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International Journal of Agriculture, Environment & Biotechnology

Citation: IJAEB: 7 Special Issue : 467-478 July 2014

Microbiology

Chronic toxic effect of Acenapthene on diverse microalgaes

and cyanobacteria: Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck,

Desmodesmus subspicatus Chodat and Scytonema sp.

Miral S. Patel*¹, J.I. Nirmal Kumar² and K.K.Tiwari¹

1 Sophisticated Instrumentation Center for Applied Research and Testing (SICART), Vallabh Vidya Nagar, Gujarat, India- 388 120.

2 P.G. Department of environmental Science and Technology, Institute of Science and Technology for

Advanced Studies and Research (ISTAR), Vallabh Vidya Nagar, Gujarat, India- 388 120.

*Corresponding author: Miral Patel; istares2005@yahoo.com

Abstract

There is an increasing need to describe the growth characteristics of algae exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) because of

occurrence of PAHs in lakes is known to deleteriously affect the growth of microorganisms. This study explored the chronic effect of different

doses of three ring structure polycyclic hydrocarbon Acenapthene on the growth of two microalgal species and one cyanobacterial species.

C. vulgaris , D. subspicatus and Scytonema sp. cultivated in the medium with different concentration of PAH and its affect was investigated

during increasing 4, 8, 12 and 16 Days of exposure. The growth of Chlorella vulgaris , Desmodesmus subspicatus and Scytonema sp . was

adversely affected by Acenapthene. The results indicated that the increased concentration of Acenapthene negatively impacted on chlorophyll

content, carotenoids, phycobilliproteins, carbohydrate, amino acids, proteins, nitrate reductase, succinate dehydrogenase and glutamate

synthetase except phenol . However, the raise in Phenol content was observed during the incubation period. Moreover, a high significance

correlation (F>0.05) existed between different metabolites, pigments and enzymes which was statistically confirmed by Two Way Analysis

of variance (ANOVA).

Highlights

In the present study an attempt has been made to determine the chronic effects of various concentrations of PAH acenapthene on

pigments like total chlorophyll, carotenoids, phycocyanin, allophycocyanin, and phycoerythrene, as well as on the biochemical

compounds, C/N ratio and nitrate reductase, succinate dehydrogenase and glutamate synthetase of the two important microalgal

species C. vulgaris and D. subspicatus and a cynobacterialspeciesScytonema.

It was proved that acenapthene found more toxicity to D. subspicatus>C. vulgarsi>Scytonema sp. and revealed thatincreased

concentrations of acenapthene doses subsequently decline different metabolic, enzymatic activities and pigments of species of

microalgae and cynobaceteria.

Keywords: Acenapthene, microalgae, photosynthetic pigments, biochemical compounds, C/N ratio, enzymatic activities.

Aquatic ecosystems are affected by a number of toxic

to microorganisms as well as to higher living systems

compounds including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

including humans (Samanta et al., 2002). Contamination

(PAHs). These lipophilic organic pollutants represent

of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the

a group of several hundred individual compounds

environment has attracted increasing public and academic

containing at least two condensed rings (Wilcke et al. ,

concern because some of them are known or suspected

2002). Many PAHs and their derivatives, especially

mutagens or carcinogens. PAHs are produced into the

epoxides, are highly toxic, mutagenic and/or carcinogenic

environment through natural and anthropogenic sources.