We only offer this procedure as a special examination as part of non-accredited services.
Determination of the chlorophyll a content
The standardized method according to DIN 38412-L16 1985-12 is used to determine the chlorophyll a content of surface waters. The chlorophyll content of a water sample can provide information about the trophic level of a body of water. Together with other biomass and bioactivity parameters, this value provides information on the quantitative occurrence and potential metabolic performance of phytoplankton in water bodies.
Chlorophyll a is the essential photosynthetic pigment present in all green plants. The determination of the chlorophyll a content is based on the spectrophotometric measurement of an extract from the filter residue of a water sample. The original chlorophyll content of the water sample is inferred from the comparative measurement after quantitative conversion of the chlorophyll into phaeopigments.
This method can be applied to all surface waters in which phytoplankton develops. It is suitable for testing the productivity of water and for quantifying the change in algal biomass (cell proliferation), e.g. due to substances dissolved in the water.
The determination of the pigment content of benthic algae or sediments requires a modification of the sampling procedure.
