Journal article
Maximum CO2 Utilization by Nutritious Microalgae
ACS sustainable chemistry & engineering, Vol.7(10), pp.9474-9479
05/20/2019
DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b00656
Abstract
High-protein microalgae are a promising alternative to soy for more rapidly and sustainably produced protein-rich animal feed. However, there are still significant barriers to be overcome in growing nutritious microalgae, recovering nutrients from wastewater, and fixing CO2 from flue gas in full-scale sustainable operations. Currently, it is generally assumed that nutritious microalgae, including Scenedesmus obliquus, are inhibited by CO2 levels characteristic of industrial flue gases. Experiments in a 2 L photobioreactor with the ability to control CO2 concentrations and pH demonstrated that the inhibition of S. obliquus was not important until 10% CO2 and was not prohibitively reduced even at 35% CO2. The rate of growth exceeded all values in the literature for S. obliquus at concentrations greater than 2.5% CO2, and the amino acid content of the microalgae was equal or superior to that of soy. A substrate inhibition model indicated that CO2 levels comparable to flue gases do not substantially inhibit S. obliquus growth, with careful pH control. The model indicated maximum biomass productivity of 640 ± 100 mg L–1 d–1 at 4.5% CO2 (K m of 0.8 ± 0.4% CO2, K i of 26 ± 9% CO2, and v max of 860 ± 120 mg L–1 d–1), which exceeds previously measured biomass productivity values at inhibitory CO2 concentrations. Protein contents of S. obliquus and soy were comparable.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Maximum CO2 Utilization by Nutritious Microalgae
- Creators
- Hannah R Molitor - Department of Civil and Environmental EngineeringEmily J Moore - Department of Civil and Environmental EngineeringJerald L Schnoor - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- ACS sustainable chemistry & engineering, Vol.7(10), pp.9474-9479
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society
- DOI
- 10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b00656
- ISSN
- 2168-0485
- eISSN
- 2168-0485
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100000082, name: Division of Graduate Education, award: 1546595
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 05/20/2019
- Academic Unit
- Occupational and Environmental Health; Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9983997418702771
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