Environmental Science 2013-01-01

[Effects of allelochemicals ethyl cinnamate on the growth and physiological characteristics of Chlorella pyrenoidosa].

Li-Li Gao, Pei-Yong Guo, Guang-Ming Su, Yan-Fang Wei

Index: Huan Jing Ke Xue 34(1) , 156-62, (2013)

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Abstract

The effects of ethyl cinnamate on the growth and physiological characteristics of Chlorella pyrenoidosa were studied. The allelopathic mechanisms were explored, from views of chlorophyll a content, antioxidant enzyme activities, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and photosynthetic activity. The results revealed that ethyl cinnamate had acute inhibitory effects on the growth of Chlorella pyrenoidosa, and the inhibited degree tended to increase with increased concentrations. The effective concentration causing a 50% inhibition at 96 h was 5.45 mg c L(-1). Ethyl cinnamate induced the decrease of chlorophyll a, the over-accumulation of ROS and the increase of MDA. Therefore, it suggested that ethyl cinnamate could lead to the damage of cell membrane system and metabolic disorder through inducing lipid peroxidation via initiating ROS overproduction. And for scavenging ROS, the algae cells were protected from oxidative damages through increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes. The results demonstrated ethyl cinnamate had acute inhibition to the maximum quantum yield and the potential activity of photosystem II of Chlorella pyrenoidosa, however, the photosynthetic activity could recover to some extent through self-regulation after some time.