Design and Evaluation of a Photobioreactor for Carbo Capture and Mitigation Using Microalgae

Abstract

CO<sub>2</sub> is the main contributor to the global warming crisis. Among various existing carbon-capture technologies, microalgae based biological carbon-capture is a promising and energy efficient technology. Microalgae are gaining attention for bridging carbon mitigation and bioenergy production. Its biomass is considered as a CO<sub>2</sub>-neutral substitute for fossil fuel resulting from the net transfer of atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> into biomass. This study presents an assessment of carbon dioxide assimilation and subsequent biomass generation in <i>Scenedesmus</i> species of green algae. The experimental setup includes a 1% supply of CO<sub>2</sub> using a photobioreactor compared with a column with no CO<sub>2</sub> output. Results revealed significant growth of microalgae at elevated CO<sub>2</sub> (1%) compared to zero CO<sub>2</sub> supplementation. The strategy developed here could be a suitable alternative in a carbon intensive industry towards carbon mitigation and sequestration. Additionally, we observed a higher synthesis of protein in <i>Scenedesmus</i> grown in an enriched carbon environment, with a concentration of 164.34 μg/mL. These proteins can also be harvested to formulate a protein enriched nutraceutical.