Abstract

In the current scenario, the world is imposed with most significant threats of climate changes due to greenhouse gas emissions and fuel shortage problems. Microalgae have a potential to utilize carbon dioxide for sequestration and convert it into their biomass production and value aided renewable fuels such as ethanol, biodiesel, hydrogen, methane etc. It has been estimated that microalgal biomass is able to provide 25% of global energy requirement. Aim of our study is isolation, characterization and optimization of algal growth and lipid production. Some algal species were isolated from sewage treatment plant and optimization study was done for lipid production in culture and waste water. Potential strains were selected on the basis of their culture under the presence of 50mM sodium bicarbonate in medium. Potential algal species were identified by 16 s and 18s rRNA sequencing method as Chlorella sp. and Arthronema sp respectively. Algal sp. was used to assess the maximum growth and lipid production at different parameters such as nutrient limiting condition, temperature, pH and different fluorescent light and photoperiod. Optimum temperature and pH for maximum growth and lipid production were 25°C and 9.0 respectively for both the strains. Under optimization conditions, total lipid production was increased from 220 mg/l to 350 mg/l in Arthronema and 70 mg/l to 180 mg/l in Chlorella sp. Thus there were 62.85 and 38.88% increase in lipid content in Arthronema sp. and Chlorella sp. espectively.The yield of lipid production in wastewater was also studied. Arthronema sp. and Chlorella sp. was able to produce 61% and 55% of maximum lipid content respectively at 28 th day in waste water. On the basis of our findings, we have observed that individual culture of Arthronema sp. was superior to chlorella sp. for biofuel production in waste water. Arhtonema is novel and no research work is reported till date for biofuel production from this microalgae.