Bioaccumulation and Toxicity of As in the AlgaChlorococcumsp.: Prospects for As Bioremediation

Ubiquitous distribution, fast growth rate and manifold relevance has credited algae a potential bioresource in current state of affairs of environmental degradation. In the present study, green algaChlorococcumsp. has been collected from waste water, isolated and cultured to assess their accumulation and toxicity responses at different As(III) concentration. Results revealed thatChlorococcumsp. treated with 10 mu M As(III) showed a minimal reduction (21%) in chlorophyll concentration with high proline and carotenoids content indicating its adaptive tolerance potential against As(III). The EC(50)of As(III) for inhibiting growth of the microalgae after 10 days of experiment was 9.4 mu M. Further,Chlorococcumsp. accumulated 239.09 mu g g(- 1)dw As at the concentration of 10 mu M of As(III) after 10 days of treatment. Concentration dependent accumulation pattern and antioxidant responses inChlorococcumsp. could be a used as a potential bioindicator and bioremediator of As from waste water.

Automated summary

The green alga Chlorococcum sp. exhibited adaptive tolerance potential against As(III) and could be used as a potential bioindicator and bioremediator of As from waste water.