Testing Scandium Method to Quantify Suspended Particles Adhesion to the External Surface of Periphyton Communities

Aquarium experiments were performed to quantify the inorganic fraction of suspended particles deposited on the external surface of aquatic biota. The mass of suspended particles retained on the surfaces of microalgae growing on submerged substrates and the algal biomass were determined by comparing the scandium content of suspended material with that in algal communities. Scandium, a predominantly soil-associated trace element, has been used as a ‘tracer’ for the inorganic component of suspended particles, because this element is geologically ubiquitous in soils, and it is recognized that it cannot cross natural membranes of plants and other organisms. The algal biomass determined using the scandium content was compared with biomass values calculated using phytopigments as estimates of periphyton biomass. The results indicate that the suspended particle mass adhering to the external periphyton surface may accounted for up to 55% of the total mass collected on submerged artificial substrates.