The Organic Content of Lake Water

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Abstract
Plankton was extracted from 50-100-1. samples of lake water by centri-fuging; the centrifuged water was evaporated in vacuo at 60[degree]C. The dry residue was analyzed for organic N and organic C. The residues from Lake Mendota yielded a mean of 0.393 mgm. organic N per liter of water and 5 8 mgm. of organic C, or in a ratio of 1:14.8. Samples from 12 other lakes gave a mean of 0.460 mgm. N and 6.66 mgm. C per liter of water, making a ratio of 1:14.3. Together the organic N and C of Lake Mendota represent approximately 15 mgm. of organic matter per liter; on the average the organic matter of the plankton is less than 1/6 this amount. The average results are substantially the same in the other lakes. There is twice as much crude protein in the plankton as in the residue, approximately equal amounts of fat, and much more carbohydrate in the residue than in the plankton. Plankton forms the main source of organic matter in the residue.

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