Endocrine Disruptor Impacts on Fish From Chile: The Influence of Wastewaters

Industrial wastewaters and urban discharges contain complex mixtures of chemicals capable of impacting reproductive performance in freshwater fish, called endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs). In Chile, the issue was highlighted by our group beginning over 15 years ago, by analyzing the impacts of pulp and paper mill effluents (PPME) in the Biobio, Itata, and Cruces River basins. All of the rivers studied are important freshwater ecosystems located in the Mediterranean region of Central Chile, each with a unique fish biodiversity. Sequentially, we developed a strategy based on laboratory assays, semicontrolled-field experiments (e.g., caging) and wild fish population assessments to explore the issue of reproductive impacts on both introduced and native fish in Chile. The integration of watershed, field, and laboratory studies was effective at understanding the endocrine responses in Chilean freshwater systems. The studies demonstrated that regardless of the type of treatment, pulp mill effluents can contain compounds capable of impacting endocrine systems. Urban wastewater treatment plant effluents (WWTP) were also investigated using the same integrated strategy. Although not directly compared, PPME and WWTP effluent seem to cause similar estrogenic effects in fish after waterborne exposure, with differing intensities. This body of work underscores the urgent need for further studies on the basic biology of Chilean native fish species, and an improved understanding on reproductive development and variability across Chilean ecosystems. The lack of knowledge of the ontogeny of Chilean fish, especially maturation and sexual development, with an emphasis on associated habitats and landscapes, are impediment factors for their conservation and protection against the threat of EDCs. The assessment of effects on native species in the receiving environment is critical for supporting and designing protective regulations and remediation strategies, and for conserving the unique Chilean fish biodiversity.

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Increasing Establishment of Non-native Fish Species in the Seine River Basin: Insights From Medium- and Long-Term Approaches

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution ◽

10.3389/fevo.2021.687451 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Jérôme Belliard ◽

Sarah Beslagic ◽

Julien Boucault ◽

Amandine Zahm

Keyword(s):

River Basin ◽

Fish Species ◽

Native Species ◽

Fish Communities ◽

Freshwater Ecosystems ◽

Native Fish ◽

13Th Century ◽

Seine River ◽

Basin Scale ◽

Seine River Basin

The spread of non-native species is nowadays recognized as a major threat to the biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems. However, for a very long time the introduction and acclimatization of new species has been perceived mainly as a source of wealth for human societies. Here, we examined the establishment of non-native fish species in the Seine River basin from a historical perspective by adopting a twofold approach. In a first step, at the whole basin scale, considering various written and archeological sources, we traced the chronology, over the last millennium, of the establishments of non-native species. In a second step, by analyzing fish monitoring from several hundred sites covering the diversity of rivers and streams, we examined the changes in numbers and abundance of non-native species in local fish communities over the last three decades. The first documented species introduction dates back to the 13th century but it is from the middle of the 19th century that the introduction attempts accelerated. Today, these introductions have reached an unprecedented level and 46% of the species recorded in the basin are non-native. During the last three decades, non-native species have continued to increase within fish communities both in terms of number of species and abundance of individuals. The most pronounced increases are noted on large rivers and sites where anthropic pressures are strong. Waterways connecting European basins, globalization of trade, and ongoing climate change provide a general background suggesting that the increase in the proportion of non-native species in the fish communities of the Seine River basin is likely to continue for several decades.

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Trophic Niches, Trophic Positions, and Niche Overlaps between Non-Native and Native Fish Species in a Subalpine Lake

Water ◽

10.3390/w12123475 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (12) ◽

pp. 3475

Author(s):

Davide Cicala ◽

Gianluca Polgar ◽

Jordi René Mor ◽

Roberta Piscia ◽

Stefano Brignone ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fish Species ◽

Native Species ◽

Perca Fluviatilis ◽

Individual Variability ◽

Freshwater Ecosystems ◽

Native Fish ◽

Isotopic Niche ◽

Subalpine Lake ◽

Trophic Traits ◽

Trophic Niches

In the last century, Italian freshwater ecosystems have been invaded by several non-native fish species. In the subalpine Lake Mergozzo (northern Italy), several recently introduced non-native species dramatically expanded their populations. We used carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes to describe the isotopic niches and trophic positions of native and non-native fish species in Lake Mergozzo. We evaluated their trophic niches, trophic diversity, trophic redundancy and trophic evenness utilizing isotopic niche metrics, and estimated asymmetrical niche overlaps. The trophic traits of non-native fish species and Perca fluviatilis clearly define them as trophic generalists, in terms of among-individual variability of their isotopic niches. The historical increase in abundance of fish non-native species in this lake, their dominance by numbers and biomass within the assemblage, and their broad asymmetrical niche overlaps suggest that their higher degree of trophic generalism might have been one of the key factors that have promoted the invasion of the recipient community.

