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Biomedical subjects

D S Cherry

Publications and source records attributed to D S Cherry.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Land use influences and ecotoxicological ratings for upper clinch river tributaries in virginia.

The Clinch River system of southwestern Virginia and northeastern Tennessee is among the most biodiverse aquatic ecosystems of the United States, but its fauna are in decline. Unionidae (freshwater mussel) species are a major component of the Clinch's aquatic community, and their decline is well documented. Point-source discharges within the Clinch drainage are few, and primary stressors on the biota are believed to originate from non-point sources that are transported into the mainstem by tributaries. Currently, the relative influences of tributaries as stressors on aquatic biota are unclear. We studied 19 major tributaries of the free-flowing Upper Clinch River, developed an Ecotoxicological Rating (ETR) utilizing eight parameters, and assessed stream quality among land use categories using the ETR rating system. Biological, toxicological, habitat, and chemical variables were measured in each tributary, near its confluence with the Clinch. Geographic Information System software was used to quantify land use within each tributary watershed; all tributary watersheds are predominately forested, but agricultural, mining, and developed land uses (urban, transportation) are also present. ETRs indicated that the tributaries draining mining-influenced watersheds had greater potential impact on the mainstem than those draining agricultural or forested watersheds, because of poor benthic macroinvertebrate scores. ETRs ranged from 44 to 63, on a 100-point scale, for mining-influenced tributaries compared to agricultural (57-86) and forested tributaries (64-91). Mean ETRs for the mining-influenced tributaries (51) were significantly different than ETRs from agricultural and forested streams (75 and 80, respectively), and the presence of developed land uses had no significant relationship with ETRs.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2005

Evaluation of ionic contribution to the toxicity of a coal-mine effluent using Ceriodaphnia dubia.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has defined national in-stream water-quality criteria (WQC) for 157 pollutants. No WQC to protect aquatic life exist for total dissolved solids (TDS). Some water-treatment processes (e.g., pH modifications) discharge wastewaters of potentially adverse TDS into freshwater systems. Strong correlations between specific conductivity, a TDS surrogate, and several biotic indices in a previous study suggested that TDS caused by a coal-mine effluent was the primary stressor. Further acute and chronic testing in the current study with Ceriodaphnia dubia in laboratory-manipulated media indicated that the majority of the effluent toxicity could be attributed to the most abundant ions in the discharge, sodium (1952 mg/L) and/or sulfate (3672 mg/L), although the hardness of the effluent (792 +/- 43 mg/L as CaCO3) ameliorated some toxicity. Based on laboratory testing of several effluent-mimicking media, sodium- and sulfate-dominated TDS was acutely toxic at approximately 7000 microS/cm (5143 mg TDS/L), and chronic toxicity occurred at approximately 3200 microS/cm (2331 mg TDS/L). At a lower hardness (88 mg/L as CaCO3), acute and chronic toxicity end-points were decreased to approximately 5000 microS/cm (3663 mg TDS/L) and approximately 2000 microS/cm (1443 mg TDS/L), respectively. Point-source discharges causing in-stream TDS concentrations to exceed these levels may risk impairment to aquatic life.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Evaluation of ecologically relevant bioassays for a lotic system impacted by a coal-mine effluent, using Isonychia.

Many studies investigating the ecotoxicological impacts of industrial effluents on fresh-water biota utilize standardized test species such as the daphnids, Ceriodaphnia dubia, Daphnia magna, and the fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas. Such species may not be the most predictive or ecologically relevant gauges of the responses of instream benthic macroinvertebrates to certain stressors, such as total dissolved solids. An indigenous species approach should be adopted, using a sensitive benthic collector-filterer following development of practical laboratory bioassays. In the Leading Creek Watershed (southeast Ohio), an aggregated approximately 99% reduction in mean mayfly abundance for all impacted sites was observed below a coal-mine effluent with mean specific conductivity (SC) of 8,109 (7,750-8,750) microS cm(-1). The mayfly, Isonychia, was exposed for 7-days to a simulation of this effluent, in lotic microcosms. Based on lowest observable adverse effect concentrations, Isonychia survival was a more sensitive endpoint to SC (1,562 microS cm(-1)) than were 7-day C. dubia survival and fecundity (3,730 microS cm(-1)). Isonychia molting, a potentially more sensitive endpoint, was also examined. Using traditional test species to assess discharges to surface water alone may not adequately protect benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages in systems impaired by discharges high in SC.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Field and laboratory assessment of a coal processing effluent in the Leading Creek Watershed, Meigs County, Ohio.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has not recommended water quality criteria (WQC) to protect aquatic life from elevated sodium and sulfate concentrations, such as those associated with the coal-processing effluent of Meigs County Mine #31. This discharge, received by a tributary of the Leading Creek Watershed (SE Ohio), had a mean specific conductivity (SC) of 8,109 (7,750-8,750) microS/cm and total metal concentrations below acute WQC. The mean 48-h LC(50) for Ceriodaphnia dubia in the effluent was 6,713 +/- 99 microS/cm; mean 48-h survival was 44% for study sites downstream of the effluent. The best indicators of impairment used in this study were Ceriodaphnia fecundity, in situ Corbicula fluminea growth, EPT minus Hydropsychidae (richness and relative abundance), and relative Ephemeroptera abundance. Mayflies, reduced by more than 99% below the effluent, were absent from all but the furthest downstream study site. SC was strongly correlated with Corbicula growth (r = -0.9755, p = 0.0009) and EPT minus Hydropsychidae richness (r = -0.8756, p < 0.0001), suggesting the effluent was primarily responsible for biotic impairment. Our results indicated that SC levels, a measure of dissolved solids, in the Leading Creek Watershed that exceeded approximately 3,700 microS/cm impaired sensitive aquatic fauna.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Impaired Acroneuria sp. (Plecoptera, Perlidae) populations associated with aluminum contamination in neutral pH surface waters.

