Performance of Chlorella Vulgaris Exposed to Heavy Metal Mixtures: Linking Measured Endpoints and Mechanisms

Author, as appears in the article.: Exposito, Nora; Carafa, Roberta; Kumar, Vikas; Sierra, Jordi; Schuhmacher, Marta; Gimenez Papiol, Gemma

Department: Enginyeria Química

URV's Author/s: Exposito Lorenzo, Nora / GIMÉNEZ PAPIOL, GEMMA / Kumar, Vikas / Schuhmacher Ansuategui, Marta

Keywords: Zinc; Water pollutants, chemical; Water pollutant; Toxicity; Toxic concentration; River; Pollution monitoring; Photosynthesis; Pam; Nonhuman; Nickel; Mucilage; Microalgae; Microalga; Metals, heavy; Metals speciation; Mathematical model; Lead; Inhibition; Heavy metal poisoning; Heavy metal mixtures; Heavy metal; Experimental study; Environmental exposure; Edetic acid; Ecotoxicology; Dilution; Decision making; Copper; Controlled study; Concentration (composition); Chlorella vulgaris; Bioassay; Article; Arsenic; Animals; Animal; Algal growth

Abstract: Microalgae growth inhibition assays are candidates for referent ecotoxicology as a fundamental part of the strategy to reduce the use of fish and other animal models in aquatic toxicology. In the present work, the performance of Chlorella vulgaris exposed to heavy metals following standardized growth and photosynthesis inhibition assays was assessed in two different scenarios: (1) dilutions of single heavy metals and (2) an artificial mixture of heavy metals at similar levels as those found in natural rivers. Chemical speciation of heavy metals was estimated with Visual MINTEQ software; free heavy metal ion concentrations were used as input data, together with microalgae growth and photosynthesis inhibition, to compare different effects and explain possible toxicity mechanisms. The final goal was to assess the suitability of the ecotoxicological test based on the growth and photosynthesis inhibition of microalgae cultures, supported by mathematic models for regulatory and decision-making purposes. The C. vulgaris algae growth inhibition test was more sensitive for As, Zn, and Pb exposure whereas the photosynthesis inhibition test was more sensitive for Cu and Ni exposure. The effects on growth and photosynthesis were not related. C. vulgaris evidenced the formation of mucilaginous aggregations at lower copper concentrations. We found that the toxicity of a given heavy metal is not only determined by its chemical speciation; other chemical compounds (as nutrient loads) and biological interactions play an important role in the final toxicity. Predictive mixture effect models tend to overestimate the effects of metal mixtures in C. vulgaris for both growth and photosynthesis inhibition tests. Growth and photosynthesis inhibition tests give complementary information, and both are a fast, cheap, and sensitive alternative to animal testing. More research is needed to solve the challenge of complex pollutant mixtures as they are present in natural environments, where microalgae-based assays can be suitable monitoring tools for pollution management and regulatory purposes.

Thematic Areas: Zootecnia / recursos pesqueiros; Serviço social; Saúde coletiva; Química; Public, environmental & occupational health; Public health, environmental and occupational health; Psicología; Pollution; Odontología; Nutrição; Medicina iii; Medicina ii; Medicina i; Materiais; Interdisciplinar; Health, toxicology and mutagenesis; Geografía; Geociências; Farmacia; Environmental studies; Environmental sciences; Ensino; Engenharias ii; Engenharias i; Enfermagem; Educação física; Educação; Ciências biológicas iii; Ciências biológicas ii; Ciências biológicas i; Ciências ambientais; Ciências agrárias i; Ciência da computação; Biotecnología; Biodiversidade; Astronomia / física; Administração pública e de empresas, ciências contábeis e turismo

licence for use: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/

Author's mail: vikas.kumar@urv.cat; nora.exposito@urv.cat; nora.exposito@urv.cat; nora.exposito@urv.cat; marta.schuhmacher@urv.cat

Record's date: 2025-02-18

Paper version: info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Link to the original source: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/3/1037

Licence document URL: https://repositori.urv.cat/ca/proteccio-de-dades/

Paper original source: International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health. 18 (3): 1-19

APA: Exposito, Nora; Carafa, Roberta; Kumar, Vikas; Sierra, Jordi; Schuhmacher, Marta; Gimenez Papiol, Gemma (2021). Performance of Chlorella Vulgaris Exposed to Heavy Metal Mixtures: Linking Measured Endpoints and Mechanisms. International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health, 18(3), 1-19. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18031037

Article's DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18031037

Entity: Universitat Rovira i Virgili

Journal publication year: 2021

Publication Type: Journal Publications