Development of dual strain microalgae cultivation system for the direct carbon dioxide utilization of power plant flue gas.

This study aims to propose a biological system that allows for direct utilization of flue gas for carbon dioxide capture and utilization by microalgae. The strain Chlorella sp. ABC-001 is employed for its high growth rate as well as lipid and carbohydrate content. Toxicity tests showed that cell growth was unaffected by NO, but the presence of SO2 showed critical damage on cell growth. Hence, an extremophile alga, Galdieria sulphuraria 5587.1 was applied to build a dual-strain cultivation system to mitigate the effect of SO2 toxicity and increase CO2 capture efficiency. All SO2 was removed by Galdieria culture and the system exhibited stable growth from a simulated flue gas stream containing CO2, NO and SO2. Combined CO2 biofixation rate of 793 mg/L/d and lipid productivity of 113 mg/L/d was achieved. The results showed that this new cultivation system is a promising alternative for reducing CO2 emissions from power plants.

Paradigm shift in algal biomass refinery and its challenges.

Microalgae have been studied and tested for over 70 years. However, biodiesel, the prime target of the algal industry, has suffered from low competitiveness and current steps toward banning the internal combustion engine all over the world. Meanwhile, interest in reducing CO2 emissions has grown as the world has witnessed disasters caused by global warming. In this situation, in order to maximize the benefits of the microalgal industry and surmount current limitations, new breakthroughs are being sought. First, drop-in fuel, mandatory for the aviation and maritime industries, has been discussed as a new product. Second, methods to secure stable and feasible outdoor cultivation focusing on CO2 sequestration were investigated. Lastly, the need for an integrated refinery process to simultaneously produce multiple products has been discussed. While the merits of microalgae industry remain valid, further investigations into these new frontiers would put algal industry at the core of future bio-based economy.

Effect of post-treatment process of microalgal hydrolysate on bioethanol production.

Microalgae accumulate abundant lipids and are a promising source for biodiesel. However, carbohydrates account for 40% of microalgal biomass, an important consideration when using them for the economically feasible production of biodiesel. In this study, different acid hydrolysis and post-treatment processing of Chlorella sp. ABC-001 was performed, and the effect of these different hydrolysates on bioethanol yield by Saccharomyces cerevisiae KL17 was evaluated. For hydrolysis using H2SO4, the neutralization using Ca(OH)2 led to a higher yield (0.43 g ethanol/g sugars) than NaOH (0.27 g ethanol/g sugars). Application of electrodialysis to the H2SO4 + NaOH hydrolysate increased the yield to 0.35 g ethanol/g sugars, and K+ supplementation further enhanced the yield to 0.41 g ethanol/g sugars. Hydrolysis using HNO3 led to the generation of reactive species. Neutralization using only NaOH yielded 0.02 g ethanol/g sugars, and electrodialysis provided only a slight enhancement (0.06 g ethanol/g sugars). However, lowering the levels of reactive species further increased the yield to 0.25 g ethanol/g sugars, and K+ supplementation increased the yield to 0.35 g ethanol/g sugars. Overall, hydrolysis using H2SO4 + Ca(OH)2 provided the highest ethanol yield, and the yield was almost same as from conventional medium. This research emphasizes the importance of post-treatment processing that is modified for the species or strains used for bioethanol fermentation.

Effects of Nitrogen Supplementation Status on CO2 Biofixation and Biofuel Production of the Promising Microalga Chlorella sp. ABC-001.

