Persistent organic pollutants (POP) are a heterogeneous group of chemicals widely distributed in ... more Persistent organic pollutants (POP) are a heterogeneous group of chemicals widely distributed in the aquatic environment. Some classes cause adverse effects in the biota at minute concentrations, persist in the environment for a long time, and bioaccumulate in animal tissues. Several strategies exist today to monitor their levels and evaluate their effects in the environment. Particularly, some interesting approaches have recently been developed in the field of biomarkers, although much work seems to be required to study the relationships between toxic responses at different levels of the biological organization of interest and concentration levels in tissues.
In this review a discussion on some factors influencing the exposure matrices which, in turn, inf... more In this review a discussion on some factors influencing the exposure matrices which, in turn, influences the reliability of ecotoxicological bioassays on aquatic sediments, has been carried out. These factors include the variability induced on sediments by the sampling, storage, handling, and preparative operations. The exposure matrices-sediments in toto, interstitial water and elutriate, can be deeply modified by these actions, which alter the chemicals bioavailability and, therefore, the bioassay meaning. In order to obtain reproducible and scientifically valid data, to be used in the ecological risk assessment, all these factors need to be considered and kept under control.
European eel and chub samples were analyzed to determine the levels of non-dioxin-like polychloro... more European eel and chub samples were analyzed to determine the levels of non-dioxin-like polychlorobiphenyls (NDL-PCBs), polychlorodibenzodioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorodibenzofurans (PCDFs), dioxin-like PCBs (DL-PCBs), and brominated polybromodiphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in order to evaluate the extent of contamination of the river Tiber along the urban tract through the city of Rome (Italy). All samples presented detectable levels of the chemicals analyzed, and exhibited species-specific differences in terms of congener composition and total concentrations. On average the European eel presented the highest values. In this species the dioxin-like compound sums (WHO-TEQs) exceeded the pertinent maximum levels (MLs). Non-ortho PCBs constituted approximately 80% of WHO-TEQ toxicological potential whereas NDL-PCB and PBDE concentrations appeared to match values determined in other polluted aquatic ecosystems where non-point contamination sources were present. The contamination patterns determined in fish tissues seemed to reflect the impact of generic contamination source(s).
Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, Aug 1, 2019
PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances) are considered non-genotoxic. However, PFAS exposure has been as... more PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances) are considered non-genotoxic. However, PFAS exposure has been associated with the induction of oxidative stress in vitro and in vivo, and the possible induction of indirect genotoxic effects under sustained PFAS exposure has not been investigated. In order to shed light on this aspect, in this study a comprehensive assessment of genotoxicity was carried out in mice administered with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, 0.1, 1 and 5 mg/kg body weight) and its C4 analogue perfluorobutyric acid (PFBA, 5 mg/kg body weight) for five weeks through drinking water. Markers of cell toxicity, oxidative stress and DNA strand breaks were measured in liver, the main target of toxicity of PFOA in rodents; systemic genotoxicity was also assessed by the analysis of micronuclei in reticulocytes and spleen lymphocytes, and germ cell effects by the Comet assay on testis cells. PFOA administration at the highest dose (5 mg/kg body weight) induced marked liver hypertrophy with signs of cell injury (elevated ALT and AST), with no concurrent evidence of lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress (decreased antioxidant capacity). Only mild liver hypertrophy, with no other signs of toxicity, was determined by PFBA administration. No evidence of treatment related genotoxicity was observed in any experimental group. Overall, data indicate that under the experimental conditions of this study, severe liver toxicity induced by PFOA administration is not associated with oxidative stress. Accordingly, no genotoxic effect is observed in liver and in the other tissues examined. Milder evidence of liver toxicity, with no genotoxicity, and a lower tendency to bioaccumulation were observed in PFBA treated mice.
