The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of sodium arsenate on Synechococcus PCC 7942 in terms of total growth and photosynthesis. The number of cells in the culture was counted. Photosynthetic O 2 evolution, fluorescence excitation and emission spectra were recorded. Synechococcus cultures in the presence of various concentrations (1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 µM) of sodium arsenate exhibited decrease in the rate of growth and photosynthetic O 2 evolution and it is concentration

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... . Room temperature absorption and excitation spectra of cells revealed gradual loss of phycobilisomes (PBS) and Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) component with increasing concentration of arsenate. In conclusion, Synechococcus PCC 7942 genus has its own defense mechanism for Arsenate resistance in natural habitat. Algal cells growing under extreme environment and also in polluted water have the capacity to adapt that environment.