Comparative toxicity of racemic metolachlor and S-metolachlor to Chlorella pyrenoidosa

The toxicity of the chiral herbicides rac-metolachlor and S-metolachlor to Chlorella pyrenoidosa was determined and compared in this study, based on four different test endpoints: the growth inhibition rate, the chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b concentration, the catalase activity, and the ultrastructural morphology of cells. The 24, 48, 72, and 96 h EC50 values of rac-metolachlor were 0.196, 0.241, 0.177 and 0.152 mg L-1, respectively: these values were higher than those of S-metolachlor, which were 0.116, 0.106, 0.081 and 0.068 mg L-1, respectively. This indicates that S-metolachlor was more toxic to C pyrenoidosa than rac-metolachlor. The Ch1a and Ch1b concentration of C. pyrenoidosa treated by rac-metolachlor was higher than that treated by S-metolachlor. In general, the catalase activity of C pyrenoidosa treated by S-metolachlor was higher than that exposed to rac-metolachlor, and catalase activity was inhibited at high concentrations of both herbicides. The ultrastructural morphology of cells grown in the two herbicides was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The cell wall separated from the cell membrane, accumulated starch granules were observed in the chloroplast, and some lipid droplets and unknown electron-opaque deposits were also observed in the cytoplasm. The mechanism of the toxicity of rac- and S-metolachlor toxicity to C. pyrenoidosa was explored, and the enantioselective toxicity of rac- and S-metolachlor to C. pyrenoidosa was determined. These results will help to develop an understanding of the biologically mediated environmental processes of rac- and S-metolachlor. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.