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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1963 September; 11(5): 450-452

Gas Exchange with Mass Cultures of Algae

II. Reliability of a Photosynthetic Gas Exchanger

U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C.

ABSTRACT

Comparisons of oxygen production and carbon dioxide absorption by an algal gas exchanger were made over a 3-month period. The data do not represent a continuous test, but they do represent results obtained when identical light intensities, CO₂ supply rates, and dilution rates with fresh culture medium had been used for more than 1 day. Steady-state conditions were thus assured, and the agreement in the data was excellent. Under the same experimental conditions, the unit was operated continuously for a 5-day period, and the daily variability in this test was less than in the results obtained from month to month. The variation between the average O₂ production during the 5-day test and the average of the tests over a several-month period was less than 3%. It is concluded, therefore, that the reliability of the algae in producing oxygen is sufficient to warrant their use in either submarine or space ship use.