A Correlation between Detergent Tolerance and Cell Wall Structure in Green Algae

Abstract

12 strains of the geni Chlorella, Scenedesmus, Chlamydomonas, and Dunaliella were tested for their tolerance against the anionic detergent “LAS” (linear alkylbenzene sulfonate). Cellular parameters (cell titer and chlorophyll content) were monitored for 28 days after addition of LAS (0.01-2 mᴍ). A 100-fold difference in sensitivity toward LAS was detected for the algal strains analyzed. Electron microscopic investigations revealed that LAS-resistance is correlated with both, the presence of thick cell walls and sporopollenin layers. It is speculated that this structure acts as a protecting coat preventing the chemical attack of detergents on algal cells. An application for selecting algae by detergents is proposed.