The use of microalgal biomass as feedstock for biofuels has been discussed for decades as it provides a sustainable approach to producing fuels for the future. Nonetheless, its feasibility has not been established yet and various aspects of biomass applications such as CO2 biofixation should also be explored. Therefore, in this study, the CO2 biofixation and lipid/carbohydrate production potential of Chlorella sp. ABC-001 were examined under various nitrogen concentrations. The highest biomass productivity and CO2 biofixation rate of 0.422 g/l/d and 0.683 g/l/d, respectively, were achieved under a nitrogen-rich condition (15 mM nitrate). Carbohydrate content was generally proportional to initial nitrate concentration and showed the highest value of 41.5% with 15 mM. However, lipid content showed an inverse relationship with nitrogen supplementation and showed the highest value of 47.4% with 2.5 mM. In consideration as feedstock for biofuels (bioethanol, biodiesel, and biogas), the sum of carbohydrate and lipid contents were examined and the highest value of 79.6% was achieved under low nitrogen condition (2.5 mM). For lipid-based biofuel production, low nitrogen supplementation should be pursued. However, considering the lower feasibility of biodiesel, pursuing CO2 biofixation and the production of carbohydrate-based fuels under nitrogenrich condition might be more rational. Thus, nitrogen status as a cultivation strategy must be optimized according to the objective, and this was confirmed with the promising alga Chlorella sp. ABC-001.

Enhanced Lipid Production of Chlorella sp. HS2 Using Serial Optimization and Heat Shock.

Chlorella sp. HS2, which previously showed excellent performance in phototrophic cultivation and has tolerance for wide ranges of salinity, pH, and temperature, was cultivated heterotrophically. However, this conventional medium has been newly optimized based on a composition analysis using elemental analysis and ICP-OES. In addition, in order to maintain a favorable dissolved oxygen level, stepwise elevation of revolutions per minute was adopted. These optimizations led to 40 and 13% increases in the biomass and lipid productivity, respectively (7.0 and 2.25 g l-1d-1 each). To increase the lipid content even further, 12 h heat shock at 50°C was applied and this enhanced the biomass and lipid productivity up to 4 and 17% respectively (7.3 and 2.64 g l-1d-1, each) relative to the optimized conditions above, and the values were 17 and 14% higher than ordinary lipid-accumulating N-limitation (6.2 and 2.31 g l-1d-1). On this basis, heat shock was successfully adopted in novel Chlorella sp. HS2 cultivation as a lipid inducer for the first time. Considering its fast and cost-effective characteristics, heat shock will enhance the overall microalgal biofuel production process.

Optimization of heterotrophic cultivation of Chlorella sp. HS2 using screening, statistical assessment, and validation.

The heterotrophic cultivation of microalgae has a number of notable advantages, which include allowing high culture density levels as well as enabling the production of biomass in consistent and predictable quantities. In this study, the full potential of Chlorella sp. HS2 is explored through optimization of the parameters for its heterotrophic cultivation. First, carbon and nitrogen sources were screened in PhotobioBox. Initial screening using the Plackett-Burman design (PBD) was then adopted and the concentrations of the major nutrients (glucose, sodium nitrate, and dipotassium phosphate) were optimized via response surface methodology (RSM) with a central composite design (CCD). Upon validation of the model via flask-scale cultivation, the optimized BG11 medium was found to result in a three-fold improvement in biomass amounts, from 5.85 to 18.13 g/L, in comparison to a non-optimized BG11 medium containing 72 g/L glucose. Scaling up the cultivation to a 5-L fermenter resulted in a greatly improved biomass concentration of 35.3 g/L owing to more efficient oxygenation of the culture. In addition, phosphorus feeding fermentation was employed in an effort to address early depletion of phosphate, and a maximum biomass concentration of 42.95 g/L was achieved, with biomass productivity of 5.37 g/L/D.

Biological Carbon Recovery from Sugar Refinery Washing Water into Microalgal DHA: Medium Optimization and Stress Induction.

Sugar refinery washing water (SRWW) contains abundant levels of carbon sources and lower levels of contaminants than other types of wastewater, which makes it ideal for heterotrophic cultivation of microalgae. Here, carbon sources in SRWW were utilized for conversion into the form of value-added docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) using Aurantiochytrium sp. KRS101. Since SRWW is not a defined medium, serial optimizations were performed to maximize the biomass, lipid, and DHA yields by adjusting the nutrient (carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus) concentrations as well as the application of salt stress. Optimum growth performance was achieved with 30% dilution of SRWW containing a total organic carbon of 95,488 mg L-1. Increasing the nutrient level in the medium by supplementation of 9 g L-1 KH2PO4 and 20 g L-1 yeast extract further improved the biomass yield by an additional 14%, albeit at the expense of a decrease in the lipid content. Maximum biomass, lipid, and DHA yields (22.9, 6.33, and 2.03 g L-1, respectively) were achieved when 35 g L-1 sea salt was applied on a stationary phase for osmotic stress. These results demonstrate the potential of carbon-rich sugar refinery washing water for DHA production using Aurantiochytrium sp. KRS101 and proper cultivation strategy.

