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Congo red dye affects survival and reproduction in the cladoceran Ceriodaphnia dubia. Effects of direct and dietary exposure

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Abstract

Nearly 7 00000 tons of dyes are produced annually throughout the world. Azo dyes are widely used in the textile and paper industries due to their low cost and ease of application. Their extensive use results in large volumes of wastewater being discharged into aquatic ecosystems. Large volume discharges constitute a health risk since many of these dyes, such as Congo Red, are elaborated with benzidine, a known carcinogenic compound. Information regarding dye toxicity in aquatic ecosystems is limited. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of Congo Red on survival and reproduction of Ceriodaphnia dubia. We determined the 48 h median lethal concentration (LC50) and evaluated the effects of sublethal concentrations in subchronic exposures by using as food either fresh algae or algae previously exposed to the dye. LC50 was 13.58 mg L−1. In subchronic assays, survival was reduced to 80 and 55 %, and fertility to 40 and 70 %, as compared to the control, in C. dubia fed with intoxicated cells or with the mix of intoxicated + fresh algae, respectively, so the quantity and type of food had a significant effect. We determined that Congo Red is highly toxic to C. dubia since it inhibits survival and fertility in concentrations exceeding 3 mg L−1. Our results show that this dye produces negative effects at very low concentrations. Furthermore, our findings warn of the risk associated with discharging dyes into aquatic environments. Lastly, the results emphasize the need to regulate the discharge of effluents containing azo dyes.

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Acknowledgments

Miriam Hernández-Zamora received a graduate studies scholarship (204491) granted by the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, and thanks to the Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional for the financial aid rendered and the Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas for providing the necessary facilities to conduct the present study. Fernando Martínez-Jerónimo acknowledges the Secretaria de Investigación y Posgrado I. P. N., and the Comisión de Operación y Fomento de Actividades Académicas del I. P. N. for the support provided. All the authors are also thankful to Mrs. Ingrid Mascher for copyediting this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioingeniería, Laboratorio de Biotecnología de Microalgas, Av. IPN 2508, Col. San Pedro Zacatenco, Mexico City, C.P, 07360, Mexico

    Miriam Hernández-Zamora & Rosa Olivia Cañizares-Villanueva

  2. Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Laboratorio de Hidrobiología Experimental, Prol. Carpio esq. Plan de Ayala s/n, Col. Santo Tomás, Mexico City, C.P, 11340, Mexico

    Miriam Hernández-Zamora & Fernando Martínez-Jerónimo

  3. Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Departamento de Ingeniería Bioquímica, Prol. Carpio esq. Plan de Ayala s/n, Col. Santo Tomás, Mexico City, C.P, 11340, Mexico

    Eliseo Cristiani-Urbina

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  1. Miriam Hernández-Zamora
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Correspondence to Fernando Martínez-Jerónimo.

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All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed according to the Ethics Committee of the Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, I. P. N.

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Hernández-Zamora, M., Martínez-Jerónimo, F., Cristiani-Urbina, E. et al. Congo red dye affects survival and reproduction in the cladoceran Ceriodaphnia dubia. Effects of direct and dietary exposure. Ecotoxicology 25, 1832–1840 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-016-1731-x

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