Responses of Chlorella vulgaris exposed to boron: Mechanisms of toxicity assessed by multiple endpoints

Abstract

Boron (B) has been widely used and contaminated the aquatic ecosystem. However, knowledge of the effects of sodium pentaborate pentahydrate (SPP) on algae remains limited. This study aimed to assess SPP toxicity using multiple endpoints, specially detecting the intracellular metal ion concentrations, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) classes for the very first time during SPP exposure to Chlorella vulgaris (C. vulgaris). Our findings indicated that the inhibitory effects of SPP on C. vulgaris may be related to nutrient absorption and utilization. The changes in intracellular starch grains, MDA and the protein-like substances in EPS probably acted as a defense mechanism, helping to alleviate the toxic effects. This work may contribute to the understanding of the mechanism of SPP toxicity in algae. Further studies may focus on the effects of B on speciation of metallic ions and the interaction of B with metallic ions on aquatic organisms.

Keywords: Algae; Boron; Extracellular polymeric substances; Malondialdehyde; Nutrients; Ultrastructure.