Indian Journal of Scientific Research

  • Year: 2019
  • Volume: 9
  • Issue: 2

Toxic effects and bioaccumulation of heavy metals on anaerobic ciliates isolated from anaerobic reactors

1School of Environmental Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin, India

2Process Engineering and Environmental Technology Division, National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, CSIR, Thiruvananthapuram, India

Online published on 6 September, 2019.

Abstract

Anaerobic ciliates isolated from reactors fed with diary wastewater and studied the toxic effect of the heavy metals on ciliates. The order of toxicity of selected heavy metals on ciliates was Cd >Cu >Pd> Cr > Zn. Cd was highly toxic to protozoa and zinc was the least, tolerant up to 120 mg l−1. Linear regression analysis carried out to detect the median lethal concentration (LD50) of heavy metals and it was different for different heavy metals. Further, bioaccumulation of heavy metals in ciliates was confirmed by using specific fluorophore. to The result indicates that anaerobic ciliates can be used as potential cell biosensors for assessing heavy metal pollution in wastewater.

Keywords

Anaerobic ciliates, Heavy metals, Toxicity, Bioaccumulation