Monomethyl phthalate

Analytical grade dimethyl phthalate, monomethyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, propanil, monalide, chlorpropham, carfentrazone-ethyl, methomyl, 3-chloroaniline, 4-chloroaniline, and 3,4-dichloroaniline were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich (Castle Hill, Australia). Sulfosulfuron, metsulfuron-methyl, pyrazosulfuron-ethyl, imazethpyr, and pendimethalin were gifted by Dow Agrosciences (India). All other chemicals were used at the highest purity available commercially.

Dimethyl phthalate (DMP), mono-methylphthalate (MMP), phthalic acid (PA), and 4-nitrophenyl acetate were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich (Steinem, Germany). Bio-Rad Protein Assay Kit II was purchased from Bio-Rad Company (Hercules, Calif. USA). Three species of freshwater unicellular Cyanobacteria were provided by Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA, including two nonnitrogen fixing Cyanobacteria Synechocystis sp. PCC6803, Synechococcus sp. PCC7942, and a diazotrophic Cyanothece sp. PCC7822. 100 mL of Cyanobacteria cells was cultivated in sterilized BG11 medium in 250 mL flasks in the laboratory at 25 ± 1°C under a 16 : 8 light : dark cycle provided by cool white fluorescent tubes at a light intensity of 50 μmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹. Prior to being used for the experiments, the cells were maintained in the exponential growth phase by repeated inoculation into fresh medium. All samples were prepared in triplicate and incubated using a rotary shaker operated at 100 rpm.