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The objective of this research is to determine the influence of liquid water content on the toxicity of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) to soil microorganisms in frozen soil. This research was conducted on soil collected from an aged diesel fuel spill site at Casey Station, East Antarctica, as well as on spiked diesel contaminated soil from Macquarie Island, a sub-Antarctic island.<p> Suitable soil biogeochemical toxicity endpoints for PHC contamination were identified using sub-Antarctic soil from Macquarie Island spiked with diesel fuel. The sensitivity of nitrification, denitrification, carbohydrate utilization and total soil respiration to diesel fuel was assessed. Potential nitrification activity (PNA) was the most sensitive indicator of contamination assessed for nitrogen cycling, with a PHC concentration effecting microbial activity by 20% of the control response, EC₂₀, of 190 mg PHC kg^-1 soil.<p> Petroleum hydrocarbon toxicity in polar soil was assessed by sampling 32 locations at an aged diesel spill site at Casey Station, East Antarctica. Samples were taken nine times throughout an austral summer to encompass frozen, thaw and refreeze periods. Toxicity was assessed using potential activities of substrate induced respiration, total respiration, nitrification, denitrification, and metabolic quotient, as well as microbial community composition and bacterial biomass. The most sensitive indicator was community composition with an EC₂₅ of 800 mg kg^-1, followed by nitrification (2000 mg kg^-1), microbial biomass (2400 mg kg^-1) and soil respiration (3500 mg kg^-1). Despite changes in potential microbial activities and composition over the frozen/thaw/refreeze period, the sensitivity of these endpoints to PHC did not change with liquid water or temperature. <p> The influence of liquid water (è_liquid) on nutrient supply rate and gas diffusion, which are important factors in microbial degradation of PHC, was determined using contaminated soil from Casey Station. Freezing reduced nutrient supply rate of both NH₄⁺ and NO₃^-. However, an increase in è_liquid was linked to increases in nitrate and ammonia nutrient supply rates in frozen soil. Similarly for gas diffusion, decreases in D_s due to freezing were much more pronounced in soils with low è_liquid compared to soils with higher è_liquid contents. Further research is needed to determine whether bioremediation in cold regions could be enhanced during the period of time where the soil temperature is below 0^oC by controlling factors that increase the amount of liquid water.<p> The influence of liquid water content on the <i>in situ</i> toxicity of PHC to soil microorganisms was evaluated using stable isotope dilution technique to measure gross mineralization and nitrification, which was compared to the toxicity endpoints of potential microbial activities. Liquid water content did not have a significant effect on either gross mineralization or nitrification. Gross nitrification was sensitive to PHC contamination, with toxicity decreasing over time. The EC₂₅ value for gross nitrification was 400 mg kg^-1 for 1 month incubation period. In contrast, gross N mineralization was not sensitive to PHC contamination. Toxic response of gross nitrification to PHC contamination was comparable to PNA with similar EC₂₅ values determined by both measurement endpoints (400 mg kg^-1 for <i>in situ</i> nitrification compared to 200 mg kg^-1 for PNA), indicating that potential microbial activity assays are good surrogates for <i>in situ</i> toxicity of PHC contamination in Polar Regions.<p> Based on ecotoxicological data collected, the recommended soil quality guideline for on PHC contamination in polar soils would be 200 mg kg^-1.

