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A mathematical model of intracellular behavior of microalgae for predicting growth and intracellular components syntheses under nutrient‐replete and ‐deplete conditions
Author(s) -
Ryu Kyung Hwan,
Sung MinGyu,
Kim Boeun,
Heo Seongmin,
Chang Yong Keun,
Lee Jay H.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.26744
Subject(s) - biomass (ecology) , intracellular , nutrient , biochemical engineering , chemistry , biology , biochemistry , ecology , organic chemistry , engineering
Microalgae is a promising biomass source for renewable fuels and chemicals production. To describe microalgal behavior and improve their cultivation, various kinetic models have been proposed. However, previous works have focused on biomass formation and lipids production only, even though carbohydrates and proteins are also important products, not only for understanding the metabolic behavior of microalgae but also for enhancing the economic viability through value‐added side products. In this study, a new mathematical model is proposed to explain core biological mechanisms of growth and macromolecules syntheses based on the central metabolism of carbon and nitrogen. In the model, microalgal growth is separated as hyperplasia and hypertrophy, to describe the cell growth more precisely under nutrient‐replete and ‐deplete conditions. Sensitivity analysis performed using the model indicates that cell state (e.g., cell death rate) has a strong effect on the lipid production explaining the difficulty of reproducing a microalgae culture experiment.