BISULPHITE‐INDUCED PIGMENT DAMAGE IN THE BLUE‐GREEN ALGA NOSTOC CALCICOLA BRÉB.

Abstract

SUMMARYDamage to photosynthetic pigments is a useful criterion for assessing damage to aquatic plants exposed to bisulphite. The bisulphite-induced damage to Chi a, carotenes and phycobilins in cells of Nostoc calcicola was dependent on both concentration and pH. Carotenes seemed most resistant to bisulphite, while phycocyanin was severely damaged even at extremely low levels of bisulphite. Higher bisulphite levels could be tolerated when the pH was initially adjusted to pH 8-0. The short-term experiments revealed a shifting of the Chi a peak from 430 to 410 nm. The possible mechanisms leading to bisulphite-induced pigment damage are discussed.