Time-Cumulative Toxicity of Neonicotinoids: Experimental Evidence and Implications for Environmental Risk Assessments.

Our mechanistic understanding of the toxicity of chemicals that target biochemical and/or physiological pathways, such as pesticides and medical drugs is that they do so by binding to specific molecules. The nature of the latter molecules (e.g., enzymes, receptors, DNA, proteins, etc.) and the strength of the binding to such chemicals elicit a toxic effect in organisms, which magnitude depends on the doses exposed in a given timeframe. While dose and time of exposure are critical factors determining the toxicity of pesticides, different types of chemicals behave differently. Experimental evidence demonstrates that the toxicity of neonicotinoids increases with exposure time as much as with the dose, and therefore it has been described as time-cumulative toxicity. Examples for aquatic and terrestrial organisms are shown here. This pattern of toxicity, also found among carcinogenic compounds and other toxicants, has been ignored in ecotoxicology and risk assessments for a long time. The implications of the time-cumulative toxicity of neonicotinoids on non-target organisms of aquatic and terrestrial environments are far reaching. Firstly, neonicotinoids are incompatible with integrated pest management (IPM) approaches and secondly regulatory assessments for this class of compounds cannot be based solely on exposure doses but need also to take into consideration the time factor.

Efecto de la temperatura y salinidad en la mortalidad de adultos de Capitella sp. (Polychaeta: Capitellidae) en el laboratorio

Introducción: El poliqueto marino y estuarino Capitella capitata es una especie endobentónica y considerado cosmopolita. El cultivo en el laboratorio de este complejo de especies permite su utilización como especie para pruebas en bioensayos de toxicidad, así como para estudios de reproducción. Objetivo: El presente trabajo pretende observar la mortalidad en dos rangos de temperatura y salinidad como condiciones óptimas para cultivar Capitella sp. en el laboratorio. Metodología: La recolección de especímenes se realizó en la provincia de Callao, Perú en noviembre de 2016 y enero de 2017. Se realizó un bioensayo para observar la mortalidad bajo diferentes intervalos de temperatura y salinidad: tratamiento 1 con los organismos recolectados en enero y con intervalos de temperatura (20-22° C) y salinidad (30-32 ups) similares a los registrados en el campo; tratamiento 2, con los organismos recolectados en noviembre y con intervalos de temperatura (24-26 °C) y salinidad (32 a 34 ups) seleccionados de acuerdo con datos de la bibliografía. Resultados: El aumento de la temperatura y el tiempo influyeron significativamente en la mortalidad de los organismos de ambos tratamientos (Correlación de Spearman), mientras que la salinidad y el oxígeno no presentaron correlación significativa con la mortalidad. Se observó efecto significativo del tiempo en la mortalidad, con más muertes a partir de la segunda mitad del experimento. Los organismos del tratamiento 1, con condiciones ambientales similares a las de su hábitat sobrevivieron más que los del tratamiento 2. Estos resultados también se observaron en la variabilidad porcentual en el coeficiente de variación entre los días por tratamiento. No se observaron diferencias entre los tratamientos al comparar las curvas acumuladas de mortalidad. Conclusión: Los intervalos óptimos para el cultivo en el laboratorio de Capitella sp. son los de su hábitat. Las posibles causas de la mortalidad observada se atribuyen, además de la temperatura y el tiempo, a la edad, estado de salud o de madurez de los organismos y, probablemente, la mala calidad del agua utilizada en el bioensayo.

