Ni uptake by a green alga. 1. Validation of equilibrium models for complexation effects.

Short-term (< 60 min) internalization fluxes (J(int)) by the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii were measured in the presence of a variety of ligands forming hydrophilic (citric, diglycolic, or nitrilotriacetic acids), amphiphilic (Suwannee River fulvic and humic acids), and hydrophobic (oxine, diethyldithiocarbamate) Ni complexes. Free nickel concentrations, ranging from 10(-10) to 10(-3) M, were evaluated by thermodynamic modeling and by a resin exchange technique. Ni internalization appeared to occur via a single transport site that was characterized by a conditional stability constant (pH 6.0, I = 10(-2) M) of 10(5.1) M(-1). In the presence of humic substances, Ni uptake could be quantitatively predicted on the basis of Ni2+ concentrations for two algae: C. reinhardtii and Chlorella kesslerii. In the presence of the hydrophobic ligands, an increase in permeability was observed due to the formation of neutral, lipophilic complexes.