2023 ATP model verification data file Version 8

A recent model demonstrated that the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content of spherical aquatic organisms with a 10 to 50 µm diameter is between 0.16 to 19.9 pg cell-1. The model was validated by comparing microscopy-based counts with ATP concentrations from a commercial ATP kit. See: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116066.

On average, freshwater organisms contain 0.33 pg ATP cell-1, have a spherical equivalent diameter (sed) of 13 µm, while marine organisms have 0.89 pg ATP cell-1 and a sed of 18 µm. The ATP content of both organisms falls in the 0.16 to 19.9 pg cell-1 model range. In addition, their 13 to 18 µm size is within the 10 to 50 µm ballast water size range and in agreement with the average of 15 µm sed of a coastal plankton size-distribution model.

This study concludes that the ATP-model is reliable, emphasizing the need for caution when converting three-dimensional biomass proxies into linear cell concentrations.

The data used in the validation are accessible here.