Abstract |
Microorganisms in water that have been incriminated in taste and odor production include the protozoa, bacteria, actinomycetes, molds, and algae. The last group is particularly important in water supplies. The degree to which a body of water can support a dense 'bloom' of an alga and becomes highly odoriferous depends on the specific environmental requirements of the alga, including its nutritional needs. In their growth, algae utilize the mineral nutrients that have come from the land as well as carbon dioxide from the air or that released in the decay of organic matter. The report presents results of a study concerned with studying the relationships between algae and nutrients. |