Elevated CO2 impact on growth and lipid of marine cyanobacterium Phormidium valderianum BDU 20041– towards microalgal carbon sequestration

Abstract

Abstract The growth of marine cyanobacteria at elevated CO2 levels is one of the feasible means to bioremediate the greenhouse gases. The present paper describes a marine filamentous cyanobacterium Phormidium valderianum BDU 20041 that can grow at elevated CO2 levels (15%), simulated and actual flue gas. Compared to ambient air and other tested CO2 concentrations, 3% CO2 showed higher biomass productivity, growth rate and carbon fixation rate. The organism was able to tolerate 15% CO2 and the simulated flue gas conditions making it a strong candidate for microalgal carbon capture. The lipid content of P. valderianum BDU 20041 at 15% CO2, simulated and actual flue gas conditions was higher than the ambient air. The conditions tested, i.e. 15% CO2, simulated and real flue gas show that this organism could be a potential entity in curbing carbon emission and a plausible biodiesel feedstock through hydrothermal liquefaction.