333.7 Natürliche Ressourcen, Energie und Umwelt
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Bisphenols and phthalates, chemicals frequently used in plastic products, promote obesity in cell and animal models. However, these well-known metabolism disrupting chemicals (MDCs) represent only a minute fraction of all compounds found in plastics. To gain a comprehensive understanding of plastics as a source of exposure to MDCs, we characterized all chemicals present in 34 everyday products using nontarget high-resolution mass spectrometry and analyzed their joint adipogenic activities by high-content imaging. We detected 55,300 chemical features and tentatively identified 629 unique compounds, including 11 known MDCs. Importantly, chemicals that induced proliferation, growth, and triglyceride accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes were found in one third of the products. Since the majority did not target peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, the effects are likely to be caused by unknown MDCs. Our study demonstrates that daily-use plastics contain potent mixtures of MDCs and can, therefore, be a relevant yet underestimated environmental factor contributing to obesity.
Teaser Plastics contain a potent mixture of chemicals promoting adipogenesis, a key process in developing obesity.
The toxicity of microplastics on Daphnia magna as a key model for freshwater zooplankton is well described. While several studies predict population-level effects based on short-term, individual-level responses, only very few have validated these predictions experimentally. Thus, we exposed D. magna populations to irregular polystyrene microplastics and diatomite as natural particle (both ≤ 63 μm) over 50 days. We used mixtures of both particle types at fixed particle concentrations (50,000 mL-1) and recorded the effects on overall population size and structure, the size of the individual animals, and resting egg production. Particle exposure adversely affected the population density and structure, and induced resting egg production. The terminal population size was 28–42% lower in exposed compared to control populations. Interestingly, mixtures containing diatomite induced stronger effects than microplastics alone, highlighting that natural particles are not per se less toxic than microplastics. Our results demonstrate that an exposure to synthetic and natural particles has negative population-level effects on zooplankton. Understanding the mixture toxicity of microplastics and natural particles is important given that aquatic organisms will experience exposure to both. Just as for chemical pollutants, better knowledge of such joint effects is essential to fully understand the environmental impacts of complex particle mixtures.
Environmental Implications While microplastics are commonly considered hazardous based on individual-level effects, there is a dearth of information on how they affect populations. Since the latter is key for understanding the environmental impacts of microplastics, we investigated how particle exposures affect the population size and structure of Daphnia magna. In addition, we used mixtures of microplastics and natural particles because neither occurs alone in nature and joint effects can be expected in an environmentally realistic scenario. We show that such mixtures adversely affect daphnid populations and highlight that population-level and mixture-toxicity designs are one important step towards more environmental realism in microplastics research.
The toxicity of microplastics on Daphnia magna as a key model for freshwater zooplankton is well described. While several studies predict population-level effects based on short-term, individual-level responses, only very few have validated these predictions experimentally. Thus, we exposed D. magna populations to irregular polystyrene microplastics and diatomite as natural particle (both ≤ 63 μm) over 50 days. We used mixtures of both particle types at fixed particle concentrations (50,000 particles mL-1) and recorded the effects on overall population size and structure, the size of the individual animals, and resting egg production. Particle exposure adversely affected the population size and structure and induced resting egg production. The terminal population size was 28–42% lower in exposed compared to control populations. Interestingly, mixtures containing diatomite induced stronger effects than microplastics alone, highlighting that natural particles are not per se less toxic than microplastics. Our results demonstrate that an exposure to synthetic and natural particles has negative population-level effects on zooplankton. Understanding the mixture toxicity of microplastics and natural particles is important given that aquatic organisms will experience exposure to both. Just as for chemical pollutants, better knowledge of such joint effects is essential to fully understand the environmental impacts of complex particle mixtures.
Environmental Implications While microplastics are commonly considered hazardous based on individual-level effects, there is a dearth of information on how they affect populations. Since the latter is key for understanding the environmental impacts of microplastics, we investigated how particle exposures affect the population size and structure of Daphnia magna. In addition, we used mixtures of microplastics and natural particles because neither occurs alone in nature and joint effects can be expected in an environmentally realistic scenario. We show that such mixtures adversely affect daphnid populations and highlight that population-level and mixture-toxicity designs are one important step towards more environmental realism in microplastics research.
Streams and rivers are characterised by the presence of various chemicals of emerging concern (CECs), including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and industrial chemicals. While these chemicals are found usually only in low (ng/L) concentrations, they might still harm aquatic life and disrupt the ecological balance of aquatic ecosystems due to their high ecotoxicological potency. Environmental risk assessments that account for the complexity of exposures are needed in order to evaluate the toxic pressure of these chemicals, which also provide suggestions for risk mitigation and management, if necessary. Currently, most studies on the co-occurrence and environmental impacts of CECs are conducted in countries of the Global North, leaving massive knowledge gaps in countries of the Global South.
In this study, we implement a multi-scenario risk assessment strategy to improve the assessment of both the exposure and hazard components in the chemical risk assessment process. Our strategy incorporates a systematic consideration and weighting of CECs that were not detected, as well as an evaluation of the uncertainties associated with Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships (QSARs) predictions for chronic ecotoxicity. Furthermore, we present a novel approach to identifying mixture risk drivers. To expand our knowledge beyond well-studied aquatic ecosystems, we applied this multi-scenario strategy to the River Aconcagua basin of Central Chile. The analysis revealed that the concentrations of CECs exceeded acceptable risk thresholds for selected organism groups and the most vulnerable taxonomic groups. Streams flowing through agricultural areas and sites near the river mouth exhibited the highest risks. Notably, the eight risk drivers among the 153 co-occurring chemicals accounted for 66-92% of the observed risks in the river basin. Six of them are pesticides and pharmaceuticals, chemical classes known for their high biological activity in specific target organisms.