Titel
Photosynthetic performance of symbiont-bearing foraminifera Heterostegina depressa affected by sunscreens
Autor*in
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Abstract
Foraminifera are abundant unicellular organisms that play an important role in marine element cycles. A large benthic foraminifer obligatory bearing photosymbionts is Heterostegina depressa. We studied potential impacts of sunscreens available on the market on the activity of photosymbionts on H. depressa by means of pulse-amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorescence microscopy. We included four different sunscreens, with two of them sold as “conventional” and two more stated as “eco-friendly”. Further, the impact of pure Ensulizole (phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid) was tested, which is a common agent of sunscreens. Foraminifera were incubated at varying concentrations (10, 50 and 200 mgL−1) of different sunscreens and the pure Ensulizole for 14 days. The photosynthetic performance was measured after 1,3, 7 and 14 days. Pure Ensulizole had a strong negative impact on the photobionts, which was reflected by a significant reduction of the areal fluorescence signal. “Eco-friendly” sunscreens affected the health of foraminifera more severely compared to “conventional” ones. We assume that metal nanoparticles like titanium dioxide or zinc oxide of “eco-friendly” sunscreens are causing this impact, because these substances were already classified as toxic for several microorganisms.
Stichwort
Ecosystem ecologyEnvironmental chemistryEnvironmental sciences
Objekt-Typ
Sprache
Englisch [eng]
Persistent identifier
Erschienen in
Titel
Scientific Reports
Band
12
ISSN
2045-2322
Erscheinungsdatum
2022
Publication
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Erscheinungsdatum
2022
Zugänglichkeit
Rechte
Rechteangabe
© The Author(s) 2022
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