High productivity cultivation of a heat-resistant microalga Chlorella sorokiniana for biofuel production

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2013-03, Vol.131, p.60-67
• Main Authors: Li, Tingting, Zheng, Yubin, Yu, Liang, Chen, Shulin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algae; Batch Cell Culture Techniques - methods; Biofuel production; Biofuels - microbiology; Biological and medical sciences; Bioreactors - microbiology; Biotechnology; Carbon; Cell Proliferation; Chlorella; Chlorella - classification; Chlorella - physiology; Chlorella sorokiniana; Cultivation; Dry cells; Energy; Fuels; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glucose; Glucose - metabolism; Heat-resistant; Heterotrophic; Hot Temperature; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Lipid; Lipids; Lipids - biosynthesis; Lipids - isolation & purification; Productivity; Species Specificity
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2012.11.121

► Temperature played a significant role in biomass production and lipid accumulation. ► C. sorokiniana showed the highest growth rate at 37°C. ► Biomass and lipid productivities were extremely high in 5-L batch cultivation. ► C. sorokiniana could be a promising strain for biofuel production. To augment biomass and lipid productivities of heterotrophic cultured microalgae Chlorella sorokiniana, the influence of environmental temperature and medium factors, such as carbon source, nitrogen source, and their initial concentrations was investigated in this study. The microalga C. sorokiniana could tolerate up to 42°C and showed the highest growth rate of 1.60d−1 at 37°C. The maximum dry cell weight (DCW) and corresponding lipid concentration was obtained with 80gL−1 of initial glucose and 4gL−1 of initial KNO3 at 37°C. In 5-L batch fermentation, the DCW increased dramatically from 0.9gL−1 to 37.6gL−1 in the first 72h cultivation, with the DCW productivity of 12.2gL−1d−1. The maximum lipid content of 31.5% was achieved in 96h and the lipid productivity was 2.9gL−1d−1. The results showed C. sorokiniana could be a promising strain for biofuel production.