2006 KB43 KB200420252025Aouissi, MouniaBerrebbah, HouriaDjebar, Mohamed RedaFrehi, HocineIssaad, Ghozlene10 str.letnik:121številka:4DOI:10.14720/aas.2025.121.4.22996ISSN:1854-1941COBISSID_HOST:261876739URN:URN:NBN:SI:doc-LVCYCLGTenZaložba Univerze v LjubljaniActa agriculturae Slovenicaagricultural water qualityaluminium toxicityaquatic ecosystemsfiziologija mikroalgkakovost kmetijske vodemicroalgae physiologysilicijsilicontoksičnost aluminijavodni ekosistemiSilicon as a potential bioremediation agent for mitigating aluminum toxicity in aquatic microalgae| implications for sustainable agricultural ecosystems|Heavy metal pollution in agricultural and aquatic ecosystems poses significant threats to microorganisms essential for ecological balance. Microalgae, as primary producers, are particularly vulnerable to such contaminants while being vital components of sustainable agricultural systems. This study investigated the comparative effects of silicon (Si) and aluminum (Al) on three economically important microalgae species: Chlorella vulgaris, Haematococcus pluvialis, and Tetraselmis suecica. Microalgae cultures were exposed to varying concentrations of aluminum (1, 10, and 100 mg/L) and silicon (100, 150, and 200 mg/L) for three weeks under controlled conditions. Aluminum treatment resulted in significant concentration-dependent growth inhibition (37-62%) and decreased total chlorophyll content, with observable morphological alterations including cell swelling and chlorophyll degradation. Conversely, silicon treatment exhibited minimal adverse effects on microalgal growth, biomass, and chlorophyll content compared to both Al-exposed and control groups. These findings suggest that silicon could serve as an effective protective agent against aluminum toxicity in aquatic ecosystems, with potential applications in agricultural water management and bioremediation of metal-contaminated irrigation systems. The study contributes to understanding metalloid interactions in aquatic microorganisms, supporting sustainable agricultural practices through improved water quality management and protection of beneficial microalgae in farm ecosystemsTEXTznanstveno časopisjejournalsSlovenian National E-content AggregatorNational and University Library of SloveniaUniverza v Ljubljani, Biotehniška fakulteta