IMR Press / FBL / Volume 28 / Issue 10 / DOI: 10.31083/j.fbl2810264
Open Access Original Research
Unveiling the Impact of Thiophanate-Methyl on Arthrospira platensis: Growth, Photosynthetic Pigments, Biomolecules, and Detoxification Enzyme Activities
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1 Department of Nature and Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Medea, 26000 Medea, Algeria
2 Laboratory of Biomaterials and Transport Phenomena (LBMTP), University Yahia Fares, 26000 Medea, Algeria
3 Centre de Recherche en Technologies Agroalimentaires, Route de Targa Ouzemmour, Campus Universitaire, 06000 Bejaia, Algeria
4 Laboratoire de Génie des Procédés Chimiques, Department of process engineering, University of Ferhat Abbas, 19004 Setif, Algeria
5 School of Engineering, Merz Court, Newcastle University, NE1 7RU Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
6 Univ Rennes, Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes, CNRS, ISCR, UMR 6226, F-35000 Rennes, France
*Correspondence: Abdeltif.amrane@univ-rennes1.fr (Abdeltif Amrane)
Front. Biosci. (Landmark Ed) 2023, 28(10), 264; https://doi.org/10.31083/j.fbl2810264
Submitted: 29 June 2023 | Revised: 13 September 2023 | Accepted: 12 October 2023 | Published: 25 October 2023
Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Abstract

Background: The intensive and injudicious use of pesticides in agriculture has emerged as a major concern due to its detrimental impact on aquatic ecosystems. However, the specific impact of broad-spectrum fungicides, such as Thiophanate-methyl (TM), on cyanobacteria remains a subject of ongoing research and debate. Methods: In order to fill this knowledge gap, The present study aimed to comprehensively investigate the toxicological effects of TM (10–30 µg/L) on the growth, photosynthetic pigments, oxidative stress, and biochemical composition of the non-nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis. Results: Our findings unequivocally demonstrated that TM exposure significantly inhibited the growth of A. platensis. Moreover, the decrease in chlorophyll content indicated a pronounced negative impact on the photosynthetic system of A. platensis caused by TM exposure. Notably, TM induced oxidative stress in A. platensis, as substantiated by a significant increase in lipid peroxidation (MDA) within the culture. Furthermore, the intracellular generation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) exhibited a positive correlation with higher TM dosages, while the levels of vital antioxidant enzymes, such as catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), exhibited a discernible decrease. This suggests that TM compromises the antioxidant defense mechanisms of A. platensis. Additionally, TM was found to enhance the activity of a plethora of enzymes involved in the detoxification of pesticides, including peroxidase (POD) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST), thereby indicating a robust detoxification response by A. platensis. Interestingly, exposure to TM resulted in a general suppression of biocomponent production, such as total proteins and total carbohydrates, which exhibited a diminishing trend with increasing TM concentration. Conversely, the lipid content witnessed a significant increase, possibly as an adaptive response to TM-induced stress. Conclusions: These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the ecological implications of pesticide usage and emphasize the urgent need for the adoption of sustainable and environmentally-friendly agricultural practices to safeguard aquatic ecosystems.

Keywords
cyanobacteria
Arthrospira platensis
thiophanate-methyl
oxidative stress
ecotoxicology
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