Exploring the subcellular distribution of mercury in green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and diatom Cyclotella meneghiniana: A comparative study.

Mercury (Hg) is a priority pollutant of global concern because of its toxicity, its ability to bioaccumulate throughout the food web and reach significant concentrations in top predators. Phytoplankton bioconcentrate large amounts of Hg and play a key role in the entry of Hg into the aquatic food web. However, the subcellular distribution of Hg in freshwater phytoplankton, known to affect it toxicity and trophic transfer is understudied.