The objective of this research is to determine the influence of liquid water content on the toxicity of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) to soil microorganisms in frozen soil. This research was conducted on soil collected from an aged diesel fuel spill site at Casey Station, East Antarctica, as well as on spiked diesel contaminated soil from Macquarie Island, a sub-Antarctic island.<p> Suitable soil biogeochemical toxicity endpoints for PHC contamination were identified using sub-Antarctic soil from Macquarie Island spiked with diesel fuel. The sensitivity of nitrification, denitrification, carbohydrate utilization and total soil respiration to diesel fuel was assessed. Potential nitrification activity (PNA) was the most sensitive indicator of contamination assessed for nitrogen cycling, with a PHC concentration effecting microbial activity by 20% of the control response, EC₂₀, of 190 mg PHC kg^-1 soil.<p> Petroleum hydrocarbon toxicity in polar soil was assessed by sampling 32 locations at an aged diesel spill site at Casey Station, East Antarctica. Samples were taken nine times throughout an austral summer to encompass frozen, thaw and refreeze periods. Toxicity was assessed using potential activities of substrate induced respiration, total respiration, nitrification, denitrification, and metabolic quotient, as well as microbial community composition and bacterial biomass. The most sensitive indicator was community composition with an EC₂₅ of 800 mg kg^-1, followed by nitrification (2000 mg kg^-1), microbial biomass (2400 mg kg^-1) and soil respiration (3500 mg kg^-1). Despite changes in potential microbial activities and composition over the frozen/thaw/refreeze period, the sensitivity of these endpoints to PHC did not change with liquid water or temperature. <p> The influence of liquid water (è_liquid) on nutrient supply rate and gas diffusion, which are important factors in microbial degradation of PHC, was determined using contaminated soil from Casey Station. Freezing reduced nutrient supply rate of both NH₄⁺ and NO₃^-. However, an increase in è_liquid was linked to increases in nitrate and ammonia nutrient supply rates in frozen soil. Similarly for gas diffusion, decreases in D_s due to freezing were much more pronounced in soils with low è_liquid compared to soils with higher è_liquid contents. Further research is needed to determine whether bioremediation in cold regions could be enhanced during the period of time where the soil temperature is below 0^oC by controlling factors that increase the amount of liquid water.<p> The influence of liquid water content on the <i>in situ</i> toxicity of PHC to soil microorganisms was evaluated using stable isotope dilution technique to measure gross mineralization and nitrification, which was compared to the toxicity endpoints of potential microbial activities. Liquid water content did not have a significant effect on either gross mineralization or nitrification. Gross nitrification was sensitive to PHC contamination, with toxicity decreasing over time. The EC₂₅ value for gross nitrification was 400 mg kg^-1 for 1 month incubation period. In contrast, gross N mineralization was not sensitive to PHC contamination. Toxic response of gross nitrification to PHC contamination was comparable to PNA with similar EC₂₅ values determined by both measurement endpoints (400 mg kg^-1 for <i>in situ</i> nitrification compared to 200 mg kg^-1 for PNA), indicating that potential microbial activity assays are good surrogates for <i>in situ</i> toxicity of PHC contamination in Polar Regions.<p> Based on ecotoxicological data collected, the recommended soil quality guideline for on PHC contamination in polar soils would be 200 mg kg^-1.

Sediments of lotic and lentic water can be a reservoir of a number of contaminants, which can enter the aquatic ecosystem either due to the controlled discharge of waste water or leakage of various accidents or technological devices. Sediments can hereby affect not only the aquatic ecosystem, but also the terrestrial system in the case that they will be used as fertilizer or as a material for the recultivation. For this reason it is important to consider their potential ecotoxicity. Sediments were subjected to ecotoxicological bioassays and their potential ecotoxicity was assessed. The phytotoxicity assays on terrestrial plants Sinapis alba, Lactuca sativa and Allium cepa were used and the effects of aqueous extracts of sediments on the inhibition of growth their root were evaluated and the value of IC50 was determined. For the ecotoxicological assessment of sediments and determination of IC50 value also Lemna minor as a representative of aquatic plants was selected. For more objective assessment of the sediment ecotoxicity aquatic invertebrates as Artemia salina and Daphnia magna were selected and the value of LC50 or EC50 was determined.

Over the last 20 years increasing concentration of platinum metals in the environment was recorded. These hazardous metals come through anthropogenic activities in the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem. It is therefore necessary to deal with their possible negative impact on organisms. This thesis is focused on the ecotoxicological evaluation of selected complex compounds of platinum metals, namely platinum and palladium. For ecotoxicity evaluation tests on following aquatic organisms were used: Daphnia manga, Thamnocephalus platyurus and Lemna minor. On the base of obtained results ecotoxicological values of LC50 and EC50 were calculated.

