DO, pH, and Eh microprofiles in cyanobacterial granules from Lake Taihu under different environmental conditions

• DOI: 10.1007/s10811-013-0211-4
• Publication Date: 2013-12-03T19:09:02Z
• Authors: Fei Fang; Liuyang Yang; Lin Gan; Liyun Guo; Zhixin Hu; Sijia Yuan; Qiankun Chen; Lijuan Jiang
• Keywords: 13. Climate action; 14. Life underwater; 01 natural sciences; 6. Clean water; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

To understand characteristics of cyanobacterial granules from Lake Taihu, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, and redox potential (Eh) microelectrodes were used to investigate physiological responses within these granules under different irradiance, temperature, and external pH levels. DO and pH levels increased with rising irradiance, while the Eh had an opposite trend. High light combined with high temperature decreased photosynthesis of the cyanobacterial granules. DO diffused from the surrounding water to the granules at low irradiance; however, DO began to diffuse from the granules to the water at high irradiance owing to increased photosynthesis. Dynamic changes of DO, pH, and Eh levels existed within the cyanobacterial granules under light–dark cycles. High DO levels within intercellular space of the cyanobacterial granules are another important buoyancy regulation mechanism. An external initial pH affected photosynthesis of the cyanobacteria in the granules. DO and pH levels of the granules in slightly alkaline solution (pH 8–9) were higher than those in highly alkaline solution (pH 10). Such physical and chemical characteristics within cyanobacterial granules in eutrophic water allowed them to outcompete other aquatic algae. The characterization of the physiological microenvironment within these cyanobacterial granules provides a new research approach to a better bloom management.