Responses of blue-green algae to copper: A comparative study

Abstract

The toxic effect of copper sulphate on various forms of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) ranging from unicellular (Anacystis nidulans, Aphanothece stagnina, Microcystis aeruginosa), filamentous non-heterocystous (Phormidium mucicola, Plectonema boryanum) to filamentous heterocystous (Nostoc muscorum, Anabaena cylindrica) were investigated. While resistance to copper was found to be strain specific property, unicellular algae, in general, were relatively more sensitive than the filamentous forms. There was precise influence of the nitrogen status on the survival of heterocystous forms.