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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1986

Ecotoxicological profile of xylenes. Working Party on Ecotoxicological Profiles of Chemicals.

The xylenes (o, m, p), which are produced in large amounts and widely used, must be considered as environmental contaminants, as they have been identified in the atmosphere of many countries. Their acute and chronic toxicity in mammals is moderate. Mutagenic and teratogenic properties can be excluded. Carcinogenic potential has been at present inadequately studied. In man some disturbances are evident at the concentration of 45 ppm. Hepatic metabolism is a valid process of detoxification and its high rate limits the risk of accumulation of the xylenes in adipose tissue. Ecotoxicological data refer almost exclusively to water. No long-term tests have been made. However, the high volatility, elevated elimination, and the low factor of accumulation suggest the impact on aquatic environment should be limited. Xylenes are easily biodegraded by many microorganisms. Photoxydation is one of the main degradation processes, responsible for the disappearance of the xylenes from the atmosphere.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Ecotoxicology and population genetics: the emergence of "phylogeographic and evolutionary ecotoxicology".

Genetics of ecotoxicology has recently emerged as a priority research field. The advent of polymerase chain reaction and molecular population genetics has made it possible to examine the genetics in even the smallest individuals. Although a potentially powerful technique, current approaches oversimplify the relationship of change in gene frequency to contaminant exposure. Many of these approaches cannot control for random correlation or accessory abiotic factors that impinge on the system tested. Indeed, the gestalt approaches of laboratory exposure or natural field experiments may ignore significant genome-level interactions that are important within a given system. At the very least, these approaches would benefit by a biogeographic survey of genetic variation to understand geographic microevolutionary patterns, or phylogeography, within a species to reduce spurious correlations and erroneous conclusions. Other single locus approaches can be chosen to enhance this approach if genetic/environmental interactions have been characterized for laboratory populations or for other model systems.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Ecotoxicological problems associated with contaminated sites.

Contamination sites pose significant environmental hazards for terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. They are important sources of pollution and may result in ecotoxicological effects. At severely contaminated sites acute effects occur, but the core problem lies in possible long-term chronic effects. Ecotoxicological effects occur at all levels of the biological organization, from the molecular to the ecosystem level. Not only certain organisms may be affected, but the ecosystems as a whole in its function and structure. Contaminants at large contaminated sites often share critical properties such as toxicity, high environmental persistence, often high mobility prone to contamination of groundwater, and high lipophilicity resulting in bioaccumulation in food webs. Contaminants present at polluted sites occur as mixtures; therefore, interactions between individual compounds may be of importance. The bioavailability is a key factor responsible for ecotoxicological effects of contaminants: only the bioavailable fraction induces ecotoxicological effects, as shown for organotin compounds. Organotins belong to the most toxic pollutants known so far for aquatic life. Widespread contamination of harbor sediments occurs globally due to the ongoing use of organotins in antifouling paints on large ships. In lake sediments, tributyl- and triphenyltin are very persistent and bioavailable to biota even after a long time. The bioavailability of organotins is dependent on the pH and the content of organic matter. Organotins accumulate in sediments, but remobilization occurs during disturbance and dredging. A key question in dealing with contaminated sites is whether, and to what extent ecotoxicity occurs. Usually, established OECD tests and whole effluent toxicity tests are performed for an ecotoxicological evaluation and for risk assessment. However, these assays are often expensive, laborious and sometimes not sensitive enough. As a consequence, we have used rapid and inexpensive in vitro systems such as fish cell lines for the evaluation of sediments and landfill leachates, which were contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The determination of cytotoxicity as a measure for acute toxicity, and the induction of cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A) as a biomarker of exposure and effects were found to be important measures, which can be used for hazard and risk assessment. We have developed a concept for the ecotoxicological evaluation of PAH contamination based on induction equivalents, which can be applied for aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. One of the key question and present gaps, however, includes the long-term chronic ecotoxicological effects of single compounds and mixtures on soil and aquatic biota at contaminated sites. This should be addressed in the future.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Ecotoxicological effects at contaminated sites.

