Journal article
Zebrafish and clean water technology: Assessing soil bioretention as a protective treatment for toxic urban runoff
The Science of the total environment, Vol.500-501, pp.173-180
12/01/2014
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/110176
PMID: 25217993
Abstract
Urban stormwater contains a complex mixture of contaminants that can be acutely toxic to aquatic biota. Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) is a set of evolving technologies intended to reduce impacts on natural systems by slowing and filtering runoff. The extent to which GSI methods work as intended is usually assessed in terms of water quantity (hydrology) and quality (chemistry). Biological indicators of GSI effectiveness have received less attention, despite an overarching goal of protecting the health of aquatic species. Here we use the zebrafish (Danio rerio) experimental model to evaluate bioinfiltration as a relatively inexpensive technology for treating runoff from an urban highway with dense motor vehicle traffic. Zebrafish embryos exposed to untreated runoff (48–96h; six storm events) displayed an array of developmental abnormalities, including delayed hatching, reduced growth, pericardial edema, microphthalmia (small eyes), and reduced swim bladder inflation. Three of the six storms were acutely lethal, and sublethal toxicity was evident across all storms, even when stormwater was diluted by as much as 95% in clean water. As anticipated from exposure to cardiotoxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), untreated runoff also caused heart failure, as indicated by circulatory stasis, pericardial edema, and looping defects. Bioretention treatment dramatically improved stormwater quality and reversed nearly all forms of developmental toxicity. The zebrafish model therefore provides a versatile experimental platform for rapidly assessing GSI effectiveness.
[Display omitted]
•Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) is used to reduce and treat urban runoff.•Biological effectiveness of GSI technologies like soil bioretention is not known.•Zebrafish embryos acutely exposed to urban runoff developed a suite of symptoms.•Included developmental delay, microphthalmia, and cardiac dysfunction•Bioretention treatment of runoff prevented mortality and most sublethal toxicity.
Metrics
11 Record Views
Details
- Title
- Zebrafish and clean water technology: Assessing soil bioretention as a protective treatment for toxic urban runoff
- Creators
- J.K McIntyre - Washington State University Puyallup Research & Extension Center, 2606W Pioneer Ave, Puyallup, WA 98371, USAJ.W Davis - U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Washington Fish & Wildlife Office, 510 Desmond Dr. SE, Lacey, WA 98503, USAJ.P Incardona - NOAA–NMFS Northwest Science Center, 2725 Montlake Blvd E, Seattle, WA 98112, USAJ.D Stark - Washington State University Puyallup Research & Extension Center, 2606W Pioneer Ave, Puyallup, WA 98371, USAB.F Anulacion - NOAA–NMFS Northwest Science Center, 2725 Montlake Blvd E, Seattle, WA 98112, USAN.L Scholz - NOAA–NMFS Northwest Science Center, 2725 Montlake Blvd E, Seattle, WA 98112, USA
- Publication Details
- The Science of the total environment, Vol.500-501, pp.173-180
- Academic Unit
- Entomology, Department of; Environment, School of the (CAS)
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V
- Identifiers
- 99900546922201842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article