Bio-Characterization and Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Exopolysaccharides in Biofilm-Producing Cyanobacteria Isolated from Soil Crust: Exploring the Potential of Microalgal Biomolecules.

Exopolysaccharide-producing cyanobacterial strains in biological soil crusts are described, in addition to their chemical properties and antioxidant and flocculation activities. The EPSs from Pudukkottai blackish biological soil crusts (PBBSCs) showed significant amounts of total soluble proteins (0.1687 mg/mL) and carbohydrates (0.8056 mg/mL) compared with the Ariyalur blackish biological soil crusts (ABBSCs). LC-MS analysis of the cyanobacterial polysaccharides revealed the presence of natural sugars such as ribose and glucose/mannose, and uronic acids. The FTIR spectrum showed specific peak for OH and -NH stretching, C-H stretching, and carboxylic acids as the dominant groups in EPS. The in vitro DPPH assay of EPSs from PBBSCs showed 74.3% scavenging activity. Furthermore, the reducing power was determined to be 0.59 ata 500 mg/mL concentration, respectively. The extracted EPSs from the biological soil crust flocculated Kaolin clay suspension maximum at 500 mg/mL. Consequently, the cyanobacterial strain and exopolysaccharide characterization from the sacred forest's biological soil crust were analyzed for their bioactive potential, bio-crust diversity, and distribution.

Bioremoval capacity of Co+2 using Phormidium tenue and Chlorella vulgaris as biosorbents.

Microalgae sorbents are microalgae that have the potential to passively bind heavy metals/contaminants to their cellular structures in a process called biosorption. This study investigates the use of two species of microalgae to remove the toxic heavy metal cobalt from aqueous solution. Two microalgae isolates, Phormidium tenue and Chlorella vulgaris, were collected from the Wadi Hanifah Stream in Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We determined the capacity of both isolates to bioremove Co+2 ions and the optimum conditions under which this occurs. The two isolates were additionally characterized by microscopic and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). In the current investigation, Phormidium tenue removed 94% of Co+2 under ideal conditions of pH 6, contact duration (30 min), starting concentration (50 mgL-1) and biosorbent dose (1gL-1); while Chlorella vulgaris removed 87% of Co+2 under the same parameters except pH 5.5 and contact duration (60 min). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirms the binding of Co+2 to the biomass, which comprises many of the functional groups. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed some alterations to the shape of algal cells and cellular components for both microalgae studied. In addition, equilibrium study by both Langmuir and Freundlich models was performed to detect the effect of certain equilibrium factors on the capacity of the biosorption mechanism. Finally, Phormidium tenue and Chlorella vulgaris were discovered to be promising microalgae for effective cobalt biosorption in aquatic conditions.

Salinization and wastewater effects on the growth and some cell contents of Scenedesmus bijugatus.

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of salinization and wastewater stresses on the growth, some cellular contents (total soluble proteins, total soluble carbohydrates, nucleic acids, and amino acids composition) and ultrastructure using TEM of unicellular green alga Scenedesmus bijugatus. Treatment of S. bijugatus by NaCl at 10 and 50 mg L-1 significantly increased the growth of this alga and its cellular macro-molecules. While, treatment above this concentration with NaCl significantly inhibited the growth and cellular macro-molecules. On the other hand, treatment by NaCl at the pre-lethal concentration (300 mg L-1) had different effects on its detected amino acids. Whereas, Asp. Acid, Pro, Cys, Val, Iso-leu, leu, Phe.ala and Lys were slightly stimulated with salinization treatment. On contrast the levels of amino acids: Thr, Ser, Glu.acid, Gly, Ala, Mth, His and Arg were markedly inhibited. Ultrastructure examination of treated S. bijugatus by 300 mg L-1 of NaCl for 8 days showed increase of starch granules, shrinkage of cell contents and thickening of cell wall. The recorded data indicated also that treatment by wastewater with all concentrations led to stimulatory effects on their growth and cellular macro-molecules except at 100% wastewater which had inhibitory effects on Asp., Gly., Thr., Ser., Pro., Glu., Ala., Meth., and Cyst., of S. bijugatus. Also, wastewater induced a slight change in the treated S. bijugatus as elevation in starch granules and presence of thylakoid membranes although not clear as in the control.