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Sensitivity of Four Cyanobacterial Isolates from Tropical Freshwaters to Environmentally Realistic Concentrations of Cr6+, Cd2+ and Zn2+

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Abstract

Sensitivity of four tropical cyanobacteria viz. Coelosphaerium sp., Synechococcus sp., Oscillatoria sp. and Chroococcus sp. to environmentally relevant concentrations of Cr6+, Cd2+ and Zn2+was assessed based on fluorescence change as a proxy for growth reduction. At 24 h exposure, the growth reduction inthe cyanobacteria followed the order: Zn2+ < Cr6+ ≤ Cd2+. Of the four cyanobacteria, Synechococcus was the most sensitive for Cr6+, where as Chroococcus was the most sensitive for Cd2+and Zn2+. Sensitivity was gradually decreased by 96 h implying the acquisition of tolerance by cyanobacteria to heavy metal ions with prolonged exposure.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support by the National Research Council (NRC) Sri Lanka (Grant No. 12-092). Atomic absorption spectrometer purchased from the Equipment grant (RG/2012/EQ/12) of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka was used for metal analysis.

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Correspondence to I. V. N. Rathnayake.

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Munagamage, T., Rathnayake, I.V.N., Pathiratne, A. et al. Sensitivity of Four Cyanobacterial Isolates from Tropical Freshwaters to Environmentally Realistic Concentrations of Cr6+, Cd2+ and Zn2+ . Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 96, 816–821 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-016-1809-4

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