Multi-Level System to Assess Toxicity in Water Distribution Plants

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Toxicology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Limited research exists on the pro-oxidant effects of tap water.
• Investigating groundwater toxicity is crucial for public health.
• Understanding oxidative stress markers in aquatic models is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the water quality and potential health risks of groundwater from two Italian water plants.
• To evaluate the pro-oxidant effects of concentrated water samples using a fish cell line.
• To analyze antioxidant enzyme responses and determine the Integrated Biomarkers Response (IBRv2) index.

Main Methods:

• Physicochemical analysis of water samples.
• Concentration of water samples using solid-phase extraction.
• Aquatic toxicity assessment on Epithelioma papulosum cyprini (EPC) cell line.
• Measurement of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPx, GST, GR) and calculation of IBRv2 index.

Main Results:

• Both water sites exhibited good quality with compliant metal levels and absence of pathogens.
• The EPC cell line demonstrated sensitivity to water concentrates, showing antioxidant responses.
• The Integrated Biomarkers Response (IBRv2) index indicated a similar, muted antioxidant response for both sampling sites.
• Results suggest a low risk associated with exposure to the studied groundwater.

Conclusions:

• The studied groundwater from Northwestern Italy is of good quality.
• The fish (Epithelioma papulosum cyprini) cell line is a suitable model for evaluating water toxicity.
• The overall health risk associated with the investigated water samples appears to be low.