Growth response of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa to herbicides and pesticides

✍ Scribed by N. Swain; B. Rath; S. P. Adhikary

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1994
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 443 KB
• Volume: 34
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0233-111X
• DOI: 10.1002/jobm.3620340311

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Growth response of the planktonic cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa to various concentrations of the herbicides and pesticides viz. CuSO~4~, DCMU (analytical grade Diuron), Karmex (commercial grade Diuron), 2,4‐D, Fernoxone, BHC and bleaching powder (CCH) was studied in laboratory culture. The organism was sensitive to very low concentrations of CuSO~4~, DCMU and Karmex. Lethal concentration of Karmex and CuSO~4~ were found to be 0.1 μg · ml^−1^ and 5.0 μg · ml^−1^ respectively. The cyanobacterium could tolerate the other chemicals tested up to a concentration of over 500 μg · ml^−1^. On culturing the organism in the CuSO~4~ containing media, toxic effect of the chemical was reduced to a significant extent. This indicated that CuSO~4~ was accumulated or detoxified in the Microcystis cells. Toxic effect of Karmex on the organism was not reduced under similar experimental conditions.