Copper uptake and subcellular distribution in five marine phytoplankton species

Copper (Cu) uptake and trophic transfer in marine plankton at the environmentally relevant levels have rarely been investigated. In this study, we investigated Cu subcellular distribution five phytoplankton ( Isochrysis zhanjiangensis , Phaeocystis sp., galbana, Chaetoceros sp. Phaeodactylum tricornutum ) belonging to two taxa Chrysophyta Bacillariophyta, following rotifer Brachionus plicatilis by using stable isotope tracing method. 2-hour exposure, rates were 20.8–60.3 amol h -1 cell (amol = 10 -18 mol) exposure 4.82 × -13 mol L free activity ([Cu 2+ ]). increased with increase of [Cu ] all species. Generally, rate constants (k u s) lower Bacillariophyta P. than I. galbana ). While long-term (6 day) more was accumulated Chrysophyta, suggesting might capacity Chrysophyta. Size effects cells on not observed among these phytoplankton. mainly distributed heat-denatured protein plus organelle fraction head-stable The assimilation efficiencies (AEs) feeding zhanjiangensis, 63.4%, 57.6%, 60.2%, 77.4% 14.6%, respectively. These AEs positively correlated trophically available metal (TAM) different results herein demonstrated that had strategies accumulate influence predators. Therefore, variation community will change biogeochemistry environment.