Oxidative stress and antioxidant defense in response to Dimethyl Phthalate in Chlorella vulgaris

Abstract

Dimethyl phthalate (DMP) is a common organic pollutant that can accumulate in aquatic organisms and pose a threat to aquatic ecosystems. Many studies have shown that DMP is toxic to marine organisms, but the toxicity mechanism of DMP in microalgae is still unclear. We measured indicators of cell growth, oxidative damage and antioxidant enzyme activity in Chlorella vulgaris exposed to DMP. The degree of growth inhibition of C. vulgaris cells increased with the increase of DMP concentration. Hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde contents increased significantly in C.vulgaris exposed to 800 mg/L DMP. Glutathione peroxidase and Superoxide dismutase activities both decreased in C. vulgaris exposed to 100 mg/L DMP. These data indicated that DMP treatment altered the redox status of C. vulgaris and that oxidative damage may be the main mechanism of DMP toxicity. The results lay a foundation for understanding the impact of DMP on C. vulgaris stress and provide a theoretical basis for the protection of aquatic ecosystems.