Volume 8, Issue 4 (Fall 2019)
Abstract
Aims: microalgae use has been recently attracted for the production of biologically active drugs and pharmaceuticals.Carbon source is an essential factor for the Spirulina maxima growth. Since finding the appropriate carbon source and its concentration to achieve high levels of biomass in the shortest cultivation period is very valuable. Therefore, the effect of different carbon sources (sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, glucose and molasses) with different concentrations (16, 24 and 32 gL-1) on growth and biomass production were evaluated. Methods: Microalgae was grown in 11 treatments with 3 replications at labarotary temperature (28±3 °C) and 1350±100 Lux light intensity (24 hours exposure-time). Maximum specific growth rate and doubling time were calculated according to nonlinear modeling by Wolfram Mathematica software at 99% confidence interval. Findings: The highest biomass concentration (gL-1) at the highest carbon source concentration in the first 5 days belonged to molasses (3.083), glucose (2.094), sodium carbonate (0.869) and sodium bicarbonate (0.835). Biomass production of treatments except glucose in medium was increased by increasing concentration from 16 to 32 gL-1. Although molasses has reached on highest biomass production during the first 5 days of cultivation, but the greatest effect on increasing specific growth rate belongs to the glucose sample. Conclusions: As a result, the carbon source and its concentration had a significant effect on the growth and biomass production. Glucose has been selected as an effective carbon source for growth with a concentration of 24gL-1. Moreover, the highest concentration of treatments had shown the least effect on specific growth rate.
Morteza Pahlavan Yali, Hjalili Hjalili, Mostafa Noroozi, Yazdan Morady, Ahmad Hallajisani,
Volume 11, Issue 4 (fall 2020)
Abstract
The microalgal strain Aurantiochytrium sp. shy contains considerable amounts of poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), chiefly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) with potential pharmaceutical and health-related attributes. Effects of various concentrations of glucose, meat extract, monosodium glutamate and sea salt on the algal biomass and DHA production have been investigated in this study. Maximum algal biomass (7.1 g/l) was obtained when the culture medium contained 60 g/l of glucose, 6 g/l of meat extract, 6 g/l monosodium glutamate and sea salt at 25ppt. Lipid contents of the alga exceeded 30% of its dry cell weight, with palmitic acid and DHA as the most abundant components. When the effect of a single additive was concerned, meat extract was significantly effective, while interaction between meat extract and glucose was the most effective in comparison with other interactions (P < 0.0001). According to the results, glucose can assure more algal and fatty acids production when adequate amounts of meat extract exist in the culture medium. Optimal results attained when the ratios of glucose to meat extract and C/N concentrations were 10 and 5, respectively. Due to its remarkable growth rate and the capability to produce substantial quantities of biomass and fatty acids, Aurantiochytrium sp.shy was found to be a major source of the beneficial ingredients, whose productivity can magnify if its culture conditions is optimized using favorable blend of growth-promoting materials.