Introduction: The marine-estuarine polychaete Capitella capitata is an endobenthic species which is considered as a cosmopolitan organism. The laboratory culture of this species-complex allows its use as a test species in toxicity bioassays and reproduction studies. Objective: It is pretended to observe mortality under two temperature and salinity ranges as optimal conditions to culture Capitella sp. in the laboratory. Metodology: Polychaetes were collected in Callao Province, Peru, during November 2016 and January 2017. A bioassay was carried out to observe mortality under different temperature and salinity ranges using two treatments: treatment 1, with polychaetes collected during January 2017, which were subjected to conditions similar to the collection site (temperature: 20-22° C, salinity: 30-32 psu); treatment 2, with the organisms collected during November 2016, with temperature (24-26 °C) and salinity (32 a 34 ups) selected according to bibliographic data. Results: The increase of temperature and time significantly influenced polychaete mortality of the two treatments (Spearman correlation), while salinity and dissolved oxygen did not show correlation with mortality. Significant effect of time was observed on mortality, with more deaths from the second half of the experiment. Organisms from treatment 1, with environmental conditions similar to those of their habitat survived more than worms from treatment 2. These results were also observed in the porcentual varibility of the variation coefficient among days in each treatment. The cumulative mortality curve did not show differences between treatments. Conclusion: The optimal ranges to culture Capitella sp. in the laboratory are those from their habitat. In addition to temperature and time, other posible causes of the observed mortality can be worms age, health or maturity, and probably the bad quality of the water used during the bioassay.

Cyanobacterial blooms in stratified and destratified eutrophic reservoirs in semi-arid region of Brazil

This study investigated the dynamics of cyanobacteria in two deep, eutrophic reservoirs in a semi-arid region of Brazil during periods of stratification and destratification. Four collections were carried out at each reservoir at two depths at three-month intervals. The following abiotic variables were analyzed: water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, water transparency, total phosphorus, total dissolved phosphorus, orthophosphate and total nitrogen. Phytoplankton density was quantified for the determination of the biomass of cyanobacteria. The data were analyzed using CCA. Higher mean phytoplankton biomass values (29.8 mm³.L-1) occurred in the period of thermal stratification. A greater similarity in the phytoplankton communities also occurred in this period and was related to the development of cyanobacteria, mainly Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (>3.9 mm³.L-1). During the period of thermal destratification, this species co-dominated the environment with Planktothrix agardhii, Geitlerinema amphibium, Microcystis aeruginosa and Merismopedia tenuissima, as well as with diatoms and phytoflagellates. Environmental instability and competition among algae hindered the establishment of blooms more during the mixture period than during the stratification period. Thermal changes in the water column caused by climatologic events altered other physiochemical conditions of the water, leading to changes in the composition and biomass of the cyanobacterial community in tropical reservoirs.

Este estudo investigou a dinâmica das cianobactérias em dois reservatórios eutróficos e profundos localizados na região semi-árida do Brasil durante períodos de estratificação e desestratificação térmica. Quatro coletas foram feitas em cada reservatório em duas profundidades em intervalo de três meses. As variáveis abióticas analisadas foram: temperatura da água, oxigênio dissolvido, pH, turbidez, transparência da água, fósforo total, fósforo total dissolvido, ortofosfato e nitrogênio total. A densidade do fitoplâncton foi quantificada para a determinação da biomassa de cianobactérias. Os dados foram analisados usando ACC. Elevados valores médios de biomassa fitoplanctônica (29,8 mm³.L-1) ocorreram no período de estratificação. A maior similaridade das comunidades fitoplanctônicas também ocorreu neste período e foi relacionada ao desenvolvimento de cianobactérias, principalmente Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (>3,9 mm³ .L-1). Durante o período de desestratificação térmica, esta espécie co-dominou o ambiente com Planktothrix agardhii, Geitlerinema amphibium, Microcystis aeruginosa e Merismopedia tenuissima, bem como com diatomáceas e fitoflagelados. Instabilidade ambiental e competição entre as algas dificultaram o estabelecimento de blooms durante o período de mistura quando comparado com o período de estratificação. Modificações na condição térmica da coluna d'água, causadas por eventos climatológicos, alteraram as demais condições fisicoquímicas da água e ocasionaram mudanças na composição e biomassa da comunidade de cianobactérias em reservatórios tropicais.