Multi-level biological responses of Daphnia magna exposed to settleable atmospheric particulate matter from metallurgical industries

María Pilar González; Andrea Cordero-de-Castro; David Salvatierra; Rajaa Kholssi; Marisa Narciso Fernandes; Julián Blasco; Cristiano V M Araújo; Camilo Dias Seabra Pereira

doi:10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106692

Multi-level biological responses of Daphnia magna exposed to settleable atmospheric particulate matter from metallurgical industries

Aquat Toxicol. 2023 Oct:263:106692. doi: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106692. Epub 2023 Sep 9.

Authors

María Pilar González¹, Andrea Cordero-de-Castro², David Salvatierra², Rajaa Kholssi², Marisa Narciso Fernandes³, Julián Blasco², Cristiano V M Araújo², Camilo Dias Seabra Pereira⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Ecology and Coastal, Institute of Marine Sciences of Andalusia (ICMAN - CSIC), 11519 Puerto Real, Spain. Electronic address: mpilar.gonzalez.munoz@csic.es.
² Department of Ecology and Coastal, Institute of Marine Sciences of Andalusia (ICMAN - CSIC), 11519 Puerto Real, Spain.
³ Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade Federal de São Carlos (DCF/UFSCar), 13565-905 São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.
⁴ Departamento de Ciências do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Campus Baixada Santista, 11030-100 Santos, São Paulo, Brazil.

PMID: 37722152
DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106692

Abstract

Metallurgical industries are a continuous source of air pollution due to the amount of settleable particulate matter (SePM) they release. This SePM is a complex mixture formed by metallic nanoparticles and metals, which reach terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and can be a significant source of contamination. The aim of this study was to evaluate the adverse effects of SePM at different levels of biological organization in order to estimate its ecological impacts on aquatic ecosystems. For this purpose, the crustacean Daphnia magna was exposed to different concentrations of SePM (0.01, 0.1, 1, 5, 10 g/L) using a multi-level response approach. The endpoints studied were: avoidance throughout 24 h in a non-forced exposure system, reproduction (total number of neonates per female after 21 days of exposure), acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE) after 48 h, and finally, the feeding rates during a short-term exposure (48 h) and a long-term exposure (21 day + 48 h). There was a negative effect of SePM on all responses measured at high concentrations. The avoidance was concentration-dependent and represented 88 % and 100 % at the two highest concentrations. The AChE activity was significantly inhibited at 5 and 10 g/L. The total number of neonates increased from 1 g/L of SePM and the first brood occurred earlier as of 5 g/L compared to control. The post-exposure feeding rates were lower during long-term exposure at the highest concentration. Chemical analyses were performed to characterize the metals present in this SePM, but this study did not report any direct relationship with toxicity, due to the chemical heterogeneity of the particles. The emission of compounds caused by anthropogenic activity may have significant ecological consequences, so it is important to consider these possible effects on aquatic biota generated by the mixture of metals present in SePM originated from metallurgical activities. Environmental and sectorial regulations are needed to prevent contamination and ecological disturbances.

Keywords: Acetylcholinesterase; Avoidance; Feeding rates; Metals mixture; Reproduction; Toxicity.