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Wastewater Treatment Effluent Reduces the Abundance and Diversity of Benthic Bacterial Communities in Urban and Suburban Rivers

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.03527-12 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 79 (6) ◽

pp. 1897-1905 ◽

Cited By ~ 156

Author(s):

Bradley Drury ◽

Emma Rosi-Marshall ◽

John J. Kelly

Keyword(s):

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Bacterial Communities ◽

Bacterial Community Composition ◽

Treatment Plant ◽

Freshwater Ecosystems ◽

16S Rrna Genes ◽

Rrna Genes ◽

Content Type ◽

Wwtp Effluent ◽

Sediment Bacterial Communities

ABSTRACTIn highly urbanized areas, wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent can represent a significant component of freshwater ecosystems. As it is impossible for the composition of WWTP effluent to match the composition of the receiving system, the potential exists for effluent to significantly impact the chemical and biological characteristics of the receiving ecosystem. We assessed the impacts of WWTP effluent on the size, activity, and composition of benthic microbial communities by comparing two distinct field sites in the Chicago metropolitan region: a highly urbanized river receiving effluent from a large WWTP and a suburban river receiving effluent from a much smaller WWTP. At sites upstream of effluent input, the urban and suburban rivers differed significantly in chemical characteristics and in the composition of their sediment bacterial communities. Although effluent resulted in significant increases in inorganic nutrients in both rivers, surprisingly, it also resulted in significant decreases in the population size and diversity of sediment bacterial communities. Tag pyrosequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes revealed significant effects of effluent on sediment bacterial community composition in both rivers, including decreases in abundances ofDeltaproteobacteria,Desulfococcus,Dechloromonas, andChloroflexisequences and increases in abundances ofNitrospiraeandSphingobacterialessequences. The overall effect of the WWTP inputs was that the two rivers, which were distinct in chemical and biological properties upstream of the WWTPs, were almost indistinguishable downstream. These results suggest that WWTP effluent has the potential to reduce the natural variability that exists among river ecosystems and indicate that WWTP effluent may contribute to biotic homogenization.

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Effects of Pulp and Paper Mill Effluents on Reproduction, Bile Conjugates and Liver MFO (Mixed Function Oxygenase) Activity in Fish at Southern Lake Saimaa, Finland

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1999.0701 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 40 (11-12) ◽

pp. 109-114 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Aarno Karels ◽

Markus Soimasuo ◽

Aimo Oikari

Keyword(s):

Endocrine Disrupting Compounds ◽

Paper Mill ◽

Erod Activity ◽

Pulp And Paper ◽

Coregonus Lavaretus ◽

Pulp And Paper Mill ◽

Paper Mill Effluents ◽

Mixed Function Oxygenase ◽

Estradiol 17Β ◽

Lake Saimaa

Reproductive indices like gonad size, fecundity, egg size and sex steroid levels of estradiol-17β and testosterone, vitellogenin in the blood as well as bile conjugates and liver 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity were studied in populations of perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) and roach (Rutilus rutilus L.) and experimentally exposed juvenile whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus L. s.l.) at the Southern Lake Saimaa (S.E. Finland). Our studies showed that the introduction of elemental chlorine free (ECF) bleaching and secondary treatment of effluents in a modern activated sludge plant at the mill in 1992 have substantially reduced the exposure of feral and caged fish to organochlorines. The liver EROD activity was noticeably lower in feral and caged fish near the mill indicating lesser impacts on the liver mixed function oxygenase (MFO) system. However, at the mill site, liver EROD activies in feral and caged fish still tend to be one to four times higher than at the reference sites. Significantly decreased plasma estradiol-17β and testosterone concentrations in perch and roach in the period of development of the gonads (autumn and winter) indicate that there were endocrine disrupting compounds present in the lake receiving ECF pulp and paper mill effluents. Cause-effect relationships, however, are difficult to establish.

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Advancing improvement in riverine water quality caused a non-native fish species invasion and native fish fauna recovery

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-93751-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Łukasz Głowacki ◽

