A morphometric and X-ray energy dispersive approach to monitoring pH-altered cadmium toxicity in Anabaena flos-aquae

Cadmium toxicity and uptake as influenced by different pH values have been studied in the freshwater cyanobacterium Anabaena flos-aquae, using the techniques of morphometric analysis, x-ray energy dispersive analysis and atomic absorption spectrophotometry. A general reduction in cell dimension, thy...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology 1990-07, Vol.19 (4), p.479-487
Main Authors: RAI, L. C, JENSEN, T. E, RACHLIN, J. W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
algae
algue
Anabaena flos-aquae
analisis
analyse
analysis
Biological and medical sciences
cadmio
cadmium
Cadmium - toxicity
Cyanobacteria - drug effects
Cyanobacteria - ultrastructure
Environmental pollutants toxicology
fitotoxicidad
Freshwater
General aspects
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Medical sciences
phytotoxicite
phytotoxicity
Toxicology
X-Ray Diffraction
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Summary:Cadmium toxicity and uptake as influenced by different pH values have been studied in the freshwater cyanobacterium Anabaena flos-aquae, using the techniques of morphometric analysis, x-ray energy dispersive analysis and atomic absorption spectrophotometry. A general reduction in cell dimension, thylakoid surface area, number and volume of polyhedral bodies, polyphosphate bodies, cyanophycin granules, lipid bodies, membrane limited crystalline inclusions, volume and number of wall layers and mesosomes was observed. These reductions were more pronounced in both acidic and alkaline medium than at pH 7.2. At 0.12 microM Cd, the uptake increased with alkaline pH values, and uptake was greater at pH 7.2 than at either acid or alkaline pHs. Lysis of cell wall at 1.18 microM Cd showed the following decreasing trend: pH 4.0 greater than pH 5.5 greater than pH 10.0 greater than pH 9.0 greater than pH 7.2. There was a total loss of lipid bodies at 1.18 microM Cd at all pH values listed. It is suggested that these techniques can be successfully employed for bioassay studies of metal toxicity to algae. In particular, cell wall lysis and loss of lipids by algae are good indicators of pH effects and metal toxicity in the aquatic ecosystem.
ISSN:0090-4341
1432-0703
DOI:10.1007/BF01059065