title: Ultraviolet radiation dose calculation for algal suspensions using UVA and UVB extinction coefficients.
abstract: Although the biological importance of ultraviolet light (UVR) attenuation has been recognised in marine and freshwater environments, it is not generally considered in in vitro ecotoxicological studies using algal cell suspensions. In this study, UVA and UVB extinction were determined for cultures of algae with varying cell densities, and the data were used to calculate the corresponding extinction coefficients for both UVA and UVB wavelength ranges. Integrating the Beer-Lambert equation to account for changes in the radiation intensity reaching each depth, from the surface until the bottom of the experimental vessel, we obtained the average UVA and UVB intensity to which the cultured algal cells were exposed. We found that UVR intensity measured at the surface of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cultures lead to a overestimation of the UVR dose received by the algae by 2-40 times. The approach used in this study allowed for a more accurate estimation of UVA and UVB doses.
authors.affiliation: Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (CSIC), Av. Montañana 1005, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain. Electronic address: enrique.navarro@ipe.csic.es.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.affiliation: Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (CSIC), Av. Montañana 1005, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Selene
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muñiz
authors.affiliation: EAWAG, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, P.O. Box 611, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Muris
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korkaric
authors.affiliation: EAWAG, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, P.O. Box 611, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.affiliation: Forest Science Center of Catalonia, Ctra. St. Llorenç de Morunys km 2, 25280 Solsona, Spain.
authors.forename: Miquel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Cáceres
authors.affiliation: EAWAG, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, P.O. Box 611, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Behra
mesh_terms: D002696:Chlamydomonas / Q000166:cytology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D007700:Kinetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
keywords: Algal cultures; Chlamydomonas reinhardtii; Radiometer; Spectroradiometer; Synechocystis; UVR extinction