Spirulina Sp Research Articles

Cost Reduction in the Production of Spirulina Biomass and Biomolecules from Indole-3-Acetic Acid Supplementation in Different Growth Phases.

Despite the great potential for the industrial application of microalgae, production costs are still too high to make them a competitive raw material for commodities. Therefore, studying more efficient cultivation strategies in biomass production and economic viability is necessary. In this sense, this work aimed to reduce the production costs of biomass and biomolecules using phytohormone indole-3-acetic acid in different phases of Spirulina sp. LEB 18 cultivation. The experiments were conducted on bench scale indoor for 30days. In each couple of experiments, the phytohormone was added on different days. The supplementation of indole-3-acetic acid on half of the growth deceleration phase of the microalga showed a cost reduction of 27%, 34%, and 75% for biomass, proteins, and carbohydrates, respectively. In addition, the strategy increased the final biomass concentration and carbohydrate content at 31.2 and 33.8%, respectively, compared to the condition without phytohormone. This study is the starting point for implementing phytohormone supplementation in industrial microalgal cultures.

Investigate the Potential Renewable Energy of Microalgae Spirulina sp Using Proximate Analyzer, SEM-EDX, and Thermogravimetry

Microalgae Spirulina sp which has been cultivated by the Brackishwater Aquaculture Development Center, Situbondo Indonesia were tested for their potential energy performance using proximate analyzer, SEM-EDX, and thermogravimetry. The proximate analyzer showed volatile matter (VM), fixed carbon (FC), moisture, ash content (AC), total sulfur of microalgae Spirulina sp 68.15, 12.57, 11.22, 8.06, and 0.67 (wt%, ar), respectively, and the gross calorific value (GCV) is 4971 kcal/kg (dry basis). SEM-EDX test showed the morphology and chemical content of Spirulina sp. The content of microalgae Spirulina sp is dominated by carbon (C) and oxygen (O), then followed by chlorine (Cl), sodium (Na), potassium (K), sulfur (S), magnesium (Mg), and phosphorus (P). Thermogravimetry pyrolysis test of microalgae Spirulina sp resulted thermogravimetry (TG) analysis and derivative thermogravimetry (DTG) analysis curve, which is divided into three different steps. The moisture of microalga Spirulina sp was vaporized at the first step, started at 27°C, and finished at 173°C with a decomposed mass of about 13.81% of the total initial mass. The second step began at the end of vaporize moisture at about 173°C and ended at around 618 °C. The gasification process occurred in volatile matter content and resulted mass loss of about 57.9% of Spirulina sp total mass. The last step showed the process of gasification of residual substances, started at the end of the volatile matter step, 618°C, and stopped at 995°C with a decomposed mass of 24.6% from total mass.

Alginate Particles for Encapsulation of Phenolic Extract from Spirulina sp. LEB-18: Physicochemical Characterization and Assessment of In Vitro Gastrointestinal Behavior

Encapsulation can be used as a strategy to protect and control the release of bioactive extracts. In this work, an extract from Spirulina sp. LEB-18, rich in phenolic compounds, was encapsulated in biopolymeric particles (i.e., composed of alginate) and characterized concerning their thermal behavior using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), size, morphology, swelling index (S), and encapsulation efficiency (EE%); the release profile of the phenolic compounds at different pHs and the particle behavior under in vitro gastrointestinal digestion were also evaluated. It was shown that it is possible to encapsulate the phenolic extract from Spirulina sp. LEB-18 in alginate particles with high encapsulation efficiency (88.97%). It was also observed that the particles are amorphous and that the encapsulated phenolic compounds were released at a pH 7.2 but not at pH 1.5, which means that the alginate particles are able to protect the phenolic compounds from the harsh stomach conditions but lose their integrity under intestinal pH conditions. Regarding bioaccessibility, it was observed that the encapsulated phenolic compounds showed higher bioaccessibility compared to phenolic compounds in free form. This work increases the knowledge about the behavior of alginate particles encapsulating phenolic compounds during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. It also provides essential information for designing biopolymeric particle formulations encapsulating phenolic compounds for application in pharmaceutical and food products.

