title: Biomass and lipid production of heterotrophic microalgae Chlorella protothecoides by using biodiesel-derived crude glycerol.
abstract: Microalgal lipids may be a more sustainable biodiesel feedstock than crop oils. We have investigated the potential for using the crude glycerol as a carbon substrate. In batch mode, the biomass and lipid concentration of Chlorella protothecoides cultivated in a crude glycerol medium were, respectively, 23.5 and 14.6 g/l in a 6-day cultivation. In the fed-batch mode, the biomass and lipid concentration improved to 45.2 and 24.6 g/l after 8.2 days of cultivation, respectively. The maximum lipid productivity of 3 g/l day in the fed-batch mode was higher than that produced by batch cultivation. This work demonstrates the feasibility of crude biodiesel glycerol as an alternative carbon substrate to glucose for microalgal cultivation and a cost reduction of carbon substrate feed in microalgal lipid production may be expected.
authors.affiliation: Biosystems Engineering, Clemson University, Biosystems Research Complex, 51 New Cherry Street, Clemson, SC 29634, USA. ychen@clemson.edu
authors.forename: Yen-Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Terry H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D056804:Biofuels; D018533:Biomass; D002708:Chlorella / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D045424:Complex Mixtures; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D005990:Glycerol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D058086:Microalgae / Q000378:metabolism*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D045424:Complex Mixtures; D008055:Lipids; D005947:Glucose; D005990:Glycerol; D010100:Oxygen