Investigating the significance of dissolved organic contaminants in aquatic environments: Coupling passive sampling with in vitro bioassays

Emelogu, Emmanuel S.; Pollard, Pat; Robinson, Craig D.; Smedes, Foppe; Webster, Lynda; Oliver, Ian W.; McKenzie, Craig; Seiler, T.B.; Hollert, Henner; Moffat, Colin F.

Abstract

We investigated the feasibility of coupling passive sampling and in vitro bioassay techniques for both chemical and ecotoxicological assessment of complex mixtures of organic contaminants in water. Silicone rubber passive sampling devices (SR-PSDs) were deployed for 8–9 weeks in four streams and an estuary of an agricultural catchment in North East (NE) Scotland. Extracts from the SR-PSDs were analysed for freely dissolved hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) and screened for wide range of pesticides. The total concentrations of dissolved PAHs (∑PAH40, parent and branched) in the water column of the catchment varied from 38 to 69 ng L−1, whilst PCBs (∑PCB32) ranged 0.02–0.06 ng L−1. A number and level of pesticides and acid/urea herbicides of varying hydrophobicity (log KOWs ∼2.25 to ∼5.31) were also detected in the SR extracts, indicating their occurrence in the catchment. The acute toxicity and EROD induction potentials of SR extracts from the study sites were evaluated with rainbow trout liver (Oncorhynchus mykiss; RTL-W1) cell line. Acute cytotoxicity was not observed in cells following 48 h exposure to the SR extracts using neutral red uptake assay as endpoint. But, on a sublethal level, for every site, statistically significant EROD activity was observed to some degree following 72 h exposure to extracts, indicating the presence of compounds with dioxin-like effect that are bioavailable to aquatic organisms in the water bodies of the catchment. Importantly, only a small fraction of the EROD induction could be attributed to the PAHs and PCBs that were determined. This preliminary study demonstrates that the coupling of silicone rubber passive sampling techniques with in vitro bioassays is feasible and offers a cost effective early warning signal on water quality deterioration.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 28, 2012
• Online Publication Date: Jul 31, 2012
• Publication Date: 2013-01
• Deposit Date: Jun 1, 2023
• Journal: Chemosphere
• Print ISSN: 0045-6535
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 90
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 210-219
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.06.041
• Keywords: General Medicine; General Chemistry; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Engineering; Pollution; Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis; Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: Investigating the significance of dissolved organic contaminants in aquatic environments: Coupling passive sampling with in vitro bioassays; Journal Title: Chemosphere; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.06.041; Content Type: article; Copyright: Crown copyright © 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.