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Publications

NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.

2016

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Abstract

Following the ban of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDEs) flame retardants under well-documented toxicity issues, organophosphate such as tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP) and tris(2-cloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) were considered as potential substitutes. Although TBOEP and TCEP are consistently detected in the aquatic environment, there are few data about the possible toxicological effects of these compounds on aquatic organisms, including fish. In the present study, we have investigated the influence of TBOEP and TCEP on neuro- and interrenal steroidogenesis of juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), after a seven-day exposure to four different concentrations (0 (control), 0.04, 0.2 and 1 mg/L) of each compound. TBOEP and TCEP were diluted in Milli-Q water. The expression of genes involved in ster- oidogenesis (StAR, cyp19a, cyp19b, cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc), 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-hsd), and 11β-hydroxylase (cyp11β)), were analyzed in the brain and head kidney using real-time PCR. Plasma 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) analysis was performed using enzyme im- munoassay (EIA). Our results showed that TBOEP accumulated more rapidly than TCEP in fish muscle tissue. Surprisingly, TBOEP produced less pronounced effects than TCEP on neural and interrenal ster- oidogenic responses, despite the observed rapid uptake and bioaccumulation pattern. Specifically, TBOEP produced significant and consistent concentration-specific alterations on neural- and interrenal ster- oidogenesis. Plasma levels of 11-KT were not significantly altered by any of the exposures. The increased expression of steroidogenic genes demonstrated in the present study could produce time-specific al- terations in the production of glucocorticoids and steroid hormones that play integral roles in fish me- tabolism, stress responses and adaptation, sexual maturation, reproduction and migration with overt consequences on reproductive success and survival.

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Abstract

There is limited knowledge on the toxicological, physiological, and molecular effects attributed to organophosphate (OP) compounds currently used as flame retardants or additives in consumer products. This study investigated the effects on oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in juvenile Atlantic salmon liver and brain samples after exposure to two OP compounds, tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP) and tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP). In this study, groups of juvenile Atlantic salmon were exposed using a semistatic experimental protocol over a 7-d period to 3 different concentrations (0.04, 0.2, or 1 mg/L) of TBOEP and TCEP. When toxicological factors such as bioaccumulation and bioconcentration, and chemical structural characteristics and behavior, including absorption to solid materials, are considered, these concentrations represent environmentally relevant concentrations. The concentrations of the contaminants were derived from levels of their environmental occurrence. The expression of genes related to oxidative stress—glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST)—and to lipid peroxidation—peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR)—were determined using quantitative (real-time) polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The presence of PPAR proteins was also investigated using immunochemical methods. Levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) in liver were used as a measure of lipid peroxidation. Overall, our data show an increase in lipid peroxidation, and this was associated with an augmented expression of genes from the glutathione family of responses. Interestingly, PPAR expression in liver after exposure to TBOEP and TCEP was consistently decreased compared to controls, while expression in brain did not show a similar trend. The results suggest that OP contaminants may induce oxidative stress and thus production of reactive oxygen substances (ROS), and modulate lipid peroxidation processes in organisms.

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Abstract

A total of 967 students (males and females) from four secondary schools in Vysocina region of Czechia were interviewed via 24‐question Likert‐type questionnaire to assess student’s environmental awareness and perceptions. The generalized linear models were used to test if (and to what extent) student perceptions related to environment are/ or not influenced by various factors including gender, age, place of residence, educational level, and specialization. The results showed that students’ age, place of residence, education level and their specialization did not significantly affect (p<0.05) their environmental perceptions. However, gender appeared to be statistically significant (p<0.05) influencing student environmental perceptions and also showed linkages to basic environmental education, attitudes and engagement of students in science-related activities. Our results strongly support the need for more environmental education, awareness campaigns in the schools and engaging students in outdoor environment related activities. Future research should include detail environmental surveys targeting school students across Czechia.