Contamination sites pose significant environmental hazards for terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. They are important sources of pollution and may result in ecotoxicological effects on terrestrial, groundwater and aquatic ecosystems. At severely contaminated sites, acute effects occur, but the core problem lies in long-term chronic effects. Ecotoxicological effects occur at all levels of biological organization, from the molecular to the ecosystem level. Not only certain organisms may be affected, but the ecosystems as a whole, both terrestrial and aquatic, in its function and structure. Contaminants at large contaminated sites often share critical properties such as high acute and/or chronic toxicity, high environmental persistence, often high mobility leading to contamination of groundwater, and high lipophilicity leading to bioaccumulation in food webs. Contaminants present at polluted sites occur as mixtures, therefore interactions between individual compounds are of importance. The bioavailability is a key factor for ecotoxicological effects of contaminants. This is demonstrated by a case study on organotins. Organotins belong to the most toxic pollutants known so far for aquatic life. Widespread contamination of harbor sediments occurs globally due to the ongoing use of organotins in antifouling paints in large ships. In lake sediments, tributyl- and triphenyltin are very persistent and bioavailable to biota even after a long time. Bioavailability of these compounds is dependent on pH and organic matter. Organotins are accumulated in sediments, but remobilization occurs when contaminated sediments are disturbed and dredged. A key question in dealing with contaminated sites is the assessment and evaluation of the toxicity of contaminants to the environment. Usually, established OECD tests and whole effluent toxicity tests are performed for an ecotoxicological evaluation and for hazard assessment. However, these assays are often expensive, laborious and sometimes not sensitive enough. As a consequence, we have used fast and reliable in vitro systems such as fish cell lines for the evaluation of sediments and landfill leachates contaminated by polychlorinated hydrocarbons (PAH). Determination of cytotoxicity as a measure for acute toxicity, and induction of cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A) as a biomarker of exposure and toxicity were found to be important measures, which can be used for hazard and risk assessment. We have developed a concept for the ecotoxicological evaluation of PAH contamination based on induction equivalents, which can be applied for aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. One of the key question and present gaps, however, includes the long-term chronic ecotoxicological effects on soil and aquatic biota, which are largely unknown.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Mesocosms in ecotoxicology (1): Outdoor aquatic systems.

Mesocosms have been used in aquatic ecotoxicology for approximately 20 years and were sometimes claimed to be essential tools, especially for regulatory purposes. The term aquatic mesocosm currently describes indoor and outdoor artificial streams or experimental ponds and enclosures. The use of mesocosms refines the classical methods of ecotoxicological risk assessment because mesocosms provide conditions for a better understanding of environmentally relevant effects of chemicals. They make it possible to assess effects of contaminants by looking at the parts (individuals, populations, communities) and the whole (ecosystems) simultaneously. Ecotoxicological investigations in mesocosms will not entirely replace the use of laboratory animals. However, they allow tests to be performed on species that are not of major societal concern, but which play key roles in the structure and function of ecosystems. In this respect, mesocosms allow nondestructive measurements of integrated endpoints. They also appear as potent tools to predict changes at the highest levels of organization (population, community, and ecosystem) from measurements of individual endpoints. However, after a period of extensive use, regulatory studies using large-scale mesocosms were more or less abandoned at the beginning of the 1990s, mainly because their cost-effectiveness was questionable. This review covers key features of outdoor aquatic mesocosms that can be critical for their use in environmental risk assessment of chemicals and emphasizes the optimization of their use for such purpose. The originality of mesocosms is mainly based on the combination of ecological realism, achieved by introduction of the basic components of natural ecosystems, and facilitated access to a number of physicochemical, biological, and toxicological parameters that can be controlled to some extent. This characteristic determines various features of the systems such as the minimal size required, initial physicochemical and biological composition, or choice of model species for ecotoxicological investigations. Ecological maturity of mesocosms affects the degree of variability of both physicochemical and biological parameters used to investigate the impact of contaminants. Adequate time is required to establish a number of interacting functional groups. The choice of appropriate time scales must be considered in the selection of both study duration and sampling frequency. Whatever the system used, duration of experiments should be sufficient to identify both direct and indirect effects on populations and communities. The choice of the experimental design should be based on the objectives of the study rather than on theoretical considerations. In addition to classical parametric statistical methods, nonparametric approaches and multivariate analysis may significantly improve data processing. Realism, representativity, and replicability of mesocosms are critical for evaluating their usefulness in both risk and impact assessment procedures. Each natural ecosystem is unique because its structure and function mainly depend on local factors. Therefore, there is a conceptual opposition between realism and replicability when applied to mesocosms. Considering the objectives of most mesocosm studies, replicability should be preferred to realism. Replicability may be achieved, in part, by a relative simplification of the systems. Reconstituted systems do not need to exactly simulate natural conditions at all levels, but key features at both structural and functional levels should be preserved as they ensure ecological representativity. Reliability of information on ecotoxicological effects of chemicals tested in aquatic mesocosms closely depends on the representativity of biological processes or structures that are likely to be affected. Extrapolation from small experimental systems to the real world seems generally more problematic than the use of larger systems in which more complex interacti

