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Effects of copper and cadmium on physiology and antifouling defense of the marine macroalga Ulva reticulata

Wejdan Ahmed Al-Khaldi
Wejdan Ahmed Al-Khaldi
, 
Lafi Al Solami
Lafi Al Solami
 and 
Sathianeson Satheesh
Sathianeson Satheesh
   | Jun 05, 2021
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Article Category: Original research paper
Published Online: Jun 05, 2021
Page range: 184 - 197
Received: Oct 02, 2020
Accepted: Dec 15, 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/oandhs-2021-0017
Keywords
© 2021 Wejdan Ahmed Al-Khaldi et al., published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Figure 1

Changes in chlorophyll-a and carotenoid content (mean ± SE, n = 3) in the macroalga U. reticulata treated with heavy metals for 2 and 7 days. a) Chlorophyll-a content in algal samples treated with copper. b) Chlorophyll-a content in algal samples treated with cadmium. c) Carotenoid content in algal samples treated with copper. d) Carotenoid content in algal samples treated with cadmium
Changes in chlorophyll-a and carotenoid content (mean ± SE, n = 3) in the macroalga U. reticulata treated with heavy metals for 2 and 7 days. a) Chlorophyll-a content in algal samples treated with copper. b) Chlorophyll-a content in algal samples treated with cadmium. c) Carotenoid content in algal samples treated with copper. d) Carotenoid content in algal samples treated with cadmium

Figure 2

Effects of heavy metal treatment on total phenol content (mean ± SE, n = 3) in the macroalga U. reticulata. a) Total phenol content in algal samples treated with copper. b) Total phenol content in algal samples treated with cadmium.
Effects of heavy metal treatment on total phenol content (mean ± SE, n = 3) in the macroalga U. reticulata. a) Total phenol content in algal samples treated with copper. b) Total phenol content in algal samples treated with cadmium.

Figure 3

Changes in total antioxidant capacity (mean ± SE, n = 3) in algal samples treated with copper and cadmium for 2 and 7 days. a) Total antioxidant capacity of algal samples treated with copper. b) Total antioxidant capacity of algal samples treated with cadmium.
Changes in total antioxidant capacity (mean ± SE, n = 3) in algal samples treated with copper and cadmium for 2 and 7 days. a) Total antioxidant capacity of algal samples treated with copper. b) Total antioxidant capacity of algal samples treated with cadmium.

Figure 4

Effects of heavy metal treatment on antifouling defense of the marine macroalga U. reticulata. Antifouling activity of algal extracts was tested against two biofilm-forming bacteria. a) Growth inhibitory activity of copper-treated samples against P. shioyasakiensis; b) Growth inhibitory activity of cadmium-treated samples against P. shioyasakiensis; c) Growth inhibitory activity of the extract from copper-treated algal samples against V. harveyi; d) Growth inhibitory activity of the extract from cadmium-treated algal samples against V. harveyi. Error bars indicate SE of mean values (n = 3).
Effects of heavy metal treatment on antifouling defense of the marine macroalga U. reticulata. Antifouling activity of algal extracts was tested against two biofilm-forming bacteria. a) Growth inhibitory activity of copper-treated samples against P. shioyasakiensis; b) Growth inhibitory activity of cadmium-treated samples against P. shioyasakiensis; c) Growth inhibitory activity of the extract from copper-treated algal samples against V. harveyi; d) Growth inhibitory activity of the extract from cadmium-treated algal samples against V. harveyi. Error bars indicate SE of mean values (n = 3).

Figure 5

Bioaccumulation of copper (a) and cadmium (b) in the macroalga U. reticulata. Algae were exposed to heavy metals for 2 and 7 days at three concentrations. Error bars indicate SE of mean values (n = 3)
Bioaccumulation of copper (a) and cadmium (b) in the macroalga U. reticulata. Algae were exposed to heavy metals for 2 and 7 days at three concentrations. Error bars indicate SE of mean values (n = 3)

Three-way ANOVA results showing the variations in antifouling defense and physiological parameters of the macroalga U. reticulata treated with copper and cadmium. Treatment concentration (0, 1, 3 and 5 mg l−1), duration (2 and 7 days) and metals (copper and cadmium) were used as factors for ANOVA (p < 0.05 = significant).

