Spirulina platensis: process optimization to obtain biomass

Spirulina platensis is a photoautotrophic mesophilic cyanobacterium. Its main sources of nutrients are nitrate, urea, and ammonium salts. Spirulina cultivation requires temperature, light intensity, and nutrient content control. This microalgae has been studied and used commercially due to its thera...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Moraes,Iracema de Oliveira, Arruda,Regina de Oliveira Moraes, Maresca,Natália Rocha, Antunes,Aline de Oliveira, Moraes,Rodrigo de Oliveira
Formato: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2013
País:Brasil
Recursos:Sociedade Brasileira de Ciência e Tecnologia de Alimentos (SBCTA)
Repositorio:Food Science and Technology (Campinas)
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:scielo:S0101-20612013000500026
Acesso em linha:http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0101-20612013000500026
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Spirulina platensis
human food
biomass
cyanobacteria
Descrição
Resumo:Spirulina platensis is a photoautotrophic mesophilic cyanobacterium. Its main sources of nutrients are nitrate, urea, and ammonium salts. Spirulina cultivation requires temperature, light intensity, and nutrient content control. This microalgae has been studied and used commercially due to its therapeutic and antioxidant potential. In addition, several studies have reported its ability to use CO2, its immune activity, and use as an adjuvant nutritive factor in the treatment of obesity. The objective of this study is the production of biomass of S. platensis using different rates of stirring, nitrogen source, amount of micronutrients, and luminosity. A 2(4) experimental design with the following factors: stirring (120 and 140 RPM), amount of nitrogen (1.5 and 2.5 g/L), amount of micronutrients (0,25 and 0,75 mL/L) (11 and 15 W), and luminosity was used. Fermentation was performed in a 500 mL conical flask with 250 mL of culture medium and 10% inoculum in an incubator with controlled stirring and luminosity. Fermentation was monitored using a spectrophotometer (560 nm), and each fermentation lasted 15 days. Of the parameters studied, luminosity is the one with the highest significance, followed by the amount of nitrogen and the interaction between stirring and micronutrients. Maximum production of biomass for 15 days was 2.70 g/L under the following conditions: luminosity15W; stirring, 120 RPM; source of nitrogen, 1.5 g/L; and micronutrients, 0.75 mL/L.