Toxic Effect of Metal Doping on Diatoms as Probed by Broadband Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy
The global marine environment is increasingly affected by human activities causing climate change, eutrophication, and pollution. These factors influence the metabolic mechanisms of phytoplankton species, such as diatoms. Among other pollutant agents, heavy metals can have dramatic effects on diatom...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Molecules |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/18/5897 |
| _version_ | 1797484324562403328 |
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| author | Rohit Kumar Melania Paturzo Angela Sardo Ida Orefice Qiucheng Yu Andrea Rubano Domenico Paparo |
| author_facet | Rohit Kumar Melania Paturzo Angela Sardo Ida Orefice Qiucheng Yu Andrea Rubano Domenico Paparo |
| author_sort | Rohit Kumar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The global marine environment is increasingly affected by human activities causing climate change, eutrophication, and pollution. These factors influence the metabolic mechanisms of phytoplankton species, such as diatoms. Among other pollutant agents, heavy metals can have dramatic effects on diatom viability. Detailed knowledge of the interaction of diatoms with metals is essential from both a fundamental and applicative point of view. To this aim, we assess terahertz time-domain spectroscopy as a tool for sensing the diatoms in aqueous systems which mimic their natural environment. Despite the strong absorption of terahertz radiation in water, we show that diatoms can be sensed by probing the water absorption enhancement in the terahertz range caused by the water–diatom interaction. We reveal that the addition of metal dopants affects this absorption enhancement, thus enabling the monitoring of the toxic effects of metals on diatoms using terahertz spectroscopy. We demonstrate that this technique can detect the detrimental effects of heavy metals earlier than conventional methods such as microscopy, enzymatic assays, and molecular analyses aimed at assessing the overexpression of genes involved in the heavy metal-stress response. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:01:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-426e72962b5f459e9cf28564f483ee87 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:01:52Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-426e72962b5f459e9cf28564f483ee872023-11-23T18:00:47ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492022-09-012718589710.3390/molecules27185897Toxic Effect of Metal Doping on Diatoms as Probed by Broadband Terahertz Time-Domain SpectroscopyRohit Kumar0Melania Paturzo1Angela Sardo2Ida Orefice3Qiucheng Yu4Andrea Rubano5Domenico Paparo6Physics Department ‘E. Pancini’, University ‘Federico II’, 80126 Naples, ItalyCNR-ISASI, Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems ‘E. Caianiello’, 80078 Pozzuoli, ItalyCNR-ISASI, Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems ‘E. Caianiello’, 80078 Pozzuoli, ItalyMarine Biotechnology Department, Zoological Station ‘A. Dohrn’ (SZN), 80121 Naples, ItalyPhysics Department ‘E. Pancini’, University ‘Federico II’, 80126 Naples, ItalyPhysics Department ‘E. Pancini’, University ‘Federico II’, 80126 Naples, ItalyPhysics Department ‘E. Pancini’, University ‘Federico II’, 80126 Naples, ItalyThe global marine environment is increasingly affected by human activities causing climate change, eutrophication, and pollution. These factors influence the metabolic mechanisms of phytoplankton species, such as diatoms. Among other pollutant agents, heavy metals can have dramatic effects on diatom viability. Detailed knowledge of the interaction of diatoms with metals is essential from both a fundamental and applicative point of view. To this aim, we assess terahertz time-domain spectroscopy as a tool for sensing the diatoms in aqueous systems which mimic their natural environment. Despite the strong absorption of terahertz radiation in water, we show that diatoms can be sensed by probing the water absorption enhancement in the terahertz range caused by the water–diatom interaction. We reveal that the addition of metal dopants affects this absorption enhancement, thus enabling the monitoring of the toxic effects of metals on diatoms using terahertz spectroscopy. We demonstrate that this technique can detect the detrimental effects of heavy metals earlier than conventional methods such as microscopy, enzymatic assays, and molecular analyses aimed at assessing the overexpression of genes involved in the heavy metal-stress response.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/18/5897broadband THz-TDS spectroscopydiatomsheavy metal pollutionmarine ecotoxicologybioremediationsolvating water |
| spellingShingle | Rohit Kumar Melania Paturzo Angela Sardo Ida Orefice Qiucheng Yu Andrea Rubano Domenico Paparo Toxic Effect of Metal Doping on Diatoms as Probed by Broadband Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy Molecules broadband THz-TDS spectroscopy diatoms heavy metal pollution marine ecotoxicology bioremediation solvating water |
| title | Toxic Effect of Metal Doping on Diatoms as Probed by Broadband Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy |
| title_full | Toxic Effect of Metal Doping on Diatoms as Probed by Broadband Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy |
| title_fullStr | Toxic Effect of Metal Doping on Diatoms as Probed by Broadband Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Toxic Effect of Metal Doping on Diatoms as Probed by Broadband Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy |
| title_short | Toxic Effect of Metal Doping on Diatoms as Probed by Broadband Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy |
| title_sort | toxic effect of metal doping on diatoms as probed by broadband terahertz time domain spectroscopy |
| topic | broadband THz-TDS spectroscopy diatoms heavy metal pollution marine ecotoxicology bioremediation solvating water |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/18/5897 |
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