Use of Fast Repetition Rate Fluorometry on Detection and Assessment of PAH Toxicity on Microalgae

摘要

Cultures of the flagellate Isochtysis galbana were used to carry out the ecotoxicological evaluation of four PAHs [(naphthalene, phenanthrene, pyrene (Pyr) and fluoranthene (Flu)] by monitoring growth rate and the fluorescence variables F_0, F_m, F_v and F_v/F_m, determined with a fast repetition rate fluorometer. The results presented in this investigation showed that F_v was a suitable endpoint in acute ecotoxicological tests with marine phytoplankton. The derived effective concentrations followed the known narcotic mechanism of toxicity and showed sensitivity levels comparable to marine invertebrate embryo-larval bioassays. Pyr and Flu showed the lowest EC_(10), which ranged between 168-279 and 189-697 nM, respectively.