Monteiro, Cristina M.Marques, Ana P. G. C.Castro, Paula M. L.Malcata, F. Xavier2010-11-022010-11-022009MONTEIRO, Cristina M ...[et al.] - Characterization of desmodesmus pleiomorphus isolated from a heavy metal-contaminated site: biosorption of zinc. Biodegradation. ISSN 1572-9729. Vol. 20, n.º 5 (2009), p. 629–641http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/3261Microalgae have been proven efficient biological vectors for heavy metal uptake. In order to further study their biosorption potential, a strain of Desmodesmus pleiomorphus (L) was isolated from a strongly contaminated industrial site in Portugal. Under different initial Zn2? concentrations, metal removal by that strain reached a maximum of 360 mg Zn/g biomass after 7 days, at 30 mg Zn/l, after an initial rapid phase of uptake. Comparative studies were carried out using a strain of the same microalgal species that is commercially available (ACOI 561): when exposed to 30 mg Zn/l, it could remove only 81.8 mg Zn/g biomass. Biosorption experiments using inactivated biomass of the isolated strain reached a maximum Zn2? uptake of 103.7 mg/g. Metal removal at various initial pH values was studied as well; higher removal was obtained at pH 5.0. The microalga strain L, isolated from the contaminated site, exhibited a much higher removal capacity than the commercial strain, and the living biomass yielded higher levels of metal removal than its inactivated form.engMicroalgaeAccumulationBioremediationpHMetal uptakejournal article10.1007/s10532-009-9250-6