Mixtures of organic micropollutants exacerbated in vitro neurotoxicity of prymnesins and contributed to aquatic toxicity during a toxic algal bloom
Abstract Prymnesins produced by an algal bloom of Prymnesium parvum led to the death of several hundred tons of freshwater fish in the Oder River in summer 2022. We investigated effects on aquatic life and human cell lines from exposure to extracts of contaminated water collected during the fish kill. We detected B-type prymnesins and >120 organic micropollutants. The micropollutants occurred at concentrations that would cause the predicted mixture risk quotient for aquatic life to exceed the acceptable threshold. Extracts of water and filters (biomass and particulates) induced moderate effects in vivo in algae, daphnids and zebrafish embryos but caused high effects in a human neuronal cell line indicating the presence of neurotoxicants. Mixture toxicity modelling demonstrated that the in vitro neurotoxic effects were mainly caused by the detected B-type prymnesins with minor contributions by organic micropollutants. Complex interactions between natural and anthropogenic toxicants may underestimate threats to aquatic ecosystems.
Authors
- Jörg Ahlheim
- Nadin Ulrich (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1267-0429)
- Markus Weitere (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5259-2293)
- Alexander Böhme (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1874-051X)
- Karsten Rinke (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0864-6722)
- Annika Jahnke (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7815-151X)
- Stephanie Spahr (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3004-3162)
- Beate Isabella Escher (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5304-706X)
- Elisabeth Varga (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6046-3259)
- Dietrich Borchardt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6074-2829)
- Tobias Schulze (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9744-8914)
- Georg Braun (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2513-9039)
- Stefan Scholz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6990-4716)
- Luisa Orsini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1716-5624)
- Martin Krauß (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0362-4244)
- S. H. Lips (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2291-6584)
- Maria König (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0862-7580)
- Werner Brack (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9269-6524)
- Mechthild Schmitt‐Jansen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4541-6515)
- Janek Paul Dann
- Nils Klüver (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8045-9473)
- John K. Colbourne (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6966-2972)
- Xiaojing Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2796-5342)
- Jungeun Lee (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8336-2952)
- Joern Gessner
Institutions
- University of Vienna (AT)
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (DE)
- University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (AT)
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (DE)
- University of Birmingham (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Water
- Published
- 2024-09-06
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-024-00297-4
- Citations
- 20
- Primary Topic
- Aquatic Ecosystems and Phytoplankton Dynamics
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 5.01
Funders
- Sight Research UK
- European Commission
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche
- Austrian Science Fund
- Universität Wien
- GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel
- Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung
- Österreichische Forschungsförderungsgesellschaft
- Horizon 2020 Framework Programme
- Natural Environment Research Council