Estimation of the Sizes of Suspended Organic Particles from Light-Scattering Phase Functions and Their Relationship to the Water Trophic State

Average sizes of organic particles suspended in water are calculated from measurements of light-scattering phase functions. Their correlation with the sizes of phytoplankton cells, visually determined with the use of a microscope, is derived. The relationship between the size of suspended organic particles and the water trophic state is studied. It is ascertained that the average size of suspended organic particles increases with a decrease in the water productivity (trophic state). Taking into account the correlation between the average size of organic particles suspended in water and the average size of phytoplankton cells, it was concluded that the size of phytoplankton cells increased in oligotrophic waters (low trophic state) as compared to eutrophic waters (high trophic state).