Color measurements as a reliable method for estimating chlorophyll degradation to phaeopigments

• Published in: Biodegradation (Dordrecht) 2011-07, Vol.22 (4), p.763-771
• Main Authors: Sanmartín, P., Villa, F., Silva, B., Cappitelli, F., Prieto, B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenosine triphosphate; Adenosine Triphosphate - metabolism; Analysis; Antimicrobial agents; Aquatic Pollution; ATP; Biocides; Biodegradation; Biodegradation of pollutants; Biodegradation, Environmental - drug effects; Biofilms; Biofilms - drug effects; Biofilms - growth & development; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Biotin; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll - antagonists & inhibitors; Chlorophyll - chemistry; Chlorophyll - metabolism; Chlorophylls; Color; Colorimetry - methods; Cyanobacteria; Degradation; Disinfectants - pharmacology; Environment and pollution; Environmental degradation; Estimating; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geochemistry; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Life Sciences; Magnesium - metabolism; Methods; Microbiology; Microorganisms; Microscopy; Muscle proteins; Nostoc; Nostoc - drug effects; Nostoc - metabolism; Original Paper; Pheophytins - analysis; Pheophytins - chemistry; Pigments; Plankton - drug effects; Plankton - growth & development; Resource management; Soil Science & Conservation; Spectrophotometry; Terrestrial Pollution; Thiazoles - pharmacology; Waste Management/Waste Technology; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0923-9820; 1572-9729
• DOI: 10.1007/s10532-010-9402-8

The application of biocides is a traditional method of controlling biodecay of outdoor cultural heritage. Chlorophyll degradation to phaeopigments is used to test the biocidal efficacy of the antimicrobial agents. In the present study, the usefulness of color measurements in estimating chlorophyll degradation was investigated. An aeroterrestrial stone biofilm-forming cyanobacterium of the genus Nostoc was chosen as test organism, comparing its different behaviour in both planktonic and biofilm mode of growth against the isothiazoline biocide Biotin T ® . Changes in A 435 nm /A 415 nm and A 665 nm /A 665a nm and in the chlorophyll a and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) cell content were compared with the variations in the CIELAB color parameters (L*, a*, b*, C* ab and h ab ). Our findings showed that both the phaeophytination indexes are useful in describing degradation of chlorophyl a to phaeopigments. Moreover, the CIELAB color parameters represented an effective tool in describing chlorophyll degradation. L* CIELAB parameter appeared to be the most informative parameter in describing the biocidal activity of Biotin T ® against Nostoc sp. in both planktonic and biofilm mode of growth.