Fatty acid profile of Spirulina sp cultivated in Bangka Seawater

Microalgae can be used as a good biodiesel raw material because there are quite a lot of oil microalgae, one of which is Spirulina sp. Cultivation Process of Spirulina sp. using seawater media produces more optimal biomass than freshwater media. This study used Bangka Seawater as a growth medium for Spirulina sp., and identification fatty acid of Spirulina extract by GC-MS methode. cell growth of Spirulina sp. on media Bangka seawater using Walne fertilizer can experience an exponential phase until the 9th day due to the addition of Walne fertilizer. Culture with 1 ml of Walne fertilizer had the best growth. The use of Bangka sea water without fertilizer can also grow Spirulina sp with a peak on day 5. The total fatty acid in the hexane extract of Spirulina in this study was 69.60% with similarity indeks above 70%. As many as 33.78% are Saturated Fatty Acids (SFA) such as docosanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid, and hexanedioic acid. While 35.82% are Unsaturated Fatty Acids (UFA). The profile of fatty acid from Bangka seawater media showed that the largest fatty acids contained in Spirulina sp. is palmitic acid (hexadecanoic acid) with presentage 25.21%.

Development, fermentation, and storage of kefir with extract of pineapple residues and Spirulina sp.

Fermented drinks of water kefir grains are a healthy option. The study aimed to evaluate the physical, chemical, sugar, active acid, and ethanol profiles, in the fermentation stages 0, 24, and 48 h, to obtain kefir fermented beverages from industrial pineapple and Spirulina residues. sp. biomass processing, after physicochemical characterization of these ingredients. Fermented drinks with the addition of pineapple extract and Spirulina sp. LEB 18 or with the addition of pineapple extract were characterized as acidic drinks. The study presented an average of 6.54°Brix and a higher content of sucrose and fructose when compared to the control drink. Only the fermented drink with Spirulina sp. LEB 18 remained stable in relation to the physicochemical parameters in storage at 4°C for 30 days. Water-based kefir beverages with the addition of pineapple residue extract and Spirulina sp. LEB 18 after future sensory analysis can be a healthy and viable option for consumption. Novelty impact statement The development of beverages with live microorganisms that seek the reuse of food peels is important since, in addition to providing a new product with bioactive potential, it also avoids waste.

Bioaromas from microalgae Spirulina sp. by ethylic esterification reactions

With increasing consumer demand for natural food products, including food bioaromas, efforts to identify biotechnological interventions for their production have increased. Microalgae have been used in food, as well as for extraction of compounds, however, their use has been little explored to obtain bioaromas. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the resulting bioaromas from ethylic rout of biomass from Spirulina sp. First, the cultivation was carried out and the fatty acid profile of the Spirulina sp., Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus obliquus biomass was analyzed. The best results were from Spirulina, where its biomass showed the one with the highest lipid index, in addition to the greater diversity of fatty acids. The acidity index, where 103.99 mg KOH/g which obtained at 72 h hydrolysis. With the best hydrolysis condition, enzymatic esterification was carried out where fruity aroma esters, such as diethyl succinate (15.49%), ethyl palmitate (8.45%), D-limonene (2.82%), ethyl butanoate (1.41%) and ethyl phenylacetate (1.41%) were obtained. Through this study it was possible to verify the potential use of Spirulina to obtain esters with aromatic properties for commercial applications and the importance of carrying out further studies on this subject, since depending on the cultivation conditions used to obtain microalgal biomass, higher levels of the compounds may be obtained, as well as an increase in the diversity of compounds obtained.

Evaluation of the culture of Spirulina sp. with Walne nutrient plus vitamin B12, KCl, NPK, ZA CaO and urea

Spirulina sp. is a blue green microalga (Cyanophyceae) with cells that colonize to form spiral-shaped filaments. Spirulina has active ingredients that can function as antioxidants. Spirulina can be processed into products that have economic value and various benefits. The aim of this study was to investigate the evaluation of the culture of Spirulina sp. both on the laboratory scale and semi-mass scale, using Walne nutrient plus vitamin B12, KCl, NPK, ZA, CaO and Urea. The working method started from the preparation of tools and materials, culture media, stock of fertilizers, sterilization of tools, seed maintenance, measurements of water quality parameter and growth calculations. Culture on a laboratory scale was done with a volume of 2 L of water, while culture on a semi-mass scale was done with a volume of 80 L of water. Culture of Spirulina sp. While reached its peak of population on day 9, accounting for 9.065 cells/mL, but then the figure decreased on the following days, while on a semi-mass scale the growth continued to show an increase until day 15 with a density of 23.275 cells/mL and had not experienced any signs of decline in population.

Investigation of Hydrodynamic Parameters in an Airlift Photobioreactor on CO2 Biofixation by Spirulina sp.

