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Email the author (Login required) Assessment of catalase activity, lipid peroxidation, chlorophyll-a, and growth rate in the freshwater green algae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata exposed to copper and zinc
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3856/vol39-issue2-fulltext-9
Abstract
In this work, the effect of copper and zinc on green alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata was evaluated through catalase activity, lipid peroxidation by TBARS essay, growth rate, and the chlorophyll-a concentration. Catalase activity increased significantly (P < 0.05) in comparison to the control at 0.1 mg L-1 copper and 0.075 mg L-1 zinc, whereas the damage to the cell membrane expressed as nmols/106 cell of malondialdehyde increased significantly (P < 0.05) at 0.025 mg L-1 copper and 0.1 mg L-1 zinc. On the other hand, a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in chlorophyll-a concentration was found at 0.075 mg L-1 of both metals. The results showed that catalase activity, lipid peroxidation, and chlorophyll-a concentration were more sensitive to metals than the growth rate.
