Abstract
The frequency of algal blooms has increased in the mid and downstream reaches of the Xiangjiang River (Hunan, China), one of the most heavily polluted rivers in China. We identified the bloom-forming species in a bloom that occurred mid-late September 2010. In addition, we determined the extent of metal bioaccumulation in the algae and measured the toxicity of the algae using a mouse bioassay. Water samples were collected at upstream (Yongzhou), midstream (Hengyang), and downstream (Zhuzhou, Xiangtan, and Changsha) sites. The dominant species was Aulacoseira granulata, formerly known as Melosira granulata. The heaviest bloom occurred at Xiangtan and Changsha, where the number of A. granulata peaked at 1.3×105 filaments L−1 and chlorophyll a at 0.04 mg L−1. Concentrations of Al, Fe, and Mn were 4.4×103, 768.4, and 138.7 mg kg−1 dry weight in the phytoplankton. The bioaccumulation factor was 4.0×105, 7.7×105, and 3.2×103, respectively. The heavy metal Pb had the greatest tendency to bioaccumulate among the highly toxic heavy metals, with a concentration of 19.2 mg kg−1 dry weight and bioaccumulation factor of 9.6×103. The mouse bioassay suggested the bloom was toxic. The LD50 was 384 mg kg−1 and all surviving mice lost weight during the first 72 h after exposure. Our results demonstrate that blooms of A. granulata in rivers contaminated with heavy metals pose a threat to freshwater ecosystems and human health. Thus, measures should be taken to control eutrophication and heavy metal pollution in such rivers.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Chen Y, Qin B, Teubner K, et al. Long-term dynamics of phytoplankton assemblages: Microcystis-domination in Lake Taihu, a large shallow lake in China. J Plankton Res, 2003, 25: 445–453
Wu W J, Li G B, Li D H, et al. Temperature may be the dominating factor on the alternant succession of Aphanizomenon flosaquae and Microcystis aeruginosa in Dianchi Lake. Fresen Environ Bull, 2010, 19: 846–853
Qu J, Fan M. The current state of water quality and technology development for water pollution control in China. Crit Rev Env Sci Tec, 2010, 40: 519–560
Zeng H, Song L, Yu Z, et al. Distribution of phytoplankton in the Three-Gorge Reservoir during rainy and dry seasons. Sci Total Environ, 2006, 367: 999–1009
Zheng L L, Song L R, Wu X H, et al. Analysis of morphology and 18S rDNA gene from the causative specie related diatom bloom in Hanjiang River. Acta Hydrobiol Sin, 2009, 33: 562–564
Oberholster P J, Botha A M, Ashton P J. The influence of a toxic cyanobacterial bloom and water hydrology on algal populations and macroinvertebrate abundance in the upper littoral zone of Lake Krugersdrift, South Africa. Ecotoxicology, 2009, 18: 34–46
Carmichael W W. The toxins of cyanobacteria. Sci Am, 1994, 270: 64–70
Wang Z J. Drinking Water Safety Assessment. Beijing: Chemical Industry Press, 2008. 92–122
Azevedo S M F O, Carmichael W W, Jochimsen E M, et al. Human intoxication by microcystins during renal dialysis treatment in Caruaru-Brazil. Toxicology, 2002, 181: 441–446
Lefebvre K A, Robertson A. Domoic acid and human exposure risks: A review. Toxicon, 2010, 56: 218–230
Zhang Z, Tao F, Du J, et al. Surface water quality and its control in a river with intensive human impacts—a case study of the Xiangjiang River, China. J Environ Manage, 2010, 91: 2483–2490
Guo Z, Song J, Xiao X, et al. Spatial distribution and environmental characterization of sediment-associated metals from middle-downstream of Xiangjiang River, southern China. J Cent South Univ T, 2010, 17: 68–78
Hu H J, Wei Y X. The Freshwater Algae of China: Systematics, Taxonomy And Ecology. Beijing: Science Press, 2006. 304–308
Chen Y W, Li P F. Clarification for modifying 3 common phytoplankton genera names. J Lakes Sci, 2003, 15: 85–94
Belaoussoff S, Kevan P G, Murphy S, et al. Assessing tillage disturbance on assemblages of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) by using a range of ecological indices. Biodivers Conserv, 2003, 12: 851–882
Zhang T, Li L, Song L R. Annual dynamics of phytoplankton abundance and community structure in the Xionghe Reservoir. Acta Ecol Sin, 2009, 29: 2971–2979
Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People’s Republic of China. Determination methods for examination of water and wastewater (4th edition). Beijing: China Environmental Science Press, 2002. 223–671
Ministry of Public Health of the People’s Republic of China and the China Standardization Administration. GB 5749-2006 Standards for drinking water quality. 2006
Ministry of Public Health of the People’s Republic of China and the China Standardization Administration. GB-15193.3-2003 Acute toxicity test. 2003