The rise of CO2 concentration on Earth is a major environmental problem that causes global warming. To solve this issue, carbon capture and sequestration technologies are becoming more and more popular. Among them, cyanobacteria can efficiently sequestrate CO2, which is an eco-friendly and cost-effective way of reducing carbon dioxide, and algal biomass can be harvested as valuable products. In this study, the hydrodynamic parameters of an airlift photobioreactor such as gas holdup, mean bubble diameter and liquid circulation velocity were measured to investigate CO2 biofixation by Spirulina sp. The total gas holdup was found to increase linearly with the increase in the gas velocity from 0.185 to 1.936 cm/s. The mean bubble velocities in distilled water only and in the cyanobacterial culture on the first and sixth days of cultivation were 109.97, 87.98, and 65.89 cm/s, respectively. It was found that shear stress at gas velocities greater than 0.857 cm/s led to cyanobacterial death. After 7 days of batch culture, the maximum dry cell weight reached 1.62 g/L at the gas velocity of 0.524 cm/s, whereas the highest carbon dioxide removal efficiency by Spirulina sp. was 55.48% at a gas velocity of 0.185 cm/s, demonstrating that hydrodynamic parameters applied in this study were suitable to grow Spirulina sp. in the airlift photobioreactor and remove CO2.

Development of adsorbent rigid structure based on Spirulina sp./chitosan bioblends coatings for dye adsorption in fixed bed column.

The glass particles were coated with Spirulina sp. LEB-18 and bioblends of Spirulina sp. LEB-18/chitosan by casting technique and, afterward, it was verified its potential as adsorbents for basic and acid dyes. Nine Spirulina sp. suspensions with different components were used to coat the glass particles, and in the best condition of coating were prepared the bioblends with chitosan. The coated glass particles with Spirulina sp. and its bioblends with chitosan were applied in adsorption of the allura red (acid) and methylene blue (basic) dyes in a batch operation evaluate the pH effect, and a fixed bed column operation, being evaluated to the removal percentage and adsorption capacity of the column. The glass particles coated with Spirulina sp. applied in batch adsorption showed the highest removal percentages for allura red dye (35 to 45%) at pH 4.0, and for methylene blue dye (35 to 80%) at pH 6.0 and 8.0. In fixed bed column using glass particles coated with bioblends were reached the amount dye of 54.2mg of adsorbed allura red dye and 60.2mg of the of adsorbed methylene blue dye, respectively. Moreover, it was found good dye adsorption capacities, around 89mgg-1, for both dyes, in acidic and basic pH values. Based on these results, these bioblends coated glass particles can be applied as an adsorbent for different types of dyes in adsorption column.

Protein content of Spirulina sp. Cultured Using a Combination of Urea and TSP Fertilizers

This study aims to determine the effect of the combined use of Urea and TSP fertilizers on the Protein content of Spirulina sp. This research was conducted for 10 days at the Center for Brackish Water Aquaculture (BPBAP) Takalar. The method used in this study is an experimental design with Completely Randomized Design (CRD) using 4 treatments with 3 replications, namely Treatment A (0.4 g/l Urea + 0.008 g/l TSP), B (0.5 g/l Urea + 0.010 g/l TSP), C (0.6 g/l Urea + 0.012 g/l TSP) and D (0.4 g/l Urea + 0.008 g/l TSP). The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive analysis method. The results showed that the use of a combination of Urea and TSP fertilizers could have an effect on the protein content of Spirulina sp. with the highest protein content obtained in treatment C of 34.33%.

Prebiotic Potential and Value-Added Products Derived from Spirulina laxissima SV001—A Step towards Healthy Living

Lately, microalgae-based value-added products have been gaining market value because they moderate the dependency on fossil fuel and high-value chemical products. To this end, the purpose of this study was to develop prebiotic products from the microalgae Spirulina sp. The microalgae were isolated from the fresh water and characterized at the molecular level. The dry biomass, chlorophyll content, phycocyanin, cytotoxicity and antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of the isolated strains were analyzed. Moreover, value-added products like Spirulina cake, chocolate, tea, vermicelli and Spirulina juice were made for a vulnerable population due to high nutritive value.

Nitrogen distribution in the products from the hydrothermal liquefaction of Chlorella sp. and Spirulina sp.

Nitrogen distribution in the products from the hydrothermal liquefaction of Chlorella sp. and Spirulina sp.

