title: The phototoxicity of benzo[a]pyrene in the green alga Selenastrum capricornutum.
abstract: The effects of selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on the growth of the green alga Selenastrum capricornutum in three light regimens were examined. In gold fluorescent light, benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) at 12 mg/liter (48 mumole/liter), benz[a]anthracene (BaA) at 40 mg/liter (175 mumole/liter), anthracene (A) at 40 mg/liter (224 mumole/liter), and 13 metabolites of BaP each at 40 micrograms/liter had no effect on algal growth. In cool-white fluorescent light, 30% inhibition of algal growth occurred with 0.1 mumole/liter BaP, 8.0 mumole/liter BaA, and 40 mumole/liter A. BaP at 0.16 mg/liter (0.64 mumole/liter) totally inhibited growth. BaP concentrations an order of magnitude lower inhibited algal growth in fluorescent blacklight. In cool-white light, 5 of 13 metabolites of BaP (each 40 micrograms/liter) inhibited algal growth: 3,6-quinone; 6-hydroxy; 9-hydroxy; 3-hydroxy; and 1,6-quinone. Based on these results, PAHs and metabolites of BaP are selectively phototoxic to S. capricornutum due to the incident light intensity below 550 nm.
mesh_terms: D000873:Anthracenes / Q000633:toxicity; D001551:Benz(a)Anthracenes / Q000633:toxicity; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000187:drug effects*; D008027:Light
chemical_list: D000873:Anthracenes; D001551:Benz(a)Anthracenes; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene; C030935:benz(a)anthracene; C034020:anthracene