Influence of heavy metals on population dynamics and photosynthetic apparatus of Alexandrium affine (Dinophyta)

Abstract

The effect of heavy metals: cadmium, lead, nickel (in concentrations of 10 and 20 μg/l), zinc and iron (50 and 100 μg/l) on the dynamics of population, cell morphology and photosynthetic apparatus (according to the content of photosynthetic pigments – chlorophyll a and carotenoids, chloroplast fluorescence) of Alexandrium affine dinophyte algae during 7 days. It was shown that cadmium had the most depressing effect on the algae: the number of cells decreased and did not recover by the end of the experiment. There was also a decrease in the content of photosynthetic pigments. The addition of lead led to a slight increase in the number of cells, while the content of photosynthetic pigments increased. The presence of nickel, iron andzinc in the medium provoked an increase in the number of cells, but the content of chlorophyll a and carotenoids decreased. All metals led to changes in chloroplast fluorescence and morphological disorders of cells.