Characteristics of light regime on biofixation of carbon dioxide and growth of Scenedesmus obliquus with light-emitting diodes

Abstract

Light regime is one of the key factors affecting the growth and carbon dioxide fixation rate of microalgae. The results of this study demonstrated that light intensity, light duration, and light quality are significant factors to control the biomass growth and carbon dioxide fixation of Scenedesmus obliquus. The optimal light intensity for S. obliquus obtained in this study is 13 000 Lux. The maximum biomass concentration and carbon dioxide fixation rate during different light cycles were 0.992 g · l−1 and 0.326 g · L−1 · d−1 obtained under continuous illumination, respectively. The white light, resulting in higher biomass concentration than the other light, indicated that sunlight is a promising light source for the culture of microalgae. This study will provide valuable information of light regime for the cultivation of microalgae in photobioreactors.