Efficiency of Neutral Red,Evans Blue and MTT to assess viability of the freshwater microalgae Desmodesmus communis and Pediastrum boryanum

This study assessed the efficacy of three cell viability assays – Methyl‐thiazolyl‐tetrazolium (MTT), Evans Blue, and Neutral Red – for two freshwater microalgae species, Desmodesmus communis and Pediastrum boryanum (Chlorophyceae), in order to find suitable techniques to detect the levels of pollution in water ecosystems. Following exposure to a glyphosate‐based herbicide, our results showed that Evans Blue did not adequately measure cell viability in either species, while MTT and Neutral Red were able to detect decreased cellular viability for both algae in response to herbicide exposure. Overall, however, Neutral Red proved to be more sensitive than MTT for these algae.