Microalgal harvesting is one of the most challenging processes in the development of algal research and development. Several methods, such as centrifugation, flocculation and filtration, are available at the laboratory scale. However, the requirement for expensive pieces of equipment and the possibility of biomass contamination are recurring gaps that hinder the development of microalgae R&D (research and development) in different parts of the world. Recently, electroflotation has been proved to be a suitable method for the harvesting of different species of microalgae and cyanobacteria. To this day, there are no companies that sell laboratory-scale electroflotation equipment; this is mainly due to the gap in the knowledge of which factors (time, mixing rate, number of electrodes and others) will affect the efficiency of concentration without reducing the biomass quality. This paper aims to build an innovative, low-cost electroflotation system for under 300 USD (United States dollar) with cheap and resistant materials. To achieve our goal, we tested the interaction of three variables (time, mixing rate and amount of electrodes). Results showed that an efficiency closer to 100% could be achieved in under 20 min using > 10 electrodes and 150 rpm (round per minute). We hope this innovative approach can be used by different researchers to improve our knowledge of the concentration and harvesting of algae and cyanobacteria.

This study investigates distillery wastewater, commonly known as vinasse, as a potential culture medium for the production of Chlorella vulgaris and its most relevant metabolites. The effect of vinasse concentration on the composition of the biomass (proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids) was evaluated in treatments performed in 6-L tubular air-lift reactors. The reactors were operated at 25 °C for 18 days, in total darkness, under a continuous flow of air. Results showed a rapid growth of microalgae in the first ten days, when an average production of 0.87 g/L was reached. Then, the daily biomass productivity began to decrease, up to an average value of 11.8 g/L at the 16th day. For all treatments, there was a significant reduction in the concentration of most metabolites in the first eight days. This was likely due to the adaptation of the biomass to the new conditions, with a transition from autotrophic to heterotrophic metabolism. From the 10th day, the concentration of metabolites in the biomass began to increase, reaching a nearly constant value at the 16th day. The observed maximum concentrations (%w/w) were: 48.95% proteins, 2.88% xylose, 7.82% glucose, 4.54% arabinose, 8.28% fructose, and 4.82% lipids. These values were only marginally affected by the type of treatment. Overall, the results obtained suggest that vinasse is a promising and sustainable medium for the growth of C. vulgaris and the production of valuable metabolites.

The present research evaluates the simulation of a system for transforming inland-fisheries wastewater into sustainable fish feed using Designer® software. The data required were obtained from the experimental cultivation of Chlorella sp. in wastewater supplemented with N and P. According to the results, it is possible to produce up to 11,875 kg/year (31.3 kg/d) with a production cost of up to 18 (USD/kg) for dry biomass and 0.19 (USD/bottle) for concentrated biomass. Similarly, it was possible to establish the kinetics of growth of substrate-dependent biomass with a maximum production of 1.25 g/L after 15 days and 98% removal of available N coupled with 20% of P. It is essential to note the final production efficiency may vary depending on uncontrollable variables such as climate and quality of wastewater, among others.

El presente trabajo de investigación tiene como objetivo determiner el efecto de la relación Carbono/Nitrógeno en la producción de biomasa y carotenoides totales en una cepa de Scenedesmus sp. Inicialmente, se evaluaron tres fuentes de carbono diferentes (carbonato de sodio, bicarbonato de sodio y acetato de sodio) bajo diferentes concentraciones de una fuente de nitrógeno (nitrato de sodio) en reactores tubulares de 250 ml. Los reactores fueron operados a 25°C durante 40 días en un ciclo de luz:oscuridad de 12:12 horas y un flujo continuo de aire. De acuerdo con los resultados se encontró que mediante el ajuste de la concentración de la fuente de carbono y nitrógeno, es posible aumentar la concentración de biomasa hasta 0.8 g/L. Por otra parte, mediante la regulación de la concentración de carbonato de sodio y nitrato de sodio, el contenido final carotenoides totales se incrementó dos veces (de 0.3 a 0.66% p/p). Los resultados de este estudio muestran que, al ajustar las concentraciones de la fuente de carbono y de nitrógeno es posible obtener un aumento interesante en la biomasa final y la concentración de carotenoides totales. Finalmente, es importante resaltar que se debe estudiar el efecto de otras estrategias como la luz, la salinidad y el pH, junto con la relación C/N para obtener un método adecuado que lleve a las celulas hacia un estress metabolico y mejore así la síntesis de carotenoides en Scencedesmus sp.

