A new method for determination of chlorophylls in freshwater algae.

A new method (NMM, using acetic acid fiber filter and 90% ethanol) was established to determine chlorophyll in freshwater algae, and it was compared with US standard method (USM, using glass fiber filter and 90% acetone) and the method recommend by EPA of China (CHM, using acetic acid fiber filter and 90% acetone). The precision and repeatability of NMM is equivalent to that of USM, but NMM is safer to laboratory workers than USM and CHM because ethanol was used as solvent in NMM instead of acetone used in USM and CHM, and time and money were also greatly saved by the new method. The precision and repeatability of CHM was much less than USM and NMM, and the advice improving the method was proposed that the extraction time must be prolonged.