Nutrient uptake by Chlorella vulgaris and Anacystis nidulans isolated fromthe effluent of a fertilizer factory

Abstract

The growth of 2 unicellular algae, A. nidulans and C. vulgaris, in media containing different concns of phosphate and nitrate was studied. Whereas the growth of both spp at different concns was fairly similar, Chlorella absorbed more phosphate from the medium than Anacystis. Nitrate promoted growth at all concns tested. Phosphate, on the other hand, stimulated the growth at lower concns and inhibited it at higher concns. The objective in undertaking this work was mainly to study the response of algae to high, rather than low, concs of plant nutrients, since such high concns generally occur in polluted waters.