Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Chronic toxicity of a laundry detergent to the freshwater flagellate Euglena gracilis

  • Published:
Ecotoxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Chronic toxicity of the common laundry detergent Ariel on the freshwater alga Euglena gracilis was investigated by growing the alga in a medium containing the detergent for 7 days. Cell density, motility, swimming velocity, gravitactic orientation, cell shape, photosynthesis and concentration of light-harvesting pigments were used as end point parameters for the assessment of toxicity. Cell density was significantly reduced at a concentration of 1 mg l−1 or above. Among the other tested parameters, with the exception of cell shape, gravitaxis and chlorophyll b, all were adversely affected by the detergent at concentrations exceeding 1 mg l−1. It is concluded that long-term (7-days) exposure to the detergent caused significant toxicity to E. gracilis. Furthermore, long-term tests with E. gracilis can be used as sensitive indicator for the toxicity assessment of laundry detergents in aquatic environments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahmed H, Häder D-P (2010) Rapid ecotoxicological bioassay of nickel and cadmium using motility and photosynthetic parameters of Euglena gracilis. Environ Exp Bot 69:68–75

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aizdaicher NA, Markina ZV (2006) Toxic effects of detergents on the alga Plagioselmis prolonga (Cryptophyta). Russ J Mar Biol 32:45–49

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Azizullah A, Richter P, Häder D-P (2011) Toxicity assessment of a common laundry detergent using the freshwater flagellate Euglena gracilis. Chemosphere 84:1392–1400

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Azizullah A, Richter P, Häder D-P (2012) Responses of morphological, physiological and biochemical parameters in Euglena gracilis to 7-days exposure to two commonly used fertilizers DAP and urea. J Appl Phycol 24:21–33

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chattopadhyay DN, Konar SK (1985) Chronic effects of linear alkyl benzene sulfonate on aquatic ecosystem. Environ Ecol 3:428–433

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chawla G, Viswanathan PN, Devi S (1987) Biochemical studies on the toxicity of linear alkylbenzene sulphonate to Scenedesmus quadricauda in culture. Environ Exp Bot 27:311–319

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Danilov RA, Ekelund NGA (1999) Influence of waste water from the paper industry and UV-B radiation on the photosynthetic efficiency of Euglena gracilis. J Appl Phycol 11:157–163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Danilov R, Ekelund N (2000) Applicability of growth rate, cell shape, and motility of Euglena gracilis as physiological parameters for bioassessment at lower concentrations of toxic substances: an experimental approach. Environ Toxicol 16:78–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dekker JP, Germano M, van Roon H, Boekema EJ (2002) Photosystem II solubilizes as a monomer by mild detergent treatment of unstacked thylakoid membranes. Photosynth Res 72:203–210

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fodorpataki L, Marton AL, Csorba TL (2001) Stress-physiological investigation of algal cell cultures in polluted media. Contrib Bot 36:101–108

    Google Scholar 

  • Gajdosova J, Reichrtova E (1996) Different growth response of Euglena gracilis to Hg, Cd, Cr and Ni compounds. Fresenius J Anal Chem 354:641–642

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ghoochani M, Shekoohiyan S, Mahvi AH, Haibati B, Norouzi M (2011) Determination of detergent in Tehran ground and surface water. American-Eurasian J Agric Environ Sci 10:464–469

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ghose NC, Saha D, Gupta A (2009) Synthetic detergents (surfactants) and organochlorine pesticide signatures in surface water and groundwater of greater Kolkata, India. J Water Resour Prot 1:290–298

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzáles-Moreno S, Gómez-Barrera J, Perales H, Moreno-Sánchez R (1997) Multiple effects of salinity on photosynthesis of the protist Euglena gracilis. Physiol Plant 101:777–786

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Häder D-P, Lebert M, Richter P (1998) Gravitaxis and graviperception in Euglena gracilis. Adv Space Res 21:1277–1284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ivankovi T, Hrenovi J (2010) Surfactants in the environment. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 61:95–110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolber Z, Falkowski PG (1993) Use of active fluorescence to estimate phytoplankton photosynthesis in situ. Limnol Oceanogr 38:1646–1665

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lal H, Misra V, Viswanathan PN, Murti CR (1983) Comparative studies on ecotoxicology of synthetic detergents. Ecotoxicol Environ Safety 7:538–545

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis MA (1990) Chronic toxicities of surfactants and detergent builders to algae: a review and risk assessment. Ecotoxicol Environ Safety 20:123–140

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lichtenthaler HK, Wellburn AR (1983) Determinations of total carotenoids and chlorophylls a and b of leaf extracts in different solvents. Biochem Soc Trans 11:591–592

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liwarska-Bizukojc E, Miksch K, Malachowska-Jutsz A, Kalka J (2005) Acute toxicity and genotoxicity of five selected anionic and nonionic surfactants. Chemosphere 58:1249–1253

