Effect of CO2 aeration on cultivation of microalgae in luminescent photobioreactors

The results obtained demonstrated that the combination of blue light and 15% CO2 provided a condition in which higher rates of lipid accumulation was induced in both algal strains. The highest lipid content observed at this condition was 36.6% obtained in G. membrancea. Aeration with 15% CO2 enhanced lipid production of G. membranacea, to at least twice the amount produced at 5% CO2 in all photobioreactors. The most significant difference between the 5% and 15% CO2 aeration conditions was observed in the yellow PBR, in which the lipid content was enhanced up to six times.