1
|
A Ten-Minute Bioassay to Test Metal Toxicity with the Freshwater Flagellate Euglena agilis. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11111618. [DOI: 10.3390/biology11111618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
A chemical analysis of water quality cannot detect some toxicants due to time constraints, high costs, and limited interactions for detection. Bioassays would offer a complementary means to assess pollution levels in water. Euglena is a flagellate green alga and an excellent system for toxicity testing thanks to its ease of culture, rapid growth, and quick response to environmental stresses. Herein, we examined the sensitivity of E. agilis to seven heavy metals by analyzing six end-point parameters: motility, velocity, cell compactness, upward swimming, r-value, and alignment. Notably, the velocity of E. agilis was most sensitive to cadmium (96.28 mg·L−1), copper (6.51 mg·L−1), manganese (103.28 mg·L−1), lead (78.04 mg·L−1), and zinc (101.90 mg·L−1), while r-values were most sensitive to arsenic (12.84 mg·L−1) and mercury (4.26 mg·L−1). In this study, velocity and r-values are presented as useful biomarkers for the assessment of metal toxicity in Euglena. The metals As, Cd, Cu, and Pb were suitable for this test. The advantages of the ecotoxicity test are its rapidity: It takes 10 min to obtain results, as opposed to the typical 3–4 d of exposure time with intensive labor. Moreover, this test can be performed at room temperature under dark conditions.
Collapse
|
2
|
Sall ML, Diaw AKD, Gningue-Sall D, Efremova Aaron S, Aaron JJ. Toxic heavy metals: impact on the environment and human health, and treatment with conducting organic polymers, a review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:29927-29942. [PMID: 32506411 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-09354-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 177] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Water pollution by heavy metals has many human origins, such as the burning of fossil fuels, exhaust gases of vehicles, mining, agriculture, and incineration of solid and liquid wastes. Heavy metals also occur naturally, due to volcanoes, thermal springs activity, erosion, infiltration, etc. This water contamination is a threat for living beings because most heavy metals are toxic to humans and to aquatic life. Hence, it is important to find effective techniques for removing these contaminants in order to reduce the level of pollution of the natural waters. In this work, we have reviewed the toxicity of several heavy metals (mercury, lead, cadmium, chromium, nickel), their impact on the environment and human health, and the synthesis and characterization methods of conducting organic polymers (COPs) utilized for the removal of heavy metals from the environment. Therefore, this review was essentially aimed to present recent works and methods (2000-2020) on the environmental impact and toxicity of heavy metals and on the removal of toxic heavy metals, using chemically and/or electrochemically synthesized COPs. We have also stressed the great interest of COPs for the removal of toxic heavy metals from waters.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Lamine Sall
- Laboratoire de Chimie Physique Organique et d'Analyse Environementale (LCPOAE), Département de Chimie, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, BP 5005, Dakar-Fann, Senegal
- Laboratoire Géomatériaux et Environnement (LGE), Université Paris-Est, 5 Boulevard Descartes, Champs-sur-Marne, 77454, Marne la Vallée Cedex 2, France
| | - Abdou Karim Diagne Diaw
- Laboratoire de Chimie Physique Organique et d'Analyse Environementale (LCPOAE), Département de Chimie, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, BP 5005, Dakar-Fann, Senegal
| | - Diariatou Gningue-Sall
- Laboratoire de Chimie Physique Organique et d'Analyse Environementale (LCPOAE), Département de Chimie, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, BP 5005, Dakar-Fann, Senegal
| | - Snezana Efremova Aaron
- Department of Medical and Experimental Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Ss. Cyril & Methodius University, Skopje, North Macedonia
| | - Jean-Jacques Aaron