Andrzej Kruk ◽

Tadeusz Penczak

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Fish Species ◽

Native Species ◽

Interference Competition ◽

Fish Fauna ◽

Species Traits ◽

Native Fish ◽

Biological Degradation ◽

Species Invasion ◽

Prussian Carp

AbstractThe knowledge of biotic and abiotic drivers that put non-native invasive fishes at a disadvantage to native ones is necessary for suppressing invasions, but the knowledge is scarce, particularly when abiotic changes are fast. In this study, we increased this knowledge by an analysis of the biomass of most harmful Prussian carp Carassius gibelio in a river reviving from biological degradation. The species' invasion followed by the invasion's reversal occurred over only two decades and were documented by frequent monitoring of fish biomass and water quality. An initial moderate improvement in water quality was an environmental filter that enabled Prussian carp’s invasion but prevented the expansion of other species. A later substantial improvement stimulated native species’ colonization of the river, and made one rheophil, ide Leuciscus idus, a significant Prussian carp’s replacer. The redundancy analysis (RDA) of the dependence of changes in the biomass of fish species on water quality factors indicated that Prussian carp and ide responded in a significantly opposite way to changes in water quality in the river over the study period. However, the dependence of Prussian carp biomass on ide biomass, as indicated by regression analysis and analysis of species traits, suggests that the ecomorphological similarity of both species might have produced interference competition that contributed to Prussian carp’s decline.

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Acrolein Reduces Biomass and Seed Production of Potamogeton pectinatus in Irrigation Channels

Weed Technology ◽

10.1614/wt-03-101r1 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 18 (3) ◽

pp. 605-610 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Diego J. Bentivegna ◽

Osvaldo A. Fernández ◽

María A. Burgos

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Plant Biomass ◽

Treatment Plant ◽

Irrigation District ◽

Potamogeton Pectinatus ◽

Individual Plant ◽

Plant Weight ◽

The Third ◽

Irrigation Channels

Chemical weed control with acrolein has been shown to be a lower cost method for reducing submerged plant biomass of sago pondweed in the irrigation district of the Lower Valley of Rio Colorado, Argentina (39°10′S–62°05′W). However, no experimental data exist on the effects of the herbicide on plant growth and its survival structures. Field experiments were conducted during 3 yr to evaluate the effect of acrolein on growth and biomass of sago pondweed and on the source of underground propagules (i.e., rhizomes, tubers, and seeds). Plant biomass samples were collected in irrigation channels before and after several herbicide treatments. The underground propagule bank was evaluated at the end of the third year. Within each treatment, plant biomass was significantly reduced by 40 to 60% in all three study years. Rapid new plant growth occurred after each application; however, it was less vigorous after repeated treatments. At the end of the third year at 3,000 m downstream from the application point, plant biomass at both channels ranged from 34 to 3% of control values. Individual plant weight and height were affected by acrolein treatments, flowering was poor, and seeds did not reach maturity. After 3 yr, acrolein did not reduce the number of tubers. However, they were significantly smaller and lighter. Rhizomes fresh weight decreased by 92%, and seed numbers decreased by 79%. After 3 yr of applications, operational functioning of the channels could be maintained with fewer treatments and lower concentrations of acrolein.

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Model-based comparison of two ways to enhance WWTP capacity under stormwater conditions

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2009.514 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 60 (7) ◽

pp. 1875-1883 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

M. Ahnert ◽

J. Tränckner ◽

N. Günther ◽

S. Hoeft ◽

P. Krebs

Keyword(s):

Treatment Plant ◽

Combined Sewer Overflows ◽

Worst Case ◽

Wwtp Effluent ◽

Combined Sewer ◽

Total Ammonia ◽

Rain Events ◽

Simulated Time ◽

Simulated Time Series ◽

Receiving Water

Two different approaches to increase the fraction of combined water treated in the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) which would otherwise contribute to combined sewer overflows (CSO) are presented and compared based on modelling results with regard to their efficiencies during various rain events. The first option is to generally increase the WWTP inflow according to its actual capacity rather than pre-setting a maximum that applies to worst case loading. In the second option the WWTP inflow is also increased, however, the extra inflow of combined water is bypassing the activated sludge tank and directly discharged to the secondary clarifier. Both approaches have their advantages. For the simulated time series with various rain events, the reduction of total COD load from CSOs and WWTP effluent discharged to the receiving water was up to 20% for both approaches. The total ammonia load reduction was between 6% for the bypass and 11% for inflow increase. A combination of both approaches minimises the adverse effects and the overall emission to the receiving water.

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ADVANCED TREATMENT OF PAPER MILL EFFLUENTS BY A TWO-STAGE ACTIVATED SLUDGE PROCESS

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1994.0094 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 30 (3) ◽

pp. 173-181 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

L. Knudsen ◽

J. A. Pedersen ◽

J. Munck

Keyword(s):

