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 Te traselmis suecica (Chlorophyta, Prasinophyceae) were compared. Algal cells were immobilized in 2% calcium alginate solution; both entrapped and free c ultures were maintained in synthetic sea water at 19 parts per thousand sal inity and 14 degrees C constant temperature. Algal growth was evaluated by cell abundance, growth constant (K) and generation time (g(t)), 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 b oth immobilized and free cultures was quite similar: Analysis of the T. sue cica life cycle showed the higher viability of the alga after immobilizatio n in calcium aginate gel. In addition, the mean chlorophyll a content of th e immobilized cells was higher in comparison to free cells. The growth rate of the entrapped cells, on the other hand, was lower.