Antioxidant activity and phycoremediation ability of four cyanobacterial isolates obtained from a stressed aquatic system

Abstract

Cyanobacteria are natural enormous sources of various biologically active compounds with great contributions in different industries. This study aimed to introduce molecular and biochemical characterization for four novel cyanobacterial isolates obtained from Egyptian wastewater canals. Besides, In vitro biological activity of these isolates and their potential ability to take up nutrients and heavy metals from wastewater were examined. The obtained accession numbers were KY250420.1, KY321359.1, KY296359.1 and KU373076.1 for Nostoc calcicola, Leptolyngbya sp, Nostoc sp, and Nostoc sp, respectively. The isolate Leptolyngbya sp (KY321359.1) showed the lowest identity (90%) with other deposited sequences in database. While the isolate Nostoc sp (KU373076.1) showed the highest total phenolic content as well as the highest levels of caffeic, ferulic and gallic acids. Consequently, it appeared the highest antioxidant scavenging activity. All cyanobacterial isolates revealed potent ability to take up nutrients and heavy metals from wastewater. Generally, this study provides a taxonomic and molecular evidence for four novel cyanobacterial isolates with antioxidant activity and potent phycoremediation ability.