Although green algae of the genus Closterium are considered ideal models for testing toxicity in aquatic ecosystems, little data about the effects of toxicity on these algal species is currently available. Here, Closterium ehrenbergii was used to assess the acute toxicity of copper (Cu). The median effective concentration (EC50) of copper sulfate based on a dose response curve was 0.202 mg L, a...

In this work we show the effectiveness of 2D structural fingerprints in the prediction of aquatic toxicity of chemical compounds, creating a self-contained system for structure-based aquatic toxicity classification. Using the data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Fat Head Minnow (EPA-FHM) dataset [1] we build a nonlinear RBF SVM [2] classifier that distinguishes acutely toxic compo...

The myths and misconceptions about silver bioavailability and toxicity in aquatic environments do not outnumber the facts but perhaps persist and receive more recognition and credence because the fiction is more interesting. The myths range from those that encompass all "toxic heavy metals" to those that are specific for silver. Some of the myths are embodied in our current regulatory framework...

The antiviral activity of Callissia fragrans and Simnondsia chinensis aquatic and ethanol leaf extracts, as well as purified fractions from these extracts was studied against herpetic viruses in vitro. Ethanol extract of C. fragrans effectively inhibited the infection of Vero cells by HSV-1, HSV-2 in vitro, while its aquatic extract inhibited only VZV. Although S. chinensis leaf extract strongl...

(Micro)Plastics in the aquatic environment are an issue of emerging concern. However, to date, there is considerable lack of knowledge on the abundance and toxicity of plastic debris in aquatic ecosystems, especially with regard to the freshwater situation. In this editorial, we briefly discuss important aspects of the research on environmental (micro)plastics to stimulate research and call for...

The fast growing and abundant use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in commercial products alerts us to be cautious of their unknown health and environmental risks. Because of the inherent redox instability of silver, AgNPs are highly dynamic in the aquatic system, and the cycle of chemical oxidation of AgNPs to release Ag(+) and reconstitution to form AgNPs is expected to occur in aquatic enviro...

With the rapid development of nanotechnology and widespread use of nanoproducts, concerns have arisen regarding the ecotoxicity of these materials. In this paper, the photosynthetic toxicity and oxidative damage induced by nanoFe3O4 on a model organism, Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris) in aquatic environment, were studied. The results showed that nano-Fe3O4 was toxic to C. vulgaris and affected...

Increases in the use and application of pyrethroid insecticides have resulted in concern regarding potential effects on aquatic ecosystems. Methods for the detection of pyrethroids in receiving waters are required to monitor environmental levels of these insecticides. One method employed for the identification of causes of toxicity in aquatic samples is the toxicity identification evaluation (T...