The ability of the unicellular giant alga<i>Acetabularia sp.</i>to bioconcentrate aquatic mercury in whole and anucleated cells

García, Elia

doi:10.1080/02772249109357898

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Miller & Yellowlees 1989). However, the BCF of Hg in the free-living alga Acetabularia calyculus was similar (40 to 140 for up to 1 ppm and 7 d of exposure; García 1993, García & Reyes 1996 to that obtained here for the zooxanthellae (2 to 83 for up to 0.5 ppm). Thus, it remains to be investigated whether differences in the BCF among species result from the symbiotic condition of the organism or from the metal under study, or both.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 77%

“…Sorensen & Bjerregaard 1991, García 1993, Palmer & Presley 1993, Rossi et al 1993, Allen 1994, Bianchini & Gilles 1996, García & Reyes 1996, Herut et al 1996, Pergent & Pergent-Martini 1999. However, there is an incomplete understanding of the factors that control the bioconcentration of Hg in aquatic systems (Morel et al 1998).…”

Section: Resale or Republication Not Permitted Without Written Consenmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sublethal effects of mercury and its distribution in the coral Porites astreoides

Bastidas¹,

García²

2004

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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To study the effects of sublethal doses of mercury on corals, colonies of Porites astreoides (Lamarck) were exposed to nominal concentrations of 0.01, 0.1 and 0.5 mg Hg l -1 using semi-static, chronic bioassays for up to 15 d, with HgCl 2 administered by pulses every 3 d (mean concentration in the water was 0.004, 0.037 and 0.180 mg Hg l -1 , respectively). While total Hg in the corals was directly proportional to Hg exposure, analysis of the different coral compartments (polyps, zooxanthellae and skeleton) showed that zooxanthellae and the skeleton accumulated Hg in direct relation to Hg exposure, but polyp tissue accumulated more Hg at 0.1 than at 0.5 mg Hg l -1 . This suggests saturation of Hg only in polyps and/or activation of mechanisms of detoxification. Within a colony, the Hg concentration per unit area of coral surface differed between compartments as follows: zooxanthellae > polyp > skeleton. Colonies exposed to the highest Hg concentration accumulated 1.738 µg Hg cm -2 , 89% of which was found in zooxanthellae, 7% in polyps and 4% in the skeleton. Polyp biomass (dry weight and protein content), zooxanthellae biomass (cell density and protein content), and pigment concentration per unit area of coral surface decreased with Hg exposure. The bioconcentration factor ([Hg] in organism/ [Hg] in water) was inversely related to the Hg concentration in water. The capacity of zooxanthellae and the skeleton to concentrate Hg and the decrease in zooxanthellae density support the hypothesis that polyps may divert Hg to these 2 coral compartments as a detoxifying mechanism.KEY WORDS: Mercury · Bioconcentration · Bioassays · Sub-lethal exposure · Hard corals · Porites · Caribbean Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherMar Ecol Prog Ser 267: [133][134][135][136][137][138][139][140][141][142][143] 2004 ticular concern due to its extensive use in gold mining and its high toxicity (Lacher & Goldstein 1997). It is estimated that atmospheric input of Hg has tripled over the past 150 yr, and that two-thirds of the current total is of anthropogenic origin, while one-third is from natural sources (Morel et al. 1998). On the west coast of Venezuela, Hg contamination has been a potential hazard for marine communities for several decades. Sources include a chlor-alkali plant, which operated in Golfo Triste until the mid-1970s (see Iglesias & Penchaszadeh 1983, Pérez 1995 for further details), and an oil refinery and a petrochemical complex, which still operate here. This area is also affected by the discharge of various rivers with catchments encompassing agricultural lands. All these activities contribute to an increase in anthropogenic sources of metals, and Hg in particular. At the western end of Golfo Triste, Hg levels in seawater, marine invertebrates, seagrasses and the sediments at the coral reefs of Parque Nacional Morrocoy (Iglesias & Penchaszadeh 1983, Pérez 1995, García et al. 1998 indicated that the knowledge of Hg concentration and its sublethal effects on orga...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 77%

Section: Resale or Republication Not Permitted Without Written Consenmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sublethal effects of mercury and its distribution in the coral Porites astreoides

Bastidas¹,

García²

2004

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Bioconcentration of hg inacetabularia calyculus:Evidence of a polypeptide in whole cells and anucleated cells

García

Reyes

1996

Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry

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Whole cells and anucleated cells of Acetabularia calyculus, were exposed to concentrations of 1 mg/l and 10 mg/l of mercury chloride (HgCl 2 ) during 3 days. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) was not significantly different between both concentrations, reaching a saturation level in the uptake of mercury. The cytoplasm protein fraction (CPF) of whole cells and anucleated cells treated with 10 mg/1 of (HgCl 2 ) was analyzed by SDS-Page electrophoresis. Results obtained indicated that, at this experimental concentration of Hg, Acetabularia calyculus synthesizes a polypeptide with a molecular weight apparent of 27.000 Dalton. This polypeptide was absent in the control experiments, where cells were not treated with Hg. These results suggest that the great ability of Acetabularia to bioconcentrate Hg (high BCF) could be related to the synthesis of this Hg induced Polypeptide (HgIP).

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Induction of mercury‐binding peptide in whole cells and anucleated cells ofAcetabularia calyculus

García

Reyes

1998

Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry

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The ability of the unicellular giant algaAcetabularia sp.to bioconcentrate aquatic mercury in whole and anucleated cells

Cited by 4 publications

References 13 publications

Sublethal effects of mercury and its distribution in the coral Porites astreoides

Sublethal effects of mercury and its distribution in the coral Porites astreoides

Bioconcentration of hg inacetabularia calyculus:Evidence of a polypeptide in whole cells and anucleated cells

Induction of mercury‐binding peptide in whole cells and anucleated cells ofAcetabularia calyculus

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