Microalgae can grow autotrophically with the supply of light, carbon dioxide and inorganic nutrients in water through photosynthesis. Generally, microalgal growth is limited by the concentrations and relative ratio of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) among the nutrients in the aquatic environment. Each microalga has its specific optimum N : P ratio resulting in dominance in a particular water having similar nutrient composition. Algal bloom is an immense growth of certain microalga commonly cyanobacterium and can be sequestrated by reducing the limiting nutrient, generally P in the freshwater. Moreover, dominance of a less toxic blooming strain can be established by manipulating N : P ratio in the water. On the other hand, microalgal biomass of a certain species can be enhanced by increasing limiting nutrient and adjusting the N : P ratio to the target species. The above-mentioned eco-physiological features of microalgae can be more completely interpreted in connection with their genomic informations. Consequently, microalgal growth regulation which can be achieved on the basis of its eco-physiological and further genomic insights would

The increase of population and industrial activities had brought into eutrophication in the Nakdong river. A remarkable acceleration of eutrophication brought about serious problems for water supply. Therefore, for the purpose of conservation of water quality in the Nakdong river it is necessary to control nutrients. MBOD method was used to evaluate algal growth limiting factor and algal growth potential in the Nakdong river from June to August 1994. The modified biochemical oxygen demand(MBOD) depends on the amount of available inorganic nutrient and organic substrate during 5 day incubation in the dark at 20℃. The MBOD assay depends on inorganic nutrients such as P and N as well as reduced carbon and called the MBOD, the MBOD-P, and the MBOD-N, respectively. The results of bioassay by MBOD(Modified BOD) method showed that the MBOD, MBOD-P and MBOD-N value were found to be in the ranges of 3.8∼96.0 ㎎O_2/ℓ, 5.6∼94.0 ㎎O_2/ℓand 42.0∼220 ㎎O_2/ℓ, respectively. And the the bioassay value was found to be the highest in Koryong area and the lowest in Waekwan area throughout the Nakdong river. The variations of MBOD-P and MBOD-N value showed similar tendencies to the variations of phosphorus and nitrogen value, respectively. By MBOD method, the relationships of MBOD, MBOD-P and MBOD-N value were MBOD ≒ MBOD-P ≪ MBOD-N. The MBOD value was nearly equal to the MBOD-P value, and the MBOD-N value was 3 to 20 times more than the MBOD-P value, approximately. Therefore, in the Nakdong river, phosphorus was the limiting factor for algal growth during summer season. The algal growth potential as the concentration of chlorophyll-a in the summer was maximum 5 times more than standing crop as it.