Biological effects of surfactants, III hydra as a highly sensitive assay animal

A limitation of the microtox® test for toxicity measurements of nonionic surfactants

“…The Microtox bacteria may require a minimum surface tension to sustain light output (remain alive) in a similar manner to other types of organisms reported elsewhere; for example, lethal concentrations of surfactant coincide with an ST of 49 Ϯ 4 dynes/cm (ϭmN/m) for the freshwater coelenterate Hydra attenuata and the authors explain this as the level that probably disrupts the cell membranes [19]. For HeLa cells, lethal levels of surfactants coincided with surface tensions of 45 dynes/cm or below [20].…”

Biological effects of surfactants, IV. Effects of non-ionics and amphoterics on HeLa cells

“…4). Data presented here and in prior work from our laboratory [1,12,13] point to the physical (surface active) effects of detergents as a principal cause of their toxicity. Furthermore, these results show that HeLa cells are a sensitive cell line for assay of surfactant effects.…”

“…Therefore, several homologous series of surfactants with varying charges, molecular weights, and hydrophilic/lipophilic balance (HLB) were prepared and purified. In our prior work [1] with these agents, employing the fresh water coelenterate Hydra attenuata as bjoassay organism, lethal concentrations were always coincident with surface tensions of 49 ± 4 dynes of the culture solutions. It was possible to establish toxicity trends with respect to the lipophilic radicals of the ionic species screened.…”

“…A single nonionic compound, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate (Tween 80), was evaluated but had no significant effect on the number of cells at concentrations up to 0.5% [2]. In contrast, higher fatty alcohol ethoxylates, widely employed as detergents, emulsifiers, wetting and solubilizing agents, proved lethal to Hydra attenuata at levels as low as 8--20 ppm [ 1]. When HeLa cells were exposed to the anionic sodium dedecylsulfate the surfactant showed selective action against thymidine kinase and uridine kinase activity, [ 3].…”

Avaliação dos efeitos do agrotóxico Vertimec® 18 CE em ecossistemas de água doce por meio de estudos experimentais em laboratório e in situ

“…Estudos anteriores, usando hidras em testes de toxicidade indicaram sua sensibilidade a diversos poluentes ambientais, incluindo metais pesados (Holdway, 2001, Karntanut & Pascoe, 2007), fármacos (Pascoe et al, 2003, Quinn et al, 2009e Massaro, 2011, efluentes industriais e urbanos (Fu et al, 1991), nanomateriais (Blaise et al, 2008, Yeo & Kang, 2010, Tino et al, 2011 e também detergentes (Bode et al, 1978.…”