title: Effects of Chrysosporum (Aphanizomenon) ovalisporum extracts containing cylindrospermopsin on growth, photosynthetic capacity, and mineral content of carrots (Daucus carota).
abstract: Natural toxins produced by freshwater cyanobacteria, such as cylindrospermopsin, have been regarded as an emergent environmental threat. Despite the risks for food safety, the impact of these water contaminants in agriculture is not yet fully understood. Carrots (Daucus carota) are root vegetables, extensively consumed worldwide with great importance for human nourishment and economy. It is, therefore, important to evaluate the possible effects of using water contaminated with cyanotoxins on carrot cultivation. The aim of this work was to investigate cylindrospermopsin effects on D. carota grown in soil and irrigated for 30 days, with a Chrysosporum ovalisporum extract containing environmentally relevant concentrations of cylindrospermopsin (10 and 50 μg/L). The parameters evaluated were plant growth, photosynthetic capacity, and nutritional value (mineral content) in roots of carrots, as these are the edible parts of this plant crop. The results show that, exposure to cylindrospermopsin did not have a clear negative effect on growth or photosynthesis of D. carota, even leading to an increase of both parameters. However, alterations in mineral contents were detected after exposure to crude extracts of C. ovalisporum containing cylindrospermopsin. A general decline was observed for most minerals (Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Mn, Zn, Mo, and P), although an increase was shown in the case of K and Cu, pointing to a possible interference of the cyanobacterial extract in mineral uptake. This study is the first to evaluate the effects of C. ovalisporum extracts on a root vegetable, however, more research is necessary to understand the effects of this toxin in environmentally relevant scenarios.
authors: Area of Toxicology, Department of Pharmacy, University of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain.
authors: Remedios
authors: R
authors: Guzmán-Guillén
authors: Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), Porto, 4050-123, Portugal. acampos@ciimar.up.pt.
authors: Alexandre
authors: A
authors: Campos
authors: Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), Porto, 4050-123, Portugal.
authors: Joana
authors: J
authors: Machado
authors: Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), Porto, 4050-123, Portugal.|Department of Environmental Health, Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, CISA/Research Center in Environment and Health, Rua de Valente Perfeito, 322, Gaia, 4400-330, Portugal.
authors: Marisa
authors: M
authors: Freitas
authors: Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), Porto, 4050-123, Portugal.
authors: Joana
authors: J
authors: Azevedo
authors: LAQV/REQUIMTE, Department of Chemical Sciences, Laboratory of Applied Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, Porto, 4050-313, Portugal.|Department of Environmental Health, Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, CISA/Research Center in Environment and Health, Rua de Valente Perfeito, 322, Gaia, 4400-330, Portugal.
authors: Edgar
authors: E
authors: Pinto
authors: LAQV/REQUIMTE, Department of Chemical Sciences, Laboratory of Applied Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, Porto, 4050-313, Portugal.
authors: Agostinho
authors: A
authors: Almeida
authors: Area of Toxicology, Department of Pharmacy, University of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain.
authors: Ana M
authors: AM
authors: Cameán
authors: Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), Porto, 4050-123, Portugal.|Department of Biology, Department of Sciences of the University of Porto, Porto, 4169-007, Portugal.
authors: Vitor
authors: V
authors: Vasconcelos
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids; D046890:Aphanizomenon; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D000087522:Cyanobacteria Toxins; D018552:Daucus carota / Q000502:physiology*; D008903:Minerals / Q000378:metabolism*; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity; D014498:Uracil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000633:toxicity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D000087522:Cyanobacteria Toxins; D008903:Minerals; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C089595:cylindrospermopsin; D014498:Uracil
keywords: Cylindrospermopsin; Daucus carota; Food safety; Minerals; Photosynthesis