Metabolism of xenobiotics by Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: Phenol degradation under conditions affecting photosynthesis

Abstract

In the present work, the biodegradation of phenol by axenic cultures of the unicellular microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was investigated. Biodegradation proved to be a dynamic bioenergetic process, affected by changes in the culture conditions. Microalgae biodegraded defined amounts of phenol, as a result of the induced stress caused at high concentrations, despite the fact that this process proved to be energy demanding and thus affected growth of the culture. High levels of biodegradation were observed both in the absence of an alternative carbon source and in the presence of acetate as a carbon source. Biodegradation of phenol by Chlamydomonas proved to be an aerobic, photoregulated process. This is the first time that Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has been used for bioremediation purposes. This study has demonstrated that the most important factor in the biodegradation of phenol is the selection of the appropriate culture conditions (presence or absence of alternative carbon source, light intensity, and oxygen availability) that provide the best bioenergetic balance among growth, induced stress, and biodegradation of phenol.

Keywords: Biodegradation; Bioenergetics; Chlamydomonas reinhardtii; Phenol; Photosynthesis; Stress.