Effect of the pesticide lindane on the biomass of the microalgae Nannochloris oculata

Abstract

This study assesses the growth of the microalgae Nannochloris oculata in the presence of lindane and the ability of N. oculata to remove lindane from media. Algal biomass increased with 0.1 and 0.5 mg L^-1 of lindane, and lindane concentrations in the media decreased. N. oculata removed 73% and 68.2% of lindane in the 0.1 and 0.5 mg L^-1 media concentrations, respectively. Algal biomass decreased to the level of the control at lindane concentrations greater than 2.5 mg L^-1, probably due to toxicity. N. oculata removed lindane from the media at concentrations lower than 1.0 mg L^-1. Thus, N. oculata may be useful for lindane bioremediation in contaminated aquatic systems.

Keywords: Phycoremediation; chronic toxicity; microalgae; organochloride pesticide; removal.