Zinc and Nickel Accumulation in Unicellular Photosynthetic Algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Grown in Metal-contaminated Media

In this study, Zn and Ni accumulation in unicellular freshwater migroalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was investigated. C. reinhardtii cells were grown in media polluted with several concentrations of either Zn or Ni. Tolerance of this organism to Zn and Ni pollution was examined and the growth curves for different Zn and Ni pollution levels were constructed. The Zn and Ni distribution in a cell population of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cells were quantitated at the end of the logarithmic phase of the cultures by conventional and single cell Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS and SC ICP-MS). The effects of the metal accumulation on the lipid profile of the cells was also examined by easy ambient sonic-spray ionization mass spectrometry (EASI-MS).