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Markina ZV (2010) Effects of sodium dodecyl sulfate on the growth dynamics and physiological state of the microalga Dunaliella salina (Chlorophyta). Russ J Mar Biol 36:191–194

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Markina ZV, Aizdaicher NA (2005) Dunaliella salina (Chlorophyta) as a test-object for assessment of detergent pollution of a marine environment. Russ J Mar Biol 31:232–237

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Markina ZV, Aizdaicher NA (2007) Influence of laundry detergents on the abundance dynamics and physiological state of the benthic microalga Attheya ussurensis (Bacillariophyta) in laboratory culture. Russ J Mar Biol 33:391–398

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Markina ZV, Aizdaycher NA (2010) Influence of the ariel detergent on the growth and physiological state of the unicellular algae Dunaliella salina (Chlorophyta) and Plagioselmis prolonga (Cryptophyta). Hydrobiol J 46:49–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mikolajczyk E, Diehn B (1978) Morphological alteration in Euglena gracilis induced by treatment with CTAB (Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) and Triton X-100: correlations with effects on photophobic behavioral responses. J Protozool 25:461–470

    Google Scholar 

  • Minareci O, Öztürk M, Egemen Ö, Minareci E (2009) Detergent and phosphate pollution in Gediz River, Turkey. Afr J Biotechnol 8:3568–3575

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nyberg H, Koskimies-Soininen K (1984) The phospholipid fatty acids of Porphyridium purpureum cultured in the presence of Triton X-100 and sodium desoxycholate. Phytochemistry 23:2489–2493

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pastewski S, Medrzycka K (2003) Monitoring surfactant concentrations in surface waters in Tricity agglomeration. Pol J Environ Stud 12:643–646

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pavlic Z, Vidakovic-Cifrek Z, Puntaric D (2005) Toxicity of surfactants to green microalgae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and Scenedesmus subspicatus and to marine diatoms Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Skeletonema costatum. Chemosphere 61:1061–1068

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pettersson A, Adamsson M, Dave G (2000) Toxicity and detoxification of Swedish detergents and softener products. Chemosphere 41:1611–1620

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Riess MH, Grimme LH (1993) Studies on surfactant toxicity to the freshwater alga Chlorella fusca: a common mode of action? Sci Total Environ 134:551–558

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruban AV, Lee PJ, Wentworth M, Young AJ, Horton P (1999) Determination of the stoichiometry and strength of binding of xanthophylls to the photosystem II light harvesting complexes. J Biol Chem 274:10458–10465

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sanchez-Fortun S, Marva F, D’ors A, Costas E (2008) Inhibition of growth and photosynthesis of selected green microalgae as tools to evaluate toxicity of dodecylethyldimethyl-ammonium bromide. Ecotoxicology 17:229–234

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schlösser UG (1994) SAG-Sammlung von Algenkulturen at the University of Göttingen. Bot Acta 107:113–186

    Google Scholar 

  • Starr RC (1964) The culture collection of algae at Indiana University. Am J Bot 51:1013–1044

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sukenik A, Falkowski PG, Bennett J (1989) Energy transfer in the light-harvesting complex II of Dunaliella tertiolecta is unusually sensitive to Triton X-100. Photosynth Res 21:37–44

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sumida S, Lyman H, Kiyohara N, Osafune T (2007) Mechanism of conversion from heterotrophy to autotrophy in Euglena gracilis. Cytologia 72:447–457

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tahedl H, Häder D-P (1999) Fast examination of water quality using the automatic biotest ECOTOX based on the movement behavior of a freshwater flagellate. Water Res 33:426–432

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tang D, Jankowiak R, Seibert M, Small GJ (1991) Effects of detergent on the excited state structure and relaxation dynamics of the photosystem II reaction center: a high resolution hole burning study. Photosynth Res 27:19–29

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Warne MSJ, Schifko AD (1999) Toxicity of laundry detergent components to a freshwater cladoceran and their contribution to detergent toxicity. Ecotoxicol Environ Safety 44:196–206

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yamane AN, Okada M, Sudo R (1984) The growth inhibition of planktonic algae due to surfactants used in washing agents. Water Res 18:1101–1105

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST) Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan for granting a scholarship to Azizullah.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cell Biology Division, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander University, Staudtstr. 5, 91058, Erlangen, Germany

    Azizullah Azizullah & Peter Richter

  2. Department of Botany, Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST), Kohat, Pakistan

    Azizullah Azizullah

  3. Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Gomal University, DI Khan, Pakistan

    Muhammad Jamil

  4. Neue Str. 9, 91096, Möhrendorf, Germany

    Donat-Peter Häder

Authors
  1. Azizullah Azizullah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Peter Richter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Muhammad Jamil
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Donat-Peter Häder
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Azizullah Azizullah.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Azizullah, A., Richter, P., Jamil, M. et al. Chronic toxicity of a laundry detergent to the freshwater flagellate Euglena gracilis . Ecotoxicology 21, 1957–1964 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-012-0930-3

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-012-0930-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation