Growth rate, biomass production and minerals contents of some selected microalgae
Pranita Hajong and Papiya Ramanujam
Department of Botany, School of Biological Sciences, University of Science and Technology Meghalaya, Ri-Bhoi-793101 (India) Department of Botany, School of Life sciences, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong-793022 (India) Corresponding author: pranitahajong@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
The present study was carried out to assess the growth rate and biomass production potential and minerals content of 12 selected algal species (eight belonging to green algae, three to cyanobacteria and one to diatom). Biomass production and mineral content were measured based on weight difference and spectrophotometric method. The growth rate was determined on the basis of chlorophyll a content. The growth rate varied among different species. Lag phase was comparatively short in Chlorella vulgaris and Ulothrix tenuissima, entered exponential phase early and produced maximum biomass (422.40 and 330.0 dry wt mg/L-1 respectively). Gloeocystis vesiculosa and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii had longer exponential phase (45 and 39 days respectively). The nitrogen content was high in Anabeana variabilis (26.67 ppm). The potassium, sodium and phosphorus content were high in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (30.16 ppm, 21.46 ppm and 12.85 ppm respectively). The calcium content was high in Gloeocystis vesiculosa (103.44 ppm). Lag phase is dynamic, organized and adaptive phase which prepared the cell for exponential phase for optimum growth. Therefore these algal species with short lag phase, high biomass and minerals content will be beneficial for the aquaculture and pharmaceutical industries.