Avaliação do potencial algicida/algistático de extractos de plantas em microalgas (Chlorophta e Cyanophyta)

Devido à eutrofização, os sistemas aquáticos podem apresentar um desenvolvimento excessivo de fitoplâncton e algas filamentosas, com a concomitante diminuição da qualidade da água.. Para mitigar os problemas ambientais e económicos resultantes, têm sido implementadas medidas que abrangem a aplicação de algicidas e a redução do input de nutrientes. Contudo, alguns algicidas convencionais apresentam certas limitações, já que são tóxicos, a sua eficiência é discutível, e apresentam persistência no ambiente. A utilização de extractos vegetais poderá ser uma alternativa aos algicidas convencionais. O objectivo deste trabalho foi testar a actividade algicida e/ou algistática de extractos de plantas, recolhidas em Bragança, em dois tipos de microalgas

Fatty acid characterization of cyanobacterial strains isolated from vela lake and mondego river rice fields (central-western, Portugal)

It is know that cyanobacterial taxonomic groups are characterized by particular lipid patterns that can be used as their biological markers. The present study examined the fatty acid composition of nostocacean heterocystous cyanobacterial strains isolated from Central-western Portuguese freshwater shallow water bodies, namely Vela Lake and rice fields from Mondego River Basin. Morphological characterization showed that strains from Vela Lake belonged to Aphanizomenon gracile (strains UADFA16 and UADFA18), Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (strain UADFA15) and Anabaena cf. solitaria (strain UADFA14) species, whereas rice field strains belonged to Anabaena cylindrica (strain UTAD_A212) and Nostoc muscorum (strain UTAD_N213). Biochemical characterization inferred from lipid analysis showed that predominant fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) in the lipids of the strains were palmitic, oleic and α-linolenic, with trace amounts of myristic and C20 polyunsaturated FAMEs. To our knowledge, there is almost no information about lipid composition in freshwater cyanobacterial species living in different habitats in Portugal. Therefore, this limnological study is a contribution to our investigation on freshwater diazotrophic cyanobacteria

Toxicity of seven priority hazardous and noxious substances (HNSs) to marine organisms: Current status, knowledge gaps and recommendations for future research

Shipping industry and seaborne trade have rapidly increased over the last fifty years, mainly due to the continuous increasing demand for chemicals and fuels. Consequently, despite current regulations, the occurrence of accidental spills poses an important risk. Hazardous and noxious substances (HNSs) have been raising major concern among environmental managers and scientific community for their heterogeneity, hazardous potential towards aquatic organisms and associated social-economic impacts. A literature review on ecotoxicological hazards to aquatic organisms was conducted for seven HNSs: acrylonitrile, n-butyl acrylate, cyclohexylbenzene, hexane, isononanol, trichloroethylene and xylene. Information on the mechanisms of action of the selected HNS was also reviewed. The main purpose was to identify: i) knowledge gaps in need of being addressed in future research; and ii) a set of possible biomarkers suitable for ecotoxicological assessment and monitoring in both estuarine and marine systems. Main gaps found concern the scarcity of information available on ecotoxicological effects of HNS towards marine species and their poorly understood mode of action in wildlife. Differences were found between the sensitivity of freshwater and seawater organisms, so endpoints produced in the former may not be straightforwardly employed in evaluations for the marine environment. The relationship between sub-individual effects and higher level detrimental alterations (e.g. behavioural, morphological, reproductive effects and mortality) are not fully understood. In this context, a set of biomarkers associated to neurotoxicity, detoxification and anti-oxidant defences is suggested as potential indicators of toxic exposure/effects of HNS in marine organisms. Overall, to support the development of contingency plans and the establishment of environmental safety thresholds, it will be necessary to undertake targeted research on HNS ecotoxicity in the marine environment. Research should address these issues under more realistic exposure scenarios reflecting the prevailing spatial and temporal variability in ecological and environmental conditions

Searching for Algaecide or Algaestatic Effects of Several Plant Extracts on Phytoplankton: Preliminary Results

