The starch stored in microalgae is the basic substance for the fermentation process in producing bioethanol and the lipid stored in it is a precursor for the production of biodiesel. Therefore, two Iranian researchers embarked on a project to enrich starch-producing microalgae in a mixed growth medium in order to provide the necessary conditions for manufacturing biodiesel fuel.
In this project, a new method was employed for the screening of microorganisms based on cell density called gravity-based enrichment.
In this new method, various species of starch- and lipid-producing microalgae were screened in a mixed growth medium and many disadvantages of pure culture of microalgae for producing ethanol and biodiesel, such as the high costs of sterilization and the risk of contamination by the invasive species, have been removed.
The preliminary results revealed that gravity-based enrichment is a good screening method for specialized manufacturing of starch and lipid in microalgae in non-sterile conditions on an industrial scale.
The study conducted by Morteza Hassanpour and Mahsa Abbasabadi has received the second prize for innovation in the 17th edition of Khwarizmi International Award.
MS/3042240
Your Comment