Abstract
The effects of p, p′-DDT were determined on photosynthesis and chlorophyll a content in the marine diatom Nitzschia delicatissima Cleve at four light intensities. A consistent reduction in carbon fixation and chlorophyll a per cell over controls in a 24-hour period was observed with increasing DDT concentration between 9.4 ppb and 1000 ppb. The maximum reductions of carbon uptake, chlorophyll a and carbon/chlorophyll a uptake per cell occurred at the highest light intensities. Carbon fixation per cell was reduced by as much as 94% in water containing an initial DDT concentration of 100 ppb, and chlorophyll a per cell by as much as 86% in 220 ppb DDT. Above 100 ppb, further decreases of carbon fixation and chlorophyll a per cell were not observed. Distortion of the chloroplasts in the cells exposed to DDT was also observed at the lowest concentration of DDT used. At 1000 ppb, chloroplasts were totally destroyed within 24 hours.
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