Cytological and structural changes in Pinus pines L. needles following the application of an anionic surfactant

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Ecophysiological responses of Mediterranean pines to simulated sea aerosol polluted with an anionic surfactant: prospects for biomonitoring

“…In Picea abies sprayed with 50 mg/L of surfactant, no change in gas exchange or water potential was measured [8], but this study did not report indications on the status of stomata. The degeneration of the protoplasm of mesophyll cells, observed in P. pinea sprayed with 1000 mg/L of surfactant [12], may be a further cause of loss of function in terms of water regulation.…”

“…The symptomatology of stomatal damage was not specific, as it was reminiscent of that induced by other pollutants [50] and by environmental stressors of different origins [7,24]. Several authors have attributed the alterations of epistomatal wax structures to the direct or indirect action exerted by the components of marine aerosol (salt and surfactants), either individually [28,52], or combined [10,12,20,34,35,39,43,44]. Needles sprayed with NaCl displayed some wax coalescence, but the Stomatal Damage Index enabled us to ascertain that these alterations not only did not differ from those induced by de-ionized water but also increased markedly in synergy with the surfactant.…”

“…The damage to coastal flora occurs primarily in coastlands with highly anthropized inland regions, in coastal areas adjacent to river mouths or sewage outlets, and anywhere sea currents and winds concentrate urban and industrial effluents at the sea-surface. The phenomenon is due to the synergic effect of marine salt and surfactants, but also to the direct action of the surfactant itself which attacks cell membranes [25], increases cuticle permeability [46], and dissolves epicuticular and epistomatal waxes [12,19,39,43,44,52], all phenomena that enhance the foliar absorption of salt and surfactant, and thus the phytotoxic effect [48].…”

“…The response of forest species to treatments with surfactants and sea water has been studied examining: chloride ion in foliar tissues [11,23], water potential and gas exchange [8], damage to stomata and epicuticular waxes [12,43,44], foliar anatomy [10][11][12], pollen germination [34,40]. Guidi et al [22] compared chloride accumulation and visible injury in the three typically Mediterranean pines (P. halepensis Mill., P. pinea L., and P. pinaster L.), two months after a single 60 min exposure to 240 mg/L of sodium alchyl sulphonate in synthetic sea water, suggesting the following sensitivity scale: P. pinea > P. halepensis > P. pinaster.…”

Surfactant damages on coastal vegetation in southern Italy

“…Il danno alla vegetazione costiera è principalmente dovuto all'azione sinergica tensioattivo-sale, ma anche all'azione diretta del tensioattivo (Paoletti et al 2001), responsabile della solubilizzazione delle membrane cellulari (Helenius & Simmons 1975, Bussotti et al 1997, dell'aumento di permeabilità delle cuticole (Schreiber et al 1995), e della dissoluzione delle cere epicuticolari (Gellini et al 1983, Raddi et al 1994, tutti processi che facilitano l'assorbimento fogliare del sale e quindi l'esplicazione dei suoi effetti fitotossici.…”