Effect of pH on growth of acid stream algae

Abstract

Five species of algae (Chlamydomonas applanata var. acidophila, Euglena mutabilis, Gloeochrysis turfosa, Horrnidium rivulare, Stichococcus bacillaris) were isolated from a stream at pH 2"6-3'1, and their laboratory growth studied. Growth of all species could occur at pH values lower than those from which they were isolated, the lowermost limits being quite similar to those recorded for the particular species growing anywhere in England. Morphological differences were apparent with all five species at the lowermost pH values. These took place with Stichococcus bacillaris at pH values at which there was little reduction in growth rate, but with the other species obvious differences in morphology were correlated with a marked reduction in growth rate below the optimum rate. At the uppermost pH value tested, however, no obvious morphological differences were apparent. The effect of including 10~o stream water in the medium was rather similar for all five species. No influence on growth rate was detectable at the lower pH values, but higher pH values led to a decrease in growth rate as compared with that found in medium lacking stream water.

Effects of pH on toxicity of As, Cr, Cu, Ni and Zn to Selenastrum capricornutum Printz

“…The possibility of similar counteractions by S. capricornutum is possible. Hargreaves & Whitton (1976) found that acid mine stream populations of algae grew in the field with rather similar levels of zinc and copper. Copper was less toxic than zinc at pH 3.5 but much more toxic than zinc at pH 6.0.…”

“…Most studies published on algae in acid environments have focused on their field distribution in relation to pH (Bennett, 1969), or with their pH tolerance in the laboratory (Moss, 1973;Hargreaves & Whitton, 1976). Several laboratory studies have also established nutrient requirements (Macias, 1965;Cassin, 1974).…”

“…(1972) observed diatom communities in acidic and non-acidic, zinc and copper polluted wastes, and found that acid tolerant species were also tolerant to high heavy metal levels, but the converse was not true. It was suggested that pH is probably the primary factor influencing species distribution, although heavy metals are selective to some extent (Hargreaves & Whitton, 1976).…”

Effects of Environmental Factors and Nutrient Availability on the Biochemical Composition of Algae for Biofuels Production: A Review

“…In a study on Chlamydomonas acidophila at pH 4.4, it was observed that hydrogen ions denature V-lysin, a proteolytic enzyme that facilitates releasing of daughter cells from within the parental wall [128]. Hargreaves and Whitton [129] studied the effects of low pH on the morphology of five algal species. Acidic conditions (pH 1.3-1.5) were observed to limit the motility of cells in Chlamydomonas applanata var.…”

Effects of CO2 and pH on Growth of the Microalga Dunaliella salina

“…The effects of pH and CO 2 on microalgal growth have been well studied by many researchers [9][10][11][12][13][14], however, neither pH nor dissolved CO 2 were solely controlled during their experiments due to the interactions between pH and dissolved CO 2 . It seems to be infeasible to keep pH constant while varying the dissolved CO 2 , or vary the pH while keeping dissolved CO 2 constant.…”