Evaluation of Bio-Chemical Productivity in Cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis-S5 Under Heavy Metal Stress

Abstract

Effect of heavy metals, namely, lead, chromium, copper and zinc was studied on chlorophyll, carotenoid, phycobiliprotein, carbohydrate and protein contents of Spirulina platensis. All the heavy metals tested showed acute toxicity over a sub-lethal concentration gradient of 0.05–0.20 mg/L with respect to chlorophyll, carotenoid and phycobiliprotein contents, the order of toxicity being Cr > Pb > Cu > Zn. Carbohydrates and proteins, however, posed resistance to heavy metal toxicity suggesting their role in metal chelation.