engleski

A low cost, real- time measurements of CO2 uptake/emission as an early indicator of exposure to xenobiotics in plants and animals

Respiratory rates of metabolically active organisms are objectively quantifiable, reflecting the magnitude of living processes essential for the survival of cells and organisms, in terms of its chemical products - particularly CO2 . Changes in environmental conditions as well as exposure to various xenobiotics result in alternations of metabolic activity that are reflected in CO 2 production/uptake dynamics. In this study we wanted to explore the usability of CO2 uptake/emission measurement using low-cost sensors in continuous monitoring as an early indicator of exposure to xenobiotics in experimental organisms (plants and earthworms) and to compare it to different biochemical biomarkers. For the measurement of CO 2 an Arduino platform-based respiratory activity measuring system (ResTox) comprising sensors for measuring parameters relevant for the analysis of biological activity was developed. For plant experiments a Lemna minor was exposed to several metals: HgCl 2 , CuCl 2 ×2H 2 O, CdCl 2 and CoCl 2 ×6H 2 O and herbicides: diquat, clopyralid, nicosulfuron and tembotrione, separately. And for animal experiments three earthworm species (Eisenia fetida, Dendrobaena veneta and Lumbricus terrestris) were exposed to chlorpyrifos and copper oxide in nano form in both filter paper and artificial soil set-up. The results of CO2 measurements in L. minor demonstrated that tested metals (Co, Cu, Hg, and Cd), as well as herbicides (nicosulfuron, diquat, and tembotrione), stimulated the CO2 exchange rates at low doses, while at high doses CO 2 exchange rates were inhibited. CO 2 production data obtained in experiments involving earthworms exposed to chlorpyrifos and nCuO showed a dose-response type relationship between the concentration of toxicant and the amount of CO2 produced, while the changes in measured biochemical biomarkers corresponded to those changes. With these experiments a continuous measurement of CO 2 exchange rates could be implemented as a promising tool for the initial screening of potential toxicity to obtain valuable information needed for further examination of toxicity mechanisms and risk assessment in both plant and animal organisms.

NDIR sensors, Arduino, respiratory activity, photosynthetic activity

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