Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metals are co-contaminants of aquatic environments near industrial and urbanized areas. Mixtures could result in synergistic toxicity impairing macrophyte growth and potentially causing bioaccumulation and biomagnification throughout the ecosystem. In this study, combinations of 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone (1,2-dhATQ) and copper (Cu) at low concentrations synergistically inhibited Lemna gibba (duckweed) growth. Further analysis using fluorescence techniques showed an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels upon Cu exposures possibly through redox cycling in the chloroplasts. Pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) and fast repetition rate fluorometry (FRRF) indicated that plants exposed to 1,2-dhATQ had impaired photosynthetic electron transport that manifested as a decrease in the yield of photosynthesis and change in the redox status of the plastoquinone (PQ) pool. At the gene expression level acetyl coA carboxylase (ACC), a key enzyme in membrane repair, and serine decarboxylase (SDC), another enzyme needed for membrane repair were up-regulated in response to copper and 1,2-dhATQ, respectively. The mechanism for mixtures toxicity is thought to involve the reduced PQ pool which could serve as a source of electrons for copper redox cycling thereby increasing ROS production and causing synergistic growth inhibition. When the antioxidant glutathione (GSH) was added, copper toxicity was ameliorated but 1,2-dhATQ toxicity increased possibly through formation of reactive conjugates or suppression of the native antioxidant system. This study emphasizes that mixtures of toxicants at low concentrations can cause more biological damage than individual toxicants via alterations of the redox status and increases in ROS production.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metals are co-contaminants of aquatic environments near industrial and urbanized areas. Mixtures could result in synergistic toxicity impairing macrophyte growth and potentially causing bioaccumulation and biomagnification throughout the ecosystem. In this study, combinations of 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone (1,2-dhATQ) and copper (Cu) at low concentrations synergistically inhibited Lemna gibba (duckweed) growth. Further analysis using fluorescence techniques showed an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels upon Cu exposures possibly through redox cycling in the chloroplasts. Pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) and fast repetition rate fluorometry (FRRF) indicated that plants exposed to 1,2-dhATQ had impaired photosynthetic electron transport that manifested as a decrease in the yield of photosynthesis and change in the redox status of the plastoquinone (PQ) pool. At the gene expression level acetyl coA carboxylase (ACC), a key enzyme in membrane repair, and serine decarboxylase (SDC), another enzyme needed for membrane repair were up-regulated in response to copper and 1,2-dhATQ, respectively. The mechanism for mixtures toxicity is thought to involve the reduced PQ pool which could serve as a source of electrons for copper redox cycling thereby increasing ROS production and causing synergistic growth inhibition. When the antioxidant glutathione (GSH) was added, copper toxicity was ameliorated but 1,2-dhATQ toxicity increased possibly through formation of reactive conjugates or suppression of the native antioxidant system. This study emphasizes that mixtures of toxicants at low concentrations can cause more biological damage than individual toxicants via alterations of the redox status and increases in ROS production.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:36:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 279034 bytes, checksum: 141cff7d975ad2a0d439e0f2d5e92fd3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-09-29 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The influence of different concentrations of As over some aspects of growth and antioxidant system were studied in three water species: Azolla caroliniana, Lemna gibba and Salvinia minima, in nutrient solution. After the three species being exposed to five concentrations of As (0.0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mg.L-1) in nutrient solution, the As content into the plants, relative growth rate (TCR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutatione reductase (GR) enzymatic activity, total thiol, non protein thiol and protein thiol content and anthocyanin content were determined. L. gibba showed the highest tolerance to As, requiring 967,6 μg g-1MD to reduce growth in 50%. A. caroliniana required 429,2 μg g-1MD to show this level of growth reduction and S. minima required 255,08 μg g-1MD for the same response. Antioxidant mechanisms to the increase in As concentration in the medium characterized each species. A. caroliniana went through increases in CAT and GR activities, keeping unaltered SOD and POX activities, and showing reduction in APX activity, although it presented the highest activity of this enzyme. S. minima exhibited increase in SOD, CAT, APX and GR activities, keeping POX activity unaltered, with the increase of As concentration in the growth medium. L. gibba higher tolerance to As effects seem to be related to the enzymatic antioxidant mechanisms and also to the non-enzymatic ones. This species, besides presenting higher SOD, CAT, POX and GR activities, also showed higher thiol and anthocyanin content than the other two species studied. Although A. caroliniana and S. minima also presented increase in the activity of several enzymes, L. gibba s higher tolerance seems to be due not only to the increase in these antioxidant processes, but also to superior basal activity of these enzymes, and to higher thiol and anthocyanin basal content. Besides the increase in enzymatic activities, L. gibba exhibited total-thiol and non-protein thiol content increase, diminishing protein thiol content. A. caroliniana and S. minima practically did not suffer alterations in thiol content. As L. gibba, A. caroliniana and S. minima revealed an increment in anthocyanin content after exposure to increasing concentrations of As in the