Browsing by Subject "Oil yield"

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    The effect of nitrogen limitation on lipid productivity and cell composition in Chlorella vulgaris
    (Springer Verlag, 2014) Griffiths, Melinda J; van Hille, Robert P; Harrison, Susan T L
    Chlorella vulgaris accumulates lipid under nitrogen limitation, but at the expense of biomass productivity. Due to this tradeoff, improved lipid productivity may be compromised, despite higher lipid content. To determine the optimal degree of nitrogen limitation for lipid productivity, batch cultures of C. vulgaris were grown at different nitrate concentrations. The growth rate, lipid content, lipid productivity and biochemical and elemental composition of the cultures were monitored for 20 days. A starting nitrate concentration of 170 mg L−1 provided the optimal tradeoff between biomass and lipid production under the experimental conditions. Volumetric lipid yield (in milligram lipid per liter algal culture) was more than double that under nitrogen-replete conditions. Interpolation of the data indicated that the highest volumetric lipid concentration and lipid productivity would occur at nitrate concentrations of 305 and 241 mg L−1 , respectively. There was a strong correlation between the nitrogen content of the cells and the pigment, protein and lipid content, as well as biomass and lipid productivity. Knowledge of the relationships between cell nitrogen content, growth, and cell composition assists in the prediction of the nitrogen regime required for optimal productivity in batch or continuous culture. In addition to enhancing lipid productivity, nitrogen limitation improves the lipid profile for biodiesel production and reduces the requirement for nitrogen fertilizers, resulting in cost and energy savings and a reduction in the environmental burden of the process.
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    The effect of nitrogen limitation on lipid productivity and cell composition in Chlorella vulgaris
    (Springer Verlag, 2014) Griffiths, Melinda J; van Hille, Robert P; Harrison, Susan T L
    Chlorella vulgaris accumulates lipid under nitrogen limitation, but at the expense of biomass productivity. Due to this tradeoff, improved lipid productivity may be compromised, despite higher lipid content. To determine the optimal degree of nitrogen limitation for lipid productivity, batch cultures of C. vulgaris were grown at different nitrate concentrations. The growth rate, lipid content, lipid productivity and biochemical and elemental composition of the cultures were monitored for 20 days. A starting nitrate concentration of 170 mg L−1 provided the optimal tradeoff between biomass and lipid production under the experimental conditions. Volumetric lipid yield (in milligram lipid per liter algal culture) was more than double that under nitrogen-replete conditions. Interpolation of the data indicated that the highest volumetric lipid concentration and lipid productivity would occur at nitrate concentrations of 305 and 241 mg L−1 , respectively. There was a strong correlation between the nitrogen content of the cells and the pigment, protein and lipid content, as well as biomass and lipid productivity. Knowledge of the relationships between cell nitrogen content, growth, and cell composition assists in the prediction of the nitrogen regime required for optimal productivity in batch or continuous culture. In addition to enhancing lipid productivity, nitrogen limitation improves the lipid profile for biodiesel production and reduces the requirement for nitrogen fertilizers, resulting in cost and energy savings and a reduction in the environmental burden of the process.
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    Lipid productivity, settling potential and fatty acid profile of 11 microalgal species grown under nitrogen replete and limited conditions
    (Springer, 2012) Griffiths, Melinda J; van Hille, Robert P; Harrison, Susan T L
    Microalgae are a promising alternative source of oil for biodiesel production. Identification of a species with desirable characteristics is a key component towards achieving economic feasibility for the process. This has been compromised by a lack of data allowing effective interspecies comparison. Eleven species of microalgae, selected on the basis of available literature data, were tested for lipid productivity, gravity sedimentation and the suitability of their fatty acid profiles for biodiesel production. The response to nitrogen limitation was species-specific. Lipid yields and productivity were higher at 150 mg L−1 nitrate than at 1,500 mg L−1 for all species tested except Spirulina platensis. The Chlorophyta, particularly Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus, had the highest growth rates and showed the greatest increase in lipid content in response to nitrogen limitation. Cylindrotheca fusiformis, S. platensis, Scenedesmus and Tetraselmis suecica had the fastest settling rates and highest biomass recoveries after 24 h of gravity sedimentation. For most species, the fuel would need to be blended or culture conditions to be optimised to achieve the correct lipid profile in order for microalgal fuel to meet the European standards for biodiesel production (EN 14214). The most promising species overall were the freshwater algae Scenedesmus and C. vulgaris and the marine algae C. fusiformis and Nannochloropsis.