Factors df P. shioyasakiensis V. harveyi Chl-a Carotenoids Phenol Total antioxidant capacity
F p F p F p F p F p F p
Concentration 3 18.68 0.000 15.15 0.000 1.57 0.213 1.02 0.395 1.40 0.258 89.65 0.000
Days 1 40.29 0.000 0.91 0.345 1.61 0.213 3.48 0.070 18.08 0.000 133.51 0.000
Metals 1 0.15 0.695 1.98 0.168 0.00 0.934 0.48 0.490 9.10 0.004 16.22 0.000
Concentration × Days 3 8.08 0.000 1.42 0.253 0.44 0.723 1.22 0.317 2.07 0.123 40.36 0.000
Concentration × Metals 3 0.52 0.666 0.77 0.517 0.08 0.970 0.66 0.582 1.99 0.134 34.77 0.000
Days × Metals 1 7.98 0.008 2.28 0.140 1.38 0.248 0.08 0.776 5.68 0.023 120.35 0.000
Concentration × Days × Metals 3 4.98 0.006 3.03 0.043 0.20 0.889 0.04 0.984 1.25 0.306 29.64 0.000
Error 32
Total 47

Two-way ANOVA of bioaccumulation of copper and cadmium in the macroalga U. reticulata. Treatment concentration and duration were used as factors (p < 0.05 = significant).

Factors df Cu accumulation Cd accumulation
F p F p
Concentration 3 58.427 0.000 35.030 0.000
Days 1 229.51 0.000 68.458 0.000
Concentration × Days 3 59.790 0.000 37.720 0.000
Error 16
Total 23

Correlation between metal accumulation and physiological parameters of the macroalga U. reticulata (p < 0.05 = significant).

Metal accumulation Chl-a Carotenoid Total phenol Antioxidant capacity
Copper −0.444* −0.264 −0.481* 0.208
Cadmium −0.178 −0.277 −0.356 0.158

Post-hoc Tukey HSD test results for the effects of different concentrations of copper and cadmium on the macroalga U. reticulata (p < 0.05 = significant)

Factor 1 Factor 2 Total antioxidant activity Bacterial growth P. shioyasakiensis Bacterial growth V. harveyi
Cu-treated samples Cd-treated samples Cu-treated algal extracts Cd-treated algal extracts Cu-treated algal extracts Cd-treated algal extracts
Control 1 mg l−1 0.049 0.966 0.028 0.001 0.001 0.000
3 mg l−1 0.000 0.000 0.020 0.007 0.001 0.005
5 mg l−1 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.001 0.075 0.001
1 mg l−1 3 mg l−1 0.013 0.000 1.000 0.999 1.000 0.981
5 mg l−1 0.668 0.000 0.669 1.000 0.811 0.999
3 mg l−1 5 mg l−1 0.473 0.000 0.755 0.999 0.789 0.999

Correlation between bacterial growth and physiological parameters of the macroalga U. reticulate (p < 0.05 = significant). Bioaccumulation of copper and cadmium was also used in correlation analysis.

Copper-treated samples P. shioyasakiensis V. harveyi Cadmium-treated samples P. shioyasakiensis V. harveyi
Antioxidant capacity 0.39 0.31 Antioxidant capacity 0.44* 0.39
Total phenol 0.20 −0.37 Total phenol 0.38 0.29
Chl-a 0.16 −0.13 Chl-a −0.05 −0.19
Carotenoid 0.05 −0.08 Carotenoid 0.05 0.02
Cu accumulation −0.43* 0.43* Cd accumulation −0.008 0.047
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