Algal toxicity, accumulation and metabolic pathways of galaxolide.

Galaxolide (HHCB) is known to be persistent during wastewater treatment and has raised increasing concern due to its high detection frequency in the environment and potentially negative effects. However, little information is available on the degradation of HHCB by algae, the degradation mechanisms and the toxicity of HHCB on algae. In the present study, HHCB was found to be toxic to Navicula sp. and Scenedesmus quadricauda, with a 3 d EC50 of 0.050 and 0.336 mg L-1, respectively. Both microalgae showed high removal efficiency (72.9-100%) for HHCB. S. quadricauda showed a more satisfactory effect in the bioremediation of HHCB than Navicula sp. A total of four metabolites were found in the biotransformation processes of HHCB, and its possible metabolic pathways were proposed. Hydroxylation, methoxylation, methylation, ketonization, demethylation, and oxaloacetate conjunction contributed to the metabolism of HHCB in algal cells.