Lethal and sub-lethal evaluation of Indigo Carmine dye and byproducts after TiO2 photocatalysis in the immune system of Eisenia andrei earthworms

Patrícia Christina Genázio Pereira; Roberta Valoura Reimão; Thelma Pavesi; Enrico Mendes Saggioro; Josino Costa Moreira; Fábio Veríssimo Correia

doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2017.05.043

Lethal and sub-lethal evaluation of Indigo Carmine dye and byproducts after TiO₂ photocatalysis in the immune system of Eisenia andrei earthworms

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2017 Sep:143:275-282. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2017.05.043. Epub 2017 May 25.

Authors

Patrícia Christina Genázio Pereira¹, Roberta Valoura Reimão¹, Thelma Pavesi², Enrico Mendes Saggioro³, Josino Costa Moreira², Fábio Veríssimo Correia¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Natural Sciences, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Av. Pasteur, 458 - 22290-20, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
² Studies Center Occupational Health and Human Ecology, National School of Public Health, Leopoldo Bulhões Street, 1480 - 21041-210, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
³ Department of Sanitation and Environmental Health, National School of Public Health, Leopoldo Bulhões Street, 1480 - 21041-210, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address: enrico.saggioro@ensp.fiocruz.br.

PMID: 28551585
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2017.05.043

Abstract

The Indigo carmine (IC) dye has been widely used in textile industries, even though it has been considered toxic for rats, pigs and humans. Owing to its toxicity, wastes containing this compound should be treated to minimize or eliminate their toxic effects on the biota. As an alternative to wastewater treatment, advanced oxidative processes (AOPs) have been highlighted due to their high capacity to destruct organic molecules. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate Indigo Carmine toxicity to soil organisms using the earthworm Eisenia andrei as a model-organism and also verify the efficiency of AOP in reducing its toxicity to these organisms. To this end, lethal (mortality) and sub-lethal (loss or gain of biomass, reproduction, behavior, morphological changes and immune system cells) effects caused by this substance and its degradation products in these annelids were evaluated. Morphological changes were observed even in organisms exposed to low concentrations, while mortality was the major effect observed in individuals exposed to high levels of indigo carmine dye. The organisms exposed to the IC during the contact test showed mortality after 72h of exposure (LC₅₀ = 75.79mgcm^-²), while those exposed to photoproducts showed mortality after 48h (LC₅₀ = 243min). In the chronic study, the organisms displayed a mortality rate of 14%, while those exposed to the photoproduct reached up to 32.7%. A negative influence of the dye on the reproduction rate was observed, while by-products affected juvenile survival. A loss of viability and alterations in the cellular proportion was verified during the chronic test. However, the compounds did not alter the behavior of the annelids in the leak test (RL ranged from 20% to 30%). Although photocatalysis has been presented as an alternative technology for the treatment of waste containing the indigo carmine dye, this process produced byproducts even more toxic than the original compounds to E. andrei.

Keywords: Bioindicator; Dye; Earthworm; Immunotoxicity; Photodegradation.

MeSH terms

Animals
Avoidance Learning / drug effects
Behavior, Animal / drug effects
Biomass
Catalysis
Indigo Carmine / radiation effects
Indigo Carmine / toxicity*
Lethal Dose 50
Oligochaeta / drug effects*
Oligochaeta / immunology*
Oxidation-Reduction
Reproduction / drug effects
Soil / chemistry
Soil Pollutants / radiation effects
Soil Pollutants / toxicity*
Time Factors
Titanium / chemistry*
Toxicity Tests

Substances

Soil
Soil Pollutants
titanium dioxide
Titanium
Indigo Carmine