Optimal renewal rate and nutrient concentration for the production of the marine microalga Phaeodactylum tricomutum in semicontinuous cultures

Abstract

A factorial experiment comprising six nutrient concentrations and six renewal rates was set to optimize semicontinuous cultures of Phaeodactylum trieornutum. Maximal cell density, 85 × 106 cells ml-1, was obtained with 8 and 16 mmol of N per liter and a renewal rate of 10%. Protein stabilized at about 60% of the organic fraction for nitrogen-sufficient cultures. Both lipids and carbohydrates were stored as energetic reserves.