International Journal of Analytical Chemistry, Oct 16, 2020
Per-and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants, prese... more Per-and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants, present in the environment and in the human body. ey have raised global concern because of their diffusion in the environment, particularly in water, causing cases of human overexposure due to consumption of contaminated drinking water. Human biomonitoring is the most effective way to characterize human exposure to PFASs, and it is important that as many labs as possible could easily perform this kind of analysis. Analytical methods for quantitation of PFAS mixtures in human serum have been developed, but most of them required materials that are not always easily available in all the laboratories. is paper describes a very simple and accessible HPLC MS/MS method of analysis and quantification of 13 perfluorocarboxylic acids and perfluorosulfonate compounds (belonging to the class of per-and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs)) in human serum. Method development data provide detailed descriptions of the optimization process in terms of sample preparation, laboratory analysis of human serum samples, determination of analytes by HPLC MS/MS, and describing the pump gradient time, working conditions, and acquisition.
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perflurooctanoic acid (PFOA) are two important classes of co... more Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perflurooctanoic acid (PFOA) are two important classes of compounds of perfluoroalkylated substances, which are environmentally persistent and can be bioac-cumulated in humans. The European Food Safety Authority's Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) evaluated these compounds regarding the importance of food and non-food sources to the human exposure and established health based guidance val-ues. The indicative estimate of dietary exposure to PFOS is 60 and 200 ng/kg bodyweight (b.w.) per day, for average and high consumers in Europe, respectively. For PFOA the indicative esti-mate of dietary exposure is 2 and 6 ng/kg b.w. per day for average and high consumers, respectively. Fish seems to be the major source of human exposure to PFOS and PFOA. Non-food sources can contribute <2% and up to 50% for PFOS and PFOA, respectively. For PFOS a no-observed-adverse-effect-level of 0.03 mg/kg b.w. per day was derived from a subchronic mo...
The levels of selected polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs... more The levels of selected polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in human milk samples from the areas of Venice and Rome, primarily in order to characterize the current levels of infant exposure to PCBs and PBDEs due to breast feeding in Italy. Sixteen non-dioxin-like PCBs, including the traditional indicator congeners, and 11 PBDEs, comprising the relevant PBDE-47, PBDE-99, and PBDE-153, were determined. Congeners were selected for analysis according to their relative abundance in human tissues, toxicological relevance, and diffusion in the environment. Dietary habits of the milk donors were recorded by questionnaires; mothers of the Venice area were classified into three groups according to their consumption of local fish, molluscs, and other fishery products. Sigma(16)(PCBs) and Sigma(11)(PBDEs) (ng g(-1) fat) for the areas of Venice and Rome were respectively, 250-390 and 240, and 1.6-2.8 and 4.1. An increase of fish and fishery product consumption could not be associated with an increase of PCB and PBDE levels in milk.
In September 2013 a waste-to-energy (WTE) incinerator located in the Turin area (Piedmont, Northe... more In September 2013 a waste-to-energy (WTE) incinerator located in the Turin area (Piedmont, Northern Italy) started to produce energy by the incineration of municipal solid wastes. The plant, one of the largest WTE incinerator in Europe, burns up to 490,000 tons of waste per year. A health surveillance program was implemented in order to evaluate the potential health effects on the population living near the plant. This program included a biomonitoring study aimed at assessing levels of several environmental contaminants including, among others, PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs. Before the WTE incinerator start-up (T0), a group of 85 subjects (41 "exposed" and 44 "not exposed" subjects) was randomly selected for enrollment by the local health units among individuals aged 36-50 years who had been living in the same area for at least five years prior to the study. Subjects were balanced by exposure area, sex and five-year age classes. As from the study design, the same cohort was re-evaluated after three years of incinerator activity (T2). A parallel study was conducted on a group of 12 farmers living and/or working in farms located in an area in the range of 5 km around the incinerator. Results of this study did not evidence any impact of the WTE plant on human exposure to PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs. In fact, no significant differences were found in the concentrations of PCDDs + PCDFs, DL-PCBs, and NDL-PCBs measured in the population group residing near the plant after three years of activity (T2) with respect to the control group. A significant decrease of serum concentrations of all the analytes was observed at T2 in both groups compared to T0. Serum concentrations of PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs in the group of farmers were higher than those observed in the adult population under study.
