Impact of Nutrient Conditions on Growth and Lipid Accumulation in Scenedesmus obliquus and Chlorococcum humicola as Biofuel Sources
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This investigation utilizes two indigenous microalgal Species, Scendesmus obliquus and Chlorococcum humicola, to evaluate their lipid production capabilities as a potential biodiesel source under nutrient deprivation conditions, specifically nitrogen limitation at 50% (-N), phosphorus limitation at 50% (-P) and a combination of nitrogen and phosphorus starvation at 50% (-N) 50% (-P). The results indicated that lipid accumulation in Scendesmus obliquus was significantly more effective than that observed in Chlorococcum humicola at (-N50%), with a lipid content of 42.9% of dry weight, in contrast to a minimal lipid content of 15.7% observed in the control, and lipid accumulation in Chlorococcum humicola at (-N) 50% reached to 38.9% of dry weight compared with the control's 12.5% of dry weight. Furthermore, carbohydrate content elevated from 16% in the control to 41% at (-N) 50% + (-P) 50% treatment in Scendesmus obliquus, whereas the highest protein content recorded was 34% of dry weight in the control condition. In the case of Chlorococcum humicola, carbohydrate content was 40.5% of dry weight in the 50 % nitrogen deprivation treatment, with the highest protein content recorded being 29.8% of dry weight in the control condition.
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