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Investigating Carbon Dioxide Transfer for Intensive Cultures of the Microalga Tetradesmus obliquus

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Abstract

Carbon dioxide (CO2) transfer in the intensive cultivation of microalgae is a crucial process in photobioreactor performance. This study evaluated three operating conditions (bubble size, aeration rate, and CO2 concentration) to improve the growth performance of the microalga Tetradesmus obliquus in a laboratory–scale photobioreactor. Two types of air diffusers were used (glass pipette and a sintered glass diffuser), three aerations rates (0.125, 0.25 and 0.5 vvm), and four CO2–enriched air concentrations (0.04, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0%) were investigated during the Tetradesmus obliquus cultivations. The results showed that the overall gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient (kLa) CO2 can be raised by increasing the aeration rate and using a sintered glass diffuser; however, CO2 capture efficiency was lower when the highest aeration rates were applied. When the glass diffuser was used at an aeration rate of 0.25 vvm, a kLa CO2 of 11.98 ± 0.6 1/h was provided, in comparison to 4.90 ± 0.19 1/h for the use of pipette at 0.5 vvm (maximum value reached). Similarly, the highest CO2 capture efficiency rate (67.94 ± 3.56%) was found applying an aeration rate of 0.25 vvm. At a CO2 concentration of 1 or 2% the T. obliquus biomass reached approximately 4.3 g/L, values significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the values reported for supplementation of 0.5% (~ 3.9 g/L) and 0.04% (~ 1.5 g/L). In summary, to avoid losses of CO2 to the atmosphere, an addition of 1% CO2 at an aeration rate of 0.25 vvm using a sintered glass diffuser were the optimal conditions to be applied in cylindrical laboratory–scale photobioreactor for T. obliquus growth.

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Funding

This study received financial support from the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation, and Communications–MCTIC/CGTS/SETEC provided by the Funding Authority for Studies and Projects (FINEP) (Agreement No. 01.10.0457.00) and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) (Case No. 407513/2013-2).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Algae Cultivation, Department of Aquaculture, Center of Agrarian Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, 88061-600, Brazil

    Francisco Rodrigues da Fonseca Pchara, Herculano Cella, Camila Nader, Henrique Cesar Venâncio, Rafael Garcia Lopes & Roberto Bianchini Derner

  2. Laboratory of Phycology, Department of Botany, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, 88040-900, Brazil

    Carlos Yure B. Oliveira & Rafaela Gordo Corrêa

  3. Laboratory of Marine Shrimp, Department of Aquaculture, Center of Agrarian Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, 88061-600, Brazil

    Luis Alejandro Vinatea Arana

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  1. Francisco Rodrigues da Fonseca Pchara
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  2. Herculano Cella
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Correspondence to Carlos Yure B. Oliveira.

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CRediT Authorship Contribution Statement

FRFP, RGL, HC, CN and RGC developed the experimental design and conducted the data acquisition and analysis. FRFP, HC, CN and CYBO wrote the manuscript, and all authors conducted the data interpretation and revised the manuscript.

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da Fonseca Pchara, F.R., Cella, H., Nader, C. et al. Investigating Carbon Dioxide Transfer for Intensive Cultures of the Microalga Tetradesmus obliquus. Bioenerg. Res. 17, 547–556 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-023-10622-6

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