Effects of the Light Irradiance on the Growth and Lipid Content of Amphidinium carterae (Dinophyceae) for Biofuel Production

Abstract

The irradiance level used to the microalgae cultures can modify the growth and proximate composition, however, this response is specie speci c. The dino agellate group had the potential to be used as a source to biofuel production. In this study was evaluated the effect of ve irradiance levels (50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 µmol photon m -2 s -1 ) on the growth rate, proximal composition, pigment content, and photosynthesis of Amphidinium carterae. The highest cell concentration was for the cultures at 150 µmol photon m -2 s -1 (130 × 10 3 cells mL -1 ), and the lowest values for 50 µmol photon m -2 s -1 (49 × 10 3 cells mL -1 ). The cultures maintained under the low irradiance (50 µmol photon m -2 s -1 ) had the highest values of total dry weight (TDW) (13418 pg cell -1 ), organic dry weight (ODW) (3836 pg cell -1 ), and inorganic dry weight (IDW) (9582 pg cell -1 ). The protein content as the general trend increases signi cantly concerning the irradiance level, with the higher values (87.47 pg cell -1 ) at high irradiance (250 µmol photon m -2 s -1 ).Carbohydrate content was different by the effect of irradiance, with the higher values (32.85 pg cell -1 ) at the low irradiance used (50 µmol photon m -2 s -1 ). Lipid content was modi ed by the effect of irradiance, with the highest values (534.74 pg cell -1 ) at the low irradiance used (50 µmol photon m -2 s -1 ). As a general trend, the high irradiances increased the photosynthesis curves. These ndings demonstrate that the strain of A. carterae used in this work can grow in high irradiances (100 to 250 µmol photon m -2 s -1 ) and increase signi cantly the lipid content on low irradiance used (50 µmol photon m -2 s -1 ).

A review on marine benthic dinoflagellates in Mexico

“…Again, the consumption of toxic dinoflagellates by the oyster spat caused changes at the expression level of the genes involved in the immune response. A biotechnological approach based on physiological changes in Amphidinium carterae is currently underway to explore the potential for biofuel production (Mendoza-Flores et al, 2022). A strain of A. carterae isolated from a bloom in Bahía Todos Santos, Ensenada, Baja California, was exposed to five irradiance levels (50,100,150,200 and 250 µmol photons m −2 s −1 ), and the effect on the growth rate, photosynthesis and the content in protein, carbohydrate, lipid and pigment was determined.…”