Persistent organic pollutants (POP) are a heterogeneous group of chemicals widely distributed in ... more Persistent organic pollutants (POP) are a heterogeneous group of chemicals widely distributed in the aquatic environment. Some classes cause adverse effects in the biota at minute concentrations, persist in the environment for a long time, and bioaccumulate in animal tissues. Several strategies exist today to monitor their levels and evaluate their effects in the environment. Particularly, some interesting approaches have recently been developed in the field of biomarkers, although much work seems to be required to study the relationships between toxic responses at different levels of the biological organization of interest and concentration levels in tissues.
In this review a discussion on some factors influencing the exposure matrices which, in turn, inf... more In this review a discussion on some factors influencing the exposure matrices which, in turn, influences the reliability of ecotoxicological bioassays on aquatic sediments, has been carried out. These factors include the variability induced on sediments by the sampling, storage, handling, and preparative operations. The exposure matrices-sediments in toto, interstitial water and elutriate, can be deeply modified by these actions, which alter the chemicals bioavailability and, therefore, the bioassay meaning. In order to obtain reproducible and scientifically valid data, to be used in the ecological risk assessment, all these factors need to be considered and kept under control.
European eel and chub samples were analyzed to determine the levels of non-dioxin-like polychloro... more European eel and chub samples were analyzed to determine the levels of non-dioxin-like polychlorobiphenyls (NDL-PCBs), polychlorodibenzodioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorodibenzofurans (PCDFs), dioxin-like PCBs (DL-PCBs), and brominated polybromodiphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in order to evaluate the extent of contamination of the river Tiber along the urban tract through the city of Rome (Italy). All samples presented detectable levels of the chemicals analyzed, and exhibited species-specific differences in terms of congener composition and total concentrations. On average the European eel presented the highest values. In this species the dioxin-like compound sums (WHO-TEQs) exceeded the pertinent maximum levels (MLs). Non-ortho PCBs constituted approximately 80% of WHO-TEQ toxicological potential whereas NDL-PCB and PBDE concentrations appeared to match values determined in other polluted aquatic ecosystems where non-point contamination sources were present. The contamination patterns determined in fish tissues seemed to reflect the impact of generic contamination source(s).
Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, Aug 1, 2019
PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances) are considered non-genotoxic. However, PFAS exposure has been as... more PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances) are considered non-genotoxic. However, PFAS exposure has been associated with the induction of oxidative stress in vitro and in vivo, and the possible induction of indirect genotoxic effects under sustained PFAS exposure has not been investigated. In order to shed light on this aspect, in this study a comprehensive assessment of genotoxicity was carried out in mice administered with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, 0.1, 1 and 5 mg/kg body weight) and its C4 analogue perfluorobutyric acid (PFBA, 5 mg/kg body weight) for five weeks through drinking water. Markers of cell toxicity, oxidative stress and DNA strand breaks were measured in liver, the main target of toxicity of PFOA in rodents; systemic genotoxicity was also assessed by the analysis of micronuclei in reticulocytes and spleen lymphocytes, and germ cell effects by the Comet assay on testis cells. PFOA administration at the highest dose (5 mg/kg body weight) induced marked liver hypertrophy with signs of cell injury (elevated ALT and AST), with no concurrent evidence of lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress (decreased antioxidant capacity). Only mild liver hypertrophy, with no other signs of toxicity, was determined by PFBA administration. No evidence of treatment related genotoxicity was observed in any experimental group. Overall, data indicate that under the experimental conditions of this study, severe liver toxicity induced by PFOA administration is not associated with oxidative stress. Accordingly, no genotoxic effect is observed in liver and in the other tissues examined. Milder evidence of liver toxicity, with no genotoxicity, and a lower tendency to bioaccumulation were observed in PFBA treated mice.
