Mass culture optimization studies with four marine microalgae

Abstract Four marine microalgae were grown in a 12 cm deep outdoor flume in Hawaii to examine their suitability as mass culture organisms. Foil arrays were used to effect systematic vertical mixing. The cells were grown on a two-day batch cycle with initial concentrations ranging from approximately 10 to 500 g ash-free dry weight (AFDW) m −3 . Culture salinities were varied by factors of 4–5 from lows of 3–15‰ to highs of 15–54‰. Over periods of approximately 2–3 weeks the maximum photosynthetic efficiencies (based on visible irradiance) ranged from 7·8% for Navicula sp. to 9·4% for Cyclotella cryptica . Production by Navicula sp. and Synechococcus sp. was unaffected by salinity over the range 7–32‰. Production by C. gracilis was negatively correlated with salinity over the range 15–54‰, while C. cryptica showed a production maximum at 7‰. An analysis of variance revealed no significant effect of initial concentration on production over the range 50–400 g AFDW m −3 , but production was significantly depressed at 32 and 500 g AFDW m −3 .

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