Impact of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles on the Growth and Biochemical Content of Cyanobacterium Wollea Salina Chatchawan, Kozlíková, Komárek & Kaštovský

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of different concentrations 0.0395, 0.079 and 0.1185 mg/l of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) on the Wollea salina growth cultured in BG11 medium as well as a control group free of nanoparticles (CuSO4.5H2O 0.079 mg/l). The lowest growth rate (0.0197) registered when treated with 0.1185 mg/l CuONPs, while the growth rate was recorded (0.455) in the control group. The chlorophyll a and carotenoids recorded the lowest value at 0.1185 mg/l CuONPs, which was 0.842 and 0.38 µg/l, respectively, compared to the control group 1.11 and 1.32 µg/l for both chlorophyll a and carotenoids. Carbohydrates and proteins are recorded the lowest values at 0.1185 mg/l CuONPs, as they reached 4.09 and 15.32 mg/l, respectively, compared with the control group, where the carbohydrates reached 4.37 mg/l and proteins 24.93 mg/l and. The results also recorded a decrease in total lipids 0.027 g/l at 0.1185 mg/l CuONPs compared to the control group that recorded the highest total lipid content is 0.058 g/l. The Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) results before and after treating with nanoparticles showed morphological changes by swelling the cells of Wollea salina under CuONPs treatments. The results of the statistical analysis showed significant differences between the nanoparticles treatments and the control group at p < 0.05. This study concluded that the growth rate and biochemical content of cyanobacterium Wollea salina are inhibited when treated with CuONPs, particularly at high concentrations. Thus, nanoparticles can play an important role in getting rid of cyanobacteria, especially harmful ones, which produce toxins and secondary metabolites that deteriorate the aquatic environment.