This work aimed to study the effects of static magnetic fields (SMFs) on cell cultures. A glass flask was filled with a liquid medium, which was surrounded by permanent magnets. Air was introduced through a tube to inject bubbles. Two magnet configurations, north and south, were used as perturbation. Scenedesmus obliquus and Nannochloropsis gaditana, growing in Medium 1 and 2, were subjected to the bubbly flow and SMFs. Differences between media were mainly due to conductivity (0.09 S/m for Medium 1 and 4.3 S/m for Medium 2). Joule dissipation ( P ) increased with the magnetic flux density ( B 0 ), being 4 orders of magnitude higher in Medium 2 than in 1. Conversely, the time constant ( τ P ) depended on B 0 , being nearly constant for Medium 1 and decreasing at 449 s/T for Medium 2. Dissipation occurred with the same τ P (235 s) in Medium 1 and 2 at B 0 = 0.5 T. In Species 1, the SMF effect was inhibitory. For Species 2, a higher enzymatic activity was observed. For superoxide dismutase, the relative difference was 78% with the north and 115% with the south configuration compared to the control values. For the catalase, differences of 29% with the north and 23% with the south configuration compared to control condition were obtained.

Magnetic fields in biological systems is a promising research field; however, their application for microalgae has not been fully exploited. This work aims to measure the enzymatic activity and non-enzymatic activity of two microalgae species in terms of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and carotenoids, respectively, in response to static magnetic fields-induced stress. Two magnet configurations (north and south) and two exposure modes (continuous and pulse) were applied. Two microalgae species were considered, the Scenedesmus obliquus and Nannochloropsis gaditana. The SOD activity increased by up to 60% in S. obliquus under continuous exposure. This trend was also found for CAT in the continuous mode. Conversely, under the pulse mode, its response was hampered as the SOD and CAT were reduced. For N. gaditana, SOD increased by up to 62% with the south configuration under continuous exposure. In terms of CAT, there was a higher activity of up to 19%. Under the pulsed exposure, SOD activity was up to 115%. The CAT in this microalga was increased by up to 29%. For N. gaditana, a significant increase of over 40% in violaxanthin production was obtained compared to the control, when the microalgae were exposed to SMF as a pulse. Depending on the exposure mode and species, this methodology can be used to produce oxidative stress and obtain an inhibitory or enhanced response in addition to the significant increase in the production of antioxidant pigments.

The use of seawater for mining purposes in Chile has progressively increased in recent years as fast as the interest on the negative effects of biofouling on the inner part of pipelines used to transport seawater. To prevent biofouling, chemical antifouling compounds are traditionally used, thus, causing negative environmental impacts. The aim of this research has, therefore, been to evaluate the efficiency of static magnetic fields (SMF) generators to mitigate the biofouling. Hence, experimental activities have been conducted on high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes equipped with neodymium magnets during two experimental periods in the year of 2019, i.e., autumn–winter (A–W) and spring–summer (S–S), and under two types of SMF, i.e., continuous-type (PCS) and pulse-type (PPS). Physicochemical parameters and cell viability of microorganisms composing the biofilm were investigated. Metagenomic analyses on biofilm were conducted as well. The results showed that the cell viability was the highest, i.e., 757,780 cells/cm2, during S–S and the lowest, i.e., 349,151 cells/cm2, in A–W, both under PCS. In S–S, as well as A–W, biofilm was characterized for the most abundant eukaryotic operational taxonomic units (OTUs) under PPS conditions. The presence of OTUs, such as Articiflavibacter spp., Chaetonotida spp. and Desmodorida spp., was observed only from SMF tests.

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