TABLE 4.

“Arthrospira” and Limnospira axenicity methods.

Method	Description	Time required	Verification	Strain
Shiraishi (2015)	Washing by vortexing and filtration Individual trichomes selected for axenic culture propagation	>1 month	Microscopy and agar plating	A. platensis UTEX 1926
Sena et al. (2011)	Washing by filtration pH treatment Antibiotic treatment Propagation Serial dilutions	∼3 weeks	Microscopy and agar plating	A. platensis Lefevre 1963/M-132-1
Choi et al. (2008)	Washing by centrifugation Antibiotic treatment	7 days	Microscopy and agar plating	A. platensis SAG 21.99
Physical and chemical treatments (this work)	Surface layer collection from culture Washing by vortexing and filtration Washing by centrifugation and surface layer extraction Antibiotic and pH treatment	7 days	Microscopy and 16s and 23s rDNA identification	L. fusiformis (formerly known as A. platensis SAG 85.79)