35
© Springer International Publishing AG 2017
M. Kumar, P. Ralph (eds.), Systems Biology of Marine Ecosystems,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-62094-7_3
Chapter 3
Marine Metal Pollution and Effects
on Seaweed Species
Loretto Contreras-Porcia, Andrés Meynard, Camilo López-Cristoffanini,
Nicolas Latorre, and Manoj Kumar
Abstract Heavy metals are significant pollutants continuously released into the biosphere, both naturally and anthropogenically. Conceptually, metal speciation, bioavailability, and associated toxicity in marine organisms depend on a wide array of
abiotic and biotic factors. Among these, pH variation is one of the most important
environmental factors influencing metal speciation and toxicity. Due to this, ocean
acidification is expected to modify metal speciation, altering the effects these nondegradable contaminants have on marine organisms, such as seaweeds. One clear
effect of heavy metals on seaweeds is the rapid formation of reactive oxygen species
(ROS). The production of ROS beyond the physiological tolerance threshold causes
an oxidative stress condition that, if not attenuated, can irreversibly damage cellular
L. Contreras-Porcia (*)
Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales,
Universidad Andres Bello, República 440, Santiago, Chile
Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Pontificia Universidad Católica de
Chile, Avda. Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile
Centro de Investigación Marina Quintay (CIMARQ), Facultad de Ecologíay Recursos
Naturales, Universidad Andres Bello, Quintay, Chile
e-mail: lorettocontreras@unab.cl
A. Meynard
Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales,
Universidad Andres Bello, República 440, Santiago, Chile
Centro de Investigación Marina Quintay (CIMARQ), Facultad de Ecologíay Recursos
Naturales, Universidad Andres Bello, Quintay, Chile
C. López-Cristoffanini
Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciencies Ambientals, Secció de Fisiologia
Vegetal, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
N. Latorre
Programa de Doctorado en Medicina de la Conservación, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos
Naturales, Universidad Andres Bello, República 440, Santiago, Chile
M. Kumar
Climate Change Cluster (C3), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney (UTS),
Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
© Springer International Publishing AG 2017
M. Kumar, P. Ralph (eds.), Systems Biology of Marine Ecosystems,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-62094-7_3
Chapter 3
Marine Metal Pollution and Effects
on Seaweed Species
Loretto Contreras-Porcia, Andrés Meynard, Camilo López-Cristoffanini,
Nicolas Latorre, and Manoj Kumar
Abstract Heavy metals are significant pollutants continuously released into the biosphere, both naturally and anthropogenically. Conceptually, metal speciation, bioavailability, and associated toxicity in marine organisms depend on a wide array of
abiotic and biotic factors. Among these, pH variation is one of the most important
environmental factors influencing metal speciation and toxicity. Due to this, ocean
acidification is expected to modify metal speciation, altering the effects these nondegradable contaminants have on marine organisms, such as seaweeds. One clear
effect of heavy metals on seaweeds is the rapid formation of reactive oxygen species
(ROS). The production of ROS beyond the physiological tolerance threshold causes
an oxidative stress condition that, if not attenuated, can irreversibly damage cellular
L. Contreras-Porcia (*)
Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales,
Universidad Andres Bello, República 440, Santiago, Chile
Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Pontificia Universidad Católica de
Chile, Avda. Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile
Centro de Investigación Marina Quintay (CIMARQ), Facultad de Ecologíay Recursos
Naturales, Universidad Andres Bello, Quintay, Chile
e-mail: lorettocontreras@unab.cl
A. Meynard
Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales,
Universidad Andres Bello, República 440, Santiago, Chile
Centro de Investigación Marina Quintay (CIMARQ), Facultad de Ecologíay Recursos
Naturales, Universidad Andres Bello, Quintay, Chile
C. López-Cristoffanini
Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciencies Ambientals, Secció de Fisiologia
Vegetal, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
N. Latorre
Programa de Doctorado en Medicina de la Conservación, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos
Naturales, Universidad Andres Bello, República 440, Santiago, Chile
M. Kumar
Climate Change Cluster (C3), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney (UTS),
Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia