Physiological characteristics of diatom Nitzschia palea for ecological engineering countermeasure method of water blooms

This study is to investigate the effect of nutrients, temperature, and pH on the growth characteristics of diatom Nitzschia palea which may be the competitors of bloom forming cyanobacteria. This may be the basis for an ecological engineering method using by N. palea. The maximum specific growth rate (μmax) and the half-saturation constant of nitrogen (KN) for N. palea were estimated as 0.52 day-1 and 0.12 mgN L-1, respectively. μmax and KP of phosphorus for N. palea were estimated as 0.62 day-1 and 0.035 mgP L-1, respectively. μmax and KSi of silicon for N. palea were estimated as 0.68 day-1 and 0.48 mgSi L-1, respectively. The temperature for optimal growth was 15~25 °C. Moreover N. palea maintained high growth rate at 30 °C. The optimal pH for the growth of N. palea was 7.0-9.0. Therefore N. palea can be used as competitors for bloom forming cyanobacteria in the temperature during summer and an alkaline condition, in which the bloom usually occurs.