Botryococcus

Isochrysis

braunii

sp.
Tetraselmis sp.

Botryococcus braunii

For this study, we used samples collected

from four sites- Nagbacalan (I), Suba (II),
Nanguyudan (III) and Sungadan (IV) from
May to September 2006 (Fig. 1). During
sampling, rust-colored aggregates of the
algae was frequently observed on the
lake surface. Microscopic examination
verified that it was of the oil-rich colonial
green alga, Botryococcus braunii.

Map of Paoay Lake, Ilocos Norte, Luzon

Is., Philippines, showing the sampling
sites 1-4.
Analysis of the collected samples revealed that B.
braunii colonies were present in all of samples
collected from the four sampling sites during study
time

 Botryococcus

braunii is member of the

chlorophyceae (chlorophyta).
B. braunii is regarded as a potential source of
renewable fuel because of its ability to produce
large amounts of hydrocarbons. Depending on
the strain and growth conditions, up to 75% of
algal dry mass can be hydrocarbons.

Photosynthetic cultures of B. braunii require

CO2. Cultures aerated with 0.3% CO2-enriched
air have a much shorter mass doubling time (40
h) compared with 6 days for cultures supplied
with ambient air. CO2 enrichment favors the
formation of lower botryococcenes (C30C32),
whereas cultures sparged with ambient air
accumulate higher botryococcenes (C33C34)
(Wolf et al., 1985a). Apparently, methylation
steps leading from C30 to C31 and C32 are faster
in CO2-enriched cultures than steps leading to
C33, C34 and higher homologues. Although
autotrophic, B. braunii utilizes exogenous carbon
sources for improved growth and hydrocarbon
production.

At present, the production of

photosynthetic fuel oils is not
competitive with petroleum
derived fuels. One reason for this
is a relatively slow growth rate of
B. braunii.

Isochrysis sp.

Isochrysis galbana is a free living marine

unicellular phytoflagellate of the order
Chrysomonadales. Like other members of this
order it is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids ~
which are of nutritional value for marine
fish larvae.

Sparging of cultures with

CO2(1%) enriched
air was even more
effective in increasing
growth rate and yield, as
long as
the culture medium was
supplemented with excess
Fe 3+ (Fig. 8), otherwise,
Fe 3+ starvation
developed rapidly.
Apparently excess CO2
causes
precipitation of Fe 3+ as
insoluble carbonates.
Addition of saturating
concentrations

Tetraselmis sp.