Effects of the exposure of sub-Antarctic marine phytoplankton to UVB radiation Hernando

HERNANDO M; MALANGA G; FERREYRA G; SCHLOSS I; PUNTARULO S

Mar del Plata

Congreso; The Changing Coastal and Estuarine Environment: A Comparative Approach CERF; 2012

The objective of this study was to evaluate both, oxidative stress and composition of the sub-Antarctic phytoplankton community after exposure to UVB radiation. A natural Sub-Antarctic plankton community (Beagle Channel 54º 52´S, 68º 18´W) composed by diatoms and phytoflagellates groups, was exposed to UVB (280-315 nm) in mesocosms. Both normal (NUVB) and increased (simulating a 60% decrease in stratospheric ozone layer thickness, HUVB) UVB radiation effects were followed during 7 days. The damage to lipids was assessed as the content of tiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and the concentration of α-tocopherol (-T) as an indication of antioxidant cellular protection. Under NUVB conditions, TBARS content was 2.07 and 3.9 nmol/µg phytoplankton carbon for day 1 and 4, respectively, with no further alterations over a 7 day period. Exposure to HUVB conditions showed 3.71 and 6.3 nmol TBARS/µg phytoplankton carbon at day 1 and 4, respectively that were significantly higher (p