Chlorophyll derivatives in surface muds from the English lakes

Abstract

Chlorophyll derivatives, total carbon, and total sulfur have been estimated in surface muds from the depths of five widely differing bodies of water. All three components increase in passing from muds of large infertile lake, with waters low in phytoplankton and poor in lime and potash, to muds of smaller and more fertile lakes, with big phytoplankton crops and more plentiful supplies of lime and potash in their waters. Certain differences in the absorption spectra of acetone extracts may be related to the balance between organic materials originating inside and outside the lakes, and to the length of time they spend in an oxidizing environment.