Ecotoxicity of chemicals
BCF Screen
The aim of the project BCF-Screen is to find properties or combinations of properties of organic substances that can be established as screening criteria for the detection of chemicals with a high bioaccumulation potential, which in the longer term can be integrated into the regulatory system and here replace the so far only used and for e.g. ionisable chemicals hardly relevant parameter logKow. The topic is being worked on in close cooperation with the German Federal Environment Agency, which is also funding the study.
GLYMIK
The aim of the BMBF-funded collaborative project Glymik (duration Nov. 2020- Oct. 2023) is to demonstrate possible effects of the herbicide glyphosate, one of its formulations (Roundup) and its main metabolite AMPA on brown trout as representatives of aquatic ecosystems. For this purpose, the health status of exposed fish, the integrity of their gut and gill microbiome, and their immunocompetence will be investigated.
PHION
Ecotoxicological biotests are conducted to evaluate effects on non-target organisms under standardised conditions. Usually, those protocols direct testing at a single neutral pH. However, natural conditions vary greatly and, in aquatic environments, pH values between 6 and 8 usually prevail. Depending on hydrogeological characteristics and anthropogenic impact, surface waters can even shift towards clearly both acidic and alkaline conditions with pH values between 4.5 and 10. Results obtained from toxicity tests conducted at a neutral pH may thus not apply to such divergent conditions. This is the case particularly for ionisable substances that are known to change their electric charge depending on the pH of the surrounding matrix. To exert their toxicity, uptake of the compound into the organism is prerequisite, thus, neutral or ionic species have to pass through a biomembrane. Whereas neutral species enter cells by passive diffusion along a concentration gradient, ions have to overcome the electrostatic barrier of the membrane. To pursue the investigation of a potential over- or underestimation of toxicity of ionisable substances due to shifts in pH, PHION, a joint project of the Animal Physiological Ecology group with the University of Athens, which is funded by the German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) will systematically generate data on fish embryo toxicity and chemical accumulation and aims at developing models that allow extrapolation of the toxicity of ionisable substances for different pH.
EOFplus
In the Baden-Baden and Rastatt regions, both Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about 470 hectares of agricultural land and, partially, ground water have been contaminated with per- and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFC). However, per- and polyfluorinated compounds other than PFOA ans PFOS are poorly characterized regarding their toxicity. The project EOFplus aims at compiling existing knowledge, at outlining knowledge gaps, and at suggesting threshold data for human consumption for a number of these compounds whenever possible.
Effect-Net
The project Effect-Net (Effect Network in Water Research) investigated the effects of highly consumed chemicals for lifestyle diseases in aquatic ecosystems. Effect-Net was one of the three projects funded by the Wassernetzwerk Baden-Württemberg.
Key publications:
- Ziegler M, Banet M, Bauer R, Köhler H-R, Stepinski S, Tisler S, Huhn C, Zwiener C, Triebskorn R (2020): Behavioural and developmental changes in brown trout after exposure to the antidepressant venlafaxine. Frontiers in Environmental Science (in press)
- Ziegler M, Eckstein H, Ottmann S, Reinelt L, Stepinski S, Köhler H-R, Triebskorn R (2020): Biochemical and cellular biomarkers in brown trout (Salmo trutta f. fario) in response to the antidepressants citalopram and venlafaxine. Environmental Sciences Europe 32: 158.
Online available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-020-00437-z
- Knoll S, Jacob S, Mieck S, Triebskorn R, Braunbeck T, Huhn C (2020): Development of a capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry method for the analysis of metformin and its transformation product guanylurea in biota. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 412: 4985-4996.
Online available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-020-02759-6
- Rogall ET, Jacob S, Triebskorn R, Schwartz T (2020): The impact of the anti-diabetic drug metformin on the intestinal microbiome of larval brown trout (Salmo trutta f. fario). Environmental Sciences Europe 32: 65.
Online available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-020-00341-6
- Ziegler M, Knoll S, Köhler H-R, Tisler S, Huhn C, Zwiener C, Triebskorn R (2020): Impact of the antidepressant citalopram on the behaviour of two different life stages of brown trout. PeerJ 8: e8765.
Online available at: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.8765
- Jacob S, Knoll S, Huhn C, Köhler H-R, Tisler S, Zwiener C, Triebskorn R (2019): Effects of guanylurea, the transformation product of the antidiabetic drug metformin, on the health of brown trout (Salmo trutta f. fario). PeerJ 7: e7289.
