Abstract
Tris (Tris(hydroxymethyl)amino methane), a compound often used as a buffer in microalgal culture media, sustains active bacterial growth in non-axenic microalgal cultures when sodium phosphate is present. The low pH levels caused by bacterial growth and probably the depletion of phosphorus in the medium caused the collapse ofPhaeodactylum tricornutum cultures resulting in a reduction of microalgal growth from 32 x 106 to 1.1 x 106 cells ml−1. This emphasizes the need for care when interpreting the results of non-axenic microalgae cultures in which Tris or other organic buffer is added.
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Fábregas, J., Vázquez, V., Cabezas, B. et al. Tris not only controls the pH in microalgal cultures, but also feeds bacteria. J Appl Phycol 5, 543–545 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02182514
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02182514