Abstract
This study evaluates, on a preliminary basis, the principal morpho-physiological effects induced by pollution stress in four aquatic vegetation species of great ecological relevance in transitional water ecosystems. Three macroalgae (Chaetomorpha linum, Valonia aegagrophyla, Graciliariopsis longissima) and one phanerogams species (Ruppia cirrhosa) were exposed to different doses of trace elements (Cu, Hg, Zn) and surfactants (dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid sodium salt) in laboratory controlled microcosm conditions and morpho-physiological responses (photosynthetic complex alteration, percentage of died cells, morphological changes) were measured before and after 7 and 14 days of exposure. Levels of pollutants in tissues and BioConcentration Factors (BCF) for each species were calculated after 14 days of exposure. Results suggest that photosynthetic complex alteration can be a useful tool to evaluate early and sub-lethal significant changes due to exposure to pollution stress in all of the considered species. A clear species-specificity was observed concerning trace element levels in tissues after 14 days of exposure, while dose-dependent behavior was observed for BCFs.
Highlights
Ecotoxicological tests play a key role in the evaluation of water quality and pollution in freshwater and coastalHow to cite this paper: Renzi, M., Giovani, A. and Focardi, S.E. (2014) Responses of Aquatic Vegetation to Pollution: Preliminary Results on Ecotoxicological Effects and Bioenrichment Factors
Encouraging results from application of the alteration of photosynthetic complex as biomarkers useful to detect early and sub-lethal stress responses have been reported for unicellular algal cells [11], recent studies considered the alteration of chlorophyll-a as toxicological endpoint for the in situ evaluation of water toxicity [12] [13] both in green macroalgae as well as Ulva sp. [14] and phanerogam leaves [15]
Macroalgae tissues exposed to trace elements show significant effects in terms of water content changes, tissue structure and colour alterations, reduction of chloroplast volume (C. linum) and osmoregulation deficiency with cytolysis (V. aegagrophyla, G. longissima)
Summary
Ecotoxicological tests play a key role in the evaluation of water quality and pollution in freshwater and coastalHow to cite this paper: Renzi, M., Giovani, A. and Focardi, S.E. (2014) Responses of Aquatic Vegetation to Pollution: Preliminary Results on Ecotoxicological Effects and Bioenrichment Factors. Encouraging results from application of the alteration of photosynthetic complex as biomarkers useful to detect early and sub-lethal stress responses have been reported for unicellular algal cells [11], recent studies considered the alteration of chlorophyll-a as toxicological endpoint for the in situ evaluation of water toxicity [12] [13] both in green macroalgae as well as Ulva sp. Significant alterations of photosynthetic pigments were observed in Posidonia australis, Amphibolis antarctica, Halophila ovalis [16], Thalassia testudinum [17] through direct fluorimetry measurements, suggesting the presence of stress-induced responses In spite of these reported experiments, ecotoxicological research aimed at evaluating early and sub-lethal responses induced by trace elements and surfactant pollution has not yet been well explored in the literature. The efficiency of macroalgae and phanerogam uptake of trace elements from water could be evaluated and expressed as BioConcentration Factors (BCFs)
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