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Oil Production Towards Biofuel from Autotrophic Microalgae Semicontinuous Cultivations Monitorized by Flow Cytometry

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Abstract

Two microalgae species (Scenedesmus obliquus and Neochloris oleoabundans) were cultivated in closed sleeve photobioreactors in order to select the best oil producer for further large-scale open raceway pond cultivations, aiming at biofuel production. Scenedesmus obliquus reached a higher maximum biomass concentration (1.41 g l−1) with a lower lipid content (12.8% w/w), as compared to N. oleoabundans [maximum biomass concentration of 0.92 g l−1 with 16.5% (w/w) lipid content]. Both microalgae showed adequate fatty acid composition and iodine values as substitutes for diesel fuel. Based on these results, N. oleoabundans was selected for further open raceway pond cultivations. Under these conditions, N. oleoabundans reached a maximum biomass concentration of 2.8 g l−1 with 11% (w/w) of lipid content. A high correlation between the Nile Red fluorescence intensity measured by flow cytometry and total lipid content assayed by the traditional gravimetric lipid analysis was found for both microalgae, making this method a suitable and quick technique for the screening of microalgae strains for lipid production and optimization of biofuel production bioprocesses. Medium growth optimization for enhancement of microalgal oil production is now in progress.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge Doutora Narcisa Bandarra from IPIMAR for the fatty acid analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biotecnologia, Instituto Nacional de Engenharia, Tecnologia e Inovação, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar, 22, 1649-038, Lisboa codex, Portugal

    Teresa Lopes da Silva & Alberto Reis

  2. Departamento de Energias Renováveis, Instituto Nacional de Engenharia, Tecnologia e Inovação, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar, 22, 1649-038, Lisboa codex, Portugal

    Roberto Medeiros, Ana Cristina Oliveira & Luisa Gouveia

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  1. Teresa Lopes da Silva
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  2. Alberto Reis
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  3. Roberto Medeiros
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  4. Ana Cristina Oliveira
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  5. Luisa Gouveia
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Correspondence to Teresa Lopes da Silva.

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da Silva, T.L., Reis, A., Medeiros, R. et al. Oil Production Towards Biofuel from Autotrophic Microalgae Semicontinuous Cultivations Monitorized by Flow Cytometry. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 159, 568–578 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-008-8443-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-008-8443-5

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