The Combined Toxic and Genotoxic Effects of Chromium and Volatile Organic Contaminants to Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata

Labra, Massimo; De Mattia, Fabrizio; Bernasconi, Marzia; Bertacchi, Daniela; Grassi, Fabrizio; Bruni, Ilaria; Citterio, Sandra

The Combined Toxic and Genotoxic Effects of Chromium and Volatile Organic Contaminants to Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata

2010

In this report, the toxic effect of TCE (trichloroethylene), PCE (tetrachloroethylene), and potassium dichromate on P. subcapitata was investigated. The test was conducted at different concentrations of pollutants, starting from the European Community limit values defined for each analysed contaminant. Mixtures of pollutants were also tested to verify the combined effect of algae cells. Results suggest that both TCE and PCE were able to reduce P. subcapitata growth and metabolism starting from 0.05 and 0.02 mg L⁻¹ of contaminant, respectively. PCE seems to be substantially more toxic than TCE. Chromium produces a clear effect on algae growth and esterase activity only starting from 1 mg L⁻¹ of potassium dichromate; this result confirms the suitability of EU limit value. AFLP analysis showed that all tested pollutants produce DNA mutations probably due to oxygen radicals. Generally, chromium, at high concentrations, is more toxic and genotoxic that TCE or PCE. Test performed with a mixture of pollutants showed a synergic effect of chromium and organic compounds suggesting that the membrane damage induced from organic substances should increase the chromium cellular access.

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