- Title
- Whole cell microalgal-cyanobacterial array biosensor for monitoring Cd, Cr and Zn in aquatic systems
- Creator
- Rathnayake, I. V. N.; Munagamage, Thilini; Pathirathne, S. V. A. Chamila; Megharaj, Mallavarapu
- Relation
- Water Science & Technology Vol. 84, Issue 7, p. 1579-1593
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.2021.339
- Publisher
- International Water Association (IWA)
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2021
- Description
- Bioavailable content of metals in aquatic systems has become critical in assessing the toxic effect of metals accumulating in the environment. Considering the need for rapid measurements, an optical microalgal-cyanobacterial array biosensor was developed using two strains of microalgae, Mesotaenium sp. and a strain of cyanobacteria Synechococcus sp. to detect Cd2+, Cr6+ and Zn2+ in aquatic systems. Microalgal and cyanobacterial cells were immobilized in a 96-well microplate using sol-gel method using silica. Optimum operational conditions for the biosensor array such as exposure time, storage stability, pH, and multiple metal effect were tested. A 10 min exposure time yielded optimum fluorescence values. Metal toxicity increased with decreasing pH, resulting in low relative fluorescence (%) and decreased with increasing pH, resulting in higher relative fluorescence (%). The optimum storage time for biosensor strains were 4 weeks for microalgal cultures and 8 weeks for cyanobacterial culture, at 4 °C storage temperature. The metal mixtures showed less effect on the inhibition of relative fluorescence (%) of microalgal/cyanobacterial cultures, displaying an antagonistic behavior among the metals tested. As a single unit, this photosynthetic array biosensor will be a valuable tool in detecting multi-metals in aquatic systems.
- Subject
- array; biosensor; cyanobacteria; fluorescence; heavy metals; microalgae
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1450616
- Identifier
- uon:43986
- Identifier
- ISSN:0273-1223
- Language
- eng
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