This study evaluated the biological effects of highly polluted freshwater environment (Regi Lagni channels, SItaly) on the aquatic moss Leptodictyum riparium, exposed in bags at three sites representative of different environmentalconditions and characterized by different heavy metal burdens. Bioaccumulation, ultrastructuralalterations, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production, antioxidant enzymes activity and DNA damage wereassessed. To better evaluate the biological response of the moss species to heavy metals, the same biologicalparameters were assessed also in L. riparium samples cultured in vitro using metal mixtures at the same concentrationsas measured at the 3 field exposure sites. Heavy metals were accumulated into the moss tissuescausing severe ultra-structural damages at higher concentration case studies, and the ROS production as well asthe activity of the enzyme followed a concentration-dependent increase. However, the DNA damage trendsuggested a threshold effect that changed between field and in vitro experiment. The enrichment factor suggeststhat the concentration in the most polluted site is close to the upper limit of L. riparium to accumulate metals.Overall, combining measures of the morpho-functional traits at different level contribute to improving theknowledge about the tolerance of L. riparium to heavy metal stress, suggesting that this moss could be suitable forbiomonitoring activity in field conditions.
Functional and structural biomarkers to monitor heavy metal pollution of one of the most contaminated freshwater sites in Southern Europe
Maresca, Viviana;
2018-01-01
Abstract
This study evaluated the biological effects of highly polluted freshwater environment (Regi Lagni channels, SItaly) on the aquatic moss Leptodictyum riparium, exposed in bags at three sites representative of different environmentalconditions and characterized by different heavy metal burdens. Bioaccumulation, ultrastructuralalterations, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production, antioxidant enzymes activity and DNA damage wereassessed. To better evaluate the biological response of the moss species to heavy metals, the same biologicalparameters were assessed also in L. riparium samples cultured in vitro using metal mixtures at the same concentrationsas measured at the 3 field exposure sites. Heavy metals were accumulated into the moss tissuescausing severe ultra-structural damages at higher concentration case studies, and the ROS production as well asthe activity of the enzyme followed a concentration-dependent increase. However, the DNA damage trendsuggested a threshold effect that changed between field and in vitro experiment. The enrichment factor suggeststhat the concentration in the most polluted site is close to the upper limit of L. riparium to accumulate metals.Overall, combining measures of the morpho-functional traits at different level contribute to improving theknowledge about the tolerance of L. riparium to heavy metal stress, suggesting that this moss could be suitable forbiomonitoring activity in field conditions.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
