(c) Copper(ll) ions (Cu2+) inhibit the function of a proportion of the chlorophyll a present in single-celled, photosynthetic protoctists.
The concentration of functional chlorophyll a in these organisms was measured in two
different months of the same year in an unpolluted lake and in a lake polluted with
copper ions.
The results are shown in Table 3.1.
Lake
Table 3.1
Concentration of functional chlorophyll al ug dm-3
Month A
Month B
3.45
0.24
1.79
0.24
Unpolluted
Polluted with copper ions
Describe and suggest explanations for the results shown in Table 3.1.