title: Biochemical and physiological responses of halophilic nanophytoplankton (Dunaliella salina) from exposure to xeno-estrogen 17α-ethinylestradiol.
abstract: The environmental impacts of various pollutants on the entire levels of organisms are under investigation. Among these pollutants, endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) present a serious hazard, even though the environmental significance of these compounds remains basically unknown. To drop some light on this field, we assessed the effects of a 11-day exposure of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) on the growth, metabolic content, antioxidant response, oxidative stress, and genetic damage of Dunaliella salina, isolated from Tunisian biotopes. The results showed that at 10 ng L-1, EE2 could stimulate the growth of D. salina and increase its cellular content of photosynthetic pigments and metabolites; however, it did not significantly increase the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) or the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). In contrast, exposure to high levels of EE2 concentrations significantly inhibited the growth of D. salina (P < 0.05), decreased the cellular content of photosynthetic pigments, increased the cellular content of all of the metabolites and the SOD activity, and inhibited CAT and GPx activities. Nevertheless, the balance between oxidant and antioxidant enzymes was disrupted because H2O2content along with MDA content simultaneously increased. Contrary to expected results, DNA damage (strand breaks) decreased after the exposure of algae to EE2. The results of this study suggest that EE2 toxicity could result in environmental impacts with consequences on the whole aquatic community. Graphical abstract.
authors.affiliation: FSS, Department of Life Sciences, Laboratory of Biodiversity and Aquatic Ecosystems, Ecology and Planktonology, University of Sfax-Tunisia, Street of Soukra, Km 3.5, BP 1171, CP 3000, Sfax, Tunisia. dalel_belhaj@yahoo.fr.|ENIS. Engineering Laboratory of Environment and Ecotechnology. LR16ES19, University of Sfax-Tunisia, Street Soukra Km 3.5, BP 1173, CP 3038, Sfax, Tunisia. dalel_belhaj@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Dalel
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6955-4093
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Belhaj
authors.affiliation: FSS, Department of Life Sciences, Laboratory of Biodiversity and Aquatic Ecosystems, Ecology and Planktonology, University of Sfax-Tunisia, Street of Soukra, Km 3.5, BP 1171, CP 3000, Sfax, Tunisia.|FSS, Department of Life Sciences, Laboratory of Animal Ecophysiology, University of Sfax-Tunisia, Street of Soukra Km 3.5, BP 1171, CP 3000, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Athmouni
authors.affiliation: FSS, Department of Life Sciences, Laboratory of Biodiversity and Aquatic Ecosystems, Ecology and Planktonology, University of Sfax-Tunisia, Street of Soukra, Km 3.5, BP 1171, CP 3000, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Doniez
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Frikha
authors.affiliation: ENIS. Engineering Laboratory of Environment and Ecotechnology. LR16ES19, University of Sfax-Tunisia, Street Soukra Km 3.5, BP 1173, CP 3038, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Monem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kallel
authors.affiliation: FSS, Department of Life Sciences, Laboratory of Animal Ecophysiology, University of Sfax-Tunisia, Street of Soukra Km 3.5, BP 1171, CP 3000, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Abdelfattah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El Feki
authors.affiliation: FSS, Department of Life Sciences, Laboratory of Biodiversity and Aquatic Ecosystems, Ecology and Planktonology, University of Sfax-Tunisia, Street of Soukra, Km 3.5, BP 1171, CP 3000, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maalej
authors.affiliation: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Center of Technology in Water and Wastewater, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Ultimo, Australia.
authors.forename: John L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: FSS, Department of Life Sciences, Laboratory of Biodiversity and Aquatic Ecosystems, Ecology and Planktonology, University of Sfax-Tunisia, Street of Soukra, Km 3.5, BP 1171, CP 3000, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Habib
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ayadi
mesh_terms: D000460:Chlorophyta / Q000187:drug effects*; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000633:toxicity*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol
keywords: 17α-Ethinylestradiol; Antioxidant states; Biomarkers; D. salina; Nanophytoplankton