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MINERAL UPTAKE RATES AND YIELD COEFFICIENTS OF THE GREEN MICROALGAE SCENEDESMUS DIMORPHUS

Mahfouz, Grace N.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1420907448

Abstract Details

2014, Master of Science in Chemical Engineering, Cleveland State University, Washkewicz College of Engineering.
The need for renewable sources of energy has become critical as fossil fuel resources, which include oil, coal, and natural gas, are known to contribute to climate change and will eventually be depleted. Biofuels that originate from the fat of plants, animals, microalgae, and bacteria are an attractive alternative. Microalgae, in particular, are strong candidates for biofuel production since they have a high growth rate and lipid content (up to 50% in some species). The goal of this research was to optimize 3N-BBM+V recipe (Bold Basal Medium with 3-fold Nitrogen and Vitamins) in an effort of reducing the amount of nutrients used in growing the green microalgae Scenedesmus dimorphus, and hence lower the cost of cultivation. Three runs were carried out on a 5L bioreactor in batch mode. The average growth rate of S. dimorphus was 0.17 ± 0.03 days-1. Inductively Coupled Plasma was utilized to monitor substrate concentration with time in the bioreactor which allowed the determination of yield coefficients in gdw biomass/g substrate for magnesium (253±50), calcium (341±84), potassium (61±15), phosphorous (60±13), and iron (5807±3000). These yields were utilized to calculate the optimal starting substrate concentration in the media in mg/L for magnesium (4.3±0.3), calcium (3.2±0.2), potassium (18±1), phosphorous (18±1), and iron (0.19±0.015). The inverse of mass fraction for elements in the biomass was obtained in gdw biomass/g substrate for magnesium (309±9), calcium (341±84), potassium (98±6), phosphorous (70±5), and iron (8075±2500). The average substrate consumption rates in the three runs for Mg, Ca, Fe, P, and K are 0.61±0.41, 0.31±0.64, 0.008±0.03, 2.8±1.6, and 1.3±2.2 mg substrate/gdw biomass.day respectively. Potassium and phosphorous have the lowest yields which is consistent with them having the highest consumption rates. The bead beater and mortar and pestle cell lysing methods were utilized to determine which is the most consistent and efficient in terms of lipid extraction. The average lipid content obtained using the bead beater and mortar and pestle were 9 ± 2% and 19 ± 2% respectively, making the mortar and pestle the cell lysing method of choice in this research. The lipid content on the last day of the three runs of the photobioreactor was 11-16%.
Joanne Belovich, PhD (Committee Chair)
Jorge Gatica, PhD (Committee Member)
Orhan Talu , PhD (Committee Member)
Xiang Zhou, PhD (Committee Member)
Biology; Chemical Engineering; Chemistry

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Mahfouz, G. N. (2014). MINERAL UPTAKE RATES AND YIELD COEFFICIENTS OF THE GREEN MICROALGAE SCENEDESMUS DIMORPHUS [Master's thesis, Cleveland State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1420907448

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Mahfouz, Grace. MINERAL UPTAKE RATES AND YIELD COEFFICIENTS OF THE GREEN MICROALGAE SCENEDESMUS DIMORPHUS. 2014. Cleveland State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1420907448.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Mahfouz, Grace. "MINERAL UPTAKE RATES AND YIELD COEFFICIENTS OF THE GREEN MICROALGAE SCENEDESMUS DIMORPHUS." Master's thesis, Cleveland State University, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1420907448

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by Cleveland State University and OhioLINK.