus laevis metamorphosis. The authors sought to determine if such exposure to this synthetic musk resulted in histological changes in the thyroid gland in conjunction with changes in development (staging, timing to metamorphosis), body weight, and length. Developmental acceleration on day 14, together with hypertrophy of the thyroid follicular epithelium in tadpoles, suggested a possible agonistic effect of HHCB, which would have been compensated after metamorphosis by regulatory mechanisms to maintain homeostasis. Further research into the potential thyroid-related mechanisms of action of HHCB should be conducted. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:1428-1435. © 2015 SETAC.

Use of a combined effect model approach for discriminating between ABCB1- and ABCC1-type efflux activities in native bivalve gill tissue

Aquatic organisms, such as bivalves, employ ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters for efflux of potentially toxic chemicals. Anthropogenic water contaminants can, as chemosensitizers, disrupt efflux transporter function enabling other, putatively toxic compounds to enter the organism. Applying rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) PCR we identified complete cDNAs encoding ABCB1- and ABCC1-type transporter homologs from zebra mussel providing the molecular basis for expression of both transporter types in zebra mussel gills. Further, efflux activities of both transporter types in gills were indicated with dye accumulation assays where efflux of the dye calcein-am was sensitive to both ABCB1- (reversin 205, verapamil) and ABCC1- (MK571) type specific inhibitors. The assumption that different inhibitors targeted different efflux pump types was confirmed when comparing measured effects of binary inhibitor compound mixtures in dye accumulation assays with predictions from mixture effect models. Effects by the MK571/reversin 205 mixture corresponded better with independent action, whereas reversin 205/verapamil joint effects were better predicted by the concentration addition model indicating different and equal targets, respectively. The binary mixture approach was further applied to identify the efflux pump type targeted by environmentally relevant chemosensitizing compounds. Pentachlorophenol and musk ketone, which were selected after a pre-screen of twelve compounds that previously had been identified as chemosensitizers, showed mixture effects that corresponded better with concentration addition when combined with reversine 205 but with independent action predictions when combined with MK571 indicating targeting of an ABCB1-type efflux pump by these compounds.

Synthetic musk in seafood products from south Europe using a quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe extraction method

This study aims at developing a method for the determination of 9 synthetic musk compounds in seafood products by combining the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method and determination by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC–EI–MS). Method detection limits (MDL) ranging between 0.001 and 1.94ngg−1 were obtained. The linearity is higher than 0.9899 in the range MDL – 100ngg−1 with precision below 18% and recoveries between 46% and 120% were obtained. The method was applied to quantify musk compounds in seafood products from the European southwest coast (oysters, mussels, salmon organs, glass eels). Galaxolide and Tonalide exhibited the highest concentration levels ranging between MDL – 96.4ngg−1 and MDL – 6.85ngg−1, respectively. Contamination levels observed for the two nitro musks (musk xylene and musk ketone) are significantly lower ranging between MDL – 0.6ngg−1 and MDL – 0.09ngg−1, respectively. Analysis of different organs of salmons showed higher concentrations in liver and gonad than in muscle tissues.

Preparation and evaluation of amino modified graphene solid-phase microextraction fiber and its application to the determination of synthetic musks in water samples

In the current study, amino modified (NH2-modified) graphene was developed as a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coating for the first time. The structure of the NH2-modified graphene was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The fiber was fabricated using xylene-diluted silicone sealant as an adhesion agent. The performance and feasibility of the NH2-modified graphene fiber was evaluated through autosampler-assisted direct immersion (DI) SPME followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for the analysis of five synthetic musks (muscone, galaxolide, musk-xylene, tonalide and musk-ketone) in aqueous samples. The results showed that the prepared fiber had good thermal stability, excellent solvent resistance and a long service lifetime (more than 200 replicate extraction cycles). The proposed autosampler-assisted DI-SPME-GC/MS method showed low limits of detection (0.46–5.96ngL−1), wide linear ranges (5–500ngL−1), and acceptable reproducibility (relative standard deviation, RSD<12%). Finally, the method was successfully applied to the analysis of synthetic musks in environmental water samples with good recoveries (82.3–112%) and satisfactory precisions (RSD<9.9%). These results indicated that the NH2-modified graphene provided a promising alternative in sample pretreatment.

Ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction for the determination of synthetic musk fragrances in aqueous matrices by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

A rapid and simple method for the simultaneous determination of twelve synthetic musks in water samples, using ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (UA-DLLME) coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was successfully developed.The influence of seven factors (volume of the extraction solvent and disperser solvent, sample volume, extraction time, ionic strength, type of extraction and disperser solvent) affecting the UA-DLLME extraction efficiency was investigated using a screening design. The significant factors were selected and optimised employing a central composite design: 80μL of chloroform, 880μL of acetonitrile, 6mL of sample volume, 3.5% (wt) of NaCl and 2min of extraction time.Under the optimised conditions, this methodology was successfully validated for the analysis of 12 synthetic musk compounds in different aqueous samples (tap, sea and river water, effluent and influent wastewater). The proposed method showed enrichment factors between 101 and 115 depending on the analyte, limits of detection in the range of 0.004–54ngL−1 and good repeatability (most relative standard deviation values below 10%). No significant matrix effects were found, since recoveries ranged between 71% and 118%. Finally, the method was satisfactorily applied to the analysis of five different aqueous samples. Results demonstrated the existence of a larger amount of synthetic musks in wastewaters than in other water samples (average concentrations of 2800ngL−1 in influent and 850ngL−1 in effluent). Galaxolide, tonalide and exaltolide were the compounds most detected.

Removal of polycyclic synthetic musks and antineoplastic drugs in ozonated wastewater: Quantitation based on the data of differential spectroscopy

This study examined the degradation behavior of polycyclic musks (PMs) and antineoplastic drugs (ADs) and the absorbance spectra of effluent organic matter (EfOM) in municipal wastewater by ozone. Specific ozone doses used in the experiments ranged from 0 to 1mg O3/mg dissolved organic matter (DOC). The examined PMs included galaxolide, tonalide, celestolide, traseolide and phantolide. ADs included busulfan, chlorambucil, cyclophosphamide, dacarbazine, flutamide, ifosfamide, tamoxifen and methotrexate. Strong monotonic albeit nonlinear correlations were found to exist between relative changes of EfOM absorbance at 254nm (i.e. ΔA254/A0254) and the degradation of the selected PMs and ADs. This result was interpreted based on the concept of the simultaneous oxidation of EfOM and, on the other hand, PMs and ADs. This interpretation showed that PMs were degraded primarily via OH radical attack, with tonalide and phantolide being less reactive compared with the other PMs. ADs such as cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide and busulfan were also determined to undergo oxidation by OH radicals. Comparison of the behavior of the radical probe para-chlorobenzoic acid and the examined ADs and PMs allowed evaluating corresponding reaction rate constants for reactions between these species and OH radicals.

A new analytical protocol for the determination of 62 endocrine-disrupting compounds in indoor air

The objective of this study was to develop and validate a new analytical protocol for simultaneous determination of 62 semi-volatile organic compounds in both phases of indoor air. Studied compounds belong to several families: polybrominated diphenyl ethers, polychlorinated biphenyls, hexachlorobenzene, pentachlorobenzene, phthalates, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, parabens, tetrabromobisphenol A, bisphenol A, hexabromocyclododecane, triclosan, alkylphenols, alkylphenol ethoxylates, synthetic musks (galaxolide and tonalide) and pesticides (lindane and cypermethrin). A medium volume sampling system was used to collect simultaneously these endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) from the gaseous and particulate phases. An accelerated solvent extraction method was optimized to obtain all EDCs in a single extract by atmospheric phase. Their extraction from the sorbents and their analysis by liquid and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS, GC/MS and GC/MS/MS) was validated using spiked sorbents (recovery study and analytical uncertainty analysis by fully nested design). The developed protocol achieved low limits of quantification (<0.5ngm−3) and low uncertainty values (<5ngm−3) for all compounds. Once validated, the method was applied to indoor air samples from four locations (a house, an apartment, a day nursery and an office) and compared to literature to confirm its efficiency. All target EDCs were quantified in the samples and were primarily present in the gaseous phase. The major contaminants found in indoor air were, in descending order, phthalates, synthetic musks, alkylphenols and parabens.

