Using zebrafish embryo bioassays combined with high-resolution mass spectrometry screening to assess ecotoxicological water bodies quality status: A case study in Panama rivers

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 272; p. 129823
• Main Authors: Wilson, Estibali Wilkie, Castro, Verónica, Chaves, Raquel, Espinosa, Miguel, Rodil, Rosario, Quintana, José Benito, Vieira, Maria Natividade, Santos, Miguel M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2021; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Biological Assay; Danio rerio; Emerging contaminants; Environmental Monitoring; Mass Spectrometry; Panama; Quadrupole-time-of flight mass spectrometry (QTOF); Risk assessment; Rivers; Screening; Toxicity testing; Water; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Zebrafish; Panama; Screening; Quadrupole-time-of flight mass spectrometry (QTOF); Risk assessment; Emerging contaminants; Toxicity testing; Danio rerio
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.129823

Several studies show that many water bodies in developing countries are increasingly affected by anthropogenic pressure, such as agricultural activities, domestic and industrial wastewater. However, data is scarce in several of such countries, including Panama. Thus, in this work, the ecotoxicological status of selected rivers in Panama with distinct input sources were evaluated using the zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo bioassays combined with a liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry screening of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), using a library of over 3200 chemicals. A total of 68 CECs, including pharmaceuticals and metabolites, pesticides and several industrial chemicals, could be tentatively identified. Additionally, the zebrafish embryo bioassays showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in embryo mortality/abnormalities when incubated with water samples from two rivers, Matasnillo and Curundú (47.5% and 32%, respectively). Importantly, a positive correlation between ecotoxicological endpoints and some of the detected CECs was observed. The findings demonstrate that both rivers are under strong anthropogenic pressure, and therefore, management actions are urgently needed to decrease their level of contamination. Overall, this study further supports the use of the zebrafish embryo bioassay as a fast, high throughput approach for screening the toxicity of water samples, and highlights the advantages of combining ecotoxicological assays with high-resolution mass spectrometry to an expedite assessment of the ecotoxicological status of water bodies. [Display omitted] •68 CECs were detected in the rivers of Panama considered.•A good correlation between anthropic sources and ecotoxicological and chemical data was observed.•Zebrafish embryo bioassays combined with LC-HRMS provide high-throughput snapshot of ecotoxicological status.