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M Vighi

Publications and source records attributed to M Vighi.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Variation of POP concentrations in fresh-fallen snow and air on an Alpine glacier (Monte Rosa).

To understand better the mechanisms ruling the fate of POPs (persistent organic pollutants) in cold environments, a field campaign sampling fresh-fallen snow and air on an Alpine glacier was carried out during Summer 2003. The concentrations of all analyzed chemicals in fresh-fallen snow show a sharp decrease over time, particularly for the more volatile POPs, confirming the rather limited literature evidence of a rapid decline of such substances from the snowpack and/or ice. Even if the results presented here are preliminary and should be confirmed by further studies, some evidence of the influence of a night/day cycle of temperature on POP deposition and revolatilization mechanisms has been highlighted. Finally, the role of cold condensation and long-range atmospheric transport in the contamination of higher altitudes in this Alpine system has been substantiated, particularly for OC pesticides.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2003

Joint algal toxicity of 16 dissimilarly acting chemicals is predictable by the concept of independent action.

For a predictive assessment of the aquatic toxicity of chemical mixtures, two competing concepts are available: concentration addition and independent action. Concentration addition is generally regarded as a reasonable expectation for the joint toxicity of similarly acting substances. In the opposite case of dissimilarly acting toxicants the choice of the most appropriate concept is a controversial issue. In tests with freshwater algae we therefore studied the extreme situation of multiple exposure to chemicals with strictly different specific mechanisms of action. Concentration response analyses were performed for 16 different biocides, and for mixtures containing all 16 substances in two different concentration ratios. Observed mixture toxicity was compared with predictions, calculated from the concentration response functions of individual toxicants by alternatively applying both concepts. The assumption of independent action yielded accurate predictions, irrespective of the mixture ratio or the effect level under consideration. Moreover, results even demonstrate that dissimilarly acting chemicals can show significant joint effects, predictable by independent action, when combined in concentrations below individual NOEC values, statistically estimated to elicit insignificant individual effects of only 1%. The alternative hypothesis of concentration addition resulted in overestimation of mixture toxicity, but differences between observed and predicted effect concentrations did not exceed a factor of 3.2. This finding complies with previous studies, which indicated near concentration-additive action of mixtures of dissimilarly acting substances. Nevertheless, with the scientific objective to predict multi-component mixture toxicity with the highest possible accuracy, concentration addition obviously is no universal solution. Independent action proves to be superior where components are well known to interact specifically with different molecular target sites, and provided that reliable statistical estimates of low toxic effects of individual mixture constituents can be given. With a regulatory perspective, however, fulfilment of both conditions may be regarded as an extraordinary situation, and hence concentration addition may be defendable as a pragmatic and precautionary default assumption.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2003

Water quality objectives for mixtures of toxic chemicals: problems and perspectives.

The need to develop water quality objectives not only for single substances but also for mixtures of chemicals seems evident. For that purpose, the conceptual basis could be the use of the two existing biometric models: concentration addition (CA) and independent action (IA), which is also called response addition. Both may allow calculation of the toxicity of mixtures of chemicals with similar modes of action (CA) or dissimilar modes of action (IA), respectively. The joint research project Prediction and Assessment of the Aquatic Toxicity of Mixtures of Chemicals (PREDICT) within the framework of the IVth Environment and Climate Programme of the European Commission, provided the opportunity to address (a) chemometric and QSAR criteria to classify substances as supposedly similarly or dissimilarly acting; (b) the predictive values of both models for the toxicity of mixtures at low, statistically nonsignificant effect concentrations of the individual components; and (c) the predictability of mixture toxicity at higher levels of biological complexity. In this article, the general outline, methodological approach, and some preliminary findings of PREDICT are presented. A procedure for classifying chemicals in relation to their structural and toxicological similarities has been developed. The predictive capabilities of CA and IA models have been demonstrated for single species and, to some extent, for multispecies testing. The role of very low effect concentrations in multiple mixtures has been evaluated. Problems and perspectives concerning the development of water quality objectives for mixtures are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Predicting the joint algal toxicity of multi-component s-triazine mixtures at low-effect concentrations of individual toxicants.

Herbicidal s-triazines are widespread contaminants of surface waters. They are highly toxic to algae and other primary producers in aquatic systems. This results from their specific interference with photosynthetic electron transport. Risk assessment for aquatic biota has to consider situations of simultaneous exposure to various of these toxicants. In tests with freshwater algae we predicted and determined the toxicity of multiple mixtures of 18 different s-triazines. The toxicity parameter was the inhibition of reproduction of Scenedesmus vacuolatus. Concentration-response analyses were performed for single toxicants and for mixtures containing all 18 s-triazines in two different concentration ratios. Experiments were designed to allow a valid statistical description of the entire concentration-response relationships, including the low concentration range down to EC1. Observed effects and effect concentrations of mixtures were compared to predictions of mixture toxicity. Predictions were calculated from the concentration-response functions of individual s-triazines by applying the concepts of concentration addition and independent action (response addition) alternatively. Predictions based on independent action tend to underestimate the overall toxicity of s-triazine mixtures. In contrast, the concept of concentration addition provides highly accurate predictions of s-triazine mixture toxicity, irrespective of the effect level under consideration and the concentration ratio of the mixture components. This also holds true when the mixture components are present in concentrations below their individual NOEC values. Concentrations statistically estimated to elicit non-significant effects of only 1% still contribute to the overall toxicity. When present in a multi-component mixture they can co-operate to give a severe joint effect. Applicability of the findings obtained with s-triazines to mixtures of other contaminants in aquatic systems and consequences for risk assessment procedures are discussed.