Environmental fates of synthetic musks in animal and plant: An in vivo study

As emerging contaminants, synthetic musks (SMs) cause worldwide concern due to their bioaccumulation in biota. However, the environmental fates of SMs in biota are poorly understood. Here, for the first time, the uptake and elimination behaviors, as well as the transferable capacities, of SMs in living edible biota (fish and aloe) were revealed. Fish muscle was approximately 100–2000 times more efficient in accumulating SMs than was aloe leaf, and nitro musks showed a higher bioaccumulation potential than did polycyclic musks in biota. In addition, the transferable capabilities of SMs by root uptake in aloe were poor. This investigation also showed that both nitro musks and polycyclic musks that accumulated in biota exhibited excellent elimination rates in clean water, and the elimination rates were greater than 78% and 80% in fish (3d) and aloe (2d), respectively. Furthermore, the calculated results suggest that SMs might act as chemosensitizers and enhance the accumulation of normally excluded toxicants in biota in a real aquatic environment.

Scented traces – Dermal exposure of synthetic musk fragrances in personal care products and environmental input assessment

Synthetic musks are organic compounds used as fragrance and fixative additives in several personal care products. Until now, little is known about their occurrence and distribution in these household commodities. However, this information is essential to perform a human dermal exposure assessment. Therefore, this study gives an overview on the levels of 12 synthetic musks in 140 personal care products from 7 different categories (body and hair wash, toilet soaps, shaving products, dentifrice products, deodorants/antiperspirants, moisturizers and perfumes). They were analysed by QuEChERS extraction followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Detection limits were found between 0.01ngg−1 (galaxolide) and 5.00ngg−1 (musk xylene). Higher average concentrations of total synthetic musks were detected in perfumes (5245.05μgg−1) and shampoos (487.67μgg−1) for adults. Galaxolide, exaltolide and cashmeran were the most detected compounds. Combining these results with the daily usage amounts, an average daily dermal exposure of 75.69μgkgbw−1day−1 for adults and 15.54μgkgbw−1day−1 for babies/children was achieved. The main contributors for adult and babies/children dermal exposure were perfumes and lotions, respectively. About 40% of the adult daily dermal exposure is related to exaltolide, 30% galaxolide, and 15% tonalide, while for babies/children 96% occurs due to exaltolide.An estimate of the amount of musks discharged “down-the-drain” into the wastewater treatment systems through the use of toiletries was also performed. An average emission per capita of 6.7mgday−1 was determined and galaxolide and exaltolide were the predominant musks in the effluents.

A review of recent developments and trends in the QuEChERS sample preparation approach

Abstract A comprehensive review is presented on the recent developments and trends in the QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) sample preparation approach. This technique involves liquid-liquid partitioning using acetonitrile and purifying the extract using dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE). Originally, the QuEChERS was introduced for pesticides residues analysis in high moisture fruits and vegetables, but more recently it is gaining significant popularity in the analysis of broad spectrum of analytes in huge variety of samples. The wide range of the technique applications is possible due to introducing various modifications based on the use of different extraction solvent and salt formulation and buffer additions for salting-out partitioning step and the application of various d-SPE sorbents for clean-up step. Therefore, the QuEChERS approach is useful for analysis of, among others pesticides, veterinary drugs and other pharmaceuticals, mycotoxins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dyes, acrylamide, synthetic musks and UV filters, bisphenols, polybrominated diphenyl ethers and other flame retardants, endocrine disruptors, and other chemical compounds. Thanks to the QuEChERS approach, high-throughput multiresidue methods operate in a routine contaminant control of food products, feedstuff, and environmental samples.

Volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds of respiratory health relevance in French dwellings.

Over the last decades, the prevalence of childhood respiratory conditions has dramatically increased worldwide. Considering the time spent in enclosed spaces, indoor air pollutants are of major interest to explain part of this increase. This study aimed to measure the concentrations of pollutants known or suspected to affect respiratory health that are present in dwellings in order to assess children's exposure. Measurements were taken in 150 homes with at least one child, in Brittany (western France), to assess the concentrations of 18 volatile organic compounds (among which four aldehydes and four trihalomethanes) and nine semi-volatile organic compounds (seven phthalates and two synthetic musks). In addition to descriptive statistics, a principal component analysis (PCA) was used to investigate grouping of contaminants. Formaldehyde was highly present and above 30μg/m(3) in 40% of the homes. Diethyl phthalate, diisobutyl phthalate, and dimethylphthalate were quantified in all dwellings, as well as Galaxolide and Tonalide. For each chemical family, the groups appearing in the PCA could be interpreted in term of sources. The high prevalence and the levels of these compounds, with known or suspected respiratory toxicity, should question regulatory agencies to trigger prevention and mitigation actions.

