Innovative polyhydroxybutyrate production by Chlorella fusca grown with pentoses

The current study aimed to evaluate if the addition of pentoses along with variations in light intensity and photoperiod can stimulate the production of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and other biomolecules by Chlorella fusca LEB 111. The variables evaluated were the addition of xylose and arabinose as sources of organic carbon, different photoperiods (18 h, 12 h and 6 h light) and variations in light intensities (58, 28 and 9 μmolphotons m−2 s−1). The highest PHB accumulation (17.4% w w−1) and protein production (53.2% ww−1) were observed in assays with xylose addition and a photoperiod of 6 h of light provided at 28 and 58 μmolphotons m−2 s−1, respectively. The highest lipid content (24.7% w w−1) was obtained with 18 h of light. The current study contributes to the development of sustainable alternatives for the use of wastes and the production of biomolecules from algae.