Title
Photosynthetic performance of symbiont-bearing foraminifera Heterostegina depressa affected by sunscreens
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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.
Keywords
Ecosystem ecologyEnvironmental chemistryEnvironmental sciences
Object type
Language
English [eng]
Persistent identifier
https://phaidra.univie.ac.at/o:1624537
Appeared in
Title
Scientific Reports
Volume
12
ISSN
2045-2322
Issued
2022
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date issued
2022
Access rights
Rights statement
© The Author(s) 2022

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