Photoacoustic study of the effect of fuel oil on the photosynthetic system of algae Scenedesmus armatus

Abstract

Photoacoustic (PA) spectroscopy was applied to study variability in the photosynthetic energy storage (ES) and changes in the PA-signal amplitude of the green alga Scenedesmus armatus, grown in a batch culture in the presence of aqueous fuel-oil extract (AFOE). The adaptation process of the alga was observed for 16 days by means of intercomparison between the PA-signal of the alga cultures in the polluted environment and a control culture. Characteristic changes in the ultrastructure of the alga have been observed.