A COMPARATIVE-STUDY AND MATHEMATICAL-MODELING OF TEMPERATURE, LIGHT AND GROWTH OF 3 MICROALGAE POTENTIALLY USEFUL FOR WASTE-WATER TREATMENT

Using growth rate data obtained for light intensities from 3 to 650-mu-E m-2 s-1, and for temperatures from 5 to 35-degrees-C, the effects of these two variables on the growth of Ankistrodesmus falcatus, Phormidium bohneri and Oscillatoria agardhii have been compared and mathematically formulated. At temperatures of 20-degrees-C or less, A. falcatus showed the best growth; no significant difference existed between P. bohneri and A. falcatus at 25-degrees-C. At 30 and 35-degrees-C, P. bohneri better withstood high light intensities. The effect of light intensity on growth at the various temperatures tested was modeled simultaneously to express growth as a first step towards a model for the management and optimization of intensive algal cultures for the biotreatment of wastewaters.