Using extracellular polymeric substances (EPS)-producing cyanobacteria for the bioremediation of heavy metals: do cations compete for the EPS functional groups and also accumulate inside the cell?
Many cyanobacteria produce extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) mainly of polysaccharidic nature. These EPS can remain associated to the cell surface as sheaths, capsules and/or slimes, or be liberated into the surrounding environment as released polysaccharides (RPS). The ability of EPS-producing cyanobacteria to remove heavy metals from aqueous solutions has been widely reported in the literature, focusing mainly on the biotechnological potential. However, the knowledge of the effects of the metals in the cell's survival/growth is still scarce, particularly when they are simultaneously exposed to more than one metal. This work evaluated the effects of different concentrations of Cu(2+) and/or Pb(2+) in the growth/survival of Gloeothece sp. PCC 6909 and its sheathless mutant Gloeothece sp. CCY 9612. The results obtained clearly showed that both phenotypes are more severely affected by Cu(2+) than Pb(2+), and that the mutant is more sensitive to the former metal than the wild-type. Evident ultrastructural changes were also observed in the wild-type and mutant cells exposed to high levels (10&emsp14;mg l(-1)) of Cu(2+). Moreover, in bi-metal systems, Pb(2+) was preferentially removed compared with Cu(2+), being the RPS of the mutant that is the most efficient polysaccharide fraction in metal removal. In these systems, the simultaneous presence of Cu(2+) and Pb(2+) caused a mutual inhibition in the adsorption of each metal.
Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Departamento de Biologia, Rua do Campo Alegre, Edifício FC4, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.|IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal.
Sara
S
Pereira
Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, University of Florence, Piazzale delle Cascine 24, I-50144, Florence, Italy.
Ernesto
E
Micheletti
IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal.
Andrea
A
Zille
Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Departamento de Biologia, Rua do Campo Alegre, Edifício FC4, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.|IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal.
Arlete
A
Santos
Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto, Largo Abel Salazar 2, 4099-003 Porto, Portugal.|IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal.
Pedro
P
Moradas-Ferreira
Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Departamento de Biologia, Rua do Campo Alegre, Edifício FC4, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.|IBMC - Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal.
Paula
P
Tamagnini
Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, University of Florence, Piazzale delle Cascine 24, I-50144, Florence, Italy.
Roberto
R
De Philippis
D000327:Adsorption; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism*; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007854:Lead / Q000378:metabolism*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009154:Mutation; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry*
D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D007854:Lead; D003300:Copper