Does <i>Caulerpa prolifera</i> with Its Bacterial Coating Represent a Promising Association for Seawater Phytoremediation of Diesel Hydrocarbons?
Anthropic diesel-derived contamination of Mediterranean coastal waters is of great concern. Nature-based solutions such as phytoremediation are considered promising technologies to remove contaminants from marine environments. The aim of this work was to investigate the tolerance of the Mediterranea...
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/13/2507 |
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| author | Sarah Caronni Lara A. Quaglini Andrea Franzetti Rodolfo Gentili Chiara Montagnani Sandra Citterio |
| author_facet | Sarah Caronni Lara A. Quaglini Andrea Franzetti Rodolfo Gentili Chiara Montagnani Sandra Citterio |
| author_sort | Sarah Caronni |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Anthropic diesel-derived contamination of Mediterranean coastal waters is of great concern. Nature-based solutions such as phytoremediation are considered promising technologies to remove contaminants from marine environments. The aim of this work was to investigate the tolerance of the Mediterranean autochthonous seaweed <i>Caulerpa prolifera</i> (Forsskal) Lamouroux to diesel fuel and its hydrocarbon degradation potential. Changes in <i>C. prolifera</i> traits, including its associated bacterial community abundance and structure, were determined by fluorescence microscopy and next-generation sequencing techniques. Thalli of <i>C. prolifera</i> artificially exposed to increasing concentration of diesel fuel for 30 days and thalli collected from three natural sites with different levels of seawater diesel-derived hydrocarbons were analysed. Gas chromatography was applied to determine the seaweed hydrocarbon degradation potential. Overall, in controlled conditions the lower concentration of diesel (0.01%) did not affect <i>C. prolifera</i> survival and growth, whereas the higher concentration (1%) resulted in high mortality and blade damages. Similarly, only natural thalli, collected at the most polluted marine site (750 mg L<sup>−1</sup>), were damaged. A higher abundance of epiphytic bacteria, with a higher relative abundance of Vibrio bacteria, was positively correlated to the health status of the seaweed as well as to its diesel-degradation ability. In conclusion, <i>C. prolifera</i> tolerated and degraded moderate concentrations of seawater diesel-derived compounds, especially changing the abundance and community structure of its bacterial coating. The protection and exploitation of this autochthonous natural seaweed-bacteria symbiosis represents a useful strategy to mitigate the hydrocarbon contamination in moderate polluted Mediterranean costal environments. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:31:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b650cddd66254cf69cb87519a9b18287 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:31:37Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-b650cddd66254cf69cb87519a9b182872023-11-18T17:18:28ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472023-06-011213250710.3390/plants12132507Does <i>Caulerpa prolifera</i> with Its Bacterial Coating Represent a Promising Association for Seawater Phytoremediation of Diesel Hydrocarbons?Sarah Caronni0Lara A. Quaglini1Andrea Franzetti2Rodolfo Gentili3Chiara Montagnani4Sandra Citterio5Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, ItalyAnthropic diesel-derived contamination of Mediterranean coastal waters is of great concern. Nature-based solutions such as phytoremediation are considered promising technologies to remove contaminants from marine environments. The aim of this work was to investigate the tolerance of the Mediterranean autochthonous seaweed <i>Caulerpa prolifera</i> (Forsskal) Lamouroux to diesel fuel and its hydrocarbon degradation potential. Changes in <i>C. prolifera</i> traits, including its associated bacterial community abundance and structure, were determined by fluorescence microscopy and next-generation sequencing techniques. Thalli of <i>C. prolifera</i> artificially exposed to increasing concentration of diesel fuel for 30 days and thalli collected from three natural sites with different levels of seawater diesel-derived hydrocarbons were analysed. Gas chromatography was applied to determine the seaweed hydrocarbon degradation potential. Overall, in controlled conditions the lower concentration of diesel (0.01%) did not affect <i>C. prolifera</i> survival and growth, whereas the higher concentration (1%) resulted in high mortality and blade damages. Similarly, only natural thalli, collected at the most polluted marine site (750 mg L<sup>−1</sup>), were damaged. A higher abundance of epiphytic bacteria, with a higher relative abundance of Vibrio bacteria, was positively correlated to the health status of the seaweed as well as to its diesel-degradation ability. In conclusion, <i>C. prolifera</i> tolerated and degraded moderate concentrations of seawater diesel-derived compounds, especially changing the abundance and community structure of its bacterial coating. The protection and exploitation of this autochthonous natural seaweed-bacteria symbiosis represents a useful strategy to mitigate the hydrocarbon contamination in moderate polluted Mediterranean costal environments.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/13/2507phytoremediationdiesel WAFseaweeds<i>Caulerpa prolifera</i>bacterial coating |
| spellingShingle | Sarah Caronni Lara A. Quaglini Andrea Franzetti Rodolfo Gentili Chiara Montagnani Sandra Citterio Does <i>Caulerpa prolifera</i> with Its Bacterial Coating Represent a Promising Association for Seawater Phytoremediation of Diesel Hydrocarbons? Plants phytoremediation diesel WAF seaweeds <i>Caulerpa prolifera</i> bacterial coating |
| title | Does <i>Caulerpa prolifera</i> with Its Bacterial Coating Represent a Promising Association for Seawater Phytoremediation of Diesel Hydrocarbons? |
| title_full | Does <i>Caulerpa prolifera</i> with Its Bacterial Coating Represent a Promising Association for Seawater Phytoremediation of Diesel Hydrocarbons? |
| title_fullStr | Does <i>Caulerpa prolifera</i> with Its Bacterial Coating Represent a Promising Association for Seawater Phytoremediation of Diesel Hydrocarbons? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Does <i>Caulerpa prolifera</i> with Its Bacterial Coating Represent a Promising Association for Seawater Phytoremediation of Diesel Hydrocarbons? |
| title_short | Does <i>Caulerpa prolifera</i> with Its Bacterial Coating Represent a Promising Association for Seawater Phytoremediation of Diesel Hydrocarbons? |
| title_sort | does i caulerpa prolifera i with its bacterial coating represent a promising association for seawater phytoremediation of diesel hydrocarbons |
| topic | phytoremediation diesel WAF seaweeds <i>Caulerpa prolifera</i> bacterial coating |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/13/2507 |
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