The Effects of Atrazine and Glyphosate on the Cell

Development of Spirogyra Algae

Arooba Lodhi
Niles North High School

Graphs and Results

Average Spirogyra Cell Development over Three Weeks

Testing Groups # of Filaments # of Chloroplasts

per Filament
Control 1 10.75 8
Control 2 10.33 7.67
Atrazine 1 5.42 5.23
Atrazine 2 5.25 5.25
Glyphosate 1 6.63 4.63
Glyphosate 2 5.67 4

Data Analysis Experimental Error

Control Groups
Group 1- filament count remained at high averages above 10 and the
number of chloroplasts per filament established the baseline above 7
Group 2- number of filaments gradually decreased as the weekly trials
proceeded but remained above 9 and chloroplast count averaged above 7
Atrazine Groups
Group 1- decrease in number of filaments starting at an average of above
7 for week one but reaching an average of 4 for week three; low
chloroplast count ranging from 4 to 6
Group 2- decrease in filament count starting at an average of 7 for week
one and ending at 3.5 for week three; higher chloroplast count than
group 1 with averages close to 5
Group 1- survived until day four of week three trials
Group 2- survived until day three of week three trials
Lowest average filament count
Glyphosate Groups
Group 1- decreases in number of filaments starting at an average above 7
for week one and ending at an average below 6 for week two; chloroplast
count decreased from 5 at week one to 4 at week two
Group 2- filament count ranging from 4 to 6 over the three week
period; decreasing chloroplast count starting with 5 and ending with 3.5
Group 1- survived until day one of week three trials
Group 2- survived until day 3 of week three trials
Lowest average chloroplast per filament count
Pesticide Exposure
Certain spirogyra samples could have more or less exposure to the
pesticide present , thus increasing or decreasing the counts
To reduce error- atrazine and glyphosate were concentrated to the
maximum EPA standard & same amount of spirogyra was distributed
Natural Deterioration/Death of Algae
Random samples selected to be viewed under the microscope may have
been deteriorating or dead, thus decreasing the counts
To reduce error- create a more controlled environment with better
light and temperature settings determined through pre-tests
Contaminated Environment
Deterioration and death of some spirogyra samples contaminated the
environment in the beaker as a whole
Could not determine if lower counts were correlated with pesticide
exposure or with contaminated soil-water medium
To reduce error- Declare whole group as deceased if one sample was
dead; create method of changing soil-water medium on a weekly basis
Spirogyra Sample Consistency
Size of the algae could have been larger or smaller, resulting in
counting more or less filaments
To reduce error- create method to cut same amount of algae per
group or design new method to only observe one sample over the
testing period