Abstract
Bioprospecting programmes are the key to increasing the current portfolio of indigenous microalgal strains accessible for different applications in microalgal biotechnology. In this work, nine fastgrowing microalgal strains isolated from the Arabian/Persian Gulf coastal waters of Kuwait were evaluated for their potential as biofuel feedstocks. 18S rRNA gene sequencing showed that the strains belong to five different genera, namely, Chlorella, Nannochloris, Scenedesmus, Tetraselmis, and Nannochloropsis. In terms of the total lipid content, in comparison to the other strains, Tetraselmis sp. KUBS13G and Tetraselmis sp. KUBS16G displayed higher lipid contents of 29.56% dry weight (DW) and 26.13% DW, respectively, which were dominated by palmitic and oleic acids. Fuel properties calculated from the fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) by empirical equations were compared with EN14214 (European) and ASTM D6751-−02 (American) biodiesel standards. Multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) methods, such as the Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluation (PROMETHEE) and Graphical Analysis for Interactive Assistance (GAIA), were used to select suitable microalgae for biofuel feedstock based on their biodiesel fuel properties. Overall, the results suggested that the indigenous microalgal strain Tetraselmis, in particular Tetraselmis sp. KUBS37G, and Scenedesmus sp. KUBS17R are the most suitable strains for biofuel feedstock owing to their improved fuel properties, such as density (ρ) (0.88 g cm−3), low kinematic viscosity (3.1 mm2 s−1), high cetane number (54 and 56, respectively), high oxidation stability (14.6 hr and 14.8 hr), and cold-filter plugging point (1.0°C and -6.1°C).
Highlights
Bioprospecting autochthonous microalgae for various applications has been gaining global attention in recent years
Visible microalgae colonies were picked and sub-cultured three to five times on the same media to obtain pure microalgae strains. 2.2 Genetic identification According to the manufacturer's instructions, genomic DNA was extracted from the mono microalgae cultures using the DNeasy Plant Mini Kit (Qiagen, Cat# 69104)
Nine microalgal strains were isolated from different sampling points around Kuwait's Persian/Arabian Gulf
Summary
Bioprospecting autochthonous microalgae for various applications has been gaining global attention in recent years. These screening programs are crucial for increasing the portfolio of strains available for renewable energy production, food, cosmetics, and drug discovery. Biodiesel upgraded with microalgae lipids is considered a promising alternative for replacing traditional fossil fuels. It reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions which play an essential role in global climate change (Chisti, 2007). The most challenging step in any microalgae-based biofuel production is the identification and selection of lipid-rich microalgae strains with desirable fatty acid profiles, in addition to good biomass yields. The ideal microalgae selected for biofuel production should possess characteristic features such as large cells with thin membranes that excrete oils outside cells; insensitive to high oxygen concentrations; able to produce high lipid yield in high light insensitivity; ability to withstand adverse or stress conditions used to improve the lipid production by induction through altering the external parameters such as salinity, pH or nutrient starvation in terms of phosphates, nitrates limitation condition; settle quickly enabling an easy harvest; and most importantly a robust and stable, resistance to infection from non-algal cross- contaminants (Wijffels & Barbosa, 2010)
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