Study Design: Experimental research. Place and Duration of Study: The cyanobacterium Anabaena cylindrica and the green alga Chlorella vulgaris were used as test strains to evaluate the effects of plant extracts on algal growth. All experiments were undertaken in the Agricultural School of Bragança - Polytechnic Institute, from September 2010 to July 2011. Methodology: Essential oils were obtained by means of hydrodistillation of the plants. The oils and the water that remained, after the hydrodistillation, were further used for the growth screening of Anabaena cylindrica and Chlorella vulgaris under axenic cultures. Both types of extracts were tested at different concentrations. The essential oil effects were evaluated by disc diffusion method and water extracts effects were evaluated in batch cultures. Results: Essential oils had an algaecide effect in all tested concentrations (1:1; 1:3; 1:4 and 1:10) for both algal strains. Contrarily, none of the water extracts evidenced a complete algaecide effect. Nevertheless, promising results were obtained with rosemary water extract since the highest concentrations (1:4) had an algaestatic effect on C. vulgaris. Conversely, the observed effects on A. cylindrica varied from cellular density decrease to an algaestatic effect. Therefore, the tested algal strains presented distinct responses to both extract types and concentrations. Conclusions: Comparing the different extracts’ activity, it can be concluded that essential oils mostly influenced algal growth.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Basagran® induces developmental malformations and changes the bacterial community of zebrafish embryos

This study aimed to assess the effects of Basagran® on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. The embryos were exposed to Basagran® at concentrations ranging from 120.0 to 480.6 mg/L, and the effects on embryo development (up to 96 h) and bacterial communities of 96 h-larvae were assessed. The embryo development response was time-dependent and concentration-dependent (106.35  delay or anomaly in yolk sac absorption > change in swimming equilibrium > development of pericardial and/or yolk sac oedema > scoliosis. A PCR-DGGE analysis was used to evaluate changes in the structure, richness, evenness and diversity of bacterial communities after herbicide exposure. A herbicide-induced structural adjustment of bacterial community was observed. In this study, it was successfully demonstrated that Basagran® affected zebrafish embryos and associated bacterial communities, showing time-dependent and concentration-dependent embryos' developmental response and structural changes in bacterial community. Thus, this work provides for the first time a complementary approach, which is useful to derive robust toxicity thresholds considering the embryo-microbiota system as a whole. The aquatic hazard assessment will be strengthened by combining current ecotoxicological tests with molecular microbiology tools.publishe

Morphological, biochemical and molecular characterization of Anabaena, Aphanizomenon and Nostoc strains (Cyanobacteria, Nostocales) isolated from Portuguese freshwater habitats

Studies of cyanobacterial nostocacean taxa are important to the global scientific community, mainly because a significant number of beneficial strains that belong to the order Nostocales fix atmospheric nitrogen, thus contributing to the fertility of agricultural soils worldwide, while others behave as nuisance microorganisms in aquatic ecosystemsdue to their involvement in toxic bloom events. However, in spiteoftheir ecological importanceandenvironmentalThe authors are indebted to Prof. Fernando Nunes (Chemistry Department, UTAD, Vila Real) for instrumental laboratory facilities on lipid analysis and to Dr. Fátima Santos (Botany Department, FCTUC, Coimbra) for her kind help on morphological identification and loan of precious historical publications. Further, we are thankful to Prof. Luigi NaselliFlores (Department of Botanical Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy) and to the anonymous reviewer for their constructive and helpful comments on the manuscript.publishe

Effects of Reduced Seawater pH and Oil Contamination on Bacterial Communities and Biochemical Markers of Estuarine Animal Hosts

Ecosystem functioning depends on complex interactions between microorganisms, hosts, and the environment. Changes in environmental conditions (e.g., ocean acidification) in combination with anthropogenic pollution have been shown to affect the composition and function of free-living microbial communities, but little is known about the effects these stressors on host-associated communities. This study aims to characterize the response of host-associated bacterial communities of the bottom-dwelling polychaete Hediste diversicolor and the epibenthic gastropod Peringia ulvae to oil contamination and reduced seawater pH. The independent and interactive effects of both stressors were simulated under controlled conditions. The response of host-associated bacterial communities was assessed using the high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and several biochemical markers related to host metabolic pathways, e.g., neurotransmission, anaerobic metabolism, biotransformation, oxidative stress, and energy consumption. In H. diversicolor, reduced seawater pH was associated with a high relative abundance of Cyanobacteria, while in P. ulvae oil contamination was associated with a reduction in the relative abundance of Chitinophagales. In P. ulvae, enrichment with oil hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria suggests a possible role of these organisms in the dispersion of oil hydrocarbon degraders. Furthermore, oil supplementation shifted some specific biochemical markers of gastropods related to oxidative stress and energy consumption, which suggests host stress. In general, the bacterial communities and biochemical markers of the gastropod were more affected by stressors than those of the polychaete. Overall, this study contributes to a better understanding of the response of host-associated bacterial communities of benthic macrofauna to anthropogenic contamination and environmental change