Impact of Growth Conditions on Indigenous Algal Biomass Production

Harneet Kaur, Anita Rajor and Amritpal Singh Kaleka

Background and Objective: Population explosion and urbanization are the major cause of the energy crisis. Conventional fossil fuel is a non-renewable and unsustainable source of energy. To fulfil the demands of the growing population, sustainable energy sources became a crucial need. Algae-based biofuel production has turned into an appealing approach as it is one of the most reliable energy sources. The present work explored the optimization of growth conditions of analgal consortium collected from a waste water drain. Materials and Methods: The collected biomass was identified and subjected to different ranges of pH, temperature and light intensity in the laboratory. The growth rate was recorded and presented as a descriptive stat. Results: The identification results revealed the prevalence of cyanobacterial strains in the collected consortium. The experimentation showed substantial growth of consortium at the temperature range of 25-30°C and neutral pH was found suitable for constant growth of biomass. Direct sunlight showed a negative influence on biomass production as fluctuations in light intensity cause stress in algae. The high light intensity of 2060 lx showed improvement in the growth of biomass. Conclusion: Determination of ideal conditions for wastewater algae in the present study exposed the field of utilization of wastewater algae for various vital purposes. This can specifically helpful in techno-economic improvements in the field of algal exploitation or consumption. The knowledge of ideal growth conditions of algae can be helpful to enhance the bioremediation process and biofuel production.

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