Effect of iron and phosphorus on the microalgae growth in co-culture

Iron and phosphorus (P) are the important micro- and macro-nutrient for microalgae growth, respectively. However, the effect of iron and P on microalgae growth in co-culture associating with the formation of dominate algae has not been investigated before. In the current study,Anabaene flos-aquae,Chlorella vulgarisandMelosira sp.were co-cultivated under the addition of different initial iron and P to reveal the effect of iron and phosphorus on the growth of microalgae. The results showed that the mean growth rate ofA. flos-aquae,C. vulgarisandMelosirawas 0.270, 0.261 and 0.062, respectively, indicating that theA. flos-aquaeandC. vulgarisalgae are liable to be the dominant algae while the growth ofMelosirawas restrained when co-cultured. The ratio of Fe to P has a significant impact on the growth of microalgae and could be regarded as an indicator of algae growth. Microalgae showed a much more obvious uptake of iron compared to that of P. The information obtained in the current study was useful for the forecast of water quality and the control of microalgae bloom.

Automated summary

This study revealed the effects of different initial iron and phosphorus additions on the growth of microalgae in co-culture, indicating that the ratio of iron to phosphorus significantly impacts the growth of microalgae, with A. flos-aquae and C. vulgaris being more likely to become dominant algae. The information obtained is useful for water quality forecasting and microalgae bloom control.