Effect of substituted phenylamine antioxidants on three stages of the freshwater mussel Lampsilis siliquoidea

Substituted phenylamines (SPAs) are incorporated into a variety of consumer products (e.g., polymers, lubricants) in order to increase the lifespan of the products by acting as a primary antioxidant. Based on their physicochemical properties, if SPAs were to enter the aquatic environment, they would likely partition into sediment. No studies to date have investigated the effect of sediment-associated SPAs on aquatic organisms. The current study examined the effect of four SPAs on three different life stages of the freshwater mussel, Lampsilis siliquoidea. The viability of larvae (glochidia) of L. siliquoidea and Lampsilis fasciola was assessed after 48 hour of exposure to SPAs in water. Juvenile (7–15 months) and adult L. siliquoidea were exposed to sediment-associated SPAs for 28 days. Adult mussels were exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of sediment-associated SPAs in order to investigate reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation and total glutathione in the gill, gonad, and digestive gland tissue, and viability and DNA damage in hemocytes. Investigations into the concentration of SPAs in the aquatic environment are required before a conclusion can be made on whether these compounds pose a hazard to the different life stages of freshwater mussels.


Results have been published in a peer-reviewed scientific publication. Citation: Prosser, R. S., Gillis, P. L., Holman, E. A. M., Schissler, D., Ikert, H., Toito, J., Gilroy, E., Campbell, S., Bartlett, A. J., Milani, D., Parrott, J. L., & Balakrishnan, V. K. (2017). Effect of substituted phenylamine antioxidants on three life stages of the freshwater mussel Lampsilis siliquoidea. Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987), 229, 281–289. doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.05.086


Supplemental Information


The Chemicals Management Plan (CMP) is a Government of Canada initiative aimed at reducing the risks posed by chemicals to Canadians and their environment. A key element of the Chemicals Management Plan is the monitoring and surveillance of levels of harmful chemicals in Canadians and their environment. Monitoring and surveillance are essential to identify and track exposure to hazards in the environment and associated health implications. Monitoring and surveillance programs provide the basis for making sound and effective public health and environmental health policies and interventions, as well as measuring the efficacy of control measures.


In support of the Chemicals Management Plan, monitoring and surveillance initiatives were established to support Health Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada scientists, in collaboration with external partners and researchers, to advance our knowledge. This initiative has allowed the Government of Canada to increase its commitment to a number of existing monitoring initiatives, as well as to support new efforts.


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Organization: Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada