The creation of the photobioreactor for the effective chlorella growth and study of the light spectral composition influence on its biomass

Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, 49, Timiryazevskaya str., Moscow, 127434, Russia

^* Corresponding author: dudina.biotech@gmail.com

Abstract

Chlorella is a green eukaryotic microalgae (Chlorella vulgaris). The microscopic cell is spherical, 2–10 µm in diameter. This microalgae is one of the most important and promising for biomass production. Chlorella contains the pool of biologically active substances: about 50% protein (including essential amino acids); a complex of essential unsaturated fatty acids (including Omega-3); vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, E; as well as macro- and micronutrients important for health. This creates the prerequisites for its commercial production for use in medicine, cosmetology and veterinary medicine. Scientists have found that chlorella has an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and even wound healing effect due to the presence of this pool of biologically active compounds. Chlorella is cultivated in ponds or bioreactors with specified parameters that create favorable conditions for the growth of chlorella biomass. Each set of conditions creates the prerequisites for changing the growth rate and output of individual products. We studied the influence of the photometric characteristics of the light source on the optical density and, accordingly, the efficiency of growing chlorella. The results of optical density measurements allowed us to note that the largest increase in biomass is observed when using warm white LED lighting (T=2700K).