Cellular Cycling, Carbon Utilization, and Photosynthetic Oxygen Production during Bicarbonate-Induced Triacylglycerol Accumulation in a Scenedesmus sp

Robert D. Gardner, Egan J. Lohman, Keith E. Cooksey, Robin Gerlach and Brent M. Peyton
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Robert D. Gardner: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
Egan J. Lohman: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
Keith E. Cooksey: Environmental Biotechnology Consultants, Manhattan, MT 59741, USA
Robin Gerlach: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
Brent M. Peyton: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA

Energies, 2013, vol. 6, issue 11, 1-17

Abstract: Microalgae are capable of synthesizing high levels of triacylglycerol (TAG) which can be used as precursor compounds for fuels and specialty chemicals. Algal TAG accumulation typically occurs when cellular cycling is delayed or arrested due to nutrient limitation, an environmental challenge (e.g., pH, light, temperature stress), or by chemical addition. This work is a continuation of previous studies detailing sodium bicarbonate-induced TAG accumulation in the alkaline chlorophyte Scenedesmus sp. WC-1. It was found that upon sodium bicarbonate amendment, bicarbonate is the ion responsible for TAG accumulation; a culture amendment of approximately 15 mM bicarbonate was sufficient to arrest the cellular cycle and switch the algal metabolism from high growth to a TAG accumulating state. However, the cultures were limited in dissolved inorganic carbon one day after the amendment, suggesting additional carbon supplementation was necessary. Therefore, additional abiotic and biotic experimentation was performed to evaluate in- and out-gassing of CO 2 . Cultures to which 40–50 mM of sodium bicarbonate were added consumed DIC faster than CO 2 could ingas during the light hours and total photosynthetic oxygen production was elevated as compared to cultures that did not receive supplemental inorganic carbon.

Keywords: algae; bicarbonate; biofuel; triacylglycerol (TAG); Nile Red fluorescence (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: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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