Journal Article Epublish
PubMed: 42511701 DOI: 10.3390/ijms27146358
Ecotoxicological Effects of a Biomass-Derived Carbon Adsorbent on the Mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis.
Int J Mol Sci 27(14)
Authors: Ângela Almeida, Tiago Canha, Marta Cunha, Vânia Calisto, Rosa Freitas
Affiliations
- Department of Chemistry and Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar (CESAM), University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
- Department of Physics, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
- Department of Biology and Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar (CESAM), University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
Abstract
Carbon-based materials like activated carbon (AC) are frequently applied for water treatments and remediation. The increasing use and functionalization of AC, especially with the recent mandate to implement quaternary treatments to remove organic micropollutants (Directive 2024/3019), may inadvertently introduce AC or leachate products to aquatic bodies. Such occurrences pose potential risks to inhabiting organisms, which have been understudied. This study assessed the environmental safety of an AC obtained from spent brewery grains (SBG)-a lignocellulosic biomass-through microwave pyrolysis with potassium carbonate activation. The resulting AC (SBG-AC) was washed, sieved (powder, particle size ≤ 180 µm), and tested for its ecotoxicological effects on the marine mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis at doses of 5, 25, and 50 mg/L. After 28 days of exposure (with weekly water renewal), biochemical parameters related to the mussels' metabolic capacity and oxidative status were evaluated. Exposure to SBG-AC stimulated the energy metabolism in M. galloprovincialis, at the expense of internal energy reserves (such as glycogen). Although SBG-AC exposure induced antioxidant responses, the significant increase in lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation at the higher doses (particularly 50 mg/L) suggests that these protective mechanisms were insufficient to prevent oxidative damage. Overall, while SBG-AC offers an effective alternative for water treatment, its ecotoxicity at higher doses raises concerns, emphasizing the need for careful risk assessment and containment measures.
MeSH
Biomass, Biomarkers, Therapeutics