THE INVESTIGATION OF KINETIC GROWTH OF CHLORELLA-VULGARIS CELLS BY THE METHOD OF INTEGRAL AND DYNAMIC LIGHT-SCATTERING

Laboratory measurements of light scattering on axenic cultures of the unicellular alga Chlorella vulgaris confirm multilevel light scatterin g by the cell (i.e. both by the outer cell membrane and the internal s tructure of the cell, as well as by its molecular structure). The tech nique of dynamic light scattering and analysis by the regulation metho d suggest that the light scattering phenomena is affected by particles of sizes corresponding either to the overall dimensions of the cell o r to the dimensions of its internal structure. A correlation was found between the suggested sizes and the stage of physiological evolution of the culture. Three well-known stages (adaptation, logarithmic and s tationary growth) can be recognized easily in changes observed in the size distribution of the scattering centers as measured by the dynamic light scattering technique and in the shape changes of elements of th e scattering matrix. The occurrence of cells containing large internal structure elements, such as autospores, affect elements of the scatte ring matrix, suggesting that cell structure should be taken into accou nt as a scattering system producing rotatory polarization of the scatt ered light.