Early warning tools for ecotoxicity assessment based on Phaeodactylum tricornutum

Abstract

Phaeodactylum tricornutum was exposed to various toxic substances (zinc, copper or dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid sodium salt) in accordance with the AlgalToxkit(®) protocol based on the UNI EN ISO 10253 method in order to quantitatively compare the responses obtained by traditional growth-rate inhibition tests with morphological (biovolume) and physiological (chlorophyll-a, phaeophytin ratio) endpoints. A novel approach is proposed for detecting early and sub-lethal effects based on biovolume quantification using confocal microscopy coupled with an image analysis system. The results showed that effects on both biovolume and the photosynthetic complex are sensitive and powerful early warning tools for evaluating sub-lethal effects of exposure. Specifically, biovolume showed significant sensitive and early responses for the tested surfactant. Qualitatively, we also observed structural anomalies and effects on natural auto-fluorescence in exposed cells that also represent potentially useful tools for ecotoxicological studies.

Diatoms recovery from wastewater: Overview from an ecological and economic perspective

“…Nuclear abnormalities, cell membrane, cytoplasmic content, and photosynthetic apparatus alteration change in lipid content and diatoms classification using ecological status are the main parameters that were infrequently reported [ [25] , [26] , [27] ]. This behavior demonstrates sensitivity and efficiency in quantifying the toxic elements, stress detection after ultraviolet (UV) exposure, which remains unnoticed by the conventional method [ 28 ]. As reported, calculating live diatom species in the biofilms seems to be a lucrative bioassessment tool.…”

“…Similarly, for assessing weak cytoplasmic content of freshwater species, the ecological association of diatoms is examined for evaluating the environmental health of water bodies because these newer metrices are easy to acquire, rapid detection, low labor-intensive, good reproducibility, standardized and worldwide acceptance [ 23 , 28 ]. Diatoms as bioindicators check and observe the integrity of the precious environment by enumerating the change in water quality over large geological areas, provide variability, and any possible backdrop precondition [ 29 ].…”

Effects of Pollution on Marine Organisms

“…Renzi et al (2014) In an effort to improve the medaka (Oryzias latipes) embryo-larval sediment contact assay, Le Bihanic et al (2014) developed a reference exposure protocol with artificial sediment that was specifically designed to limit natural sediment composition uncertainties and preparation variability. They tested and validated the artificial sediment using fluoranthene, benz [α]anthracene, and benzo[α]pyrene and observed various developmental end points.…”

“…They thought the ephyrae of jellyfish showed promise as experimental organisms. Renzi et al (2014) exposed diatoms (Phaeodactylum tricornutum) to Zn, Cu, and dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid sodium salt in accordance with the AlgalToxkit protocol to quantitatively compare responses with growth rate inhibition tests morphological (biovolume) and physiological (chlorophyll-α, phaeophytin ratio) endpoints. The results showed that both biovolume and the photosynthetic complex are sensitive sub-lethal endpoints of exposure.…”

New data‐driven method from 3D confocal microscopy for calculating phytoplankton cell biovolume

“…() obtained direct cell shape and biovolume measurements by using confocal microscopy coupled with an image analysis system. Confocal microscopy is already recognized as an important tool for investigating the complexity of plankton morphology and determining the three‐dimensional structure of cells (Kubinova et al ., ; Menden‐Deuer & Lessard ; Culverhouse et al ., ; Dahms & Hwang, ; Antunes et al ., ; Renzi et al ., ). Despite the high acquisition and running costs, which discourage the use of this technique for routine analysis, the method has several advantages.…”