Effect of cadmium and zinc on respiration and photosynthesis in suspended and immobilized cultures of Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus acutus

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology Vol. 60; no. 6; pp. 936 - 943
• Main Authors: ILANGOVAN, K, CANIZARES-VILLANUEVA, R. O, GONZALEZ MORENO, S, VOLTOLINA, D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Springer-Verlag 01.06.1998; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Cadmium Compounds - toxicity; Cell Respiration - drug effects; Chlorella - drug effects; Chlorella vulgaris; Chlorides - toxicity; Chlorophyta - drug effects; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on plants and fungi; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Mexico; Photosynthesis - drug effects; Scenedesmus acutus; Sulfates - toxicity; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Zinc Compounds - toxicity; Mexico; Cadmium; Cell culture; Toxicity; Algae; Chlorella vulgaris; Chlorophycophyta; Scenedesmus; Zinc; Heavy metal; Pollutant; Photosynthesis; Respiration; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/s001289900718

The effects of cadmium(II) (0.5 or 1 mg per litre) and of a mixture of cadmium(II) (0.5, 1 or 2 mg per litre) and zinc(II) (50 mg per litre) on the rate of respiration and photosynthesis in suspended and immobilized cultures of Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus acutus were evaluated. Oxygen evolution (on a chlorophyll-a and a cell number basis), oxygen uptake, and chlorophyll concentrations and fluorescence parameters were determined. Marked differences were observed in the effects of the cadmium and cadmium-zinc treatments, particularly in the case of oxygen production on a chlorophyll-a basis. Cadmium alone increased oxygen evolution (chlorophyll) in suspended and immobilized cultures of C. vulgaris by 34 and 554 per cent, respectively, whereas the cadmium-zinc treatment resulted in a 52 per cent increase and a 5 per cent decrease, respectively. In suspended and immobilized cultures of S. acutus, cadmium alone led to a 75 per cent decrease and a 38 per cent increase in oxygen evolution (chlorophyll), respectively; cadmium-zinc treatment decreased oxygen evolution in suspended S. acutus cultures by only 47 per cent. The ability of zinc to reduce the effects of cadmium, and the influence of the immobilization procedure on respiratory and photosynthetic processes in Chlorella and Scenedesmus are discussed.