Increased amplitude of daily temperature fluctuation magnifies the acute toxicity of phenanthrene and upregulates molecular mechanisms of stress defense in Enchytraeus albidus (Oligochaeta)

Wencai Dai; Astrid Bay Amstrup; Stine Slotsbo; Martin Holmstrup; Morgane Touzot; Jesper G Sørensen

doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118802

Increased amplitude of daily temperature fluctuation magnifies the acute toxicity of phenanthrene and upregulates molecular mechanisms of stress defense in Enchytraeus albidus (Oligochaeta)

Wencai Dai^*
, Astrid Bay Amstrup
, Stine Slotsbo
, Martin Holmstrup
, Morgane Touzot
, Jesper G Sørensen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Climate change has resulted in a higher average temperature and increased temperature variability, which has severe consequences for organisms. Simultaneously, organisms are exposed to toxicants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are widely emitted by human activities and accumulate in soil. These two stressors may negatively influence terrestrial organisms through their interaction. In the present study, the potworm Enchytraeus albidus was exposed to a range of phenanthrene (PHE) concentrations (0, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320 mg kg -1 dry soil) at various amplitudes of daily temperature fluctuation (DTF) (20 ± 0, 20 ± 2, 20 ± 5, 20 ± 7, 20 ± 8, 20 ± 9 and 20 ± 10 ºC) for 7 days. At the end of the experiment, the survival and the body concentration of PHE were measured for all treatments. Furthermore, the transcription of stress-related genes (heat shock protein 70, superoxide dismutase, catalase, cytochrome P450 4v2, glutathione-S-transferase, ABC transporter) was measured at the DTFs and the presence or absence of 40 mg PHE kg -1 dry soil. The survival significantly decreased under increasing PHE concentration and temperature amplitudes, with a synergistic interaction between these stressors. The bioaccumulation of PHE was largely unaffected by temperature amplitude. The expression of the genes encoding superoxide dismutase and catalase was significantly elevated by both PHE exposure and increased temperature amplitude. These results show that higher temperature variability increases the effects of PHE in E. albidus in terms of mortality and expression of stress-responsive genes. Our findings highlight the importance of including temperature variability, such as that caused by heat waves, in the environmental risk assessment of lipophilic compounds.

Original language	English
Article number	118802
Journal	Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Volume	303
ISSN	0147-6513
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118802
Publication status	Published - 15 Sept 2025

Keywords

Gene expression
Multiple stressors
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Survival
Temperature variability

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Dai, W., Amstrup, A. B., Slotsbo, S., Holmstrup, M., Touzot, M., & Sørensen, J. G. (2025). Increased amplitude of daily temperature fluctuation magnifies the acute toxicity of phenanthrene and upregulates molecular mechanisms of stress defense in Enchytraeus albidus (Oligochaeta). Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 303, Article 118802. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118802

@article{234629a98ece43eeaf617c782c48156f,

title = "Increased amplitude of daily temperature fluctuation magnifies the acute toxicity of phenanthrene and upregulates molecular mechanisms of stress defense in Enchytraeus albidus (Oligochaeta)",

abstract = "Climate change has resulted in a higher average temperature and increased temperature variability, which has severe consequences for organisms. Simultaneously, organisms are exposed to toxicants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are widely emitted by human activities and accumulate in soil. These two stressors may negatively influence terrestrial organisms through their interaction. In the present study, the potworm Enchytraeus albidus was exposed to a range of phenanthrene (PHE) concentrations (0, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320 mg kg -1 dry soil) at various amplitudes of daily temperature fluctuation (DTF) (20 ± 0, 20 ± 2, 20 ± 5, 20 ± 7, 20 ± 8, 20 ± 9 and 20 ± 10 ºC) for 7 days. At the end of the experiment, the survival and the body concentration of PHE were measured for all treatments. Furthermore, the transcription of stress-related genes (heat shock protein 70, superoxide dismutase, catalase, cytochrome P450 4v2, glutathione-S-transferase, ABC transporter) was measured at the DTFs and the presence or absence of 40 mg PHE kg -1 dry soil. The survival significantly decreased under increasing PHE concentration and temperature amplitudes, with a synergistic interaction between these stressors. The bioaccumulation of PHE was largely unaffected by temperature amplitude. The expression of the genes encoding superoxide dismutase and catalase was significantly elevated by both PHE exposure and increased temperature amplitude. These results show that higher temperature variability increases the effects of PHE in E. albidus in terms of mortality and expression of stress-responsive genes. Our findings highlight the importance of including temperature variability, such as that caused by heat waves, in the environmental risk assessment of lipophilic compounds. ",

keywords = "Gene expression, Multiple stressors, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Survival, Temperature variability",

author = "Wencai Dai and Amstrup, \{Astrid Bay\} and Stine Slotsbo and Martin Holmstrup and Morgane Touzot and S{\o}rensen, \{Jesper G\}",

year = "2025",

month = sep,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118802",

language = "English",

volume = "303",

journal = "Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety",

issn = "0147-6513",

publisher = "Academic Press",

}

Dai, W, Amstrup, AB, Slotsbo, S , Holmstrup, M, Touzot, M & Sørensen, JG 2025, 'Increased amplitude of daily temperature fluctuation magnifies the acute toxicity of phenanthrene and upregulates molecular mechanisms of stress defense in Enchytraeus albidus (Oligochaeta)', Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, vol. 303, 118802. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118802

