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Trace concentrations of iron nanoparticles cause overproduction of biomass and lipids during cultivation of cyanobacteria and microalgae

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Abstract

Cultivation in Zehnder medium containing 5.1 mg L−1 zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) boosted the growth of the green algae Desmodesmus subspicatus, Dunaliella salina, Parachlorella kessleri and Raphidocelis subcapitata and the eustigmatophycean algae Nannochloropsis limnetica and Trachydiscus minutus. In the cyanobacterium Arthrospira maxima, growth stimulation occurred at 1.7–5.1 mg L−1 nZVI. In all studied microorganisms, 5.1 mg L−1 nZVI strongly enhanced lipid accumulation, decreased the content of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids with the exception of palmitoleic acid and increased the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in cells. The nZVI particles may provide a suitable source of iron causing increased cell growth and induce metabolic changes resulting in higher lipid production and changes in fatty acid (FA) composition. Altered lipid synthesis may reflect the oxidative action of nZVI. Further research may contribute to optimizing the economical production of oils from oleaginous microorganisms and help clarify the mechanism of nZVI action.

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Acknowledgments

The research was supported by GACR P503/11/0215 and GACR 14-00227S, by Competence Centres TE01020218 and Biorefinery Res. Centre of Competence TE 01020080 grants of the Czech Technology Agency, by the Institutional Internal Project RVO61388971, by ICT IGA project no. A2 FPBT 2014 022, and Centre for Algal Biotechnologies (Algatech) project, reg. no. CZ.1.05/2.1.00/03.0110

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Chemical Technology Prague, Technická 5, 166 28, Prague, Czech Republic

    Karolína Pádrová & Alena Čejková

  2. Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Biorefinery Research Centre of Competence, Dukelská 135, 379 82, Třeboň, Czech Republic

    Jaromír Lukavský

  3. Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Viničná 7, 128 44, Prague 2, Czech Republic

    Linda Nedbalová

  4. Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Vídeňská 1083, 142 20, Prague, Czech Republic

    Tomáš Cajthaml, Karel Sigler & Tomáš Řezanka

  5. Laboratory of Cell Cycles of Algae, Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Opatovický mlýn 237, 379 81, Třeboň, Czech Republic

    Milada Vítová

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  1. Karolína Pádrová
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  2. Jaromír Lukavský
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  3. Linda Nedbalová
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Correspondence to Karolína Pádrová.

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Pádrová, K., Lukavský, J., Nedbalová, L. et al. Trace concentrations of iron nanoparticles cause overproduction of biomass and lipids during cultivation of cyanobacteria and microalgae. J Appl Phycol 27, 1443–1451 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-014-0477-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-014-0477-1

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