Toxic effect of fluorene-9-bisphenol to green algae Chlorella vulgaris and its metabolic fate

Huijun Zhang; Tengda Ding; Xu Luo; Juying Li

doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112158

Toxic effect of fluorene-9-bisphenol to green algae Chlorella vulgaris and its metabolic fate

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2021 Mar 30:216:112158. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112158. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Huijun Zhang¹, Tengda Ding¹, Xu Luo¹, Juying Li²

Affiliations

¹ Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecological Remediation, College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
² Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecological Remediation, College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China. Electronic address: jyli@szu.edu.cn.

PMID: 33798865
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112158

Abstract

Fluorene-9-bisphenol (BHPF), a bisphenol A (BPA) alternative, has recently attracted attention due to its wide use and potential toxicity. However, the toxic effects and fate of BHPF in freshwater algae remains to be elucidated. In this study, the impact of BHPF on Chlorella vulgaris was explored and the removal and bioaccumulation of BHPF by Chlorella vulgaris were investigated. Results showed that C. vulgaris was sensitive to BHPF at the concentration of >1 mg L^-1, and lipid peroxidation was significantly increased under the exposure of >0.1 mg BHPF L^-1. An oxidative stress was caused by BHPF, as the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) were significantly decreased in algal cells by >0.5 mg BHPF L^-1. The removal rate of BHPF was significantly enhanced by the addition of algae. In addition, the increasing accumulation of BHPF in algae at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 5 mg L^-1 was observed and may contribute for the increased toxicity of BHPF to C. vulgaris. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) results demonstrated that three metabolites of BHPF were identified in algal cells, which may pose an unexpected effect in aquatic environment.

Keywords: Accumulation; C. vulgaris; Fluorene-9-bisphenol (BHPF); Remove; Toxicity.