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Photoautotrophic Production of Lipids by Some Chlorella Strains

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Abstract

The microalgae Chlorella protothecoides UTEX 25, Chlorella sp. TISTR 8991, and Chlorella sp. TISTR 8990 were compared for use in the production of biomass and lipids under photoautotrophic conditions. Chlorella sp. TISTR 8990 was shown to be potentially suitable for lipid production at 30°C in a culture medium that contained only inorganic salts. For Chlorella sp. TISTR 8990 in optimal conditions in a stirred tank photobioreactor, the lipid productivity was 2.3 mg L−1 h−1 and after 14 days the biomass contained more than 30% lipids by dry weight. To attain this, the nitrogen was provided as KNO3 at an initial concentration of 2.05 g L−1 and chelated ferric iron was added at a concentration of 1.2 × 10−5 mol L−1 on the ninth day. Under the same conditions in culture tubes (36 mm outer diameter), the biomass productivity was 2.8-fold greater than in the photobioreactor (0.125 m in diameter), but the lipid productivity was only 1.2-fold higher. Thus, the average low-light level in the photobioreactor actually increased the biomass specific lipid production compared to the culture tubes. A light-limited growth model closely agreed with the experimental profiles of biomass production, nitrogen consumption, and lipid production in the photobioreactor.

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Abbreviations

C N :

Concentration of potassium nitrate (g L−1)

C N0 :

Initial concentration of potassium nitrate (g L−1)

C P :

Concentration of lipid (g L−1)

C X :

Concentration of biomass (g L−1)

C X0 :

Initial concentration of biomass (g L−1)

DOFFactor :

Degree of freedom of factors

\( {\overline F_i} \) :

Averages of signal-to-noise ratio of factors at each factor level

F ratio :

F-ratio

I 0 :

Incident light level at the surface of the photobioreactor (μmol m−2 s−1)

I r :

Local irradiance at radial distance r in the photobioreactor (μmol m−2 s−1)

K a :

Light absorption coefficient of the algal biomass (cm2 g−1)

K i :

Constant in Eq. 4 (μmol m−2 s−1)

K s :

Saturation constant for light (μmol m−2 s−1)

m N :

Nitrogen consumption constant for maintenance metabolism (g KNO3 g−1 biomass day−1)

n :

Number of experiments

q N :

Biomass specific uptake rate of potassium nitrate (g g−1 day−1)

q P :

Biomass specific rate of lipid production (g g−1 day−1)

Q P :

Volumetric production rate of lipids (g L−1 day−1)

Q X :

Volumetric production rate of biomass (mg L−1 h−1)

r :

Radial distance (m)

R :

Radius of the photobioreactor (m)

SSError :

Sum of squares of error

SSFactor :

Sum of squares of factors

S/N:

Signal-to-noise ratio

t :

Time (days)

\( \overline T \) :

Grand average of signal-to-noise ratio

V Factor :

Variance of a factor

y i :

The observed values of biomass or lipid concentrations (g L−1)

Y opt :

The expected values of biomass or lipid concentrations (g L−1)

Y P/X :

Lipid yield based on microalgal biomass (g lipid g−1 biomass)

Y X/N :

Biomass yield based on potassium nitrate (g biomass g−1 KNO3)

α :

Growth-associated lipid production constant (g lipid g−1 biomass)

β :

Non-growth-associated lipid production constant (g lipid g−1 biomass day−1)

μ r :

Local specific growth rate at radial position r in the photobioreactor (day−1)

μ X :

Average specific growth rate in the photobioreactor (day−1)

μ m :

Maximum specific growth rate (day−1)

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported mainly by Walailak University, Thailand. At Kasetsart University, this work was supported by the Institute of Food Research and Product Development (IFRPD) and the Center of Advanced Studies for Tropical Natural Resources, Kasetsart University Institute for Advanced Studies (KUIAS).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand

    Sarote Sirisansaneeyakul

  2. Biotechnology Program, School of Agricultural Technology, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, 80161, Thailand

    Somruethai Singhasuwan & Wanna Choorit

  3. Institute of Food Research and Product Development, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand

    Natapas Phoopat

  4. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Almería, 04071, Almería, Spain

    Jose Luis Garcia

  5. School of Engineering, Massey University, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North, New Zealand

    Yusuf Chisti

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  1. Sarote Sirisansaneeyakul
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  2. Somruethai Singhasuwan
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  4. Natapas Phoopat
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Correspondence to Sarote Sirisansaneeyakul.

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Sirisansaneeyakul, S., Singhasuwan, S., Choorit, W. et al. Photoautotrophic Production of Lipids by Some Chlorella Strains. Mar Biotechnol 13, 928–941 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10126-010-9355-2

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