Culture Studies on the Effects from Fluoride Pollution on the Growth of Marine Phytoplankters

Abstract

The autotrophic growth of 12 species of marine phytoplankters, from eight classes of algae, was tested on axenic cultures with NaF additions of 0–100 mgF/L. All species showed good growth without indication of toxicity or adaptation lag. The highest fluoride concentration caused 25–30% growth-rate inhibition of a diatom, a dinoflagellate, and a haptophyte; other diatoms and species from other classes of algae were virtually unaffected. It is hypothesized that the unexpected lack of toxicity from F − ion may be due to the formation of innocuous complexes with one or more ions of seawater. The ecological inference is drawn that fluoride pollution may be readily tolerated by some marine phytoplankton under nutrient-sufficient conditions. Key words: marine phytoplankton, growth in culture, fluoride-pollution effects