Influence of temperature and pH on biomass production and protein biosynthesis in a putative Spirulina sp

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2007-08, Vol.98 (11), p.2207-2211
• Main Authors: Ogbonda, Kemka H., Aminigo, Rebecca E., Abu, Gideon O.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: amino acid composition; Amino acids; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; brackish water; chemical composition; culture media; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Protein; Protein Biosynthesis; protein synthesis; single cell protein; Spirulina; Spirulina - classification; Spirulina - growth & development; Spirulina - metabolism; Spirulina labyrinthiformis; Spirulina maxima; Spirulina platensis; Spirulina sp. temperature; Temperature; Water - chemistry; Water Microbiology; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; water pollution
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2006.08.028

The influence of temperature and pH on biomass production and protein biosynthesis in a Spirulina sp. isolated from an oil-polluted brackish water environment in the Niger Delta was studied. The isolated organism was identified on the basis of its phenotypic characteristics such as nature and direction of helix, temperature, pH and salt tolerance ranges. Biomass concentration in the culture media was calculated as cell dry weight. The combination of 30 °C and pH 9.0 gave the highest values of 4.9 mg/ml and 48.2 g/100 g for biomass and total crude protein, respectively. The effect of pH was modulated by temperature and vice versa during biomass production. This native isolate of Spirulina sp. offers a good source of natural protein that could be easily accepted by rural communities as single cell protein in the form of feed, food and health supplement when properly processed.