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

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Abstract

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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Acknowledgements

This research was partially supported by the Project: “Riutilizzo agricolo delle acque: studio degli effetti di xenobiotici ambientali di origine farmaceutica sulla produttività agricola” of Fondazione Idra, Italy; “Acqua in Brocca” of Fondazione Cariplo, Italy and “Studio degli xenobiotici organici nelle acque” of Servizio Idrico Integrato di Milano, Italy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 2, 20126, Milan, Italy

    Massimo Labra, Fabrizio De Mattia & Ilaria Bruni

  2. Acquedotto di Milano, Servizio Idrico Integrato, Metropolitana Milanese s.p.a., Via Meda 44, 20141, Milan, Italy

    Marzia Bernasconi

  3. Dipartimento di Matematica e Applicazioni, Università di Milano-Bicocca, via Cozzi 53, 20125, Milan, Italy

    Daniela Bertacchi

  4. Botanical Garden, Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Milano, via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy

    Fabrizio Grassi

  5. Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Ambiente e del Territorio, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126, Milan, Italy

    Sandra Citterio

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  1. Massimo Labra
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  2. Fabrizio De Mattia
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Correspondence to Massimo Labra.

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Labra, M., De Mattia, F., Bernasconi, M. et al. The Combined Toxic and Genotoxic Effects of Chromium and Volatile Organic Contaminants to Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata . Water Air Soil Pollut 213, 57–70 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-010-0367-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-010-0367-3

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