Current permissible levels of metal pollutants harm terrestrial invertebrates

Coline Monchanin; Jean Marc Devaud; Andrew B. Barron; Mathieu Lihoreau

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146398

Current permissible levels of metal pollutants harm terrestrial invertebrates

Coline Monchanin^*, Jean Marc Devaud, Andrew B. Barron, Mathieu Lihoreau^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

56 Citations (Scopus)

337 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The current decline of invertebrates worldwide is alarming. Several potential causes have been proposed but metal pollutants, while being widespread in the air, soils and water, have so far been largely overlooked. Here, we reviewed the results of 527 observations of the effects of arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury on terrestrial invertebrates. These four well-studied metals are considered as priorities for public health and for which international regulatory guidelines exist. We found that they all significantly impact the physiology and behavior of invertebrates, even at levels below those recommended as ‘safe’ for humans. Our results call for a revision of the regulatory thresholds to better protect terrestrial invertebrates, which appear to be more sensitive to metal pollution than vertebrates. More fundamental research on a broader range of compounds and species is needed to improve international guidelines for metal pollutants, and to develop conservation plans to protect invertebrates and ecosystem services.

Original language	English
Article number	146398
Pages (from-to)	1-8
Number of pages	8
Journal	Science of the Total Environment
Volume	779
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146398
Publication status	Published - 20 Jul 2021

Bibliographical note

Copyright the Author(s) 2021. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Keywords

Heavy metals
International guidelines
Invertebrate decline
Metalloids
Environmental pollution

Access to Document

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146398

Publisher version (open access)Final published version, 1.23 MBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

@article{e520fb0fa7e440c6b67656107d684d42,

title = "Current permissible levels of metal pollutants harm terrestrial invertebrates",

abstract = "The current decline of invertebrates worldwide is alarming. Several potential causes have been proposed but metal pollutants, while being widespread in the air, soils and water, have so far been largely overlooked. Here, we reviewed the results of 527 observations of the effects of arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury on terrestrial invertebrates. These four well-studied metals are considered as priorities for public health and for which international regulatory guidelines exist. We found that they all significantly impact the physiology and behavior of invertebrates, even at levels below those recommended as {\textquoteleft}safe{\textquoteright} for humans. Our results call for a revision of the regulatory thresholds to better protect terrestrial invertebrates, which appear to be more sensitive to metal pollution than vertebrates. More fundamental research on a broader range of compounds and species is needed to improve international guidelines for metal pollutants, and to develop conservation plans to protect invertebrates and ecosystem services.",

keywords = "Heavy metals, International guidelines, Invertebrate decline, Metalloids, Environmental pollution",

author = "Coline Monchanin and Devaud, {Jean Marc} and Barron, {Andrew B.} and Mathieu Lihoreau",

note = "Copyright the Author(s) 2021. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher. ",

year = "2021",

month = jul,

day = "20",

doi = "10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146398",

language = "English",

volume = "779",

pages = "1--8",

journal = "Science of the Total Environment",

issn = "0048-9697",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Current permissible levels of metal pollutants harm terrestrial invertebrates

AU - Monchanin, Coline

AU - Devaud, Jean Marc

AU - Barron, Andrew B.

AU - Lihoreau, Mathieu

N1 - Copyright the Author(s) 2021. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

PY - 2021/7/20

Y1 - 2021/7/20

N2 - The current decline of invertebrates worldwide is alarming. Several potential causes have been proposed but metal pollutants, while being widespread in the air, soils and water, have so far been largely overlooked. Here, we reviewed the results of 527 observations of the effects of arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury on terrestrial invertebrates. These four well-studied metals are considered as priorities for public health and for which international regulatory guidelines exist. We found that they all significantly impact the physiology and behavior of invertebrates, even at levels below those recommended as ‘safe’ for humans. Our results call for a revision of the regulatory thresholds to better protect terrestrial invertebrates, which appear to be more sensitive to metal pollution than vertebrates. More fundamental research on a broader range of compounds and species is needed to improve international guidelines for metal pollutants, and to develop conservation plans to protect invertebrates and ecosystem services.

AB - The current decline of invertebrates worldwide is alarming. Several potential causes have been proposed but metal pollutants, while being widespread in the air, soils and water, have so far been largely overlooked. Here, we reviewed the results of 527 observations of the effects of arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury on terrestrial invertebrates. These four well-studied metals are considered as priorities for public health and for which international regulatory guidelines exist. We found that they all significantly impact the physiology and behavior of invertebrates, even at levels below those recommended as ‘safe’ for humans. Our results call for a revision of the regulatory thresholds to better protect terrestrial invertebrates, which appear to be more sensitive to metal pollution than vertebrates. More fundamental research on a broader range of compounds and species is needed to improve international guidelines for metal pollutants, and to develop conservation plans to protect invertebrates and ecosystem services.

KW - Heavy metals

KW - International guidelines

KW - Invertebrate decline

KW - Metalloids

KW - Environmental pollution

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85102738518&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/FT140100452

U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146398

DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146398

M3 - Article

C2 - 34030224

AN - SCOPUS:85102738518

SN - 0048-9697

VL - 779

SP - 1

EP - 8

JO - Science of the Total Environment

JF - Science of the Total Environment

M1 - 146398

ER -

Current permissible levels of metal pollutants harm terrestrial invertebrates

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Comprehending and modelling the workings of the animal brain

Cite this

Current permissible levels of metal pollutants harm terrestrial invertebrates

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

Comprehending and modelling the workings of the animal brain

Cite this