EVALUACIÓN DE DOS PARÁMETROS BIOQUÍMICOS EN TRES MACROFITAS ACUÁTICAS EXPUESTAS A COBRE

Abstract

Lake Patzcuaro in Michoacan, Mexico,
continually receives influxes of wastewater,
fertilizers and biocides. This circumstance
has contributed to the rise of copper (Cu)
within the water body. Although Cu is an
essential micronutrient for plants, in high
concentrations it is toxic, affecting their
physiology and development. The objective of this work was to evaluate through
colorimetric methods the content of chlorophylls and total free sugars, two response
parameters or biomarkers, in three aquatic
macrophytes that are common in Lake Patzcuaro: Eichhornia crassipes, Hydrocotyle
ranunculoides y Lemna gibba. The results
showed that both types of chlorophylls
as well as the total free sugars varied in
function with the increase in Cu within the
nutritive solution; however, total free sugars
were the most useful response parameter
for detecting physiological changes in this
bioassay.