Desenvolvimento de um método de imobilização-conservação de algas utilizadas em teses ecotoxicológicos

Abstract

Algal toxicity tests are very important to evaluate aquatic environmental effects of chemical pollutants. To carry out algal toxicity tests, a permanent algae pre-culture is necessary, which have costs, is labour intensive and is subject to accidental contamination during laboratory manipulations. To avoid these inconvenients, some authors suggest to use an algae immobilization technique based on chemical solidification to preserve algae inoculum. Thus, the aim of this work was to evaluate new methodologies that can improve algal toxicity tests applications: use of fluorimetric method to enumerate algal cells; proposition of a chemical immobilization/demmobilization method to preserve algal inoculum, and utilization of immobilized algae to study aquatic environmental impact. The results showed that improved methodology to preserve algal inoculum is feasible, with low costs and with a great potential to use in environmental studies concerning aquatic ecotoxicology