solution. In this context, L. gibba showed the highest potential to be employed in phytoremediation. / A influência do As sobre alguns aspectos do crescimento e do sistema antioxidante foi estudada em três espécies aquáticas: Azolla caroliniana, Lemna gibba e Salvinia minima, expostas cinco concentrações de As (0,0, 0,25, 0,5, 1,0 e 1,5 mg L-1) em solução nutritiva. Foram determinados o teor de As nas plantas, a taxa de crescimento relativo (TCR), as atividades enzimáticas da dismutase do superóxido (SOD), da catalase (CAT), de peroxidases (POX), da peroxidase do ascorbato (APX) e da redutase da glutationa (GR), o teor de tióis totais, de tióis não protéicos e de tióis protéicos e, ainda, o teor de antocianinas. Lemna gibba foi a macrófita que apresentou maior tolerância ao As, requerendo 967,6 μg g-1MS para reduzir em 50 % a TCR. Azolla caroliniana demandou 429,2 μg g-1MS para a ocorrência dessa redução e, por último, demonstrando ser a mais sensível, S. minima requereu 255,08 μg g-1MS. Em relação aos mecanismos antioxidantes, as três espécies responderam de forma diferente ao aumento da concentração de As no meio. Azolla caroliniana sofreu aumentos nas atividades da CAT e da GR, manteve inalteradas as atividades da SOD e da POX, sofrendo diminuição na atividade da APX, embora tenha sido a espécie que apresentou maior atividade desta enzima. Salvinia minima exibiu aumentos nas atividades de SOD, CAT, APX e GR, mantendo inalterada a atividade de POX, com o aumento da concentração de As no meio de cultivo. A maior tolerância de L. gibba aos efeitos do As parece estar relacionada tanto aos mecanismos antioxidantes enzimáticos e não enzimáticos. Esta espécie, além de apresentar maiores atividades de SOD, CAT, POX e GR, também apresentou maiores teores de tióis e antocianinas que as outras duas espécies analisadas. Embora A. caroliniana e S. minima também tenham apresentado incrementos nas atividades de várias enzimas, a maior tolerância de L. gibba parece ser devida não somente ao aumento nestes processos antioxidantes, mas à superior atividade basal dessas enzimas e ao maior conteúdo basal de tióis e antocianinas. Além do aumento nas atividades enzimáticas, L. gibba exibiu aumentos nos teores de tióis totais e tióis não protéicos, diminuindo os teores de tióis protéicos. A. caroliniana e S. minima praticamente não sofreram alterações no conteúdo de tióis. Assim como L. gibba, A. caroliniana e S. minima revelaram acréscimos nos teores de antocianinas após exposição às concentrações crescentes de As na solução. Neste contexto, dentre as três macrófitas estudadas, L. gibba foi a que apresentou maior potencial para ser empregada em programas de fitorremediação.

The use of natural remediation methods to remove contaminants from waste water is becoming more popular. Plants have been used for several decades, yet their use for municipal waste water contaminated by heavy metals is limited to a few studies which focus on the Mercury and Chromium (Bennicelli, et.al, 2004). This study specifically attempted to determine the viability for using Lemna minor to remediate municipally generated wastewater contaminated with copper. The study used 100 ml samples of wastewater, artificially spiked with 8 mg/L of copper sulfate and seeded with approximately 100 Lemna minor fronds. Each treatment was repeated 15 times and distilled water was added daily to maintain 100 ml samples. The addition of Lemna minor statistically lowered the copper concentration of the treatment groups (55% reduction in total Cu concentration). No significant decrease was seen in the control groups. While Lemna minor has metals accumulation potential, its wide spread use is limited by the toxic effect of copper on Lemna minor at relatively low levels.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are considered persistent organic pollutants because of the long persistence in the environment. The presence of PAHs significantly responds aquatic plant Lemna minor L. reduction of its growth, and thus represents a bioindicator of organic load of the aquatic environment. The aim of this thesis was to evaluate the influence of fluoranthene on growth and developmental processes Lemna minor L. During the 21 days were observed at several concentrations of fluoranthene (0.1, 0.5, 1 and 5 mg / l) growth and viability of plants, morphological and anatomical changes and growth parameters. We also investigated the ability of plant production and changes in the content of phytohormones (cytokinins, ethylene, ABA). The results showed that fluoranthene had a significant effect on the appearance of plants and production of biomass, specific leaf area and leaf dry matter content. The production capabilities were no significant adverse effects. Due fluoranthene increased production of ethylene, and abscisic acid formation in plants duckweed. After 21 days of culture was observed in the plants treated with low concentrations of fluoranthene to synthesize iP, iPR and Z.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ranked among the organic compounds with long-term permanence pollute the environment. The presence of PAHs react particularly aquatic plants. Duckweed (Lemna minor L.), water plant characterized in that it is exposed to foreign substances significant portion of his body, is a suitable model for the study of plant developmental and metabolic responses to the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The aim of the thesis was to observe developmental and metabolic responses duckweed on the effect of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon fluoranthene. For 21 days were observed in four concentrations of fluoranthene, which accounted for commonly occurring (0.1 and 0.5 mg FLT / l) and slightly increased (1 and 5 mg FLT / L) concentrations of fluoranthene, metabolic and bioenergetic response. We were also observed growth and developmental changes and changes in the content of phytohormones. The study was focused on plant morphology. The results of this work, was evident that the presence of FLT has a significant impact on the appearance and production plants. It was also demonstrated a significant negative impact on the growth parameters. Fluoranthene demonstrated significant effects on the production of plant hormones.