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Modes of action in ecotoxicology: their role in body burdens, species sensitivity, QSARs, and mixture effects.

In contrast to the general research attitude in the basic sciences, environmental sciences are often goal-driven and should provide the scientific basis for risk assessment procedures, cleanup, and precautionary measures and finally provide a decision support for policy and management. Hence, the prominent role of mechanistic studies in ecotoxicology is not only to understand the impact of pollutants on living organisms but also to deduce general principles for the categorization and assessment of effects. The goal of this review is, therefore, not to provide an exhaustive coverage of modes of toxic action and their underlying biochemical mechanisms but rather to discuss critically the application of this knowledge in ecotoxicological risk assessment. Knowing the mechanism or, at least the mode of toxic action is indispensable for developing descriptive and predictive models in ecotoxicology. This review seeks to show the crucial role of target sites, interactions with the target site(s), and mechanisms for an adequate and efficient ecotoxicological risk assessment. Emphasis in the discussion is on target effect concentrations (or target occupancy), species selectivity and species sensitivity, time perspective of effect studies, Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships (QSAR), and mixture toxicity. A particular focus of this review is on multiple mechanisms. Although the illustrative examples were mainly taken from studies in aquatic ecotoxicology, the proposed conceptual approach is also in principle applicable and even particularly useful for soil and sediment systems. Recommendations for further research and developments include the use of internal effect concentrations and target site concentrations in site-specific risk assessment and as a mixture toxicity parameter as well as general considerations for the derivation of mechanistically meaningful QSAR and other predictive models.

Body Burden↗
PubMed2002

Assessment of the influence of use on ecotoxicological characteristics of synthetic ester lubricants.

Synthetic ester lubricants need optimisation about their technical and their ecotoxicological characteristics. To determine the ecotoxicological potential the required examinations can be based on the procedure for a risk assessment of chemicals. At present risk classification of lubricant oils is carried out with new oil fluids that are normally prepared before application in aqueous bioassays. In order to improve the ecotoxicological characteristics of some lubricant oils, the quality of the preparation method has been optimised. The resulting preparation protocol leads to aqueous extracts of the oil fluids that can be tested using biological assays. The extent of the changes of the chemical composition caused by the use as well as the ecotoxicological effects caused by additives have to be taken into consideration. For this reason various used lubricants are tested in addition to new oil fluids. In this work various lubricant samples were examined with standardised bacterial growth assays with Vibrio fischeri and Pseudomonas putida, luminescence inhibition assay with V. fischeri, survival assay with Daphnia magna and algal growth inhibition assay with Scenedesmus subspicatus. The chemical characterisation of the aqueous extracts included the determination of pH, conductivity, heavy metals, the content of dissolved organic carbon, inorganic anions and the content of phosphorus. The results emphasize the thesis that environmentally acceptable lubricants can undergo a change of their ecotoxicological potential during the use. Some of the substances that are normally added to base fluids in order to enhance the applicability of the oils may possess a high toxicological potential.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Ecotoxicological assessment of sediment, suspended matter and water samples in the upper Danube River. A pilot study in search for the causes for the decline of fish catches.

