Biodiesel quality assessment of microalgae cultivated mixotrophically on sugarcane bagasse

In the present study FAMEs were analyzed qualitatively while growing microalgae mixotrophically in sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate under two concentrations and compared with biodiesel international standards. Biodiesel produced from microalgal feedstocks has gained attraction these days and for its commercial acceptance it must have to comply with the international biodiesel standards. Scenedesmus dimorphus and Nannochloropsis sp. showed high FAMEs contents of 138.7 and 170.5 mu g mg(-1) when cultivated mixotrophically. Nannochloropsis sp. and S. dimorphus showed high quantity of saturated fatty acids as 72 and 40%, respectively during mixotrophic cultivations. Mixotmphy enhanced the biodiesel quality in Chlorella sp. BR2 but decreased its FAMEs contents. Cetane number increased to 50, 57 and 47 in S. dimorphus, Chlorella sp. BR2 and Nannochloropsis sp., respectively, while iodine value decreased in all the three strains during mixotrophic cultivations and values found in accordance with the standards.

Automated summary

In this study, FAMEs were qualitatively analyzed during mixotrophic cultivation of microalgae in sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate and compared with international biodiesel standards. The results showed that mixotrophic cultivation enhanced the biodiesel quality but decreased the FAMEs contents in some microalgae strains.