Effects of Trace Metals on Growth of Red Tide Phytoplankton and Their Accumulation of Metal

The effects of six trace metals on the growth of five species of phytoplankton were examined and their uptake of these metals was investigated. Chattonella antiqua was sensitive to high cupric ion activities with a prolonged lag phase when the activity was 10-12,8M. The growth of Gymnodinium nelsoni was slowed by low manganese activities and stopped at the activity of 10 ^-11M Thalassiosira sp., C. antiqua, and Heterosigma akashiwo were affected by low zinc ion activities and H. akashiwo was affected by low cupric ion activities. All species but Dunaliella sp. were affected by low iron concentrations. The cellular copper level of Dunaliella sp., the cellular manganese level of Thalassiosira sp., and the cellular zinc level of H. akashiwo were saturated. Thlassiosira sp. could accumulate about 32 times as much manganese as its minimum cell requirement.