Innovative application of brackish groundwater without the addition of nutrients in the cultivation of Spirulina and Chlorella for carbohydrate and lipid production

P Q M Bezerra; L Moraes; T N M Silva; L G Cardoso; J I Druzian; M G Morais; I L Nunes; J A V Costa

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126543

Innovative application of brackish groundwater without the addition of nutrients in the cultivation of Spirulina and Chlorella for carbohydrate and lipid production

Bioresour Technol. 2022 Feb:345:126543. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126543. Epub 2021 Dec 10.

Authors

P Q M Bezerra¹, L Moraes¹, T N M Silva¹, L G Cardoso², J I Druzian², M G Morais³, I L Nunes⁴, J A V Costa⁵

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Food Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande-RS 96203-900, Brazil.
² Department of Bromatological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador-BA 40170-115, Brazil.
³ Laboratory of Microbiology and Biochemistry, College of Chemistry and Food Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande-RS 96203-900, Brazil.
⁴ Department of Food Science and Technology, Center for Agrarian Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis-SC 88034-000, Brazil.
⁵ Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Food Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande-RS 96203-900, Brazil. Electronic address: jorgealbertovc@gmail.com.

PMID: 34902481
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126543

Abstract

Brackish groundwater is promising for the cultivation of economically important microalgae; however, its effects have been evaluated only after nutrient supplementation. In this study, 100% brackish groundwater was evaluated as a culture medium for Spirulina sp. (BGWS) and Chlorella fusca (BGWC). In addition, the effects of supplementation with 25% of the nutrients from Zarrouk (BGWS25) and BG-11 (BGWC25) culture media were evaluated. BGWS and BGWC increased the concentration (68.1% w w^-1) and productivity of carbohydrate (35.3 mg L^-1 d^-1) in Spirulina sp. and increased the concentration (56.4% w w^-1) and productivity (13.5 mg L^-1 d^-1) of lipids in C. fusca biomass, when compared to that in the respective controls. The use of brackish groundwater as the sole culture medium is an innovative alternative for the economic production of biomass rich in carbohydrates and lipids. This has potential applications for biofuel production.

Keywords: Groundwater; Macromolecule; Microalgae; Water scarcity.

MeSH terms

Biomass
Carbohydrates
Chlorella*
Groundwater*
Lipids
Microalgae*
Nutrients
Spirulina*

Substances

Carbohydrates
Lipids