Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, 130015, Colombia.
Environmental and Computational Chemistry Group, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zaragocilla Campus, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, 130015, Colombia.
Environ Res. 2020 Mar;182:109055. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.109055. Epub 2019 Dec 17.
Coal dust is a primary air contaminant from coal mining operations that produces harmful health effects. However, it is unclear to what extent its detrimental properties would impact future generations, and whether alterations in the progenies might be concentration-dependent. The aim of this study was to determine the intergenerational effects of chronic exposure to coal dust on the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), at three life stages. Groups of fifty adult insects were exposed during 30 days at different concentrations of coal dust mixed with ground oats as food substrate (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0% weight/weight), both with a particle size <38 μm. The LC for F0 insects was 1.07%, whereas for larvae and adults from F1, values were 0.53 and 0.89%, respectively. Pathological findings assessed at F1 revealed a coal dust concentration-dependent frequency of several morphological abnormalities, including larvae without antenna or extremities, lack of T1, T2, T3 legs, loss of urogomphi, and the presence of abnormal protuberances. It was found that a considerable number of F1 larvae derived from parental beetles did not achieve a complete conversion into the next growth stage. Pupae with undeveloped eyes and adults with malformed elytra, as well as necrosis, were recurrently observed at high concentrations. Finally, adults exposed to 1% coal dust overexpressed genes related to oxidative stress (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, Nrf2) and synaptic transmission (GABA-gated ion channel, Grd). In short, coal dust particles induced intergenerational effects on T. castaneum, highlighting the need to further study the impact of this airborne pollutant on wildlife and human populations.
煤尘是煤矿作业的主要空气污染物，会产生有害的健康影响。然而，其有害特性会在多大程度上影响后代，以及后代的变化是否与浓度有关尚不清楚。本研究的目的是确定慢性暴露于煤尘对三种生命阶段的红面粉甲虫（Tribolium castaneum（ Herbst））（鞘翅目：拟步甲科）的代际影响。将 50 只成虫组暴露于不同浓度的煤尘中，与地面燕麦混合作为食物基质（0、0.25、0.5、1.0 和 2.0%重量/重量），颗粒大小均小于 38μm，持续 30 天。F0 昆虫的 LC 为 1.07%，而 F1 幼虫和成虫的 LC 值分别为 0.53%和 0.89%。在 F1 中评估的病理学发现显示，煤尘浓度与几种形态异常的频率有关，包括没有触角或附肢的幼虫、缺乏 T1、T2、T3 腿、失去尿生殖距，以及存在异常突起。结果发现，相当数量的 F1 幼虫未能从亲代甲虫完全转化为下一生长阶段。在高浓度下，经常观察到未发育的眼睛的蛹和畸形鞘翅的成虫，以及坏死。最后，暴露于 1%煤尘的成虫过度表达与氧化应激（核因子红细胞 2 相关因子 2，Nrf2）和突触传递（GABA 门控离子通道，Grd）相关的基因。总之，煤尘颗粒对 T. castaneum 产生了代际影响，强调需要进一步研究这种空气污染物对野生动物和人类种群的影响。
