A simple and rapid method for separation and isolation of marine algal species from naturally evolved populations.

To improve the study of mixed microalgal populations, three naturally evolved marinemicroalgal cultures were subjected to a light crushing mechanical treatment using a siliconspatula coupled with zymolyase treatment at four concentrations: 5, 10, 20 and 25 U/ml, for15, 30, 45 and 60 min before being observed under a microscope. The enzyme concentrationof 20 U/ml after 45 min reduces the size of macroscopic microalgal aggregates and improvesthe microscopic observation of the different microalgal species comprising the population.There was no improvement using the higher enzyme concentration. This paper proposes anew approach to the study of naturally evolved microalgal populations which is useful fordistinguishing the morphology of the different species present in the population andallowing for the identification by classical keys, and also to obtain a pure culture from aninoculum of mixed species by using a micromanipulator for cell counting.