The use of palm oil trunk to control cyanobacterial populations

Abstract

Cyanobacteria, also known as the blue green algae, are photosynthetic prokaryotes which environment in many ways. Not only would it block sunlight penetration into water bodies, it I would also deplete the water's oxygen content while decaying. The use of chemical spectrum of toxicity towards non-target organisms. Although it is able to control the algaecide, such as copper sulphate, to control its population was effective but it had a wide cyanobacteria, it is also harmful to other aquatic life such as fish. The use of biological agents such as barley straw had been proven capable to control cyanobacterial populations in Europe and North America. In this study, we selected the oil palm trunk as a controlling agent because they were present at a large quantity and they may have similar algaecide property possessed by the barley straw. For this study, cyanobacterial strains isolated from Harapan and Aman Lakes, at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang were tested for their susceptibility to the oil palm trunk. Our study suggested that oil palm trunk particularly in powder form, had the ability to control selected cyanobacterial populations.