Influence of fermentation temperature and sodium nitrate concentration on growth rate and biomass production of local Chlorella Vulgaris using stirred tank Photobioreactor

Abstract EN

The aim of this study was to optimize some culture conditions for the highest biomass production and growth rate of a local isolate of the microalgae C.

vulgaris.

The experiments were carried out between 2013 - 2015.

Studied green algal strain was successfully isolated from Syrian freshwaters, and then incubated in the laboratory of national commission for biotechnology by bioreactors for the growth.

The effect of three temperatures (15, 25, 35°C) and three sodium nitrate concentrations (0.1, 0.25, 0.4 g/L) on biomass production and growth rate of C.

Vulgaris was determined.

The dry biomass weight (0.361 g/L) and growth rate (0.237/ day) were highest at 25°C.

No significant difference was observed neither between the averages of dry biomass or the averages of growth rate at 15°C and 35°C.

On the other hand, the results showed that the nitrate concentration had no effect on biomass production, but not on the growth rate; as the maximum growth rate (0.257 day) was at 0.4g NaNO3/L, with no significant difference with the other nitrate concentrations.

So that, the recommended culturing parameters for high biomass production purpose were: 25°C and 0.1 g NaNO3/L.