The luxCDABE genes (i.e. full cassette) were inserted into the bacterial strain used in this study, E. coli HB101, using a multi copy plasmid, (pUCD607). A number of experiments were carried out in this thesis to study the potential of using the biosensor, E. coli HB101 (pUCD607), for ecotoxicity testing. Growth and bioluminescence of E. coli HB101 (pUCD607) were characterised and optimised, as well as the stability of this biosensor to a range of environmental parameters. The biosensors were found to be sensitive to a range of pollutants and provided a highly consistent bioluminescence response under conditions likely to be encountered in environmental toxicity testing. Assessment of the potential of the lux-based bioassay for revealing the combination of toxicities of metals was carried out. This is necessary because samples in ecotoxicity testing may contain a number of types of pollutants. The biosensors showed high sensitivity of response to mixed metals and identified the combined toxicity of the mixture. Biosensor bioluminescence could also be used to diagnose the distinction between toxicity after 15 and 30 minutes exposure. Results suggested that exposure time is an important factor affecting on the toxicity of metals in mixtures. The results from challenging lux-based biosensors with heavy metals with various concentration of Cl- demonstrated the effect of Cl- ion complex formation for metals on the bioluminescence of E. coli HB101 (pUCD607). The bioluminescence response of the biosensor also related to the results from computer modelling (GEOCHEM) and was used to diagnose the effect of Cl- on metal toxicity. The results showed that E. coli HB101 (pUCD607) is sensitive to complexes of metals such as are formed by Cl- ion. Immobilised cells of E. coli HB101 (pUCD607) were used to investigate the toxicity of metals, both singly and in mixture. This work aimed to assess the potential of immobilised cells, as an alternative form of biosensor, for use in ecotoxicity testing. Bioluminescence response of immobilised cells varied with the test solution pH and showed that it has great potential for use in low pH environments. Immobilised cell biosensors demonstrated sufficient sensitivity to identify the toxicity of individual and mixed metals. High levels of bioluminescence of immobilised cells lasted up to 5 hours after bead production, suggesting that biosensor immobilisation increases the flexibility of the toxicity assay.

Charles University in Prague Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department of Pharmaceutical Botany and Ecology Candidate: Bc. Renáta Čeganová Supervisor: RNDr. Jitka Vytlačilová, Ph.D. Title of diploma thesis: Ecotoxicological evaluation of biologically active substances For the observation of the ecotoxicological effects was selected griseofulvin that can be used as antifungal drug and local anesthetic dibucaine hydrochloride. Their analysis was performed by using a multigenerational test with a protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila, Rotoxkit F test with a rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus and algal test with Desmodesmus subspicatus. The mortality or inhibitory effects of the test substances on the growth of organisms was observed. The most sensitive of the test organisms for dibucaine hydrochloride was rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus and for griseofulvin it was alga Desmodesmus subspicatus. Keywords: ecotoxicity, biologically active substances, endpoint, biotests

