11.08.2015   BIOFUELS FROM ALGAE

Carbon Fixation of Industrially Important Microalgae

Carbon fixation by microalgae is in vogue. In the last decade, more than 4,000 papers were published globally on this subject. Table 4.1 presents some rates of carbon dioxide described in the literature.

Among all species of microalgae, four are most common industrially: Spirulina, Chlorella, Dunaliella, and Haematococcus. Despite not being used industrially, Botryococcus is also largely studied due to its potential use as a source of hydrocarbons. These microalgae’s potential for carbon fixation is discussed next.

TABLE 4.1 Data of Biomass Productivity and CO2 Fixation Rate from Microalgae.

Microalgae Strain

Biomass (mg L 1 d1)

CO2 Fixation Rate

(mg L 1 d1)

Reference

Spirulina platensis

145

318

Sydney et al., 2011

Chlorella vulgaris

129

251

Sydney et al., 2011

Synechocystis aquatilis

30

50

Zhang et al., 2001

Anabena sp.

310

1450

Lopez et al., 2009

Botryococcus braunii

207

500

Sydney et al., 2011

Dunaliella tertiolecta

143

272

Sydney et al., 2011

Chlorococcum littorale

530

900

Kurano et al., 1996

Aphanothece microscopica Nageli

301

562

Jacob-lopes et al., 2009

Chlorella, Oscillatoria, Oedogonium, Anabaena, Microspora and Lyngbya (mixed culture)

131

161

Tsai et al., 2012