Building a better mousetrap II: Using Design of Experiments with unconfounded ions to compare the growth of different microalgae. (May 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hallenbeck, Patrick C.; Grogger, Melanie; Mraz, Megan; Veverka, Donald
• Is Part Of: Bioresource technology. Volume 184(2015)
• Page Start: 90
• Page End: 99
• Publication Date: 2015-05
• Subjects: Biofuels -- Algae -- Medium optimization unconfounded ions -- Scheffe Mix Model -- Response surface methodology; Biomass -- Periodicals; Biomass energy -- Periodicals; Bioremediation -- Periodicals; Agricultural wastes -- Periodicals; Factory and trade waste -- Periodicals; Organic wastes -- Periodicals; Bioénergie -- Périodiques; Déchets agricoles -- Périodiques; Déchets industriels -- Périodiques; Déchets organiques -- Périodiques; Déchets (Combustible) -- Périodiques; 662.88
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2014.11.006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-8524

Abstract

Highlights: Unconfounded media variations were used to examine microalgal growth. The effects of variations in NH4 +, NO3 −, Na +, K +, PO4 −, and Cl − were studied. Two strains of Chlorella show significant physiological and functional differences. Different microalgae show different effects for growth and lipid content. Future work could lead to the development of novel media. Abstract: A large number of unconfounded media variations were used with a Scheffe Mix Model to examine in an unambiguous fashion the effects of variations in six important ions; NH4 +, NO3 −, Na +, K +, PO4 −, and Cl −, on the growth of Chlorella vulgaris . This allows several novel observations on media components, for example, the inhibitory effects of chloride, to be made. Using a side by side comparison, it is shown that two strains of Chlorella show significant physiological and functional differences brought out by this approach. Testing selected formulations with a diverse set of algae demonstrated different effects on both growth and cellular lipid content, in some cases driving significant lipid production. This suggests that future work using a larger portion of media composition space could lead to the development of novel media supporting maximal biomass production and lipid production.