Production Of Biofuel And Bioplastic From Chlorella Pyrenoidosa

With the growing need for clean and alternate sources of energy, bio based fuels are increasingly being used as an energy substitute. Conventional sources used for biofuel production have limitations that can be overcome by the use of microalgae. For this study, biofuel and bioplastic were produced from Chlorella pyrenoidosa under optimised growth conditions. The mother culture was cultured separately in Fogg's medium and Fogg's broth under a constant light intensity of 80 Lux. Maximum growth was observed after 10 days. The strain showed an increase in growth rate under the presence of carbon dioxide. Lab scale flocculation and transesterification were carried out for the production of biodiesel. Tests were also conducted to ensure the quality of biodiesel. The leftover algal biomass was chemically treated to produce bioplastic. The biodegradability of the polymer is due to Poly Hydroxy Butyrate (PHB) present in the microalgae cell. The PHB content was analysed in UV photospectrometry at 230 nm. The result showed 27% of PHB content in the 14 days old algae culture. This ensures that the bioplastic produce from the microalgae is biodegradable in nature. The detoxification of Chromium and Nickel by the microalgae showed a reduction of 11.24 % and 33.89% respectively. (c) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.