Metal ions are both essential and potentially toxic. The aim of this work was to demonstrate that diazotrophic cyanobacterium Tolypothrix tenuis N°54 can tolerate toxic concentrations of Ni 2+ in order to use the biomass in biofilters or as biofertilizer. For this purpose, growth, pigment and protein contents and catalase activity of T. tenuis growing in increasing concentrations of Ni 2+ ranging from 10 )10 to 10 )4 M were assesed. The strain did not grow at Ni 2+ concentration of 10 )4 M, but at lower concentrations there were no significant differences with the control; it was tolerant at 10 )10 and 10 )8 M. Nickel concentration of 10 )6 M is toxic for this cyanobacterial strain, because dry weight decreased by 30%; allophycocyanin and phycoerythrin decreased by 92% and 98%, respectively and protein content increased by 42%. Chlorophyll a concentration was more than double the control value in 10 )10 and 10 )8 M, but in 10 )6 M it decreased by 19%. Catalase (E.C. 1.11.1.6) activity doubled the control value in the lowest nickel concentration whereas in 10 )8 M there was no significant difference with the control and in 10 )6 , it decreased by 78%. The living biomass of this strain could be used as a step in the bioremediation process in waters contaminated with concentrations of nickel lower than 10 )6 M and eventually as a biofertilizer.
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