The Cell Growth Rate and Increase in Chlorophyll when adding Phosphate and Nitrate to Picochlorum oklahomense

Abstract

While studying the growth of Picochlorum oklahomense and adding nitrogen and phosphorus we chose to observe how the growth rate can affect the creation of biofuels.  In our study we had two weeks of testing four bottles of algae containing nitrogen, phosphorus, a combination of the two as well as a control group. In our study we found the cell count, using a hemocytometer and a microscope, and the chlorophyll concentration, using Aquafluor, of each photobioreactor to find the amount of chlorophyll per cell. The results showed higher cell growth and chlorophyll concentration, in samples with additional nitrogen, and varying results in samples with additional phosphorous.