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Evaluations of combined zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo and marine phytoplankton (Diacronema lutheri) toxicity of dissolved organic contaminants in the Ythan catchment, Scotland, UK

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Abstract

A wide variety of organic contaminants including pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have previously been detected in surface waters in the river Ythan catchment, North East Scotland UK. While the concentrations detected were below Water Framework Directive Environmental Quality Standards (WFD-EQSs) environmental exposures to the diverse mixtures of contaminants, known and unknown, may pose chronic and/or sublethal effects to non target organisms. The present study assessed the embryo and algal toxicity potential of freely dissolved organic contaminants from the Ythan catchment using silicone rubber passive sampling devices (SR-PSDs) and miniaturised bioassay techniques. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos and marine phytoplankton species (Diacronema lutheri) were exposed to extracts from SR-PSDs deployed at different locations along the river Ythan and an undeployed procedural blank. Statistically significant developmental and algal toxicities were measured in all tests of extracts from deployed samples compared with the procedural blanks. This indicates environmental exposure to, and the combined toxicity potential of, freely dissolved organic contaminants in the catchment. The present and previous studies in the Ythan catchment, coupling SR-PSDs and bioassay techniques, have both helped to understand the interactions and combined effects of dissolved organic contaminants in the catchment. They have further revealed the need for improvement in the techniques currently used to assess environmental impact.

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Acknowledgments

Funding to ESE from the Institute for Innovation, Design and Sustainability Research (IDEAS), Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marine Scotland Science, Marine Laboratory, 375 Victoria Road, Aberdeen, AB11 9DB, UK

    Emmanuel S. Emelogu, Craig D. Robinson, Lynda Webster, Eileen Bresnan & Colin F. Moffat

  2. Institute for Innovation, Design and Sustainability in research (IDEAS), Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, AB10 1FR, UK

    Emmanuel S. Emelogu, Pat Pollard, Craig McKenzie & Colin F. Moffat

  3. Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Ecosystem Analysis, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

    Thomas-Benjamin Seiler, Sebastian Heger & Henner Hollert

  4. Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Edinburgh Office, Avenue North, Heriot-Watt Research Park, Edinburgh, EH14 4AP, UK

    Jennifer Best

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  1. Emmanuel S. Emelogu
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  2. Thomas-Benjamin Seiler
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  3. Pat Pollard
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  4. Craig D. Robinson
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  5. Lynda Webster
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  6. Craig McKenzie
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  7. Sebastian Heger
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  8. Henner Hollert
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  9. Eileen Bresnan
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  10. Jennifer Best
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  11. Colin F. Moffat
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Correspondence to Emmanuel S. Emelogu.

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Responsible editor: Markus Hecker

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Emelogu, E.S., Seiler, TB., Pollard, P. et al. Evaluations of combined zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo and marine phytoplankton (Diacronema lutheri) toxicity of dissolved organic contaminants in the Ythan catchment, Scotland, UK. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21, 5537–5546 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-2488-x

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