- Laboratoire Géomatériaux et Environnement (LGE), Université Paris-Est, 5 Boulevard Descartes, Champs-sur-Marne, 77454, Marne la Vallée Cedex 2, France.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Al-Hasawi ZM, Abdel-Hamid MI, Almutairi AW, Touliabah HE. Response of Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata in Free and Alginate Immobilized Cells to Heavy Metals Toxicity. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25122847. [PMID: 32575616 PMCID: PMC7355555 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25122847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Effects of 12 heavy metals on growth of free and alginate-immobilized cells of the alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata were investigated. The tested metals ions include Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Se, Ni, Pb, Sr, and Zn. Toxicity values (EC50) were calculated by graphical interpolation from dose-response curves. The highest to the lowest toxic metals are in the order Cd > Co > Hg > Cu > Ni > Zn > Cr > Al > Se > As > Pb > Sr. The lowest metal concentration (mg L-1) inhibiting 50% (EC50) of algal growth of free and immobilized (values in parentheses) algal cells were, 0.018 (0.09) for Cd, 0.03 (0.06) for Co, 0.039 (0.06) for Hg, 0.048 (0.050) for Cu, 0.055 (0.3) for Ni, 0.08 (0.1) for Zn, 0.2 (0.3) for Cr, 0.75 (1.8) for Al, 1.2 (1.4) for Se, 3.0 (4.0) for As, 3.3 (5.0) for Pb, and 160 (180) for Sr. Free and immobilized cultures showed similar responses to Cu and Se. The free cells were more sensitive than the immobilized ones. Accordingly, the toxicity (EC50) of heavy metals derived only form immobilized algal cells might by questionable. The study suggests that batteries of alginate-immobilized algae can efficiently replace free algae for the bio-removal of heavy metals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zaki M. Al-Hasawi
- Biological Sciences Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. 80203, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +966-59-221-2232
| | | | - Adel W. Almutairi
- Biological Sciences Department, Rabigh-Faculty of Science & Arts, King Abdulaziz University, P. O. box 344, Rabigh 21911, Saudi Arabia; (A.W.A.); (H.E.T.)
| | - Hussein E. Touliabah
- Biological Sciences Department, Rabigh-Faculty of Science & Arts, King Abdulaziz University, P. O. box 344, Rabigh 21911, Saudi Arabia; (A.W.A.); (H.E.T.)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Trenfield MA, Ng JC, Noller B, Markich SJ, van Dam RA. Dissolved organic carbon reduces uranium toxicity to the unicellular eukaryote Euglena gracilis. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2012; 21:1013-1023. [PMID: 22278366 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-012-0855-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2012] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The influence of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), in the form of Suwannee River fulvic acid (SRFA), on uranium (U) toxicity to the unicellular eukaryote, Euglena gracilis (Z strain), was investigated at pH 6. In a background medium without SRFA, exposure of E. gracilis to 57 μg L(-1) U resulted in a 50% reduction in growth (IC(50)). The addition of 20 mg L(-1) DOC (as SRFA), reduced U toxicity 4 to 5-fold (IC(50) increased to 254 μg L(-1) U). This reduction in toxicity was also evident at more sensitive effect levels with a 10% reduction in growth (IC(10)) occurring at 5 μg L(-1) U in the background medium and at 17 μg L(-1) U in the SRFA medium, respectively. This amelioration of toxicity with the addition of SRFA was linked to a decrease in the bioavailability of U, with geochemical speciation modelling predicting 84% of U would be complexed by SRFA. The decrease in bioavailability of U in the presence of SRFA was also evident from the 11-14 fold reduction in the cellular concentration of U compared to that of E. gracilis in the background medium. Stepwise multiple linear regression analyses indicated that UO(2)(2+) alone explained 51% of the variation in measured U toxicity to E. gracilis. Preliminary U exposures to E. gracilis in the presence of a reactive oxygen species probe, suggest exposure to ≥60 μg L(-1) U may induce oxidative stress, but this endpoint was not considered to be a sensitive biological indicator.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melanie A Trenfield
- Ecotoxicology Program, Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist, Darwin, Australia.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Gupta S, Agrawal SC. Motility in Oscillatoria salina as affected by different factors. Folia Microbiol (Praha) 2007; 51:565-71. [PMID: 17455793 DOI: 10.1007/bf02931621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
All 3-10-d-old Oscillatoria salina filaments glide with the speed of 323-330 microm/min (BG 11 medium, pH 7.5, 21 +/- 2 degrees C, continuous light intensity of approximately 30 micromol m(-2) s(-1)) in a culture chamber. However, a time bound progressive decrease in gliding speed and in percentage of gliding filaments occurred, depending upon the severity of different stress factors studied, viz. water stress (2-8% agarized media, liquid media with 0.2-1 mol/L NaCl, blot-dryness of filaments for > or = 5 min), temperature shock (5, 40 degrees C for > or = 5 min; 35 degrees C for > or = 15 min), darkness and low light intensity (2, 10 micromol m(-2) s(-1)), UV exposure (0.96-3.84 kJ/m2), pH extremes (< or = 6.5 and > or = 9.5), lack of all nutrients from liquid medium (double distilled water), presence of 'heavy' metals (1, 25 ppm Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni, Co, Hg) or organic substances in liquid medium (25, 250 ppm 2,4-D, captan, urea, DDT, thiourea). This feature of the alga (i.e. reduction in speed and percentage of gliding filaments depending upon severity of stress conditions) may thus be suggested to be used in assessing water quality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S Gupta
