Open AccessEffect of organic carbon, C : N ratio and light on the growth and lipid productivity of microalgae/cyanobacteria coculture
Author(s) -
Silaban Athens,
Bai Rong,
GutierrezWing M. Teresa,
Negulescu Ioan I.,
Rusch Kelly A.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
engineering in life sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.547
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1618-2863
pISSN - 1618-0240
DOI - 10.1002/elsc.201200219
Subject(s) - mixotroph , biomass (ecology) , autotroph , productivity , heterotroph , botany , sodium acetate , food science , biology , photobioreactor , cyanobacteria , biofuel , chemistry , bacteria , ecology , chromatography , macroeconomics , economics , genetics
Current culture methods based on monocultures under phototrophic regimes are prone to contamination, predation, and collapse. Native cultures of multiple species are adapted to the local conditions and are more robust against contamination and predation. Growth, lipid and biomass productivity of a L ouisiana native coculture of microalgae ( C hlorella vulgaris) and cyanobacteria ( L eptolyngbya sp.) in heterotrophic and mixotrophic regimes were investigated. Dextrose and sodium acetate at C : N ratios of 15:1 and 30:1 under heterotrophic (dark) and mixotrophic (400 μmol m −2 s −1 ) regimes were compared with autotrophic controls. The carbon source and C : N ratio impacted growth and biomass productivity. Mixotrophic cultures with sodium acetate ( C : N 15:1) resulted in the highest mean biomass productivity (156 g m −3 d −1 ) and neutral lipid productivity (24.07 g m −3 d −1 ). The maximum net specific growth rate ( U ) was higher (0.97 d −1 ) in mixotrophic cultures with dextrose ( C : N 15:1) but could not be sustained resulting in lower total biomass than in mixotrophic cultures with acetate ( C : N 15:1), with a U of 0.67 d −1 . The ability of the L ouisiana coculture to use organic carbon for biomass and lipid production makes it a viable feedstock for biofuels and bioproducts.