Evaluation of growth and biochemical responses of freshwater microalgae Chlorella vulgaris due to exposure and uptake of sulfonamides and copper

Sulfonamides (SAs) and heavy metals are frequently detected together in livestock wastewater. In this study, evaluations regarding their potentially adverse effects on microalgae and according removals were investigated. Results showed that the growth of C. vulgaris was inhibited by SAs and Cu. There was an obvious recovery period in photosynthetic activity (Fv/Fm), indicating that the damage to the photosystem of microalgae was reversible. The co-existence of SAs and Cu significantly affected the biochemical characteristics, including the activities of antioxidant enzyme and the contents of photosynthetic pigments, proteins and polysaccharides. The addition of Cu obviously promoted the removal efficiencies of SMZ, SMX and SMM, which might be ascribed to the bridging effect of Cu in the bioadsorption of SAs. This study is conducive to understand the changes in the biochemical responses of microalgae under the combined impacts of SAs and Cu, and provides a new insight for the simultaneous removals.

Automated summary

The co-existence of SAs and Cu negatively impacted the growth and photosynthetic activity of microalgae, but the damage was reversible. It also affected the biochemical characteristics of microalgae. Additionally, the addition of Cu enhanced the removal efficiency of SAs.