Unveiling the mechanisms of ultrasonic radiation-induced free radical stress on algal communities: Insights into growth inhibition, photosynthetic disruption, and antioxidant defense responses

Algal blooms pose a significant threat to global environmental health, compromising water quality and public safety. Ultrasonic radiation has emerged as a promising, eco-friendly strategy for controlling these blooms, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclearly understood. This study investigated...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xiaoge Wu, Tingting Shen, Xiaoyang Liu, Guangming Zhang, Xiaoqing Qian, Wenlan Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-04-01
Series:Ultrasonics Sonochemistry
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1350417725000768
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849735958064267264
author Xiaoge Wu
Tingting Shen
Xiaoyang Liu
Guangming Zhang
Xiaoqing Qian
Wenlan Yang
author_facet Xiaoge Wu
Tingting Shen
Xiaoyang Liu
Guangming Zhang
Xiaoqing Qian
Wenlan Yang
author_sort Xiaoge Wu
collection DOAJ
description Algal blooms pose a significant threat to global environmental health, compromising water quality and public safety. Ultrasonic radiation has emerged as a promising, eco-friendly strategy for controlling these blooms, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclearly understood. This study investigated the effects of ultrasonic radiation on the growth, photosynthetic performance, and antioxidant defense systems of an algal mixture over a 5-day period. Analysis techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), excitation-emission matrix (EEM) analysis, and transcriptomic profiling, were employed to elucidate the multifaceted responses of algal cells to ultrasonic treatment. Ultrasonic radiation induced significant free radical generation, primarily hydroxyl radicals (·OH), which played a critical role in cellular damage. Within 24 h, treatment led to a 50% reduction in algal cell counts, a 30% decline in chlorophyll-a levels, and a 25% decrease in photosynthetic efficiency. Phycocyanin, a vital pigment for cyanobacteria, exhibited heightened sensitivity to a single ultrasonic treatment, while subsequent treatments showed no additional reduction, suggesting that Microcystis aeruginosa is particularly susceptible to the ultrasonic damage. EEM analysis revealed significant changes in the fluorescence intensity of extracellular organic matter (EOM) and intracellular organic matter (IOM) peaks, indicative of oxidative stress and metabolic disruption. Transcriptomic analysis of Microcystis aeruginosa revealed a profound reprogramming of gene expression in response to sonication. Stress response genes, particularly those involved in antioxidant defense, were upregulated, while photosynthesis-related genes were downregulated. Our research indicates that short-term ultrasonic radiation has a long-term stress effect on algal cells, and this might be able to prevent the tendency of cyanobacteria blooms.
format Article
id doaj-art-539e9caaf931414dbeb0ce57bb4442e9
institution DOAJ
issn 1350-4177
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Ultrasonics Sonochemistry
spelling doaj-art-539e9caaf931414dbeb0ce57bb4442e92025-08-20T03:07:24ZengElsevierUltrasonics Sonochemistry1350-41772025-04-0111510729710.1016/j.ultsonch.2025.107297Unveiling the mechanisms of ultrasonic radiation-induced free radical stress on algal communities: Insights into growth inhibition, photosynthetic disruption, and antioxidant defense responsesXiaoge Wu0Tingting Shen1Xiaoyang Liu2Guangming Zhang3Xiaoqing Qian4Wenlan Yang5College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Key Laboratory of Cultivated Land Quality Monitoring and Evaluation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaSchool of Energy & Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300130, ChinaSchool of Energy & Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300130, ChinaSchool of Energy & Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300130, China; Corresponding authors.College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Corresponding authors.Algal blooms pose a significant threat to global environmental health, compromising water quality and public safety. Ultrasonic radiation has emerged as a promising, eco-friendly strategy for controlling these blooms, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclearly understood. This study investigated the effects of ultrasonic radiation on the growth, photosynthetic performance, and antioxidant defense