CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS Standard Session Themes: Transport, fate and exposure modelling of chemicals in the environment Environmental analysis and monitoring Metal toxicity and environmental chemistry Bioavailability and toxicity of organic and emerging chemicals Nano-risk research: toxicity of micro pollutants Toxicity of mixtures and multiple stressors Terrestrial ecotoxicology Biomarkers and biosensors Environmental ‘Omics’ Emerging ecotoxicological techniques and test methods Advances in analytical chemistry Life cycle assessment Groundwater and salinity issues Human health issues associated with environmental contaminants Pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the environment Biological monitoring of endocrine disrupting chemicals Ecological risk assessment Environmental management Special Session Themes: Marine and estuarine water quality Marine ecotoxicology The role of natural organic matter in environmental toxicology and chemistry Per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS): fate and effects ORAL Presentations from page 2 POSTER Presentations from page 110 2 3 A growing field: Selenium uptake in plant proteins determines suitability for mine site remediation Author Ms Divya Vinod, UTS and ANSTO Co Authors Dr Tom Cresswell, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Mr Nicholas Howell, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Dr Paul Callaghan, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Dr Luigi De Filippis, University of Technology, Sydney Theme - Environmental management ABSTRACT Extensive mining and agriculture has seen selenium (Se) emerge as a contaminant of increasing concern in terrestrial and aquatic environments in many regions around the world. Se is an essential micronutrient to humans, animals and some microorganisms but to date limited research has been conducted to determine the importance of Se to higher plants with respect to Se translocation and accumulation on a proteomic level in Australia. We investigated 1) the effects of radiolabelled selenite and selenate (75Se) concentrations on patterns of translocation of selenium salts by whole plant autoradiography, 2) the quantity of the 75Se accumulated in lipids, carbohydrates, and various classes of proteins. The plants, Brassica rapa ‘Vitamin Greens’ and Helianthus annus ‘Dwarf Sunflower’, secondary Se accumulators, along with Neptunia amplexicaulis, an identified selenium hyperaccumulator, were grown in tissue culture growth media and harvested after 21 days of exposure to a range of increasing concentrations of selenite and selenate salts, after which sub-lethal exposure concentrations were selected for further studies. Autoradiography displayed 75Se translocation of SeIV in relatively greater proportions in the roots than leaves and higher SeVI in the leaves than in the roots. Se was primarily bound to albumin, prolamin and glutelin proteins. These patterns of translocation coupled with further proteomic studies will assist in seleno-protein studies at a later stage to determine if Se is incorporated into specific proteins in these plants. The patterns of selenium translocation, its accumulation and possible phytovolatilization in plants have considerable implications on their suitability as tools for phytoremediation and biofortification. 4 A new and simple dry separation of PM10 from mining soils for Ni, Co and Mn bioavailability study by kinetic extractions Author Mrs Peggy Gunkel-Grillon, University of New-Caledonia Co Authors Mrs Camille Pasquet, University of New Caledonia Mrs Christine Laporte-Magoni, University of New-Caledonia Mr Arnaud Serres, University of New-Caledonia Mr Thomas Quiniou, University of New-Caledonia Mr François Rocca, University of New-Caledonia Mr Fabrice Monna, University of Bourgogne Franche-comté Theme - Environmental analysis and monitoring ABSTRACT In New Caledonia, thirty active Ni opencast mines have been reported in 2012 and the overall mining activity leads to dust emission rich in Ni, Co and Mn. Dust is fine particle of matter with a diameter smaller than 100 µm and mobilized by wind. Among those particles, PM10 (Particulate Matter in which 50 % of the particles have a diameter below 10 µm) are of particular concern because they can easily penetrate the human respiratory system causing respiratory dysfunction and diseases. Thus, the bioavailable metal content of PM10 is of great interest for health and ecotoxicological risk assessment. Bioavailable metal content in PM10 emitted by mining soils can be estimated by kinetic chemical extractions with EDTA but a large amount of dust is needed. To overcome this problem, we have developed a new and simple device using dry separation of PM10 from bulk mining soils. It consists of a stainless steel