Transcriptomic profiles of brains in juvenile Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) exposed to pharmaceuticals and personal care products from a wastewater treatment plant discharge.

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are frequently detected in marine environments, posing a threat to aquatic organisms. Our previous research demonstrated the occurrence of neuroactive compounds in effluent and sediments from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in a fjord North of Stavanger, the fourth-largest city in Norway. To better understand the influence of PPCP mixtures on fish, Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) were caged for one month in 3 locations: site 1 (reference), site 2 (WWTP discharge), and site 3 (6.7 km west of discharge). Transcriptomic profiling was conducted in the brains of exposed fish and detection of PPCPs in WWTP effluent and muscle fillets were determined. Caffeine (47.8 ng/L), benzotriazole (10.9 ng/L), N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) (5.6 ng/L), methyl-1H-benzotriazole (5.5 ng/L), trimethoprim (3.4 ng/L), carbamazepine (2.1 ng/L), and nortriptyline (0.4 ng/L) were detected in the WWTP effluent. Octocrylene concentrations were observed in muscle tissue at all sites and ranged from 53 to 193 ng/g. Nervous system function and endocrine system disorders were the top enriched disease and function pathways predicted in male and female fish at site 2, with the top shared canonical pathways involved with estrogen receptor and Sirtuin signaling. At the discharge site, predicted disease and functional responses in female brains were involved in cellular assembly, organization, and function, tissue development, and nervous system development, whereas male brains were involved in connective tissue development, function, and disorders, nervous system development and function, and neurological disease. The top shared canonical pathways in females and males were involved in fatty acid activation and tight junction signaling. This study suggests that pseudopersistent, chronic exposure of native juvenile Atlantic cod from this ecosystem to PPCPs may alter neuroendocrine and neuron development.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in liver from wild and farmed tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) from Lake Kariba, Zambia: Levels and geographic trends and considerations in relation to environmental quality standards (EQSs).

The current study was carried out to investigate a wide variety of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in wild and farmed tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Lake Kariba, Zambia, and assess levels of POPs in relation to Environmental Quality Standards (EQSs). Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyls (PBDEs), and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were determined in liver samples of tilapia. PFASs compounds PFOS, PFDA and PFNA were only detected in wild fish, with the highest median PFOS levels in site 1 (0.66 ng/g ww). Concentrations of POPs were in general highest in wild tilapia. The highest median ∑DDTs (93 and 81 ng/g lw) were found in wild tilapia from sites 1 and 2, respectively 165 km and 100 km west of the fish farms. Lower DDE/DDT ratios in sites 1 and 3 may indicate relatively recent exposure to DDT. The highest median of ∑17PCBs (3.2 ng/g lw) and ∑10PBDEs (8.1 ng/g lw) were found in wild tilapia from sites 1 and 2, respectively. The dominating PCB congeners were PCB-118, -138, -153 and -180 and for PBDEs, BDE-47, -154, and -209. In 78% of wild fish and 8% of farmed fish ∑6PBDE concentrations were above EQSbiota limits set by the EU. This warrants further studies.

Legacy and emerging per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) in sediment and edible fish from the Eastern Red Sea.

POLY: and perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) are ubiquitously detected all around the world. Herein, for the first time, concentrations of 16 selected legacy and emerging PFASs are reported for sediment and edible fish collected from the Saudi Arabian Red Sea. Mean concentrations varied from 0.57 to 2.6 µg kg-1 dry weight (dw) in sediment, 3.89-7.63 µg kg-1 dw in fish muscle, and 17.9-58.5 µg kg-1 dw in fish liver. Wastewater treatment plant effluents represented the main source of these compounds and contributed to the exposure of PFAS to biota. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was the most abundant compound in sediment and fish tissues analysed, comprising between 42 and 99% of the ∑16PFAS. The short chain perfluorobutanoate (PFBA) was the second most dominant compound in sediment and was detected at a maximum concentration of 0.64 µg kg-1 dw. PFAS levels and patterns differed between tissues of investigated fish species. Across all fish species, ∑16PFAS concentrations in liver were significantly higher than in muscle by a factor ranging from 3 to 7 depending on fish species and size. The PFOS replacements fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTS) and perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) exhibited a bioaccumulation potential in several fish species and 6:2 FTS, was detected at a maximum concentration of 7.1 ± 3.3 µg kg-1 dw in a doublespotted queenfish (Scomberoides lysan) liver. PFBS was detected at a maximum concentration of 2.65 µg kg-1 dw in strong spine silver-biddy (Gerres longirostris) liver. The calculated dietary intake of PFOS, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) exceeded the safety threshold established by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2020 in doublespotted queenfish muscle, indicating a potential health risk to humans consuming this fish in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Elucidation of contamination sources for poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) on Svalbard (Norwegian Arctic).

A combination of local (i.e. firefighting training facilities) and remote sources (i.e. long-range transport) is assumed to be responsible for the occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in Svalbard (Norwegian Arctic). However, no systematic elucidation of local PFASs sources has been conducted yet. Therefore, a survey was performed aiming at identifying local PFAS pollution sources on the island of Spitsbergen (Svalbard, Norway). Soil, freshwater (lake, draining rivers), seawater, meltwater run-off, surface snow and coastal sediment samples were collected from Longyearbyen (Norwegian mining town), Ny-Ålesund (research facility) and the Lake Linnévatnet area (background site) during several campaigns (2014-2016) and analysed for 14 individual target PFASs. For background site (Linnévatnet area, sampling during April to June 2015), ΣPFAS levels ranged from 0.4 to 4 ng/L in surface lake water (n = 20). PFAS in meltwater from the contributing glaciers showed similar concentrations (~ 4 ng/L, n = 2). The short-chain perfluorobutanoate (PFBA) was predominant in lake water (60-80% of the ΣPFASs), meltwater (20-30%) and run-off water (40%). Long-range transport is assumed to be the major PFAS source. In Longyearbyen, five water samples (i.e. 2 seawater, 3 run-off) were collected near the local firefighting training site (FFTS) in November 2014 and June 2015, respectively. The highest PFAS levels were found in FFTS meltwater run-off (118 ng/L). Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) was the most abundant compound in the FFTS meltwater run-off (53-58% PFASs). At the research station Ny-Ålesund, seawater (n = 6), soil (n = 9) and freshwater (n = 10) were collected in June 2016. Low ΣPFAS concentrations were determined for seawater (5-6 ng/L), whereas high ΣPFAS concentrations were found in run-off water (113-119 ng/L) and soil (211-800 ng/g dry weight (dw)) collected close to the local FFTS. In addition, high ΣPFAS levels (127 ng/L) were also found in freshwater from lake Solvatnet close to former sewage treatment facility. Overall, at both FFTS-affected sites (soil, water), PFOS was the most abundant compound (60-69% of ΣPFASs). FFTS and landfill locations were identified as major PFAS sources for Svalbard settlements.