Accumulation and toxicity of cadmium, lead and thallium in duckweed (Lemna minor L.) The toxicity and accumulation of lead, cadmium and thallium in the aquatic plant Lemna minor was investigated, using a modification of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) standard growth inhibition test. Plants were cultured in modified Swedish Institute Standard (SIS) at pH 6.5±0.5 under 85 µmol m-2 S-1 at 25°C and exposed to a wide range of lead, cadmium, and thallium concentrations from environmentally realistic to very high concentrations (0.001, 0.01,0.1, 1, 10, 100, 1000 and 10 000 µmol L-1) for seven days. Various physico-biochemical endpoints were measured after seven days of exposure. The concentrations of dissolved lead, cadmium, and thallium remaining in the residual solutions, and accumulation of lead, cadmium and thallium in fronds and roots were assessed using Inductively Couple Plasma – Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Over the exposure duration, lead, cadmium, and thallium concentrations in solution decreased rapidly and chlorosis was observed in fronds exposed to the three highest lead, cadmium, and thallium concentrations. After seven days of exposure, there were significant decreases in the relative growth rate (RGR), relative frond area (RFA), pigment content (chlorophyll a, b and total carotenoid) and activity of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) at concentrations of 0.1, 1, 10, 100, 1000 and 10 000 µmol L-1Pb, 10, 100, 1000 and 10 000 µmol L-1cd, 0.01,0.1, 1, 10, 100, 1000 and 10 000 µmol L-1TI. However, our results suggested that root elongation based on relative growth rate of L. minor will be an optimal and relevant endpoint in compare to other endpoints. As expected, results demonstrated that root elongation was concluded that root length was most predictive of a dose response model compared to the rest of growth endpoints and physiological and biochemical endpoints when assessing toxicity of lead, cadmium and thallium using L. minor. Toxicity testing for the floating macrophytes should include root elongation measurement which alone will be sufficient to meet sensitivity and variability requirements for toxicity testing. Cellular concentrations of lead, cadmium, and thallium were higher in roots than fronds, whereas more lead, cadmium, and thallium was adsorbed to the extracellular matrix of fronds than roots. The bio - concentration factor (BCF; i.e. lead concentration in plant tissue at day seven relative to residual lead concentration in the growth medium at day seven) indicates that L. minor is a good accumulator of lead, cadmium, and thallium particularly at lower concentration, but the physiological data shows that these metals toxic at concentrations that can be encountered in wastewater treatment facilities. The translocation factor (TF) value was found to be less than 1. Though, lead, cadmium and Thallium was mostly stored in roots, only minor amounts of lead, cadmium and thallium were trans located to fronds.

No description available.