- Department of Botany, University of Allahabad, India
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Lu ZJ, Wang PN, Zhang Y, Chen JY, Zhen S, Leng B, Tian H. Tracking of mercury ions in living cells with a fluorescent chemodosimeter under single- or two-photon excitation. Anal Chim Acta 2007; 597:306-12. [PMID: 17683744 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2007.06.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2007] [Revised: 06/27/2007] [Accepted: 06/28/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Tracking of Hg2+ in solutions as well as in living cells was conducted with a fluorescent chemodosimeter by measuring the spectral shift of its fluorescence under single- or two-photon excitation. The spectral hypsochromic shifts of this chemodosimeter when reacting with Hg2+ were found to be about 50 nm in acetonitrile/water solutions and 32 nm in Euglena gracilis 277 living cells. This chemodosimeter shows high sensitivity and selectivity, and is not influenced by the pH values. It can signal Hg2+ in solutions down to the ppb range under either single-photon excitation (SPE) at 405 nm or two-photon excitation (TPE) at 800 nm. However, with low cellular chemodosimeter concentrations, the SPE spectra were disturbed by the auto-fluorescence from the native fluorophore in the cell, while the TPE spectra were still of high quality since the two-photon absorption cross section of this chemodosimeter is much larger than that of the native fluorophores in the cell.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhou-Jun Lu
- State Key Lab for Advanced Photonic Materials and Devices, Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Dos Santos Ferreira V, Rocchetta I, Conforti V, Bench S, Feldman R, Levin MJ. Gene expression patterns in Euglena gracilis: insights into the cellular response to environmental stress. Gene 2006; 389:136-45. [PMID: 17197134 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2006.10.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2006] [Revised: 10/13/2006] [Accepted: 10/27/2006] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
To better understand Euglena gracilis gene expression under different stress conditions (Chromium, Streptomycin or darkness), we undertook a survey of the E. gracilis transcriptome by cDNA sequencing and microarray analysis. First, we constructed a non-normalized cDNA library from the E. gracilis UTEX strain and sequenced a total of 1000 cDNAs. Six hundred and ten of these ESTs were similar to either Plantae or Protistae genes (e-value<e(-10)). Second, microarrays were built by spotting all the ESTs onto mirror slides. Microarray expression analysis indicated that 90 out of those 610 ESTs changed their expression level in response to different stress treatments (p<0.05). In addition, we detected 10 ESTs that changed expression levels irrespective of the tested stress. These may be considered as part of a larger set of stress-related genes in E. gracilis. Finally, we identified 23 unknown ESTs (U-ESTs) following the expression profiles of these putative stress-related genes suggesting that they could be related to the cellular mechanism of stress response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Dos Santos Ferreira
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de la Enfermedad de Chagas INGEBI, National Research Council, Centro de Genómica Aplicada, University of Buenos Aires, Vuelta de Obligado 2490 2P, 1428, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Millán de Kuhn R, Streb C, Breiter R, Richter P, Neesse T, Häder DP. Screening for unicellular algae as possible bioassay organisms for monitoring marine water samples. WATER RESEARCH 2006; 40:2695-703. [PMID: 16806394 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2006.04.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2005] [Revised: 04/21/2006] [Accepted: 04/27/2006] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
