Mechanistic toxicity of DEHP at environmentally relevant concentrations (ERCs) and ecological risk assessment in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, China

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 242; no. Pt B; pp. 1939 - 1949
• Main Authors: Junaid, Muhammad, Jia, Pan-Pan, Tang, Yu-Mei, Xiong, Wen-Xu, Huang, Hai-Yang, Strauss, Phyllis R., Li, Wei-Guo, Pei, De-Sheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2018
• Subjects: DEHP; Ecological risks; ERCs; In vitro/vivo assays; Toxicity assessment; Zebrafish; Zebrafish; In vitro/vivo assays; Toxicity assessment; ERCs; DEHP; Ecological risks
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.07.067

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) associated in vitro/vivo toxicity at current environmentally relevant concentration (ERC) with attendant ecological risks in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA) is still elusive. Responding to this challenge, a novel integrated study based on analytical and biological assays was designed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms for toxicity of DEHP and its ecological risks at ERC. In this study, GC-MS analysis showed that the highest environmental concentration of DEHP in the TGRA surface water was nearly double that of WHO and USEPA standards. Both distribution and ecological risk decreased from the upper to middle and lower reaches of the TGRA. In vitro toxicity was assessed by cell viability and DNA damage assays: DEHP exposure at ERCs (100–800 μg/L) caused significant reduction in cell viability and elevated DNA damage. Further, DEHP exposure above 400 μg/L resulted in enhanced migration behavior of cancer cells. For in vivo toxicity assessment, short term acute exposure (7 d, 400 μg/L) apparently activated the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway, and chronic low-level exposure (3 months, 10–33 μg/L) suppressed the hypothalamus pituitary thyroid (HPT) axis pathway in zebrafish. In addition, acute low-level exposure (5 d, 33–400 μg/L) to DEHP increased aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activity in Tg(cyp1a:gfp) zebrafish in a concentration-dependent manner. In short, DEHP at ERC has extended potential to induce diverse in vitro and in vivo toxicity at concentrations that also cause impairment of biochemical function in aquatic species of the TGRA. [Display omitted] •DEHP levels in the reservoir higher than those reported in European rivers.•DEHP can impair biological functions of aquatic species in the reservoir.•DEHP induced DNA damage & cancer cells' migration in vitro at environmental levels.•Acute DEHP exposure at environmental levels activated Pi3k and AhR pathways in vivo.•Chronic DEHP exposure at environmental levels suppressed HPT axis pathway in vivo. This study highlights DEHP mediated in vitro/vivo toxicity at environmentally relevant concentrations and associated ecological risks in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area.