Online available at: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.7289
- Triebskorn R, Scherer U, Braunbeck T (2019): Effektstudien in der Risikobewertung: Das Projekt Effect-Net und Ergebnisse des Workshops "Von der biologischen Wirkung zur Regulierung: Wie können neue Ansätze in der Stoffbewertung helfen?" KW Korrespondenz Wasserwirtschaft 12(8): 445-449.
- Jacob S, Köhler H-R, Tisler S, Zwiener C and Triebskorn R (2019): Impact of the antidiabetic drug metformin and its transformation product guanylurea on the health of the big ramshorn snail (Planorbarius corneus). Front. Environ. Sci. 7:45.
Online available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2019.00045
- Jacob S, Dötsch A, Knoll S, Köhler H-R, Rogall E, Stoll D, Tisler S, Huhn C, Schwartz T, Zwiener C, Triebskorn R (2018): Does the antidiabetic drug metformin affect embryo development and the health of brown trout (Salmo trutta f. fario)? Environmental Sciences Europe 30: 48
Online available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-018-0179-4
Eff-Pharm
The project Eff-Pharm aims to establish new, effect-based monitoring tools for pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment. In this project, funded by the "Umweltbundesamt" (German Environment Agency), in vitro-systems that react to specific pharmaceutical classes are to be developed. The effects visible in these in vitro-systems are compared to effects in fish, gammarids and annelids in vivo.
Key publications:
- Schwarz S, Schmieg H, Scheurer M, Köhler H-R, Triebskorn R (2017): Impact of the NSAID diclofenac on survival, development, behaviour and health of embryonic and juvenile stages of brown trout, Salmo trutta f. fario. Science of the Total Environment 607-608: 1026-1036.
Online available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.07.042
- Triebskorn R, Schwarz S, Schmieg H, Köhler H-R, Jungmann D, Berg K, Buchberger A, Frey M, Scheurer M, Sacher F, M Oetken, Oehlmann M (2017): EFF-Pharm: Effects of pharmaceuticals (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and beta-blockers) in fish and invertebrates and their detection by newly developed in vitro-bioassays. Umweltbundesamt Texte 44/2017, 309 pp.
Online available at: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/publikationen/eff-pharm-effects-of-pharmaceuticals-nonsteroidal
- Triebskorn R, Berg K, Ebert I, Frey M, Jungmann D, Oehlmann J, Oetken M, Sacher F, Scheurer M, Schmieg H, Schwarz S, Köhler H-R (2015): Monitoring primary effects of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment with mode of action-specific in vitro biotests. Environmental Science and Technology 49(5): 2594-2595.
Online available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5b00162
- Triebskorn R, Schwarz S, Köhler H-R, Berg K, Jungmann D, Frey M, Oehlmann J, Oetken M (2014): From theory to reality – Evaluation of suitable organisms and test systems for the biomitoring of pharmaceuticals - Part I: Literature review. UBA Texte 64/2014.
Online available at: http://www.umweltbundesamt.de/publikationen/from-theory-to-reality-evaluation-of-suitable
XehoGamm
XehoGamm - Endocrine effects of xeno-hormones in Gammarids (financed by the German Federal Environmental Agency UBA Berlin).
Key publications:
- Nagel R, Köhler H-R, Triebskorn R, Jungmann D, Ladewig, V, Ludwichowski K-U, Metag N, Preuß T, Woitschella A (2002): Effects of xeno-hormones in amphipods - From the molecular to the population level. In: Proceedings of the Second Statusseminar Endocrine Disrupters. UKF-BMBF-UBA-BMU, Berlin, München, 75-78.
- Triebskorn R, Jungmann D, Köhler H-R, Ladewig V, Ludwichowski K-U, Mösenfechtel A, Scheil V, Schirling M, Nagel R (2002): Das Projekt "XehoGamm" - Endokrine Effekte bei Flohkrebsen auf unterschiedlichen biologischen Ebenen. In: Pharmaka und Hormone in der aquatischen Umwelt - eine Bedrohung? Stuttgarter Berichte zur Siedlungswasserwirtschaft 168: 103-125.
Publications from related projects:
- Schweizer M, Brilisauer K, Triebskorn R, Forchhammer K, Köhler H-R (2019): How glyphosate and its associated acidity affect early development in zebrafish (Danio rerio). PeerJ 7: e7094.
Online available at: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.7094
- Schweizer M, Miksch L, Köhler H-R, Triebskorn R (2019): Does Bti (Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis) affect Rana temporaria tadpoles? Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 181: 121-129.
Online available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.05.080