tube along which a nitrogen flow is imposed, resulting in the displacement of particles. Taking into account particle transport, fluid mechanics and soil texture, a 6-m long tube with a 0.04- m diameter was needed for PM10 separation. The device was able to produce the necessary several milligrams of PM10 to perform kinetic extractions with EDTA. Kinetic extractions curves were fitted using a two first-order reaction model defining two metal pools, a quickly and a slowly extractable pools with kinetic constants ranging respectively from 0.0222 to 0.1613 min-1 and from 0.0007 to 0.0047 min-1. Although the quickly extractable Ni, Co and Mn pools represent only 0.5–6.4 % of the total Ni, Co and Mn contents, quickly extractable contents are extremely high ranging from 17.8 to 709 mg.kg-1 and can be troublesome in the environment. This simple and dry technique for PM10 separation from bulk soil eliminates the metal leaching risks inherent in wet filtration and should ensure accurate health and ecotoxicological risk assessment of small particles. 5 Accurate determination of titanium dioxide nanomaterials (nTiO2) in environmental matrices Author Ms Nazanin Nikoo Jamal, University of South Australia Co Authors Mr Elliott Duncan, University of South Australia Mr Gary Owen, University of South Australia Theme - Environmental analysis and monitoring ABSTRACT Currently, the ability to monitor the dynamics of nanomaterials in the environment is limited by robust analytical methods to accurately quantify nanomaterial concentrations in environmental samples. For example, nanoscale titanium dioxide (nTiO2) is generally difficult to analyse in environmental samples as it is highly insoluble in water, most acids, and all organic solvents. Although hydrofluoric acid (HF) and sulfuric acid (H2SO4) can dissolve nTiO2 at high temperatures its use has numerous health and safety concerns. Consequently, there is a need to develop robust and safer analytical methods for the analysis of nTiO2 in a variety of complex environmental matrices. Initially, a number of diverse environmental samples (i.e. solution, soil, and plant) were spiked with known concentrations of nTiO2. Subsequently, a range of digestion methods was evaluated for the ability to digest and thus accurately determine nTiO2 concentrations in solution. Parameters considered where the acid digestion medium [concentrated nitric acid (HNO3), aqua regia (1:3 HNO3: HCl), mixtures of concentrated sulphuric and nitric acid at ratio of 2:1 H2SO4: HNO3, and potassium hydroxide], digestion temperature [140, 180 and 210 oC] and the heating method [block heater, microwave, and muffle furnace]. The recovery of Ti was evaluated by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and ICP Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). All samples were also analysed using the traditional HF/H2SO4 digestion technique to validate the success of our procedures. Conventional digestion techniques such as aqua regia and nitric acid which are commonly used for soil and plant digestions respectively did not perform well for the recovery of nTiO2. However, the use of a mixture of H2SO4: HNO3 (1:2) with either a block heater or microwave assisted digestion provided good recoveries of Ti when compared with the traditional HF-H2SO4 based digestion. Sulphur oxide interferences on the major Ti isotope (m/z = 48) were overcome, using an ammonia reaction gas during ICP-MS analysis for Ti. While results for the conventional muffle furnace (MF) - potassium hydroxide (KOH) fusion technique were comparable with the H2SO4: HNO3 (1:2) microwave assisted digestion technique, the MF technique had slightly better digestion efficiency and was less labour intensive and quicker. This work demonstrates that common digestion techniques may underestimate a number of nanomaterials present in environmental matrices and highlights the importance of validating proposed analytical techniques for the recovery of emerging contaminants such as nanomaterials prior to conducting more extensive contaminant dynamic experiments. 6 Acute and chronic toxic effects of microplastic beads and fibres on crustacean Ceriodaphnia dubia: single and mixture exposure scenarios Author Mr Shima Ziajahromi, Griffith University Co Authors Dr Anupama Kumar, CSIRO Land and Water Dr Marijana Markovic, CSIRO Land and Water Dr Peta Neale, Griffith University A/Prof Frederic Leusch, Griffith University Theme - Toxicity of mixtures and multiple stressors ABSTRACT Concerns have been raised about microplastics, such as synthetic fibres from clothing and beads from cosmetic products, in freshwater environments, with recent monitoring studies finding significant amounts of microplastics in wastewater effluent. There are still many uncertainties regarding the effect of wastewater-derived