Copper toxicity to algae (chlorella Vulgaris)

Abstract

The present work was carried out to observe the effect of copper on Algae under controlled conditions. Temperature was kept constant at 26°C. pH and light illumination were also kept constant. Under these conditions the effect of copper was observed on chlorophyll contents, growth rate, protein production, and LDH enzyme activity (Lactic Dehydrogenase). The amount of copper was varied from 1 to 12 P.P.M. Both the chloride and E.D.T.A. complex of copper chloride rather than E.D.T.A. Bristol media and Chu. No 10 was used as growth media. The cells were analyzed to see the effect of copper on chlorophyll contents and metabolic activities, it was observed that maximum metabolic activity were present in the batch containing 5 P.P.M. copper chloride as copper source. Beyond this amount the metabolic activities of algal cells starts decreasing ultimately decreasing cell growth with high protein production, LDH activity was observed in this batch. Minimum growth was observed in the batch containing 12 P.P.M. copper.