Chlorophyta↗
PubMed2001

Rating systems for pesticide risk classification on different ecosystems.

A novel approach is proposed to quantitatively assess the environmental risks associated with the use of plant protection products. Different ranking indexes for the classification of pesticide risk in various environmental systems at different time and space scales have been developed: PRIHS-1 and PRIHS-2 (Pesticide Risk Index for Hypogean Soil Systems), PRIES-1 and PRIES-2 (Pesticide Risk Index for Epygean Soil Systems), and PRISW-1 and PRISW-2 (Pesticide Risk Index for Surface Water Systems). Such indexes identify the risk for each environmental system immediately after a pesticide spraying (PRIHS-1, PRIES-1, and PRISW-1) or in a wider time--space scale scenario (PRIHS-2, PRIES-2, and PRISW-2). Moreover, a general index (ERIP: Environmental Risk Index of Pesticides) was developed for quantifying the comprehensive risk for the environment. The indexes were calibrated by applying to a large number of pesticides for which data were available. The results of the different indexes are compared and the value and limitations of the approach are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

QSAR and chemometric approaches for setting water quality objectives for dangerous chemicals.

In order to evaluate environmentally safe levels of dangerous chemicals, there is the need for a set of toxicological data on organisms representative of the ecosystems, which is often unavailable or inadequate. In this article, a predictive approach was applied to a set of 125 chemicals (derived from the European priority list in compliance with Directive 76/464/EEC), for which water quality objectives were available. Toxicological data on organisms representative of the aquatic environment (algae, Daphnia, and fish) were taken from the literature or predicted by means of quantitative structure--activity relationships. This provided toxicological data on all three organisms for 97 of 125 chemicals and on at least two organisms (Daphnia and fish) for the whole data set. Principal Component Analysis was applied in order to perform an a priori classification of chemicals based on toxicity data. Then several classification models, based on traditional and nontraditional molecular descriptors, were applied. Classification models gave results in agreement with the a priori classification as well as with the original water quality objectives classification. The behavior of some outliers was explained. The approach described appears to be a useful tool for the preliminary classification of chemicals that are dangerous to the aquatic environment for which toxicological data are inadequate.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

QSAR approach for the selection of congeneric compounds with a similar toxicological mode of action.

The selection of compounds with a similar toxicological mode of action is a key problem in the study of chemical mixtures. In this paper, an approach for the selection of chemicals with similar mode of action, based on the analysis of structural similarities by means of QSAR and chemometric methods, is described. As a first step, a complete representation of chemical structures for examined chemicals (phenylureas and triazines) by different sets of molecular descriptors allows a preliminary exploration of similarity using multi-dimensional scaling (MDS). The use of genetic algorithm (GA) to select the most relevant molecular descriptors in modeling toxicity data makes it possible to develop predictive toxicity models. The final step is a similarity analysis, based again on MDS, using selected molecular descriptors, really relevant in describing the toxicological effect.

Humans↗
PubMed1997

3D-modelling and prediction by WHIM descriptors. Part 8. Toxicity and physico-chemical properties of environmental priority chemicals by 2D-TI and 3D-WHIM descriptors.

In environmental and ecotoxicological problems, the need for more general predictive models is one of the aims of the science. To reach this objective, the models, even if capable of producing more approximate values, must be applicable to the huge number of chemicals put on the market that are discharged in the environment, at least for setting priority lists among potentially hazardous substances. Theoretically, the problem is not insurmountable if one assumes that all properties of a chemical (physico-chemical, biological, toxicological) are related to its structural features. The challenge is to describe and represent, on a quantitative basis, all molecular structural features in order to use them as independent variables in a quantitative structure-activity model. In this paper, structural, topological, and 3D-WHIM descriptors are used for modelling toxicological and physico-chemical properties of compounds that are included in the European Union's so-called "List 1" of priority chemicals dangerous for the aquatic environment.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Prediction of the environmental fate of chemicals.

An overview is presented of the possibilities of applying multimedia compartmental evaluative models, and in particular the fugacity approach, to predict the environmental distribution and fate of organic chemicals. The use of this predictive approach for the evaluation of exposure to pollutants in the aquatic system is described, with reference to different environments or discharge patterns (surface and groundwaters, point and diffuse sources of pollution). The value and limitations of this approach are noted and the need for more research to improve predictive capability and practical usefulness is indicated. Finally some practical applications of evaluative models in the proposal of quantitative indices for ecotoxicological evaluation of risk from chemicals are described.

Environmental Pollutants↗