Increased production of extra- and intracellular metal-ligands in phytoplankton exposed to copper and cadmium

• Published in: Journal of applied phycology Vol. 12; no. 3-5; pp. 469 - 477
• Main Authors: PISTOCCHI, R, MORMILE, A. M, GUERRINI, F, ISANI, G, BONI, L
• Format: Conference Proceeding Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01-10-2000
• Subjects: Algae; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Marine; Marine and brackish environment; Plant cytology, morphology, systematics, chorology and evolution; Thallophyta; Mediterranean Sea; Adriatic Sea; Compartmentalization; Cadmium; Growth; Ligand; Algae; Extracellular; Heavy metal; Dose activity relation; Heterokontophyta; Pollutant; Bacillariophyta; Dinophyta; Phytotoxicity; Production; Chelating agent; Phytoplankton; Defense mechanism; Water pollution; Intracellular; Copper; Polysaccharide; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0921-8971; 1573-5176
• DOI: 10.1023/a:1008162812651

Defense mechanisms employed by diatom and dinoflagellate species isolated from the Adriatic Sea, against cadmium and copper toxicity, were studied. Specimens were grown in batch cultures, exposed to two different copper and cadmium concentrations that limited growth but were not lethal. Diatoms were most able to tolerate the highest copper concentrations, while some diatoms and all the dinoflagellates were inhibited at concentrations of 0.01-0.05 mg/L. Cadmium did not affect dinoflagellate or diatom growth up to a concentration of 0.2 mg/L. One common response was increased production of polysaccharides. Detailed studies of intracellular metal-ligand production in three species showed a dose- and time-dependent cadmium-binding response. The presence or absence of intracellular ligands was consistent with the ability to exclude the metal extracellularly.