Mutual influence of light and CO 2 on carbon sequestration via cultivating mixotrophic alga Auxenochlorella protothecoides UMN280 in an organic carbon-rich wastewater

Min Min, Bing Hu, Wenguang Zhou, Yecong Li, Paul Chen, Roger Ruan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

37 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study focusses on the assimilation of carbon in concentrated municipal wastewater rich in organic carbon using the mixotrophic microalga Auxenochlorella protothecoides UMN280 with the addition of supplemental CO 2. The entire growth period of A. protothecoides UMN280 can be characterized by three phases: first, a phase where algae grew in a mixotrophic-dominated mode; second, a transition phase; and last, a phase where algae grew in a photoautotrophic-dominated mode. In this study, it was found that light intensity had a strong effect on algal biomass production; the culture system would transfer from a mixotrophic-dominated mode to a photoautotrophic-dominated mode quicker under higher light intensities. The addition of CO 2 exhibited an important role in the photoautotrophic-dominated cultivation stage. At certain level of irradiance and certain range of CO 2 injection rate, higher CO 2 injection rate would result in a higher level of carbon fixation. It is clearly beneficial to inject exogenous CO 2 in the mixotrophic wastewater algae production system when a light source is available, such as during daylight hours.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1099-1105
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Applied Phycology
Volume24
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2012

Keywords

  • Carbon sequestration
  • Mixotrophic
  • Wastewater treatment

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