RELEASE OF VOLATILE HALOGENATED ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS BY UNIALGAL CULTURES OF POLAR MACROALGAE

The release of volatile halogenated organic compounds (VHOC) by different cultivated polar brown, red and green macroalgae was monitored in laboratory experiments. Isolation and identification of VHOC was performed by a purge and trap technique and capillary gas chromatography with electron capture detection. By using a column with high stationary phase thickness, 11 compounds from bromomethane to diiodomethane were separated and their release rates determined. Of all compounds investigated, bromoform is released in highest quantities from all species studied. Significant linear correlations of bromoform with the halogenated methanes and ethanes investigated, suggest an enzymic formation for each single compound. No significant linear correlation is found for bromomethane with the other VHOC investigated. Therefore, a non-enzymic formation is assumed. The results are discussed with relation to a possible influence of VHOC on atmospheric ozone depletion.