Physiological response and removal ability of freshwater diatom Nitzschia palea to two organophosphorus pesticides

ABSTRACT

Organophosphorus pesticides, one of the most extensively used organic chemicals to control several insect pests, making them threaten the aquatic creatures. Here, we analysed the response mechanism of Nitzschia palea to insecticides (acephate and trichlorfon) exposure, through physiological, biochemical, morphological changes and the removal ability. Results showed that the growth of N. palea was inhibited by trichlorfon, with the cell density was significantly decreased at 7 days of exposure. Although the diatom growth was hardly inhibited after acephate treatment, the diatom valve significantly abnormal morphology be found at 50 mg L⁻¹ acephate treatment after 7 days. Meanwhile, these insecticides had no negative effect on the chlorophyll a content of N. palea. In addition, acephate and trichlorfon induced the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in the diatom, which play a defensive role against various environmental stresses. For further analysis revealed that the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) increased on exposure to both insecticides. N. palea also promoted 24.44–32.75% removal of acephate. The biochemical changes in N. palea on exposure to acephate and trichlorfon indicate that the diatom undergoes an adaptive change in response to the insecticides-induced oxidative stress.

KEYWORDS:

• Nitzschia palea
• acephate
• trichlorfon
• physiological and biochemical response
• morphological change

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

Yuhang Wang, Master of Aquatic Biology, studies on the Aquatic bio physiology.

Weijie Mu, lecturer, her research direction is aquatic physiology and molecular biology. The recent job was Toxicological effects of cadmium and lead on two freshwater diatoms (Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 2018).

Xiaoli Sun, PhD, lecturer, research direction is Plant Toxicology and Utilization. Among her recent works is Preparing, Characterizing, and Evaluating Ammoniated Lignin Diesel from Papermaking Black Liquor (Energy & Fuels, 2014).

Xinxin Lu, PhD, lecturer, research direction is Ecology. Studies on both the taxonomy of algae and the biodiversity of algae. Among his recent works are Diatom Taxonomic Composition as a Biological Indicator of the Ecological Health and Status of a River Basin under Agricultural Influence (Water, 2020) and Impacts of metal contamination and eutrophication on dinoflagellate cyst assemblages along the Guangdong coast of southern China (Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2017).

Yawen Fan, a professor of botany. Studies on both the taxonomy of diatoms and the biodiversity of microalgae. Among her recent works are A new Sellaphora Mereschkowsky species (Bacillariophyceae) from Hainan Island, China, with comments on the current state of the taxonomy and morphology of the genus (Phytotaxa, 2020) and A new genus of Eunotiales (Bacillariophyta, Bacillariophyceae: Peroniaceae), Sinoperonia, from Southeast Asia, exhibiting remarkable phenotypic plasticity with regard to the raphe system (Phycologia, 2018).

Yan Liu, a professor of plant taxonomist. Studies on both the taxonomy of diatoms and the biodiversity of algae. Among her recent book is The diatom genus Pinnularia from Great Xing'an Mountains, China (Bibliotheca Diatomologica, 2018) and the work is A new Sellaphora Mereschkowsky species (Bacillariophyceae) from Hainan Island, China, with comments on the current state of the taxonomy and morphology of the genus (Phytotaxa, 2020).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 31670201], [grant number 31870187], [grant number 31970213].