Chlorophyll and carotenoid extraction from mixed microalgae; experimental and kinetic study

Algae require optimal conditions for efficient photosynthesis. The present study investigates the effect of different growth conditions on the production of biomass, lipid, protein, total chlorophyll, and carotenoid. The findings show that the increase of light intensity from 80 to 280 mu mol/(m2.s) leads to higher specific growth rates (21.03/h). Also, total chlorophyll, lipid, and carotenoid content at the end of cultivation are the highest in the light intensity of 280 mu mol/(m2.s) due to higher biomass production (1.92 g/L). Under salinity stress, the specific growth rates (11.81/h) and the content of biomass (1.4 g/L), lipid, total chlorophyll, and carotenoid are slightly reduced compared to the control culture at the end of cultivation. This study also investigates the kinetics of chlorophyll and carotenoid extraction from mixed microalgae at different operating conditions with methanol solvent for the first time. The extraction results reveal that the highest kinetic constant and extraction efficiency of chlorophyll and carotenoid (94.10 and 95.43%, respectively) were achieved at 40 C, pH 7, agitation of 300 rpm, and algal concentration of 4 g/L right-to-left mexpressionrk .