Accumulation and cellular distribution of 241 Am, 210Po, and 210Pb in two marine algae

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Abstract
Accumulation and cellular distribution of 241Am, 210Po and 210Pb were studied in the marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana and the marine green alga Dunaliella tertiolecta. Both species concentrated Am, Po and Pb from artifically spiked cultures, resulting in wet weight concentration factors of .apprx. 1 to 4 .times. 105 for 241Am, 3 to 7 .times. 104 for 210Po and 5 to 17 .times. 103 for 210Pb. These concentration factors were comparable to those based on analyses of natural plankton assemblages. In contrast to 210Po, 241Am and 210Pb were associated almost exclusively with structural components (cell walls and plasmalemmae) and showed no evidence of protein association. The data, together with field evidence, suggested that 241Am and 210Pb were not bound to cell material easily assimilated by herbivorous zooplankton, while 210Po associated with cellular organic compounds and was assimilated in animals. This may lead to high 270Pa turnover rates in surface waters.