Optimal Extraction Conditions of Chlorophylls from Cultures of Five Species of Marine Phytoplankton

Abstract

Considerable variation was found in the success of extraction of chlorophyll pigment from different species of phytoplankton by grinding. The optimal conditions for chlorophyll a were established for Dunaliella tertiolecta, Thalassiosira nordenskioldii, Chaetoceros curvisetus, Fragilaria sp., and Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Significant conclusions could not be drawn for chlorophyll c because of the relative imprecision of the chlorophyll c measurement compared with chlorophyll a. For chlorophyll a, ease of extraction was inversely related to the dry weight chlorophyll a ratio.