Effect of sulfur dioxide on algae

Journal Article · Sat Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1977 · J. Environ. Qual.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq1978.00472425000700030013x· OSTI ID:5741524

Wodzinski, R S; Alexander, M

Photosynthetic activity in soil of pH 7.1 was unaffected by a 10-day exposure to 0.5 ppM sulfur dioxide (SO/sub 2/) in air. However, the photosynthetic activity of Anabaena flos-aquae and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii suspended in a thin layer of medium at an initial pH of 6.0 was almost totally inhibited within 24 hours by treatment with 1.0 ppM SO/sub 2/ in air. The pH of the medium decreased to 5.2 or below during this period. If the decrease in pH was prevented by the addition of soil or phosphate buffer, no inhibition of photosynthesis was observed. In contrast, addition of an acidic soil to a medium of pH 4.9 offered no protection from the adverse effects of SO/sub 2/. The data indicate that the decrease in pH of samples exposed to SO/sub 2/ was not the sole cause of the inhibition of photosynthetic activity.

• OSTI ID: 5741524
• Journal Information: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States) Vol. 7:3; ISSN JEVQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560303* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Plants-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACIDIFICATION
AIR POLLUTION
ALGAE
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
INHIBITION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PH VALUE
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
PLANTS
POLLUTION
POPULATION DYNAMICS
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOILS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
SYNTHESIS