(518h) Response Surface Approach to Optimize CO2 Fixation Using Chlorella vulgaris Culture

Microalgae based biofuels have been reported as an attractive alternative for fossil fuel, since they constitute a renewable energy source that reduces greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. the adeptness to optimizely model microalgae productivity and aswell CO₂ biofixation especially under the varying conditions is crucial for evaluating the profitability and sustainability of their cultivation at large scale for biofuel industries. In this study, In this study, the response surface methodology in conjunction with the central composite design (RSM-CCD) was used to model specific growth rate (SGR), CO₂ uptake rate and biomass productivity of microalgae chlorella vulgaris. The non-linear models developed were used to optimize CO₂ concentration in air and cultivation time for SGR, CO₂ uptake rate and biomass productivity in tubular batch photobioreactor. The optimal set (3% CO₂ and 7 days culture) was found to occur at SGR of 2.23 per day, CO₂ uptake rate of 0.065 g/L/day and productivity of 0.092 g/L/day. The optimum values agree well with the literature values.

Acknowledgement

The author would like to gratefully acknowledge the support provided by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) through the Science & Technology Unit at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) for funding this work through project No. KACST ARP-A-T-32-62 as part of the National Science, Technology and Innovation Plan.