Media effects on laboratory scale production costs of Haematococcus pluvialis biomass. (September 2019) - Colusse, Guilherme Augusto
Abstract: The aim of this study was to conduct an economic analysis and evaluate the physiological features and growth performance of the biomass produced from Haematococcus pluvialis at vegetative stage using CHU, BG-11 and WC media under batch culture. Higher cell density was achieved by using CHU and BG-11 media by the 16th day of cultivation, whereas CHU medium promoted the highest pigment content during the microalgae cultivation period. Biochemical analysis showed an increase of 26.3% on protein production when cells were cultivated on BG-11 medium compared to WC medium cultivation. Economic analysis showed that the NPK components contributed to the major participation cost in the media composition. Media cost had shown a variation of US$2.61–18.36 each 10 3 L of produced medium with a biomass production cost of US$6.20 (WC medium), US$21.73 (CHU medium), and US$40.36 (BG-11 medium)/kg in a dry basis. Highlights: Comparison among well-known freshwater microalgae culture media was performed. Biochemical characterization of the biomasses obtained from each tested medium NPK nutrients were responsible for most of the economic costs of biomass production. CHU medium promoted the highest pigment production among the tested media. WC medium induced xanthophyll synthesis during microalgae culture.