| Abstract: | Cadmium is always found in association with zinc. However, zinc is an essential micronutrient in living cells, whereas cadmium has no known useful biological function. In fact, cadmium is ranked among the most hazardous trace elements in the environment and is highly toxic to all components of aquatic communities. Cadmium in soils seems tightly held and is not readily removed by leaching, and consequently, cadmium in freshwaters is mostly connected with human activities. The concentration of Cd in natural waters is usually less than 1 μg. L?1 but the values vary greatly among localities; the highest concentrations of cadmium have been observed in areas with acid mine drainage. The important mechanism of toxic action of Cd on algae and cyanobacteria is thought to be the ?poisoning”? of enzymes, but many other toxic actions are known. A variety of environmental factors are known to modify the toxicity of cadmium. It is very difficult to allow for all of these factors simultaneously to predict the effect that a given amount of a metal will have on a given algal population. Uptake of Cd and other heavy metals to produce an internal concentration than in the external environment appears widespread in algae and cyanobacteria. |
