Coelomocytes comprise the immune system of earthworms and due to their sensitivity responding to a wide range of pollutants have been widely used as target cells in soil ecotoxicology. Recently, in vitro assays with primary cultures of coelomocytes based in the neutral red uptake (NRU) assay have been developed as promising tools for toxicity assessment chemical in a reproducible and cost-effective manner. However, NRU showed a bimodal dose-response curve previously described after in vivo and in vitro exposure of earthworm coelomocytes to pollutants. This response could be related with alterations in the relative proportion of coelomocyte subpopulations, amoebocytes and eleocytes. Thus, the aims of the present work were, first, to establish the toxicity thresholds that could be governed by different cell-specific sensitivities of coelomocytes subpopulations against a series of metals (Cu, Cd, Pb, Ni), and second to understand the implication that coelomocyte population dynamics (eleocytes vs. amoebocytes) after exposure to pollutants can have on the viability of coelomocytes (measured by NRU assay) as biomarker of general stress in soil health assessment. Complementarily flow cytometric analyses were applied to obtain correlative information about single cells (amoebocytes and eleocytes) in terms of size and complexity, changes in their relative proportion and mortality rates. The results indicated a clear difference in sensitivity of eleocytes and amoebocytes against metal exposure, being eleocytes more sensitive. The bimodal dose-response curve of NRU after in vitro exposure of primary cultures of coelomocytes to metals revealed an initial mortality of eleocytes (decreased NRU), followed by an increased complexity of amoebocytes (enhanced phagocytosis) and massive mortality of eleocytes (increased NRU), to give raise to a massive mortality of amoebocytes (decrease NRU). A synergistic effect on NRU was exerted by the exposure to high Cu concentrations and acidic pH (elicited by the metal itself), whereas the effects on NRU produced after exposure to Cd, Ni and Pb were due solely to the presence of metals, being the acidification of culture medium meaningless.

TiO 2 (Anatase) surface has been modified with p-substituted benzaldehydes (p = OCH 3 , CH 3 , H, CN, and NO 2 ) and 4-stilbene carboxaldehyde. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy, UV-Vis reflectance spectra, and theoretical calculations indicate that the TiO 2 surface has been chemically modified and supported acetal formation by means of TiO 2 -OH reaction with the aldehyde. A steady state photocurrent was obtained during simulated UV light irradiation of the acetal-TiO 2 in aqueous solution. Once the light irradiation is turned off, open-circuit potential decay measurements were used in order to determine the electron life-time (t n ). Excited electron decay is inhibited down to 1 s when the electron withdrawing delocalization capacity of the modified TiO 2 increases. Electron life-time also depends on the solution reduction capacity. However, the unmodified TiO 2 life-time does not. The TiO 2 modification results in a new series of photocatalysts that improve the organic contaminants degradation in solution because slow electron decay also induces retardation of the electron-hole recombination. Therefore, there is a linear relationship between the electron decay life-time and degradation rate constant. However, when electron delocalization is further increased in a way that the electron lifetime becomes ca. 7 s, degradation rate is kept constant. Therefore, the extra electron stability compromise degradation in such a way that the modified nanoparticle switches from a useful oxidant agent to a material that favors the charge carriers separation through a stable radical anion formation.

Controlling and monitoring the residual activity of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are critical for maintaining safe yet effective levels of these agents in the environment. This study investigates the utility of bromophenol blue (BPB) as a safe, rapid and user‐friendly indicator to detect in situ residual QACs dried on hard, non‐porous surfaces, as well a means to assess their antimicrobial efficacy. At pH 7, BPB has a purple colour which turns blue upon its complexation with QACs such as didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC). BPB itself has no antimicrobial properties up to 400 ppm. Within the range of 0–400 ppm, BPB colour change was tied to specific DDAC antimicrobial performances with a detection threshold of 100 ppm. BPB concentration and application volume could be adjusted such that a colour shift from purple to blue correlated with a set percent reduction (>99·9%) in test bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella aerogenes). The BPB solutions developed in this study yielded similar colour shifts on polycarbonate and stainless steel surfaces and did not cross‐react with chemical ingredients commonly found in sanitizers and disinfectant products. Overall, this study suggests that BPB provides a simple solution to safely monitor the post‐application level and biocidal activity of residual dried QACs on surfaces.

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