Biomass and Pigment Production for Arthrospira platensis via
Semi-Continuous Cultivation in Photobioreactors: Temperature Effects
Abstract
Abstract This study describes the response of Arthrospira platensis to a
variety of temperature conditions as reflected in variations of
photosynthetic parameters, pigmentation, and biomass productivity in
indoor photobioreactor (PBR) cultivations. These experiments are
designed to better understand the impact of temperature, seasonal
variations, and acclimation effects on outdoor biomass production. The
irradiance level and temperature range (20 – 39°C) are chosen to enable
modeling of semi-continuous operation of large-scale outdoor PBR
deployments. Overall, the cultivations were quite stable with some
pigment-related instabilities after prolonged high temperature exposure.
Changes in productivity with temperature, as reflected in measured
photosynthetic parameters, are immediate and mainly attributable to the
temperature dependence of the photosaturation parameter, a secondary
factor being variation in pigment content on a longer time scale
corresponding to turnover of the culture population. Though pigment
changes have minimum impact on productivity, prolonged exposure at 35°C
and above yields a clear degradation in performance. Productivities in a
semi-continuous operation are quantitatively reproduced with a
productivity model incorporating photosynthetic parameters measured
herein. This study confirms the importance of temperature for biomass
and pigment production in Arthrospira cultivations and provides a basis
for risk assessments related to temperature mitigation for large-scale
outdoor cultivations. Keywords: Arthrospira Platensis, photosynthetic
parameters, pigment production, productivity modeling, photobioreactors