YIELD AND BIOCHEMICAL-COMPOSITION OF A MARINE CYANOBACTERIUM (NODULARIA SP) IN OUTDOOR CULTURE

The results are reported of an investigation into biomass output of N- 2-fixing marine cyanobacterium Nodularia sp, grown outdoors in open po nds (OPs) and in tubular photobioreactors (TPRs). The productivity in TPR was 13.2 g (dw) m(-2) d(-1), while in OP it was 11.0 g (dw) m(-2) d(-1). The higher productivity obtained in TPR compared to OP was prob ably due to a better temperature control in the system. Both true prot ein content and amino acid composition were very similar to that repor ted for Spirulina. The photoinhibitory effects of high Light intensity on the photosynthetic activity of Nodularia was considerably reduced by using a black net for culture shading, which improved photosyntheti c activity of the cyanobacterium.