Our aim was to quantify impairment to invertebrate predator populations, particularly to Acroneuria sp. (Plecoptera, Perlidae), downstream of an acid mine drainage-impacted tributary to the North Fork of the Powell River, southwestern Virginia. Predatory insects comprised 9.0 +/- 1.3% of the total abundance at the three stations upstream of the impacted tributary, but were significantly reduced (p = 0.0039) downstream (3.9 +/- 0.6%). Acroneuria sp. populations followed the same trend, with the upstream average (2.3 and 2.8%) being significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the downstream averages (0.2 and 0%) during 1999 and 2000, respectively. Using correlation analysis, we evaluated the relationship between the percent abundance of Acroneuria sp. throughout this reach and metal concentrations in water, sediment, and biological tissues (invertebrate predators and primary consumers). Water column aluminum (Al) concentration was the only parameter that was significantly correlated with percent Acroneuria sp. abundance, with correlation coefficients of -0.845 and -0.873 during 1999 and 2000, respectively. While this correlation exists, it may not indicate a causal relationship, and experiments should be conducted to determine the long-term toxicity of various Al species to perlid stoneflies.

Aluminum↗
PubMed2001

Bioaccumulation of butyltins in Dreissena polymorpha at a confined placement facility in Buffalo, New York.

This study involves a site characterization followed by biomonitoring with the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, at the Times Beach confined placement facility (CPF), located in Buffalo, NY. The contaminant of interest was tributyltin (TBT) and the degradation products dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT). At study initiation (Day 0) TBT levels in the baseline mussels were 5.86 +/- 0.43 ng Sn/g, DBT levels were 2.25 +/- 0.37 ng Sn/g. No MBT was detected in the Day 0 baseline samples. Caged reference mussels placed back in the Black Rock Channel Lock and retrieved on Days 19 and 34 had TBT, DBT, and MBT levels which did not differ significantly from the Day 0 baseline levels. Mussels placed at the Times Beach CPF had TBT concentrations that were significantly lower at both Days 19 (3.65 +/- 0.90 ng Sn/g) and 34 (3.50 +/- 1.03 ng Sn/g) than the Day 0 baseline analysis (5.86 +/- 0.43 ng Sn/g). The results of this study indicate that butyltins were detected at the CPF site in the sediment (7.33 +/- 5.70 ng Sn/g) but not the water column (not detected at 0.01 microgram/l). In this study the zebra mussel was able to depurate TBT even in the presence of contaminated sediment. TBT may be bioaccumulated from the sediments. However, the initial levels in the mussels were so high, levels actually dropped as sediment-tissue equilibria levels were reached by the mussels.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2001

An integrative assessment of a watershed impacted by abandoned mined land discharges.

The Ely Creek watershed in Lee County, VA, USA, contains an abundance of abandoned mined land areas with acid mine drainage (AMD) that contaminate the majority of the creek and its confluence into Stone Creek. Acidic pH measurements ranged from 2.73 to 5.2 at several stations throughout the watershed. Sediments had high concentrations of iron (approximately 10,000 mg kg-1), aluminum (approximately 1,500 mg kg-1), magnesium (approximately 400 mg kg-1) and manganese (approximately 150 mg kg-1), and habitat was partially to non-supporting at half of the stations due to sedimentation. Benthic macroinvertebrate surveys at six of 20 stations sampled in the watershed yielded no macroinvertebrates, while eight others had total abundances of only one to nine organisms. Four reference stations contained > or = 100 organisms and at least 13 different taxa. Asian clam in situ toxicity testing supported field survey results. Laboratory, 10-day survival/impairment sediments tests with Daphnia magna and Chironomus tentans and 48-h water column bioassays with Ceriodaphnia dubia indicated environmental stress to a lesser degree. Ten parameters that were directly influenced by AMD through physical, chemical, ecological and toxicological endpoints were assimilated into an ecotoxicological rating (ETR) to form a score of 0-100 points for the 20 sampling stations, and the lower the score the greater the AMD stress. Twelve of the 15 sampling stations influenced by AMD received an ETR score of 13.75-57.5, which were categorized as severely stressed (i.e. comprised the < 60 percentile category) and worthy of the highest priority for future ecological restoration activities in the watershed.

