The toxicity of Cuto Microcystis aeruginosa using dielectric spectroscopy

Dielectric spectroscopy(DS) was utilized to investigate the toxicity of the Cu2+ solution to Microcystis aeruginosa.It was found that 0.04 mM Cu2+ had no effect on dielectric increment,whereas the Cu2+ concentrations above 0.1 mM decreased the value of Δε/Δε intact.The toxic effect of Cu2+ on M.aeruginosa cells was time-dependent and concentration-dependent.There was a threshold concentration between 0.04 mM and 0.1 mM,which affected the cell membrane,suggesting that Cu2+ at the concentrations higher than 0.1 mM caused serious plasmalemma damage to M.aeruginosa cells.The addition of 1 mM Ca2+ or Mg2+ did not protect M.aeruginosa cells from 1 mM Cu2+ toxicity.The study demonstrates that DS monitors cell biomass facilitating observation of the toxic effects of metal ions.