Correlating the influence of biochemical parameters in environment with pesticide tolerance of non-target algae

Abstract

The present study demonstrates that the environment play a vital role in the development of tolerance in the local algal isolates towardsalpha-cypermethrin. The isolates collected from rice fields (Scenedesmus ecornis NC-M9 and Tetradesmus dimorphus NC-K2) showed significantly higher tolerance than the isolates collected from freshwater bodies far from the rice fields. Also, significant reduction in Malondialdehyde (MDA) content was noticed in S. ecornis NC-M9 after fourth and seventh day exposure to alpha-cypermethrin compared to first day exposure. However, the Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Peroxidase (POD) contents of S. ecornis NC-M9 enhanced at 4th and 7th day exposure to alpha-cypermethrin compared to 1st day exposure. Further, biochemical studies of all isolates show that Graesiella emersonii NC-M1(the isolate from freshwater bodies near to rice field) possesses higher contents of Chlorophyll a (Chl a), carotenoid and lipid (5.59 ± 0.36 mg·L−1, 2.5 ± 0.024 mg·L−1 and 28 ± 2.5% Dry Cell Weight (DCW), respectively) compared to other. This variation in biochemical parameters present in different field areas as collected and tested could be further used as potential substrates for production of bioactive compounds which have many health and environmental benefits.