Premium
The effect of cell density on biomass and fatty acid productivity during cultivation of Rhodomonas salina in a tubular photobioreactor
Author(s) -
Thoisen Christina,
Pedersen Jakob Skov,
Jørgensen Lars,
Kuehn Anker,
Hansen Benni Winding,
Nielsen Søren Laurentius
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
aquaculture research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.646
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-2109
pISSN - 1355-557X
DOI - 10.1111/are.14672
Subject(s) - photobioreactor , biology , fatty acid , eicosapentaenoic acid , biomass (ecology) , docosahexaenoic acid , food science , productivity , algae , botany , fatty acid synthesis , biochemistry , polyunsaturated fatty acid , agronomy , macroeconomics , economics
The microalga Rhodomonas salina is widely used in aquaculture. There is a need for optimization of the growth of the microalgae and its content of essential fatty acids. Here, the fatty acid profile of Rhodomonas in relation to cell density during cultivation in a tubular PBR is investigated. It is expected that cell density is an important factor in controlling productivity and fatty acid content of the microalgae because cell density is important in determining light availability due to the self‐shading of the algae. The carbon productivity as a function of cell density is described by a saturation curve. The carbon productivity and the productivity of total fatty acids are lowest at the lowest cell density, and independent of cell density at higher cell densities. The relative contribution of the two poly‐unsaturated fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) increases with increasing cell density and saturates at 1 × 10 6 cells/ml. We conclude that large‐scale production of Rhodomonas in this tubular PBR should take place at cell densities of 1 × 10 6 cells/ml, while there are indications for increasing difficulties in maintaining steady‐state production in this PBR at higher cell densities.