International Journal of Analytical Chemistry, Oct 16, 2020
Per-and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants, prese... more Per-and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants, present in the environment and in the human body. ey have raised global concern because of their diffusion in the environment, particularly in water, causing cases of human overexposure due to consumption of contaminated drinking water. Human biomonitoring is the most effective way to characterize human exposure to PFASs, and it is important that as many labs as possible could easily perform this kind of analysis. Analytical methods for quantitation of PFAS mixtures in human serum have been developed, but most of them required materials that are not always easily available in all the laboratories. is paper describes a very simple and accessible HPLC MS/MS method of analysis and quantification of 13 perfluorocarboxylic acids and perfluorosulfonate compounds (belonging to the class of per-and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs)) in human serum. Method development data provide detailed descriptions of the optimization process in terms of sample preparation, laboratory analysis of human serum samples, determination of analytes by HPLC MS/MS, and describing the pump gradient time, working conditions, and acquisition.
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perflurooctanoic acid (PFOA) are two important classes of co... more Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perflurooctanoic acid (PFOA) are two important classes of compounds of perfluoroalkylated substances, which are environmentally persistent and can be bioac-cumulated in humans. The European Food Safety Authority's Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) evaluated these compounds regarding the importance of food and non-food sources to the human exposure and established health based guidance val-ues. The indicative estimate of dietary exposure to PFOS is 60 and 200 ng/kg bodyweight (b.w.) per day, for average and high consumers in Europe, respectively. For PFOA the indicative esti-mate of dietary exposure is 2 and 6 ng/kg b.w. per day for average and high consumers, respectively. Fish seems to be the major source of human exposure to PFOS and PFOA. Non-food sources can contribute <2% and up to 50% for PFOS and PFOA, respectively. For PFOS a no-observed-adverse-effect-level of 0.03 mg/kg b.w. per day was derived from a subchronic mo...
The levels of selected polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs... more The levels of selected polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in human milk samples from the areas of Venice and Rome, primarily in order to characterize the current levels of infant exposure to PCBs and PBDEs due to breast feeding in Italy. Sixteen non-dioxin-like PCBs, including the traditional indicator congeners, and 11 PBDEs, comprising the relevant PBDE-47, PBDE-99, and PBDE-153, were determined. Congeners were selected for analysis according to their relative abundance in human tissues, toxicological relevance, and diffusion in the environment. Dietary habits of the milk donors were recorded by questionnaires; mothers of the Venice area were classified into three groups according to their consumption of local fish, molluscs, and other fishery products. Sigma(16)(PCBs) and Sigma(11)(PBDEs) (ng g(-1) fat) for the areas of Venice and Rome were respectively, 250-390 and 240, and 1.6-2.8 and 4.1. An increase of fish and fishery product consumption could not be associated with an increase of PCB and PBDE levels in milk.
In September 2013 a waste-to-energy (WTE) incinerator located in the Turin area (Piedmont, Northe... more In September 2013 a waste-to-energy (WTE) incinerator located in the Turin area (Piedmont, Northern Italy) started to produce energy by the incineration of municipal solid wastes. The plant, one of the largest WTE incinerator in Europe, burns up to 490,000 tons of waste per year. A health surveillance program was implemented in order to evaluate the potential health effects on the population living near the plant. This program included a biomonitoring study aimed at assessing levels of several environmental contaminants including, among others, PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs. Before the WTE incinerator start-up (T0), a group of 85 subjects (41 "exposed" and 44 "not exposed" subjects) was randomly selected for enrollment by the local health units among individuals aged 36-50 years who had been living in the same area for at least five years prior to the study. Subjects were balanced by exposure area, sex and five-year age classes. As from the study design, the same cohort was re-evaluated after three years of incinerator activity (T2). A parallel study was conducted on a group of 12 farmers living and/or working in farms located in an area in the range of 5 km around the incinerator. Results of this study did not evidence any impact of the WTE plant on human exposure to PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs. In fact, no significant differences were found in the concentrations of PCDDs + PCDFs, DL-PCBs, and NDL-PCBs measured in the population group residing near the plant after three years of activity (T2) with respect to the control group. A significant decrease of serum concentrations of all the analytes was observed at T2 in both groups compared to T0. Serum concentrations of PCDDs, PCDFs, and PCBs in the group of farmers were higher than those observed in the adult population under study.
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Papers by Elena Dellatte