2. Dr Ruma Pal, Associate Professor, Calcutta University

2. Dr Ruma Pal, Associate Professor, Calcutta University

Mass cultivation of useful
microalgae in Indian
scenario
Dr. Ruma Pal
Department of Botany
University of Calcutta
WHAT IS ALGAE
Algae are artificial assemblage of oxygen
evolving photosynthetic organisms, without
having root, stems or leaves and lack sterile
covering on their reproductive cells.
TYPES OF ALGAE


Group-I Prokaryotic Algae
1.Cyanobacteria &
Green Cyanobacteria
Group-II Eukaryotic Algae
2.Glaucophyta
3.Rhodophyta
4.Chlorophyta
Group-III

Group-IV
5.Euglenophyta
6.Dinophyta
7. Apicomplexa
8.Cryptophyta
9.Heterokontophyta
10.Prymnesiophyta
Variation in thallus Structure
Unicellular
Colonial
Chlorella
Filamentous
Volvox
Spirogyra
Mode of Reproduction – ReproductiveUnit
Hormogones – Portion of Vegetative body
Vegetative asexual spores and cysts – Thick walled spores
Sexual reproduction – Gametogenesis – Zygote - Zygospores
Rate of reproduction – 2 to 3 hrs to few years
Life Cycle of Microalgae
a.
b.
d.
c.
e.
Reproductive units of cyanobacteria showing a. initiation of hormogone formation,
b. hormogones, c. viable pseudo hormogones, d. hormogones within sheath, e. release
of pseudo hormogones
Habit and Habitat
Fresh water
Brackish water
Marine water
Euglena
Phormidium
Nannochloropsis
NUTRITION - i) Autotrophic,
ii) Heterotrophic
Special Nutrient Requirement
High pH
Spirulina
High salinity
Dunaliella
High silica
Diatom
Why Microalgal biotechnology?
 Very fast growing
 High production of various important product
 Consumption of nutrient from waste
 Simple mode of reproduction
 Easy to harvest
 Can be cultivated in marine water and waste lands
ANIMAL FEED
ADDITIVES
COSMETICS
FOOD ADDITIVES
PIGMENTS
GM-ALGAE- MOLECULAR
FARMING, RECOMBINANT
PROTEIN, ANTIBODIES,
VACCINES
POLYSACCHARIDE
MICROALGAL
BIOTECHNOLOGY
FATTY ACID - PUFA
WASTE WATER
TREATMENT
PRECIOUS METAL SEPARATION
BIOFUEL
PRODUCTION
BIOTECHNOLOGICAL PROSPECT OF SOME MICROALGAE
Chlorella
ß-1, 3 glucan- active immunostimulator
Free radicals scavenger
Reducer of blood lipid
Antitumour effect of
Chlorella polysaccharide
Spirulina
Protein 65% of dry weight
Essential fatty acidgamma- linolinic acid.
Polysaccharide-commercial
product spirotan
Phycobiliprotein,Carotenoid
Vitamin B12
Minerals
Dunaliella
5-15 gm ß carotene/m3 in
intensive cultivation
50,000 m2 pond produce
3650 kg ß carotene/year
worth $300 to $3000/kg –
sold up as health food
or food supplement.
Tablet coated by sugar
wrapped by alluminium foil.
Haematococcus
1.5-3% astaxanthin of dry weigh
Cost, US $ 2500/kg.
Aquaculture market US $ 200 million,
Protect skin from UV ray,
Antiaging property,
Protect against cancer,
Enhance immune system
Reduce coronary heart attack.
Micro algal biotechnology :A Historical view-

As food
Nostoc commune
Chinese People > 2000 years ago

Other microalgae Human Food

Alfred Nobel invented dynamite by using Diatomaceous earth to
absorb nitro glycerine into a portable stick
4th to 6th Century in China and Japan
1860

