Optimization of Outdoor Cultivation of Spirulina platensis and Control of Contaminant Organisms

doi:2006.21.1.133

Algae > Volume 21(1); 2006 > Article

Algae 2006;21(1): 133-139. doi: https://doi.org/10.4490/algae.2006.21.1.133

Choong-Jae Kim¹, Yun-Ho Jung¹, Gang-guk Choi¹, Yong-Ha Park², Chi-Yong Ahn¹ and Hee-Mock Oh¹^*

¹Environmental Biotechnology Center and
²Biological Resource Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 305-333, Korea

ABSTRACT

Outdoor cultivation of cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis was carried out for 40 days in a batch mode. A half concentration of the SOT based on the underground water was used as culture medium. Working volume was 5.7 tons with 0.2 m depth. During cultivation, mean water temperature, DO and light intensity were all in proper conditions for the S. platensis growth. The adjustment of pH to over 10 with Na2CO3 and addition of the 1.5% natural salt were very effective to delete contaminant organisms, Chlamydomonas moewusii and Chlorella minutissima occurred one after the other in the culture. The mean productivity of the biomass based on the dry cell weight from 14 to 25 days, after the contaminants were deleted, was 7.8 g ·m?2· d?1, which was relatively high productivity in that a half concentration of the SOT was used for the culture. Underground water used in the culture minimized contaminants invasion and addition of the 1.5% natural salt was effective to delete contaminants as well as acted as mineral supplement in outdoor cultivation of S. platensis. Harvesting using the floating activity of S. platensis was effective from mass floating in day time after overnight without agitation and illumination.

Key words: culture vessel, floating activity, outdoor mass culture, Spirulina platensis