Increasing the cell productivity of mixotrophic growth of Spirulina sp. LEB 18 with crude glycerol

Increasing the cell productivity of mixotrophic growth of Spirulina sp. LEB 18 with crude glycerol

First report of microalgae <em>Rhexinema paucicellulare</em> (Ulvophyceae) in Mauritius and its biochemical evaluation as a source of fatty acids

Mauritius is a tropical island with a very rich biodiversity of endemic organisms with an unexplored pool of microalgae, especially in the Ulvophyceae class. From freshwater sources, an isolate was characterised using morphological traits and 18S rDNA region. It was determined to be Rhexinema paucicellulare and was further evaluated for its biochemical content against commercially available Spirulina sp. This study evaluates the lipids content and offers a first report on the carbohydrate and protein contents of this species. The biochemical profile of Spirulina sp. differed significantly from R. paucicellulare with respect to carbohydrate (17.36% vs. 20.31%); protein (45.09% vs. 25.71%) and lipids (5.86% vs. 13.88%). Further exploration of the fatty acids profile through GC analysis revealed high presence of alpha-linolenic acid at 26.48% and linoleic acid at 6.31%. The presence of important omega-3 FA was evidenced through GC/MS analysis with eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, which could make this isolate a potential candidate in the field of aquaculture.

Polydopamine-coated magnetic Spirulina nanocomposite for efficient magnetic dispersive solid-phase extraction of aflatoxins in pistachio

An efficient adsorbent was synthesized and used in magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction (MDSPE) of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 at trace levels in pistachio prior to analysis by HPLC equipped with a fluorescence detector. Spirulina (Sp) algae was first magnetized, followed by surface modification with dopamine (Dp). The adsorbent was characterized using FT-IR, XRD, FE-SEM, EDX, VSM, and BET analyses. The effects of different analytical parameters on the extraction performance were evaluated. Under optimal conditions, good limits of detection (LODs) and quantifications (LOQs) were achieved in the ranges of 0.02–0.07 and 0.06–0.21 ng g−1, respectively. The RSDs were 5.9, 6.3, 5.6, and 7.3% for AFB1, G1, B2, and G2, respectively. The proposed method was successfully used to determine AFs in pistachio samples and acceptable recoveries in the range of 72–95% were obtained.

Chromium bioremediation from river Yamuna using cyanobacteria at white and red illumination wavelengths

Industrial waste from thermal power plants and tanneries discharged into natural water bodies contaminate water and limit its usage for drinking and irrigation purposes. Heavy metals present in the water are detrimental to health. Removal of such heavy metals is a necessity due to their non-biodegradability in the environment. Chromium (Cr) imparts high toxicity to water in two valence states - Cr (III) and Cr (VI). Microalgae possess a mechanism for uptake of both trivalent and hexavalent Cr and deposit them in the polymeric form of trivalent Cr. This work emphasizes on the process of bio enrichment of Cr (III) in microalgae Spirulina sp. NCIM5143. The first stage involves acclimatizing the strain to high concentrations of Cr (up to 80 mg/L) in the Yamuna River water and Zarrouk's medium used as cultivation media. This was achieved by a serial increase of Cr in the increment of 20 mg/L in each batch. A Cr (III) removal of 88.1% in the Yamuna medium and 87% in the Zarrouk's medium was obtained, whereas a Cr (VI) removal of 74% in the Yamuna medium and 83.1% in the Zarrouk's medium was obtained. A complete removal of 100% was observed when red LED was used along with the production of pigments chlorophyll and phycocyanin. Hence, Spirulina sp. proved to be an excellent scavenger of Cr (III) and Cr (VI) ions and for the production of value-added pigments. Also, Spirulina sp. assisted Cr (III) and Cr (VI) bio sequestration has no detrimental effects on environment.

Biological, Technical, and Financial Feasibilities Study of Spirulina sp. Biomass Production with Modified Commercial Medium in Indonesia

Spirulina sp. is the most common cyanobacteria commodity used in the bioindustry for functional food, source of protein, bioactive compounds, and biopigment. Production of Spirulina sp. still facing several problems such as high cost of culture medium with the less effective result, especially in developing countries. The medium was modified with commercial chemicals and fertilizers locally available in Indonesia to reduce the production cost. This study aimed to assess the biological, technical, and financial feasibility of Spirulina sp. biomass production using a modified commercial medium. Based on the biological feasibility study, the modified commercial medium (ZK1 and ZK2) gives a similar result to the standard medium, equal for growth rate and protein content. However, the result contains lower fat, carbohydrates, and biopigment. The financial feasibility analysis suggested that the system is feasible starting from 1.2-1.5 kg biomass production in a month. The best result gained on the production capacity of 5 kg biomass using ZK2 medium, with NPV of IDR 183,208,962 (US$12,769), IRR of 73%, B/C ratio of 7.8, and payback period in 7 months. It can be concluded that modified commercial medium was biologically, technically, and financially feasible to be applied in industrial biomass production of Spirulina sp.

