Viability of the marine microalga Tetraselmis suecica grown free and immobilized in alginate beads

The growth responses of free and immobolized cultures of the marine alga Tetraselmis suecica (Chlorophyta, Prasinophyceae) were compared. Algal cells were immobilized in 2% calcium alginate solution; both entrapped and free cultures were maintained in synthetic sea water at 19 salinity and 14°C constant temperature. Algal growth was evaluated by cell abundance, growth constant (K) and generation time (gt), calculated from data obtained during the exponential phase. The biomass of T. suecica, in terms of chlorophyll a content, was also determined. Cell abundance of both immobilized and free cultures was quite similar. Analysis of the T. suecica life cycle showed the higher viability of the alga after immobilization in calcium aginate gel. In addition, the mean chlorophyll a content of the immobilized cells was higher in comparison to free cells. The growth rate of the entrapped cells, on the other hand, was lower. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998