Toxic effects of emerging microcontaminants on planktonic food webs

• Grant number: 16/00753-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: November 01, 2016
• End date: October 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Applied Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Maria da Graça Gama Melão
• Grantee: Maria da Graça Gama Melão
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Ana Teresa Lombardi ; Hugo Miguel Preto de Morais Sarmento ; Jaqueline Pérola de Souza

Abstract

Nowadays, there is increasing concern with so-called emerging micropollutants, nanomaterials (NMs) or nanoparticles (NPs) (1 to 100 nm), with new properties that give them many technological applications, but its interaction with the aquatic biota is poorly understood. Studies addressing adverse effects of NPs on living organisms are essential to subsidize regulatory agencies in proposition of control legislation. In this sense, since the plankton is sensitive to pollutants and constitutes the base of aquatic food chains, the main objective of this project is to investigate the ecotoxicological effects of exposure of native planktonic species to different NPs (nano-TiO2, Fe2O3, FeCu, CuO , CdSe) and its physiological, biochemical and metabolic implications and assess its assimilation, transfer and bioaccumulation in tropical freshwater microbial chains. Our great challenge is the detection of chronic effects at different levels of biological organization (sub-cellular, individual, population and community), with sub-lethal contamination, especially through food. Besides the ecotoxicological assessments, physiological responses to cellular level of cytotoxicity (size, quantity of pigment, oxidative stress, cell viability) will be evaluated using flow cytometry. In physiological testing with microalgae, we will determine photosynthetic efficiency (Phyto-PAM) considering the photochemical decay, electron transport rate and carbon fixation. To evaluate the metabolism of test-organisms we will use micro respirometers with micro oxygen sensors of high performance (pico-ammeter) in microchambers incubation. In addition, we will investigate the impact of NPs on the biochemical composition (proteins, carbohydrates, total lipids and lipid classes - Iatroscan-TLC / FID) of the studied organisms. (AU)

Scientific publications

(9)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

GONCALVES ALHO, LAYS DE OLIVEIRA; GEBARA, RENAN CASTELHANO; MANSANO, ADRISLAINE DA SILVA; ROCHA, GISELI SWERTS; GAMA MELAO, MARIA DA GRACA. Individual and Combined Effects of Manganese and Chromium on a Freshwater Chlorophyceae. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, v. 41, n. 4, p. 12-pg., 2022-02-02. (18/07988-5, 16/00753-7)

PAINA, KARIME DE ARAUJO; GAMA MELAO, MARIA DA GRACA. Zooplankton community structure from tropical temporary ponds during a flood period. LIMNETICA, v. 38, n. 1, p. 189-211, 2019. (16/00753-7, 14/14139-3)

GEBARA, RENAN CASTELHANO; SOUZA, JAQUELINE PEROLA; MANSANO, ADRISLAINE DA SILVA; SARMENTO, HUGO; GAMA MELAO, MARIA DA GRACA. Effects of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4) on life history and metabolism of the Neotropical cladoceran Ceriodaphnia silvestrii. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY, v. 186, DEC 30 2019. (16/00753-7, 14/14139-3)

DE LUCCA, GISELE MARIA; FREITAS, EMANUELA CRISTINA; GAMA MELAO, MARIA DA GRACA. Effects of TiO2 Nanoparticles on the Neotropical Cladoceran Ceriodaphnia silvestrii by Waterborne and Dietary Routes. WATER AIR AND SOIL POLLUTION, v. 229, n. 9, SEP 2018. (16/00753-7, 14/14139-3)

GEBARA, RENAN CASTELHANO; GONCALVES ALHO, LAYS DE OLIVEIRA; ROCHA, GISELI SWERTS; MANSANO, ADRISLAINE SILVA; GAMA MELAO, MARIA GRACA. Zinc and aluminum mixtures have synergic effects to the algae Raphidocelis subcapitata at environmental concentrations. Chemosphere, v. 242, MAR 2020. (16/00753-7, 14/14139-3, 18/07988-5)

GONSALVES ALHO, LAYS DE OLIVEIRA; GEBARA, RENAN CASTELHANO; PAINA, KARIME DE ARAUJO; SARMENTO, HUGO; GAMA MELDO, MARIA DA GRACA. Responses of Raphidocelis subcapitata exposed to Cd and Pb: Mechanisms of toxicity assessed by multiple endpoints. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY, v. 169, p. 950-959, MAR 2019. (14/14139-3, 16/00753-7)

DOS REIS, LARISSA LUIZA; GONCALVES ALHO, LAYS DE OLIVEIRA; DE ABREU, CINTHIA BRUNO; GAMA MELA, MARIA DA GRACA. Using multiple endpoints to assess the toxicity of cadmium and cobalt for chlorophycean Raphidocelis subcapitata. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY, v. 208, JAN 15 2021. (16/00753-7, 18/07988-5)

GONCALVES ALHO, LAYS DE OLIVEIRA; SOUZA, JAQUELINE PEROLA; ROCHA, GISELI SWERTS; MANSANO, ADRISLAINE DA SILVA; LOMBARDI, ANA TERESA; SARMENTO, HUGO; GAMA MELAO, MARIADA GRACA. Photosynthetic, morphological and biochemical biomarkers as tools to investigate copper oxide nanoparticle toxicity to a freshwater chlorophyceae. Environmental Pollution, v. 265, n. A, OCT 2020. (18/07988-5, 16/00753-7, 14/14139-3)

GEBARA, RENAN CASTELHANO; ALHO, LAYS DE OLIVEIRA GONDALVES; MANSANO, ADRISLAINE DA SILVA; ROCHA, GISELI SWERTS; MELAO, MARIA DA GRADA GAMA. Single and combined effects of Zn and Al on photosystem II of the green microalgae Raphidocelis subcapitata assessed by pulse-amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorometry. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY, v. 254, p. 10-pg., 2022-12-08. (21/13583-0, 16/00753-7, 13/07296-2, 14/14139-3)