Studies on Potential Use of Cyanobacterium Westiellopsis for Bioremediation of Copper

Abstract

The study of the effect of copper is of great significance as this has become a wide spread pollutant due to its use as algicide and fungicide in agriculture. Role of rapid industrialisation, urbanisation, mining etc. in increasing copper pollution cannot be ignored. Nature as well as individual organisms have an inherent capacity for maintaining an ecological balance but if the input/generation of these xenobiotic substances or pollutants (like heavy metals) increase above a critical level, they lead to lethal, toxic (acute or chronic) effects depending upon their concentration. In animals excessive intake of copper results in eczema, eye inflammation, mucosal irritation, depression, hepatic, renal and capillary damage whereas in plants higher levels of copper affects osmotic permeability, Hill reactions and causes degradation of chlorophyll and other pigments (Cedeno et al., 1972, 1974; Overnell, 1975). For sustainable development, the heavy metals of aquatic environment can be removed both by chemical and biological means, bioremediation being more ecofriendly. Cyanobacterial biosorption and bioaccumulation has added advantage of CO₂ removal — the causal agent of global warming. The preference for photosynthetic prokaryotes in bioremediation is due to their short generation time, access for genetic manipulation and presence of large amount of extracellular metal attractants.