Abstract
Microalgae have attracted attention for several industrial applications, but all such applications demand culture quality because of their sensitivity to environmental changes. Although simplicity, speed, and accuracy are important to assess algal cultures, researchers have expended vast amounts of labor to monitor algal health using hemocytometry. Along with its user bias, quantifying the cell status aside from the cell density is not easy. This paper describes the easy and rapid evaluation of algal number and status using an image-based cell counter (Countess II FL; Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.) with a fluorescent filter for chlorophyll. Unlike mammalian cultured cells larger than microalgae, it is not easy for a low-resolution camera alone to distinguish microalgae from grimy spots and microbubbles on counting plates. To assess this method’s performance, freshwater/marine microalgae and environmental samples were evaluated using the instrument. Results reveal that an instrument with a fluorescence filter can distinguish microalgae from other particles more precisely than a device with no filter. Values obtained using the instrument were not significantly different from those obtained using hemocytometry. Moreover, the cell counter, but not hemocytometry, can qualify the algal status. Results demonstrate that this system, which has no user bias, can contribute to algal assessment.
Highlights
Microscopy, hemocytometry, and UV-Vis spectroscopy have been used to evaluate both algal cultures and environmental samples
This paper presents a method of easy and rapid evaluation of the number of algae and algal status using a compact, automated, and image-based cell counter (Countess II FL cell counter; Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.) with a fluorescence filter for chlorophyll fluorescence
This study evaluated the applicability of a cell counter (Countess II FL; Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.) to detect microalgae such as Parachlorella kessleri (C-531 strain), Chlorella-like symbiotic algae (SA-1 strain) isolated from Paramecium bursaria and sea algae species
Summary
Microscopy, hemocytometry, and UV-Vis spectroscopy have been used to evaluate both algal cultures and environmental samples. Available automated cell counters (TC20 Automated Cell Counter from Bio Rad Laboratories Inc., DigitalBio from NanoEnTek Inc., Cell Counter model R1 from Olympus Corp., and others) have been used for standard target cells such as cultured animal cells, e.g., human, rat, and mouse cells, which are generally larger than microalgae These technologies help researchers shorten their routine tasks, including the checking of cell health and cell numbers. This paper presents a method of easy and rapid evaluation of the number of algae and algal status using a compact, automated, and image-based cell counter (Countess II FL cell counter; Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.) with a fluorescence filter for chlorophyll fluorescence. In addition to precise quantification of microalgae, the device can simultaneously evaluate the algal status based on chlorophyll fluorescence This method relieves researchers from laborious and time-consuming routine tasks including the checking of algal health and numbers.
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