Skip to main content
SLU publication database (SLUpub)

Research article2019Peer reviewedOpen access

Wastewater alters feeding rate but not vitellogenin level of Gammarus fossarum (Amphipoda)

Ganser, Barbara; Bundschuh, Mirco; Werner, Inge; Homazava, Nadzeya; Vermeirssen, Etienne L. M.; Moschet, Christoph; Kienle, Cornelia

Abstract

Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents release complex mixtures of organic and inorganic micropollutants, including endocrine disrupting compounds, into receiving water bodies. These substances may cause adverse effects in aquatic communities as well as in ecosystem functions they provide. The aim of this study was to determine the potential impact of secondary treated wastewater released into a small Swiss stream on leaf litter decomposition based on feeding rates of the amphipod shredder Gammarus fossarum measured in situ. Additionally, endocrine disrupting effects downstream of the WWTP were investigated by measuring vitellogenin (vg) induction in male gammarids exposed in situ, as well as estrogen receptor activation using the Yeast Estrogen Screen (YES) involving passive sampler and grab water sample extracts. Extracts were also analysed for 424 organic micropollutants and selected transformation products. Gammarid feeding rate was significantly reduced 100, 200 and 400 m downstream of the WWTP effluent relative to the upstream site. While YES results showed significantly elevated estrogenicity at downstream sites, vg production in male gammarids was not induced. A laboratory experiment, in which gammarids were exposed to WWTP effluent, supported this observation. These results, hence, suggest that treated wastewater released into aquatic ecosystems impairs the ecosystem function of leaf litter decomposition. Vg levels in male gammarids measured by UPLC-MS/MS did, however, not alter. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Gammarid; Secondary treated wastewater; in situ bioassay; Feeding activity

Published in

Science of the Total Environment
2019, Volume: 657, pages: 1246-1252 Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

    Sustainable Development Goals

    SDG6 Clean water and sanitation

    UKÄ Subject classification

    Water Treatment

    Publication identifier

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.12.035

    Permanent link to this page (URI)

    https://res.slu.se/id/publ/98101