Survey of Some Canadian Lakes for the Presence of Ultrastructurally Discrete Particles in the Colloidal Size Range

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Abstract
Water samples from nine Canadian lakes were centrifuged and the pellets were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy. The pellets included small organisms, organic colloids, and clay particles. In almost all the samples, colloids were the major component revealed following thin-section analysis. When viewed at high magnification, much of each pellet consisted of morphologically discrete particles, some of which were readily categorized. Electron-opaque fibrils of colloidal size were frequently encountered (1) at different depths, (2) as a coating on the surface of algae and bacteria, (3) overlaying the sediments, (4) as an apparent adhesive between a variety of particles, and (5) as a component of froth at the water–air interface. They were common at all times and in lakes of various trophic levels and sizes. Key words: water, colloids, fibrils, lakes, electron microscopy

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