THE ALGOLOGISTS' PART IN CITY AND INDUSTRIAL 

 WATER SUPPLY PROBLEMS 



By CLARENCE E. TAFT 



THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, COLUMBUS, OHIO 



For the past ten years I have had the privilege of being in charge of 

 the Algae Studies in connection with the Columbus City Division of Water, 

 Columbus, Ohio. During that period many problems have been met and, 

 I hope, solved through the practical application of the accumulated knowl- 

 edge concerning the algae. With this somewhat limited background in a 

 science which was not new even at the turn of the century, I approached 

 the preparation of this paper with two questions in mind. Their answers 

 I consider fundamental to the understanding and solution of our problems. 



The first question is, why is the Algologist peculiarly qualified to aid 

 in Water Supply Problems? The second question is, what part does he 

 actually play in the solution of these problems? The answer to the first 

 is basically one of fundamental training, while the second is answered by 

 the degree to which he applies his knowledge. Let us return for a moment 

 to the first question where we must consider the qualifications of the 

 Algologist. These qualifications are several in number. He must recognize 

 the fact that algae are living organisms, unicellular or multicellular, and 

 that their physical and chemical properties are such that they may influ- 

 ence the potability of water, either by mechanical or chemical means. He 

 must recognize that in the algae, as is true of any plant which has specific 

 hereditary complexes, the environment determines the growth and repro- 

 duction through its influence upon the physiological processes within the 

 living cell. He must understand the action as well as the interrelation- 

 ships of these environmental factors so as to know how and where to take 

 samples in order that his final results will be more than representative of 

 microhabitats. Also, he must be able to interpret the samples after they 

 have been prepared for analysis. This last I consider of the greatest 

 importance. It involves not only a knowledge of the algae, but a famili- 

 arity that will allow their identification with medium power magnification. 

 With the counting chambers used it is impossible to use the higher magnifi- 

 cations of the microscope, so if one is not familiar with most of the com- 

 mon algae and cannot at least call them by their generic names as one 

 would speak of an old friend, then that person is at a decided disadvantage, 

 or rather completely lost. This familiarity can only be gained by hours of 

 looking, painstaking key-work, and a thorough understanding of the life 

 histories of all common algae. This last is of decided importance because 

 much of the material encountered in some samples is undergoing reproduc- 

 tion and to the uninitiated has very little resemblance to the mature indi- 

 vidual. 



74 



