Biomass and lipid production potential of cyanobacteria and microalgae isolated from the diverse habitats of Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India

Abstract

In the present study, a total of 52 cyanobacterial and 57 microalgal strains belonging to different genera were investigated for their potential to produce biodiesel feedstock. Ranking of different isolates was performed employing a multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) software, PROMETHEE, considering three important parameters, the specific growth rate, biomass productivity and lipid content. PROMETHEE offers a straightforward selection of potential isolates enumerating Phi scores. Among all the studied strains, Pseudobohlinia sp. (PbS–BHS), a unicellular green alga and a new record from Badrinath hot spring and Uttarakhand (India), was identified as the most potent candidate (Phi = 0,6053; specific growth rate = 0.7 per day; biomass productivity = 203.5 mg/L/d; lipid content = 33%). Of filamentous forms, Leptolyngbya foveolarum (LlF-RHS), isolated from Ringigad hot spring, secured the top position (Phi = 0,5017; specific growth rate = 0.38 per day; biomass productivity = 25 mg/L/d; lipid content = 13%). Nevertheless, several other microalgal [e.g., Oocystis quadricauda (OQ-SHS), Chlorella sorokiniana (CS–CHS), Coelastrum sphericum (CeS-KFS) and Scenedesmus dimorphus (SD-ADW)] and cyanobacterial [e.g., Leptolyngbya sp. (LlS-SHS), Lyngbya langerhemii (LL-RHS), Lyngbya aesturii (LA-RHS), Leptolyngbya laminosa (LlL-SHS) and Phormidium sp. (PS-DWS)] strains also depicted substantially high Phi scores. Hence, they also appear to be promising for algal biodiesel feedstock production.