title: Comprehensive modeling and investigation of the effect of iron on the growth rate and lipid accumulation of Chlorella vulgaris cultured in batch photobioreactors.
abstract: Recent works have shown that specific strains of microalgae are capable to simultaneously increase their growth rate and lipid content when cultured under suitable concentrations of iron. While these results are promising in view of the exploitation of microalgae for producing biofuels, to the best of our knowledge, no mathematical model capable to describe the effect of iron on lipid accumulation in microalgae, has been so far proposed. A comprehensive mathematical model describing the effect of iron on chlorophyll synthesis, nitrogen assimilation, growth rate and lipid accumulation in a freshwater strain of Chlorella vulgaris is then proposed in this work. Model results are successfully compared with experimental data which confirm the positive effect of growing iron concentrations on lipid productivity of C. vulgaris. Thus, the proposed model might represent a useful tool to optimize iron-based strategies to improve the lipid productivity of microalgal cultures.
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Studies, Research and Development in Sardinia (CRS4), Loc. Piscina Manna, Building 1, 09010 Pula (CA), Italy. Electronic address: aconcas@crs4.it.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Concas
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of the National Interuniversity Consortium "The Chemistry for the Environment", Interdepartmental Center of Environmental Science and Engineering (CINSA), University of Cagliari, Via San Giorgio 12, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steriti
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Studies, Research and Development in Sardinia (CRS4), Loc. Piscina Manna, Building 1, 09010 Pula (CA), Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pisu
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Studies, Research and Development in Sardinia (CRS4), Loc. Piscina Manna, Building 1, 09010 Pula (CA), Italy; Research Unit of the National Interuniversity Consortium "The Chemistry for the Environment", Interdepartmental Center of Environmental Science and Engineering (CINSA), University of Cagliari, Via San Giorgio 12, 09124 Cagliari, Italy; Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Cagliari, Piazza d'Armi, 09123 Cagliari, Italy. Electronic address: giacomo.cao@dimcm.unica.it.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D061249:Batch Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018533:Biomass; D048408:Chlorella vulgaris / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D007501:Iron / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008027:Light; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D058433:Photobioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004492:Edetic Acid; D007501:Iron
keywords: Biofuels; Effect of iron; Lipid accumulation; Mathematical modeling; Microalgae