Uranium toxicity to aquatic invertebrates: A laboratory assay

Bergmann, Melissa; Sobral, Olímpia; Pratas, João; Graça, Manuel A. S.

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2018.04.007

Cited by 27 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…According to this data, some of the sampled streams from which H. lugdunensis strains were obtained are slightly polluted (0.35 -6.35 µg/l). Moreover, Bergmann et al (2018) reported that 95 % of the 298 sites receiving waters from deactivated uranium mines in Portugal had < 10 µg/l, while 1.3 % had > 100 µg/l, and 0.33 % > 1000 µg/l. Our findings indicate that some of those streams may exhibit ecological impairment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The residual was suspended in 7 mL of 0.005 % nitric acid. Uranium was measured by fluorescence (Bergmann et al, 2018); 0.50 mL of sample was diluted in 5.0 ml of distilled water and 0.50 ml of the polysilicate solution. Fluorescence was compared to standard curves (2; 10; 100 and 1000 µg/l (Van Loon & Barefoot, 1989) at λ = 530 nm (Fluorat 02-2M, Lumex).…”

Section: Uranium Adsorption By Leaf Discsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This may result in water contamination from uranium and deteriorations in environmental quality as suggested by evidence from field and laboratory studies. For instance, stream dwelling invertebrates exposed to uranium had a decreased growth (Muscatello & Liber, 2009;Bergmann et al, 2018), food ingestion (Gonçalves et al, 2011) and altered enzymatic activities (Hyne et al, 1993;Tagliaferro et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Uranium affects growth, sporulation, biomass and leaf-litter decomposition by aquatic hyphomycetes

Bergmann¹,

Graça²

2020

Limnetica

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Uranium affects growth, sporulation, biomass and leaf-litter decomposition by aquatic hyphomycetesContamination by uranium mining activity may lead to harmful effects on freshwater biota, and can affect the reproduction, activity and diversity of aquatic fungi. Here we investigate uranium inhibition of fungal growth in solid medium, using (1) four species of aquatic hyphomycetes and (2) six strains of Heliscus lugdunensis. We also measured (3) fungal sporulation, (4) fungal biomass and (5) litter decomposition in laboratory microcosms exposed to uranium. The uranium concentration causing 50 % growth inhibition (EC 50 ) ranged from 12.5 to 45 mg/l, with Articulospora tetracladia the most sensitive and Varicosporium elodeae the most tolerant species. Strains sampled from reference and uranium polluted waters differed in their tolerance, but the tolerance was independent of the uranium concentration in the streams where fungi were isolated. The EC 50 for the six strains ranged from 9 to 25 mg/l. Sporulation was inhibited in microcosms at uranium concentrations ≥ 1 mg/l, and the minimum concentration inhibiting litter decomposition and biomass standing crop over 24 days was 16 mg/l. Leaf-litter exposed to uranium accumulated the metal up to 89 mg/kg (in 262 mg/l of U). Overall, the amount of uranium in many streams receiving discharges from abandoned or recovered mining sites is high enough to impair fitness of some aquatic hyphomycete species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Uranium Adsorption By Leaf Discsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Uranium affects growth, sporulation, biomass and leaf-litter decomposition by aquatic hyphomycetes

Bergmann¹,

Graça²

2020

Limnetica

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“…However, neither partitioning of U to food nor feeding rates were measured. In contrast, the study by Bergmann et al indicated that both food and water contributed to U concentrations in the caddisfly Schizopelex festiva. However, specimens were not depurated before U analysis, leaving open the possibility that the gut content contributed to the measured U body burdens .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…In the case of uranium (U), a metal used worldwide as an energy source, little is known about the exposure pathways and mechanisms governing its bioaccumulation, especially in aquatic insects. With some exceptions, − most of the existing literature reports effects of aqueous U exposure on noninsect aquatic invertebrates and algae and highlights the influence of water chemistry (i.e., pH, alkalinity, hardness, dissolved organic matter) on U bioavailability and toxicity. − Speciation modeling has revealed that the free uranyl ion (UO 2 2+ ) is not always the best predictor of biological responses after dissolved U exposures, departing from the free-ion activity postulate . For example, uranium–carbonate complexes (namely, UO 2 (CO 3 ) 2 2– and (UO 2 ) 3 (CO 3 ) 6 6– ) best predicted U uptake rates in the freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis, implying that the aqueous uptake of U, at least for this species, is expected in natural waters dominated by binary uranyl carbonate species (i.e., pH ranging from 5 to 7, low hardness, very low natural organic matter).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Uranium Bioaccumulation Dynamics in the Mayfly Neocloeon triangulifer and Application to Site-Specific Prediction

Henry

Croteau

Walters

et al. 2020

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Little is known about the underlying mechanisms governing the bioaccumulation of uranium (U) in aquatic insects. We experimentally parameterized conditional rate constants for aqueous U uptake, dietary U uptake, and U elimination for the aquatic baetid mayfly Neocloeon triangulifer. Results showed that this species accumulates U from both the surrounding water and diet, with waterborne uptake prevailing. Elevated dietary U concentrations decreased feeding rates, presumably by altering food palatability or impairing the mayfly's digestive processes, or both. Nearly 90% of the accumulated U was eliminated within 24 h after the waterborne exposure ceased, reflecting the desorption of weakly bound U from the insect's integument. To examine whether the experimentally derived rate constants for N. triangulifer could be generalized to baetid mayflies, mayfly U concentrations were predicted using the water chemistry and U measured in periphyton from springs in Grand Canyon (United States) and were compared to U concentrations in spring-dwelling mayflies. Predicted and observed mayfly U concentrations were in good agreement. Under the modeled site-specific conditions, waterborne U uptake accounted for 52−93% of the bioaccumulated U. U accumulation was limited in these wild populations due to a combination of factors including low concentrations of bioavailable dissolved U species, slow U uptake rates from food, and fast U elimination.

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