GOALS, SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: Fish populations, especially those of the grayling (Thymallus thymallus), have declined over the last two decades in the upper Danube River between Sigmaringen and Ulm, despite intensive and continuous stocking and improvement of water quality since the 1970s. Similar problems have been reported for other rivers, e.g. in Switzerland, Great Britain, the United States and Canada. In order to assess if ecotoxicological effects might be related to the decline in fish catch at the upper Danube River, sediment, suspended matter and waste water samples from sewage treatment plants were collected at selected locations and analyzed in a bioanalytical approach using a battery of bioassays. The results of this pilot study will be used to decide if a comprehensive weight-of-evidence study is needed. METHODS: Freeze-dried sediments and suspended particulate matters were extracted with acetone in a Soxhlet apparatus. Organic pollutants from sewage water were concentrated using XAD-resins. In order to investigate the ecotoxicological burden, the following bioassays were used: (1) neutral red assay with RTL-W1 cells (cytotoxicity), (2) comet assay with RTL-W1 cells (genotoxicity), (3) Arthrobacter globiformis dehydrogenase assay (toxicity to bacteria), (4) yeast estrogen screen assay (endocrine disruption), (5) fish egg assay with the zebrafish (Danio rerio; embryo toxicity) and (6) Ames test with TA98 (mutagenicity). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The results of the in vitro tests elucidated a considerable genotoxic, cytotoxic, mutagenic, bacteriotoxic, embryotoxic and estrogenic burden in the upper Danube River, although with a very inhomogeneous distribution of effects. The samples taken from Riedlingen, for example, induced low embryo toxicity, but the second highest 17beta-estradiol equivalent concentration (1.8 ng/L). Using the fish egg assay with native sediments, a broad range of embryotoxic effects could be elucidated, with clear-cut dose-response relationships for the embryotoxic effects of contaminated sediments. With native sediments, embryotoxicity was clearly higher than with corresponding pore waters, thus corroborating the view that--at least for fish eggs--the bioavailability of particle-bound lipophilic substances in native sediments is higher than generally assumed. The effect observed most frequently in the fish egg assay was a developmental delay. A comparison of our own results with locations along the rivers Rhine and Neckar demonstrated similar or even higher ranges of ecotoxicological burdens in the Danube River. CONCLUSIONS: The complex pattern of ecotoxicological effects caused by environmental samples from the Danube River, when assessed in an in vitro biotest battery using both acute and more specific endpoints, showed that integration of different endpoints is essential for appropriate hazard assessment. Overall, the ecotoxicological hazard potential shown has indeed to be considered as one potential reason for the decline in fish catches at the upper Danube River. However, based on the results of this pilot study, it is not possible to elucidate that chemically induced alterations are responsible for the fish decline. RECOMMENDATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: In order to confirm the ecological relevance of the in vitro results for the situation in the field and especially for the decline of the grayling and other fishes, further integrated investigations are required. For linking the weight of evidence obtained by in vitro assays and fish population investigations, the application of additional, more specific biomarkers (e.g. vitellogenin induction, EROD and micronucleus assay) has been initiated in fish taken from the field as well as in situ investigations.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Ecotoxicology and sustainable use of the planet.

The goal of sustainable use is indefinite use of the planet by humankind. This objective, in turn, requires that the planet's ecological life support system, consisting of natural capital and ecosystem services, remains healthy for an indefinite period. Achieving sustainability will require a new view of the responsibilities of professionals, such as ecotoxicologists, to ensure a healthy ecological life support system. Because both human society and natural systems are complex and multivariate, a high degree of uncertainty will remain. Therefore, sound judgment will be needed in determining what, if any, precautionary measures should be taken until more robust information has been gathered. The role of ecotoxicologists in the quest for sustainable use of the planet is quite varied: 1) shifting goals and endpoints from an absence of harm to persuasive evidence of health; 2) increasing both temporal and spatial scales of ecotoxicological studies; 3) achieving a critical mass of qualified personnel; 4) including demographic change in ecotoxicological analysis and judgment; 5) developing new ecological thresholds; 6) being prepared for environmental surprises; 7) focusing on design for a quality environment; 8) developing ecosystem services as endpoints in ecotoxicological studies, and 9) being prepared for climate change and other events that might destabilize the biosphere and require major adjustments in the process of ecotoxicological testing. Both sustainable use of the planet and the field of ecotoxicology are rapidly developing fields that are mostly evolving in isolation from each other. To be successful, they must co-evolve.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Ecotoxicogenomics: the challenge of integrating genomics into aquatic and terrestrial ecotoxicology.

