Effects of multiple environmental factors on the growth and extracellular organic matter production of Microcystis aeruginosa : a central composite design response surface model

Abstract

In this study, statistically designed experiments using response surface methodology were conducted on Microcystis aeruginosa. A central composite design response surface model was established to investigate the multiple effects of various physical and chemical factors (total nitrogen, total phosphorus, temperature, and light intensity) on algal density and extracellular organic matter. The results of the experiments reveal that nitrate and phosphate had significant interactive effects on algal density, both iron and light intensity had synergic effects on the production of microcystins (MC-LR) and extracellular polysaccharides (EPS), and light intensity and nitrite had clear interactive effects on EPS release. Results did not show significant interactive effects on extracellular dissolved organic carbon (DOC) production. The contribution of extracellular dissolved organic matter of Microcystis aeruginosa during the logarithmic phase was further identified using a three-dimensional excitation emission matrix (3-DEEM). This study contributes to our theoretical knowledge of the prediction and analysis of M. aeruginosa growth and extracellular organic matter production.