Qazaqstan Culture Collection of Phototrophic Microorganisms
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A. Media for freshwater cyanobacteria

CHU-10

Chu No. 10 (Chu-10 medium)

Classical oligotrophic medium

Application
Diatoms (Asterionella, Fragilaria), desmids, planktonic cyanobacteria; modelling of natural waters
pH
6.5–7.0
Source
Chu, 1942; modified by Gerloff et al., 1950

Composition

ComponentAmount per 1 L
Ca(NO₃)₂40 mg (or Ca(NO₃)₂·4H₂O 57.6 mg)
K₂HPO₄10 mg
MgSO₄·7H₂O25 mg
Na₂CO₃20 mg
Na₂SiO₃·9H₂O25 mg
FeCl₃ (or ferric citrate)0.8 mg
Chu-10 trace element solution1.0 mL
Distilled waterto 1000 mL

Trace element solution for Chu-10 (Gerloff modification)

per 100 mL of solution · usage rate 1 mL per 1 L of medium · storage at 4 °C, 6 months

ComponentWeighed amount / volume
Na₂EDTA100 mg
H₃BO₃50 mg
MnSO₄·4H₂O50 mg (or MnCl₂·4H₂O 44 mg)
ZnSO₄·7H₂O5.0 mg
CuSO₄·5H₂O2.0 mg (1 mL of a primary stock solution at 2.0 g/L)
Na₂MoO₄·2H₂O1.0 mg (1 mL of a primary stock solution at 1.0 g/L)
Co(NO₃)₂·6H₂O1.0 mg (1 mL of a primary stock solution at 1.0 g/L)
Distilled waterto 100 mL

Preparation

Dissolve K₂HPO₄ → MgSO₄·7H₂O → Na₂CO₃ → FeCl₃ (from a freshly prepared dilution) → 1 mL of the trace element solution → Ca(NO₃)₂ → make up to 950 mL → adjust the pH to 6.5–7.0 → and only then add Na₂SiO₃·9H₂O → make up to 1000 mL.

Notes

  • The silicate is added AT THE VERY END and only to a medium already brought to its working pH. Adding Na₂SiO₃ to an acidic medium precipitates amorphous SiO₂, which is unavailable to diatoms; adjusting the pH after the silicate has been added gives the same result.
  • Modified Chu-10 (after Gerloff) additionally contains EDTA and a full set of trace elements; Chu's classical formulation has no trace elements and is suitable only for short-term experiments.
  • For non-diatom cultures Na₂SiO₃·9H₂O is omitted.
  • Na₂EDTA is dissolved first: in oligotrophic media without a chelator the trace elements co-precipitate with carbonates and become unavailable to the cells. The three primary stock solutions are prepared in 100 mL (200, 100 and 100 mg respectively) and 1 mL is taken from each.