Nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate uptake by the immobilized cells of Dunaliella salina.

Eutrophicat ion of r ivers & lakes is the major cause of pollut ion worldwide. Nitrogen and phosphorus through agricultural effluents and industrial outpour are the chief cause of eutrophication. In recent years microalgae have been largely used as test systems for the removal of pollutants from wastewater Codina et al ( 1 9 9 3 ) . M a n y a d v a n c e d b i o r e a c t o r s u s e i m m o b i l i z e d m i c r o o r g a n i s m s a s b ioca t a ly s t s s i nce t hey r educe ce l l washou t and i nc rea se t he b ioca t a ly s t c o n c e n t r a t i o n w i t h o p t i m u m c o n t a c t w i t h t h e s u b s t r a t e . A l s o t h e u s e o f immobilized cells instead of free cells offers increased stability and the ease of separation of algal biomass after waste water treatment.