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Title: Bioaccumulation of nickel by algae

Journal Article · · Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00120a011· OSTI ID:7099363

Six strains of algae and one Euglena sp. were tested for their ability to bioaccumulate nickel. Radioactive /sup 63/Ni was used together with a microplate technique to determine the conditions for nickel removal by axenic cultures of cyanobacteria, green algae, and one euglenoid. The cyanobacteria tested were found to be more sensitive to nickel toxicity than the green algae or the Euglena sp. The concentration factor (CF) for nickel was determined under a variety of conditions and found to be in the range from 0 to 3.0 x 10/sup 3/. The effect of environmental variables on nickel uptake was examined, and a striking pH effect for biaccumulation was observed, with most of the algal strains accumulating nickel optimally at approximately pH 8.0. Competition experiments for binding sites between nickel and other cations as well as with other complexing anions, showed that /sup 63/Ni uptake was affected only by cobalt and by humic acids.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Minnesota, Navarre
OSTI ID:
7099363
Journal Information:
Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Vol. 18:2
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English