MICROALGAE CULTURE

BIO301
Dr Navid Moheimani Algae R&D Center

Lecturers

Dr Navid Moheimani n.moheimani@murdoch.edu.au 9360 2682

Prof Michael Borowitzka m.borowitzka@murdoch.edu.au 9360 2333

Algae R & D Center

What are algae?

simple, non-flowering, and typically aquatic plants of a large assemblage that includes the seaweeds and many singlecelled forms . Algae contain chlorophyll but lack true stems, roots , leaves, and vascular tissue.

Algae VS Bacteria
Photosynthesis
What is photosynthesis:
Date: 1898 synthesis of chemical compounds with the aid of radiant energy and especially light; especially : formation of carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and a source of hydrogen (as water) in the chlorophyll-containing tissues of plants exposed to light (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/photosynthesis)

It is an improbable process (uphill reaction)

Sugar + O2

energy

Metabolism

Photosynthesis

Solar energy

CO2+ H2O

Photosynthesis:
What is photosynthesis:
Date: 1898 synthesis of chemical compounds with the aid of radiant energy and especially light; especially : formation of carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and a source of hydrogen (as water) in the chlorophyll-containing tissues of plants exposed to light (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/photosynthesis)

It is an improbable process (uphill reaction)

Oxygenic photosynthesis is one of the key fundamental biological process which support life on the earth.

Chloroplast are responsible for trapping light energy and convert it to Chemical energy

Habitats
Water (freshwater to hypersaline brines) Soil Trees etc. Symbionts of lichens, ferns, cycads, sponges, molluscs, corals, flatworms etc etc.

 Salinity: freshwater to saturated brines

Dinophyta
Dinophyta Euglenophyta
S!

Dinophyta
S! S!

Heterotrophic dinoflagellate Chlorophyta

S!

Heterokontophyta

Haptophta

Cryptophyta
Chloroplast Lost

Rhodophyta
Loss of phycobilisomes Formation of chlorophyll b Small subunit RuBisCo gene transferred to nucleus

S!

S!

S!

Dinophyta

S!

Flagella lost

Primaeval Brown Flagellate(s?)

Hetrotrophic hetrokontophyte Hetrotrophic Haptophyte

Hetrotrophic Cryptophyte

Hetrotrophic dinoflagellate

Hetrotrophic euglenoid

Glaucophyta

Photosynthetic Heterotrophic Flagellate S!

Heterotrophic Flagellate
EUKARYOTES PROKARYOTES

Cyanobacterium

Prokaryote Ancestor

Size ~40m to ~1m

Nostoc

Aphanothece

Amphidinium

Pfiesteria - life history

Nutritional Modes

 Photoautotrophy
Light + inorganic nutrients Most microalgae

Heterotrophy
Organic compounds (dark) Some species (esp. greens, euglenoids & dinos)

Mixotrophy
Mixture of phototrophy + heterotrophy

Phagotrophy

ALGAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

Commercial Species

Late 1950s

Chlorella Japan, Taiwan (Indonesia, Czech Republic)

1960s

Spirulina Mexico, USA, Thailand (China, India, Taiwan)

1970s

Dunaliella salina Australia, Israel, USA (India, China)

1990s

Haematococcus USA (India, Israel)

+ Microalgae for aquaculture

Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis

Chlorella

Dunaliella salina

Haematococcus pluvialis

Products

Carotenoids Fatty Acids Phycobilins Enzymes Vitamins Polysaccharides Bioactive Compounds Biomass Biofuels

Algae in Aquaculture
Algae in their own right Algae as larval feeds (especially for molluscs, crustaceans and, to a lesser extent, fish) Algal carotenoids as pigmenters in feed (prawns, salmonid fish) Algae as food in growout stage (molluscs)

Selected Bioactives
Cryptophycins (anti-mitotic) from Nostoc sp. [US Patents 5945315, 5952298, 5955423] Cyanovirins (anti-viral) [US Patents 5998587, 6015876] Antibacterials [US Patent 5866150] from Chaetoceros sp. Sunscreens - carotenoids, scytonemin, mycosporine amino acids [Canadian Patent Application 2251457] from Plectonema boryanum
OH H N O

O N H

HO

Algae and the Environment

New applications for microalgae in wastewater treatment
higher efficieny wastewater treatment through immobilised algae or hyperconcentrated algal cultures new culture systems (tropical & temperate) algal/bacterial systems in soil bioremediation heavy metal absorption

Detection systems for toxic algae

DNA probes, immunological markers

Management of algal blooms

Species-specific viruses

Algae and the Environment

Algae and renewable energy
Liquid fuels (biodiesel, bioethanol)
Hydrogen production

Algae in mine site revegetation

Light

Nutrients

CO2 (from Power Station or similar source)

Saline Water

GROW

Recycle water

HARVEST Algae sugars

Ethanol

EXTRACT

Algae Oil
Remaining Biomass

Biodiesel

Nutrients

Anaerobic Digestion

Animal feed

Other Product(s)?

Methane

Alga Chlorella Dunaliella Haematococcus Spirulina Aquaculture spp

Products Biomass Beta-carotene Astaxanthin Biomass Biomass

Estimated Cost ($US/kg dry wt) >15 <3 < 10 < 200 12 - 18 60 - 200+

Crypthecodinium DHA

Estimated from lowest sale price of product

Culture Systems
Extensive Open Ponds (Dunaliella salina) Raceway Ponds (Spirulina) Centre Pivot Ponds (Chlorella) Hybrid (Closed reactor/open raceway) (Haematococcus pluvialis) Fermentor (Crypthecodinium cohnii) Big Bags (Aquaculture species) Tubular Photobioreactor (?)

Measuring Growth

Measuring Growth
In exponential growth dx = dt (1) Where is the specific growth rate with dimension of 1/t Eqn 1 can be integrated (x=x0 at t=0) x = x0e t (2) Eqn 2. can be solved to: ln x/x0 = t When x = 2x0 ln 2 = t2 and t2 = ln 2/ = 0.693/ (5) (4) (3)

Where t2 is the doubling time

Measuring Growth

Time taken for cells to double