Abstract
Phytoplankton exudates into culture media and extracts from littoral algae are shown to contain significant quantities of extracellular materials having molecular weights in excess of 50,000. A recent development in experimental fluid mechanics (the reduction of turbulent friction coefficients of flowing solutions by dissolved macromolecules) has been utilized as a specific test for high molecular weight compounds. Phytoplankton species in all major algal groups could be found which exude high molecular weight compounds into their culture media; the red alga Porphyridium cruentum typically produced friction reductions as high as 60%. Seaweed samples in the Chlorophyta, Phaeophyta, and Rhodophyta showed major changes in turbulent friction coefficient; in some cases the friction was less than 1/2 that of pure seawater. All samples of the genus Porphyra and Gigartina produced substantial friction changes. From these experiments it is concluded that algal exudates can be a prominent source of high molecular weight compounds in the sea.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Literature cited
Buist, G.: Notes on certain discolored appearances met with on the surface of the sea in warm latitudes. Naut. Mag. 23 (1854). [Exerpt in Library of Congress, QL123B8].
Harvey, G. W.: Microlayer collection from the sea surface: a new method and initial results. Limnol. Oceanogr. 11, 608–613 (1966).
Hidaka, T. and R. Baudoin: Les Fucus et la formation de l'ecume marine. C. r. hebd. Séanc. Acad. Sci., Paris 260, 5861–5864 (1965).
Hoyt, J. W.: A turbulent-flow rheometer. In: Symposium on rheology, pp 71–82. Ed. by A. W. Morris and J. T. S. Wang, New York: ASME 1965.
— Friction reduction as an estimator of molecular weight. Polym. Lett. 4, 713–716 (1966).
fnHoyt, J. W.: Turbulent-flow properties of polysaccharide solutions. In: Solution properties of natural polymers, pp 207–215. London: Chemical Society Spec. Publ. No. 23, 1968.
— and A. G. Fabula: The effect of additives on fluid friction. In: Fifth Symposium on Naval Hydrodynamics, pp 947–974. Ed. by J. K. Lunde and S. W. Doroff. Washington: Office of Naval Research (ACR-112) 1964.
— and G. Soli: Algal cultures: ability to reduce turbulent friction in flow. Science, N. Y. 149, 1509–1511 (1965).
Jones, R. F.: Extracellular mucilage of the red alga Porphyridium cruentum. J. cell. comp. Physiol. 60, 61–64 (1962).
Kenis, P. R.: Drag reduction by bacterial metabolites. Nature, Lond. 217, 940–952 (1968).
Percival, E. and R. H. McDowell: Chemistry and enzymology of marine algal polysaccharides, 219 pp. New York: Academic Press 1967.
Sieburth, J. McN.: Studies on algal substances in the sea. III. The production of extracellular organic matter by littoral marine algae. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 3, 290–309 (1969).
— and A. Jensen: Studies on algal substances in the sea. I. Gelbstoff (humic material) in terrestrial and marine waters. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 2, 174–189 (1968).
—: Studies on algal substances in the sea. II. The formation of Gelbstoff (humic material) by exudates of Phaeophyta, J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 3, 275–289 (1969).
Soli, G.: Axenic cultivation of a pelagic diatom. In: Symposium on marine microbiology, pp 122–126. Ed. by C. H. Oppenheimer. Springfield, Illinois: C. C. Thomas 1963.
—: A system for isolating phytoplankton organisms in unialgal and bacteria-free culture. Limnol. Oceanogr. 9, 265–268 (1964).
Starr, R. C.: The culture collection of algae at Indiana University. Am. J. Bot. 51, 1013–1044 (1964).
Sturdy, G. and W. H. Fischer: Surface tension of slick patches near kelp beds. Nature, Lond. 211, 951–952 (1966).
Sweeney, B. M. and J. W. Hastings: Characteristics of the diurnal rhythm of luminescence in Gonyaulax polyedra. J. cell. comp. Physiol. 49, 115–128 (1957).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by G. L. Voss, Miami
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hoyt, J.W. High molecular weight algal substances in the sea. Marine Biology 7, 93–99 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00354912
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00354912