Algae bloom has long been an environmental problem. It can appear in both fresh water and sea water, for instance the red tide, and cause large-scale aqueous mortality events. But algae can also be used to treat the waste water including produced water, by absorbing the organic and inorganic components, and make it more environment-friendly. Hence the research on limiting the harmful algae bloom or enhancing the growth for water treatment is very important. This work focuses on the determination of the optimal culturing conditions on the algal growth kinetics, including the light quality and culturing temperature. The green algae strain Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was grown in batch culture in an inoculation shaker under LED lights. Growth kinetics and nutrient composition were analyzed. Blue light enhanced the growth rate, biomass concentrations and productivity. Algae showed the highest neutral lipid content (4.4% w/w dry biomass) under red light and highest protein content (46% w/w dry biomass) under blue light. Nutrient starvation played a more important role in late stationary phase than light quality. A significant increase in lipid content was observed over the 24-32ºC temperature range studied.

Primary Author / Conference Presenter:
Xiangpeng Li
The University of Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

Co-Author:
Tyler W. Johannes, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK