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SORPTION OF PLUTONIUM‐237 BY TWO SPECIES OF MARINE PHYTOPLANKTON 1 1
Author(s) -
Yen Jeannette
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
journal of phycology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1529-8817
pISSN - 0022-3646
DOI - 10.1111/j.1529-8817.1981.tb00861.x
Subject(s) - phaeodactylum tricornutum , diatom , biology , phytoplankton , algae , sorption , adsorption , botany , plutonium , thalassiosira pseudonana , environmental chemistry , nuclear chemistry , ecology , chemistry , nutrient , organic chemistry
The adsorption of plutonium‐237, added from an acid solution, by two species of marine phytoplankton, Monochrysis lutheri Droop, a flagellated chrysomonad, and Phaeodactylum tricornutum Bohlin, a diatom, is governed by a passive mechanism. This is clearly indicated by the observation that the rapid rates of sorption were not significantly different for live and heat‐killed cells incubated at 24°C and 0°C. The Q 10 values for the chrysomonad and the diatom of 0.95 and 1.18, respectively, are indicative of passive processes. The average ratio of (activity on algae/activity in filtrate) per unit volume at 24 h, the time when maximum levels of algal radioactivity were attained, of (32 ± 4) × 10 3 was not significantly different for the diatom or the chrysomonad. On a per cell basis, maximum levels of radioactivity were attained within 2 h. Less than 20% of the adsorbed 237 Pu desorbed after 24 h.