From High-Tech To High-Risk? Unveiling the Acute Ecotoxicological Effects of Rare Earth Elements on Daphnia magna

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2025

Authors

Pinto, I (Author) Other; Henriques, B (Author) Other; Viana, T (Author) Other; Freitas, R (Author) Other; Pereira, E (Author) Other; Antunes, SC (Author) FCUP

Journal

Title: Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology

Vol. 114

ISSN: 0007-4861

Publisher: Springer Nature

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-018-P6E

DOI: 10.1007/s00128-025-04044-7

Abstract (EN): <jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Technological advancement has brought significant environmental challenges, as its associated waste is difficult to manage and its long-term effects on ecosystems and biota remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the acute toxicity of rare earth elements (REEs): lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, scandium, and yttrium on the standard aquatic species <jats:italic>Daphnia magna</jats:italic> through a toxicity screening approach. Based on EC<jats:sub>50</jats:sub> values, the most toxic element was yttrium (EC<jats:sub>50</jats:sub>¿=¿7.2 mg L<jats:sup>¿1</jats:sup>), followed by scandium, dysprosium, europium, lutetium, neodymium, holmium, gadolinium, ytterbium, thulium, terbium, samarium, cerium, and lanthanum (10¿>¿EC<jats:sub>50</jats:sub>¿<¿100) identified as harmful, and praseodymium classified as non-toxic with an EC<jats:sub>50</jats:sub> above 100 mg L<jats:sup>¿1</jats:sup> (130.81 mg L<jats:sup>¿1</jats:sup>). This study demonstrates that all REEs, except praseodymium, induce acute effects in <jats:italic>D. magna</jats:italic> using ASTM as a culture medium. The results also highlight the need for standardized screening studies to obtain reliable data for both predictive and retrospective environmental risk features.</jats:p>

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific