The Good, the Green and the Urea: The Effects of Urea on the Growth of Picochlorum oklahomense.

Abstract

Photosynthetic organisms not only receive energy from the sun, but from nutrients in fertilizer and urea as well. It was hypothesized that an increase in urea concentration would result in an increased algae cell concentration in Picochlorum Oklahomense. The experiment was comprised of testing algae cell concentrations when urea concentration was doubled and tripled based on the original urea content in a control group. The results supported the hypothesis and showed a positive correlation between increased urea concentration and increased algae cell concentration.