Formation of transparent exopolymer particles, TEP, from dissolved precursor material

摘要: Transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) form from polysaccharides released by many phytoplankton species, but this process which dissolved organic matter becomes particulate is poorly understood. Here, the abiotic formation of TEP precursors <0.2 μm and minimum molecular weight (MW) TEP-precursors were studied. In most samples formed material (polycarbonate membrane filters, Poretics) when exposed to laminar shear in Couette flocculators. This result was unexpected as no <0.45 (polycap capsules, Whatman) due surface coagulation onto bubbles (Zhou et al. 1998; Limnol Oceanogr 43:1860-1871). Some able pass through dialysis bags with a nominal pore size 8 kDa (natural cellulose, Spektrum), although their MW presumably 2 orders magnitude larger, suggesting that can be fibrillar. It suggested freshly are fibrillar these larger colloids eventually within hours days after release.