Differential cell viability in Nitzschia palea on exposure to different organic and inorganic environmental effluents

Abstract

This research is focused to report the effects of various effluents on the cell viability and density of diatoms. Experiments have been performed on fresh water diatom Nitzschia palea with seven effluents, to check the cell viability and density using spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. On exposing the diatom cells to crude sewage water (40% and 60% dilution), there is approximately 10 times elevation in cell density without loss in the viability of cells, up to 25 days. On the other hand, individual exposure to β propranolol drugs resulted in a total loss of cell viability and cell destruction with only 10% of growth rate. Further, using sodium metasilicate as effluent, the diatom population dropped about 30%–60% on increasing concentration. Besides physiological stress, these effluents have also direct influence on the lipid production in diatoms. The objective of this research is to provide the monitoring report of different environmental effluents on water quality as well as their influence on lipid biosynthesis and also their impact over the diatom’s health which acts as a biological sensor for water ecosystem.