Floating cultivation of marine cyanobacteria using coal fly ash

The aim of this study was to develop improved methodologies for bulk cultur ing of biotechnologically useful marine cyanobacteria in the open ocean. We have investigated the viability of using coal fly ash (CFA) blocks as the support medium in a novel floating culture system for marine microalgae. Th e marine cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. NKBC 040607 was found to adhere t o floating CFA blocks in liquid culture medium. Maximum density of attached cells of 2.0 x 10(8) cells/cm(2) was achieved using seawater. The marine c yanobacterium Synechococcus sp. NKBG 042902 weakly adhered to floating CFA blocks in BG-11 medium. Increasing the concentration of calcium ion in the culture medium enhanced adherence to CFA blocks.