Lethal, behavioral, growth and developmental toxicities of alkyl-PAHs and non-alkyl PAHs to early-life stage of brine shrimp, Artemia parthenogenetica

Yi Cong; Ying Wang; Mingxing Zhang; Fei Jin; Jingli Mu; Zhaochuan Li; Juying Wang

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety (Sep 2021)

Lethal, behavioral, growth and developmental toxicities of alkyl-PAHs and non-alkyl PAHs to early-life stage of brine shrimp, Artemia parthenogenetica

Yi Cong,
Ying Wang,
Mingxing Zhang,
Fei Jin,
Jingli Mu,
Zhaochuan Li,
Juying Wang

Affiliations

Yi Cong: Key Laboratory for Ecological Environment in Coastal Areas, National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, No. 42 Linghe Street, Dalian 116023, China; Marine Debris and Microplastic Research Center, Dalian 116023, China
Ying Wang: Key Laboratory for Ecological Environment in Coastal Areas, National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, No. 42 Linghe Street, Dalian 116023, China; Marine Debris and Microplastic Research Center, Dalian 116023, China
Mingxing Zhang: Key Laboratory for Ecological Environment in Coastal Areas, National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, No. 42 Linghe Street, Dalian 116023, China; Marine Debris and Microplastic Research Center, Dalian 116023, China
Fei Jin: Key Laboratory for Ecological Environment in Coastal Areas, National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, No. 42 Linghe Street, Dalian 116023, China; Marine Debris and Microplastic Research Center, Dalian 116023, China
Jingli Mu: Key Laboratory for Ecological Environment in Coastal Areas, National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, No. 42 Linghe Street, Dalian 116023, China
Zhaochuan Li: Key Laboratory for Ecological Environment in Coastal Areas, National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, No. 42 Linghe Street, Dalian 116023, China; Marine Debris and Microplastic Research Center, Dalian 116023, China
Juying Wang: Key Laboratory for Ecological Environment in Coastal Areas, National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, No. 42 Linghe Street, Dalian 116023, China; Marine Debris and Microplastic Research Center, Dalian 116023, China; Correspondence to: National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, No. 42 Linghe Street, Dalian 116023, Liaoning Province, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 220
p. 112302

Abstract

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Alkyl-PAHs are the predominant form of PAHs in crude oils which are supposed to demonstrate different toxicities compared to non-alkyl PAHs. Little information is available about the toxicity of alkyl-PAHs on marine Artemia. This study addressed and compared the lethal, behavioral, growth and developmental toxicities of three alkyl-PAHs, namely 3-methyl phenanthrene (3-mPhe), retene (Ret) and 2-methyl anthracene (2-mAnt), to their non-alkyl forms, phenanthrene (Phe) and anthracene (Ant) using Artemia parthenogenetica (nauplii, <24 h) as test organism following a 48 h and a 7 d of exposure, respectively. Benzo-a-pyrene (Bap) was selected as a reference toxicant for the comparison with the above alkyl-PAHs and non-alkyl PAHs. Results showed that for all tested endpoints, A. parthenogenetica nauplii had the highest sensitivity to Bap while Ant had no significant effect on nauplii survival or development within given concentrations. Considering the aqueous freely dissolved PAH concentrations, the 48 h-LC50 (survival), 48 h-EC50 (immobility) and 7 d-LC10 (survival) of Bap were calculated as 0.321, 0.285 and 0.027 μg/L, respectively, which were twofold to fivefold lower than those of Phe, 3-mPhe, Ret, Ant and 2-mAnt. A higher acute toxicity of alkyl-PAHs (3-mPhe and 2-mAnt) than their non-alkyl forms (Phe and Ant) was observed. Not limited to Phe, the common non-polar narcotic mode of action was also observed for Bap, 3-mPhe, Ret and 2-mAnt, which was evident by the inhibited mobility of nauplii. The decreased body lengths were found for all PAH treatments compared to the solvent control, whereas instar retardations were only found in nauplii exposed to Bap, Phe and Ret. Our findings emphasized the sensitivity differences of A. parthenogenetica nauplii to selected alkyl PAHs and non-alkyl PAHs and confirmed the application of lethal, behavioral and growth indicators in the toxicity evaluation of selected PAHs other than Ant. However, the distinct toxicities of these PAHs suggested other toxic modes of action may play more important roles apart from narcotic mode of action and need to be elucidated in future studies. In addition, a strong correlation between the body length and the instar of A. parthenogenetica nauplii was observed for each PAH exposure, suggesting that body length can be representative for both growth and developmental indicators during biological monitoring of PAH pollution in marine environment.

Published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

ISSN: 0147-6513 (Print); 1090-2414 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Technology: Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering: Environmental pollution; Geography. Anthropology. Recreation: Environmental sciences
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/ecotoxicology-and-environmental-safety

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