Can Oryzias Celebensis Embryo be Transported Dry?

Embryos of the genus Oryzias have long been used as sentinel organisms in ecotoxicological research. Compared with animal models from mammals, Oryzias embryo offers several advantages such as being cost-effective, more sensitive, rapid and produce very little waste. In ecotoxicological studies, it is necessary to have inter-laboratory calibration on used techniques between one laboratory and another, so that the used techniques are reliable. Inter-laboratory calibration between laboratories requires transferring embryos from one laboratory to another. For this purpose, research has been carried out to compare the survival of embryos reared in water and non-water (dry) media until they hatch. The results showed that the embryos reared with dry media hatched one day faster than those raised in water media. The dry-incubated embryo also had an average total length longer than those incubated with embryo rearing media (ERM). In this study, it was concluded that fish embryos of Oryzias celebensis could be transported dry for up to five days.

Microplastics in wild mussels (Mytilus spp.) from the north coast of Spain

Microplastic content (MPs) in mussels (Mytilus spp.) from two areas of the north coast of Spain was measured for the first time. Additionally, a comparison of microplastic levels observed in mussels digested with nitric acid and with potassium hydroxide was carried out. The average microplastic concentration in mussels digested with nitric acid was significantly lower than that observed in mussels digested with potassium hydroxide (p < 0.05). The average concentration of microplastics in mussels from the Cantabrian Sea (2.55±2.80 MPs g–1 WW) was slightly higher than that in mussels from the Ria of Vigo (1.59±1.28 MPs g–1 WW). Both in the Ria of Vigo and in the Cantabrian Sea the observed pattern of pollution was fitted to the one expected. Consequently, mussels have been confirmed as suitable sentinel organisms for microplastic pollution.

Can mussels be used as sentinel organisms for characterization of pollution in urban water systems?

Urbanization strongly impacts aquatic ecosystems by decreasing water quality and altering water cycles. Today, much effort is put towards the restoration and conservation of urban waterbodies to enhance ecosystem service provision, leading to liveable and sustainable cities. To enable a sustainable management of waterbodies, the quantification of the temporal and spatial variability of pollution levels and biogeochemical processes is essential. Stable isotopes have widely been used to identify sources of pollution in ecosystems. For example, increased nitrogen levels in waterbodies are often accompanied with a higher nitrogen stable isotope signature (δ15N), which can then be detected in higher trophic levels such as mussels. The main aim of this study was to assess the suitability of nitrogen stable isotopes as measured in mussels (Mytilus edulis), as an indicator able to resolve spatial and temporal variability of nitrogen pollution in an urban, tidally influenced estuary (Swan River estuary in Western Australia). Nitrogen concentrations were generally low and nitrogen stable isotope values of nitrate throughout the estuary were well within natural values of uncontaminated groundwater, organic nitrate from soils, or marine-derived sources, indicating groundwater inflow rather than pollution by human activity was responsible for differences between sites. The δ15N signature in mussels was very stable over time within each site which indicated that mussels can be used as time-integrated sentinel organisms in urban systems. In addition, our study shows that the nature of the relationship between δ15N in the mussels and the nitrate in the water can provide insights into site-specific biogeochemical transformation of nutrients. We suggest that mussels and other sentinel organisms can become a robust tool for the detection and characterization of the dynamics of a number of emerging anthropogenic pollutants of concern in urban water systems.