Characterization and analysis of Gomphonema sp frustule based on SEM/EDS

摘要

Diatoms are unicellular algae whose cell wall structure is mainly made up of silicon dioxide (SiO2). Frustules were extracted from fresh diatom taxa (Gomphonema sp.) by treating with concentrated HNO3 and HCl. The Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images revealed that the diatoms have a valve asymmetrical to apical axis and raphe system is well developed and are unequal size. From significance of energy dispersive X - ray spectroscopy (EDS) examination it was proved that the frustules from diatoms are mainly made up of silicon through amorphous silica (SiO2).