The role of the macroalga Cladophora surera (Chlorophyta) in the phytoremediation of arsenic from contaminated water

SINISCALCHI, A.G.; CROCE, M.E.; GAUNA, M.C.; PARODI, E.R.

Sydney

Congreso; 5th Congress of the International Society in Applied Phycology; 2014

International Society in Applied Phycology

The artificial reservoir Paso de las Piedras (38° 23? S; 61° 44? O) provides water to Bahia Blanca city (Argentina), however the levels of arsenic in its affluent El Divisorio stream are higher than the maximum accepted by the National Food Code. The use of macrophytes to remove nutrients and metals has been recognized as an eco-friendly alternative for aquatic systems. The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of the macroalga Cladophora surera as a removal agent of arsenic (As) from contaminated water. The removal of As by C. surera was evaluated in bioassays. Macroalgae filaments were cultured in vitro using sterilized water obtained from the affluent during 12 days. The concentration of total As in macroalgae cells as well as in the culture medium was measured every three days through Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The net incorporation rate (NIR) and the bioaccumulation factor (BF) were estimated and data were analysed through ANOVA. A decrease of 60 % in the concentration of total As of the culture medium was observed during the culture. Macroalgae cells accumulated 31 % of total As. The average values for NIR and BF were 0.025 µgAs.mgPSd-1 and 45.6, respectively. These results demonstrated that C. surera was able to reduce high water concentration of As, which was trapped in its biomass, either by bioaccumulation or biosorption. This native species of macroalgae could be considered as a unique biofilter and might be applied to remove arsenic from freshwater for human consumption.