title: Productivity, carbon utilization, and energy content of mass in scalable microalgae systems.
abstract: This study was designed to examine carbon utilization within scalable microalgae production systems. Neochloris oleoabundans was produced in replicated troughs containing BG11 nutrient formulation. Atmospheric CO(2) was supplemented with ∼5% CO(2) or with NaHCO(3), and the pH of troughs receiving NaHCO(3) was adjusted with HCl or H(3)PO(4). Peak biomass concentrations reached 950, 1140, or 850 mg L(-1) and biomass productivities of 109, 96, and 74 mg L(-1) day(-1) were achieved in the CO(2), NaHCO(3):HCl and NaHCO(3):H(3)PO(4) troughs, respectively. The highest productivity is expected in a scaled-up continuous batch process of the CO(2) supplemented system, which was projected to yield 8948 L lipids ha(-1)yr(-1). Carbon utilization in the CO(2), NaHCO(3):HCl and NaHCO(3):H(3)PO(4) systems was ∼0.5, 15.5, and 12.9%, while the energy content of the combustible biomass was 26.7, 13.2, and 15.4 MJ kg(-1), respectively. Techno-economic analyses of microalgal production systems should consider efficiencies and cost-benefit of various carbon sources.
authors.affiliation: Oklahoma Geological Survey, The University of Oklahoma, 100 E. Boyd Street, Norman, OK 73019, USA. kyle.murray@ou.edu
authors.forename: Kyle E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Jeremy A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Shields
authors.forename: Nicholas D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Frank G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Healy
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D058086:Microalgae / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D010865:Pilot Projects
chemical_list: D002244:Carbon