Fatty Acid Methyl Esters of the Aerophytic Cave Alga Coccomyxa subglobosa as a Source for Biodiesel Production

Joanna Czerwik-Marcinkowska, Katarzyna Gałczyńska, Jerzy Oszczudłowski, Andrzej Massalski, Jacek Semaniak and Michał Arabski
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Joanna Czerwik-Marcinkowska: Division of Environmental Biology, Jan Kochanowski University, 25-406 Kielce, Poland
Katarzyna Gałczyńska: Division of Medical Biology, Jan Kochanowski University, 25-406 Kielce, Poland
Jerzy Oszczudłowski: Institute of Chemistry, Jan Kochanowski University, 25-406 Kielce, Poland
Andrzej Massalski: Division of Environmental Biology, Jan Kochanowski University, 25-406 Kielce, Poland
Jacek Semaniak: Institute of Physics, Jan Kochanowski University, 25-406 Kielce, Poland
Michał Arabski: Division of Medical Biology, Jan Kochanowski University, 25-406 Kielce, Poland

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 24, 1-11

Abstract: The microscopic alga Coccomyxa subglobosa , collected from the G?owoniowa Ny?a Cave (Tatra Mountains, Poland), is a source of fatty acids (FAs) that could be used for biodiesel production. FAs from subaerial algae have unlimited availability because of the ubiquity of algae in nature. Algal culture was carried out under laboratory conditions and algal biomass was measured during growth phase, resulting in 5 g of dry weight (32% oil). The fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profile was analyzed by means of gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The presence of lipids and chloroplasts in C. subglobosa was demonstrated using GC–MS and confocal laser microscopy. Naturally occurring FAMEs contained C 12 –C 24 compounds, and methyl palmitate (28.5%) and methyl stearate (45%) were the predominant lipid species. Aerophytic algae could be an important component of biodiesel production, as they are omnipresent and environmentally friendly, contain more methyl esters than seaweed, and can be easily produced on a large scale.

Keywords: aerophytic algae; biodiesel; GC–MS (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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