Choi, Hyu-Chang;Kang, Yeon-Shik;Choi, Joong-Ki;Song, Tae-Yoon;Yoo, Man-Ho
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The pigment composition and concentration of phytoplankton assemblages using HPLC in the adjacent waters of four nuclear power plants (Yonggwang, Kori, Wolsong and Ulchin) were investigated during the spring blooming in 2004. The mean concentration of chlorophyll a ranged from 563.8 to 2,949.0ng $l^{-1}$, with the lowest concentration at Kori and the highest concentration at Wolsong. Among the carotenoids, the amounts of fucoxanthin and chlorophyll $C_2$ were relatively higher than those of other pigments in the study site. As minor pigments, zeaxanthin, chlorophyll b, 19'-butanoyloxyfucoxanthin, diadinoxanthin, 19'-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin, chlorophyll $C_3$ and peridinin were detected. The results of pigment composition and concentration showed that diatoms had an important proportion of phytoplankton community when a spring bloom occurred. Cyanobacteria was present relatively low density at the Wolsong and the green alga such as chlorophytes and prasinophytes were abundant at the Yonggwang and Kori, while dinoflagellates characterized by peridinin were common at Ulchin and Kori. The pigment composition and concentration of phytoplankton after passing through the cooling-water system of nuclear power plant were highly variable. No distinct trend of the change of each pigment composition and amount was detected but the variation of fucoxanthin and chlorophyll $C_2$ highly coupled with that of chlorophyll a. We pointed out that the diatom controlled the overall variation of phytoplankton biomass during the spring season.