Isolation and Characterization of Novel Chlorella Species with Cold Resistance and High Lipid Accumulation for Biodiesel Production.

Chlorella spp. are green algae that are found across wide-ranging habitats from deserts to arctic regions, with various strains having adapted to survive under diverse environmental conditions. In this study, two novel Chlorella strains (ABC-002, ABC-008) were isolated from a freshwater lake in South Korea during the winter season and examined for possible use in the biofuel production process. The comparison of ABC-002 and ABC-008 strains with Chlorella vulgaris UTEX265 under two different temperatures (10°C, 25°C) revealed their cold-tolerant phenotypes as well as high biomass yields. The maximum quantum yields of UTEX25, ABC- 002, and ABC-008 at 10°C were 0.5594, 0.6747, and 0.7150, respectively, providing evidence of the relatively higher cold-resistance capabilities of these two strains. Furthermore, both the biomass yields and lipid content of the two novel strains were found to be higher than those of UTEX265; the overall lipid productivities of ABC-002 and ABC-008 were 1.7 ~ 2.8 fold and 1.6 ~ 4.2 fold higher compared to that of UTEX265, respectively. Thus, the high biomass and lipid productivity over a wide range of temperatures indicate that C. vulgaris ABC-002 and ABC-008 are promising candidates for applications in biofuel productions via outdoor biomass cultivation.

Binary culture of microalgae as an integrated approach for enhanced biomass and metabolites productivity, wastewater treatment, and bioflocculation.

Ecological studies of microalgae have revealed their potential to co-exist in the natural environment. It provides an evidence of the symbiotic relationship of microalgae with other microorganisms. The symbiosis potential of microalgae is inherited with distinct advantages, providing a venue for their scale-up applications. The deployment of large-scale microalgae applications is limited due to the technical challenges such as slow growth rate, low metabolites yield, and high risk of biomass contamination by unwanted bacteria. However, these challenges can be overcome by exploring symbiotic potential of microalgae. In a symbiotic system, photosynthetic microalgae co-exist with bacteria, fungi, as well as heterotrophic microalgae. In this consortium, they can exchange nutrients and metabolites, transfer gene, and interact with each other through complex metabolic mechanism. Microalgae in this system, termed as a binary culture, are reported to exhibit high growth rate, enhanced bio-flocculation, and biochemical productivity without experiencing contamination. Binary culture also offers interesting applications in other biotechnological processes including bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and production of high-value metabolites. The focus of the study is to provide a perspective to enhance the understanding about microalgae binary culture. In this review, the mechanism of binary culture, its potential, and limitations are briefly discussed. A number of queries are evolved through this study, which needs to be answered by executing future research to assess the real potential of binary culture.

Identification of novel genes responsible for salt tolerance by transposon mutagenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains tolerant to salt stress are important for the production of single-cell protein using kimchi waste brine. In this study, two strains (TN-1 and TN-2) tolerant of up to 10 % (w/v) NaCl were isolated by screening a transposon-mediated mutant library. The determination of transposon insertion sites and Northern blot analysis identified two genes, MDJ1 and VPS74, and revealed disruptions of the open reading frame of both genes, indicating that salt tolerance can be conferred. Such tolerant phenotypes reverted to sensitive phenotypes on the autologous or overexpression of each gene. The two transposon mutants grew faster than the control strain when cultured at 30 °C in rich medium containing 5, 7.5 or 10 % NaCl. The genes identified in this study may provide a basis for application in developing industrial yeast strains.

Use of orange peel extract for mixotrophic cultivation of Chlorella vulgaris: increased production of biomass and FAMEs.

