Glyphosate dose modulates the uptake of inorganic phosphate by freshwater cyanobacteria

The usefulness of glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] as a source of nutritive phosphorus for species of halophilic cyanobacteria has been postulated for years. Our results indicate a stimulating effect of glyphosate on the growth of four out of five examined freshwater species, Anabaena variabilis (CCALA 007), Chroococcus minutus (CCALA 055), Fischerella cf. maior (CCALA 067) and Nostoc cf. muscorum (CCALA 129), in a manner dependent on the applied concentration. The most significant stimulation was observed at a dose of 0.1 mM glyphosate. The decrease in the amount of phosphonate, which correlated with microbial growth, demonstrated that glyphosate may play an important role in cyanobacterial nourishment. Surprisingly, the consumption of organic phosphorus did not start when concentrations of inorganic phosphate (PO(4) (3−)) had fallen dramatically; instead, the assimilation of both types of phosphorus occurred simultaneously. The greatest decrease in the amount of glyphosate was observed during the first week. The uptake of the standard nutrient-phosphate (PO(4) (3−)), was strongly dependent on the xenobiotic concentration. When a concentration of 0.1 mM glyphosate was used, the consumption of phosphate decreased in favour of glyphosate assimilation. Our study revealed for the very first time that the presence of inorganic phosphate significantly enhances the bioavailability of glyphosate. Statistical analysis confirmed that the nutritive usage of glyphosate and the absorption of phosphate are features associated with the herbicide concentration rather than features related to the species of freshwater cyanobacterium. This finding supports the thesis of an important role of organic phosphorus in the formation of cyanobacterial blooms and creates the opportunity of using these cyanobacteria to bind both organic and inorganic forms of phosphorus in microalgal biomasses.