An automatic method for on-line estimation of the photosynthetic rate in open algal ponds

An analytical model for dissolved oxygen concentration in an algal minipond was used to develop a new method for estimating, on-line, the net O(2) production rate (OPR) of the biological process. The method was tested experimentally and was found to provide crucial information on the vitality of the biological process and to provide an early warning of a possible forthcoming collapse of the ecosystern. It is suggested that the newly developed model and measurement method could provide investigators with useful tools for optimization of algal cultivation in the laboratory and plant.