Development of a Portable Incubation Chamber for Microalgae using Light Emitting Diodes

建立来自世界各地的无性系培养物是研究有害海洋微藻的生物学、生态生理和生化特性的基础。但是，由于受有害微藻影响的地区往往是欠发达的沿海地区，而且远离配备培养设施的先进实验室，因此建立培养设施有时很困难。本研究的目的是开发一种配备温度和光控制装置的便携式孵育室。该光源由发光二极管（led）获得，具有体积小、安全、功耗低等优点。各种鞭毛藻和硅藻在led发出的红色、绿色和蓝色光下，与自然光相比，生长得很顺利。赤光下长得很好，蓝光下长得很好。不同物种生长速率最高的最佳光照条件（强度和颜色）差异不大，这可能与物种对led光的适应性不同有关。在光合色素吸收区域的最佳光谱输出应该找到使用led的非常窄的光谱输出。虽然使用带温度控制器的Peltiert模块可以将温度调节在10到30摄氏度之间，但必要的电力很高，并且持续使用调节器可能会导致腔室容量和电池维护成本的问题。根据这些结果，成功制作了一个30 × 20 × 20厘米的培养皿，并将微藻从菲律宾和泰国转移到日本，取得了良好的效果。这种便携式孵育室能够在处理和现场工作期间维持活细胞，从而可以在更广泛的位置建立更多的有害微藻培养。

It is fundamental to establish clonal cultures from various part of world for study on biological, ecophysiological and biochemical features of harmful marine microalgae which are thought to have spread globally. But the culture establishment is sometimes difficult, because areas affected by the harmful microalgae are often under-developed coastal area and far from sophisticated laboratories equipped with culturing facilities.This study aimed to develop a Portable incubation chamber furnishing temperature and light control devices. The light resource is obtained by Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) and it poses many advantages on its smaller size, safety and low electric consumption. Various dinoflagellates and diatoms shows smooth growth comparable to natural light under red, green and blue lights from the LEDs. A dmoflagellate Heterocapsa cocularisquama grows well under red light, and Alexandrium spp under blue light. Different species shows small variation on optimum light condition (strength and color) for the highest growth rate, and it may come from difference of adaptability of species to lights from LEDs. Optimal spectra output in the region of photosynthetic pigment absorption should be found to use the very narrow spectrum output of LEDs. While the temperature could be regulated at a desired temperature between 10 and 30 degree in Celsius using a Peltiert module with a thermo controller, necessary electrical power is high and continuous use of the regulator may cause problem on the capacity of the chamber and maintenance cost of a battery. From these result a chamber (30x20x20 cm) was successfully made and used with good results for transfer of microalgae from the Philippines and Thailand to Japan. This portable incubation chamber enables the maintenance of living cells during handling and field work so that more cultures of harmful microalgae can be established from much wider location.