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Applied Aspect of Microalgae in Monitoring of Heavy Metals

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Mining of Microbial Wealth and MetaGenomics

Abstract

Microalgae which forms the primary energy in any aquatic ecosystem plays great role in the food chain. Heavy metal enters into the aquatic system by the way of various anthropogenic, natural weathering, mining, smelting, and industrial activities. The transport of heavy metals into algae comprises two phases: metabolism-independent phase (enter via surface binding of physicochemical nature into cell) and a metabolism-dependent phase (metal ions are transported from one side to the other of the cell membrane to the cell). Metal sorption by algal cells may be influenced by many environmental factors such as pH, temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, etc. Heavy metal affects the growth and physiology of algae either by attaching to sulfhydryl group proteins or the distraction of protein structure. Modifications in cell size or morphology are general symptoms of heavy metal toxicity in microalgae. However luxurious growth and bioconcentration of heavy metals indicate the use of microalgae in bioremediation. With the benefits of large accumulation capacity and no other secondary pollution, growth of unknown species in natural habitat, algae are very promising for monitoring the wastewater containing heavy metals.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marine Biotechnology and Ecology Division, CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Bhavnagar, 364 002, Gujarat, India

    Santlal Jaiswar & Prakram Singh Chauhan

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  1. Santlal Jaiswar
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  2. Prakram Singh Chauhan
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Correspondence to Santlal Jaiswar .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Microbial Biotechnology and Genomics, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India

    Vipin Chandra Kalia

  2. Microbial Culture Collection, National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, India

    Yogesh Shouche

  3. Environmental Biotechnology and Genomics Division, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR), Nagpur, India

    Hemant J. Purohit

  4. Microbial Culture Collection, National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, India

    Praveen Rahi

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Jaiswar, S., Chauhan, P.S. (2017). Applied Aspect of Microalgae in Monitoring of Heavy Metals. In: Kalia, V., Shouche, Y., Purohit, H., Rahi, P. (eds) Mining of Microbial Wealth and MetaGenomics. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5708-3_23

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