Ecotoxicity of Nitrated Monoaromatic Hydrocarbons in Aquatic Systems: Emerging Risks from Atmospheric Deposition of Biomass Burning and Anthropogenic Aerosols

Bakija Alempijević, Saranda; Strmečki, Slađana; Mihaljević, Ivan; Frka, Sanja; Dragojević, Jelena; Jakovljević, Ivana; Smital, Tvrtko (2025) Ecotoxicity of Nitrated Monoaromatic Hydrocarbons in Aquatic Systems: Emerging Risks from Atmospheric Deposition of Biomass Burning and Anthropogenic Aerosols. Toxics, 13 (12). ISSN 2305-6304

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Abstract

Nitrated monoaromatic hydrocarbons (NMAHs) are emerging air pollutants commonly found in biomass burning (BB) and anthropogenic aerosols (AA). Despite their frequent deposition into aquatic systems, their ecotoxicity is still poorly understood. This study evaluates the toxicity of BB and AA aerosol extracts and their main NMAH constituents (nitrocatechols, nitrophenols, and nitrosalicylic acids) using in vitro (cellular uptake, cy-totoxicity) and in vivo (algal growth inhibition, zebrafish embryo development) bioassays. Polar aerosol extracts showed higher toxicity than nonpolar ones, with stronger interaction via zebrafish organic anion Oatp1d1 than organic cation Oct1 transporter, indicating selective uptake. NMAHs and their relevant mixtures showed similar toxicity patterns as BB water extract, so NMAHs were identified as contributors to aerosol toxicity. Nitrocatechols stand out for their toxicity, showing the highest chronic toxicity in algae (IC50: 0.6–1.1 mg/L) and acute cytotoxicity in fish cells (IC50: 2.0–4.1 mg/L), possibly because they dominated the NMAHs composition of aerosols (BB: 80.6%; AA: 79.8%). Sublethal NMAH concentrations caused developmental disorders and altered lipid homeostasis in zebrafish embryos, indicating early physiological stress on higher organisms. These findings reveal NMAHs as significant ecotoxic components of BB and AA emissions which may pose an increasing threat to aquatic ecosystems following atmospheric deposition.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	air pollution; aquatic systems; atmospheric aerosols; bioassays; ecotoxicological effects; nitrocatechols; zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Subjects:	NATURAL SCIENCES > Interdisciplinary Natural Sciences > Marine Science NATURAL SCIENCES > Interdisciplinary Natural Sciences > Environmental Science
Divisions:	Division for Marine and Enviromental Research
Projects:	Project title Project leader Project code Project type Biokemijski odgovori površinskog sloja oligotrofnog područja Jadranskog mora na atmosfersko taloženje-BiREADI Sanja Frka Milosavljević IP-2018-01-3105 HRZZ Pelud u Jadranskom moru: dinamika unosa, kemijska karakterizacija i utjecaj na primarnu produkciju-POLLMAR Slađana Strmečki Kos IP-2022-10-6348 HRZZ Gorući problem onečišćenja zraka u obalnom području Ja drana: uvid transformacije svojstava lebdećih čestica i njihova utjecaja na zdravlje ljudi i morski okoliš-ADRIAirBURN Sanja Frka Milosavljević IP-2024-05-6224 HRZZ
Depositing User:	Slađana Strmečki Kos
Date Deposited:	10 Dec 2025 10:54
URI:	http://fulir.irb.hr/id/eprint/10292
DOI:	10.3390/toxics13121037

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