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Effects of phosphorus concentration and light intensity on the biomass composition of Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis

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Abstract

This paper presents the effects of various phosphorus concentrations (10, 50, 250 and 500 mg l−1 K2HPO4) on the biomass production and composition of Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis in relation to light intensity (24, 42 and 60 μE m−2 s−1). The maximum biomass production was 3,592 ± 392 mg l−1 and this was observed in 250 mg l−1 K2HPO4 at 60 μE m−2 s−1 light intensity after 32 days of cultivation. A maximum specific growth rate (μmax) of 0.55 d−1 was obtained in 500 mg l−1 K2HPO4 at 60 μE m−2 s−1. The protein, lipid and chlorophyll contents of the biomass varied from 33.59 to 60.57 %, 5.34 to 13.33 % and 0.78 to 2.00 %, respectively. The most significant finding was that phosphorus limitation (10 mg l−1 K2HPO4) caused a drastic increase of the carbohydrate content (59.64 %). The effect of phosphorus limitation on the carbohydrate content was independent of the light intensity. The accumulated carbohydrates are proposed to be used as substrate for biofuel generation via one of the appropriate biomass energy conversion technologies. Also, it was observed that phosphorus removal is a function of biomass density, phosphorus concentration and light intensity.

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Acknowledgments

G. Markou thanks the Greek State Scholarship Foundation (IKY) for its economic support. The authors also thank Dr Spiros Valmis for his support in the provision of the materials used in the study and Dr Despo Kritsotaki and George Kyriakarakos for their help with English.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Natural Resources Management and Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855, Athens, Greece

    Giorgos Markou & Dimitris Georgakakis

  2. Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855, Athens, Greece

    Iordanis Chatzipavlidis

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  1. Giorgos Markou
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  2. Iordanis Chatzipavlidis
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  3. Dimitris Georgakakis
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Correspondence to Giorgos Markou.

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Markou, G., Chatzipavlidis, I. & Georgakakis, D. Effects of phosphorus concentration and light intensity on the biomass composition of Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis . World J Microbiol Biotechnol 28, 2661–2670 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-012-1076-4

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