EFFECTS OF pH AND NITROGEN SOURCES ON GROWTH OF MICROCYSTIS AERUGINOSA KÜTZ.

Abstract

Microcystis aeruginosa Kütz. (strain NRC-1) grew equally well throughout the pH range 6.5 to 10 when provided with suitable media. Toxicity of tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (TRIS) towards the alga was found to decrease as the pH decreased and could be correlated with the degree of ionization of the TRIS molecule. Other organic buffers examined were either toxic at all concentrations and pH values tested or promoted lysis. When TRIS was used as a buffer, higher concentrations of cesium chloride and potassium nitrate were tolerated without growth inhibition at pH 6.5 than at 7.5. In the presence of TRIS, Microcystis grew equally well with nitrate, ammonium, or urea as nitrogen sources. Eight out of 20 amino compounds examined served as nitrogen sources in TRIS-buffered medium, but growth was poorer than with nitrate nitrogen.