The images show a Cladophora-like mat that forms a biofilm in a brine RO system. The sample was collected from cartridge filters processing 1.4% brine. The filament branching is typical of Cladophora, as are the cell length to diameter ratios, but the overall cell sizes are smaller than those for freshwater Cladophora. The biofilm occurs as a thick white to yellowish exudate.
I too felt the organism at first glance as cladophora. The possible reason for smaller dimensions of organism could be due to brine density. It is good to grow them in normal culture medium to see whether normal cell dimensions can be regained besides using it as fresh source for further identification studies.
Dear William, Cladophora have very high morphological plasticity, so it can be Cladophora. Do you have picture of cells in larger magnification? I'm confused, that it's colorless. Are they growing on intense light ? What is conditions?
The biofilm of your pictures seems to be fungal hyphae. Fungi belonging to the groups Chytridiomycetes and Oomycetes have been observed on Cladophora thalli and, among the most common genera, the genus Pythium has been found.
You can find much more information on the web!
Many thanks for these useful responses. The material was isolated from inside a brine concentration system (Ultrafiltration, RO and etc). I am assuming that it did not grow inside the system but has sloughed off somewhere external to it and been desiccated by the salt concentration (hence the lack of cell contents with the partial exception of Image 9 - the only one that showed some green coloration.
With respect to the response from Katia, I assume that these are not halotolerant fungi?
I could not find any holdfasts in the samples I examined.
Hello. Two things: You could please send a picture with the entire filter into focus, showing all the biofilm? Second, the photos you posted are from fresh material or is kept in any solution (i.e.Transeau)? From the pictures is hard to recognize any type of organelle like chloroplast, etc, and the exudate be white to yellow leaves even more confused. Cladophora usually generates green colonies and exudates. If you can send more pictures might help other colleagues also. Cheers
Sorry to disagree but does not appear to be a fungus. if we look at the photos, the trichomes have marked () cell wall separations. Hyphae not have these specific kind of separations. I still believe to be an alga, which one, only with more details.
It is a fungus, likely an hyphomycete with its conspicuous cross walls. Lack of cross walls is typical of oomycetes (which are not true fungi).
Arthrospore-like conidia seem to be obvious in fig. BrineBiofilm007,, and a budding (?) yeastlike state in fig. BrineBiofilm003. Best!
Dear William,
I agree with the others; these are hyphae from fungi; the cellular content is not much colored and the morphology/way of branching is also typical of fungi. Cladophora is much larger and denesly filled with chloroplasts ect. (see attached foto).
Good luck, regards Michael
Hi guys, if a fungus, would it grow in complete darkness and at a salinity of 14000 mg per liter ? - or - would it be the same inference as for ?Cladophora - getting into the system via an undetected cross-connection?
Some fungi grow in dishwashers and laundromats. So everything is possible.
Thanks Nataliya. This particular system is, however, closed (to all intents and purposes). If the organism I found is growing in the system, it is downstream of a sub-micron ultrafiltration unit and is being caught on the 5 micron cartridge filters upstream of the RO. So, it would be growing in a continuous flow of 1.4% salt solution, in the dark, in a 6 km long pipeline.
Completely in the dark...Well I have to twist the arm, with that information I also agree with the others regarding being a fungus. Here in the Brazilian Pantanal we have some ponds called Salinas, they have salinity values ranging from 5 to 11 p.s.u., and there are many forms of Hyphomycetes in their waters. There is also many works with fungi in hypersaline microbial mats. Considering this, the best way to identify your specimen will probably perform a culture, and then call an expert who knows the fungi diversity of your region.
Yes in the dark and underwater all the time - its a closed completely filled pumping system. There is, however, one closed tank in the line and I have an idea this is perhaps where the problem is originating from.
Are there any biocides that would be effective - i.e. that could be continuously dosed to the system?
Yes looks more of fungus than algae to me. Will show photos to colleagues working on aquatic fungi tomorrow. They may confirm like earlier responses for it being a fungus.
I think it is a fungus, there are some salt tolerant species (not necessary halophiles ones) and darkness it is no a problem for them to grow up!!
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