Diatoms have garnered significant attention in various industries, including feed, food, and pharmaceuticals, due to their potential as advanced biomaterials containing valuable components such as fatty acids, pigments, and nanoparticles. However, the industrial-scale cultivation of diatoms has faced challenges such as limited productivity and high production costs. This study aimed to develop a cost-effective growth medium for the cultivation of Odontella aurita, a diatom known for its high levels of fatty acids and fucoxanthin production. The research investigated the impact of Jeju lava seawater on the growth of O. aurita OAOSH22 and evaluated the effectiveness of five different agricultural fertilizers in cultivation. The final composition included the selected fertilizer supplemented with silicate. The growth of O. aurita in F/2 medium supplemented with Jeju lava seawater was found to be 1.8 times higher than in the ordinary seawater-based F/2 medium, attributed to the elevated silicon content in Jeju lava seawater. The optimized medium, incorporating Jeju lava seawater and agricultural fertilizer, resulted in a significant increase in biomass by a factor of 15.6 and a substantial rise in fucoxanthin production by a factor of 7.5. Additionally, the utilization of this optimized medium resulted in a significant reduction of 95.1 % and 89.7 % in the costs associated with biomass and fucoxanthin production, respectively. These findings suggest that the use of Jeju lava seawater promotes the growth of O. aurita, and the optimized medium, including agricultural fertilizers, provides a cost-effective alternative to existing microalgal media.
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