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Seasonal changes of the phytoplanktonic community and limnological abiotic characteristics of Caçó pond (Maranhão State, Brazil) was evaluated from two field researches during the rainy (April 1999) and dry (November 1999)

Nitrogen and phosphorus present in sewage can be used for microalgae growth, possibiliting cost reduction in the production of microalgae at the same time that it decreases the eutrophication potential of the effluent. This research aimed at monitoring the native community of microalgae and coliform bacteria in a secondary effluent from anaerobic municipal sewage treatment. Two treatments (aerated and non-aerated) were performed to grow microalgae under semi-controlled conditions in semi-closed photobioreactors in a greenhouse. The results showed no significant pH and coliforms (total and Escherichia coli ) variation between treatments. Nutrient concentrations were reduced supporting microalgae growth up to 10 7 cells.mL −1 independent of aeration. Exponential growth was obtained from the first day for the non-aerated, but a 5 day lag phase of growth was obtained for the aerated. Chlorella vulgaris was the dominant microalgae (99.9%) in both treatments. In the aerated, 5 algae classes were detected (Chlorophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Chrysophyceae, Bacillariophyceae and Euglenophyceae), with 12 taxa, whereas in the non-aerated, 2 classes were identified (Chlorophyceae and Cyanophyceae), with 5 taxa. We concluded that effluent is viable for microalgae growth, especially Chlorella vulgaris, at the same time that the eutrophication potential and coliforms are decreased, contributing for better quality of the final effluent.

, representing 28% of total dissolved neutral carbohydrates (TDnC) on average. Rhamnose concentration was linearly correlated with TDnC concentration and with the abundance of Microcystis aeruginosa, which releases a rhamnose-rich extracellular polysaccharide (EPS). This correlation was slightly stronger when the cell densities of Aulacoseira granulata, Cryptomonas tetrapyrenoidosa and Anabaena spiroides, also rhamnose-rich EPS producers, were included. The enzymatic activity on methylumbelliferyl (MUF)-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (EARh) ranged from 0 to 57.8 nmol MUF l −1 h −1. Glucose concentrations were found to vary from 0 to 4.15 µmol l −1 (27.5% of TDnC), and the enzymatic activity on MUF-β-D-glucopyranoside (EAGl) ranged from 7.4 to 116.9 nmol MUF l −1 h −1. Variation of EARh in time was directly correlated with the density of M. aeruginosa, and with rhamnose concentration in TDnC, while EAGl activity was correlated with density of M. aeruginosa only for variation with depth. Analysis of rhamnose, glucose, TDnC, EARh, EAGl, and bacterial density at each depth individually provided evidence that EPS released was employed as bacterial substrates, despite the permanent presence of TDnC from surface to bottom, owing to its constant production. These results also showed strong evidence that both enzymes were induced by EPS. Our results strongly suggest that the predominant phytoplankton species, known producers of rhamnose and glucose-rich EPS, α-Lrhamnosidase(s) activity and rhamnose concentration in the Barra Bonita Reservoir were coupled.

Dissolved carbohydrates and abundant algae of Barra Bonita Reservoir were studied monthly from June 2002 to January 2004 in six depths whose values vary depending on the seasons and the water level at a sampling site located 3 km upstream the Reservoir dam. Nearly 90% of the dissolved carbohydrates were constituted of polymeric hydrolysable carbohydrates (polysaccharides or oligosaccharides). Analysis of variance detected variability among concentrations of dissolved carbohydrates only in temporal scale (p < 0.05), whereas in vertical axis the concentrations of these sugars were uniform (p > 0.05). The monosaccharide composition of the sugars found in the reservoir was galactose, rhamnose, glucose e fucose. During the sampling period, higher concentrations of dissolved carbohydrates, mostly polymeric, occurred together with large phytoplanktonic blooms, predominantly cyanobacteria, which probably were the main source of extracellular polysaccharides in the system. O estudo dos carboidratos dissolvidos e sua relação com as algas abundantes no reservatório de Barra Bonita, foi realizado em coletas mensais (junho de 2002 a janeiro de 2004), em seis profundidades na coluna d'água, cujos valores variaram dependendo da estação do ano e do nível do reservatório, num ponto fixo, localizado 3 km a montante da barragem. Aproximadamente 90% dos carboidratos dissolvidos neste reservatório foram constituídos por carboidratos poliméricos hidrolisáveis (polissacarídeos ou oligossacarídeos). A análise de variância detectou variabilidade entre as concentrações dos carboidratos dissolvidos apenas em escala temporal (p < 0,05), sendo que no eixo vertical, as concentrações destes açúcares apresentaram-se homogêneas (p > 0,05). A composição monossacarídica dos açúcares encontrados no reservatório foi galactose, ramnose, glicose e fucose. Na maioria dos meses amostrados, as concentrações de carboidratos dissolvidos, a maioria deles poliméricos, ocorreram concomitantemente ao registro de florescimentos das espécies abundantes, principalmente cianofíceas, que provavelmente foram as principais fontes de polissacarídeos extracelulares para o sistema.Palavras-chave: fitoplâncton, reservatório eutrófico, polissacarídeos extracelulares.

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