Rapid progress in the field of genomics (the study of how an individual's entire genetic make-up, the genome, translates into biological functions) is beginning to provide tools that may assist our understanding of how chemicals can impact on human and ecosystem health. In many ways, if scientific and regulatory efforts in the 20th century have sought to establish which chemicals cause damage to ecosystems, then the challenge in ecotoxicology for the 21st century is to understand the mechanisms of toxicity to different wildlife species. In the human context, 'toxicogenomics' is the study of expression of genes important in adaptive responses to toxic exposures and a reflection of the toxic processes per se. Given the parallel implications for ecological (environmental) risk assessment, we propose the term 'ecotoxicogenomics' to describe the integration of genomics (transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics) into ecotoxicology. Ecotoxicogenomics is defined as the study of gene and protein expression in non-target organisms that is important in responses to environmental toxicant exposures. The potential of ecotoxicogenomic tools in ecological risk assessment seems great. Many of the standardized methods used to assess potential impact of chemicals on aquatic organisms rely on measuring whole-organism responses (e.g. mortality, growth, reproduction) of generally sensitive indicator species at maintained concentrations, and deriving 'endpoints' based on these phenomena (e.g. median lethal concentrations, no observed effect concentrations, etc.). Whilst such phenomenological approaches are useful for identifying chemicals of potential concern they provide little understanding of the mechanism of chemical toxicity. Without this understanding, it will be difficult to address some of the key challenges that currently face aquatic ecotoxicology, e.g. predicting toxicant responses across the very broad diversity of the phylogenetic groups present in aquatic ecosystems; estimating how changes at one ecological level or organisation will affect other levels (e.g. predicting population-level effects); predicting the influence of time-varying exposure on toxicant responses. Ecotoxicogenomic tools may provide us with a better mechanistic understanding of aquatic ecotoxicology. For ecotoxicogenomics to fulfil its potential, collaborative efforts are necessary through the parallel use of model microorganisms (e.g. Saccharomyces cerevisiae) together with aquatic (e.g. Danio rerio, Daphnia magna, Lemna minor and Xenopus tropicalis) and terrestrial (e.g. Arabidopsis thailiana, Caenorhabdites elegans and Eisenia foetida) plants, animals and microorganisms.

Ecology↗
PubMed2004

The use of RAPD in ecotoxicology.

Toxic compounds may interfere with the genetic constitution of populations, either directly through mutagenic activity, or indirectly via population-mediated processes (i.e. selection, bottleneck). These processes are initiated when toxic compounds reduce the survival and/or fecundity of exposed organisms, either through the accumulation of unfavorable mutations or when they adversely affect the physiology of an organism and/or the environment in which it has to survive. In this review, we describe how the RAPD technique can be applied in an ecotoxicological context, providing information on all direct and indirect routes through which toxicants may affect the genetic structure of populations. Based on RAPD band intensity, gain/loss and band numbers, three major types of RAPD fingerprint analyses are discussed, yielding diagnostic, phenetic and genetic information. Ecotoxicological literature examples demonstrate that, under strictly standardized conditions, the RAPD technique can be a useful tool to preliminary assess toxicological population genetic effects, particularly since this technique is relatively inexpensive and yields information on a large number of loci without having to obtain sequence data for primer design. However, currently only a small fraction of its potential is used in ecotoxicology. Statistical tools and parameters, as used in other RAPD studies, should be applied in ecotoxicological research as well in order to fully exploit the potential of this technique. Finally, due to their random nature, RAPD data often must be considered as preliminary until they are further documented by cloning, sequencing and probing techniques.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Integrating toxicology and ecology: putting the "eco" into ecotoxicology.

