Effects of chlorpyrifos on the growth and ultrastructure of green algae, ankistrodesmus gracilis

• Autores: Asselborn, Viviana Magdalena; Fernández, Carolina; Zalocar de Domitrovic, Yolanda; Parodi, Elisa Rosalía
• Año de publicación: 2015
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Fuente: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2015, vol. 120, p. 334-341.
• Materia: Pesticide; Microalgae; Toxicity; Ultrastructure
• Institución: Universidad Nacional del Nordeste

Fil: Asselborn, Viviana Magdalena. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Laboratorio Ecología Acuática; Argentina.
Fil: Fernández, Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentina.
Fil: Zalocar de Domitrovic, Yolanda. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales y Agrimensura; Argentina.
Fil: Zalocar de Domitrovic, Yolanda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral; Argentina.
Fil: Parodi, Elisa Rosalía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Laboratorio Ecología Acuática; Argentina.
Fil: Parodi, Elisa Rosalía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentina.
The effect of the organophosphorus insecticide chlorpyrifos on the growth, biovolume, and ultrastructure of the green microalga Ankistrodesmus gracilis was evaluated. Concentrations of 9.37, 18.75, 37.5, 75 and 150 mg L 1 of chlorpyrifos were assayed along with a control culture. At the end of the bioassay the ultrastructure of algal cells from control culture and from cultures exposed to 37.5 and 150 mg L 1 was observed under transmission (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). After 24 and 48 h, treatments with 75 and 150 mg L 1 inhibited the growth of A. gracilis; whereas after 72 and 96 h, all the treatments except at 9.37 mg L 1 significantly affected the algae growth. The effective concentration 50 (EC50) after 96 h was 22.44 mg L 1 of chlorpyrifos. After the exposure to the insecticide, an increase in the biovolume was observed, with a larger increase in cells exposed to 75 and 150 mg L 1 . Radical changes were observed in the ultrastructure of cells exposed to chlorpyrifos. The insecticide affected the cell shape and the distribution of the crests in the wall. At 37.5 mg L 1 electodense bodies were observed along with an increase in the size and number of starch granules. At 150 mg L 1 such bodies occupied almost the whole cytoplasm together with lipids and remains of thylakoids. Autospores formation occurred normally at 37.5 mg L 1 while at 150 mg L 1 karyokinesis occurred, but cell-separation-phase was inhibited. The present study demonstrates that the exposure of phytoplankton to the insecticide chlorpyrifos leads to effects observed at both cellular and population level