Effect of the near-infrared activated photocatalyst Cu(OH)PO nanoparticles on the growth of harmful algal blooms causing Microcystis aeruginosa.

The wide range existence of M. aeruginosa FACHB 905 strains in the aquatic environment becomes a great threat for the health of humans and animals; it also poses a great obstacle in the ecological ecosystem. Therefore, an effective, efficient, and environmentally friendly method of treatment is needed. In this work Cu(OH)PO nanoparticles were successively synthesized from a mixture of Cu (NO) and NaHPO according to the results from Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet/visible/near-infrared in diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV/Vis/NIR DRS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) tests. Furthermore, Cu(OH)PO was used to mitigate the growth of M. aeruginosa FACHB 905 strains on a lab-scale, and the investigation on the growth of the harmful algal bloom (HAB) causing M. aeruginosa FACHB 905 strains was worked on. The Cu(OH)PO is effective in inhibiting the growth of the strain by more than 97% at a concentration of 0.032 mg mL. Furthermore, analysis of the chlorophyll a content and polysaccharide asserted that a remarkable decrease from 9.40 mg L and 37.66 mg L for the control to 0.07 mg L and 10.21 mg L for the treatment media with 0.032 mg mL Cu(OH)PO has been achieved. The results affirm the effectiveness of the Cu(OH)PO as suitable candidates for preventing HABs caused by the M. aeruginosa FACHB 905 cyanobacterium and other similar strains.