Effects of Phosphate Nutrients on the Growth of the Marine Microalga Navicula sp. Isolated from the Eastern Coast of Thailand
Keywords:
Growth, Phosphate, Marine microalgae, Navicula, DiatomAbstract
Navicula sp., a marine diatom, plays a crucial role in aquatic ecosystems and holds significant potential for applications in aquaculture and biotechnology. This study aimed to investigate the effects of varying phosphate concentrations on the growth and photosynthetic efficiency of Navicula sp. TISTR 11108, isolated from the eastern coast of Thailand. Cultures were maintained in F/2 medium with three phosphate levels: 21 µM (control), 10.5 µM, and 5.25 µM. Growth was monitored over 14 days by measuring cell density and chlorophyll a (Chl a) content. The control group exhibited the highest growth performance, with a peak cell density of approximately 9.4 ± 0.35× 105 cells/mL, a Chl a concentration of 16.68 ± 0.79 mg/mL, and a specific growth rate of 0.28 ± 0.02 per day, indicating optimal photosynthetic activity. In contrast, cultures subjected to lower phosphate concentrations showed reduced growth and Chl a accumulation, accompanied by earlier signs of cellular degradation. Nile Red staining revealed lipid droplet formation in all treatments; however, the 10.5 µM phosphate treatment resulted in the highest lipid accumulation, followed by the 5.25 µM and 21 µM treatments. These findings highlight phosphate as a critical nutrient influencing diatom growth, while demonstrating that moderate phosphate limitation (10.5 µM) uniquely enhances lipid accumulation in Navicula sp. TISTR 11108. Overall, the results indicate a dual role of phosphate in regulating both photosynthetic efficiency and metabolic allocation, with important implications for biomass productivity, biofuel applications, and biotechnology.
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