Increased amplitude of daily temperature fluctuation magnifies the acute toxicity of phenanthrene and upregulates molecular mechanisms of stress defense in Enchytraeus albidus (Oligochaeta). / Dai, Wencai; Amstrup, Astrid Bay; Slotsbo, Stine et al.
In: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, Vol. 303, 118802, 15.09.2025.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Increased amplitude of daily temperature fluctuation magnifies the acute toxicity of phenanthrene and upregulates molecular mechanisms of stress defense in Enchytraeus albidus (Oligochaeta)

AU - Dai, Wencai

AU - Amstrup, Astrid Bay

AU - Slotsbo, Stine

AU - Holmstrup, Martin

AU - Touzot, Morgane

AU - Sørensen, Jesper G

PY - 2025/9/15

Y1 - 2025/9/15

N2 - Climate change has resulted in a higher average temperature and increased temperature variability, which has severe consequences for organisms. Simultaneously, organisms are exposed to toxicants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are widely emitted by human activities and accumulate in soil. These two stressors may negatively influence terrestrial organisms through their interaction. In the present study, the potworm Enchytraeus albidus was exposed to a range of phenanthrene (PHE) concentrations (0, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320 mg kg -1 dry soil) at various amplitudes of daily temperature fluctuation (DTF) (20 ± 0, 20 ± 2, 20 ± 5, 20 ± 7, 20 ± 8, 20 ± 9 and 20 ± 10 ºC) for 7 days. At the end of the experiment, the survival and the body concentration of PHE were measured for all treatments. Furthermore, the transcription of stress-related genes (heat shock protein 70, superoxide dismutase, catalase, cytochrome P450 4v2, glutathione-S-transferase, ABC transporter) was measured at the DTFs and the presence or absence of 40 mg PHE kg -1 dry soil. The survival significantly decreased under increasing PHE concentration and temperature amplitudes, with a synergistic interaction between these stressors. The bioaccumulation of PHE was largely unaffected by temperature amplitude. The expression of the genes encoding superoxide dismutase and catalase was significantly elevated by both PHE exposure and increased temperature amplitude. These results show that higher temperature variability increases the effects of PHE in E. albidus in terms of mortality and expression of stress-responsive genes. Our findings highlight the importance of including temperature variability, such as that caused by heat waves, in the environmental risk assessment of lipophilic compounds.

AB - Climate change has resulted in a higher average temperature and increased temperature variability, which has severe consequences for organisms. Simultaneously, organisms are exposed to toxicants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are widely emitted by human activities and accumulate in soil. These two stressors may negatively influence terrestrial organisms through their interaction. In the present study, the potworm Enchytraeus albidus was exposed to a range of phenanthrene (PHE) concentrations (0, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320 mg kg -1 dry soil) at various amplitudes of daily temperature fluctuation (DTF) (20 ± 0, 20 ± 2, 20 ± 5, 20 ± 7, 20 ± 8, 20 ± 9 and 20 ± 10 ºC) for 7 days. At the end of the experiment, the survival and the body concentration of PHE were measured for all treatments. Furthermore, the transcription of stress-related genes (heat shock protein 70, superoxide dismutase, catalase, cytochrome P450 4v2, glutathione-S-transferase, ABC transporter) was measured at the DTFs and the presence or absence of 40 mg PHE kg -1 dry soil. The survival significantly decreased under increasing PHE concentration and temperature amplitudes, with a synergistic interaction between these stressors. The bioaccumulation of PHE was largely unaffected by temperature amplitude. The expression of the genes encoding superoxide dismutase and catalase was significantly elevated by both PHE exposure and increased temperature amplitude. These results show that higher temperature variability increases the effects of PHE in E. albidus in terms of mortality and expression of stress-responsive genes. Our findings highlight the importance of including temperature variability, such as that caused by heat waves, in the environmental risk assessment of lipophilic compounds.

KW - Gene expression

KW - Multiple stressors

KW - Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

KW - Survival

KW - Temperature variability

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105012224204

U2 - 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118802

DO - 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118802

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 40753777

SN - 0147-6513

VL - 303

JO - Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

JF - Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

M1 - 118802

ER -

Increased amplitude of daily temperature fluctuation magnifies the acute toxicity of phenanthrene and upregulates molecular mechanisms of stress defense in Enchytraeus albidus (Oligochaeta)

Abstract

Keywords

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