Scientists from Tambov State University G. R. Derzhavin taught microalgae to purify water from toxic salts of heavy metals using copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles, the Ministry of Education and Science told socialbites.ca.
According to scientists, the removal of pollutants from the aquatic environment is an urgent problem worldwide. Common pollutants are salts of heavy metals (cadmium and lead). At the same time, microscopic algae are actively used as a biological sorbent for such pollutants, since their cells have the ability to accumulate various toxins.
To increase the “absorption” ability of microalgae of the genus Desmodesmus, the researchers cultivated their cells in the presence of toxic metal compounds as well as copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles for 14 days. At the same time, the number and condition of surviving cells and the cadmium and lead content in them were evaluated.
CuO nanoparticles turned out to be almost harmless to algae. Moreover, their negative effects were reduced when used together with toxic compounds.
“The protective effect of nanoparticles was observed at the level of cell survival, antioxidant and photosynthetic systems. But the most interesting thing is that in the presence of nanoparticles in microalgae cells, the accumulation of cadmium increased fourfold, and lead – sixfold,” one of the authors of the study, a member of the team of young scientists, young researcher Svetlana Chebotareva told socialbites.ca.
The researchers concluded that a highly effective method of biological water purification with algae of the genus Desmodesmus has significant potential.
Russian scientists previously invented A method of protecting sewers from destruction.
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Source: Gazeta
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