Influence of Nitrogen Sources on Growth, Hydrocarbon and Fatty Acid Production by Botryococcus braunii

Biomass and hydrocarbon productivities of Botryococcus braunii under the influence of different nitrogen sources, pH and culture age were evaluated. Potassium nitrate was found to be the best source of nitrogen for growth and hydrocarbon yields in B. braunii. Oleic acid and palmitic were found to be the predominant fatty acids produced by the algae B. braunii (LB-572 and SAG 30.81) and they also produced alkyl substituted fatty acids such as 12-methyl hexadecanoic acid, -methyl tetradecanoic acid, -methyl heptadecanoic acid and 25-methyl heptacosanoic acid in trace amounts as identified by GCMS. The algae B. braunii (LB-572 and SAG 30.81) exhibited tolerance to pH in the range of 6.0 to 8.5. The biomass yields of 1.2 and 0.56 g L-1 with 30-35% (w/w) hydrocarbon yields was observed respectively for B. braunii strains LB 572 and SAG 30.81.

[1]  R. Sarada,et al.  Presence of methyl branched fatty acids and saturated hydrocarbons in botryococcene producing strain of Botryococcus braunii , 2006, Acta Physiologiae Plantarum.

[2]  Sila Bhattacharya,et al.  Effect of media and culture conditions on growth and hydrocarbon production by Botryococcus braunii , 2005 .

[3]  C. Largeau,et al.  Botryococcus braunii: a rich source for hydrocarbons and related ether lipids , 2005, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

[4]  C. Largeau,et al.  C31-C34 methylated squalenes from a Bolivian strain of Botryococcus braunii. , 2004, Phytochemistry.

[5]  W. Cong,et al.  Effects of bisulfite and sulfite on the microalga Botryococcus braunii , 2004 .

[6]  W. Cong,et al.  Utilization of Nitrite as a Nitrogen Source by Botryococcus Braunii , 2004, Biotechnology Letters.

[7]  Yutaka Dote,et al.  Growth of the hydrocarbon-rich microalga Botryococcus braunii in secondarily treated sewage , 1992, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

[8]  Y. Chisti,et al.  Botryococcus braunii: A Renewable Source of Hydrocarbons and Other Chemicals , 2002, Critical reviews in biotechnology.

[9]  T. Minowa,et al.  Possibility of renewable energy production and CO2 mitigation by thermochemical liquefaction of microalgae , 1999 .

[10]  E Kojima,et al.  Growth and hydrocarbon production of microalga Botryococcus braunii in bubble column photobioreactors. , 1999, Journal of bioscience and bioengineering.

[11]  Y. Dote,et al.  CO2 fixation and oil production through microalga , 1995 .

[12]  Pierre Metzger,et al.  STRUCTURE AND CHEMISTRY OF A NEW CHEMICAL RACE OF BOTRYOCOCCUS BRAUNII (CHLOROPHYCEAE) THAT PRODUCES LYCOPADIENE, A TETRATERPENOID HYDROCARBON 1 , 1990 .

[13]  C. Largeau,et al.  Hydrocarbon recovery by extraction with a biocompatible solvent from free and immobilized cultures of Botryococcus braunii , 1989 .

[14]  A. Couté,et al.  Alkadiene- and botryococcene-producing races of wild strains of Botryococcus braunii , 1985 .

[15]  L W Hillen,et al.  Hydrocracking of the oils of Botryococcus braunii to transport fuels , 1982, Biotechnology and bioengineering.

[16]  P. Dhamelincourt,et al.  Sites of accumulation and composition of hydrocarbons in Botryococcus braunii , 1980 .

[17]  A. C. Brown,et al.  Hydrocarbon content and its relationship to physiological state in the green alga Botryococcus braunii , 1969 .

[18]  G. Eglinton,et al.  The Botryococcenes—hydrocarbons of novel structure from the alga Botryococcus braunii, Kützing , 1968 .