Natural impacted freshwaters: in situ use of alginate immobilized algae to the assessment of algal response.

The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of an in situ phytotoxicity test using alginate-immobilized algae for 60 days, in the assessment of water quality in an impacted small peri-urban stream. After laboratory optimization of algae immobilization/de-immobilization processes, the performance of immobilized/de-immobilized algae was compared to the performance of free algae in terms of specific algal growth and sensitivity. This was done by comparing 72 h EC50 values obtained with zinc and the pesticides clomazone and carbofuran. The results showed a similar performance, which allow us to conclude that immobilization for 60 days do not cause any significant alteration in algae physiology. In the field, immobilized algae were exposed at different times (2, 4 and 7 days) to water samples in both disturbed and undisturbed sites. Both laboratory and field experiments indicated that alginate-immobilized algae for 60 days were sufficiently sensitive for use in the in situ assessment of water quality.