systems of an algal mixture over a 5-day period. Analysis techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), excitation-emission matrix (EEM) analysis, and transcriptomic profiling, were employed to elucidate the multifaceted responses of algal cells to ultrasonic treatment. Ultrasonic radiation induced significant free radical generation, primarily hydroxyl radicals (·OH), which played a critical role in cellular damage. Within 24 h, treatment led to a 50% reduction in algal cell counts, a 30% decline in chlorophyll-a levels, and a 25% decrease in photosynthetic efficiency. Phycocyanin, a vital pigment for cyanobacteria, exhibited heightened sensitivity to a single ultrasonic treatment, while subsequent treatments showed no additional reduction, suggesting that Microcystis aeruginosa is particularly susceptible to the ultrasonic damage. EEM analysis revealed significant changes in the fluorescence intensity of extracellular organic matter (EOM) and intracellular organic matter (IOM) peaks, indicative of oxidative stress and metabolic disruption. Transcriptomic analysis of Microcystis aeruginosa revealed a profound reprogramming of gene expression in response to sonication. Stress response genes, particularly those involved in antioxidant defense, were upregulated, while photosynthesis-related genes were downregulated. Our research indicates that short-term ultrasonic radiation has a long-term stress effect on algal cells, and this might be able to prevent the tendency of cyanobacteria blooms.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1350417725000768Ultrasonic radiationMixed algal culturesFree RadicalAntioxidant responsesGenomic analysis
spellingShingle Xiaoge Wu
Tingting Shen
Xiaoyang Liu
Guangming Zhang
Xiaoqing Qian
Wenlan Yang
Unveiling the mechanisms of ultrasonic radiation-induced free radical stress on algal communities: Insights into growth inhibition, photosynthetic disruption, and antioxidant defense responses
Ultrasonics Sonochemistry
Ultrasonic radiation
Mixed algal cultures
Free Radical
Antioxidant responses
Genomic analysis
title Unveiling the mechanisms of ultrasonic radiation-induced free radical stress on algal communities: Insights into growth inhibition, photosynthetic disruption, and antioxidant defense responses
title_full Unveiling the mechanisms of ultrasonic radiation-induced free radical stress on algal communities: Insights into growth inhibition, photosynthetic disruption, and antioxidant defense responses
title_fullStr Unveiling the mechanisms of ultrasonic radiation-induced free radical stress on algal communities: Insights into growth inhibition, photosynthetic disruption, and antioxidant defense responses
title_full_unstemmed Unveiling the mechanisms of ultrasonic radiation-induced free radical stress on algal communities: Insights into growth inhibition, photosynthetic disruption, and antioxidant defense responses
title_short Unveiling the mechanisms of ultrasonic radiation-induced free radical stress on algal communities: Insights into growth inhibition, photosynthetic disruption, and antioxidant defense responses
title_sort unveiling the mechanisms of ultrasonic radiation induced free radical stress on algal communities insights into growth inhibition photosynthetic disruption and antioxidant defense responses
topic Ultrasonic radiation
Mixed algal cultures
Free Radical
Antioxidant responses
Genomic analysis
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1350417725000768
work_keys_str_mv AT xiaogewu unveilingthemechanismsofultrasonicradiationinducedfreeradicalstressonalgalcommunitiesinsightsintogrowthinhibitionphotosyntheticdisruptionandantioxidantdefenseresponses
AT tingtingshen unveilingthemechanismsofultrasonicradiationinducedfreeradicalstressonalgalcommunitiesinsightsintogrowthinhibitionphotosyntheticdisruptionandantioxidantdefenseresponses
AT xiaoyangliu unveilingthemechanismsofultrasonicradiationinducedfreeradicalstressonalgalcommunitiesinsightsintogrowthinhibitionphotosyntheticdisruptionandantioxidantdefenseresponses
AT guangmingzhang unveilingthemechanismsofultrasonicradiationinducedfreeradicalstressonalgalcommunitiesinsightsintogrowthinhibitionphotosyntheticdisruptionandantioxidantdefenseresponses
AT xiaoqingqian unveilingthemechanismsofultrasonicradiationinducedfreeradicalstressonalgalcommunitiesinsightsintogrowthinhibitionphotosyntheticdisruptionandantioxidantdefenseresponses
AT wenlanyang unveilingthemechanismsofultrasonicradiationinducedfreeradicalstressonalgalcommunitiesinsightsintogrowthinhibitionphotosyntheticdisruptionandantioxidantdefenseresponses