Characterisation of a bioassay using the marine alga Dunaliella tertiolecta associated with spectroscopic (visible and infrared) detection

This paper describes an ecotoxicological test using the alga Dunaliella tertiolecta associated with visible (VIS) and infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic detection. The estimation of toxicity is performed by measuring the cell density at 432 nm instead of 665 nm the results are comparable with those obtained by conventional visual or automatic estimation of celle density. FTIR spectroscopy gives an insight to molecular modifications in cell of Dunaliella tertiolecta caused by pollutants. A relevant result obtained by FTIR is the high similarity observed between the molecular modifications caused by toxic effect and the molecular modifications caused by samples with a stimulation (i.e., hormetic) effect.