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Photosynthetic performance of Chlamydopodium (Chlorophyta) cultures grown in outdoor bioreactors

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Abstract

The microalga Chlamydopodium fusiforme MACC-430 was cultured in two types of outdoor pilot cultivation units—a thin-layer cascade (TLC) and a raceway pond (RWP) placed in a greenhouse. This case study aimed to test their potential suitability for cultivation scale-up to produce biomass for agriculture purposes (e.g., as biofertilizer or biostimulant). The culture response to the alteration of environmental conditions was evaluated in “exemplary” situations of good and bad weather conditions using several photosynthesis measuring techniques, namely oxygen production, and chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence. Validation of their suitability for online monitoring in large-scale plants has been one of the objectives of the trials. Both techniques were found fast and robust reliable to monitor microalgae activity in large-scale cultivation units. In both bioreactors, Chlamydopodium cultures grew well in the semi-continuous regime using daily dilution (0.20—0.25 day−1). The biomass productivity calculated per volume was significantly (about 5 times) higher in the RWPs compared to the TLCs. The measured photosynthesis variables showed that the build-up of dissolved oxygen concentration in the TLC was higher, up to 125–150% of saturation (%sat) as compared to the RWP (102–104%sat). As only ambient CO2 was available, its shortage was indicated by a pH increase due to photosynthetic activity in the thin-layer bioreactor at higher irradiance intensities. In this setup, the RWP was considered more suitable for scale-up due to higher areal productivity, lower construction and maintenance costs, the smaller land area required to maintain large culture volumes, as well as lower carbon depletion and dissolved oxygen build-up.

Key points

• Chlamydopodium was grown in both raceways and thin-layer cascades in pilot-scale.

• Various photosynthesis techniques were validated for growth monitoring.

• In general, raceway ponds were evaluated as more suitable for cultivation scale-up.

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Data availability

The datasets analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Ms. Marta Barceló, Ms. Cynthia Goméz, and Mr. José Bononi Barufi for their technical assistance.

Funding

This study was funded by the EU Horizon 2020 program, grant no. 727874 and in part by a special grant 2022 to J.M. awarded by the Czech Academy of Sciences to holders of the Doctor of Science degree.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Jiří Masojídek and Karolína Štěrbová share the first authorship of the study.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre Algatech, Laboratory of Algal Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Třeboň, Czech Republic

    Jiří Masojídek, Karolína Štěrbová & Tomáš Grivalský

  2. Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

    Jiří Masojídek

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Almería, Almería, Spain

    Cintia Gómez Serrano & Francisco Gabriel Acién Fernández

  4. CIESOL Solar Energy Research Centre, Joint Centre University ofAlmería-CIEMAT, Almería, Spain

    Cintia Gómez Serrano & Francisco Gabriel Acién Fernández

  5. Department of Botany, Center of Biological Studies, Federal University of Sao Carlos, Sao Carlos, Brazil

    Jaqueline Carmo da Silva

  6. Andalusian Institute of Blue Biotechnology and Development (IBYDA), University of Málaga, Málaga, Spain

    Félix Lopez Figueroa

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  1. Jiří Masojídek
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Contributions

Conceptualization: JM, CGS, KŠ, FLF, FGAF; methodology: JM, KŠ, CGS, FLF, TG, JCdS; investigation and data analysis: JM, KŠ, CGS, FLF, JCdS, TG; writing—figures and original draft preparation: JM, KŠ, CGS, FLF; writing—review and editing: JM, KŠ, CGS, FLF, FGAF, TG, JCdS; funding acquisition: FGAF, FLF, JM; supervision: JM, FLF, FGAF. All authors read, edited, and approved the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Jiří Masojídek.

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Masojídek, J., Štěrbová, K., Serrano, C.G. et al. Photosynthetic performance of Chlamydopodium (Chlorophyta) cultures grown in outdoor bioreactors. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 107, 2249–2262 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-023-12428-0

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