Seawater is a solution of salts of nearly constant composition, dissolved in variable amounts of water. There are over 70 elements dissolved in seawater but only 6 make up >99% of all the dissolved salts; all occur as ions - electrically charged atoms or groups of atoms:
Composition of Seawater
Chloride(Cl) 55.04 wt%
Sulphate(SO4) 7.68 wt%
Calcium(Ca) 1.16 wt%
Sodium(Na) 30.61 wt%
Magnesium(Mg) 3.69 wt%
Potassium(K) 1.10 wt%
Chloride(Cl) 55.04 wt%
Sulphate(SO4) 7.68 wt%
Calcium(Ca) 1.16 wt%
Sodium(Na) 30.61 wt%
Magnesium(Mg) 3.69 wt%
Potassium(K) 1.10 wt%
The sea water containing the algae must be cleaned or unwanted types of algae and other contaminants, which may feed or compete with algae, will grow in the culture.
See the following sections in Cultivation of Algae in Marine environment:
