Surface-to-volume ratio influence on the growth of Scenedesmus obliquus in a thin-layer cascade system

• Published in: Journal of applied phycology Vol. 32; no. 2; pp. 821 - 829
• Main Authors: Venancio, Henrique Cesar, Cella, Herculano, Lopes, Rafael Garcia, Derner, Roberto Bianchini
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.04.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Algae; Biomass; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Carbon dioxide; Carbon dioxide fixation; Carbon fixation; Carbon sequestration; Carotenoids; Cultivation; Ecology; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Life Sciences; Lipids; Photosynthesis; Phytoplankton; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Polysaccharides; Ratios; Saccharides; Scenedesmus obliquus; Water circulation; Water column; Productivity; Thin-layer cascade system; Intensive culture; Biomass; Chlorophyta
• ISSN: 0921-8971; 1573-5176
• DOI: 10.1007/s10811-020-02036-0

Microalgae biomass is a source of a wide range of high commercial value compounds such as proteins, carotenoids, lipids and polysaccharides that have potential applications in several biotechnological processes. This study evaluated the influence of two different illuminated surface-to-volume-ratios (S/V) on the growth in cultivation of Scenedesmus obliquus in a thin-layer cascade system (TLC). Two S/V ratios (80 m −1 and 60 m −1 ) were used, corresponding to water columns of 0.5 cm and 1.0 cm, respectively. The cultures were compared in terms of the maximum biomass attained, volumetric and area productivities, photosynthetic efficiency, and CO 2 fixation into biomass. The maximum biomass achieved was 20.14 g L −1 in SV80 cultures while the SV60 treatments attained 14.60 g L −1 , with a maximum volumetric productivity of 2.42 and 1.85 g L −1  day −1 , respectively. The culture with lower S/V was more efficient in relation to CO 2 fixation, reaching 62% of the total carbon offered in comparison to the higher S/V (54%). Concerning the incident energy in the daylight period, both treatments presented similar photosynthetic efficiency values.