A simple and rapid method for the determination of nicotine in third-hand smoke by liquid chromatography and its application for the assessment of contaminated outdoor communal areas.

This is the first report on the determination of nicotine in third-hand smoke (THS) in outdoor communal areas. The term THS can be defined as the contamination of surfaces by second-hand smoke. This can remain for extended periods of time and undergo further chemical reactions to produce further pollutants which can be re-suspended in dust or re-emitted into the gas phase. As THS is a rather complex mixture, studies have focused on using nicotine as a marker of THS, as it is the most abundant organic compound emitted during smoking. In this present study, the extraction of dust-wipe samples and the subsequent chromatographic conditions required for the separation of nicotine by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography were optimized. The optimum chromatographic conditions were identified as a 150 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 µm Zorbax Carbohydrate Analysis column with a mobile phase consisting of 90 % acetonitrile, 10 % water at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min with UV detection at 259 nm. Further investigations were made on samples collected from surfaces of public entrance ways. Under these conditions, a linear range for nicotine of 0.05 to 24 µg/mL (1.0-480 ng on column) was obtained, with a detection limit of 1.0 ng on column based on a signal-to-noise ratio of three. Acetone, naphthalene, phenol, musk ketone, and palmitic acid were found not to interfere. Communal entrance ways were found to be contaminated with THS nicotine levels of between 5.09 µg/m(2) and 309 µg/m(2) comparable to that found in other previous studies of indoor environments. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Evaluation of preconcentration methods in the analysis of synthetic musks in whole‐water samples

According to the European Water Framework Directive, environmental assessment of organic compounds should be made in whole-water samples, but due to their hydrophobicity and strong attraction to organic content these compounds can be found bound to suspended particle matter or in the dissolved fraction. In this work, the extraction of musk compounds was studied in whole-water samples exhibiting different amounts of dissolved organic carbon and suspended particulate matter using polyethersulfone preconcentration technique. Matrix effects in estuarine and wastewater (both influent and effluent) were evaluated for filtered and unfiltered samples. For unfiltered samples, estuarine water exhibited matrix effects <20%, while for effluent it was up to 48% and for influent ranged from 85 to 99%. To compensate matrix effects and determine total concentrations in unfiltered samples, different quantification approaches were tested: the use of deuterated analogues and standard additions. Standard additions provided the best results for unfiltered samples. Finally, filtered and unfiltered samples were analyzed using both polyethersulfone preconcentration and membrane-assisted solvent extraction and results showed a good agreement between the two methods. In both cases unfiltered samples provided concentrations 1.5-2.6 times higher than filtered samples.

Synthetic musk compounds and benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers in breast milk: Occurrence, time–course variation and infant health risk

Synthetic musk compounds (SMCs) and benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers (BUVSs) are used as additives in many consumer products. Limited data are available on the accumulation of SMCs in human fluids, and no data are available on BUVSs. In this study, 208 human breast milk samples were collected from 87 participants during the lactation period at <7, 15, 30, and 90 days after delivery in Korea. The total concentrations of SMCs and BUVSs ranged from <LOQ to 1593 (median: 286)ng/g lipid weight and from <LOQ to 2172 (median: 64.7)ng/g lipid weight, respectively. The residue levels of HHCB and AHTN in our samples were the highest, compared to those reported in the US, Europe, and China. The predominant compounds were HHCB and AHTN for SMCs and UV-328 for BUVSs, consistent with consumption patterns of these contaminants. Over the lactation period, no significant changes were found in concentrations of SMCs and BUVSs for both parity groups. Maternal age, body mass index, and parity were not associated with the concentrations of SMCs and BUVSs, while gestational age and delivery mode were associated with these contaminants. The estimated daily intakes of HHCB and AHTN were lower than the provisional tolerable daily intake values, suggesting a limited health risk to Korean infants. This study is the first to comprehensively investigate the current levels, accumulation features, contributing factors of BUVSs associated with breast milk consumption in Korea.

