Estimation of biodiesel cytotoxicity by using acid phosphatase as a biomarker of lysosomal integrity.

Biodiesel is promoted as environmentally less harmful than diesel fuel. Nevertheless its water-soluble-fraction (WSF) may contain methanol, which appears by a reversion of the transesterification reaction, when biodiesel contacts water. This paper evaluated the loss of the lysosomal membrane integrity in liver homogenate of juvenils Tilapia exposed to biodiesels-WSF, through the increase of the acid phosphatase activity, as an evidence of citotoxicity.

Selection of cryoprotectants based on their toxic effects on oyster gametes and embryos.

Cryopreservation is a valuable tool for aquaculture by providing continuous seed production, regardless of the spawning seasons. This study aimed to select the least toxic among the cryoprotectants dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO), propylene glycol (PG), and methanol (MET) based on their toxicological effects on Crassostrea rhizophorae gametes and trochophores. They were exposed for 10, 20, and 30 min to a range of concentrations of those cryoprotectants.