Abstract
Microalgal lipids may be a more sustainable biodiesel feedstock than crop oils. We have investigated the potential for using the crude glycerol as a carbon substrate. In batch mode, the biomass and lipid concentration of Chlorella protothecoides cultivated in a crude glycerol medium were, respectively, 23.5 and 14.6 g/l in a 6-day cultivation. In the fed-batch mode, the biomass and lipid concentration improved to 45.2 and 24.6 g/l after 8.2 days of cultivation, respectively. The maximum lipid productivity of 3 g/l day in the fed-batch mode was higher than that produced by batch cultivation. This work demonstrates the feasibility of crude biodiesel glycerol as an alternative carbon substrate to glucose for microalgal cultivation and a cost reduction of carbon substrate feed in microalgal lipid production may be expected.
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Acknowledgments
This research was supported by Clemson University Public Service Activities and in part by the US of Department of Energy. We also appreciate Southeast Biodiesel-North Charleston Plant (N. Charleston, SC, USA) for providing the crude glycerol samples.
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Chen, YH., Walker, T.H. Biomass and lipid production of heterotrophic microalgae Chlorella protothecoides by using biodiesel-derived crude glycerol. Biotechnol Lett 33, 1973–1983 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-011-0672-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-011-0672-y