Co-extraction and simultaneous determination of multi-class hydrophobic organic contaminants in marine sediments and biota using GC-EI-MS/MS and LC-ESI-MS/MS

A multi-residue analytical method was developed involving co-extraction and simultaneous determination of 89 hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) in marine sediments and biota using gas chromatography-electron ionization-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-EI-MS/MS) and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). Target analytes include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides, chlorobenzenes, brominated and chlorinated flame retardants, nitro-aromatic and polycyclic musks, triclosan and methyl triclosan. Spike-recovery experiments showed relative recoveries of analytes were generally between 70% and 130%. Analyses of a sediment standard reference material (SRM 1944) demonstrated recoveries between 80% and 120% for certified concentrations of individual PCBs and pesticides. Method detection limits of individual compounds ranged from 0.1 to 57.1pg/g dw for sediments and 0.1 to 22.8pg/g ww for biota. A field survey of sediments and biota from Singapore's marine environment demonstrated the occurrence of polycyclic and nitro-aromatic musks (galaxolide, tonalide, musk ketone, etc.), halogenated flame retardants (syn- and anti-dechlorane plus (DP), α, β and γ-hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), etc.), as well as triclosan and methyl triclosan. Galaxolide exhibited relatively high concentrations, with highest levels in polychaete worms (161.7±72.5ng/g ww) and clams (546.8±220.3ng/g ww) from mangroves. Triclosan and methyl triclosan levels were highly correlated in sediments (r2=0.9752), while syn- and anti-DP were strongly correlated in biota (r2=0.9279). anti-DP/syn-DP stereoisomer ratios were typically >1 and ranged between 0.94 and 29.2 in sediments and biota samples. γ-HBCD exhibited the highest concentrations among HBCD isomers in sediments. Conversely, α-HBCD was the dominant HBCD isomer in biota.

Exposure of the population of Catalonia (Spain) to musk fragrances through seafood consumption: Risk assessment

The occurrence of ten synthetic musks in samples of 10 widely consumed fish and shellfish species from Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain) was determined. The most used nitro and polycyclic musks, as well as a well-known transformation product in tissues, were analyzed. Furthermore, the human health risks derived from the musk exposure through seafood consumption were characterized. None of the nitro musks were detected in any of the analyzed samples. In contrast, most of the polycyclic musks were found, being galaxolide (HHCB) and tonalide (AHTN) present in all the samples. HHCB was the greatest contributor, with maximum levels in sardine and mackerel (367 and 304ngg−1 (d.w.) (dry weight), respectively). The highest exposure to individual musks was estimated for HHCB and HHCB-Lactone, with average values of 19.7 and 6.8ngkg−1bwday−1, respectively, in adults. A notably lower mean exposure was calculated for AHTN, cashmeran (DPMI) and traseolide (ATII), being ranged between 1.1 and 3.7ngkg−1bwday−1. The current concentrations of musks in fish and shellfish should not mean human health risks for the adult population living in Tarragona. However, a continuous monitoring would be desirable to assure that the exposure does not follow increasing temporal trends.

Impact of wastewater on fish health: a case study at the Neckar River (Southern Germany) using biomarkers in caged brown trout as assessment tools.

The present work describes a field survey aiming at assessing the impact of a sewage treatment plant (STP) effluent on fish health by means of biomarkers. Indigenous fish were absent downstream of the STP. To elucidate the reason behind this, brown trout (Salmo trutta f. fario) were exposed in floating steel cages up- and downstream of a STP located at the Neckar River near Tübingen (Southern Germany), for 10 and 30 days. A combination of biomarker methods (histopathological investigations, analysis of the stress protein Hsp70, micronucleus test, B-esterase assays) offered the possibility to investigate endocrine, geno-, proteo- and neurotoxic effects in fish organs. Biological results were complemented with chemical analyses on 20 accumulative substances in fish tissue. Even after short-term exposure, biomarkers revealed clear evidence of water contamination at both Neckar River sites; however, physiological responses of caged brown trout were more severe downstream of the STP. According to this, similar bioaccumulation levels (low μg/kg range) of DDE and 12 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were detected at both sampling sites, while up to fourfold higher concentrations of four PAHs, methyl-triclosan and two synthetic musks occurred in the tissues of downstream-exposed fish. The results obtained in this study suggest a constitutive background pollution at both sites investigated at the Neckar River and provided evidence for the additional negative impact of the STP Tübingen on water quality and the health condition of fish.