title: Effect of arsenic on reflectance spectra and chlorophyll fluorescence of aquatic plants.
abstract: Arsenic pollution of groundwater is a serious problem in many regions of Latin America that causes severe risks to human health. As a consequence, non-destructive monitoring methodologies, sensitive to arsenic presence in the environment and able to perform a rapid screening of large polluted areas, are highly sought-after. Both chlorophyll - a fluorescence and reflectance of aquatic plants may be potential indicators to sense toxicity in water media. In this work, the effects of arsenic on the optical and photophysical properties of leaves of different aquatic plants (Vallisneria gigantea, Azolla filiculoides and Lemna minor) were evaluated. Reflectance spectra were recorded for the plant leaves from 300 to 2400 nm. The spectral distribution of the fluorescence was also studied and corrected for light re-absorption processes. Photosynthetic parameters (Fv/Fm and ΦPSII) were additionally calculated from the variable chlorophyll fluorescence recorded with a pulse amplitude modulated fluorometer. Fluorescence and reflectance properties for V. gigantea and A. filiculoides were sensitive to arsenic presence in contrast to the behaviour of L. minor. Observed changes in fluorescence spectra could be interpreted in terms of preferential damage in photosystem II. The quantum efficiency of photosystem II for the first two species was also affected, decreasing upon arsenic treatment. As a result of this research, V. gigantea and A. filiculoides were proposed as bioindicators of arsenic occurrence in aquatic media.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Animal / INPA(UBA-CONICET) / Centro de Estudios Transdisciplinarios del Agua (CETA), Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Av. Chorroarín 280, C1427CWO Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Analia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iriel
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Animal / INPA(UBA-CONICET) / Centro de Estudios Transdisciplinarios del Agua (CETA), Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Av. Chorroarín 280, C1427CWO Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Gavin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dundas
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Animal / INPA(UBA-CONICET) / Centro de Estudios Transdisciplinarios del Agua (CETA), Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Av. Chorroarín 280, C1427CWO Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernández Cirelli
authors.affiliation: INQUIMAE / Dpto. de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón II, 1er piso, C1428EHA Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: mgl@qi.fcen.uba.ar.
authors.forename: Maria G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Lagorio
mesh_terms: D029064:Araceae / Q000187:drug effects*; D001151:Arsenic / Q000633:toxicity*; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D029624:Ferns / Q000187:drug effects*; D005453:Fluorescence; D031321:Hydrocharitaceae / Q000187:drug effects*; D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects; D013045:Species Specificity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D045332:Photosystem II Protein Complex; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002734:Chlorophyll; D001151:Arsenic
keywords: Arsenic; Chlorophyll fluorescence; Environment; Plant monitoring; Reflectance