Phycobiliproteins extract from Spirulina protects against single-dose cadmium-induced reproductive toxicity in male mice.

Cadmium (Cd) is known for its many toxic effects on male population such as hypogonadism and fertility difficulties, which are oftenly associated with oxidative stress. As beneficial food, Spirulina(Sp) has been proved efficient against the heavy metal toxicity. This capacity can be associated with its phycobiliproteins (PBP). In this study, the capability of PBP and Sp to treat Cd-induced oxidative damage on the testes and spermatozoa was considered. CD-1 strain mice were orally treated with either Sp or PBP for 10 days prior to single-dose Cd challenge. Sperm quality determinations and testicle histology analysis were performed. Testosterone on serum was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Oxidative damage was determined. Antioxidant enzyme activity was analyzed by measuring the activity of super oxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (Cat), and glutathione peroxidase (GpX). The motility and viability of sperm decrease with Cd and improve with PBP and Sp, as the acrosomal reaction (AR) is diminished by PBPs. Testosterone levels decrease due to Cd, and only Sp maintains elevated levels. Cd increases the production of malondialdehyde in the spermatozoa, but not in testes; this production of malondialdehyde in the spermatozoa decreases in the presence of PBP. ROS only decreases with Cd, FBP, and Sp at high concentrations. Advanced oxidative protein products (AOPP) decrease with Cd and PBPs. Cat and GpX increase their activity with Cd and are altered by FBP. Cd produces vascular alterations testes. Within the seminiferous tubule, it produces areas of necrosis and apoptosis, which improve with PBPs and Sp. PBPs have a strong antioxidant activity as they show protective properties against Cd oxidative-induced toxicity on testes and sperm.

Simultaneous Application of Mixotrophic Culture and Magnetic Fields as a Strategy to Improve Spirulina sp. LEB18 Phycocyanin Synthesis.

Spirulina is a filamentous microalga which is considered a promising alternative source of essential nutrients and active biomolecules. High production cost and the space required to install a photobioreactor are two of the greatest challenges in the industrial application of microalga-based products. Thus, this study aimed to improve Spirulina sp. LEB 18 biomass and phycocyanin content by combining the application of mixotrophic culture and magnetic fields (MF). Zarrouk medium was modified with 1 and 3g/L liquid molasses and the application of 30 mT for 1·h/d was investigated. Mixotrophic culture with 1g/L molasses showed the highest biomass concentration (1.62g/L), carbohydrate content (25.6%), and lipid contents (8.7%) after 15days. Although the combination of 30 mT and 1g/L liquid molasses decreased biomass production (1.44g/L), there was increase in protein yield (76.9%) and protein productivity (73.8mg/L·d). The proposed method increased phycocyanin production by 145% and its purity from 0.584 in the control culture to 0.627. Data described by this study show that the combination of mixotrophic culture and MF application is a promising alternative to increase microalga protein and phycocyanin production.

The effect of salinity on the interaction between microplastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and microalgae Spirulina sp.

The increasing use of plastic over the last few decades has had an impact of plastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems. Plastic pollutions may be in the form of microplastics either from primary or secondary sources. These microplastics will indirectly affect human health through the food chain. This research was aimed at evaluating the interaction between microplastic and microalgae that are a source of food supplements. The experiment was conducted by investigating the impact of microplastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) on microalga Spirulina sp. cultivated in fresh water and saline water (7 ppt salinity) for 14 days. The growth rate and morphology of Spirulina sp. and PET were evaluated. The result showed that the presence of PET and salinity decreased Spirulina sp. growth rate in cultivation by 0.174 day-1 and reduced nutrient removal rates. However, the salinity system on medium-added PET was indicated that there are influences of Spirulina sp. against PET, where PET can be degraded by Spirulina sp. in the state of water with a salinity 7 ppt. FTIR graphic seems if there is any peak declination within PET augmentation in media with 0 ppt salinization. Nonetheless, the peak augmentation happened within PET augmentation in media with 7 ppt salinity. This signifies if there is an augmentation of PET salinization can be degraded by Spirulina sp. as the polysaccharide sources. PET is resistant to degradation due to its aromatic group. Based on the results scanning electron microscope (SEM), Spirulina sp. which growth with PET had a more uneven shape compared with a control variable.