Enhanced biomass production and lipid accumulation of Picochlorum atomus using light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

ABSTRACT

The effects of light-emitting diode (LED) wavelength, light intensity, nitrate concentration, and time of exposure to different LED wavelength stresses in a two-phase culture on lipid production were evaluated in the microalga, Picochlorum atomus. The biomass produced by red LED light was higher than that produced by purple, blue, green, or yellow LED and fluorescent lights from first phase of two-phase culture. The highest lipid production of P. atomus was 50.3% (w/w) with green LED light at 2days of second phase as light stress. Fatty acid analysis of the microalgae showed that palmitic acid (C160) and linolenic acid (C183) accounted for 84-88% (w/w) of total fatty acids from P. atomus. The two-phase culture of P. atomus is suitable for biofuel production due to higher lipid productivity and favorable fatty acid composition.