The potential of Euglena species as a bioindicator for soil ecotoxicity assessment

Abstract

Currently, there are no standard international test methods for assessing aquatic and soil toxicity, with aquatic toxicity tests based on limited Euglena species. Here, we proposed Euglena species as extended test species, especially as new soil test species for a paper-disc soil method, considering its ecologically important roles in providing highly bioavailable in-vivo nutrients to upper trophic level organisms. We conducted experiments to identify the optimal exposure duration for two Euglena species (Euglena viridis and Euglena geniculata). We demonstrated the toxic effects of nickel (model contaminant) on their photosynthetic parameters and growth in freshwater. The growth and photosynthetic activity of three Euglena species were significantly inhibited in nickel-contaminated soil during paper-disc soil tests, especially the test species adsorbed onto paper-disc soil. Euglena gracilis was more sensitive to nickel than E. viridis and E. geniculata in freshwater and soil. Thus, E. viridis and E. geniculata have potential as additional test species for improving test species diversity, while all three species have potential as new soil test species for soil toxicity assessment. Thus, results these species may be suitable for routine aquatic toxicity testing and new soil toxicity testing, addressing the current paucity of test species in freshwater and soil toxicity assessment.