Mass cultivation of microalgae is necessary to achieve economically feasible production of microalgal biodiesel, but the high cost of nutrients is a major limitation. In this study, orange peel extract (OPE) was used as an inorganic and organic nutrient source for the cultivation of Chlorella vulgaris OW-01. Chemical composition analysis of the OPE indicated that it contains sufficient nutrients for mixotrophic cultivation of C. vulgaris OW-01. Analysis of biomass and FAME production showed that microalgae grown in OPE medium produced 3.4-times more biomass and 4.5-times more fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) than cells cultured in glucose-supplemented BG 11 medium (BG-G). These results suggest that growth of microalgae in an OPE-supplemented medium increases lipid production and that OPE has potential for use in the mass cultivation of microalgae.

Phytohormone supplementation significantly increases growth of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cultivated for biodiesel production.

Cultivation is the most expensive step in the production of biodiesel from microalgae, and substantial research has been devoted to developing more cost-effective cultivation methods. Plant hormones (phytohormones) are chemical messengers that regulate various aspects of growth and development and are typically active at very low concentrations. In this study, we investigated the effect of different phytohormones on microalgal growth and biodiesel production in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and their potential to lower the overall cost of commercial biofuel production. The results indicated that all five of the tested phytohormones (indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellic acid, kinetin, 1-triacontanol, and abscisic acid) promoted microalgal growth. In particular, hormone treatment increased biomass production by 54 to 69 % relative to the control growth medium (Tris-acetate-phosphate, TAP). Phytohormone treatments also affected microalgal cell morphology but had no effect on the yields of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) as a percent of biomass. We also tested the effect of these phytohormones on microalgal growth in nitrogen-limited media by supplementation in the early stationary phase. Maximum cell densities after addition of phytohormones were higher than in TAP medium, even when the nitrogen source was reduced to 40 % of that in TAP medium. Taken together, our results indicate that phytohormones significantly increased microalgal growth, particularly in nitrogen-limited media, and have potential for use in the development of efficient microalgal cultivation for biofuel production.

Direct lipid extraction from wet Chlamydomonas reinhardtii biomass using osmotic shock.

High-cost downstream process is a major bottleneck for producing microalgal biodiesel at reasonable price. Conventional lipid extraction process necessitates biomass drying process, which requires substantial amount of energy. In this regard, lipid extraction from wet biomass must be an attractive solution. However, it is almost impossible to recover lipid directly from wet microalgae with current technology. In this study, we conceived osmotic shock treatment as a novel method to extract lipid efficiently. Osmotic shock treatment was applied directly to wet Chlamydomonas reinhardtii biomass with water content >99%, along with both polar and non-polar organic solvents. Our results demonstrated that osmotic shock could increase lipid recovery approximately 2 times. We also investigated whether the presence of cell wall or different cell stages could have any impact on lipid recovery. Cell wall-less mutant stains and senescent cell phase could display significantly increased lipid recovery. Taken together, our results suggested that osmotic shock is a promising technique for wet lipid extraction from microalgal biomass and successfully determined that specific manipulation of biomass in certain cell phase could enhance lipid recovery further.

Serial optimization of biomass production using microalga Nannochloris oculata and corresponding lipid biosynthesis.

As energy and environment have become urgent issues, there has been increasing needs to develop alternative energy source, such as microalgal bio-fuel. In this study, we investigated the growth and lipid contents of microalgae Nannochloris oculata under various environmental conditions for biodiesel production. Our results indicated that biomass productivities of N. oculata were correlated with increasing nitrogen concentrations up to 37.5 ppm. High irradiance using 230-250 µmol/m(2) led to higher biomass yields than low irradiance of 160-180 µmol/m(2). Biomass productivities increased further by manipulating surface to volume ratio (S/V), which in turn enhanced light penetration. Finally, optimal biomass productivities (1.04 g/l day) could be achieved by the supplementation of yeast extract. Lipid contents and fatty acid profiles of N. oculata were affected by the different growth conditions. Lipid contents of N. oculata decreased as nitrogen concentration increased. Lower temperature (15 °C) resulted in higher lipid content than higher temperature (25 °C). Fatty acid profiles of N. oculata indicated that palmitic acid (C16:0) and linoleic acid (C18:2) were the two most abundant fatty acids, but the supplementation of yeast extract increased linolenic acid (C18:3) content. Our results suggested the feasibility of N. oculata for the biodiesel production.

Removal of anionic metals by amino-organoclay for water treatment.

We describe a facile and simple one-pot synthesis of water-soluble amino-organoclay under ambient conditions. The clay was used to successfully remove environmentally toxic anionic metals, such as arsenate, chromate, and ferricyanide. The electrostatic interactions between the anionic metals and the protonated amino (ammonium) groups of the amino-organoclay resulted in rapid precipitation, within 3 min, with a high removal capacity. The maximum removal capacities (in units of mg metal per g organoclay) of the amino-organoclay clay toward HAsO(4)(2-), CrO(4)(2-), or Fe(CN)(6)(3-) were, 30.73 mg/g, 34.67 mg/g, or 218.88 mg/g in case of 0.02 g, 0.03 g, and 0.005 g of the amino-organoclay, respectively. The removal efficiencies of 0.07 g, 0.09 g, and 0.03 g of the amino-organoclay whose dosage of clay was at the highest removal efficiency (%) for arsenate, chromate, and ferricyanide, respectively, presented 59.79%, 89.54%, and 97.43%. Furthermore, humic acid that ubiquitous in the organic matter present in water or soil environments, inhibited the removal rate of anionic metals, and thus the removal efficiencies toward all anionic metals were markedly reduced. Humic acid preferentially precipitated with the interaction of amino-organoclay prior to the anionic metals.

Regulation of TonEBP transcriptional activator in MDCK cells following changes in ambient tonicity.

In response to ambient hypertonicity, TonEBP (tonicity-responsive enhancer binding protein) stimulates certain genes including those encoding cytokines, transporters for organic solutes, and a molecular chaperone. TonEBP is regulated in a bidirectional manner, upregulated by an increase in ambient tonicity while downregulated by a decrease. To investigate the role of intracellular ionic strength in the activity of TonEBP, we subjected Madin-Darby canine kidney cells to a variety of conditions. Electron microprobe analysis was performed to measure intracellular electrolytes. Under conditions in which changes in cell volume were similar, TonEBP activity correlated with the intracellular ionic strength regardless of the external tonicity. On the other hand, inhibition of the Na+/K+-ATPase and high external K+ concentration led to a decreased activity of TonEBP despite a marked increase in the intracellular ionic strength. Because isotonic swelling is known to occur under these conditions, these data suggest that dilution of the cytoplasmic constituents inhibits the activity of TonEBP. We conclude that intracellular ionic strength and water content are major factors that determine the activity of TonEBP.

TonEBP/NFAT5 stimulates transcription of HSP70 in response to hypertonicity.

While hyperosmolality of the kidney medulla is essential for urinary concentration, it imposes a great deal of stress. Cells in the renal medulla adapt to the stress of hypertonicity (hyperosmotic salt) by accumulating organic osmolytes. Tonicity-responsive enhancer (TonE) binding protein (TonEBP) (or NFAT5) stimulates transcription of transporters and a synthetic enzyme for the cellular accumulation of organic osmolytes. We found that dominant-negative TonEBP reduced expression of HSP70 as well as the transporters and enzyme. Near the major histocompatibility complex class III locus, there are three HSP70 genes named HSP70-1, HSP70-2, and HSC70t. While HSP70-1 and HSP70-2 were heat inducible, only HSP70-2 was induced by hypertonicity. In the 5' flanking region of the HSP70-2 gene, there are three sites for TonEBP binding. In cells transfected with a reporter plasmid containing this region, expression of luciferase was markedly stimulated in response to hypertonicity. Coexpression of the dominant-negative TonEBP reduced the luciferase expression. Mutating all three sites in the reporter plasmid led to a complete loss of induction by hypertonicity. Thus, TonEBP rather than heat shock factor stimulates transcription of the HSP70-2 gene in response to hypertonicity. We conclude that TonEBP is a master regulator of the renal medulla for cellular protection against high osmolality via organic osmolytes and molecular chaperones.