Hallegraeff G M, Anderson D M, Cembella A D. Manual on harmful marine microalgae (second revised edition). Paris: UNESCO Publishing, 2003: 270–274
Zhang Q, Li Z, Zeng G, et al. Assessment of surface water quality using multivariate statistical techniques in red soil hilly region: a case study of Xiangjiang watershed, China. Environ Monit Assess, 2009, 152: 123–131
Chen Y S, Wu F C, Lu H Z, et al. Analysis on the water quality changes in the Xiangjiang River from 1981–2000. Resour Environ Yangtze Basin, 2004, 13: 508–512
Gibson C, Anderson J, Haworth E. Aulacoseira subarctica: taxonomy, physiology, ecology and palaeoecology. Eur J Phycol, 2003, 38: 83–101
Wang C, Li X, Lai Z, et al. Seasonal variations of Aulacoseira granulata population abundance in the Pearl River Estuary. Estuar Coast Shelf S, 2009, 85: 585–592
Kuang Q J, Zhang J Y. On the phytoplankton in the middle and lower reaches of the Hanjiang river and the prevention of water-blooms. Resour Environ Yangtze Basin, 2000, 9: 63–70
Caldwell G S. The influence of bioactive oxylipins from marine diatoms on invertebrate reproduction and development. Mar Drugs, 2009, 7: 367–400
Zeng Z, Qiu X, Chen K, et al. Acute toxicity examination and Ames test of raw water in Hanjiang River for diatoms. Water Wastewater Eng, 2004, 30: 5–6
Wichard T, Gerecht A, Boersma M, et al. Lipid and fatty acid composition of diatoms revisited: rapid wound-activated change of food quality parameters influences herbivorous copepod reproductive success. ChemBioChem, 2007, 8: 1146–1153
Ianora A, Miralto A. Toxigenic effects of diatoms on grazers, phytoplankton and other microbes: a review. Ecotoxicology, 2010, 19: 493–511
Leflaive J, Ten-Hage L. Chemical interactions in diatoms: role of polyunsaturated aldehydes and precursors. New Phytol, 2009, 184: 794–805
Chang L W, Lo W S, Lin P. Trans,trans-2,4-decadienal, a product found in cooking oil fumes, induces cell proliferation and cytokine production due to reactive oxygen species in human bronchial epithelial cells. Toxicol Sci, 2005, 87: 337–343
Young S C, Chang L W, Lee H L, et al. DNA damages induced by trans,trans-2,4-decadienal (tt-DDE), a component of cooking oil fume, in human bronchial epithelial cells. Environ Mol Mutagen, 2010, 51: 315–321
Oishi S, Watanabe M F. Acute toxicity of Microcystis aeruginosa and its cardiovascular effects. Environ Res, 1986, 40: 518–524
Nakano M, Nakano Y, Saito-Taki T, et al. Toxicity of Microcystis aeruginosa K-139 strain. Microbiol Immunol, 1989, 33: 787–792
Ohtake A, Shirai M, Aida T, et al. Toxicity of Microcystis species isolated from natural blooms and purification of the toxin. Appl Environ Microb, 1989, 55: 3202–3207
Willén T, Mattsson R. Water-blooming and toxin-producing cyanobacteria in Swedish fresh and bracish waters, 1981-1995. Hydrobiologia, 1997, 353: 181–1
Andrinolo D, Pereira P, Giannuzzi L, et al. Occurrence of Microcystis aeruginosa and microcystins in Río de la Plata river (Argentina). Acta Toxicol Argent, 2007, 15: 8–14
Zhou W B, Qiu B S. Mechanisms for heavy metal detoxification and tolerance in algae. J Lakes Sci, 2004, 16: 265–272
Quiroz-Vázquez P, White K N, Sigee D C. Aluminium, silicon and transition metal dynamics in a non-polluted lake: aquatic concentrations and phytoplankton uptake. Hydrobiologia, 2008, 607: 131–142
Türker Sacan M, Akmehmet Balcioglu I. Bioaccumulation of aluminium in Dunaliella tertiolecta in natural seawater: aluminium-metal (Cu, Pb, Se) interactions and influence of pH. B Environ Contam Tox, 2001, 66: 214–221
Maiti A K, Saha N C, Paul G. Effect of lead on oxidative stress, Na+ K+ ATPase activity and mitochondrial electron transport chain activity of the brain of Clarias batrachus L. B Environ Contam Tox, 84: 672–676
Massanyi P, Lukac N, Makarevich A V, et al. Lead-induced alterations in rat kidneys and testes in vivo. J Environ Sci Heal A, 2007, 42: 671–676
Rossi N, Jamet J L. In situ heavy metals (copper, lead and cadmium) in different plankton compartments and suspended particulate matter in two coupled Mediterranean coastal ecosystems (Toulon Bay, France). Mar Pollut Bull, 2008, 56: 1862–1870
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com
Rights and permissions
Open Access This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0), which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.
About this article
Cite this article
Li, J., Peng, F., Ding, D. et al. Characteristics of the phytoplankton community and bioaccumulation of heavy metals during algal blooms in Xiangjiang River (Hunan, China). Sci. China Life Sci. 54, 931–938 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11427-011-4222-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11427-011-4222-6