Interaction between Scenedesmus obliquus and the Heavy Metals Copper and Lead

The effects of the addition of copper (in copper sulphate and copper chloride) and lead (in lead nitrate and chloride) on Scenedesmus obliquus were studied. The laboratory studies have shown that Sc. obliquus is able to accumulate copper and lead to some extend depending on the concentration of the metal and on the time of contact of algae with the metal. Copper in the concentration of 1 mg/l caused the decrease of the total protein and the growth of the population as well as the destruction of histons, peptids chains and vacuolization of cells. Such drastic effects were observed in the higher concentration of lead (100 mg Pb/l).