Calcium alginate immobilized marine microalgae: experiments on growth and short-term heavy metal accumulation.
Growth of 11 calcium alginate immobilized marine microalgal species belonging to eight taxonomical groups has been checked in the present work. Cellular densities inside the calcium alginate beads were monitored during 17 days. Good growth and maintenance of the structure of the beads were both found for some of the assayed species. One of those species (Tetraselmis chui, Prasinophyceae) was selected in order to perform a short term (up to 24 h) heavy metal accumulation experiment. Beads of calcium alginate containing (or not) cells of T. chui were exposed to 820 microg L(-1) Cu and 870 microg L(-1) Cd separately during a 24 h period, and accumulation of heavy metals in the beads was measured after this time and compared. Concentration of each metal in the supernatants was monitored at 5, 10, 60 min and 24 h from the beginning of the experiment. After 24 h, practically all Cu was removed by the beads. Beads with immobilized algae removed around 20% of total Cd, while beads without algae removed half of that percentage.
Moreno-Garrido
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Institute of Marine Sciences of Andalucia (CSIC), Campus Río San Pedro, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz (España), Spain. ignacio.moreno@icman.csic.es
Campana
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Lubián
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LM
Blasco
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D000464:Alginates; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000378:metabolism*; D008863:Microspheres; D013045:Species Specificity; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D013997:Time Factors
D000464:Alginates; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D020723:Glucuronic Acid