Acids↗
PubMed2000

Relative acute toxicity of acid mine drainage water column and sediments to Daphnia magna in the Puckett's Creek Watershed, Virginia, USA.

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is produced when pyrite (FeS(2)) is oxidized on exposure to oxygen and water to form ferric hydroxides and sulfuric acid. If produced in sufficient quantity, iron precipitate, heavy metals (depending on soil mineralogy), and sulfuric acid may contaminate surface and ground water. A previous study of an AMD impacted watershed (Puckett's Creek, Powell River drainage, southwestern Virginia, USA) conducted by these researchers indicated that both water column and sediment toxicity were significantly correlated with benthic macroinvertebrate community impacts. Sites that had toxic water or sediment samples had significantly reduced macroinvertebrate taxon richness. The present study was designed to investigate the relative acute toxicity of acid mine drainage (AMD) water column and sediments to a single test organism (Daphnia magna) and to determine which abiotic factors were the best indicators of toxicity in this system. Nine sampling stations were selected based on proximity to major AMD inputs in the watershed. In 48-h exposures, sediment samples from three stations were acutely toxic to D. magna, causing 64-100% mortality, whereas water samples from five stations caused 100% mortality of test organisms. Forty-eight-hour LC50 values ranged from 35 to 63% for sediment samples and 27 to 69% for water column samples. Sediment iron concentration and several water chemistry parameters were the best predictors of sediment toxicity, and water column pH was the best predictor of water toxicity. Based on these correlations and on the fact that toxic sediments had high percent water content, water chemistry appears to be a more important adverse influence in this system than sediment chemistry.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Bioaccumulation of toxicants in the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, at the Times Beach Confined Disposal Facility, Buffalo, New York.

This study consisted of a site characterization followed by biomonitoring the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, at the Times Beach Confined Disposal Facility (CDF), located in Buffalo, New York. Concentrations of selected contaminants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and metals -arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), barium (Ba), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), selenium (Se) and silver (Ag)-were at or below detection limits in the water column. Sediment contaminant concentrations, recorded as dry weight, were as high as 549 mg/kg for total PAHs, 9 mg/kg for PCB Aroclor 1248 and 54, 99, 6, 355, 637 and 16 mg/kg for the metals As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Pb and Hg, respectively. To predict contaminant bioavailability, elutriate and whole sediment toxicity tests were performed utilizing the cladoceran, Daphnia magna. Whole sediment tests indicated significant impact. Control survival was 84%, while sediment treatment had survival ranging from 1 to 7%. Mean control reproduction was 86.8 neonates, whereas treatment reproduction ranged from 1.4 to 9.0. Zebra mussels placed both in the water column (Upper) and at the sediment level (Lower) survived the 34-day exposure. Contaminants that significantly accumulated in zebra mussel tissue (wet wt mg/kg) were total PAHs (6.58), fluoranthene (1.23), pyrene (1.08), chrysene (0.98), benzo(a)anthracene (0.60), PCB Aroclor 1248 (1.64), As (0.97), Cr (2.87) and Ba (7.00). Accumulation of these contaminants in zebra mussel tissue represent a potentially realistic hazard to organisms (i.e. fish and birds) that feed on them.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1988

Tolerance of the Asiatic clam Corbicula spp. to lethal level of toxic stressors-a review.

Studies assessing the tolerance of the Asiatic clam, Corbicula spp., to a variety of chemical, environmental, and physical stressors are summarised and reviewed. A majority of the studies were conducted (1) in the laboratory, (2) with juvenile and adult stages and (3) with only one stressor per treatment. Trends in the data demonstrate that (1) equivalent median lethal concentrations were generated in studies using both static and flow-through techniques; (2) substantial increases in the levels of mortality among treated clams were obtained by extending exposure durations; (3) incorporation of recovery periods into experimental designs permitted the development of latent mortalities among treated clams; (4) tolerance among larvae was stage dependent while tolerance among adults was not; (5) higher levels of mortality were obtained when tests were conducted at higher temperatures; and (6) testing in the presence of substrate resulted in a decrease in the levels of mortality among treated clams. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to efforts to mitigate the fouling effects of Asiatic clams in industrial cooling water systems by exposure to toxic chemicals.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1988

Reduction in organic effluent static acute toxicity to fathead minnows by various aeration techniques.