Se evaluó la toxicidad individual y binaria de los plaguicidas metomilo y rotenona en la macrofita Lemna minor (Linnaeus, 1753) para determinar la acción sinérgica o antagónica de una mezcla equitóxica. Los ensayos se realizaron bajo condiciones de laboratorio (T 29 ± 2°C; H 48,6 ± 9,4 %) y los resultados fueron analizados con los programas estadísticos BMDS® y Probit para calcular la concentración efectiva media (CE50) a través de los parámetros Área de la Fronda (AF) y Nuevas Frondas (NF). Los resultados sugieren una mayor precisión al utilizar el Método del Punto de Referencia del programa BMDS® para el cálculo de la concentración efectiva. Adicionalmente, se calculó la concentración total de clorofila (CTC) y peso húmedo (PH) para determinar la inhibición del crecimiento (Ir). Del mismo modo, se realizó una comparación entre los valores NOAEL (nivel de efecto no observado) y LOAEL (nivel bajo de efecto observado) versus los valores de BMDL (límite inferior del punto de referencia) y BMD (nivel de variación en el punto de referencia), respectivamente. El análisis muestra que existe una mayor precisión al emplear los valores BMD y BMDL. La acción fitotóxica varió según el parámetro analizado. La CE50 mostró mayores valores en el parámetro NF (1079,22 mg·L-1 para rotenona; 7147,42 mg·L-1 para metomilo; 597,904 mg·L-1 mezcla binaria: metomilo y 298,93 mg·L-1 mezcla binaria: rotenona) que en el parámetro AF (782,173 mg·L-1 para rotenona; 6919,79 mg·L-1 para metomilo; 629,513 mg·L-1 mezcla binaria: metomilo y 314,754 mg·L-1 mezcla binaria: rotenona). Finalmente, el modelo de concentración-adición mostró que la acción fitotóxica de la mezcla de ambos plaguicidas en Lemna minor tiene un efecto sinérgico. Macrophyte Lemna minor (Linnaeus, 1753) was used to evaluate the phytotoxicity of the individual and mix action of methomyl and rotenone pesticides under laboratory conditions (Temperature 29 ± 2°C; Humidity 48,6 9,4 %). The taken measures to establish half effective concentration (EC50) were the frond area (AF) and production of new fronds (NF). In this study, BMDS® and Probit stadistical data analyses were used to compare the results about effective concentration. Results suggest Benchmark dose method of BMDS® program was more effective than Probit program when EC50 were determined. Additionally, total chlorophyll concentration (CTC) and humidity weight (PH) parameters were calculated to determinate the growth inhibition (Ir). Likewise, NOAEL (no observed adverse effect level) and LOAEL (low observer adverse effect level) were compared with BMDL (lower bench mark dose) and BMD (Bench mark dose), respectively. BMD and BMDL values were more accurate than NOAEL and LOAEL values. Phytotoxic action varied according the parameter. EC50 values of Lemna minor showed poor sensibility to methomyl pesticide with an elevated concentration in both parameters (6919,79 mg•L-1 and 7147,42 mg•L-1 for AF and NF, respectively). Results of rotenone pesticide were lower than methomyl, with 1079,22 mg•L-1 (NF) and 782,173 mg•L-1 (AF). Finally, the mix toxicity was 597,904 mg•L-1 (methomyl: NF), 298,93 mg•L-1 (rotenone: NF), 629,513 mg•L-1 (methomyl: AF) and 314,754 mg•L-1 (rotenone: AF). For synergy calculation, Concentration-Adition value was used, concluding a higher synergism.

This research explored fate of organic contaminants in aquatic plant systems through (i) experimental development of relationships to describe sorption, uptake and enzymatic processing of contaminants by plants and inhibition of aquatic plants by contaminants and (ii) incorporation of experimental relationships into a conceptual model which describes contaminant fate in aquatic plant systems. This study focused on interactions of aquatic plants L. minor and M. aquaticum with halogenated phenols. 2,4,5-trichlorophenol (2,4,5-TCP) and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) are precursors for the highly toxic and heavily applied herbicides 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D and were examined in detail. Chlorophenols are generally resistant to microbial degradation, a property which may limit microbial remediation options as effective alternatives for clean up of contaminated sites. Relationships for fundamental interactions between plants and contaminants that dictate uptake, enzymatic processing and sequestration of contaminants by aquatic plants were established. An assay which quantified production of oxygen by plants was developed to quantify plant metabolic activity and inhibition. Uptake of chlorinated phenols depended on plant activity and aqueous phase concentration of contaminant in the protonated form. Therefore, plant activity, contaminant pKa and media pH were established as critical parameters controlling rate of contaminant uptake. A conceptual model was developed which incorporated plant activity and inhibition into a mathematical description of uptake of organic contaminants by aquatic plants. The conceptual model was parameterized using experimental data delineating effect of plant activity, inhibition and speciation on contaminant uptake and the model was verified using independently gathered data. Experimentation with radio-labeled chlorinated phenols established that contaminants were sequestered internal to plants by plant enzymatic processing. 19F NMR was established as a technique to quantify transformation and conjugation products internal to plants and contaminant assimilation by plants and demonstrated that multiple metabolites containing the parent compound were present and quantifiable internal to plants. Finally, fate of plant-sequestered contaminants in an anaerobic bioassay was examined using Desulfitobacterium sp. strain Viet1. The results of this study address the role of aquatic plants in sequestration of contaminants in surface waters that indicate the potential and limitations of use of aquatic plants in natural and engineered treatment systems.