Comparison of the response of three microalgae species exposed to elutriates of estuarine sediments based on growth and chemical speciation

The elutriate sediment toxicity test (ESTT) provides a measure of the amount of a substance that is exchanged between the sediment and the aqueous phase during resuspension processes such as floods or dredging operations. This study used ESTT with two complementary aims: a comparison of the elutriates of two estuarine sediments (anaerobic muddy [A] and aerobic sandy [B]) in terms of toxicity and a comparison of the response of three different microalgae (Emiliania huxleyi (coccolithophore), Dunaliella minuta (green alga), and Phaeodactylum tricornutum (diatom)) to each elutriate in terms of growth, heavy metals uptake, and organic ligands release or uptake in order to find eventual differences of sensitivity. The interpretation of the results was based on chemical speciation in the culture media. Both elutriates, particularly A, were much richer than seawater (control medium) in some heavy metals and organic ligands able to bind strongly heavy metals. Elutriate A slightly inhibited P. tricornutum growth but stimulated growth of E. huxleyi and D. minuta. Elutriate B stimulated the growth of the three algal species. Therefore, the diatom behaved differently from both the coccolithophore and the green alga. Strong complexation of trace metals by organic ligands could be the cause of absence of the metallic toxicity of the elutriates. Growth inhibition of P. tricornutum in elutriate A could be caused by ammonia‐N and/or organic compounds. The concentration of the organic ligands decreased markedly (about 75%) in both elutriates after 10 d of incubation in contrast to the control culture, where their concentration increased about 50% because of exudation. This phenomenon was interpreted to result from ligand uptake by the algae, free or as metal complexes. This work demonstrated that beside the evaluation of toxicity of free heavy metals to alga species, the organic ligands must not be ignored. Depending on the amount of ligand present, the toxicity can be reduced (sequestration) or enhanced (better availability through uptake of metal‐ligand complexes). Since the applied ESTT is a standard procedure (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) for the evaluation of dredged material proposed for ocean disposal, it is necessary to discuss results obtained during toxicity tests with such elutriates in detail.