Production of Chlorella biomass
1960

Microalgae in aquaculture
1970

Microalgal production to meet up energy crisis
1970
COMPANIES
Algal Genera
Country/Place
Companies
Chlorella
Taipei, Taiwan
Nihon Chlorella
Dunaliella
Australia
Chennai, India
Western Biotechnology Cognis Nutrition and
Health,
Parry Agro Limited
Spirulina
Lake Texcoco, Mexico
Mysore, India
Sosa Texcoco
CFTRI, MMM Murugappa Chettinad Institute,
Parry Agro Limited
Haematococcus
Australia
India
BEAM (Biotechnological & Environmental
Application of Microalgae)
Parry Agro Limited
ALGAE PRODUCTION
Closed photo bioreactor
Algatechnologie's Haematococcus
production
plant in the heart of the
.
Negev desert in Israel.
Outdoor BioDomeReactor,Hawaii,USA
“Red-stage” Haematococcus solar
photo bioreactors
Cultivation of Haematococcus
pluvialis in a 30 litre air-lift bioreactor
Dunaliella Production Unit
Natural Dunaliella cultivation
Lake MacLeod (world's largest natural salt
lake ) Western Australia approx 6,000
hectares. Under conditions of high salinity and
high solar radiance, it accumulates very high
levels of beta carotene as part of the cell
biomass.
Dunaliella salina soft capsule
Dunaliella gold is a potent source
of natural mixed carotenoids and
important daily nutrients.
($300 to3000/kg)
Haematococcus
($2500/kg,
Market $200 million)
Dunaliella
Major Algal Biomass project In India :
All India Co-ordinated Project on Algae (DST – 1976-81)IARI,CFTRI,CSMCRI,NEERI,NBRI
Indo Jerman Project on Spirulina – 1973-81CFTRI (L.V.Venkataraman and Becker)
MCRC – Dr.N Jeejibai (Rural technology)
University of Rajasthan –Prof P.Srivastava (Rural technology)
University of Madras – Prof G Rengaswamy
Ongoing all India Co-ordinated projects on Bio-fuelDBT,CSIR-NIMTLI
Algal tank constructed with brick and cement for rural
cultivation of Spirulina CFTRI, Mysore, India.
PVC tank used for Spirulina cultivation. Thatched
roof for reduction of light intensity.
Circular cement tank for Scenedesmus
cultivation. Aerobic digester for CO2
production from agricultural waste in the
foreground.
Open race way pond
Cost Effective Process
Local Strain
Exploitation
Low cost
Mass
production
Mass Cultivation at Algal Net House, Green House
Premises, Banabitan, Saltlake
Tray & Tub
culture
Tank culture
Open Raceway Pond
Tank Culture
Advantages of enclosed PBR
 Better control of algal culture
Large surface to volume ratio
 Better control of gas transfer
 Reduction in evaporation of growth medium
 More uniform temperature
 Better protection from outside contamination
 Higher algal cell densities
Advantages Open tank culture
 More production rate
Cost effective
Natural Bloom
Collection and culture establishment of Euglena
Vertical photo bioreactor
Large Scale Microalgal Cultivation
Vertical Photobioreactor
Biomass Collection
Diatom cultures
Growth yield of algae under different nitrogen sources in laboratory condition
Chlorophyll (mg/gm DW)
10
8
NaNO3
6
NH4Cl
4
Urea
2
Spirulina subsalsa
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
NaNO3
NH4Cl
Urea
0
0
0
4
7
11
14
Days
19
22
26
8
7
6
5
NaNO3
4
NH4Cl
3
Urea
2
1
0
0
4
7
11
14
Days
19
22
4
7
11
14
Days
19
Navicula minima
Chlorococcum infusionum
9
Chlorophyll (mg/gm DW)
Chlorophyll (mg/gm DW)
Phormidium valderianum
12
26
22
26
Growth performance of Phormidium under different irradiance
Growth of P.valderiuanum (indoor)
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Culture condition
R² = 0.014
Indoor:
gm dry weight
• Irradiance – 1200 lux
• Temperature – 23 °C
Outdoor:
• Irradiance ~ 900 - 3000 lux
R² = 0.902
Result
Indoor:
12
• Steady growth throughout the
year due to maintenance of
similar culture conditions
10
gm dry weight
Jul '08
Jun '08
14
May '08
Apr '08
Mar '08
Feb '08
Jan '08
Dec '07
Nov '07
Oct '07
Sep '07
Aug '07
Growth of P.valderianum (outdoor)
• Temperature – 21 - 39 °C
8
6
Outdoor:
4
• Highest biomass yield in April
(late spring).
2
0
Jul '08
Jun '08
May '08
Apr '08
Mar '08
Feb '08
Jan '08
Dec '07
Nov '07
Oct '07
Sep '07
Aug '07
• Lowest yield in September (late
summer)
Low cost techniques for Spirulina production for rural people in family
scale at Bagnan Howrah (DST project 1990)
Waste water Management
Thank You