Enhancement of microalgal biomass and lipid productivities by a model of photoautotrophic culture with heterotrophic cells as seed

For overcoming the long period of seed cultured photoautotrophically and inadequate cell supply for the inoculation of microalgae photoautotrophic cultivation, a model for the photoautotrophic culture of three Chlorella species with heterotrophic cells as seed was investigated. The model can not only take advantages of rapid cell growth in heterotrophic process for preparation of cells as seed but also increase the biomass and lipid productivities of the microalgae cultivated photoautotrophically. The results showed that biomass productivities of Chlorella pyrenoidosa, Chlorella ellipsoidea and Chlorella vulgaris cultured by heterotrophy were 20.9, 26.9 and 25.2 times higher than those by photoautotrophy in seed culturing period. In the subsequent photoautotrophic culture, the biomass and lipid productivities of C. pyrenoidosa, C. ellipsoidea and C. vulgaris with heterotrophic seed were 1.91, 1.51, 1.48 and 1.66, 1.37, 1.42 times higher than those with photoautotrophic seed. Furthermore, the culture model was also carried out successfully outdoor. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.