Repeated batch cultivation of the microalga Spirulina platensis

Abstract

The cultivation of photosynthetic microorganisms such as the microalga Spirulina platensis can provide an alternative source of food. The water in Mangueira Lagoon (Rio Grande do Sul state, southern Brazil) has several required nutrients for the growth of Spirulina and could be added to culture medium to reduce the cost of producing S. platensis. Although little studied, repeated batch cultivation is a very useful technique because it has a better cost-benefit ratio than other cultivation methods. In a series of runs, we studied the influence of cell concentration, renewal rate and strain on the specific growth rate and biomass productivity of S. platensis during repeated batch cultivation, the runs taking place in 2-l Erlenmeyer flasks for 2160 h at 30°C and a light intensity of 2500 lux under a 12 h photoperiod. The three factors studied had a significant (P < 0.05) effect on the results (specific growth rate and productivity). Using Zarrouk's medium, the highest specific growth rate (l X ) was 0.111 day )1 while the biomass productivity (P X ) was 0.0423 g l )1 day )1 , while Mangueira Lagoon water supplemented with 10% Zarrouk's medium gave l X = 0.113 day )1 and a productivity P X = 0.0467 g l )1 day )1 . These values were two to three times higher than the results obtained in batch cultivation, indicating that the repeated batch cultivation of S. platensis is attractive and convenient.

Simultaneous production of phycobiliproteins and carbonic anhydrase by Spirulina platensis LEB‐52

“…The growth profile of Spirulina platensis LEB‐52 in 20 % ZM presented a stationary phase from the 24 th to the 30 th d of cultivation, followed by a death phase after the 33 rd d. Andrade and Costa reported a decrease in the concentration of Spirulina platensis LEB‐52 biomass after the 30 th d when cultivated in 20 % ZM (diluted with distilled water). The values obtained in the literature for µ max of Spirulina platensis LEB‐52 cultivated in 100 % ZM were on the order of 0.034 to 0.111 1/d, and on the order of 0.06 to 0.12 1/d for 20 % ZM, under conditions similar to those used in the present study.…”

“…The main studies on the autotrophic production of biomass by Spirulina platensis LEB‐52 used Zarrouk's medium in the following forms: non‐diluted (100 %), diluted to 60 %, diluted to 50 %, diluted to 20 %, and diluted to 10 % (v/v), with the dilutions made from Mangueira Lagoon water (MLW). However, there are also studies that used tap water to dilute the ZM .…”

“…The cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis LEB‐52 was used for the simultaneous obtainment of the bioproducts carbonic anhydrase, C‐phycocyanin, and allophycocyanin. Zarrouk's medium (ZM) was used for the inoculum and cultivation, and is composed of (g/L) NaHCO 3 (16.8), K 2 HPO 4 (0.5), NaNO 3 (2.5), K 2 SO 4 (1.0), NaCl (1.0), MgSO 4 · 7H 2 O (0.2), CaCl 2 (0.04), FeSO 4 · 7H 2 O (0.01), EDTA (0.08), 1 mL of A5 solution, and 1 mL of B6 solution. The A5 solution is composed of (g/L) H 3 BO 3 (2.86), MnCl 2 · 4H 2 O (1.81), ZnSO 4 · 7H 2 O (0.222), CuSO 4 · 5H 2 O (0.079), and NaMoO 4 · 2H 2 O (0.018); the B6 solution is composed of (g/L) NH 4 VO 3 (0.0230), KCr(SO 4 ) 2 · 12H 2 O (0.1920) NiSO 4 · 6H 2 O (0.0448), Na 2 WO 4 · 2H 2 O (0.0179), TiO 2 (0.040), and Co(NO 3 ) 2 · 6H 2 O (0.0440).…”

Biotechnology Carbon Capture and Storage by Microalgae to Enhance CO2 Removal Efficiency in Closed-System Photobioreactor

“…Researchers [33] and [19] have reported that the microalgal species Chlorococcum littorale could grow under CO 2 concentrations of over 20 Chlorella sp. were able to grow up even in aeration containing CO 2 up to 40%, at culture pH as low as 4 [36].…”

Selection of Arthrospira platensis strains with productivity in brackish water with high boron levels for commercial production in the Lluta Valley

“…Shorter duplication time is preferred for the mass cultivation. As the duplication time increases the speed of the cell duplication decreases and this causes the commercial cultivation to become non profitable (Reinehr and Costa, 2006). The duplication time reported by Vonshak (1997) for the A. platensis M2 strains grown in 0.5 M NaCl treatment (t d = 0.663 days).…”