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Effects of Dracontomelon duperreanum defoliation extract on Microcystis aeruginosa: physiological and morphological aspects

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Abstract

Harmful cyanobacteria bloom contributes to economic loss as well as the threat to human health. Agricultural waste products, particularly straw, have been used to control bloom while arbor plant is the potential candidate for limiting antialgal activity. This study investigated the use of Dracontomelon duperreanum defoliation extract (DDDE) to inhibit the activity of Microcystis aeruginosa. The primary goal of the research was to explore the solution to control cyanobacterial bloom. The photosynthetic activity, cell morphology, membrane integrity, and esterase activity of M. aeruginosa were determined using phytoplankton analyzer pulse amplitude modulation (Phyto-PAM) and flow cytometry before and after exposure to DDDE. The inhibitory rate of M. aeruginosa was about 99.6 % on day 15 when exposed to 2.0 g L−1. A reduction of chlorophyll a (Chl-a) activity and changes in cell membrane suggested the algistatic property of DDDE. Inhibition of photosynthetic activity was reflected by changing mean Chl-a fluorescence intensity (MFI) which was about 52.5 % on day 15 when exposed to 2.0 g L−1 DDDE as well as relative electron transport rates (rETRs) of algal cell. These changes might contribute to the suppression of M. aeruginosa. Algal cell exposed to DDDE may lead to cell volume reduction or slow growth. This resulted in a decreased proportion of normal or swollen granular cells after DDDE treatment.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Grant No. 51378316 and the Science, Industry, Trade and Information Technology Commission of Shenzhen Municipality, Grant Nos. 20130331151242230 and 201504301657307.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Xiaoxiong Wang & Xiaojun Wang

  2. School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen Polytechnic, Shenzhen, 518055, China

    Xiaoxiong Wang & Chenchun Jiang

  3. Applied Science Discipline, Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education, Hong Kong, China SAR

    Yim-tong Szeto, Ho-kin Li & Kwei-lam Yam

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  1. Xiaoxiong Wang
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Correspondence to Xiaojun Wang.

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Wang, X., Jiang, C., Szeto, Yt. et al. Effects of Dracontomelon duperreanum defoliation extract on Microcystis aeruginosa: physiological and morphological aspects. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 8731–8740 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6119-1

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