The Effect of Sodium Phosphate on Algae Growth

Abstract

Chorell protothecoides, the focus algae used throughout this experiment, uses nutrients within the surrounding aqueous environment to grow. It was investigated how the concentration of algae cells increases as the amount of sodium phosphate increases. For this experiment to take place, four photobioreactors were used and introduced with the same amount of algae. Different amounts of sodium phosphate were added to each photobioreactor. The photobioreactors were left to sit for two weeks, measurements taken once per week. The bottles with greater concentrations of sodium phosphate yielded a larger cell concentration as determined from a hectometer. This indicates that environments with an abundance of sodium phosphate will provide an adequate amount of nutrients to support abundant algae growth.