title: Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy as a novel approach to providing effect-based endpoints in duckweed toxicity testing.
abstract: Traditional duckweed toxicity tests only measure plant growth inhibition as an endpoint, with limited effects-based data. The present study aimed to investigate whether Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy could enhance the duckweed (Lemna minor L.) toxicity test. Four chemicals (Cu, Cd, atrazine, and acetochlor) and 4 metal-containing industrial wastewater samples were tested. After exposure of duckweed to the chemicals, standard toxicity endpoints (frond number and chlorophyll content) were determined; the fronds were also interrogated using FTIR spectroscopy under optimized test conditions. Biochemical alterations associated with each treatment were assessed and further analyzed by multivariate analysis. The results showed that comparable x% of effective concentration (ECx) values could be achieved based on FTIR spectroscopy in comparison with those based on traditional toxicity endpoints. Biochemical alterations associated with different doses of toxicant were mainly attributed to lipid, protein, nucleic acid, and carbohydrate structural changes, which helped to explain toxic mechanisms. With the help of multivariate analysis, separation of clusters related to different exposure doses could be achieved. The present study is the first to show successful application of FTIR spectroscopy in standard duckweed toxicity tests with biochemical alterations as new endpoints. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:346-353. © 2016 SETAC.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Li-Xin
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Guang-Guo
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Ying
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Wen
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Guo-Yong
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: You-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Chang-Gui
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biophotonics, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Francis L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D029064:Araceae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D054750:Ecotoxicology; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D063245:Plant Development / Q000187:drug effects; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D002734:Chlorophyll
keywords: Biochemical fingerprint; Biospectroscopy; Duckweed; Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy; Multivariate analysis; Toxicity test