Lipid content and biomass production of Chlorella vulgaris is affected by growth conditions

The need for clean and low-cost algae production demands for investigations on algal physiological response under different growth conditions. In this research, we investigated the growth, biomass production and biochemical composition of Chlorella vulgaris using semi-continuous cultures employing three growth media (LC Oligo, Chu 10 and WC media). The highest cell density was obtained in LC Oligo, while the lowest in Chu medium. Chlorophyll a, carbohydrate and protein concentrations and yield were highest in Chu and LC Oligo media. Lipid class analysis showed that hydrocarbons (HC), sterol esthers (SE), free fatty acids (FFA), aliphatic alcohols (ALC), acetone mobile polar lipids (AMPL) and phospholipids (PL) concentrations and yields were highest in the Chu medium. Triglyceride (TAG) and sterol (ST) concentrations were highest in the LC Oligo medium. The results suggested that for cost effective cultivation, LC Oligo medium is the best choice among those studied, as it saved the cost of buying vitamins and EDTA associated with the other growth media, while at the same time resulted in the best growth performance and biomass production.

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Biomass production in Chlorella vulgaris biofilm cultivated under mixotrophic growth conditions

Algal Research ◽

10.1016/j.algal.2017.07.014 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 26 ◽

pp. 153-160 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Sandra Milena Rincon ◽

Hernan Mauricio Romero ◽

Wrya Moh Aframehr ◽

Haluk Beyenal

Keyword(s):

Biomass Production ◽

Chlorella Vulgaris ◽

Growth Conditions ◽

Mixotrophic Growth

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Effect of Light Intensity and Quality on Growth Rate and Composition of Chlorella vulgaris

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants9010031 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 31 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Maria N. Metsoviti ◽

George Papapolymerou ◽

Ioannis T. Karapanagiotidis ◽

Nikolaos Katsoulas

Keyword(s):

Growth Rate ◽

Light Intensity ◽

Chlorella Vulgaris ◽

Lipid Content ◽

Growth Rates ◽

Solar Irradiance ◽

White Led ◽

Microalgal Biomass ◽

Nm Range ◽

Effect Of Light

In this research, the effect of solar irradiance on Chlorella vulgaris cultivated in open bioreactors under greenhouse conditions was investigated, as well as of ratio of light intensity in the 420–520 nm range to light in the 580–680 nm range (I420–520/I580–680) and of artificial irradiation provided by red and white LED lamps in a closed flat plate laboratory bioreactor on the growth rate and composition. The increase in solar irradiance led to faster growth rates (μexp) of C. vulgaris under both environmental conditions studied in the greenhouse (in June up to 0.33 d−1 and in September up to 0.29 d−1) and higher lipid content in microalgal biomass (in June up to 25.6% and in September up to 24.7%). In the experiments conducted in the closed bioreactor, as the ratio I420–520/I580–680 increased, the specific growth rate and the biomass, protein and lipid productivities increased as well. Additionally, the increase in light intensity with red and white LED lamps resulted in faster growth rates (the μexp increased up to 0.36 d−1) and higher lipid content (up to 22.2%), while the protein, fiber, ash and moisture content remained relatively constant. Overall, the trend in biomass, lipid, and protein productivities as a function of light intensity was similar in the two systems (greenhouse and bioreactor).

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