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Productivity correlated to photobiochemical performance of Chlorella mass cultures grown outdoors in thin-layer cascades

  • Original Paper
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Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology

Abstract

This work aims to: (1) correlate photochemical activity and productivity, (2) characterize the flow pattern of culture layers and (3) determine a range of biomass densities for high productivity of the freshwater microalga Chlorella spp., grown outdoors in thin-layer cascade units. Biomass density, irradiance inside culture, pigment content and productivity were measured in the microalgae cultures. Chlorophyll-fluorescence quenching was monitored in situ (using saturation-pulse method) to estimate photochemical activities. Photobiochemical activities and growth parameters were studied in cultures of biomass density between 1 and 47 g L−1. Fluorescence measurements showed that diluted cultures (1–2 g DW L−1) experienced significant photostress due to inhibition of electron transport in the PSII complex. The highest photochemical activities were achieved in cultures of 6.5–12.5 g DW L−1, which gave a maximum daylight productivity of up to 55 g dry biomass m−2 day−1. A midday depression of maximum PSII photochemical yield (F v/F m) of 20–30% compared with morning values in these cultures proved to be compatible with well-performing cultures. Lower or higher depression of F v/F m indicated low-light acclimated or photoinhibited cultures, respectively. A hydrodynamic model of the culture demonstrated highly turbulent flow allowing rapid light/dark cycles (with frequency of 0.5 s−1) which possibly match the turnover of the photosynthetic apparatus. These results are important from a biotechnological point of view for optimisation of growth of outdoor microalgae mass cultures under various climatic conditions.

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Abbreviations

Chl:

Chlorophyll

Car:

Carotenoids

DW:

Dry weight

F0, Fv, Fm:

Minimum, variable and maximum fluorescence in dark-adapted cultures

F′, Fm′:

Actual and maximum level of fluorescence in light-adapted cultures

Fv/Fm:

Maximum quantum yield of PSII

∆F/F m′:

Actual quantum yield of PSII

L/D:

Light/dark

NPQ:

Non-photochemical quenching (F m/F m′ − 1)

N r :

Reynolds number

PSII:

Photosystem II

PQ:

Plastoquinone

Q:

Quinone

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Mr. Radek Plch, Ms. Jana Hofhanzlová, Ms. Lada Samcová and Mr. Petr Novotný for technical assistance, Mr. Jan Červený for software set-up, Mr. Pavel Souček for preparation of diagrams, Prof. Josef Komenda for critical discussion, Dr. Steve Ridgill for language corrections, Dr. AnnaRita Leva for statistical analysis and three anonymous reviewers for their constructive remarks. Travel support to G.T. was funded from bilateral scientific agreement between the Italian CNR and the Czech Academy of Sciences. The Czech Science Foundation supported this work through projects 522/06/1090 and 521/09/0656. Partial funding was also provided by project MSM6007665808 of the Ministry of Education and by project AVOZ 50200510 of the Czech Academy of Sciences, and by Italian MIUR (Ministero dell’Istruzione, Università e Ricerca), FISR 2002, prot. N. 1756 828.07.2005, and by the Italian Space Agency (project MoMa contract number I/014/06/0).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Academy of Sciences, Institute of Microbiology, Opatovický mlýn, 37981, Třeboň, Czech Republic

    Jiří Masojídek & Jiří Kopecký

  2. Institute of Physical Biology, University of South Bohemia, Zámek 136, 37333, Nové Hrady, Czech Republic

    Jiří Masojídek & Jiří Kopecký

  3. Istituto per lo Studio degli Ecosistemi del CNR, Sezione di Firenze, Via Madonna del Piano, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy

    Luca Giannelli & Giuseppe Torzillo

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  1. Jiří Masojídek
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  2. Jiří Kopecký
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  3. Luca Giannelli
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  4. Giuseppe Torzillo
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Correspondence to Jiří Masojídek.

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Masojídek, J., Kopecký, J., Giannelli, L. et al. Productivity correlated to photobiochemical performance of Chlorella mass cultures grown outdoors in thin-layer cascades. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 38, 307–317 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-010-0774-x

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