Water Toxicity Measurement Method Using Green Algae

Low-Cost Water Toxicity Diagnostic Method Using Correlation Analysis of Green Algae Spore Release Rate and Dry Weight

This technology is a bioassay-based water toxicity measurement method that determines the level of water toxicity by exposing green algae leaves to a test water body, measuring the area that has turned white due to spore release, and statistically analyzing its correlation with dry weight.

Conventional methods of measuring individual pollutant concentrations through chemical analysis require expensive equipment, skilled personnel, and significant time, and are impossible to perform if the specific components are unknown. Concentrations can change during long-distance sample transport, and existing bioassays using fish or invertebrates also involve high costs and operational burdens.

This technology simply quantifies the color change resulting from green algae spore release using a measuring film or image analysis device, evaluates the correlation with dry weight through linear regression or paired t-tests, and ensures reliability by re-measuring if the correlation coefficient falls below a standard. It shows high correlation with various toxic substances such as heavy metals, herbicides, VOCs, PAHs, PCBs, and organotins. It can be applied to river and lake water quality monitoring, industrial wastewater discharge management, and sediment leachate evaluation, allowing for low-cost, comprehensive toxicity screening in the field.

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Key Features:

• Placing green algae leaves into a well plate containing the target water body with a standard toxic solution and a control solution, and incubating them under standard temperature and light conditions
• Measuring the area of the green algae leaves that has turned white using a graduated measuring film or image analysis device as spore release progresses
• Removing moisture from the measured green algae segments by drying and then measuring the dry weight of the dried segments
• Analyzing the correlation between the spore release rate and dry weight using linear regression or paired t-tests to determine the toxicity level of the target water body

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This invention was developed through the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's project for the development of standard technologies for aquatic ecological risk bio-diagnosis and support for international certification.

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