@article {263, title = {Diindoles produced from commensal microbiota metabolites function as endogenous CAR/Nr1i3 ligands}, journal = {Nature Communications}, year = {2024}, author = {Liu, Jiabao and Malekoltojari, Aniaz and Asokakumar, Anjana and Chow, Vimanda and Li, Linhao and Li, Hao and Grimaldi, Marina and Dang, Nathanlown and Campbell, Jhenielle and Barrett, Holly and Sun, Jianxian and Navarre, William and Wilson, Derek and Wang, Hongbing and Mani, Sridhar and Balaguer, Patrick and Anakk, Sayeepriyadarshini and Peng, Hui* and Krause, Henry*} } @article {254, title = {Multiphase Ozonolysis of Bisphenol A: Chemical Transformations on Surfaces in the Environment.}, journal = {Environ Sci Technol}, year = {2024}, month = {2024 Feb 13}, abstract = {

High global plastic production volumes have led to the widespread presence of bisphenol compounds in human living and working environments. The most common bisphenol, bisphenol A (BPA), despite being endocrine disruptive and estrogenic, is still not fully banned worldwide, leading to continued human exposure via particles in air, dust, and surfaces in both outdoor and indoor environments. While its abundance is well documented, few studies have addressed the chemical transformations of BPA, the properties of its reactive products, and their toxicity. Here, the first gas-surface multiphase ozonolysis experiment of BPA thin films, at a constant ozone mixing ratio of 100 ppb, was performed in a flow tube for periods up to 24 h. Three transformation products involving the addition of 1, 2, and 3 oxygen atoms to the molecule were identified by LC-ESI-HRMS analyses. Exposure of indoor air to thin BPA surface films and BPA-containing thermal paper over periods of days validated the flow tube experiments, demonstrating the rapid nature of this multiphase ozonolysis reaction at atmospherically relevant ozone levels. Multiple transformation pathways are proposed that are likely applicable to not only BPA but also emerging commercial bisphenol products.

}, issn = {1520-5851}, doi = {10.1021/acs.est.3c08932}, author = {Yu, Jie and Gong, Yufeng and Nair, Pranav and Liggio, John and Peng, Hui* and Abbatt, Jonathan P D*} } @article {209, title = {Chronic toxicity of PFAS-free AFFF alternatives in terrestrial plant Brassica rapa.}, journal = {Sci Total Environ}, year = {2022}, month = {2022 Aug 17}, pages = {158100}, abstract = {

Fluorine (F)-free firefighting foams will be replacing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-containing aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) at U.S. military installations imminently, yet the environmental impacts of F-free foams are largely unknown. Ecotoxicity assessment of F-free foams is urgently needed to avoid replacement regret. In this study, we comparatively assessed phytotoxicity of six F-free formulations and one current short-chain fluorinated AFFF in terrestrial plant Brassica rapa. Five of six F-free formulations exerted higher toxicity than the short-chain AFFF to the growth and reproduction of B. rapa, with 8-51 times and \> 10 times lower EC values, respectively. Nontargeted analysis indicated the occurrence of transformation products of the test formulations in the above-ground plant tissues. In agreement with their phytotoxicity, the five highly toxic F-free formulations generated more transformation products with higher peak intensities in plant tissues than the two weakly toxic formulations. The most abundant transformation products detected in plant extracts were suspect transformation products derived from diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, a common ingredient of the five toxic formulations. This study provides ecotoxicological data that, combined with data from all related ongoing research, should be used in decision making regarding recommendations for manufacturing and use of candidate F-free foams.

}, issn = {1879-1026}, doi = {10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158100}, author = {Wu, Xiaoqin* and Nguyen, Helen and Kim, Damian and Peng, Hui*} } @article {93, title = {Identification of Chemicals that Cause Oxidative Stress in Oil Sands Process-Affected Water.}, journal = {Environ Sci Technol}, volume = {51}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 Aug 01}, pages = {8773-8781}, abstract = {

Oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) has been reported to cause oxidative stress in organisms, yet the causative agents remain unknown. In this study, a high-throughput in vitro Nrf2 reporter system was used, to determine chemicals in OSPW that cause oxidative stress. Five fractions, with increasing polarity, of the dissolved organic phase of OSPW were generated by use of solid phase extraction cartridges. The greatest response of Nrf2 was elicited by F2 (2.7 {\textpm} 0.1-fold), consistent with greater hydroperoxidation of lipids in embryos of Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) exposed to F2. Classic naphthenic acids were mainly eluted in F1, and should not be causative chemicals. When F2 was fractionated into 60 subfractions by use of HPLC, significant activation of Nrf2 was observed in three grouped fractions: F2.8 (1.30 {\textpm} 0.01-fold), F2.16 (1.34 {\textpm} 0.05-fold), and F2.25 (1.28 {\textpm} 0.15-fold). 54 compounds were predicted to be potential chemicals causing Nrf2 response, predominated by SO and O species. By use of high-resolution MS spectra, these SO and O species were identified as hydroxylated aldehydes. This study demonstrated that polyoxygenated chemicals, rather than classic NAs, were the major chemicals responsible for oxidative stress in the aqueous phase of OSPW.

}, keywords = {Animals, Carboxylic Acids, Oil and Gas Fields, Oryzias, Oxidative Stress, Water, Water Pollutants, Chemical}, issn = {1520-5851}, doi = {10.1021/acs.est.7b01987}, author = {Sun, Jianxian and Peng, Hui* and Alharbi, Hattan A and Jones, Paul D and Giesy, John P and Wiseman, Steve B} } @article {100, title = {Combined Transcriptomic and Proteomic Approach to Identify Toxicity Pathways in Early Life Stages of Japanese Medaka (Oryzias latipes) Exposed to 1,2,5,6-Tetrabromocyclooctane (TBCO).}, journal = {Environ Sci Technol}, volume = {50}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 07 19}, pages = {7781-90}, abstract = {

Currently, the novel brominated flame retardant 1,2,5,6-tetrabromocyclooctane (TBCO) is considered a potential replacement for hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). Therefore, use of TBCO could increase in the near future. To assess potential toxicological risks to aquatic organisms, embryos of Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) were exposed to 10, 100, or 1000 μg/L TBCO from 2 h postfertilization until 1 day post-hatch. TBCO accumulated in embryos in the order of 0.43-1.3 {\texttimes} 10(4)-fold, and the rate constant of accumulation was 1.7-1.8 per day. The number of days to hatch and the hatching success of embryos exposed to the medium and the greatest concentrations of TBCO were impaired. Responses of the transcriptome (RNA-seq) and proteome were characterized in embryos exposed to 100 μg/L TBCO because this was the least concentration of TBCO that caused an effect on hatching. Consistent with effects on hatching, proteins whose abundances were reduced by exposure to TBCO were enriched in embryo development and hatching pathways. Also, on the basis of the responses of transcriptome and proteome, it was predicted that TBCO might impair vision and contraction of cardiac muscle, respectively, and these effects were confirmed by targeted bioassays. This study provided a comprehensive understanding of effects of TBCO on medaka at early life stages and illustrated the power of "omics" to explain and predict phenotypic responses to chemicals.

}, keywords = {Animals, Oryzias, Proteomics, Water Pollutants, Chemical}, issn = {1520-5851}, doi = {10.1021/acs.est.6b01249}, author = {Sun, Jianxian and Tang, Song and Peng, Hui* and Saunders, David M V and Doering, Jon A and Hecker, Markus and Jones, Paul D and Giesy, John P and Wiseman, Steve} }