Methanol as alternative carbon source for quicker efficient production of the microalgae Chlorella minutissima: Role of the concentration and frequence of administration
K. Kotzabasis et al., Methanol as alternative carbon source for quicker efficient production of the microalgae Chlorella minutissima: Role of the concentration and frequence of administration, J BIOTECH, 70(1-3), 1999, pp. 357-362
Autotrophic cultures of the marine microalgae Chlorella minutissima were pe
rformed at 13000 lux continuous illumination in 1 1 chambers fertilised wit
h 0.25 g l(-1) F2 medium and different doses of methanol. This was administ
ered in two ways during two parallel experimental series of 10 days: 0.05,
0.1, 0.5, 1.0 and 5.0% methanol (v/v) in one unique dose at the beginning o
f the culture and 1/10 of these (i.e. 0.005, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.5% metha
nol (v/v)) in daily doses for the 10-day culture period. Low concentrations
of methanol induced a faster increase of cell density and dry weight than
control, while high concentrations induced symptoms of toxicity. The higher
cell densities and quicker growth were observed in the experiments with da
ily administration of 0.005 and 0.1% (v/v) methanol, while those with one d
ose presented an initial boosted growth but a final cell density lower than
control. The role of methanol as alternative carbon source for microalgae,
as well as its possible impact on the quality of biomass production and on
the environment, are discussed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights
reserved.