Environmental toxicology has been and continues to be an important discipline (e.g., single-species testing for screening purposes). However, ecological toxicology (ecotoxicology--more realism in tests, test species and exposures) is required for predicting real world effects and for site-specific assessments. Ecotoxicology and ecology have shown similar developmental patterns over time; closer cooperation between ecologists and toxicologists would benefit both disciplines. Ecology can be incorporated into toxicology either extrinsically (separately, e.g., providing information on pre-selected test species) or intrinsically (e.g., as part of test species selection)--the latter is preferable. General guidelines for acute and chronic testing and criteria for species selection differ for ecotoxicology and environmental toxicology, and are outlined. An overall framework is proposed based on ecological risk assessment (ERA), for combining ecology and toxicology (environmental and ecological) for decision-making. Increased emphasis on ecotoxicology represents a shift from reductionist to holistic approaches.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Linking ecological and ecotoxicological techniques to support river rehabilitation.

Human activities in river catchments interfere with natural fluxes of water and materials. Diffuse inputs and point-sources of toxicants have modified the ecological state of riverine communities considerably, and sanitation schemes are now under development for various rivers. To improve analysis, monitoring and prospecting the role of toxicants in river ecosystems a review of the available methods is undertaken. Ecotoxicological techniques are discussed in relation to basic ecological principles that are thought to regulate the functioning of communities. The response to toxicants among species is highly diverse and therefore the choice of test species (e.g. of typical riverine insects as caddisflies or mayflies) is critical, as it is the use of test-batteries. Long-term exposure may lead to developmental disturbances that may be assessed through morphometric techniques like analysis of asymmetry. Multi-generation exposure, although rarely studied, provides a useful insight into the genetic consequences of pollution. Selection for tolerant species or varieties has been experimentally assessed for smaller organisms such as insects, micro-algae, and bacteria. There is also perspective for multivariate analysis of species distribution in relation to pollutant exposure. Furthermore, a system approach to benthic ecology and sediment testing is needed. Such an approach reflects the strong linkage of ecological and ecotoxicological processes. Toxicants are transformed by biological activity; in some cases this alleviates toxicant stress, but in other cases degradation products are toxic as well. The risk of transformation to mutagenic products in the environment is indicated. The re-assessment of some of the classical ecotoxicological techniques is needed to adequately fulfil the needs of ecological recovery programs. To this purpose integration of ecotoxicological and ecological tools is needed.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

DNA microarrays and toxicogenomics: applications for ecotoxicology?

Toxicogenomics attempts to define how the regulation and expression of genes mediate the toxicological effects associated with exposure to a chemical. DNA microarrays are rapidly becoming one of the tools of choice for large-scale toxicogenomic studies. An approach in modern toxicogenomics has been to classify toxicity based on gene transcriptional patterns; comparing the transcriptional responses of a chemical with unknown toxicity to those for which the transcriptional profiles and toxicological endpoints have been well characterized. Recent evidence suggests that gene expression microarrays may be instrumental in defining mechanisms of action of toxicants. However, several assumptions are inherent to a toxicogenomic-based approach in toxicology, many of which remain to be validated. Gene expression profiling using DNA microarrays represents a snapshot of the gene transcriptional responses occurring at a particular time and within a particular tissue. Toxicity, on the other hand, represents a continuum of possible effects governed by both temporal and spatial factors that are inextricably contingent upon the exposure conditions. The perceived toxicological properties of any chemical are dependent on the route, dose, and duration of the exposure, and as such, gene expression patterns are also subject to these variables. Correct interpretation of DNA microarray data for the assessment of the toxicological properties of chemicals will require that temporal and spatial gene expression profiles be accounted for. These considerations are further compounded in ecotoxicological studies, during which altered gene expression patterns induced from exposure to an anthropogenic substance must be discernible over and above the complex effects that phenotypic, genotypic, and environmental variables have on gene expression. To this end, the greatest utility of DNA microarrays in the field of ecotoxicology may be in predicting the toxicological modes of action of anthropogenic substances on host physiology, particularly in non-model organisms. Predictable and accurate assessment of the impacts of a chemical substance in ecotoxicology will require that classical toxicological endpoints be used to validate any effects predicted based on gene expression profiling. Validated expression profiling may subsequently find utility in ecotoxicological-based computer simulation models, such as the Biotic Ligand Model (BLM), in which gene expression information may be integrated with geochemical, pharmacokinetic, and physiological data to accurately assess and predict toxicity of metals to aquatic organisms.

Journal Article↗