The strong reaction of simple phenolic acids during oxidative stress caused by nickel, cadmium and copper in the microalga Scenedesmus quadricauda.

This work has analysed the influence of CdCl, NiCl and CuCl on simple phenolic acids, such as the 3PPP (phenylpyruvic, phenylacetic, and 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvic) and 2DR (3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic and rosmarinic) phenolic acids for the first time and studied their interactions with antioxidant systems and the glutathione-ascorbate cycle in the freshwater green microalga Scenedesmus quadricauda. The compounds investigated are related to both the catabolic and anabolic pathways of l-phenylalanine and l-tyrosine, the main molecules in the biosynthesis of polyphenols. The concentrations of the simple phenolic acids responded significantly to NiCl, CdCl and CuCl at 5, 20 and 40 μM concentrations.