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:22:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2012-02-09Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:07:46Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 ikefuti_cv_me_jabo.pdf: 456853 bytes, checksum: 23d0640a8dde9e1498a8b818bc6453a8 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / Os parasitos podem causar perdas significativas na produção de peixes e para controlar estas doenças é necessário o uso de farmoquímicos, como o teflubenzuron (TFB), um inseticida que pode ser utilizado no controle de parasitos de peixes. A etapa inicial do processo de avaliação da viabilidade de um farmoquímico (eficácia terapêutica) é verificar a toxicidade inerente do ingrediente ativo do composto ou da formulação, sua segurança clínica e risco de intoxicação ambiental. Assim, os objetivos deste trabalho foram avaliar a toxicidade aguda e a segurança ambiental do TFB, para a Daphnia magna, Lemna minor, Pomacea canaliculata e para os peixes pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus e mato-grosso, Hyphessobrycon eques; avaliar a toxicidade crônica e os efeitos histopatológicos do TFB para o pacu; ajustar a concentração de eficácia do TFB no controle de Trichodina sp. em pacu e tilápia, Oreochromis niloticus; monitorar as variáveis físicas e químicas da água e avaliar as possíveis alterações hematológicas do pacu exposto ao TFB. A toxicidade aguda do TFB para D. magna foi elevada (CE50;48h = 0,17 μg.L-1) e praticamente não tóxico para L. minor, P. mesopotamicus, P. canaliculata e H. eques (CL50 > 1000,0 mg.L-1). O TFB não apresenta toxicidade para as espécies avaliadas, demonstrando ausência risco de intoxicação ambiental para o pacu, sendo eficaz no controle de Trichodina sp nas concentrações de 80,0 mg.L-1 e 50,0 mg.L-1 para pacu e tilápia, com redução no número de parasitos de 96,10% e 87,86% respectivamente. O TFB também causou leucocitose no quadro hematológico de pacu / The parasites can cause significant losses in the fish production and to control these diseases is necessary the use of the phamochemicals, like the teflubenzuron (TFB), an insecticide that can use in the control of parasites of fish. The initial stage of the process of assessment of viability of a pharmochemical (therapeutic efficacy) is verify the inherent toxicity of the active ingredient of the compound or formulation, your clinical security and environmental intoxication risk. Thus, the aims of this research were to evaluate the acute toxicity and the environmental security of TFB, for Daphnia magna, Lemna minor, Pomacea canaliculata and fish pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus and mato-grosso, Hyphessobrycon eques; to evaluate the chronic toxicity and the histopathological effects of FB for pacu; to adjust the effectiveness concentration of TFB in the control of Trichodina sp. in pacu and tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus; to monitor the physical and chemical variables from water and to evaluate the possible hematological changes of pacu exposed at TFB. The acute toxicity of TFB for D. magna was high (EC50;48h = 0.17 μg.L-1) and non-toxic practically for L. minor, P. mesopotamicus, P. canaliculata and H. eques (LC50 > 1000.0 mg.L-1). TFB doesn’t show toxicity for the species evaluated, realizing away environmental intoxication risk for pacu, being efficacy in the control of Trichodina sp in the concentrations of 80,0 mg.L-1 and 50,0 mg.L-1 for pacu and tilapia, with reduction in the parasites number of 96,10% and 87,86%, respectively. TFB caused decrease of leucocytes in the hematology variables of pacu

The aim of this diploma thesis is to assess the ecotoxicological effect of biochar produced from sewage sludge. In case of application of biochar to agricultural land, both the soil and aquatic ecosystem may be affected therefore contact and aquatic tests were chosen to assess the ecotoxicological effects. Representatives of soil invertebrates were earthworms Eisenia fetida; Daphnia magna and Artemia salina were chosen from aquatic animals and terrestrial plants were represented by Lactuca sativa, Sinapis alba and Allium cepa. The results of contact tests point out how ecosystem could be negatively affected by biochar dose. Through aqueous extract were shown differences in sensitivity of individual organisms in aquatic tests. Dried sewage sludge was found to be the biggest burden for all tested organisms. The pelletized biochar with the addition of an additive showed the lowest negative effect on tested organisms.

Thousand of new substances with unknown environmental effect are produced and used daily. Many of them are deliberately or by negligence released and deposited into the environment where they could undergo different transport and degradation mechanisms. They are able to affect different types of organisms, as well as humans. For this reason, the awareness of the problems, associated with pollution of all environmental compartments is growing. The environmental impact of monomer formaldehyde resins, which are produced for commercial use, on the environment were studied in this research. For the purposes of ecotoxicological evaluation samples of melamine-formaldehyde and urea-formaldehyde resin were chosen and three toxicity tests were run: acute test with measurement of inhibition of the mobility of Daphnia magna, the acute test with luminescent bacteria Vibrio fischeri and acute test with measurement of inhibition of oxygen consumption by activated sludge. For more comprehensive assessment of the impact of these substances on the environment, biodegradability was also determined. Both tested substances showed minor hazardous impact to testing organisms and it can be concluded, that these substances should not present a significant risk to the environment.