Abstract
Abstract In this study Three genera of common algae isolated from local environment in Mosul city were tested for their ability to utilize heavy metals Oscillatoria angustissima, Fragellaria vaucheria and Lyngbya tylorii were isolated and grown under effect of five different concentrations of heavy metals cupper chloride CuCl2, cobalt chloride CoCl2 and nickel chloride NiCl2, and assayed for the rate of daily growth, biomass and final pH of growth medium after fifteenth days of incubation. The results showed, that the highest growth of algae was achieved at zero concentration for all treatments, while there was adecrease in growth rate and biomass production with increase of the concentration of heavy metals which were used in the experiments. All algal genera revealed tolerant capability in high concentration of heavy metals relatively. The results also showed, that Oscillatoria angustissima could tolerate high concentration especially nikel and the growth rate could not be affected sharply with high concentration of nikel in the growth medium.
