PHENOL-INDUCED ACCUMULATION OF FATTY-ACID S IN CULTURE-MEDIUM OF ALGAE SCENEDESMUS-QUADRICAUDA

Accumulation of fatty acids (FAs) in the culture medium of algae S. qu adricauda under the normal conditions and in the presence of monopheno l and hydroquinone at concentrations inhibiting cell growth has been s tudied. It was shown that concentration of FAs in the S. quadricauda m edium was 500 mu g/l by the end of linear growth in the control or by the end of exponential growth in the presence of hydroquinone. The tox icants sharply increased (five-to seven-fold) the level of FA nonsatur ation by day 2-4 of growth, mainly at the expense of fatty acids with 18 carbon atoms. Sharply increased proportion of nonsaturated fatty ac ids (NFAs) in the medium containing phenols is probably due to disturb ed endogenous synthesis of free fatty acids (FFAs) in the thylakoid me mbrane where NFAs prevail. Following chemical damage, extracellular FA s as a factor of green algae culture development become a source of se condary algatoxins because of high biological activity of FAs and thei r oxidation products.