This study compared results of no aeration, intermittent aeration, and constant aeration strategies in determining the static acute (48-h) toxicity of phenolic-based effluents to adult fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Toxicity was greatest in no aeration tests followed by intermittent aeration and constant aeration. Two factors were considered responsible for the observed patterns of toxicity. First, in side-by-side tests of no versus intermittent aeration and intermittent versus constant aeration, toxicity reductions were directly attributed to maintenance of dissolved oxygen above 5.0 mg litre(-1) in aerated containers. Secondly, toxicity was reduced when treatment system temperatures were warmest, probably due to increased microbial activity and volatilisation during late spring to early autumn (temperatures > 16 degrees C). Effluent was slightly more toxic on- than off-site, presumably due to degradation of phenolic compounds during transport and set-up at the off-site laboratory (approximately 4.5 h). Gill tissue ultrastructure and histopathology were used to determine the extent of effluent-induced damage and the recovery of minnows to short (6-h) effluent exposures. After a 48-h exposure to the approximate LC(50) level, gill tissue lamellae were characteristically desquamated with epithelium lifting from the basement membrane. Gill tissue was similarly damaged after a 6-h exposure to 100% effluent and had recovered to pre-exposure conditions after 42 h in clean water. Aeration strategies in these studies demonstrated potential air-stripping of volatile compounds, although stress to test organisms from low dissolved oxygen was relieved.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1988

Discrimination of factors influencing biota of a stream receiving multiple-source perturbations.

Blaine Creek is a fifth-order stream located in eastern Kentucky that has been subject to contamination by oil brines, surface mining, and a coal fly ash settling pond discharge. Toxicity tests, effluent and receiving water chemical monitoring, and Blaine Creek benthic sampling were used to evaluate the effect of the ash pond effluent on the creek. Reproductive impairment of Ceriodaphnia was demonstrated at effluent concentrations ranging from 30 to 100%, but no instream impact on benthic invertebrates could be found at effluent flows that provided up to 65% of the creek's discharge. Correlation and regression analysis of physicochemical versus benthic monitoring data indicated that upstream oil brine contamination and scouring of the creek's predominately shifting sand substrate during rainfall events were the primary factors affecting the benthic fauna, and appeared to override potential effects from other sources. These results demonstrated the value of integrated field/laboratory investigations for effluent impact assessments.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1988

Changes in epilithic communities due to individual and combined treatments of zinc and snail grazing in stream mesocosms.

Effects of 0.5 mg/liter zinc (Zn) and snail grazing (400 snails/m2) on density of dominant algal and protozoan taxa, epilithic glucose respiration, and ash-free dry weight (AFDW) were examined using established (12-day colonization) periphyton communities in flow-through stream mesocosms with four treatments (Zn, snails, Zn and snails, control) for 30 days. Grazing and Zn similarly reduced the abundance of 5 of 10 dominant algal taxa and AFDW during the first 10 days of treatment. Abundance of these taxa and AFDW in grazed (ambient Zn) treatments approached control levels after 10 days as the effect due to snails decreased. Decreasing temperatures may have reduced snail activity. Snails, Zn, and the combination of these treatments contributed to higher rates of glucose respiration per unit AFDW. Protozoan species abundance was reduced to less than half by Zn but was unaffected by snails. Although Zn and snails individually altered structural and functional aspects of this microbial community, the effects when both treatments were combined could not always be inferred from the individual effects. Testing individual and combined variables that affect periphyton with a corresponding assessment of population dynamics, biomass, and community functional attributes will enhance understanding of the overall effects of pollutants on periphyton communities.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Isolation and characterization of hepatic metallothionein from rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri).

1. A low molecular weight (7,700) Zn- and Cu-containing protein was isolated from the livers of Zn-injected rainbow trout by gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography. Purity of the isolated protein was assessed by native and denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing. 2. The purified protein was positively identified as a metallothionein on the basis of its molecular size, high metal content (3.6 g atoms Zn and 2.6 g atoms Cu per mole; 5.2% metal), heat stability, u.v. absorption spectrum, charge and amino acid composition (25% cysteine, no histidine and tryptophan, and trace tyrosine and phenylalanine). 3. The relatively high Cu content of this protein was unexpected and may be attributed to the presence of high levels of Cu, as Cu-thionein, in the livers of non-injected fish. 4. The comparative differences in the metal content of hepatic MT in trout and other animals are discussed.

Amino Acids↗