11.08.2015   A Look Back at the U. S. Department of Energy’s Aquatic Species Program: Biodiesel from Algae

Screening of the SERI algal collection for infection with the Chlorella viruses

Dr. Meints received a number of algal strains from Dr. Bill Barclay at SERI that were believed to have potential for biodiesel production. These included Chlorella 501 and A. falcatus (A record

of the precise number and identity of the strains sent to Dr. Meints could not be found). Growth conditions for these strains were optimized, and the algae were then tested for infection by the algal viruses. None of the SERI strains were susceptible to infection by any virus isolate tested. This project was discontinued in early 1987.