Removal of Some Pharmaceuticals and Endocrine Disrupting Compounds by the Marine Macroalgae Pterocladia capillacea and Ulva lactuca

Abstract

HYTOREMEDIATION of waters by aquatic organisms such ……… as algae has been recently explored for the removal of organic pollutants possessing endocrine disrupting capacity. Two marines macro-algae Pterocladia capillacea and Ulva lactuca were tested for removal of chloramphenicol, clofibric acid, acetyl salicylic acid, nonylphenol and bisphenol in aqueous solutions at concentrations 5-60 mg/L under controlled laboratory conditions. The obtained results showed that chlorophyll "a" content of both algal biomasses reduced with increasing pharmaceuticals concentrations. Chlorophyll "a "content was diminished nearly to the half at concentration 45mg/L for both algal species. However, the nonylphenol and bisphenol were showed a strong inhibition of chlorophyll "a" biosynthesis at higher concentrations (50-60 mg/L). Both the Pterocladia capillacea and Ulva lactuca recorded the highest removal percentage of pharmaceuticals occurred at 12 hours of contact. Pterocladia capillacea had high capacity for bioremoval of pharmaceuticals and endocrine disruptor compounds than Ulva lactuca. The results also revealed that Pterocladia capillacea was recorded the maximum biosorption of pharmaceuticals and endocrine disruptor compounds in order nonylphenol > acetyl salicylic acid > clofibric acid > bisphenol > chloramphenicol, while the maximum biosorption exhibited by Ulva lactuca was recorded in order acetyl salicylic acid > clofibric acid > bisphenol > nonylphenol > chloramphenicol at contact time 12 hours. Both the tested algae suffered from oxidative stress as a result of pharmaceuticals and endocrine disruptor compounds exposure. Our results showed elevation in the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APO), catalase (CAT) levels in the tested algae after exposure to different pharmaceuticals when compared with their activities in the control.

Bio-Based Products from Mediterranean Seaweeds: Italian Opportunities and Challenges for a Sustainable Blue Economy

“…Among the various phyla of seaweed, Rhodophyta is the most investigated (Figure 2a). A large amount of published data refers to the antimicrobial activity, followed, in a smaller percentage, by the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of seaweed extracts , whereas only a few studies reported on seaweed bio-products [127][128][129][130][131][132][133][134][135][136][137][138][139], such as biofuels and bioplastics (Figure 2b). Among Mediterranean countries, Tunisia, Italy and Egypt were the ones with the largest number of published papers focusing on the potential applications of Mediterranean seaweeds (Figure S1), including NISs.…”