Combinatory chemical and biological approaches to investigate metal elements in agricultural runoff water

• Published in: Journal of environmental quality Vol. 33; no. 1; pp. 149 - 153
• Main Authors: Quilbe, R, Pieri, I, Wicherek, S, Dugas, N, Tasteyre, A, Thomas, Y, Oudinet, J.P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Madison, WI Crop Science Society of America 01-01-2004; American Society of Agronomy
• Subjects: Agricultural management; Agricultural pollution; Agricultural practices; Agricultural runoff; Agriculture; Agronomy; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Aluminum; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Applied sciences; bioassays; Biological and medical sciences; Cadmium; cell culture; Chemical analysis; Chemical elements; Chromium; Complement; Copper; DNA Primers; Documents; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Exact sciences and technology; Farming; Farms; Fresh Water; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation; gene induction; General aspects; Genes; heavy metals; Humans; indicator species; metallothionein; Metallothionein - genetics; Metals; Metals, Heavy - chemistry; Natural water pollution; Outlets; Paris; Pollutants; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Rainwaters, run off water and others; Research projects; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Runoff; Soil and water pollution; Soil erosion; Soil science; T-Lymphocytes; Transcriptional Activation; Water analysis; Water Movements; Water Pollutants, Chemical; water pollution; Water sampling; Water treatment and pollution; Watersheds; Zinc; France; France, Paris Basin; Chemical analysis; Toxicity; Biological indicator; Runoff water; Gene expression; Heavy metal; Concentration measurement; Trace element; Surveillance; Environment impact; Watershed; Agriculture; Water pollution; Biological effect; Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; Metallothionein
• ISSN: 0047-2425; 1537-2537; 1537-2537
• DOI: 10.2134/jeq2004.0149

As part of a project studying the interactions between farming practices, soil erosion processes, and fate of agricultural pollutants into runoff waters, we conducted a pilot study to investigate the relationship between metal contents and metallothionein-2A (MT-2A) as a bioindicator of metal exposure. Runoff water samples were collected between May and November 1999 at the point of outlet of an elementary watershed located in the Paris basin. Selected metals (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Hg, Ni, and Zn) were analyzed using conventional techniques. In parallel, human T cells were exposed to water samples for 6 and 18 h and then cell viability and MT-2A gene expression were measured. Results show that among the 10 water samples tested, Al and Zn predominate (highest values = 4.9 and 2.6 micromolar, respectively), while other metals were below the micromolar level. Five out of 10 samples induced MT-2A gene expression (30-80% increase at 18 h) as compared with the control. When comparing MT-2A induction profile with metals contents, no obvious correlation was found, suggesting that additional components or parameters are involved. Finally, there was an apparent inverse relationship between Ca concentration and MT-2A gene induction. Although still preliminary, in the absence of longer monitoring, this study shows that MT-2A gene expression is a useful tool to complement chemical analysis in assessing metal elements in water. These combinatory approaches will be pursued and integrated in an ongoing watershed field research project.