Aplication of the toxicity test in Bufo arenarum embryos to evaluate phenol phytoremediation.

PAISIO, C., ; GERBAUDO, A,; AGOSTINI, E, ; GONZÁLES, P,; BUSTO, V,; BERTUZZI, M.

Villa Giardino, Córdoba

Congreso; Aplicación del test de toxicidad en embriones de Bufo arenarum para evaluar la fitorremediación del fenol; 2005

SBC

The industrial effluents constitute one of the main sources of the aquatic ecosystem contamination. Therefore, is important to treat these effluents before their release to the environment. In previous works, turnip hairy roots were used in presence of H2O2 and polyethylene glycol (PEG) to remove phenol with high efficiency. The potential toxicity of these components and of the remaining solutions post-removal can be determined using experiments in amphibian embryos. The aim of this work was to determine the toxicology impact in Bufo arenarum embryos, of phenol solutions pre and post removal treatment, utilising embryos in stage 25 exposed for 96 hours to such solutions. Solutions of phenol (10-250 mg/l) and of H2O2 (0.1-5 mM) were analysed. Non-toxic concentrations (NOEC), lethal concentrations 50 (CL50) and 100 (CL100) were established for both components. Moreover, the minimum concentration of PEG that produces mortality was determined. The CL100, CL50 and NOEC were: 250, 200 and 25 mg/l to phenol and 1, 0.98 and 0.5 mM to H2O2, respectively. Phenol solutions of 100, 150, 200 and 250 mg/l treated with turnip hairy roots showed the following averages of mortality: 0, 3, 16 and 19 respectively (p< 0.05). The addition of PEG (100 mg/l) to these solutions reduced mortality at 0, 1, 2 and 2 respectively (p < 0.55). These results allow us to conclude that the proposed system is effective to reduce significantly the toxicity of phenol-contaminated solutions. PEG increases phenol removal, probably due to its protective effect on the enzymes involved in the process, which is correlated with the diminution of toxicity.