Marine ecosystems are threatened by toxic metals released by industrial, agricultural, and
urban activities. Microalgae-mediated bioremediation offers a sustainable and eco-friendly
approach to remediate such contaminated environments. In this study, novel microalgae species
were isolated from highly polluted sites in Bagnoli Bay, Mar Piccolo, Volturno, and Sarno River
Mouth along the coast of Italy and identified using 18S rRNA gene sequencing. Furthermore, this
study focused on the investigation of the metal-tolerant Tetraselmis convolutae strain ALE14, the
examination of its associated microbial community, and the evaluation of its bioremediation
performance on a metal-amended medium within a continuous flow system. Two bacterial strains,
Sulfitobacter sp. and Alteromonas sp., were isolated from a non-axenic ALE14 culture.
Subsequent microalgae-bacteria co-culture experiments demonstrated specific influences on
ALE14s´growth by the bacterial strains in metal-free and metal-contaminated mediums.
Additionally, ALE14 was successfully cultured in a photoreactor-based continuous flow system
using a medium amened with cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc. It exhibited the simultaneous
removal of nutrients and metals from the aquatic solution. These findings highlight the promising
potential of ALE14 for larger-scale applications involving the removal of toxic metals and
nutrients.
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