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Experimental evaluation of the contribution of acidic pH and Fe concentration to the structure, function and tolerance to metals (Cu and Zn) exposure in fluvial biofilms

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Abstract

An indoor channel system was colonised with fluvial biofilms to study the chronic effects of high Fe and SO4 2− concentrations and acidic pH, the water chemistry in the surrounding streams of Aljustrel mining area (Alentejo, Portugal), and their contribution to community (in)tolerance to metal toxicity by short-term experiments with Cu and Zn. Biofilms were subjected to four different treatments during 8 weeks: high Fe and SO4 2− concentrations (1 mg Fe l−1 + 700 mg SO 2− 4 l−1) and acidic pH, high Fe and SO4 2− at alkaline pH; lower Fe and SO4 2− at acidic pH: and lower Fe and SO4 2− concentrations at alkaline pH as negative control. During chronic exposure, acidic pH affected growth negatively, based on low values of algal biomass and the autotrophic index, high values of the antioxidant enzyme activities and low diversity diatom communities, dominated by acidophilic species (Pinnularia aljustrelica) in acidic treatments, being the effects more marked with high Fe and SO4 2−. Co-tolerance to metals (Cu and Zn) was also shown in biofilms from the acidic treatments, contrasting with the higher sensitivity observed in the alkaline treatments. We can conclude that the Aljustrel mining area acidic environment limits algal growth and exerts a strong selection pressure on the community composition which is in turn, more tolerant to metal exposure.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Biology and Geosciences Departments of the University of Aveiro, Portugal, to the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal (grant number SFRH/BD/36137/2007) and to the University of Girona for their financial support by the project FLUVIALMULTISTRESS funded by the Spanish “Ministerio de Economía y competitividad” ref: CTM2009-14111-CO2-01. The authors also express their gratitude to the “ServeisTècnics de Recerca” of the University of Girona for offering their facilities and technical assistance during the metal analysis. We thank Ana Lima for doing the phytochelatins (PCs) and total gluthatione (GSH) analyses.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geotechnologies and Geoengineering Research Center, GeoBioTec - Geobiosciences, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal

    Ana Teresa Luís & Salomé F. P. Almeida

  2. Institute of Aquatic Ecology and Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Girona, Campus de Montilivi, 17071, Girona, Spain

    Berta Bonet, Natàlia Corcoll & Helena Guasch

  3. Geotechnologies and Geoengineering Research Center, GeoBioTec–Geobiosciences, Department of Geosciences, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal

    Ana Teresa Luís & Eduardo Ferreira da Silva

  4. Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), C/EmiliGrahit 101, 17003, Girona, Spain

    Natàlia Corcoll

  5. Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal

    Etelvina Figueira

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  1. Ana Teresa Luís
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  2. Berta Bonet
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Correspondence to Ana Teresa Luís.

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Luís, A.T., Bonet, B., Corcoll, N. et al. Experimental evaluation of the contribution of acidic pH and Fe concentration to the structure, function and tolerance to metals (Cu and Zn) exposure in fluvial biofilms. Ecotoxicology 23, 1270–1282 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-014-1270-2

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