Biomimetic Accumulation of Methamphetamine and Its Metabolite Amphetamine by Diffusive Gradients in Thin Films to Estimate Their Bioavailability in Zebrafish

Abstract

In this study, we evaluated the application of the diffusive gradient in the thin films (DGT) technique to predict the bioavailability of methamphetamine (METH) and its metabolite, amphetamine (AMP), in zebrafish (Danio rerio). We simultaneously exposed zebrafish and DGT devices to water spiked with different concentrations of METH. Subsequently, METH and its major metabolite, AMP, were quantified in DGTs and in zebrafish in vivo, the latter of which tended to bioaccumulate and biotransform METH to AMP. After a two-week duration of METH exposure, concentrations were up to 4.49 ± 0.17, 6.42 ± 0.06, and 132 ± 0.48 ng/g wet weight for METH and 4.25 ± 0.62, 8.46 ± 0.58, and 419 ± 45.0 ng/g wet weight for AMP in zebrafish when exposed to 0.01, 1.00, and 100.00 μg/L of METH solution, respectively. Although the in vivo bioaccumulation and biotransformation of METH in zebrafish are likely complex, we found a strong positive correlation (R 2 = 0.97–1.00, p < 0.001) between the mass of METH uptake by the DGT and the METH concentrations in vivo in zebrafish. Similarly, there was also a significant correlation (R 2 = 0.95, p < 0.001) between the AMP concentration in zebrafish and the mass of AMP uptake by the DGT at a METH exposure concentration of 1.00 μg/L. The correlation in the other two exposure concentrations was not strong, probably due to the fact that AMP accumulated in fish did not increase in a concentration-dependent manner. Taken together, these findings suggest that the DGT may act as a useful tool for estimating the bioavailability of METH and its metabolite, AMP, in aquatic organisms.

Development and application of diffusive gradients in thin-films for in situ sampling of the bitterest chemical – denatonium benzoate in waters

“…In 2012, for the first time, this technique was extended to measure organics (Chen et al, 2012). Since then, the DGT has been successfully applied in measuring over 140 organic pollutants including antibiotics (Chen et al, 2012;Chen et al, 2013;Xie et al, 2018a), hormones (Chen et al, 2018;Xie et al, 2018b), bisphenols (Zheng et al, 2015), illicit drugs Yin et al, 2019;Zhang et al, 2017), personal care product ingredients (Chen et al, 2017), polar pesticides (Guibal et al, 2017). Whether and how DGT is feasible to measure DB in waters would be of great interests to fill in the large knowledge gaps on the occurrence of DB in the environment.…”

Behavioral Changes and Metabolic Responses of Adult Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Exposed to Methamphetamine

“…The analyses of methamphetamine in water and in zebrafish brain samples were performed according to our previous studies. , In brief, the zebrafish brain tissue was homogenized after the addition of deuterated internal standards. Samples were then ultrasonically extracted and subjected to cleanup with an Oasis MCX SPE cartridge.…”

In Situ Insight into the Availability and Desorption Kinetics of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Soils with Diffusive Gradients in Thin Films

“…DGT technology has been widely developed to quantitatively monitor more than 180 different organic chemicals (including PFAS) in waters ,− as well as being used to study the speciation and bioavailability of inorganic chemicals in soils and sediments. , There are also a few pioneering studies on understanding the bioavailability of organics (pesticides, illicit drugs, and antibiotics) with DGT and plants/fish. Further systematic studies can help us better understand the bioavailability of organic chemicals in soils/sediments and their interactions with biota.…”