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The Optimization of Growth Rate and Lipid Content from Select Algae Strains

CSAVINA, JANAE L., M.S., August 2008, Civil Engineering The Optimization of Growth Rate and Lipid Content from Select Algae Strains (99 pp.) Director of Thesis: Ben J. Stuart Algae are a favorable biofuel source because of the potential high oil content and fast generation of the biomass. However, one challenge of this technology is achieving this high oil content while maintaining an exponential growth of the organism. Introducing a two-stage reactor to attain both the optimization of growth and oil in the algae could be a solution to this hurdle. The experiments detailed in this thesis aim to determine the reactor design to optimize growth and lipid content of two strains of algae, Amphora sp. and Oocystis sp. Through growth condition manipulations, temperatures of 25 and 30±1°C and light intensities of 150 and 80 μmol m s were concluded to lead to the most robust growth for Oocystis sp. and Amphora sp., respectively. Both strains showed optimized growth at a light/dark cycle of 16:08. Lipid production was found to increase in heterotrophic growth for the Oocystis sp. Amphora sp. was observed to have high lipid productivity during exponential growth and stressful conditions did not enhance lipid production. With these results, a bench scale reactor system can be designed to project oil yield of a full scale reactor system. Approved: _ Ben J. Stuart Associate Professor of Civil Engineering