Toxic effects of single animal hormones and their mixtures on the growth of Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus armatus

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 224; pp. 93 - 102
• Main Authors: Czarny, Karolina, Szczukocki, Dominik, Krawczyk, Barbara, Skrzypek, Sławomira, Zieliński, Marek, Gadzała-Kopciuch, Renata
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2019
• Subjects: Chlorella vulgaris; Endocrine disrupting compounds; Green algae; Hormones; Scenedesmus armatus; Scenedesmus armatus; Green algae; Hormones; Endocrine disrupting compounds; Chlorella vulgaris
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.02.072

In their environments, aquatic organisms are simultaneously exposed to mixtures of several endocrine disrupting compounds, including hormones. However, most of the toxicity studies so far focused on effects of single contaminants. The available information on the potential toxicity of combined hormones on microalgae is extremely limited. For these reasons the aim of this study was to evaluate the individual and mixture effect of estrone (E1), ß-estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), 17-α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), progesterone (PRO), 5-pregnen-3β-ol-20-one (PRE), levonorgestrel (LG) and testosterone (TST) on Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus armatus. Green algae cells were exposed to different concentrations (0.1–100 mg L−1) of hormones for 14 days. Biomass in the form of dry weight and chlorophyll a was examined. The decreasing order of toxicity (based on EC50, 14d) to Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus armatus was: EE2>PRO > E2>PRE > TST > E3>LG > E1 and EE2>PRO > TST > E2>PRE > LG > E1>E3, respectively. Chlorella vulgaris was more sensitive to the effects of hormones than Scenedesmus armatus. Although mixed hormones were more toxic to green algae than single hormones, in the ecosystem mixtures can pose higher ecological risk than single pollutants. Therefore, data on the toxicology of both single and mixed hormones is very valuable for assessment of the possibility of adverse ecological effects caused by these pollutants. Furthermore, these results suggest that environmental exposure to hormone mixtures may cause toxicity levels different to the sum of those of the single hormones and provides a basic understanding of their toxic effect on algae. [Display omitted] •The single and mixed toxicity of hormones on green algae was examined.•EC50 values showed that C. vulgaris was more susceptible to hormones than S. armatus.•The strongest toxic effect on the studied green algae was shown by mixed hormones.•Greater than additive effect was observed.•Potential interactions of hormones in mixtures are discussed.