The production of vaccines of biological origin presents a tremendous challenge for researchers. In this context, animal cell cultures are an excellent alternative for the isolation and production of biologicals against several viruses, since they have an affinity with viruses and a great capacity for their replicability. Different variables have been studied to know the system’s ideal parameters, allowing it to obtain profitable and competitive products. Consequently, this work focuses its efforts on evaluating an alternative for producing an anti-influenza biological from MDCK cells using SuperPro Designer v8.0 software. The process uses the DMEN culture medium supplemented with nutrients as raw material for cell development; the MDCK cells were obtained from a potential scale-up with a final working volume of 500 L, four days of residence time, inoculum volume of 10%, and continuous working mode with up to a total of 7400 h/Yr of work. The scheme has the necessary equipment for the vaccine’s production, infection, and manufacture with yields of up to 416,698 units/h. In addition, it was estimated to be economically viable to produce recombinant vaccines with competitive prices of up to 0.31 USD/unit.

This study evaluates the role of different LED lights (white, blue/red), intensity (µmol m−2 s−1), and photoperiod in the production of biomass and phycocyanin-C, allophycocyanin and phycoerythrin (C-PC, APC, and PE respectively) from a novel thermotolerant strain of Oscillatoria sp. Results show that a mixture of white with blue/red LEDs can effectively double the biomass concentration up to 1.3 g/L, while the concentration of the selected phycobiliproteins increased proportionally to biomass. Results also indicate that high light intensities (>120 µmol m−2 s−1) can diminish the final concentration of C-PC, APC, and PE, significantly reducing the overall biomass produced. Finally, the photoperiod analysis showed that longer light exposure times (18:6 h) improved both biomass and phycobiliproteins concentration. These results demonstrate that the application of LEDs to produce a novel strain of Oscillatoria sp can double the biomass concentration, and the photoperiod regulation can eventually enhance the final concentration of specific phycobiliproteins such as APC and PE.

The production of vaccines of biological origin presents a tremendous challenge for researchers. In this context, animal cell cultures are an excellent alternative for the isolation and production of biologicals against several viruses since they have an affinity with viruses and a great capacity for their replicability. Different variables have been studied to know the system's ideal parameters, allowing it to obtain profitable and competitive products. Consequently, this work focuses its efforts on evaluating an alternative for producing an anti-influenza biological from MDCK cells using SuperPro Designer v8.0 software. The process uses the DMEN culture medium supplemented with nutrients as raw material for cell development; the MDCK cells were obtained from a potential scale-up with a final working volume of 500 L, four days of residence time, inoculum volume of 10%, and continuous working mode with up to a total of 7400 h/Yr of work. The scheme has the necessary equipment for the vaccine's production, infection, and manufacture with yields of up to 416,698 units/h. In addition, it was estimated to be economically viable to produce recombinant vaccines with competitive prices of up to 0.31 USD/unit.

El presente trabajo de investigación tiene como objetivo determiner el efecto de la relación Carbono/Nitrógeno en la producción de biomasa y carotenoides totales en una cepa de Scenedesmus sp. Inicialmente, se evaluaron tres fuentes de carbono diferentes (carbonato de sodio, bicarbonato de sodio y acetato de sodio) bajo diferentes concentraciones de una fuente de nitrógeno (nitrato de sodio) en reactores tubulares de 250 ml. Los reactores fueron operados a 25°C durante 40 días en un ciclo de luz:oscuridad de 12:12 horas y un flujo continuo de aire. De acuerdo con los resultados se encontró que mediante el ajuste de la concentración de la fuente de carbono y nitrógeno, es posible aumentar la concentración de biomasa hasta 0.8 g/L. Por otra parte, mediante la regulación de la concentración de carbonato de sodio y nitrato de sodio, el contenido final carotenoides totales se incrementó dos veces (de 0.3 a 0.66% p/p). Los resultados de este estudio muestran que, al ajustar las concentraciones de la fuente de carbono y de nitrógeno es posible obtener un aumento interesante en la biomasa final y la concentración de carotenoides totales. Finalmente, es importante resaltar que se debe estudiar el efecto de otras estrategias como la luz, la salinidad y el pH, junto con la relación C/N para obtener un método adecuado que lleve a las celulas hacia un estress metabolico y mejore así la síntesis de carotenoides en Scencedesmus sp.