ABSTRACT
Pollutants due to human activity can disturb phytoplankton behavior at least in coastal and freshwater ecosystems. The initial approach to understanding the effects of pollutants on phytoplankton was to try and evaluate toxicity using the techniques which were already in existence for studying phytoplankton activity. The growth of phytoplankton algae also allows the effects of pollutants to be tested. Hydrocarbons can stimulate phytoplanktonic growth which is regarded as being indicative of some metabolization. Chlorophyll content is frequently used to measure phytoplankton growth. Some phytoplankton species have been extensively used as experimental models for studying the cell cycle. Nucleic acid and protein syntheses are usually reduced by a variety of pollutants. Hydrocarbons can stimulate phytoplanktonic growth which is regarded as being indicative of some metabolization. Since phytoplankton productivity is the main concern of oceanographs, most experiments with unicellular algae are related to growth and photosynthesis.
