OPTIMIZING GROWTH AND ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF CHLORELLA VULGARIS USING VARIOUS NITROGEN AND CARBON SOURCES UNDER LABORATORY CONDITIONS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Environmental Agricultural Sciences Faculty of Post Graduate Studies and Environmental Research, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

2 National Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt

3 Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

The green alga Chlorella vulgaris was cultivated in a laboratory setting using various nitrogen and carbon sources to assess its growth potential and identify the most economical carbon source. Initially, the alga was grown under optimal conditions using the BG-11 medium, with nitrate (NO3) and ammonia (NH3) tested at 17.6 mM N to establish growth curves under ambient conditions. Subsequently, the alga was incubated with urea, organic carbon (vinasse waste), ammonium carbonate, and sodium acetate, based on an initial urea carbon content of 106 ppm. Experiments were conducted in a fully transparent 108-liter Plexi-Glass photobioreactor, with dry weight and pigment content measured as key parameters. The biomass was also analyzed for economic viability. Results indicated that both nitrogen sources had similar effects on dry weight and carotenoid content, however, nitrate significantly increased chlorophyll content. Among carbon sources, organic carbon enhanced dry weight and carotene content, while sodium acetate boosted chlorophyll content. The highest dry weight (1.72 g/L) was achieved with organic carbon, and the maximum chlorophyll content (62.89 mg/L) was obtained with sodium acetate. Organic carbon also yielded 29.19 mg/L of carotenoids. Economic analysis revealed that organic carbon had the lowest production cost per kilogram of Chlorella vulgaris biomass under mixotrophic conditions.
 

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