ECOTOX is an automatic early warning system to monitor potential pollution of freshwater, municipal or industrial waste waters or aquatic ecosystems. It is based on a real time image analysis of the motility and orientation parameters of the unicellular, photosynthetic flagellate Euglena gracilis. In order to widen the use of the device to marine habitats and saline waters nine marine flagellates were evaluated as putative bioassay organisms, viz. Dunaliella salina, Dunaliella viridis, Dunaliella bardawil, Prorocentrum minimum Kattegat, P. minimum Lissabon, Tetraselmis suecica, Heterocapsa triquetra, Gyrodinium dorsum and Cryptomonas maculata. Because of their slow growth the last three strains were excluded from further evaluation. Selection criteria were ease of culture, density of cell suspension, stability of motility and gravitactic orientation. The sensitivity toward toxins was tested using copper(II) ions. The instrument allows the user to automatically determine effect-concentration (EC) curves from which the EC(50) values can be calculated. For the interpretation of the EC curves a sigmoid logistic model was proposed which proved to be satisfactory for all tested strains. The inhibition of the motility was considered as the most appropriate movement parameter as an endpoint. The Dunaliella species had the lowest sensitivity to copper with EC(50) values of 220, 198 and 176 mg/L for D. salina, D. bardawil and D. viridis, respectively, followed by T. suecica with an EC(50) value of 40 mg/L. The Prorocentrum species were found to be the most sensitive with an EC(50) value of 13.5 mg/L for P. minimum Lissabon and 7.5 mg/L for P. minimum Kattegat.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rosmary Millán de Kuhn
- Lehrstuhl für Umweltverfahrenstechnik and Recycling, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Paul-Gordan-Str. 3, D-91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Gupta S, Agrawal SC. Motility and survival of Euglena ignobilis as affected by different factors. Folia Microbiol (Praha) 2006; 50:315-22. [PMID: 16408850 DOI: 10.1007/bf02931412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Euglena ignobilis cells in natural puddle water of pH 7.8, when kept at 21 +/- 2 degrees C and under continuous light (intensity of approximately 30 micromol m(-2) s(-1)) in a culture chamber, decreased their speed of movement from > or = 78000 microm/min (after a 12-h cultivation), to 850-1300 microm/min after 18 h. Simultaneously initiated were changes in morphology from the usual elongated motile forms to round motile ones by curving and contraction. Water stress (2 and 4 % agarized puddle water, puddle water with 0.2-1 mol/L NaCl), temperature shock (< or = 10 degrees C, > or = 30 degrees C), darkness and low-light intensity, UV exposure (0.96-2.88 kJ/m2), pH extremes (< or = 6.5 and > or = 10), presence of 'heavy' metals (1-100 ppm Fe, Cu, Zn, Co, Ni, Hg) or organic substances in puddle water (25-1000 ppm 2,4-D, captan, urea, DDT, thiourea), all these factors rapidly (after 5 to 30 min) decreased the speed of the elongated motile form to < or = 300 microm/min, and induced all morphological changes leading to formation of round motile and round nonmotile forms. These features in the alga (i.e. sudden speed reduction and morphological changes from elongate motile to round motile form) may thus be suggested to be used in assessing water quality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S Gupta
- Department of Botany, University of Allahabad, Allahabad, India
| | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Tahedl H, Häder DP. Automated biomonitoring using real time movement analysis of Euglena gracilis. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2001; 48:161-169. [PMID: 11161690 DOI: 10.1006/eesa.2000.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
An automated biomonitoring system for early warning of pollutants in aquatic environments is described and characterized. The system uses sublethal changes in the movement behavior of the flagellate Euglena gracilis as biological endpoints. The movement is determined by real time image analysis. All parameters describing motility, velocity, orientation, and form of the cells are calculated during measurement, and changes of these parameters are interpreted as effect. By automatic dilution of the water sample, dose-effect relationships can be recorded automatically. A total measurement procedure, including control and sample measurement and filling and rinsing of the system, typically requires 8 min. Measurements with different organic and inorganic toxic compounds were performed and the calculated EC(50) values compared with literature data for the bioluminescence test with Vibrio fischeri. Also, measurements with waste water samples from different industrial plants were performed. The fast response time, the small size, the reliable image analysis system, the calculation of several endpoints, and the automatic measuring procedure are major advantages compared to other biological test systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- H Tahedl
- Institut für Botanik und Pharmazeutische Biologie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Staudtstr. 5, Erlangen, D-91058, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|