Activated Sludge ◽

Treatment Plant ◽

Paper Mill ◽

Pilot Scale ◽

Activated Sludge Process ◽

Two Stage ◽

Paper Mills ◽

Paper Mill Effluents ◽

Scale Test ◽

Oxygen Requirements

The work presented in this paper concerns the application of a two-stage aerobic activated sludge process for treatment of effluents from paper mills in Denmark. The paper describes both pilot-scale test results and fullscale experience with the process. The treatment process is characterised by a bigh-load first stage (2-4 kg COD/kg MLSSxd) followed by a low-load second stage to secure full nitrification and denitrification of remaining nitrogen compounds. The results of continuous pilot-scale tests show that it is possible to obtain a reduction of more than 85% of the incoming COD,01 and a 99% reduction of the incoming BOD5, resulting in an effluent quality of 230 mg CODsol/l and less than 10 mg BOD5/l. As indicated, practically all the biodegradable organic substances are removed by the process. The remaining fraction of soluble organics measured as COD is considered to be non-biodegradable by conventional biological treatment systems. The results produced in the pilot-scale tests are confirmed by the effluent qualities obtained in a full-scale treatment plant at another paper mill, involving an identical process concept. During the pilot-scale tests, special attention bas been paid to the removal of organic compounds, organic nitrogen as well as nutrients and nitrification. In addition, the sludge characteristics and the oxygen requirements have been considered.

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In situ Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Communities on Microplastic Particles in a Small Headwater Stream in Germany

Frontiers in Microbiology ◽

10.3389/fmicb.2021.660024 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Alfons R. Weig ◽

Martin G. J. Löder ◽

Anja F. R. M. Ramsperger ◽

Christian Laforsch

Keyword(s):

Particle Surface ◽

Treatment Plant ◽

Freshwater Ecosystems ◽

Headwater Stream ◽

Microbial Composition ◽

Mineral Particles ◽

Specific Differentiation ◽

Eukaryotic Microorganisms ◽

Polymer Type

The ubiquitous use of plastic products in our daily life is often accompanied by improper disposal. The first interactions of plastics with organisms in the environment occur by overgrowth or biofilm formation on the particle surface, which can facilitate the ingestion by animals. In order to elucidate the colonization of plastic particles by prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms in situ, we investigated microbial communities in biofilms on four different polymer types and on mineral particles in a small headwater stream 500 m downstream of a wastewater treatment plant in Germany. Microplastic and mineral particles were exposed to the free-flowing water for 4 weeks in spring and in summer. The microbial composition of the developing biofilm was analyzed by 16S and 18S amplicon sequencing. Despite the expected seasonal differences in the microbial composition of pro- and eukaryotic communities, we repeatedly observed polymer type-specific differentiation in both seasons. The order of polymer type-specific prokaryotic and eukaryotic community distances calculated by Robust Aitchison principal component analysis (PCA) was the same in spring and summer samples. However, the magnitude of the distance differed considerably between polymer types. Prokaryotic communities on polyethylene particles exhibited the most considerable difference to other particles in summer, while eukaryotic communities on polypropylene particles showed the most considerable difference to other spring samples. The most contributing bacterial taxa to the polyethylene-specific differentiation belong to the Planctomycetales, Saccharimonadales, Bryobacterales, uncultured Acidiomicrobia, and Gemmatimonadales. The most remarkable differences in eukaryotic microorganism abundances could be observed in several distinct groups of Ciliophora (ciliates) and Chlorophytes (green algae). Prediction of community functions from taxonomic abundances revealed differences between spring and summer, and – to a lesser extent – also between polymer types and mineral surfaces. Our results show that different microplastic particles were colonized by different biofilm communities. These findings may be used for advanced experimental designs to investigate the role of microorganisms on the fate of microplastic particles in freshwater ecosystems.

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The first unified inventory of non-native fishes of the South Caucasian countries, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia

Knowledge and Management of Aquatic Ecosystems ◽

10.1051/kmae/2021028 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 32

Author(s):

Tatia Kuljanishvili ◽

Levan Mumladze ◽

Bella Japoshvili ◽

Namig Mustafayev ◽

Shaig Ibrahimov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Black Sea ◽

Fish Species ◽

Caspian Sea ◽

Native Species ◽

Biological Diversity ◽

Native Fish ◽

The Black Sea ◽

The South ◽

In The Wild ◽

Native Fishes

The South Caucasus (SC) region is recognized for its high biological diversity and various endemic animal taxa. The area has experienced many fish introductions over the years, but the overall information about non-native fishes in the three SC countries, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia did not exist. Although these three countries belong to the Kura River drainage, Caspian Sea basin (only the western half of Georgia drains into the Black Sea), the legislative framework for each country regarding introduction of non-native fish species and their treatment is different and poorly developed. The goal of the present study was to make an initial inventory of non-native fish species in the three SC countries, and summarize the existing knowledge as a basis for future risk assessment models and formulation of regional management policies. Here, we present a unified list of 27 non-native species recorded in the wild in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. Among these 27 species, eight were translocated from the Black Sea basin to the Caspian Sea basin. Out of these 27 non-native fishes, 15 species have become established (three of them being considered invasive) and six fish species could not survive in the wild.

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