Boosting algicidal efficiency of Alteromonas sp. FDHY-CJ against Skeletonema costatum through fermentation optimization

Abstract

Algicidal bacteria exhibit promising potential against harmful algal blooms (HABs); however, their application has been limited due to their limited algicidal activity. This study demonstrates the enhanced algicidal activity of Alteromonas sp. FDHY-CJ bacteria against harmful Skeletonema costatum using a 5 L fermenter. Utilizing this refined framework increased the OD₆₀₀ value and algal cell mortality by 6.50 and 2.88 times, respectively, compared to non-optimized culture cultivated in a flask using marine broth 2216E medium. The mechanism of action involves significant inhibition of algal photosynthetic efficiency with concurrent degradation of photosynthetic pigments. Relative to the non-optimized group, the optimized bacterial treatment led to a significant increase in H₂O₂ and MDA (malondialdehyde) by 19.54 and 4.22-fold, respectively, and resulted in membrane damage. The culture optimization procedure yielded effectual algicidal substances capable of considerably reducing the severity of S. costatum HABs through cell membrane disruption.