WHAT KIND OF LAMP FOR THE CULTIVATION OF ALGAE

A method for quantitative evaluation of light sources from the point o f their suitability for algal cultivation is described. Two parameters are used for the evaluation: (1) amount of photons emitted in the spe ctral region absorbed by algae per consumed unit of electrical energy; (2) fraction of photons intercept by the algae that got effectively t ransformed into chemical energy. The value of parameter (2) depends on the emission spectrum of the light source, the absorption spectrum of the algae, quantum capacity of the algae and on conditions of cultiva tion. The method permits the assessment of the differences in algal pr oductivity under light of various light sources with respect to other recent methods for comparison.